Chapter 131
Chapter 131
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The Saintess's Inner Thoughts Are Heard
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The idea of channeling magic into my fist to strike was something that came to me after arriving in the Demon Realm.
In an actual battlefield, using a staff creates far too many openings and forces you to fight from the rear, a disadvantage I had to overcome.
To save people, I couldn't afford to be picky about methods. That's why I can maintain an advantage even now, facing an enemy wearing Victoria's form.
"You really fight in such a dirty way, don't you? I thought a mage hailed as a hero by humans would be... different. Fighting with magic instead of resorting to this kind of brawling, for instance."
"...That's not something I need to hear from you."
I deliberately spoke in a sarcastic tone while looking at Memoria's face, her lips split and bleeding. Seeing that she had even pointlessly recreated blood flow in this slime body showed just how obsessed she was with being human.
p>"So, do you think you can kill me with an Ideia that merely combines the power of two people? The Hero Kyle is currently incapacitated... All you have is Victoria and your own strength."
As she spoke, Memoria continued to swing her hammer, using joint movements and body contortions impossible for a human to corner me.
As if urging me to use my last trump card.
But such things should only be used when victory is certain. Especially when fighting an enemy whose level is higher than mine or whose true strength is unknown, reckless confidence and arrogance are to be avoided.
"So, if I use Ideia one more time, you'll analyze and counter it, right? I know your type well—those who look down on others, relying solely on their level."
CRASH—!
As hammer and fist collided, a shock that seemed to rattle my bones traveled up my arm. A sharp, tingling pain followed, but I couldn't afford to show an opening over something like this.
"Heh, what a pity. If only you were a bit smarter... I think we would have gotten along quite well."
"What fool shows their secret magic to just anyone? No matter how detestable and deserving of death you are, one must uphold the basics."
Among mages, the unique magic born from a mage's life experiences is called secret magic. It contains all their lived experiences, emotions, and memories, making it stronger than ordinary magic.
However, because its nature and properties are difficult to alter, once its secrets are exposed and countered by other mages, it becomes a liability.
In the cases of Dullahan or Belamora, they couldn't directly counter my Coresword or Ideia because they didn't understand them. But Memoria, who had absorbed the memories and powers of numerous mages, was a different story.
In the Magic Towers, showing one's secret magic to others is heavily discouraged; it's only shown to those of a lower level who cannot easily decipher it.
"Have you gone mad? A magic that requires borrowing the power of multiple people—calling that a secret magic is a first for me!"
Memoria's exasperated sigh was understandable. Secret magic is typically created independently, without the aid of others.
My case is just exceptionally unusual.
"My life was essentially reborn after meeting my comrades. Isn't that only natural? Don't tell me you can't do anything by yourself?"
I spoke while continuing to parry Memoria's attacks and glancing at my comrades, who were expertly creating openings for me from the side.
"Aren't you the half-baked mage who can't do anything alone?"
SHWAAAK—!
Memoria and I clashed violently once more, bouncing apart as we put distance between us.
"I excel at cooperation. Besides, even without my comrades, I was someone whose skill alone was mentioned as a candidate for the next Blue Tower Master."
I wore a leisurely, confident smile as I watched Memoria's form gradually deteriorate. For some reason, the Ideia used by my other personality seemed tuned more for offense than sealing the opponent.
It was like looking in a mirror—a perfect opposite—making me wonder if she had tampered with it again.
"You know... you're actually afraid, aren't you?"
I dodged Memoria's charge—her numerous arms and weapons aimed to kill me—by rolling to the side before speaking.
Her movements were clearly more frantic and hasty than before.
It seemed Victoria's taunting had successfully gotten to her. After all, the opponent was essentially a child, in human terms, whose blood hadn't yet cooled in her head.
A stubborn, self-righteous, nuisance of a brat.
"What are you talking about?"
"Being reduced to nothing. You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid that if you lose to me and lose the memories and powers you've stolen, you'll return to that pitiful state you were in before."
Much like Victoria had done, I was persistently probing the sore spots that would provoke her anger.
Enduring all of Victoria's insults and vitriol hadn't been in vain, I thought.
"Ha, you're amusing. What would I have to regret about returning to how I was? Your lover's memories are in my grasp. I could erase them right now...!!"
Memoria momentarily lost her composure, swinging her hammer and other weapons in a wide, sweeping motion from her head down to her waist.
"Go ahead, if you can."
I spoke as, together with my comrades, I barely managed to block Memoria's weapons. An attack too much for one person alone, but I wasn't alone now.
"I hope I heard wrong? You should realize the leverage I have over you is gone... You'll surely regret this."
A slight tremor could be felt in the weapons Memoria held. This was the source of the strange sensation I'd felt all along.
"You can't, can you? You can only steal and store memories and abilities, not destroy them."
"......"
I had my suspicions about why Memoria went so far as to build a museum to collect people's abilities and memories.
If she could freely edit, discard, or merge human memories and abilities at will, she wouldn't have gone to such trouble.
No matter how strong her obsession with humans or her desire to become one, luring unsuspecting people would have been easier than turning her domain into a trap.
"Yes, I cannot do so of my own will. The amount of memory and information a single human possesses is immense. However... if I were to destroy this body I currently possess, even right now, it wouldn't be impossible. Surely you aren't incapable of such a simple thought?"
As she spoke, Memoria pressed a blade against her own neck. Seeing this action, reminiscent of a human attempting suicide, I chuckled dryly.
Memoria's ultimate goal was to collect all the memories and abilities of our hero party to fill the deficiencies she herself lacked.
"You're not even prepared to die, yet you make threats like that. It's not even funny."
In truth, the way for Memoria to win against me was to take Victoria's memories and flee, hiding somewhere.
I would be left clinging to the vain hope that Victoria's memories might one day return, and the possibility of discord when fighting the Demon King would prevent me from performing at my best.
"Ha, hahaha... HAHAHA...!!"
But the Memoria I knew possessed immense pride. Moreover, she had such confidence in her own abilities that she wasn't the type to back down in such a situation.
Memoria always spoke of wanting to resemble humans, treating herself and her kind as separate entities.
But from my perspective, she was the very embodiment of a human—greedy, arrogant, and self-destructive.
"...Even with your most beloved lover's memories held hostage, you remain excessively rational. Very well. I concede. I'll grant you a moment to say goodbye."
Memoria laughed like a madwoman, then suddenly—*plop*—her expression returned to normal as she spoke.
"It's true you shouldn't negotiate with a mad person. I suppose I was trying to resolve this too amicably."
"...And it's not because you think you'll die if we keep fighting like this?"
I spoke while looking at Memoria's tattered form, damaged by the Ideia. After continuously clashing fists, she was now weakened to the point where her original human mimicry was barely recognizable.
"If you come to where I'm hiding, you won't struggle like this... I've become curious about what kind of screams a person so confident will utter as they die."
Moreover, because Memoria currently possessed the body of the false Victoria—a mere duplicate—she was unable to wield her full power.
For a divided slime to wield 100% of its strength, it must merge back with its main body and become one again.
"Now, choose. Will you consider the Victoria who has lost her memories as your lover? Or will you accept the one who possesses the memories, even if she is a slime, as your lover?"
"Are you threatening me right now?"
"Yes. If you don't choose within ten minutes, the memories inside this fake Victoria will explode along with her head. I've had her swallow gunpowder and flint."
Memoria flashed a grin, rolling her eyes back, and a flow of mana was discernible as she returned control to the fake Victoria.
"Memoria is currently underground, in the surrounding area. She's undoubtedly grown her body larger than before to kill us and prepared thoroughly..."
Amidst ragged, gasping breaths, the fake Victoria began to reveal Memoria's location, but...
"...Why is everyone making that face? Did I do something wrong just now?"
Her body began to turn translucent, and inside, sparks like a fuse could be seen slowly spreading.