The Overwhelming Madness Potion
The Madness Potion. This demonic elixir had been wildly popular during the Great War seven years ago. The more wounded and enraged the user became, the greater the power it granted. It was potent enough to let someone overcome even the most overwhelming disadvantage. But in the end, the Madness Potion was classified as a forbidden substance that neither allies nor enemies should ever consume. The side effects were simply too severe for the explosive strength it provided.
One of the most notable symptoms was that the greater the power gained, the more the user lost their sanity. In the end, they became little more than zombies. And if they reached the fourth stage where madness fully manifested, they would burn through their own life force and fight until they died. They would devolve into madmen who attacked everyone indiscriminately, friend and foe alike.
“Brings back memories. A Madness Potion, huh?”
Alerina, commander of the Empire’s 7th Legion, knew more about it than anyone. After all, she had been the infamous madman hunter who executed allied soldiers who had fallen into that very state during the war.
“...Shouldn’t we stop this now?”
Her long-time adjutant asked with a worried expression. At this rate, both Max and Ed could be in serious danger.
“Relax. This is Gracia’s class. If I butt in, she’ll just get annoyed.”
“......”
“Besides, as long as it doesn’t reach the fourth stage, we’ll be fine. Gracia will shut it down before then.”
The moment she mentioned that the supervisor of this duel was none other than Sword Master Gracia, the adjutant nodded in understanding. If one of the Empire’s five Sword Masters was overseeing the match, he would surely notice the moment the potion reached the third stage. That was when the user’s changes became visibly obvious.
“Hey, hey! Look at that!”
But at that moment, Alerina shook her daydreaming adjutant and pointed at the front. The biggest highlight of the duel—the suit equipping scene—was playing on the massive screen.
Fix, having transformed into the suit case form, rolled forward at high speed on its wheels and stopped in front of Ed. It opened the steel-plated case with a mechanical hiss.
A burst of white vapor poured out as sleek steel boots were revealed.
[Clank!]
Ed stepped onto the boots and spread both arms wide. The rear sections of the boots sealed shut, tightening with screws, while Fix’s mechanical arms began attaching the various components to his knees, thighs, chest, back, shoulders, forearms, and wrists.
[Whirrrr! Clank! Vrrrrrm! Clank! Clatter!]
The satisfying metallic clangs of each joint locking into place. The low-frequency whine of electric drills. The white steam venting from the engines powering each segment. The entire process of Ed donning his suit looked like some sacred ritual.
It gave an indescribable sense of catharsis. With every piece of the suit that locked onto his body, he seemed to be reborn as something that transcended humanity.
Especially now, with Max—who had consumed the Madness Potion—charging at him with clear murderous intent. The way Ed calmly stared back at his opponent made him look like the very embodiment of composure.
[Clank… Clank… Vrrrrrm…]
Of course, Ed wasn’t showing off for no reason. He had doubled the suit’s equipping speed. Knowing that the equipping process was his only truly vulnerable moment, he had poured tremendous effort into drastically reducing the time it took.
[KRRRRAAAAAAAAAA!!!]
But Max’s speed was nothing to scoff at. He had already taken the Madness Potion. His adrenaline was pumping far beyond normal levels, and his mana circulation had accelerated dramatically.
The early stage of the duel had become a pure race: would Ed finish equipping his suit first, or would Max land an attack before he could?
“This doesn’t look good.”
Max was simply too fast. At this rate, Ed would be taken down before he could even finish putting on the suit. As everyone held their breath in tension, another spatial rift tore open in the air, and a single bracelet appeared.
It was Ed’s plasma titanium alloy gauntlet.
“Ooooh!!”
“There it is!”
“That’s the gauntlet!”
“So damn cool.”
The cadets inside the lecture hall erupted in cheers, their eyes shining with excitement. When the bracelet wrapped around Ed’s wrist and transformed into the full gauntlet, many wore the same expression as children witnessing something incredibly awesome.
Even Legion Commander Alerina had the same look on her face.
“Holy shit. Hey. Look at that. That’s fucking awesome.”
“......”
Her adjutant shook his head at Alerina’s crude reaction. Still, even he had to admit the suit-equipping process was impressive. As a veteran soldier who had survived countless battles, even he had never seen anything like it. He swallowed hard, completely focused on Ed’s every move.
[Whoosh!]
In an instant, a beam of light shot forward. But Ed didn’t stop there. He fired several more plasma beams at Max as the madman charged straight at him.
[Vrrrrrm! Whoosh! Vrrrrrm! Whoosh! Vrrrrrm! Whoosh!]
Max’s charging speed began to slow. He was forced to roll sideways, leap over, and block the beams with his sword, all of which drastically reduced his momentum.
[Ugh!]
Realizing he couldn’t win a battle of speed like this, Max lowered his stance and charged forward in a straight line once more. The easiest way to defeat Ed was to take him down before the suit was fully equipped. So he endured the plasma beams and kept rushing in, determined to settle the fight before that happened.
Since he was already circulating mana for defense and had the Madness Potion active, he could withstand a few hits.
[Taat!]
A razor-thin battle of timing had begun. The moment Max leaped toward Ed, sword raised to pierce him, it was impossible to tell whether Max’s blade would reach first or if Ed’s suit would finish assembling in time.
My victory!
Max was certain of his win. Ed’s suit still wasn’t complete. The single strike he was swinging would clearly reach Ed’s heart before the armor finished forming. With a grin that stretched from ear to ear, he thrust the Obsidian straight toward Ed’s heart.
[Vrrrrrrrrrm!]
But at the exact same moment, the massive mana stone embedded in Ed’s chest began to glow brilliantly. Just as Max’s Obsidian was about to pierce Ed’s heart, the Plasma Mana Shield spell activated. A massive barrier expanded outward in a two-meter radius centered on Ed’s body.
[KRRRAAAAAAGH!]
With only a few centimeters left before reaching Ed’s heart, Max’s Obsidian bounced violently off the barrier. At the same time, Max himself was repelled, screaming as the plasma membrane burned his skin.
[Ugh!]
But Max recovered almost instantly. He reached out and recalled the Obsidian that had flown far away back into his hand.
[Pew! Pew!]
Ed was just as quick. Having finished equipping his suit, he didn’t miss the opening. He fired two shots of black liquid straight at Max’s feet.
What the—?!
In an instant, Max’s movement was completely sealed. The black liquid Ed had just fired from his improved web-shooter was a special restraining weapon with incredible elasticity and adhesive strength. It had been developed specifically to deal with fast-moving enemies like Max.
[Pew!]
Taking advantage of Max’s panic, Ed fired one more shot of the venom-like fluid. It splattered across Max’s face, completely blocking his vision.
[UAAAAAAAHHH!!! You son of a bitch!]
Enraged, Max began swinging the Obsidian like a madman. The dark mana that poured from the blade formed sharp, awl-like spikes that stabbed wildly in every direction.
“It’s over.”
Just as Alerina had muttered moments ago, the Obsidian’s black mana posed no real threat to Ed. With his vision blocked and movement sealed, no matter how powerful the dark mana was, it looked no more dangerous than a child’s tantrum. It could only flail around without a target.
[Vrrrrrrrrrm!]
With an expressionless face, Ed loaded another plasma beam. Just like he had done in the first evaluation match to defeat Max, he charged it to maximum capacity.
[Whoosh—!]
A single flash of light shot forward. It struck Max directly in the abdomen, sending his body flying a full two meters before slamming into the ground.
Having confirmed the entire sequence, Ed immediately turned his back. Everyone in the lecture hall let out gasps of admiration and offered their own comments.
“Wow… He just completely overwhelmed him.”
“Max is done. Even if he reincarnates, he’s finished.”
“That was seriously so fucking cool.”
The time it took for Max to be repelled by Ed’s plasma shield and then subdued was only ten seconds. It was a clean, precise, and perfectly controlled display of combat technique. He had ended the fight with just three web-shooter shots and one maximum-charged plasma beam.
“Heh heh heh… No, this is only the real beginning.”
But Alerina knew better. There was no way such a light blow could finish someone who had taken the Madness Potion. As if to prove her point, right before Gracia could declare the victor, Max’s roar shook the arena.
[IT’S NOT OVER—AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!]
The thunderous shout echoed throughout the hall. Gracia turned toward Max with a slightly surprised expression.
[It’s… not over yet…]
Max slowly rose to his feet. The massive wound on his abdomen had already completely healed.
Ed, who had turned his back, now looked over his shoulder again.
You’re up again?
But rather than looking concerned, Ed was smiling. The combat power measurer had broken too early, so he hadn’t been able to properly test the suit’s full performance. He was actually grateful that Max had gotten back up.
Ed crooked his finger in a beckoning gesture.
Come on.
With that annoying little smirk and the finger motion, the veins on Max’s face bulged violently, turning his eyes bloodshot.
[Shiiiiing!]
When Max stretched out his hand, the Obsidian on the ground flew straight into his grip. Ed loosened his body and began preheating his three-dimensional maneuver gear.
[Taat!]
Now in the second stage of berserking, Max charged once again. A blue glow spread across Ed’s gauntlet as the plasma beam began charging.
Watching the scene, Alerina’s smile stretched so wide it looked like her ears might tear.
That pretty-faced bastard… is seriously so damn cool.