The Sage's Severed Arm
“You fucking bastards...!”
The Sage started to spew curses but cut himself off. The sword embedded in his body twisted, mangling his organs.
As if refusing to allow him another word, Neona Solari spoke in a flat, emotionless voice.
“Malia Arishion. I arrest you as a corrupted heretic who has broken the ultimate taboo.”
“Kuh...”
No matter how great an archmage he was, with a blade plunged into his gut, there was nothing he could do.
And the sword she wielded wasn't just any ordinary blade—it was the Holy Sword, a gift from the priests of the War God in recognition of her merits during the Great War.
Or rather, that's how it should have been.
...Something's off.
He'd been neutralized far too easily. Even with the lich and tree elf interfering, the Sage was the sole mage to reach the unique realm of an 8 Circle Mage.
A chill prickled the nape of his neck, like the sting of killing intent.
Without hesitation, Neona released her sword and leaped back.
Whoosh!
Flames roared over the spot where she'd stood moments before.
The Sage's body—no, his clone—vanished, engulfed in fire.
Neona retrieved her sword and glared toward the source of the blaze. The Sage, his entire form shrouded in violet light, flashed eyes wild with madness.
“You goddamn pests... I gave you a chance, and you just crossed the line without a second thought.”
The Sage raised his hand toward the sky.
“I don't need any of this anymore. Just... die, all of you.”
No incantation was necessary. An enormous mass of mana coalesced above his palm.
The principal, professors, and duchess instantly recognized the spell he was casting and didn't hesitate.
Open wide!
“Seal it shut.”
“Hup!”
The entire unique world turned hostile toward the Sage, forcibly ripping away the mana near him.
Rumble...!
Trees erupted from the ground, forming a path. Neona dashed along it, closing the distance to the Sage in an instant.
The tip of Neona's sword blurred.
Dozens of slashes erupted from the afterimage, hammering the Sage's barrier in a single breath.
Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam...!
Neona's realm was Master level—the pinnacle among current swordsmen, though even Masters varied in strength.
Neona was the youngest duchess. Younger even than the young head of House Horain, who had taken over after the Sword Saint's disappearance.
But the Sage was the strongest among the house heads, a true veteran among veterans who had lived the longest!
...It didn't break?
How many layers had he stacked? The Sage was still encased in his full-body barrier.
The Sage thrust his hand forward, grasping at something.
“...!”
Neona's internal mana wavered. Her body hurriedly wrapped itself in golden aura. But the Sage's spell completed first.
...Kuh.
The lich swallowed a groan. Control of the blackened sky was wrested away by the Sage, dying it blood-red.
The heavens split open, and something plummeted down.
Meteor! The pinnacle of high-tier magic!
Protect us.
Clatter! A heated variant of the lich surged from the earth, intercepting the Meteor in Neona's stead.
BOOM!
The mana forming the lich variant that took the hit for Neona dissipated upon impact.
The lich let out a small, stifled scream.
The dissipation of his mana had strained his life vessel slightly.
...A monster, as expected.
He hadn't reached that height through pure talent alone, but a grand archmage who had ascended beyond the lich himself while still in a human body.
Even with three of them ganging up, the gap of a single realm was immense.
If it had just been the lich and Murdersonal?
...We'd have lost for sure.
Even with Neona Solari joining, victory wouldn't have been guaranteed.
And if the Sage had ignored everything and rained Meteors on this island?
They might block it somehow with the unique world, but the lich would be rendered nearly combat-incapable, tilting the scales decisively.
“I've blocked one now. Come on, try stopping the next.”
The Sage raised his hand again. Mana condensed in his palm, forming a long spear.
A spear as massive as the Meteor from before!
The mana concentrated at its tip held enough power to obliterate the entire island.
Neona gripped her Holy Sword with both hands and swung it horizontally. A golden slash! The mana forming the spear scattered.
The Sage whipped his head around. The slash grazed past his cheek.
“The Holy Sword, huh. A weapon infused with divine power... How tempting.”
Drip.
He'd thought he'd blocked it, but a cut had opened on his cheek.
His throat burned with thirst. Like a beast starved for ages, the sight of this new power and weapon ignited his greed.
I want to take it. Possess it.
Make everything mine!
Twitch.
The curse—nay, the brand—etched into his heart writhed. In exchange for borrowing the power of an ancient monster through sacrifice, he'd gained immense strength... but also its side effects.
His reason and intellect blurred, his instincts growing stronger...
He should have long been consumed, becoming the 'sacrifice' needed to summon the ancient monster. But he'd forcibly suppressed it with his raw power, enduring until now.
If I fully summon that ancient monster, I can lift this curse.
Subjugate the ancient monster summoned via his son as sacrifice, rip out its soul, sever the curse linking him to it—then this power would be purely his.
“Die, all of you!”
At the Sage's command, nearby mana bent to his will, twisting the earth.
The laws of the unique world shattered, obeying the Sage's intent instead.
Neona, the lich, and Murdersonal braced to block the assault.
Then, their heads snapped around.
“!”
“!”
—!
The unique world peeled back, revealing the island's true form.
The sky—no, the ancient monster's body surging toward it—was bisected by the blood-red moon.
The Sage's eyes flew wide in horror.
“No!!!”
If the curse wasn't lifted and the ancient monster died, it would transfer to another.
This one was extremely young—the only level he could handle and kill without issue.
But to the others? To an adult specimen?
“No! How dare you—who the hell...!”
The curse in his heart quivered—a sign of transfer. It could not transfer! Never!
Even this one—I'll kill it and use it as sacrifice...!
The Sage's body leaped through space.
Or tried to. The lich's unique world grabbed his ankle first. Neona urgently seized his cloak.
“Kuh!”
Both were teleported simultaneously. Above the plummeting, bisected ancient monster stood Eugene, proud and tall!
“!”
Eugene spotted them and hurriedly raised his sword. But the Sage's mana moved faster.
Ambient mana froze at his command.
Even a single breath would let the chill invade his lungs and freeze them solid.
“...!”
His eyes widened in panic behind the mask.
The Sage's rage boiled over at the reaction.
Pathetic—not even a full Master. And this fool had dared ruin his plans?
Plans executed even using his worthless son as sacrifice—dared!
I'll kill him here.
And offer him as sacrifice once more...!
ZZZing!
At that moment, Eugene's sword let out a piercing ring, erupting in crimson light.
And that wasn't all.
“...?!”
Neona's sword resonated in kind, radiating light. Brilliant golden mana poured forth, mingling with the red.
Eugene felt breathing become far easier. At the same time, he sensed an odd kinship with the woman.
...What is this?
Like reuniting with a long-lost sibling...
Could she be hidden family?
Their eyes met.
A ripple stirred in her impassive golden gaze.
She seemed flustered too. A face he'd never seen. Her radiant hair and eyes were striking, but unfamiliar—no resemblance at all.
What? She doesn't look anything like me?
No time for more thoughts. He had to escape first—
Stab!
Eugene looked down. Something had pierced his abdomen and protruded from it.
A spear forged of mana.
It had skewered his organs.
“...Guh.”
Eugene swallowed blood. The unfamiliar agony made his head spin for a moment.
Instantly activated, soothing the pain.
A fatal wound for most.
His organs were melting gooey under the mana spewing from the spear.
That crazy old bastard...
Even a High Knight would die from this.
But Eugene wouldn't. Dying from this would make a mockery of being the War God's priest.
More importantly, the old coot might finish him off.
Let's test it.
Eugene relaxed his body and deliberately plummeted to the ground.
“Eu... student!!”
His masked face was hidden. Hard to tell life from death, the Sage confirmed the mana spear through Eugene's gut and the lack of mana from his body.
“That's the price of your arrogance.”
Dead. The Sage averted his gaze from Eugene.
“Sage!!!”
Professor Eroy charged at the Sage in fury. His attention snapped to her and Neona.
Now.
Eugene focused his mind on his sword like never before. The divine power compression he'd learned from Ash—compressed so subtly it wouldn't show externally.
Hummm.
Touch or no, he couldn't just let the bastard who pierced his gut walk away.
As Eugene twitched and gripped his sword with both hands, the watching mages below spotted his survival and thrust out their hands in horror.
A platform formed underfoot. He twisted midair, assuming position.
“...!”
The Sage whipped around upon noticing, but Eugene's swing was faster.
Slash!
A crimson sword beam curved like a crescent toward the Sage's neck. He hastily erected a barrier, disrupting the beam's mana...
Not mana?!
Nearby mana surged to interfere, but it couldn't approach the divine power.
The moment it got close, it was devoured.
Could that be the War God's—
Slice.
The beam gashed the Sage's arm. The barrier was useless.
No matter his mana, he couldn't block a final strike amplified to its limit by the blessing.
He should have dodged instead.
“Gaaargh!”
The Sage howled in agony as his arm was severed. Eroy and Neona seized the opening.
Bam-bam-boom!
Eugene's body, drained of strength, fell limply.
His rapid descent halted midway.
Professor Nipella caught his body.
“Kuh... You filthy shits...!”
The Sage roared like a beast.
“I'll kill you all!!”
Hummm! His power amplified a stage further. The ancient ritual's subject had transferred, borrowing the might of a stronger adult.
“Gah!”
Professor Eroy, still only High Knight level, was flung back.
Neona, enduring the Sage's aura, calmly raised her Holy Sword.
That composure grated on him.
“You think that puny sword... can stop... me...!”
The sky tore open. The blue expanse turned red—not dyed red, but filled with red-glowing Meteors blotting it out.
“...”
Neona glanced below. Her eyes met Eugene's, his head the only part raised in his limp form.
Smile.
Her stoic face cracked into a faint grin.
She lowered her Holy Sword. As if surrendering, but Eugene instinctively knew what she intended.
Sanctuary.
Flash!
Golden light exploded, engulfing the Sage and the woman—and the Meteor-filled sky with them.
Ah... it's gone...
Eugene went fully limp. Seeing him like jelly, Nipella whispered softly.
“Why on earth do you push yourself so hard?”
“Wasn't pushing.”
“If this isn't pushing, then what the hell is?!”
Thud!
Professor Eroy burst from the wall where she'd crashed, hurriedly checking Eugene.
“You okay?!”
“Yeah. Fine.”
“?!”
What nonsense!
Eugene's state was horrific.
A hole through his gut, priest robes in tatters, mask bloodied.
“Fine my ass...! W-We need a priest, now...!”
“Told you, I'm fine. More importantly, can you pull this spear out? Can't move.”
“You can't just yank that out!”
“Lemme self-heal. I'm a priest, remember?”
“...”
Oh right.
He is a priest.