Chapter 86
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: I Will Handle This
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jupien and Marisa nodded firmly.
“And… Young Lord Kashimir, this is important. Can you pierce that spider queen's carapace? If you can just break through it, I'll finish the rest with my Will Technique.”
Will-Thought.
If Aura was the manifestation of will into reality, then Will-Thought was using will to manifest a power that reached the very limits of natural law.
The problem was that the Will Technique Simon intended to use required a specific activation condition.
In this case, the spider queen's carapace had to be pierced.
*'I wonder if Young Lord Kashimir can pull it off.'*
Simon narrowed his eyes.
Honestly, it seemed difficult.
Young Lord Kashimir's level was mid-4-Star.
It was by no means a low achievement, but their opponent was simply too strong.
“I know it's difficult. But you must succeed. If you want to survive.”
“…Understood.”
Kashimir gave a stiff nod.
*Fwaat!*
Kashimir charged forward.
Since launching destructive black magic from a distance would only be blocked by her spider silk defenses, his plan was to unleash a powerful spell at close range.
The spiderlings swarmed to block Kashimir, while Jupien and Marisa covered him.
Soon enough.
Having reached close range, Kashimir extended his hand.
The spider queen moved her countless legs to attack him, but he dodged while activating his magic.
For reference, Kashimir had risen from the ranks of a low-class Majin, so he was accustomed to close-quarters combat.
*Gooooooh.*
A vortex of fiercely swirling magi.
The level of a 4-Star from the Destruction House.
Transmutation.
The energy of ice imbued the vortex of wind. It was a cursed ice that corroded everything it touched.
The black magic with the greatest piercing power available to him.
*'Rusted Horn!'*
A spear tip of icy wind surged forward.
Just as the carapace was about to be pierced.
The spider queen let out a furious roar.
*Shhhk!*
Countless strands of spider silk erupted over her carapace.
The spear of destruction could advance no further and shattered in vain.
*'Ah.'*
*Thwack!*
One of the spider queen's legs struck Kashimir.
He hastily twisted his body, avoiding a fatal blow, but he was severely injured.
*'So it's no use after all.'*
Simon clicked his tongue.
He had expected it, but it was impossible.
*'If it had been Young Lord Christian, perhaps it would have been possible.'*
A ridiculous thought.
Chris hadn't even reached 4-Star yet. There was no way he could damage that spider queen.
But Simon thought that if it was Christian, who always accomplished insane feats, perhaps he could pull off something amazing this time too.
*Fwip!*
The situation changed abruptly.
The spider queen let out a rough cry and extended her limbs.
Spider silk began to fill the air.
*'The spider queen's Will Technique, Infinite Despair.'*
That silk was not made of simple physical properties.
It was a silk of Will-Thought, imbued with the spider queen's will, expanding infinitely and crushing everything it touched.
*'Troublesome. Very troublesome. This is turning out to be a bad deal.'*
Simon tore at his own wrist with his fangs.
His artery was severed, and blood spurted out like a fountain.
The blood droplets that rose into the air boiled and vaporized, splitting into fine particles that spread in all directions.
Then, the spider silk that came into contact with the blood particles stopped dead in its tracks.
*'This won't hold for long. I really have to decide now.'*
Simon's eyes turned chilling.
Unless Christian arrived.
No, in truth, it would be impossible even if he did.
Simon's gaze fell upon the three figures—Jupien, Marisa, and Kashimir—panting with exhaustion.
It seemed he would have to devour at least two of the three as a sacrifice.
*'I think I've done enough at this point.'*
Just as Simon made his decision and resolved to tear out Kashimir's throat first.
An unexpected voice was heard.
“…What is everyone doing right now?”
“!!”
Everyone's eyes widened.
Turning their gazes, they saw an irritatingly handsome boy looking at them as if they were pathetic.
“…Why is everyone making such a fuss here?”
He muttered, his words infuriatingly condescending.
***
*'We came here to save you!'*
That was what everyone was thinking.
But Chris was just as flabbergasted.
*'Seriously, I wasn't in any danger. Why are they pulling this pointless stunt I never asked for?'*
Thanks to them, it looked like he was in for some trouble.
*'Can't be helped. I can't just pretend I didn't see them. I'll have to help.'*
If they heard him, they would be furious all over again.
It was an unbearably irritating thought.
Chris strode toward them.
“Are you all right? You've been through a lot, Head Butler.”
Simon's lips twitched.
“I'm fine for now. But as you can see, the situation is not good. Therefore, Young Lord, please choose which of those three will die.”
“What?”
“It seems one of the three must be killed and offered as a sacrifice. Originally, I would have needed at least two... but since you've arrived, Young Lord, I will try to make do with one.”
A chilling proposal.
To speak of sacrificing them while they were standing right there, listening.
But Simon was never one to possess conventional morals.
*'I've held back until now because I was afraid Young Lord Christian would dislike it. Now that I'm killing them with his consent, I won't have to worry about creating a rift between us.'*
Simon licked his lips in anticipation of the impending feeding.
Chris let out a sigh.
“That won't be necessary.”
“Pardon?”
“I will take care of that spider queen. As long as you keep holding her in place like you are now, Head Butler.”
At those words, Simon looked bewildered.
“Young Lord? The spider queen is a 6-Ma Class demonic beast. No matter how incredible you are….”
Of course, he had briefly considered it earlier.
That Christian might just pull off another insane miracle.
But there was a limit to such things.
The miracle Simon had hoped for was on the level of Christian creating an 'opening'.
But to say he would kill the spider queen himself?
“I know. It's impossible at my level. That's why I'm asking you. Just for a moment. Hold the spider queen's movements just like this for a few seconds.”
Chris said in a strong tone.
“I will cut off the spider queen's head.”
“……”
Simon was silent.
It was an impossible, ridiculous claim.
*'He's not just saying that.'*
Chris's reddish-black eyes held not a shred of doubt.
A powerfully shining conviction.
Simon found himself chuckling.
*'Interesting. Very interesting. As expected of the crazy young master.'*
In the first place.
Wasn't it precisely because of that crazy side of Christian's that he had taken on this hardship to save him?
“Very well. But you must succeed.”
Simon grinned, his fangs glinting.
“If you fail and die, I'll resurrect you as an inferior species and send you to Idrinne as a plaything.”
Chris fell silent.
It referred to the lowest class of vampires that moved without reason, like zombies.
*'…What a horrible joke. No, Simon is more than capable of actually doing it. I absolutely must succeed.'*
He took a step, but a hand stopped him.
“N-No, you mustn't, Young Lord! I'd rather offer my own life to that vampire!”
It was Kashimir.
“I'm sorry! This is all because of me…!! It's better if I take responsibility and die…!!”
Kashimir's face was wretched with guilt.
Chris thought to himself.
*'Hmm, actually, this all happened because of me.'*
In the first place, it was Chris who had activated the key and caused the teleportation.
If left alone, Kashimir likely wouldn't have activated the key out of guilt.
In any case.
*'This is another opportunity.'*
“Young Lord Kashimir, raise your head.”
“Truthfully, I did feel betrayed when I fell into the trap, but seeing you risk your life like this for my sake, I've realized it wasn't your intention. I forgive your mistake.”
Pretending it was Kashimir's fault, then forgiving him!
Kashimir's reaction was, of course, dramatic.
“Ah… ah… Young Lord Christian, how can you be so….”
Kashimir's voice was thick with emotion. He looked overwhelmed, beyond mere gratitude, as if his heart had shattered.
“!!”
Chris grinned.
“Then trust me and watch.”
Chris strode forward.
But there was another interruption.
This time, it was Marisa.
“Don't do something so foolish. No matter how great you are, the spider queen is too much for you.”
Chris looked at Marisa for a moment.
She was tattered and injured all over, a picture of hardship.
*'…Why did she come to save me?'*
Kashimir was understandable since he was good-natured, but the others were all unexpected.
“But why did you come? I never asked you to save me.”
“…What? You…!!”
Marisa's face flushed red with anger.
Just as the resentment that had been building since they met was about to explode.
Chris said casually.
“Well, thanks anyway.”
“……”
Marisa snapped her mouth shut.
The face that had been burning with resentment cooled down, and this time, her complexion changed for a different reason.
“D-Don't get the wrong idea. I still… you…”
“Yeah, I know. You hate me, right? Don't worry, I have no intention of bringing up the engagement again.”
“……”
“Just cover me with your poison so the spiderlings don't get in the way.”
“…Fine.”
Marisa replied coldly, unlike before.
Finally, Jupien.
She wiped the blood trickling from her forehead and said sullenly.
“You don't need to thank me.”
“Okay, I'm not thankful.”
“…You're a real jerk.”
“Just figured that out?”
“One day, I'm going to crush you.”
Jupien drew her sword, which had been broken in half during the fierce battle.
“You're going, right? I'll go with you.”
“Why?”
“I told you. The one who defeats you will be me. So I can't let you die in a place like this.”
Chris chuckled.
For some reason, he didn't feel bad.
“Suit yourself.”
He took a step.
Magi began to boil up.
“Though I doubt I'll need it.”
*Fwaat!*
Chris's body shot forward.
“Be careful!!”
Kashimir shouted in alarm.
But Chris didn't stop.
*'This is enough. I can do it.'*
If it had been the old Chris.
He would never have stepped forward with such confidence.
Because even with Simon stopping the spider queen's movements, it would have been impossible for Chris to cut through her carapace with his original strength.
*'But it's different now.'*
It was because of the grayish ring on his finger, the Vampiric Ring.
A faint gray light swirled in the ring's indented circle, and Chris's movements changed.
In other words.
He became faster and stronger.
Strands of spider silk flew at him but couldn't touch him at all.
*'Was Young Lord Christian's movement always that good?'*
Simon thought in surprise.
It was distinctly different from the last time he'd seen him.
His level hadn't risen.
It was as if he had taken some kind of potion that temporarily increased his power; his stamina, physical strength, and magi all felt amplified.
*'How? Even for a genius, it's impossible to amplify one's basic abilities in such a short time.'*
To be precise, his basic abilities hadn't risen.
The effect of the Vampiric Ring wasn't merely to raise basic abilities.