Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: Mother Battery (2)
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Mother Battery finished her self-introduction.
Oliver cast a warming spell on Willes before turning around to reply.
"...Hello. I am Xenon Bright, personal assistant to one of the Magic Tower's professors. It's an honor to meet you."
Oliver greeted her with proper etiquette, just as he had learned from the servants at the Angel's House.
Their efforts hadn't been in vain—the response wasn't bad at all.
"You've got a decent grasp on how to greet someone, haven't you?"
"I learned from some very kind people."
"Well taught. But if you want to show true respect, you should give your real name, not some fake one."
"My real name?"
"That's right. No mere assistant could wield magic of various attributes so freely or blend emotions with mana like that."
"Ah... You were watching?"
"Everywhere there's blood is within my sight."
As Battery answered, she raised her hand. The ice turned red, reflecting scenes from all corners of the lab.
"Impressive."
"Spare me the flattery. A man's praise always hurts. More importantly, could I hear your real name?"
Oliver fell into thought for a moment.
"Hmm... I'm truly sorry, Mother Battery, but I don't think I can answer that."
"Oh? They say all kingdom men are gentlemen. Must be a lie. Refusing to reveal yourself when a lady asks—how heartbreaking."
"I really am sorry. I'd be grateful if you could understand. It's not just my issue alone."
"Not just yours... That means someone helped you? Got you hired at the Magic Tower? Hiring a black mage there wouldn't be some ordinary position... At least master level?"
Battery showed off her sharp deductive skills based on Oliver's words.
Oliver answered only with silence.
"Hahaha... Looks like I hit the mark. Don't worry too much. I was just curious about who you are. No intention of putting you in a tough spot."
"Me?"
"Yes. There are quite a few black mages who use magic, but very few blend emotions with mana. Especially someone like you... Where did you learn that?"
"I learned black magic from my master, but blending mana and emotions? I figured that out on my own."
"On your own?"
"Yes."
Battery stared at Oliver in surprise.
She was trying to discern if it was a lie or truth, but unfortunately, she couldn't tell.
Oliver showed no emotional fluctuations at all—strangely serene, making it hard to read him.
So Battery spat out words mixed with flattery and provocation to shake him.
"...Remarkable talent. Figuring out such a technique on your own—if that's true, you're a genius of the highest order."
"Is that so?"
"Indeed. The technique you use transcends both magic and black magic—it's a step above. Proof? Your flames ignored the laws of magic and wiped out my daughters in an instant."
It was true.
In fact, the female black mages hadn't fallen so easily because they lacked skill or were stupid.
Oliver was simply beyond common sense.
Not content with infiltrating via a blood pool only the Battery Family could use, his Devouring Flame even treated ice magic as mere kindling—an attack utterly outside established norms.
Even far superior foes couldn't have withstood it.
And so? Battery's emotions gradually dyed with greed.
It was a feeling she'd seen once before—back in Sector X, when Oliver faced the chef.
The chef had coveted Oliver's talents and skills, trying to devour him.
"Thank you for the praise. But doesn't your blood magic also blend emotions and mana? Not that surprising, is it?"
"Thanks for the praise, but no."
"Really?"
"Very much so. As you said, my blood magic blends them, but it requires blood as a medium. Even after years of research and stealing countless talents... there's a limit."
Battery's words were sincere—especially the last part.
"If it's alright, may I ask a question too?"
"Of course."
Oliver glanced at the ice-covered floor as he asked.
"This might sound ignorant, but why attack the Life School lab? Your daughters mentioned you were cooperating with them."
"We were cooperating."
"Were?"
"Yes. The Life School deceived me. And I hate being deceived more than anything."
Battery was utterly serious—seething with hatred, even.
"Deceived how?"
"They offered a trade: intriguing blood for my knowledge. I agreed out of interest, but they gave me fakes—using the blood magic I taught them."
"Ah..."
"So I came here myself to claim my due. I heard they were researching 'that blood' here."
Battery smiled as she finished, but Oliver could feel her rage.
She was truly furious.
"Did you find what you wanted?"
"No. Seems I was a step too late."
"Then why not just leave? Why kidnap the other lab staff and nearby residents?"
"I came all this way—can't go back empty-handed. If you can't catch a pheasant, take a chicken. Their research data, corpses, skins, fresh blood... And if I'm lucky, meet someone fun like you. Ah! Are you condemning me for the kidnappings?"
Battery feigned surprise with an exaggerated gesture.
Oliver denied it.
"No, I have no right to judge. Just curious."
"Oh, good then."
"If it's alright, may I make a proposal?"
"Go ahead."
"Though you didn't get what you came for, you've taken plenty of Life School materials, corpses, blood, and such. Could you withdraw now?"
"Oh? Even though you're a Magic Tower employee?"
"I was sent to investigate, not to fight you."
Battery showed interest.
"Hmm, not a bad offer. I'd love to squeeze more, but this is profit enough. However... my daughters all died because of you and your friend. It hurts. I'd like compensation. What do you think?"
"Sorry, but you're not really sad, are you, Mother Battery?"
Oliver said, reading her emotions. Losing her female black mages pained Battery more with regret than sorrow.
Like losing a useful tool—not grief.
"No, I am sad. Shaping each one, making them see me as their mother... It took so much effort. Teaching them black magic and regular magic too... And above all."
"Above all?"
"Such a tempting specimen right in front of me—hard to just walk away."
With those words, Battery spread her mana, manipulating the surrounding ice to hurl massive icicles.
Oliver blocked the incoming icicles with shadow tentacles, then extended shadows beneath her, forming shadow stakes.
Splat! Battery was pierced from below upward.
The Battery impaled on the shadow stake gradually lost color, turning into a hard, blood-infused ice doll.
A trick blending ice and blood magic.
The real Battery, hidden away unscathed, empowered the ice with mana, launching icicles at Oliver from all directions.
Oliver stayed calm, defending against the barrage with shadow tentacles while firing a Wrath Bullet at a spot he'd eyed earlier.
Wrath Bullet
Hate-infused explosive projectile
The hate bullet, loaded with an explosive of wrath, slammed into the ice floor and detonated violently moments later.
The blast shook the interior, ice shards turning to white dust that blanketed the area. The onslaught from all sides halted instantly.
And with it, a woman revealed herself—Battery.
"How did you know I was here?"
"That spot looked just a tiny bit different."
"Sharp eyes... I like you even more."
Battery felt no anger at being seen through by this young upstart—instead, satisfaction.
Her greed for Oliver intensified.
Oliver sensed he couldn't avoid the fight and assumed a stance. Battery grinned slyly.
"You sure about this?"
Seeing the cunning smile, Oliver glanced back at Willes.
Willes was half-engulfed by mana-animated ice.
"If you resist even a little, your friend—"
Devouring Flame (貪火)
Mana-devouring black flames
Before Battery could finish, Oliver ignited black flames by blending mana and emotion.
The Devouring Flame, designed to consume mana, ignored magical laws as it devoured the scattered ice, growing massively and engulfing the space in seconds.
Kwaaahhhhaaaahhh————!!!!
A massive wall of flame now separated Oliver and Battery. Oliver seized the gap to rescue Willes.
Willes had been swept up but luckily suffered only minor burns and escaped the ice unharmed.
Oliver pulled a paper from his pocket, infused it with mana to activate the stored spell, opening a portal.
It led to a relatively safe spot in the chimera lab. He tossed Willes through to evacuate him, then extracted emotions to wrap himself in three layers of Black Shield.
With minimal prep done, now to control the rampaging Devouring Flame and subdue Battery—
——Slash!!!
The air tore with a ripping sound.
Blood embedded in the ice didn't burn in the Devouring Flame but responded to Battery's will, transforming into red blades that cleaved the void.
Astonishingly, the blood blades not only sliced the Devouring Flame but neutralized it.
Evidence: the black flames, which had no physical form, vanished with their signature roar.
"That was pretty hot."
Battery, engulfed in the Devouring Flame, walked out casually.
Her "hot" wasn't a lie—severe burns covered her, but only briefly.
Absorbing floating blood, she reverted to her original form.
"You can manipulate blood like that too?"
"Only I can. And you can use spatial magic too, huh?"
"Picked it up practicing."
"Even more to my liking. Judgment too."
With that, Battery flicked her fingers, sending the blood blade that had slain the Devouring Flame hurtling toward Oliver.