Chapter 218
Chapter 218
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: From Here On, It's My Fight
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Magic Tower, 20th floor, arena.
Arin, who had barely managed to persuade Silvia and arrive, felt her heart drop with a thud.
The arena packed full of spectators.
Andrew collapsed on the ground, covered in bruises all over his body, barely clinging to life.
And then.
The intimidating presence emanating from Patrick’s numerous mages.
As well as Professor Hoon facing them down from the opposite side...
“Aah.”
Arin’s small lips parted.
The pounding of her own heart sounded closer than the noisy voices of the crowd.
Indeed.
Professor Hoon’s skills were truly remarkable.
He had utterly demolished Andrew, who was said to be nearly S-class.
And now he was standing alone against all those mages.
But that wasn’t all.
Among them were mages who appeared to be elder-level.
‘That won’t do.’
Arin shook her head.
No matter how great a mage Professor Hoon was.
He couldn’t hold off the entire Patrick family on his own.
Even the Magic Tower Lord, Gospelheim, would find it impossible to face down a whole family alone.
‘What should I do?’
Cowardly as it was.
Two options floated up in her mind.
1. Somehow try to stop it.
2. Seek revenge later.
The first, [Somehow try to stop it], was a method driven more by emotion than reason.
Desperately trying to protect the person she didn’t want to lose right now, by any means necessary.
But Arin already knew the outcome of the first option.
Death.
For Professor Hoon.
And for herself.
They would be brutally torn apart by the Patrick family’s magic.
The Eloise family head wouldn’t stoop to defend a mere child like her at the cost of his pride.
The second, [Seek revenge later].
In truth, this was the most realistic option.
Hide the fact that she could use magic.
Hole up in the library again and master the forbidden tomes.
Once she had perfectly mastered them, burn down the Patrick family along with the Magic Tower.
For Professor Hoon, who would die because of her, stake her life to incinerate them all.
But.
Spurt!
When the elder-level mage’s gesture made Professor Hoon bleed.
‘No.’
She couldn’t think rationally.
What good would revenge do anyway!
If she watched that person die right now.
Even revenge wouldn’t erase the lifelong regret.
Even as a soul after death, it would remain as resentment.
“Wait a minute!”
That was why Arin stepped forward.
“Stop this! What do you think you’re doing!”
She was merely an F-class student.
Professor Silvia tried to hold her back from behind.
But nothing could stop her now.
Pat-pat-pat!
Shaking off Silvia’s hand, Arin dashed forward and boldly stood in front of Professor Hoon with her arms spread wide.
“You hold a duel first, and when you lose, you gang up on him? What kind of ridiculous custom is that?”
Words she had always wanted to say but could never utter.
They flowed out naturally.
“Is that the proud Four Great Families, the Patricks of Water? Aren’t you ashamed!”
“You’re... Eloise Arin?”
The elder-level mage stepped forward, frowning.
“Is the heir of Eloise obstructing the Patrick family’s event?”
Even an elder-level mage.
Even if he knew Arin was practically discarded by Eloise.
He couldn’t arbitrarily touch an heir of one of the Four Great Families.
It could spark conflict over matters of pride.
However.
Sss.
A figure appeared in front of Arin like that.
“Arin! What do you think you’re doing.”
It was none other than the Eloise family head.
“Come here. This is no place for you to interfere.”
Thump-thump.
Her heart raced.
An expression that could kill with a glance alone.
Because she felt the family head’s murderous intent.
‘But the family head can’t kill me. At least not here.’
Tens of thousands of spectators were watching.
He, who was particularly conscious of others’ gazes, couldn’t treat her cruelly here, of all places.
So she said it.
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no.”
Today.
Arin rebelled against the family head for the first time.
“It’s unfair. Professor Hoon only fairly accepted the duel Andrew proposed, and he won. So why does he have to go through this? It’s not reasonable.”
Unlike her usual self.
She spoke clearly and steadily, without a tremor.
“And you know it too, Family Head. That Andrew has been severely bullying me all this time. That Professor Hoon accepted Patrick’s duel to stop it. So why. Why is Eloise taking Patrick’s side? Has our family become one with no pride at all?”
“You right now...”
In the silence.
She chanted it loud enough for all the spectators to hear.
“Or is it because I’m a failing student who can’t even use magic? Because I’m the discarded child?”
Swish.
Arin slowly extended her palm and opened it.
‘...To save Professor Hoon, I have to do anything.’
The first step was.
To show them her magic.
Whoosh!
Flames began gathering at her fingertips.
“...Hm.”
The family head, who had been frowning, raised his eyes in surprise.
Arin stared clearly at such a family head.
“Only Professor Hoon has ever cheered me on. Is it so wrong for a Magic Tower professor to support a Magic Tower student? Enough to stake his life?”
“......”
The silent family head.
The Patrick family mages waiting behind him.
Soon.
The family head’s mouth opened.
“So what. What do you want me to do?”
“......?”
“Do you think conjuring that little flame is some great feat? The duel is a warning and an event against those who challenge the Four Great Families’ dignity. Defying a ducal family is akin to death.”
That was the Magic Tower’s power.
The power of the Magic Tower’s ducal family.
The secret to maintaining the family while the Magic Tower Lord changed three times.
“This is merely a show to demonstrate that. No one among these spectators is unaware of it. If you don’t step aside right now... I’ll excommunicate you, even at the cost of public opinion.”
“...Disgusting.”
“What?”
“You’re disgusting!”
Arin glared at the family head with a flushed face.
“Why didn’t you just abandon me outright? Why didn’t you just leave me in some rural village outside the tower like everyone else! Why bring me into this world on your whim, pile on your expectations on your whim, and make my life hell on your whim?!”
Tears streamed from Arin’s venomous eyes.
Her emotions poured out like a waterfall.
From behind her.
“It’s okay, Arin.”
Professor Hoon’s warm voice reached her.
“Patrick and Eloise. A pair of shitty bastards, but this works out better.”
“Pardon? P-Professor?”
Arin turned around.
The professor, with eyes cold unlike his tone, was glaring at the family head.
“You don’t need to beg those bastards. You’re not someone who has to.”
“What does that... No, before that. Are you okay? You’re bleeding...”
“Step back.”
Boom!
He slammed down the staff he had halted mid-swing earlier and said.
“From here on, it’s my fight.”
Whoooosh!
Wind stirred around Professor Hoon.
A chilling wind.
* * *
Roooar...
Waves of ki surged around me.
At the same time.
[Using skill, ‘Skeleton Lord Summon’ (S-Grade).]
[Ki 10 used.]
......
[Using skill, ‘Skeleton Lord Summon’ (S-Grade).]
[Ki 10 used.]
......
Sss!
Rustle-rustle!
My subordinates excluding Bone One, Demir, and Eldrin.
Bone Two, Sun, Kaden, Dana, Bone Eight.
A total of five Skeleton Lords appeared in sequence.
Despite being mere bones.
Each wore an angry expression.
Yes.
They too were stirred by their master’s emotions.
“Don’t suffer, Arin.”
They empathized with the sorrow and resentment of their comrade and fellow warrior, Bone One.
“We’ll fight the world that tormented you in your place.”
Patrick.
And Eloise.
Those who dared to bully my subordinate, Arin.
Even setting aside the mission.
I didn’t want to forgive them.
God-Slaying grade weapons.
In other words, I wanted to annihilate them all, even selling my soul to the essences.
No matter how strong the elders were.
Before the mighty power of the essences, they’d be nothing but dust.
“......”
Nod.
The moment I nodded.
Boom!
The Skeleton Lords slammed the ground in unison.
Then.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
Thousands of skeletons rose on the stage.
The battle about to unfold now was not a duel.
It was war.
A war we would lose, but one we wouldn’t lose easily.
- Oh my, what is happening! What’s this? Bones? This is... something I’ve never seen... Y-yes, a completely new type of magic! No, can we even call this magic!
I first.
Turned toward the most irritating bastard before my eyes, the Eloise family head.
Whoosh!
Myriad Arts.
Secret Technique.
Poison Flash.
And gifted him Poison Flash.
At the same time, the war began.
* * *
Arin’s mind was in chaos.
What were all these bones overwhelming her vision.
‘Why.’
Did each one feel so familiar and endearing?
They clearly had emotions.
Her heart told her so.
That they were angry.
That they sympathized and empathized with her sadness.
‘Why?’
Groan.
Her head hurt.
Professor Hoon.
Who was Professor Hoon?
A being who appeared like ‘light’ in her hellish world and saved her.
Just who was this existence now fighting with his life on the line for her?
Kaboooom!
The stage flipped over.
“Kyaaah!”
“R-run away!”
“Evil power! It’s a demon!”
The spectators were fleeing, while the Four Great Families’ nobles gripped their staves and charged.
Water, fire, life, earth.
Magic of various attributes tore through the sky and shattered the ground.
The sturdy-looking bones exploded.
Professor Hoon, spear in hand, spat blood with a spurt!
“Professor!”
Arin hurriedly approached.
Over the professor’s chest.
Whirr!
One bone was infusing life force.
Healing.
“Master, are you alright?”
“Urgh!”
No matter how mysterious and powerful Professor Hoon was.
He couldn’t stand against the Magic Tower’s Four Great Families.
When Magoor swung his staff, it felt like the world split apart.
And the disgusting Eloise family head was a transcendent being as well.
Spurt! Crack! Flap-flap!
“No...”
Most of the bones were smashed to pieces everywhere.
Professor Hoon was drenched in blood from head to toe.
“Stop it! Please!”
And yet.
His eyes hadn’t died.
Stepping on shadows, swinging his spear, he fought to the end.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Arin’s heart pounded.
This situation didn’t feel real.
It even felt nostalgic, like something from long ago.
“Just die already, wielder of evil power.”
Along with Magoor Patrick’s majestic mutter.
Screeeeech!
A spear of water shot toward Professor Hoon’s chest.
Meanwhile, Professor Hoon seemed to lack even the strength to block that simple magic.
Arin hated this situation.
“No!”
Yes.
This wasn’t what she wanted.
Arin definitely hadn’t wanted this ending.
‘Ending?’
Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation.
‘Wanting an ending.’
That was something you could say only when facing something you’d already experienced.
Why was she suddenly thinking this?
‘Aaaah.’
Her head throbbed as if splitting.
What?
What was this situation?
Who am I?
What the hell is...
Stab!
It was then that the spear pierced Professor Hoon’s lung.
Blood poured from Professor Hoon’s mouth.
Gurgle!
No.
This isn’t right.
‘No matter what...!’
Please.
Someone help.
I don’t care if I die.
Even if I sell my soul.
Even if my resentment never fades.
Drip-drop.
Tears fell from her eyes.
‘Please.’
Save that person.
Crackle!
It was at that moment.
[Hidden condition cleared!]
[Memories of the Four Great Magic Tower Lord, Eloise Arin, return.]
[The worst Four Great Magic Tower Lord, who once shocked the magic world, blooms in the ‘past’.]
Rumble!
The world shook.