The White Wind Howls (20)
The White Wind Howls (20)
#109
The fuck kind of bullshit is that—
"There's a limit to how much bullshit I can take, you know? How am I supposed to believe something like that?"
"Believe it or don't, suit yourself. I told you clearly. How this journey ends."
Don't fuck with me.
"Forcing it on you will only make things harder for you, Do-yun."
"..."
"You want to restore Countess Valenor to how she was? Go ahead. You just haven't realized it yet, but the strongest Imprint—one that can overcome anything in this world—lies dormant within you."
"Wh-what do you want from me...? Then this is all meaningless. What happens to you, Miss Lily—Miss Lily?"
"I'll die to create the Great One. Because I love you, Do-yun."
Unwavering blue eyes.
That's a lie?
I couldn't believe it.
"Does Sir Lucien also know all of this?"
"He probably doesn't know. He didn't seem the type to stay still if he did. And besides, my plan has never succeeded to the end."
"Why hasn't it succeeded?"
"There are two reasons."
"First, I told you before that Do-yun has the strongest Imprint—the greatest martial power—but it doesn't work against one specific opponent. He always lost to them."
"It must be the Great One."
"That's a bit complicated, so I'll tell you later. Anyway, second, whenever Do-yun grasped the full truth, he always committed suicide."
Suicide...
"Because you never wanted to sacrifice others. I turned back time to prevent it, of course."
Suicide—my death, then. Honestly, it didn't feel real. But if everyone precious to me had to die because of me alone, then I didn't want that.
But I still don't want to die.
"You said earlier you couldn't believe me, right? Then let's do this. From now on, I'll teach you how to fully draw out the power inherent within you. As you continue the expedition with that power, you'll come to know for yourself what is truth and what is lies."
"...... What should I do?"
"First, go over there and sit down."
***
***
They moved into a very remote part of the forest where even the moonlight barely reached. There happened to be a stump that looked perfectly comfortable to sit on, so I sat there and listened to Lily's story.
"A mage's Imprint is originally one. You know where it's located, right?"
"Yes. It's in the womb."
"Right. Except in Do-yun's case, the Imprint is in the penis. But Do-yun, you have one more Imprint."
"I have more?"
"Yeah. Right here—"
Tap—
Lily's small hand pressed against my firm back.
"Here, another Imprint that you possess lies dormant. Since it's not a reproductive organ, it'll be hard to activate with your will alone right now, but with my help, you'll be able to get a bit of a feel for it."
Hummm———
Lily's blue mana climbed up my back, and a sensation of elation began to surge throughout my entire body.
Ugh—
"Stay still. Remember the path my mana flows and gathers. That place is the center of the Imprint."
Thump.
"W-wait a moment—"
Thump.
"Miss, wait a moment, this feels strange—"
Thump.
"Ah———"
The mana that flowed from my back began to extend into my limbs, forming strange patterns.
A sense of omnipotence I had never felt before in my life.
An overwhelming aura that made me feel like I could shatter anything.
No. Now that I thought about it again, it wasn't the first time I'd felt such power. When I'd returned to the dark forest to save Lily.
The overwhelming power I'd experienced then.
"It's the Usurper's Imprint. I don't know where it originated from or how it was engraved onto you, either."
"The Usurper's Imprint......"
"Listen carefully. If you can use this Imprint properly, you won't need mana as the Netherworld (冥府) to exercise your Unique Magic."
Netherworld (冥府)... Was that the price for exercising Unique Magic? I had heard that mana was naturally required to perform magic.
"Then what must be paid as the price for the Unique Magic?"
"Everything of the enemy. Anything you want to steal from the enemy and use, you steal with this Imprint and pay it as the price."
What the.
"I've experienced countless regressions too, but this is the extent of what I've found out. Such an irrational and high-dimensional Imprint has never existed in this world. Just think of it as a privilege and enjoy it."
Maybe that's kind of nice?
"I roughly understand that there's some ridiculously awesome Imprint on my back. So how do I use it?"
"You're the type who can't manage self-directed learning. What were the Three Elements of Magic?"
"Mental Image (心象), Manifestation (顕現), Netherworld (冥府)."
"The only thing that's changed is the Netherworld. Figure out how to steal the price from the enemy to substitute for mana. Connect the stolen price to the Imprint on your penis—the one you originally had—and use it."
"That... so this price means I should steal mana?"
"Well, you can do that too. You could probably steal anything, not just mana. Physical strength, senses, martial skills, byproducts of magic, even the soul itself if you wish."
"Just hearing about it, it sounds like a cheat character with no equal."
"Exactly, so once Do-yun awakens his power, suppressing someone like Countess Valenor is easy."
Then what kind of monster is this Great One that I couldn't defeat...
"The story's gotten long. Anyway, can you believe me a little now?"
"... I still can't fully believe you. But I understand the context of what you're doing now."
"Then what will Do-yun do from now on?"
"First, I'll do what I can. After I've done everything I can, I'll go to the House of the Great Ones and decide."
"... Fine. I don't think you'd take my words at face value and follow them right now anyway."
First, I would resolve the problems right in front of me. Stories that felt too distant to handle could be considered later, after I had grown stronger. It wouldn't be too late.
Because time was infinite. Maybe while I worried, I might find a new path.
"Then, it's time for practical training. Let's practice so you can properly use the Usurper's Imprint. Stand up—"
Shring—
Lily's sword cut through the darkness and revealed itself.
It seemed tonight was going to be longer than I thought.
#110
"Listen carefully. As you form the Mental Image and Manifestation of the magic you'll use and how you'll use it, simultaneously imagine where you'll steal the Netherworld from."
Swish.
I extended my right hand toward Lily.
Since it was my first time— should I try stealing mana?
That was the moment I thought that.
"Too slow."
Whoosh——
Along with the sound of air being split, Lily's sword had already thrust right up to my nose.
I reflexively twisted my body to dodge, and a few strands of hair scattered into the air.
"Hey, what the—!"
"Do-yun, would an enemy stay still in real combat?"
Once again, Lily's sharp sword flew in quickly.
You wanna go at it?
I ducked deeply to avoid the sword and simultaneously stretched out my hand. Along the trajectory the sword had passed through, I could feel Lily's aura lingering upon it.
Ah—that was mana. Mana I could take.
Lily's power that had just cut through the air moments ago. I tried to trace the lingering scent of mana that brushed past my outstretched hand, but it vanished like water slipping through my fingers.
Had it been about ten exchanges since Lily started swinging her sword?
Whenever I thought I had caught the mana infused in the sword, it slipped away, and the moment I realized I had missed it, not even a trace of mana remained.
At this point, it was like I'd become a raccoon trying to dunk cotton candy in water. As if someone wasn't just messing with me.
"Do-yun, the scale of your imagination is too small and meager. You're satisfied just stealing the mana infused in a sword? Expand your imagination a bit. What's the point of just being tall?"
"Haa... haa... Honestly, I'm not getting any sense of it at all."
"I did explain magic by dividing it into three elements, but you don't need to think about all of them one by one. Always think organically."
Lily—you damn prodigy. Wasn't there a saying that a great player couldn't be a great coach?
Right then, Lily was exactly the picture of that. Top-tier instructor Estelle hadn't been like this. Argh, she could have shown a little consideration for a beginner like me!!!!
"So, I'm telling you, it doesn't seem to work that simply..."
"The Do-yuns from the other timelines I've seen managed just fine?"
"Haah..."
Goddammit, she wasn't listening.
"Then how about this instead? I'll pass on the techniques of the Do-yuns from the other timelines I've seen."
"That'd be better. Please roughly describe in words what kind of awesome techniques there were."
Lily placed a hand on her chin and wore a thoughtful expression for a moment.
"Hmm... first, you stretched one hand toward the sky..."
"Stretched?"
"You gathered some incredible energy and it went pishwung—BOOM crack."
"?"
"How is it? Can you imagine it well?"
As if I could?
"Or there's also this. You did something to the enemies and they collapsed pibibik, and white rays shot out from your mouth and eyes going kwaaah and then kwakwakwakwakwang. That one was really damn awesome."
"...... You're being serious right now, aren't you?"
"I am serious?"
...... I didn't even know whether it was right to be doing this with her then. Should I have just called it quits and gone to knead Lucien's soft chest? She'd sulk if it got too late.
"Anyway, what I want to tell you is this: Do-yun, you seem too trapped within the limits of your own thinking. You're thinking from the start that you won't be able to use great magic."
"Now that I hear it, that does seem to be the case. Well, it might be because it hasn't been long since I started using magic in the first place."
"I'll tell you once more. What's latent within you is truly transcendent power. Don't confine yourself within limits. Imagine that you can achieve anything, and steal the price needed to achieve it. Whatever it may be."
That I could do anything. Then, if I imagined suppressing Lily with a single strike right then, was it possible?
"Materialize it as much as possible. How you'll steal power and exercise the Unique Magic. If you can't imagine it in your head, you won't be able to manifest the magic into reality."
Alright. Then—
The image to picture was suppressing Lily in a single strike. But since I couldn't hurt her, the target was the sword she was holding.
The image of unleashing wind pressure toward the sword with a single straight punch.
The air compressed by my fist sweeps forward and shatters that sword.
The Netherworld to exercise that magic is—
Overwhelming physical force, and even more overwhelming mana. Steal kinetic energy from the powerful foe in front of me, and for the insufficient mana, steal the life force of the trees filling this dark forest.
Ruuuuush—————
The trees all around began to wither from their roots and collapse as if decaying. At the same time, the muscular strength that had filled Lily's body, supporting her martial arts, vanished helplessly like a deflating balloon.
"Not bad."
For someone speaking so coolly, her tense expression was quite obvious. Was she scared she might actually get hit?
"This time, I'm going at you seriously."
Lily's limbs hung limp like a marionette on strings.
And—— everything I had stolen poured into the Imprint on my back, and the brilliantly overflowing mana bloomed forth as if pushing back the darkness of the forest.
