Wise Star (1)
Abraham Nobwells, the Wise Star. He had no intention of stopping here.
What Seong Hyun-jin had said was something Abraham rationally understood—of course he did. He knew it all too well. Estella Nobwells was already dead, and what he was doing now was merely creating a facsimile that resembled her. It would have a beating heart and move with Estella's memories... but it could never be his real daughter. From the start, the way he was crafting her now was based on his imagination of what she might have looked like if she'd lived this long. So it could never truly be his daughter. Estella would never truly return. She couldn't.
But even so.
"No matter what it takes, I will see my daughter again."
That unyielding resolve to meet Estella somehow—that was Abraham's heartfelt conviction. His voice carried an unbreakable will.
Feeling that certainty, Seong Hyun-jin hesitated no longer. With a cold shring, the sword slid free from its sheath.
"...Then I'll have to stop you."
Seong Hyun-jin declared. "That's my choice."
His sword pointed straight at Abraham. Seeing this, Abraham recalled how Seong Hyun-jin had hesitated at first about drawing his blade and spoke.
"...If that's a choice without regrets, then see it through. Young swordsman."
With Abraham's declaration, the power of spirits surged from both men. A pitch-black energy coiled around Seong Hyun-jin's sword. In contrast, the spirit contracted to Abraham was of the earth attribute. Like a rising dust storm, the raw, turbulent spirit power welled up around him.
"Junior, I'll help you. Handling him alone will be tough."
Elena, having steeled herself, took position beside Seong Hyun-jin, sword at the ready. He nodded to her and said,
"Be careful."
"You too, Junior."
Abraham looked at the two with a bitter expression. "Fine, then. Try and stop me if you can."
His eyes were icy as he continued. "If you're able."
"...Please."
At that moment, a desperate voice halted all three in their tracks. It wasn't Seong Hyun-jin who had spoken so earnestly.
"Please stop this, Lord Abraham."
It was Serena, who had been listening at his side.
"No matter what you do... it won't change the fact that your daughter is gone."
"It can't be helped."
Serena cried out passionately at Abraham, who rejected her outright. "Your daughter wouldn't want to see her father doing something he'll regret like this!"
"......"
"What daughter would ever want to see her loving father go down this path because of her!?"
As the daughter of one father—and the only child of a fellow Palstar Hero like Abraham and Estella—Serena understood all too well. Estella Nobwells would never wish for a scene like this. At least, if Serena were in her shoes, that's what she'd think.
Abraham stared down at Serena for a long while, as if gauging whether her words rang true or if her emotions had truly reached him. It seemed her plea had struck a chord, and Seong Hyun-jin hesitated to attack, hoping against hope that persuasion might work.
But when the silent Abraham finally spoke, it became clear it was a vain hope.
"...You think Ahazaka would be any different?"
"...Pardon?"
Abraham said, "Imagine if your father, Ahazaka Eldark, lost you. What do you think would happen in this world?"
"......"
"The Dragon Emperor would do anything to bring you back. I can say that with absolute certainty."
Abraham continued. "Because Ahazaka is cut from the same cloth as me."
The Dragon Star Ahazaka Eldark was like him, Abraham claimed. And it was true. He'd ignored Serena countless times to try burning down those pesky great elf families that annoyed her—when it came to his wife and daughter, emotions overrode reason. A total doting father. Just like Abraham had been while Estella lived.
Knowing Ahazaka so well, he was certain: if his own daughter died before him, Ahazaka would end up much like this mad Abraham.
Serena, who knew this full well, could say nothing.
"Don't try to sway me with half-baked sentiments."
Abraham said. "Only a father who's lost a child like me can understand this pain."
"......"
Seong Hyun-jin glanced at Serena and shook his head slightly. She bit her lip hard and bowed her head.
But it was only for a moment. Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
"...If you've chosen this path to the end, then I'll fight for Lady Estella's sake."
Serena's eyes burned with fighting spirit as she raised her head. "Burned" wasn't hyperbole.
"If only your father can understand your heart, then only I—as a fellow daughter—can understand hers!"
The power of the great fire spirit, Ifrit, blazed fiercely within her eyes.
"...A great spirit, eh."
Abraham remarked simply. "You've contracted a fine one."
He surveyed the young ones daring to oppose him. Each had reached an astonishing realm for their age. Underestimating them as greenhorns might lead to his own humiliating defeat.
So.
"Then come at me with everything you've got."
Abraham intended to hold nothing back. It was the only way to protect his research—and reunite with his daughter.
"I'll pour out everything I have as well."
"Argh, seriously! Where the heck did he go?"
By the time Serena had left, Ciela—who'd stayed behind in the training grounds—had already finished sparring with Yeonhui and Clarice Levatein and stepped outside with them. She'd waited for Clarice's match to end, then bolted off to find Seong Hyun-jin the moment it did. Yeonhui had naturally tagged along, and seeing them head off somewhere—along with the absence of Seong Hyun-jin and Serena—Clarice had followed too.
"Did he say where he was going?"
"Just that she was going to find Junior Hyun-jin. No idea where..."
"...That way."
"Pardon?"
Yeonhui spoke with slightly downcast eyes. "I can smell Junior from over there."
"...S-smell him?"
Ciela gawked at Yeonhui in disbelief. What, was she a dog or something? Sniffing out an invisible person's location?
"Follow me."
"W-wait a sec...! You're sure he's that way?"
But it was worth a shot either way, so Ciela trailed after Yeonhui, with Clarice right behind. Yeonhui headed toward a tall spire. Ciela wasn't an expert on Celestial Academy's layout, but she knew this was one of the four tallest towers—the academy's symbols.
"That's..."
"The Tower of Salvation."
Yeonhui narrowed her eyes slightly. "Something's happening."
Ciela agreed. Something was definitely going down in that tower. Powerful spirit energy emanated from its direction.
"We should prepare. We might run into trouble the moment we enter."
Clarice had already drawn her sword. At her words, Ciela lightly summoned her spirit power and stepped into the Tower of Salvation.
And at that instant.
BOOOOM─────!!
The tower shook violently with a deafening roar.
"Wh-what's going on!?"
"...Let's go up and check."
"Go up without knowing what's happening? That's too dangerous!"
Common sense dictated assessing the situation first. But Yeonhui stubbornly insisted despite Ciela's protest.
"We have to go."
"Why?"
"Junior's up there."
"...Junior Hyun-jin is up there?"
Ciela looked up in shock. The ceiling still vibrated faintly from the impact. Imagining Seong Hyun-jin caught in that blast filled her with sudden courage. Or rather... not quite courage.
"We have to go now!"
Her head was too full of worry to think straight. Ciela intensified her eye power and charged up the stairs first. Watching her, Yeonhui muttered in disbelief.
"...Didn't she just say it was dangerous?"
"Let's hurry after her, Senior Yeonhui."
Clarice followed up the stairs, and Yeonhui sighed at their backs before climbing after them.
"Light Spear"
⟨ Spirit Divine Art ⟩
The spirit divine art activated. It resembled Divine Star Shania's divine arts in nature but differed slightly in structure. A sharp spear of light formed before Seong Hyun-jin's eyes, poised to pierce his skull.
"Soul Slash"
CLAAAANG!!!
Seong Hyun-jin's sword whipped out fluidly, cleaving the divine art in two.
"...Incredible reaction speed."
Even though Abraham's art had manifested right in front of him without warning, Seong Hyun-jin had countered in the blink of an eye.
"Not for nothing the disciple of that woman."
Abraham clenched his fist. Spirit power gathered in his gripped hand.
"Earth Strike"
BOOOOM──!!
The powerful fist art slammed down, but it only shattered the innocent lab floor.
"...Fist art this time?"
Seong Hyun-jin, who had dodged nimbly, felt puzzled. Abraham had first threatened with spirit divine arts, now spirit fist arts. Next it'd be spirit magic or sword arts, he figured—just as Abraham gathered spirit energy once more.
"Junior, watch out!"
Elena dashed forward, drawing her sword from her waist. Her pale pink hair fluttered as her arm moved with swift, flexible grace, gripping the sharp rapier.
"Double Thrust"
Two thrusts, seamless as one strike, lanced toward Abraham.
"A curious sword style."
Abraham evaded the magical sword strikes with ease, but Elena didn't falter. Smiling as if her goal was met just by halting his attack.
"Spirit Manifestation, Ifrit."
She had solid backup. Serena, her eyes blazing like flames, had manifested the great spirit and now swung a massive greatsword she'd conjured high overhead.
BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!
A torrent of immense heat shot forward like a beam of light.
"...I'm a scholar."
Abraham thrust his hand forward at the oncoming blaze.
"When it comes to spirits, I understand them more thoroughly than anyone—be it spirit divine arts, spirit magic, spirit sword arts, spirit fist arts... anything."
"What...?"
"No matter how great the spirit's power, analyzing and countering it is child's play."
And as if to prove it, a complex magic formula unfurled instantly in his grasp. No incantation. Normally, incantations aided magical computation, making them essential—most couldn't chant mentally alone. That's why academy students marveled at Ciela Teraport's chantless casting.
But Abraham Nobwells was a once-in-a-generation genius spirit scholar. With the greatest mind in spirit studies history—perhaps humanity's finest—chantless magic was trivial if his understanding supported it.
"Silver Mirror"
A silvery barrier unfolded, absorbing Serena's flames whole.
"It swallowed it...!?"
"I'll send it right back."
Abraham snapped his fingers, and the silver shield flashed brilliantly. Then.
BOOOOOOMMMMMM─────!!!
The flames Serena had fired returned unchanged.
"!!"
"Jerugasias Style, First Form."
"Crimson Sword"
CRAAAAACK!!!
Seong Hyun-jin's sword slashed swiftly, blocking Serena's path and dispersing the intense flames entirely.
"You okay?"
"Th-thank you..."
Serena blushed faintly at being protected. She explained the magic Abraham had just used.
"That spell just now—it seems to absorb spirit power and reflect it back."
"Got it. I'll watch out."
Seong Hyun-jin replied, eyes fixed on Abraham.
"The Sword Star's disciple using imperial swordsmanship—a rare sight."
Abraham flicked his hand lightly. A spirit magic circle activated—not one, but dozens linked organically.
> Aegis System activated.
"A magic system...!?"
The lab's research materials began shielding under spirit power, the interior isolated like a barrier. Abraham had sealed off external interference until he dealt with the trio.
He raised his hand. A red glyph appeared on its back, and the magic circle chimed again.
> User code 'Red' authorized.
> Annihilation system engaged per authorization code.
"!"
This wasn't an ordinary magic circle. It was 'Aegis,' Abraham Nobwells' security magic system to prevent suspicious intruders in his lab.
"...A security spell?"
Seong Hyun-jin pinpointed its nature accurately. But unlike what he imagined, Aegis System's power far exceeded a mere security spell. Naturally so.
> Aegis System: Eliminating intruders.
It was the culmination of Wise Star Abraham's knowledge—a security magic system in a league of its own.