Liberation (1)
Ciela, Yeonhui, and Clarice, who had just arrived at the Tower of Salvation, quickly began ascending the tower. But they couldn't climb any higher.
"Ah!?"
"A barrier…!"
A barrier was blocking their path. The defensive magic circle designed by Abraham Nobwells, the Aegis System, had severed the connection between the exterior and interior of the laboratory, preventing even those who had entered the tower from reaching the lab itself.
Yeonhui examined the barrier briefly before whipping her head around.
"Junior Ciela! We need to dispel this, quickly!"
She demanded that Ciela undo the barrier. Yeonhui's judgment wasn't bad. Ciela Teraport was a genius mage acknowledged by the Demon Star Eleonora, the pinnacle of spirit magic, and her direct disciple. Any ordinary barrier would be useless against her.
But Ciela hesitated as she inspected it, then spoke obliquely to Yeonhui and Clarice, who were watching her with anticipation.
"This barrier… it's incredibly intricate."
"…Does that mean you can't break it?"
"I could, but it would take time."
Ciela looked slightly troubled.
"And if we do that, we'll be too late."
"…Then how do we get in?"
Ciela fell silent at Yeonhui's question, pondering. Then she spoke quietly.
"There is a simpler, faster way."
"Pardon?"
As Yeonhui tilted her head in confusion at Ciela's mention of a simple and quick method, Ciela demonstrated with actions rather than words. The air around them suddenly grew chilling. Yeonhui's eyes widened round in tandem.
She knew it wasn't the weather turning cold—it was the power of Ciela's snow spirit.
"Junior Ciela?"
"This is the fastest way."
Ciela said.
"Hyunjin junior taught me there's no need to hesitate in situations like this."
Ciela extended her hand forward. An exquisitely complex spell formula began to unfold. Layer upon layer built up from her palm, all intricately linked. The connected magical formulas synergized, gradually amplifying the spirit's power.
Watching this, Yeonhui swallowed a gasp of astonishment.
This magic…
It was far beyond what an academy student could wield. Only a select few elite mages from a renowned magic tower in the Magic Kingdom could manage something like this, yet here it was from an academy student's hand.
"…Output."
Ciela chanted.
"Formula activation."
Most of her spells were cast without incantation, so her use of even short chants meant the computations were extraordinarily complex.
"Coordinate lock."
And indeed, they were. Dozens of formulas overlapped, fusing into a single spell.
Not just Yeonhui—even Clarice's eyes widened in inner surprise.
Soon, all connections were complete and activation ready. Mana flowed through the formulas, making them glow faintly.
"Formula deployment, Snow Break."
"Snow Break"
Snow Break
KABOOM───────!!
The moment the spell activated, a massive roar erupted, and a huge plume of white mist billowed out. It was all cold air from Ciela's magic.
"Eut…!"
"…Incredible power."
As Clarice murmured in slight admiration, Yeonhui nodded faintly.
With this much force…
Yeonhui looked ahead with budding anticipation. And Ciela did not disappoint.
As the chill mist slowly cleared, the barrier that had blocked their path was revealed—utterly shattered, not even a trace remaining.
"Whew…."
Ciela let out a light, weary sigh, as if she'd expended considerable effort. She turned to Yeonhui and Clarice.
"Let's go in."
#
Astaroth lost her usual leisurely expression. For an evil spirit like her to manifest while Seong Hyun-jin regained consciousness was shocking enough. And for him to exclude her from the fight and insist on handling it himself?
"……Master."
Astaroth's lips curved slightly upward. Seeing that expression, Serena flinched in surprise and confusion.
"How on earth did you wake up? I'm just dying to know—tell me."
Astaroth's face turned girlish, like a curious girl peppering her crush with questions.
Seong Hyun-jin, oblivious, answered indifferently.
"I never lost consciousness to begin with."
"How? You manifested me, master."
"Even if you ask how…."
Seong Hyun-jin knew nothing. He hadn't even fully accepted that Astaroth was his spirit now, let alone how he'd summoned her and lost consciousness in the process. That wasn't the point.
"…I've got questions for you too, you know?"
He withdrew his gaze from Astaroth, turning toward Abraham.
"We'll settle this fight first, then talk. So stay out of it and wait quietly."
"…Fine."
Astaroth gladly accepted his demand, smiling faintly.
"If that's what master wants."
"……."
Seong Hyun-jin sensed something oddly nuanced in her tone but decided to ignore it for now. A more pressing opponent was right in front of him.
"…You could've just let it be, so why create this situation?"
Abraham spoke as if baffled.
"As it was, I would have lost, and you could have discarded my research as desired. I couldn't have stopped your spirit… no, that evil spirit from acting on its own."
Had Seong Hyun-jin not risen, Astaroth would have tidied things up herself, as she'd confidently claimed.
But by getting up, he'd given Abraham this recovery time.
"…Why did you do it?"
"I told you. This is a fight I have to finish."
Seong Hyun-jin grimaced slightly, dizzy from reclaiming control of his body, but his eyes remained steadfast.
"Making a foolish father who thinks his daughter would be happy with this come to his senses—that's my job."
"……."
Abraham squeezed his eyes shut. His bleeding arm had finally clotted; no more blood flowed. He forced it up.
"Then come at me."
His trembling fingertips, barely raised due to weakness from the wound, brimmed with earthen mana.
"Show me if you can stop this foolish father with your own hand."
"……."
Seong Hyun-jin exhaled deeply, then gripped his sword firmly. Astaroth, now quietly waiting as requested, lent him only her power. The force of destruction infused his blade, and feeling it, he let out a hollow chuckle.
"You had this power all along and stayed quiet?"
"Misunderstanding."
Astaroth replied.
"If I could've given it to you sooner, I would have lent it anytime."
"I see."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded.
"That's fine then."
"……."
Trusting her explanation at face value, he raised the spirit-infused sword high. Abraham narrowed his eyes slightly, squeezing out his final strength for a mighty spirit spell.
Platinum Prison
Earth Strike
Abraham's spell and the Aegis System's defense activated simultaneously. Seong Hyun-jin clearly sensed it but stepped forward instead. A snowflake-shaped magic circle bloomed beneath his feet, yet he didn't retreat, readying his sword.
Then, two spells clashed under his feet.
"Snowflake: Reverse"
KABOOM!!
The snowflake spread, neutralizing the Aegis System's defense.
"Hyunjin junior, you okay!?"
"Thanks to you."
It was Ciela. Having broken through the barrier, she'd timed her aid perfectly to protect Seong Hyun-jin. She'd sensed her proximity from his refusal to retreat.
With only Abraham's frontal spell left to handle, Seong Hyun-jin didn't yield an inch, intoning the activation word.
"Pierce through fate."
The Sword Star Hakodate Karin's most powerful and ultimate technique, Heaven Destroying Sword. Its third form was beyond Seong Hyun-jin's current body alone, but he compensated for the physical shortfall with the mighty evil spirit Astaroth's power.
Karin, unworthy of her Palstar Hero title with her meager contracted spirit, had tailored her sword arts to her strength. But Seong Hyun-jin, unlike his master, had a powerful spirit….
"Heaven Destroying Sword, Third Form."
Using that power to manifest his master's sword art. That was Seong Hyun-jin's way.
"Patian"
⟨ Heaven Destroying Sword ⟩
Crack──!
Seong Hyun-jin's sword swing shattered Abraham's spell.
Craaaack───!
Not only that—the magic circle of the Aegis System etched into the lab cracked, then fully collapsed.
And then.
"……I see."
Abraham, facing Seong Hyun-jin's sword art right before his eyes, relaxed his furrowed expression.
"Was the dream I chased an empty, futile one?"
He called it futile, yet his face held a strange sense of relief. Twenty years. While Hakodate Karin secluded herself and raised this brilliant disciple, Abraham had devoted all his wealth, time, and health to reviving his daughter.
Those years held a father's desperate wish to see Estella Nobwells once more, but they weren't always happy. Still, he couldn't stop. Abraham Nobwells was Estella's father, and his love for her outweighed all else.
He had to continue, even if it meant Abraham the man was unhappy. But that duty, that life-defining attempt, now ended in vain.
For a father, this was the worst failure imaginable… but for Abraham the man, it felt like liberation.
Freedom from the obsession and madness toward Estella—emotions even he couldn't control.
"From the start, an unattainable…."
So Abraham made no counter. Facing the sword that would fell him, he only smiled bitterly.
"……fleeting wish."
Craaaaaaaaack───────────────!!