Chapter 6
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Confronting the Overlord
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Typically, the Mazoku employ a strategy of controlling Mutants to gain an advantage in battle.
In most situations, the Mazoku prefer to end conflicts using only their Mutants. They themselves only appear on the battlefield in two extreme cases: when their victory is all but certain and they wish to deliver the final blow, or when their chances of winning are near zero without their direct intervention.
It’s not that the Mazoku themselves are weaker than races like humans or orcs. On the contrary, the individual abilities of a Mazoku far surpass those of most humans, orcs, or elves.
After all, they possess powerful physical capabilities, wield bizarre forms of black magic, and have exceptional regenerative abilities that allow them to restore lost body parts almost indefinitely.
However, despite their numerous strengths and outstanding skills, the Mazoku never place themselves at the forefront of a battle.
The reason was simple.
If a Mazoku dies, the Mutants under its control freeze in place like puppets with their strings cut, becoming helpless scarecrows incapable of any resistance.
In the Mazoku’s military system, the importance of a commander was on a completely different level compared to the military systems of other intelligent races.
In the armies of races like humans, orcs, and elves, if a commander were to die in an unforeseen accident, their role could be taken over by a second-in-command or a unit leader.
But the Mazoku could not do this.
If the Mazoku leading a unit dies, the battlefield simply comes to a halt.
This characteristic isn't limited to the relationship between Mazoku and Mutants.
It also applies between an Overlord and their subordinate Mazoku.
If an Overlord dies, all the Mazoku under that individual’s command cease to function simultaneously.
The moment they realize the Overlord they serve has died, the Mazoku freeze on the spot, reduced to scarecrows unable to act. Naturally, the Mutants they were controlling also turn into scarecrows.
From the start, autonomous thought and creativity are permitted only to the highest command echelon, the ‘Overlords.’ The Mazoku under them are nothing more than faithful, foolish dogs that merely follow their Overlord’s orders.
For this reason, a Mazoku Overlord rarely reveals themselves to humans.
The death of an Overlord leads to a massive loss of power for the entire Mazoku faction.
“Tch, the barrier magic was shattered by that lightning strike.”
Maltiel, the Overlord who had been controlling the Mutants from within the burning forest with his eyes closed, clicked his tongue.
The boy with white hair had summoned a powerful bolt of lightning, completely destroying the barrier magic that had enveloped the entire forest.
As soon as the barrier broke, Maltiel had ordered his Mutants to eliminate the mage holding the crystal ball, but this too had failed thanks to the white-haired boy.
“Quick on the uptake. All the more reason to kill him.”
Maltiel slowly rose to his feet amidst the burning undergrowth, his red body unfolding.
If he were to send a half-assed high-ranking Mazoku against a monster with such talent and fail to finish the job, it would return as a great disaster in the future.
For most intelligent beings, pain that falls short of death often serves as fuel for growth.
A monster like that must be torn out by the roots and burned, even if it's just a sprout. That was Overlord Maltiel’s policy.
“In any case, now that word of an Overlord’s appearance has reached their headquarters… he’ll start rushing over here. I have about two minutes left, or maybe three if I’m being generous?”
Maltiel spread his wings, which were covered in hard scales like those of a dragon, and leaped high into the air. Burning leaves transferred their flames to his body, but the Overlord didn't even feign pain. To an Overlord, this was barely worth calling an injury.
“I need to end this quickly.”
Engulfed in flames, the Overlord shot straight toward the boy who was emitting blue lightning.
***
Crackle…!
An alien flow of electricity registered in my ears.
A colossal pressure I had never felt before in my life weighed down on my shoulders, and an immense fear that even my [Composure] trait couldn't neutralize constricted my chest.
I quickly turned my gaze to where I felt the sharp stare.
There stood a Mazoku, wreathed in flames like a demon that had just crawled out of hell.
“What the…!”
The Mazoku, which had been floating majestically in the sky with its wings spread wide, suddenly folded them and began hurtling toward me like a missile.
I immediately kicked off the ground and threw myself toward the burning forest. There was no time to think.
*CRASH!*
As if a small meteor had struck, a tremendous roar echoed as the surrounding ground shook and burning leaves scattered in all directions.
That was too close.
If my reaction had been even a little slower, I would have been crushed into a pulp under that brute’s feet.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been out, so I wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible… It’s a shame. All because that wench had to go and do something foolish.”
At the Overlord’s appearance, Herion’s face turned deathly pale as she collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a word.
Even I, with my [Composure] trait, felt such intense pressure. How would a normal mage fare?
They would be utterly helpless, their minds frozen in terror.
“At most, I have about three minutes. I expect you to entertain me.”
The Overlord raised a finger toward Herion, who was lying flat on the ground like an insect. In the next instant, a volley of countless arrows flew toward her.
Herion’s mind seemed to have seized up with fear; she couldn't even deploy a barrier. Dozens of arrows pierced her body, and the sound of tearing flesh and shattering bone cut through the crackle of the burning trees to stab at my ears.
The light faded from her eyes in an instant.
Goosebumps erupted all over my skin, and a chill spread through my hands and feet.
Her voice, which had so casually asked me what my favorite spell was, flashed past my neck like a razor’s edge.
The specter of death loomed right before my eyes.
Fear and reason began to battle for control of my mind, and adrenaline surged through me.
*‘Calm down. Stay calm.’*
With the help of my [Composure] trait, I somehow managed to maintain my cool amidst the swirling torrent of emotions.
“It is rare to find one who is not overwhelmed in my presence. You are clearly of a different breed than the trash lying over there.”
The Overlord's jet-black finger pointed at Herion’s corpse.
The monster was utterly nonchalant, as if the murder it had just committed was nothing.
Just as people feel no change in emotion when peeling an apple, this monster seemed to feel nothing when killing a person.
My stomach churned, but I clung to the thread of reason and forced my stiff tongue to move.
“What is a big shot like you doing here?”
I spoke to the Overlord, ready to react to an attack at any moment.
An Overlord had revealed himself.
This was by no means a normal situation.
There had to be a reason.
A reason significant enough for an Overlord to take the enormous risk of showing himself.
To formulate a survival strategy, I had to figure out that reason first.
Only by understanding the enemy’s intentions could I decide whether to threaten, negotiate, or beg.
“What am I doing? I came to kill you. Could there be any other reason for me to take such a risk and reveal myself?”
The Overlord replied with a sneer.
“…”
I could only stare blankly at the Overlord's sneering face.
…What the hell is he talking about?
He came to kill me? An Overlord? By taking the risk of revealing himself?
I stared at the Overlord’s face for a moment, dumbfounded.
I mean, who am I?
I’m a level 1 character who just left the tutorial area.
“Why the dumbfounded look? Did you think I wouldn't know that you turned my children to ash in a single blow?”
…Excuse me?
“Furthermore, you used only a single spell to kill my precious subordinate. There are few mages in this world capable of such a feat.”
“…”
“You are at least a 7th Circle mage. Considering you reached the 7th Circle at such a young age, you’ll reach the 9th Circle in no time.”
“What are you talking about…?”
I accidentally blurted out the thought that was supposed to stay in my head.
…No, but seriously, what the hell is this guy talking about?
7th, 8th, and 9th Circle mages were the pinnacle of the mage class, a level a character could only reach in the game's final stages, around level 90.
But I was a worthless character from a vagrant background who had only been in this world for three days. I had no idea how I had earned such a misunderstanding from an Overlord.
Things had gone seriously, horribly wrong.
*‘No, let’s think about this differently. This is an opportunity. He's vastly overestimating me. If I play my cards right, I might be able to get out of this insane situation.’*
I reined in my wavering heart and decided to use the situation to my advantage.
Thanks to not using any magic for the past three days, a considerable amount of mana had accumulated in my body. With [Blooming] active, it should be possible to survive by running and dodging for the remaining time.
Of course, the moment that time ran out, I’d be turned into a slab of meat without a second thought.
But my opponent didn't know I had such a time limit.
Moreover, the Overlord perceived me as a high-level mage, a 7th Circle… no, one who was hiding even more powerful magic.
The reason he was maintaining this standoff instead of attacking immediately was likely because he was guessing I had stronger spells hidden up my sleeve.
*‘The reality is, I’m currently discharging all the magic I have at full power…’*
It felt like standing alone on a glacier riddled with cracks, about to shatter at any moment.
The slightest loss of balance, and the deep abyss below would pull me in. An unnerving chill crept up from the tips of my toes.
*‘Stay calm, stay calm.’*
First, begging for my life or attempting to negotiate was impossible.
The damn lunatic’s goal was my life, after all.
However, this situation must be just as burdensome for the Overlord.
The most standard way for Mazoku to deal with a mage was to throw their subordinate Mutants at them to drain their mana before going in for the kill.
Unlike classes such as warriors or barbarians, mages had to consume an energy source called ‘mana’ every time they cast a spell.
Mages were powerful and dangerous, but a mage who had exhausted their mana was nothing more than dead weight.
The Overlord before me must have aimed for this, launching a surprise attack with an army composed solely of Mutants at first.
But when the communication-jamming magic was shattered by the lightning I summoned, his position was reported to the headquarters, and the whole situation went sideways.
That’s why the Overlord was now on a short timer of about three minutes, and to achieve his goal within this brief window, he had to take a risk and reveal himself directly to a mage whose mana he hadn't fully depleted.
*‘He has a lot weighing on his shoulders. And since he thinks I'm a high-level mage, he definitely won't make a reckless move. In that case…'*
I secretly swallowed my dry saliva, took a shallow breath, and…
I arrogantly lifted my chin and slowly opened my mouth.
“…Hah.”
If begging and negotiating were out, there was only one thing left to do.
All I could do was threaten him.
“Well, since you seem to know everything, I suppose there’s no need to hide it.”
Shit, no matter how I thought about it, this was the only answer.
So I acted crazy, looking down on the Overlord with an arrogant air as I spewed that cheesy line.
*BOOM!*
Immediately after my lame line, I released as much mana as I could into my surroundings.
The wooden debris and stones that littered the area were blown to pieces.
It was a waste to expend mana into thin air, but it was a necessary decision to intimidate my opponent as much as possible.
If I could instill even a little fear… no, I wouldn't even ask for fear. Just a slight hesitation would be more than enough.
“The flow of your mana is quite unique. It’s a type I’ve never seen before. What magic are you using now? Is it one you developed yourself? Though I’ve never seen it before, I can certainly tell it possesses a great deal of refinement and intricacy.”
As expected, Overlord Maltiel seemed to be seeing the magic of [Blooming] for the first time.
After all, [Blooming] was perceived by most conventional mages as a skill they should never take, or at most, one they would invest a single point into. It wasn't all that surprising.
“…”
I maintained my poker face and answered his question with silence.
There was no need for me to bluff further about the power or strength of my magic.
Facing the unknown is the greatest fear for all intelligent beings.
I wasn’t sure if this monster was capable of feeling fear, but remaining silent would surely be far more effective than bluffing with lines like ‘this magic is incredibly powerful.’
“…What’s most surprising is your ability to disguise yourself. I don’t know what kind of magic it is, but to my eyes, you still only appear to be a mage with the mana of a 4th Circle. Are you suppressing your mana? Not a bad tactic of deception.”
As I remained silent, the Overlord began to roll his red eyes, trying to analyze me.
The lives of thousands of Mazoku rested on this Overlord's shoulders.
The responsibility he bore was too great to recklessly attack a mage using an unknown spell without a proper analysis.
*‘Deception? What a joke. My mana is just at a 4th Circle level. I’ve only been alive for three damn days.’*
“Impressive. If I had enough time, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this fight with you.”
That monster would never imagine that the mage before him, who was turning the forest and his Mutants to ash, was a level 1 piece of trash.
…That this was the result of a bizarre build that had abandoned everything to hyper-specialize in [Blooming].
“Hmm… I will grant you the first move. Come.”
Overlord Maltiel looked at me with interest and spoke.
It seemed he wanted to analyze me by countering my attack, as initiating one himself carried too many variables.
He lowered his stance and spread his wings wide, preparing for the electric attack that could come at any moment.
I, of course, did not attack.
I had already exhausted half of my mana by dropping that ridiculously powerful lightning bolt, which easily surpassed several hundred million volts.
“…”
“…”
Amidst the burning trees, a tense and chilling current flowed between me and the Overlord.
*Flinch…!*
The moment the Overlord’s finger twitched, I discharged electricity from my entire body.
Leaves and branches were struck by the current and burst into flames.
“Ha!”
His gruesome face wrinkled into a smile.
“I offered you the first move. What are you doing?”
“Why would I dance to your tune?”
I replied, my face subtly contorted. I wanted to express displeasure or annoyance; I wasn’t sure if it came across.
“Are you refusing my courtesy?”
“…”
Again, I answered his question with silence.
“Why don’t you speak? Are you afraid? Your eyes don’t seem to suggest so. What are you waiting for? The great Maltiel has told you he will grant you the first move.”
Maltiel taunted me, bringing his jet-black fingers to his neck as if daring me to shoot a bolt of lightning.
“Go on, try to hit me. Don’t you want to be the hero who killed an Overlord?”
*Pfft.*
I forced a short, sharp laugh.
“You talk too much. You must be getting anxious.”
I said, wearing the same arrogant expression as before.
Damn it, I had no idea what I was doing anymore.
“You feel fear, but you never lose your reason. And you're just a brat who looks no older than sixteen or seventeen!”
Maltiel looked at me and laughed, his mouth splitting wide in amusement.
To him, this entire process seemed to be nothing more than an entertaining game.
It was then.
“All units! Change mission objective from ‘Survival’ to ‘Escort the Boy’! That boy is a precious talent who must not die here! We must escort him to the capital, no matter what!”
Into the tense standoff between me and the Overlord, the magnificent shout of the Orc hero, Rex, suddenly intruded.
…What the hell is that Orc talking about now?
Damn it, I had no idea what was going on anymore.