Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Shoot Towards the Dawn (9)
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The darkness of dawn hung thick. With even the moon having set, only fragmentary starlight twinkled in the sky. The low murmur of waves from the Dawn Sea shattered in the chilly night air.
After the commotion of the previous night, lights burned in most floors of the Dawn Magic Tower. As Erzsebet strolled through the tower's garden, she let out a deep sigh.
"In the end, I didn't get a wink of sleep..."
A weary voice slipped through her parched lips. Dark circles shadowed her porcelain face. She hadn't been able to sleep, her mind consumed by thoughts of the incident from the night before.
'What the hell is going on here?'
Everything was shrouded in questions. Far too much had happened in just four short days.
The culprit behind the failed airship shootdown was Grancia House's third daughter, Sion Sinivan de Grancia. She had nearly burned down the library too, but by decision of Acting Tower Lord Aown Phira, she was cleared of all charges.
At the time, it had all seemed like a scheme orchestrated by Grancia House. But now, with a cooler head, there were clearly too many inconsistencies. Sion was too young, too weak, and above all, there was no reason for a noble daughter of such a great house to act that way herself.
'Books controlling people...'
Ronan's strange words nagged at her too. They made no sense at all, but one thing was certain: something she didn't know was happening in this magic tower.
'Where did everyone go, anyway?'
Suddenly puzzled, Erzsebet tilted her head. The acting tower lord and the librarian had vanished without a trace. Ronan had disappeared too, without so much as a "good night."
"...Guess I should try to get at least a little sleep."
No matter how she puzzled it out, no clues emerged. Finally succumbing to drowsiness, Erzsebet ended her long walk. The moment she turned toward the tower—
Kwaaaaang—!!
"Kyaaak?!"
A roar like hundreds of thunderclaps exploding at once reverberated. Erzsebet whipped her head toward the sound. In the northwest garden, a pillar of flame as thick as the magic tower itself shot skyward.
"Wh-what...!"
Erzsebet stumbled back. The intense heat reached even here. Within seconds, the pillar that had pierced the stars began to subside.
Kurung! In its place, a torrent of fire and mana erupted. It was like a small volcano erupting. Sensing the anomaly, mages poured out in droves.
"M-my god!"
"Heavens, that's the direction of the forbidden archive!"
"I-isn't that the tower lord's flame? Where are the librarian and the tower mages?!"
The unexpected bolt from the blue threw the mages into chaos. But the blaze's ferocity offered no respite for screams.
Kuaaaang! At the sight of the pillar surging anew, the mages regained their wits. As if by agreement, they charged toward the epicenter.
"F-first, we must stop the fire from spreading!"
If the flames caught the garden or tower, it would be a catastrophe. Coming to her senses late, Erzsebet levitated herself with telekinesis. Upon arrival, her eyes widened in shock.
"Oh my god...!"
It was as if a passage to hell had opened. Destructive flames of unprecedented scale surged from a hole in the garden's center. The intertwining, overflowing inferno split into two hues.
One evoked a clear crimson sunset of summer; the other, a sticky, heavy dark red like lava drawn straight from the underworld.
The dark red flames held the advantage. The malevolent blaze greedily devoured the crimson fire, growing ever larger.
Mages in nightclothes threw everything into containing the spread. The mana shields encircling the pit melted and reformed in rapid cycles.
"I-it's impossible to hold...! This is nearly 8th Circle...!"
"Hold the line!"
Everyone fought desperately, but the inferno's power suggested they wouldn't last long. Then Erzsebet spotted a familiar face. A very short girl with dark blue-green hair.
"Grancia?"
"Eeeeek...!"
It was Sion Sinivan de Grancia, suspect in the assassination attempt. She wove defensive spells amid the mages handling suppression. No guardians were in sight—all thrown into the effort.
'What good does she think she's doing?!'
Erzsebet furrowed her brow. Kwagwang! Suddenly, a massive explosion hurled dozens of volcano-like fireballs into the air, arcing down.
Reading one trajectory, Erzsebet paled. It headed straight for Sion's head. Mages, focused on shields, noticed only at the last second.
"Damn it, take cover!"
"Lady Grancia, watch out!"
"Eeeeek...?!"
Sion looked up late, her focus broken. A dark red fireball filled her vision. Stray heat singed her hair.
"Huh?"
No distance to dodge. Her short life was about to end. Abruptly, a hemispherical mana shield enveloped her and the mages. Kwaaang! The fireball smashed into it, exploding thunderously.
"Reckless fools—what do you think you're doing?"
"S-sis...?"
"Don't they teach you in Grancia to step back if you're no help?"
Sion opened her tightly shut eyes. Erzsebet hugged her shoulders, chanting spells. The saved mages' eyes bulged.
"L-Lady Acalusia!"
"How can we ever repay this grace...!"
"Shut up. Bunch of idiots who can't even protect one kid. You all owe me now."
Erzsebet snapped sharply. The mages fell silent. Dismissing her shield, she extended a hand toward the pit.
"I'll join you."
Violet energy bloomed from her fingertips. Energized, the mages steadied themselves. Suddenly, a booming voice echoed across the tower.
"Everyone, evacuate!"
A familiar voice. Erzsebet turned. A colossal firebird, wings spanning ten meters, soared across the western night sky, trailed by dozens of massive fiery raptors. Her eyes widened.
"Aown Phira...!"
"All but minimal personnel—evacuate!"
It was like the sun rising in the west. Prominence Bird, Aown Phira's signature spell. Reaching the tower in moments, the firebird and raptors plunged into the pit.
Hwaruruk! The blaze warped, visibly subsiding. Soon, a dark red-flamed firebird rose into the air. Realizing it absorbed the fire, Erzsebet gasped in admiration.
"As expected...!"
More effective than all other mages combined. As Aown Phira circled, shaking off flames, and dove again—
Hwaruk! Abruptly, a flash-like flame bloomed high above. Fading, it revealed two human silhouettes.
A burning boy gripped an old man's throat, plummeting. Recognizing the boy's face, Erzsebet screamed.
"Ro-Ronan?!"
At the same time, a chilling roar echoed from above. Erzsebet froze. Her legs weakened like she'd faced a beast, breath quickening.
"Hah...!"
The other mages fared no better. Screams and explosions rang out—failed chants, mana backlash.
"Wh-what is that?"
"Hiiik...!"
Never had she felt such vile mana. Sion, clinging to Erzsebet, whimpered, clutching her hand.
As Ronan and the old man hurtled toward the ground, flames flashed again, vanishing them. The crushing pressure lifted; breath returned.
"Waaaaaah!"
Sion finally burst into tears, burying her face in Erzsebet's stomach. Flustered, Erzsebet stepped back.
"D-don't cry...! What kind of noble cries like this?"
"Hic... hwaaaang!"
"Stop it, stop!"
Forgetting she was Grancia, Erzsebet soothed Sion. After patting her back for a while, she murmured, gazing where Ronan vanished.
"What are you fighting this time...?"
"Still manageable."
Ronan's body was wreathed in flames. His inherently fire-resistant uniform smoldered, indicating intense heat, but focused on combat, it barely felt hot. Vajra bellowed.
Injured, Vajra thrashed fiercer. His barrage of powerful spells proved his might. Kwang! A Flame Buster missed Ronan, vaporizing nearby woods.
"Would you let go?"
They teleported endlessly in a brutal brawl. Vajra tried every trick to shake Ronan, but he held fast.
'This bastard's reaching his limit.'
The longer he clung, the clearer it became. Vajra weakened. Flames cooled; rocks softened.
Hwaruk! Then a pillar engulfed them again. Seeing the changed backdrop, Ronan chuckled dryly. Far off, the black Dawn Sea rippled.
'Chance.'
They'd reached the skies over the Dawn Sea. Kwajik! Ronan snapped his head back, headbutting Vajra's nose. Caught off-guard, Vajra groaned.
"Quit tormenting the poor old man and come out."
His hooked nose broke, blood spurting. Ronan headbutted repeatedly. Kwang! Kwang! Teleports faltered; they plummeted.
'Shove him in the water like this.'
Paper hates water. Vajra's spells would likely fail submerged. Dunk him, fish out the soggy corpse—done.
About five meters from the surface. Suddenly, Vajra spread his arms, summoning something upward.
Ururung...! A palm-shaped reef surged toward them. Ronan's eyes widened. They crashed onto it.
"Kuhuk!"
Larger than a galleon. Ronan tumbled, back-first. Low altitude cushioned the impact, but he lost his grip.
"Shit, where'd you—"
As Ronan scrambled up— Kwaang! A massive flame whale crashed overhead, exploding. Five rock spears pierced his spot in an X.
Finally, the hand-shaped reef clutched Ronan. Kwajik! Flames jetted from the fingers as crushing sounds rang out.
Vajra landed on the reef, collapsing to one knee. His body felt heavier. Spitting black blood, he muttered in disbelief.
His true body's wounds weren't healing. In eons of life and trials, this was new. He experienced what mortals called "exsanguination" for the first time.
He needed to devour a mana-rich lifeform. As he prepared to return to the Dawn Tower—
Whiririk! A whistle like hundreds blowing exploded a reef corner. Ronan burst from the middle finger spot. Vajra's eyes widened.
"You're definitely weakening."
Bloodied Ramancha gleamed in his hand. Save teleport burns, Ronan bore no wounds.
"Time to end this."
Steadying, Ronan charged. Vajra froze, stunned.
Shiiik! As Ronan's hilt struck Vajra's temple— a sinister voice boomed over the sea.
"What?"
The hilt pierced Vajra's head clean through. His form dissipated like smoke. Realizing the illusion late, Ronan turned. Vajra's hand materialized from nowhere, seizing his head.
"Kuhk!"
"You bastard...!"
Before Ronan could retort, Vajra chanted. His true form—the black book—slipped from the tower lord's chest.
Simultaneously, Vajra's consciousness shifted from the tower lord's body to Ronan's. His eyes blackened. Grotesque moans escaped Ronan's gaping lips.
"Uh... uuu... shitty... toilet paper... bastard...!"
Vajra sneered. Resistance was fierce, but possession succeeded—devouring the body was mere time. Just claim the heart. Then, unease. Vajra tilted his head.
An unpleasant sensation. Unlike other bodies. Something immeasurably vast already dwelled here.
A being viler, more horrific than himself. Shadowy forms, coiled. They stirred, approaching Vajra one by one.
But the shadows advanced. One bit Vajra. Burning pain; he gasped.
The rest swarmed. Vajra's consciousness drowned in darkness. Bone-chilling screams echoed in Ronan's mind.
"Not exactly a cozy home, huh?"
Ronan swept back his seawater-soaked hair, grinning. His blackened eyes restored to normal. Vajra's book-form true body writhed, burning away.