Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Assault (2)
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"Someone's coming."
At those words, Murphy instinctively sensed that something was wrong and gave hand signals to his subordinates around him.
Perhaps because many of them were ex-soldiers, they moved in perfect unison at his light gestures, as if they'd trained for this beforehand, spreading out alert signals around the area.
"Red alert! Red alert! Everyone to your positions!"
Running footsteps and the sounds of guns being chambered echoed from all directions.
Murphy, despite being the boss, stripped off his jacket and pulled out the knife and pistol from inside it.
It was relatively simple armament, but considering his physical abilities, it was more than enough.
He wasn't called a modified human for nothing—he possessed physical prowess far beyond that of an ordinary person. Even so, he didn't let his guard down.
As if he knew the world was full of countless powerhouses.
"Who's coming? Black Magician."
"Hold on a sec."
Oliver focused his attention on the eye he had closed, speaking as he did.
He had test tubes planted as minions every few hundred meters around the warehouse, and those minions had picked something up.
Oliver synced his vision with the minion that sent the signal, continuously checking the surroundings for anything out of place.
It was late at night, so there weren't as many people as during the day, but he still spotted workers catching some sleep in the factory corners, vagrants, beggars, and the like.
"No, not that... not this guy either... Ah!"
Oliver spotted something. Someone was moving swiftly toward them, climbing the buildings around the warehouse.
Surprisingly, it was just one person, unleashing lightning-like, powerful mana from his entire body.
He'd seen mana like that before.
The lightning magician who had ambushed Wineham.
It was very similar—and he was coming here with clear malicious intent.
Yet, astonishingly, there was no tension or fear. Even though he was about to fight gangsters.
On the contrary, he seemed thrilled. Like a kid heading out on a picnic.
Beneath that joy lay an indescribable, bottomless confidence. An abnormal level of self-assurance.
"One intruder. A magician."
"A magician?! Just one?"
Murphy asked incredulously.
Magicians were indeed threatening, but coming alone was too strange.
"What is it? Aren't they here to rescue Herbert? Or are they just planning to blow everything sky-high?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Pardon?"
"Not certain, but judging by the mana output, it doesn't seem like he's here to blow up this whole warehouse. It's a bit iffy? Even if he is, I could handle it while he's gathering mana. I've got a few test tubes planted over there too, so don't worry too much."
"......"
Murphy looked at Oliver with wide eyes. Oliver met his gaze and tilted his head.
"...? Did I say something wrong?"
"N-no... So, what should we do?"
"Well... This is only my second time fighting a magician, too... Huh?"
Oliver let out another sound.
The emotions had suddenly multiplied.
The magician climbing the building had definitely been alone, but when he pulled out some mana-infused object and activated it, mana suddenly condensed in the air, and more magicians appeared around that spot.
"The number of magicians has increased. Three now."
"What?!"
"He activated some magic tool, and they appeared out of thin air. Do you know what it is?"
"Thin air...? Must be those Spatial School bastards. Damn! Why are they here...?"
"Oh dear..."
"Why what...?"
Murphy asked urgently, but Oliver couldn't respond.
The situation had turned critical—one of the magicians had suddenly spread mana like thin threads around the warehouse.
It didn't cause direct damage, but the fine mana threads brushed against buildings, obstacles, and people before dissipating, relaying that information back to the caster.
It was quite surprising. He'd thought mana was just like gunpowder for unleashing massive firepower, but to use it this way...
But admiration was short-lived.
The moment the magician grasped the warehouse layout and personnel, he began condensing mana in one hand.
It was a considerable amount—quite dangerous.
He'd seen mana shaped like that before.
'Magic Missile...'
"Attack incoming."
"Everyone take cover! The enemies are attacking!"
Murphy shouted, but honestly, it was pointless. Seeing the condensed mana, it was like a bomb.
No wall or crate could block that level.
Were they really planning to blow the whole place up?
Then, the mana changed.
Oliver, untrained in formal magic theory, struggled to describe it, but if he had to: the clumped mana split into dozens of pieces.
Like shells turning into thick bullets. Then, the magician cast additional magic.
Targeting the spot where the Magic Missiles would be fired.
Similar to Oliver's Targeting, but while Oliver targeted people directly, this magician targeted positional coordinates.
Seemed unnecessary.
"...Inefficient, isn't it?"
"Pardon? More importantly, Black Magician, you should hide somewhere..."
"It's fine. I can block it."
"Yes...?"
As Murphy responded, the magician on the building hundreds of meters away fired the Magic Missiles.
Unlike the ones he'd seen before, they weren't flashy, making it hard to tell their trajectory with the naked eye—but luckily, it wasn't an issue.
The enemy magician had kindly marked the targets in advance.
He tapped the ground with his quarterstaff, and the test tubes planted around the building reacted to the black magic circle, spewing emotions.
They transformed into a black curtain at Oliver's will, efficiently blocking all incoming Magic Missiles.
Boom! Bang—! Clang—! Boom-boom—! Pop—! Boom-boom—!
The Black Shield held, but as expected, the power was immense.
Any cover like walls, crates, or rebar would have been shredded.
Murphy spoke as he watched the Magic Missiles explode harmlessly in the air against the Black Shield. For some reason, he looked quite shocked.
"...You blocked it?"
"Probably?"
"......"
"We can't let our guard down yet. Looks like that just fired up the magicians more."
It was true. The magician whose attack was blocked was furious, while the others mocked him.
They still seemed at ease, and Oliver wondered what preparations they had to be so relaxed.
Confidence from being proper magicians? Makes sense—unlike self-generated mana, black magic had clear limits on usage.
He still had a good amount of emotions left, but at this rate, Oliver would lose. He needed to close in fast and settle it.
'But the question is how.'
The furious magician regained his composure and fired another barrage of Magic Missiles.
Unlike before, the firepower was lower, no targeting, but the number of projectiles was far greater. Oliver deployed Black Shield again to defend the warehouse.
He couldn't predict all impact points, so some got through, but no major issues yet.
Then—
Clang-! Thud-!
A sound different from Magic Missiles rang out faintly.
Mixed in with the barrage, some unidentified object slipped into the warehouse.
It looked like an arrow, clad in copper with blue magic stones embedded along its length.
"What is that...?"
The moment he questioned it, the magic stone glowed, emitting powerful mana.
High output—and with it, a small rift tore in the air, someone emerging from it.
One of the magicians from atop the building earlier.
He'd teleported here instantly using that mystery device.
"Everyone doing well?! Nice to meet ya—now die!!"
With a boisterous shout, a massive explosion erupted around him.
Not flames, but pure mana detonation.
The activation speed and power were impressive; nearby guards couldn't react and were sent flying everywhere.
"Where's the black magician?! They said you brought a fun one... This guy's the real deal! Let me see your face—!!"
His actions matched his aggressive emotions perfectly.
He unleashed massive mana explosions nonstop—Boom-! Boom-!—destroying guards, crates, walls indiscriminately.
The warehouse looked like it'd been bombed, and Magic Missiles flew through the holes in the walls, throwing the allies into panic.
Relentless assault with firepower and vast mana.
As the guards said, once he got going, it felt endless.
Finally, Murphy couldn't take it.
"Black Magician, keep the shield up and defend the warehouse. I'll somehow catch that bomb maniac—"
Oliver grabbed Murphy as he moved to act.
"Black Magician?"
"I'll handle this. Murphy, take everyone and fall back."
"Pardon?"
Oliver didn't answer Murphy's question and instead used black magic.
From afar came a non-human scream followed by an explosion.
Kiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeek————!!!!!
Boom——!
The test tubes planted near the magicians firing Magic Missiles from range had activated, striking them with demoralizing shrieks, brain-rattling noise, and blasts of rage, making them stagger.
Remote fire halted with that.
Oliver decided to deal with the explosive magician wreaking havoc inside during the lull.
"I've bought time. Murphy, take the men and guard the magic potion workshop. I'll handle the magicians. It's easier for me that way."
Murphy looked stunned but quickly pulled himself together and obeyed.
He instinctively knew it was the right call.
"Part 2! Everyone to designated spots!"
At the order, the panicked gangsters scattered in unison.
The magician meant to cause internal chaos shouted in confusion.
"Where you all going!? Play with me!!"
Oliver cast black magic again.
A test tube near where the explosive magician rampaged spewed emotions that turned to mud-like sludge, enveloping and binding him.
A black magic he'd used only once against the holy knight—and disappointingly ineffective, contrary to expectations.
He'd barely managed it then, confident it could bind anything, but this version was amateurish by comparison.
'Because it's not my emotions?'
Proving it, the explosive magician brute-forced his way out with sheer mana and firepower, no finesse.
"This crap...! This crap...!!"
The binding would break soon, but Oliver had no intention of waiting. He cast more black magic.
He donned armor woven from life force and emotions, then burned life force to indirectly boost all physical abilities.
Like a different person, Oliver surged forward at tremendous speed, closing the distance to the magician.
"Cheap tricks...!!"
Boom-boom-boom-boom———!
The explosive magician triggered a massive blast, finally breaking free.
He took some damage himself but didn't care—his mind was filled only with hostility toward Oliver. Truly belligerent.
The explosive magician fired precisely tuned mana at Oliver, detonating it immediately.
Chain explosions engulfed not just Oliver's path but the surrounding area. No escape in sight.
'With Black Suit's defense...? No, the follow-up attacks would get me.'
In that moment, Oliver recalled his fight with the knuckleguards.
Concentrating power in specific areas to temporarily boost output. Probably the same principle as instantly closing distance.
Recalling that, Oliver focused Black Suit energy into his legs.
Then jumped with all his might.
Into the air—the only spot untouched by explosions. There, his eyes met the smirking explosive magician.
"You idiot fuck!"
He'd planned it from the start. Vulnerable in midair, Oliver faced another explosion spell.
Mana Explosion
Targeting
Midair, Oliver was targeted—along with the building wall—then the output ramped up.
He shifted toward the wall to dodge, catching the magician off guard; he panicked, mind blanking momentarily.
Oliver seized the chance.
Concentrating energy in his legs again, he kicked off the wall hard, charging the explosive magician.
"Th...!"
The magician tried to counter with a spell too late—Oliver was faster.
Before the incantation finished, Oliver's quarterstaff smashed into him.
Crack-! The magician's eyes rolled back instantly.
As Oliver moved to finish, an attack flew from afar.
Bang-bang-bang——!
A near-miss block.
Oliver glanced at the magicians on the building, now recovered. For some reason, they looked furious.
Well, what now. Oliver shouted loudly.
"Murphy... mind giving me a hand for a sec?"