Chapter 616: Curl and Gradient
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 616: Curl and Gradient
A violent storm, as if all the winds of the world had gathered in one place, swept over the Floating Castle. The wind pressure was strong enough to tear the deck apart. Shei’s Chun-aeng had some dominion over the wind, allowing us to hold on, but it was as clear as a candle in the wind that it wouldn't last long.
I couldn't even scream; I just shouted in my mind.
One-Way Street? What a ridiculously broken Unique Magic.
Unique Magic are inherently irrational and unfair abilities, but the one called One-Way Street was, true to its name, a violent and one-sided power. We can't affect them, but they can attack us?
Above all, the combination of White Magic and a Unique Magic was devastatingly destructive. Though it was merely condensed air, its power surpassed Strategy-grade magic... It was War-grade magic. A power whose very existence was reason enough to stop a war—or start one.
Only those who went beyond simply wielding a Unique Magic, who could amplify its power through White Magic, earned the title of ‘Mage.’
And I had forgotten, but Lankart, standing before this overwhelming and irrational violence, was also a Mage.
“Hey. Aren't you getting a little too worked up over something meaningless?”
Lankart inserted a packet into his bio-receptor. Thick armor plates materialized with an alchemical glow, encasing his hands.
It was a magical tool, a Military State Clothing Packet modified into a gauntlet. The pure white gauntlet, inscribed with a magic circle and studded with gems on each knuckle, looked something like a set of brass knuckles.
“Set, Re.”
Lankart had learned the Military State's Standard Magic. However, while Standard Magic, which used one's own body as a medium, was fast and convenient, its grade and power were lower. To use higher-level magic, gems and magic circles were essential.
So, why not just take the advantages of both?
That's why Lankart had combined White Magic and Standard Magic to create his own unique magical tool.
Lankart bent his fingers. His thumb pointed up, his index and middle fingers were extended, his ring finger was half-bent, and his pinky was bent at a ninety-degree angle. His own form of White Magic, which substituted finger positions for runic language. Lankart formed the hand seal and completed the spell.
“Eye of the Storm.”
What Lankart created was a small area of low pressure. But in the World of the Right-Handed, even that became a storm.
The gushing wind was sucked into the World of the Right-Handed. The vortex, which had swallowed the wind with terrifying force, directed the torrent of power upward.
If the Green Tower Master's Unique Magic was a one-way street, Lankart's was a whirlpool. It trapped the power blasting in a straight line within its vortex. It was a storm that could weather a boulder into sand, yet Lankart stood calmly in its center.
“It's no use. Your Unique Magic and my Unique Magic are in different domains. You're one of the few right-handers I acknowledge, but... a right-hander is still a right-hander.”
Any power would simply be deflected before it reached Lankart. In the World of the Right-Handed, the rules of the right hand lose their power.
The only ones who could destroy that world were left-handers.
I was once again keenly reminded of what a cowardly power a Unique Magic was. The Green Tower Master felt the same.
“Lankart... As I thought, your Spiritual World is incompatible with mine...”
“I have no particular feelings for you. Why don't you stop being stubborn and get out of the way? This is getting tedious.”
“I can't do that.”
The Green Tower Master clicked her tongue, folded her umbrella again, and slammed it down onto the Floating Castle. Just as Lankart, thinking it was over, was about to walk away nonchalantly, a magic circle appeared beneath his feet.
The magic circle spread across the entire Floating Castle. Lankart was horrified by the mana surging under his feet.
“Huh?”
“The role of the Green Tower is defense. Our primary duty is to protect magic and knowledge from all harm. To Federal Investigator Lankart Spendry, who not only illegally trespassed on the Floating Castle but also resisted a just sentence and counterattacked. I, Eliot, the Green Tower Master, will now carry out a summary conviction under my own authority.”
“Hey, that's cheating! The power of the Heavenly Axis is...!”
The Floating Castle's magic seemed to be a threat even to Lankart, as his expression changed. Quickly analyzing the magic circle, Lankart tried to move out of its range before the spell was complete.
But he was a step too late. Just before Lankart could escape, the magic circle was completed, and it erupted in light, activating the magic inscribed on the Floating Castle.
The Green Tower Master slightly twisted the umbrella she had planted on the ground and said.
“Get lost, Investigator.”
The Heavenly Axis shuddered, and the Floating Castle's magic 'launched' Lankart.
Even Lankart, who controlled the 'rotation' around him, couldn't offset the change in gravity that was pushing him away. His body was ejected from the Floating Castle faster than anyone could react.
Stunned by such an anticlimactic exit, I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
“...Seriously, what was that? For all his showing off, he got kicked out way too fast!”
The Green Tower Master, deactivating the magic circle, replied.
“It is your folly for trusting such a person and trespassing.”
“I didn't particularly trust him! He said he'd give us a ride, so I just came along like I was hopping on a carriage! Who knew he'd bring us here so confidently only to get booted in a few minutes!”
“...Hmph. I see. An ignorant mass like you wouldn't know anything. I suppose you ignorant masses who came here trusting only Lankart might feel wronged.”
Was it because I dissed Lankart so sincerely? The Green Tower Master's tone softened considerably as she spoke calmly.
“However, regardless of the circumstances, it is also a fact that you ignorant masses have violated federal law. Therefore, under the authority of the Green Tower Master, I will place you under temporary detention. Please come along quietly.”
Huh? Just detention? Phew, I thought we'd be exiled. That's not so bad.
I was about to agree happily, but then Shei burst out in anger.
“What? You attack us without warning, and now you say you're just detaining us? You think we're just going to accept that?!”
...Why, why? It's better if we accept. I'm already out of energy, isn't it better to rest here for a bit?
But I'm the shy, non-confrontational type, so I couldn't bring myself to intervene. The Green Tower Master replied to Shei.
“This is not a request. It is a notification. You ignorant masses will have to accept it.”
“Says who!”
“Says me.”
Without any incantation, the Green Tower Master created water with magic. Lightly flicking the water that had gathered at the tip of her umbrella, she activated her Unique Magic.
“Do not misunderstand. You ignorant masses cannot request anything of the chosen, like us.”
A fluid flows because each and every one of its particles is a moving object. Even if it appears to be a still droplet, the water particles within are moving at considerable speed every moment.
The power of One-Way Street forced all of that movement in a single direction.
“I suppose you are also unaware of the Arcane contained in these water bullets.”
The moment they were touched by the power of One-Way Street, the scattered droplets accelerated in one direction. Bullets made of water currents were fired around Shei and me. I was far from the line of fire to begin with and managed to dodge, but Shei had to swing her Chun-aeng to block them.
“You!”
Swinging Chun-aeng wide, Shei launched herself forward, reaching the Green Tower Master in an instant. Judging her opponent to be an enemy, she swung the Qi-infused blade without a moment's hesitation.
However, the One-Way Street Unique Magic was, if anything, more suited for defense than offense.
Chun-aeng was stopped futilely by the Green Tower Master's barrier. Shei, her energy depleted from the long battle, almost lost her grip on the sword from the recoil.
“Lowly and foolish commoners can request nothing of the chosen. How can an ant understand a human's perspective? And how can a human make an ant understand their knowledge?”
She was utterly untouchable. The Green Tower Master spoke arrogantly, not even twitching an eyebrow, as if this were the most natural outcome in the world.
Shei bit her lip and cried out.
“Tch...! If only I had Stair-step, this kind of thing would be...!?”
Having shouted reflexively, Shei suddenly froze.
'Huh? Wait. Stair-step? What's that? Why did that just pop into my head?'
Are you actually senile? Did you regress so many times you got amnesia? Ugh, that elementary-school-level idiot. How are you supposed to overcome the One-Way Street Unique Magic by walking up stairs? You can't do that with Qi Arts. Or what, is it not a Qi Art?
'This isn't the time. Stray thoughts later! Focus on the fight!'
If your first strike against a mage fails, you must disengage. Shei tried to faithfully follow that doctrine. Just as she kicked off the ground to retreat, Shei's foot slipped. The moment she fell, Shei instinctively realized something had been inserted under her feet.
'She used One-Way Street... to shift my footing...!'
If her energy hadn't been depleted, she would have reacted, but Shei didn't have that luxury. Having slipped on a foothold that even her Qi couldn't penetrate, spells from the other mages shot toward Shei. Ropes imbued with lightning wrapped around Shei's body.
“Krrgh...!”
She was using her Qi to protect her body from the electric shock, but the lightning-infused ropes stuck to each other and tangled, restricting her movements. The Green Tower Master walked up to the immobilized Shei, lifted her chin arrogantly, and said.
“Now, do you understand?”
“Yes! I understand! I will follow the Green Tower Master's wise decision!”
I shot my hand up and ran in front of the Green Tower Master.
I was planning to stay quiet, but I had to act before Shei struggled any further. There was no way to beat the Green Tower Master here, and even if we did, we couldn't fight the entire Floating Castle.
For now, it was best to be obedient and bow our heads. If I submitted, Shei would probably quiet down for the time being.
“An ignorant mass who can be reasoned with, I see. Accept your restraints quietly.”
“If it's not too much trouble, could you use a rope that doesn't conduct electricity for me? I'm not a fan of static.”
“Of course. We are not so cruel as to be harsh to an ignorant mass who knows their place.”
A Unique Magic reflects the user's Spiritual World. And their ideology is part of that Spiritual World.
The Green Tower Master, with her Arcane named One-Way Street, was exactly that: a one-way street. She would influence others but refused to be influenced herself. In a situation like this, you had to obediently follow that one-way street. You might be able to gently coax her to change direction, but resisting would only lead to a head-on collision.
“I can even tie my own hands! Give me the rope!”
“...I don't think that will be necessary.”
Oops, was that too much? But it's fine. You can never overdo sucking up.
This was the art of survival I had developed to live in this harsh world with my frail body.
'You're letting them catch us? Wouldn't it be better to escape?'
Escape when? It's better to eat prison food on the Floating Castle than be out there. I looked at Shei and desperately tried to convey my meaning with my eyes. Shei, who had been pouting in displeasure, blushed at my continued glances and lowered her gaze slightly.
Something's weird... Anyway, Shei had obediently accepted being bound. Having confirmed this, the Green Tower Master was about to order our departure when she suddenly looked at me and frowned.
'...Wait. What did that man just do?'
What now? What is it?
'I'm certain I fired water bullets at that man. How did he react without even raising his mana...?'
Well, that. I got lucky.
If you can read thoughts, you can predict the domain of One-Way Street and dodge its trajectory. And you can also... twist it a little.
“...You must be a Qi practitioner of considerable skill. I warn you, follow my instructions obediently. An ignorant mass with only brute strength is considered a menace watched by the Floating Castle.”
“Hmph. It'll be fine as long as you don't act high and mighty.”
The Green Tower Master wondered why Shei was the one answering, but since Shei was clearly a skilled Qi practitioner as well, she didn't bother to correct her.
“Let's go. Open the Magic Tower.”
It wasn't exactly how we'd planned it, but that was how we came to enter the Floating Castle.