Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Mage of Space
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―[Ending 25: Anger and Jealousy.]
―Anger and Jealousy met.
Anger hated the world.
The heart harboring hatred burned everything without hesitation, devouring life and death alike.
Jealousy denied the world.
Everything was hateful, everything enviable—those who had, those who lost, every existence was loathsome.
The two emotions couldn't understand each other, but before one single proposition, they perfectly aligned.
This world could vanish.
‘…….’
I can say it with certainty.
The epitome of bullshit in all of *Aka Calamity*.
The encroachment event of Lev de Lament.
This infamous mechanic, notorious for wiping out countless newbies, activates with a certain probability every time you face the disaster.
Lev de Lament's consciousness rises to the surface, encroaching upon Lev de Lumière's mind.
It's an event that should end once you defeat the disaster... but once the encroachment begins, Lamenta drags at the user's feet and interferes to the bitter end, no matter the method.
‘At least that's a relief...’
That it was I who first found Lev, not Klaus.
By now, Klaus would be clashing head-on with the Mage of Space.
“…Adel.”
【Lev.】
“…Run.”
【Wipe it out.】
- Rumble!!
Space tore open as a flash of light plunged down. I rolled my body to dodge it.
- Crackle, crackle.
I'd been tuning my mana for a while now.
But... was it the disaster's influence? Or the laws of this space?
Something kept interfering with my control.
‘There is no choice.’
If it was Impossible to handle mana.
It was impossible to even imagine winning against Lev.
【Trying to run?】
The voice of jealousy from behind sounded like mockery, or perhaps a plea.
【Leaving Lev behind?】
I couldn't respond.
I couldn't even speak in the first place.
With mana tuning impossible now, I couldn't even carve letters into the air to show her.
‘…….’
With no emotions mixed in, I made a purely rational judgment.
I can't help her. I can't save her.
No, to begin with, there's no route in this world to save Lev.
Just wait.
Once Klaus defeats the Mage of Space, she'll return to normal after a time lag.
My role is singular.
To act as bait, keeping her from encountering Klaus.
To draw Lev de Lament's gaze with my worthless body.
That's enough.
***
“Huff… huff….”
Klaus panted heavily, knees bent.
Before him stood a single entity.
The Mage of Space writhed like a shadow, forming a shape.
Something seeping in from beyond the boundary of reality and unreality, its silhouette unclear.
【Persistent.】
“…Pff… hahaha…….”
Klaus laughed.
Blood trickled down his jaw, but he lifted his head as if in high spirits.
“You're the second one today… to say that to me.”
【Proud of not dying?】
“No.”
Klaus raised his staggering sword, its blade useless now.
“It's that I'm alive… and proud of it.”
【Meaningless.】
“I decide the meaning.”
Space even now tightened around Klaus's breath.
Space ripped, black fissures spreading across the floor, eroding beneath his feet.
Yet Klaus didn't retreat a single step.
“If I were going to crumble from this, I wouldn't have started.”
No hesitation gripped the hand holding the sword.
Even as fear tightened like a collar, his eyes showed no tremor.
- Crunch!
Space collapsed.
The ground beneath Klaus tore open, a black hole yawning toward the void beyond.
“……!!”
Klaus hoisted his sword high.
Brilliant light swirled over the broken blade fragments, slicing through empty air in a dance.
Becoming a single meteor, that light plunged straight toward the Mage of Space.
─────────!!
The alien shadow was cleaved.
【Vermin…!】
Beyond the dripping shadow, an incomplete human silhouette emerged.
Klaus laughed breathlessly, his blood-smeared face cheerful.
“Ahaha… Finally landed a hit?”
【…I'll crush you.】
“Bring it.”
Madness glinted in Klaus's eyes.
Eyes reminiscent of someone… the gaze of the one Klaus admired.
“You will lose.”
【…….】
“The protagonist who'll defeat you is coming.”
The one to end the nightmare before him. The single variable to end this despair.
Adel would surely reach this place.
“So… kill me all you want.”
***
【Where do you think you're going?】
I didn't activate 【Silent Walker】.
I had to remain bait to draw Lament's gaze, after all.
‘Whew….’
My breath rose to my throat.
‘This body really is trash.’
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
[ Adel ]
Limit Break: ★☆☆☆☆
Attributes
: 「Abyss」
: 「Nothingness」
Stats
: Stamina: 13 (D)
: Strength: 2 (F)
: Intelligence: 27 (B)
: Mentality: 30 (A)
: Magic Power: ■ ()
Talents
: 【All talents are fixed at ‘Lowest’ due to 「Stigma 」.】
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
‘Seriously, I haven't even run that far….’
For reference, it's been less than three minutes since I started fleeing from Lamenta.
Even so, my stamina depleted in three minutes? Isn't that crossing the line for a human?
‘I need to file a formal complaint.’
Once this episode ends, I'll definitely grill Veronica about it.
And claim proper compensation.
Honestly, I basically saved all the students, right?
Veronica would admit that too? Shouldn't she give me a house at least?
- Rumble!!
As I briefly cleared my head with those crazy thoughts.
A brilliant flash plunged down behind me.
【There you are?】
‘Whoa, that was seriously close to game over.’
I learned today that my reflexes are this good.
But the problem is…
‘I don't have confidence in dodging forever.’
- Crackle…
Static prickled my skin, politely informing me that death was very near.
【Hmm… Holding out longer than expected?】
An empty voice.
The sole emotion within: boredom… to her, I was merely a long-lasting toy.
‘Ah, should I just give up?’
I'm seriously considering it… should I just bolt?
Against an opponent chasing so casually… what difference would my full-effort bait act make?
【Hm? Not running?】
‘…Or maybe just fight.’
Honestly, I have zero confidence in beating Lev.
But at least… I might buy a little time.
How noble and sublime a sacrifice.
Not particularly touching, but it feels like the monologue of side character number three before dying in a hero story.
【Could it be… you're going to attack?】
I drew 【Leviathan】.
‘Whoa, heavy.’
Normally I'd wrap mana around my hand to wield the sword… but mana assistance is impossible now.
I had no choice but to drag it with both hands.
【Hng… Hit me. I'll give you one chance.】
That arrogant, insolent attitude.
I really want to smack her forehead to vent.
‘I won't hold back.’
Dragging 【Leviathan】, I approached Lament.
Of course, I didn't expect it to actually attack.
In the first place, doubtful if this lump of scrap could even scratch that body.
‘But this isn't just scrap….’
Right as I swung the sword.
“….”
My hand stopped.
“….”
The Lev before me blinked.
Not Lev de Lament.
Lev de Lumière.
“…When are you going to put that away?”
Her expression was the usual blank one as she nodded at 【Leviathan】.
Calm, nonchalant.
I let out a hollow laugh and stowed 【Leviathan】 back in my inventory.
“…….”
“…….”
We faced each other in an odd silence for a long while.
Finally, Lev looked away first and awkwardly opened her mouth.
“…Let's go.”
Where to?
I tilted my head.
This was body language, right?
“…The exit. We'll find one eventually.”
And so we walked together.
Slowly through the endless maze.
‘How did she snap back?’
From the moment reason returned to Lev's eyes, the question wouldn't leave me.
Lev suddenly regaining her senses… if I had to pinpoint the cause.
‘Klaus.’
Klaus landed a solid hit on the Mage of Space… or maybe defeated it.
‘I hope it's the latter.’
And.
“…Found it.”
Where Lev pointed with her finger was an exit swarming with beasts.
- Rumble!!
Of course, beasts were hardly an obstacle for Lev.
‘Wait, how did she find it?’
I'd been lost and couldn't find it, yet Lev pinpointed it instantly.
“…….”
Lev stared at the exit for a long time.
Truthfully, less an exit and more a gap in the air barely wide enough for one person. That was it.
“…You first.”
This exit could only be used once.
Even in *Aka Calamity*, it was an exit used as a reset when you messed up and entered the spatial maze.
“…I'll stay here.”
I looked at Lev.
The moment her reason returned, my role was essentially over.
Now I just needed to return to the cradle and await Klaus's victory.
“…See you later.”
Why say it so wistfully, like a final farewell?
Truthfully, I didn't even know my own feelings.
Lev in *Aka Calamity* was just a boss with no detailed story.
‘I know nothing.’
I just wanted to live.
I believed I could do anything if I could just survive.
“……?”
And yet, I extended my hand to Lev.
When Lev awkwardly took it… I yanked her toward me.
And.
“Fall asleep.”
I whispered 【Word of Command】 into her ear.
“Wha…t….”
Before Lev could react, I shoved her into the spatial gap.
“Sorry, Lev.”
A beat later, I said her name.
“Ah….”
“See you later.”
The gushing blood and pain pulled my hazy consciousness back once more.
‘Hilarious.’
If I had to define the existence called "me" in one word.
It would surely be "contradiction."
***
- Screeech…
The unpleasant friction of metal grinding space echoed off the walls.
I walked silently toward the center of the vast space.
Dragging 【Leviathan】—less a sword than a condensed form of the abyss itself.
【Vermin returns.】
“Ha, Adel… you're late.”
A shadow that mimicked a human doll, or perhaps the ragged edge of humanity itself.
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[ 「The Mage of Space」 ]
Attributes
: 「Space」
Unique Skills
: 【■】
: 【…】
Unique Traits
: 【Fragment of Rage】
: 【…】
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
The first disaster of "Disasters Live in the Academy."
「The Mage of Space」.
- Screeech.
As the dragged sword halted, space rippled at its tip.
The space it grazed split open.
From the torn fissure, the abyss welled up.
That darkness was like the sea, like emotion—spreading helplessly, draping formless silence.
【…Abyss.】
Abyss.
That endless sea was etched onto the stage laid by 「The Mage of Space」, at my will.