Chapter 276
Chapter 276
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: Wrong Path Taken -4
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Apotheosis Block, huh. As far as I know, no such magic exists.
If Illusion Mages could pull off something like that, the Violet Tower's status wouldn't be this low. They'd be super popular as specialists against those Apotheosis nuts.
So, is it Evil God-chan's divine power?
As my gaze snapped to Evil God-chan, the Doppelganger reacted with a twitch.
"No, this is purely a technique I created."
"Oh, really?"
"It activates by dyeing the soul with emotions, right? So, if you slip some impurities into that emotion── couldn't you nullify the Apotheosis itself?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"
I ran the calculations in my head. In theory, it's possible if done perfectly.
But there's a prerequisite: you have to know your target inside and out. No one knows the exact structure of a soul—it's full of variables.
You need a deep understanding of the target's personality, values, past... and you have to recognize what emotion triggered their Apotheosis and what effect it has.
Only then can you precisely induce a block—not a mutation or corruption, but a full shutdown. That's what makes "Apotheosis Block" work.
It's distorting emotions with pinpoint accuracy based on that understanding, shattering them.
In other words...
"It's useless unless you're attacking allies, you bastard."
"Perfect for punishing traitors, though."
Who the hell is the traitor here?
I sorted my thoughts. This "Apotheosis Block" won't work on Transcendents. Their souls are fundamentally corrupted by emotions.
Plus, if this guy pulled it off, so can I. Give me some time, and I could bind Envers's Emperor Sword Formation. But he won't give me that opening.
Would I even want to use this creepy technique? Why would I bind the Apotheosis of precious players who've stuck with me through thick sessions to a good ending?
"I'll handle Envers. Mima."
"You sure without Apotheosis? Succubi are info-lifeforms, too. He'll affect you a bit with that Emperor Sword Formation DDoS effect."
"Have you forgotten?"
Yuri Lanster tugged her black leather gloves tight, clenched her fist, and strode forward.
"I'm a martial artist. I've spent most of my life swinging these fists to avoid relying on racial traits. My training runs at least as deep as any academy boy's."
She declared she could take Envers without Apotheosis.
Yuri's pink ponytail whipped as she charged at Nangong Cheonghwi, who gripped his longsword in stance. Planning to fight from range to avoid the Emperor Sword Formation's area.
That left me and Selbia on our side.
And on theirs...
Grind!
Evil God-chan, her arms bristling with dragon scales. And behind her, the Doppelganger prepping Illusion Magic. I had to beat a clone with superior processing power.
He smirked mockingly.
"Two mages, no frontliner—what can you do, fake?"
I knew the pain of no tank all too well. Without turning the Capital Knights' armor into Living Armor against Roderus, I'd have lost.
So I got why the Doppelganger was so smug. How do you beat a perfect combo of two DPS with no tank?
Big mistake, asshole.
I stepped forward, fists clenched. When fighting with Selbia, she's backline, I'm frontline.
And then...
Apotheosis: Flame Angel
[Connection established: Shared mana surge]
Roar!
"The fake's got some flair, bro. Apotheosis: Flame Angel."
The air temperature spiked, linking Selbia and me in beams of light. The capital's pavement blocks sizzled and melted under the rising heat. A hint of caution crossed the Doppelganger's face.
"⋯⋯I don't care how you leveled Selbia to Apotheosis. Doesn't matter. Our processing power is strictly hierarchical. No matter what Illusion Magic you throw, you can't keep up."
"You're seriously misunderstanding something."
I'd humbly shelved the Flame Mage path to fix Yuna's grudge and revert to Violet Tower form.
But in this moment, linked to her activated Apotheosis, I could borrow her crimson mana to the fullest. Meaning...
Academic Courtship Flame Serpent
[Low-risk flame magic unlocked]
Shhhk!
...I could cast flame magic with minimal risk, without overhauling my internal Illusion Magic production.
This overwhelming firepower! My lost offensive magic...! Chest swelling with emotion, I shouted.
"Right now, I'm a Crimson Tower Flame Mage. You outdated Illusion villain punks—by the Crimson Magic Tower Master's power or whatever, I'll roast you well-done!"
"That's the spirit, bro. Why not just switch fully while we're at it⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯Hey!!"
Yuna let out an adorable roar mid-legion wipe. Tempted as I was, I confessed my Illusion faith.
"I love Illusion Magic!"
"⋯⋯Evil God-chan can't match this firepower risk-free. That's why the fake's tanking with that frail body. Target Selbia!"
"Try it, punk—I'll overwhelm you with flames!"
Collision.
Yuri Lanster wasn't tense. No worries.
No matter the incident, he always pulled through. His innate talent helped, but Yuri's lack of tension stemmed from something more fundamental.
Performance variance by emotion.
Doesn't the saying go, "The diligent can't beat the delighted"? It's about sustained output.
Trials grind people down, push them, make them desperate—until they crumble.
Like when revenge-blinded him charged solo against the Succubus Queen, skipping the mad mage's aid. Uncontrolled emotions breed madness and misjudgment.
But the delighted?
Simple: love him, stay by his side. Even now, Yuna and Yuri were doing just that. Each warm bond stabilized him more.
That's why Selbia closed her eyes to it. A slight scratch, but it felt like a net positive.
So, no way would Mima lose to the fake, even with massive processing stolen. Yuri firmly believed it.
Calm without anxiety—just do what must be done.
"Envers."
"You're not my target. Stand down."
"It won't work, but I'll say it: you're being deceived."
"And you're not the deceived one?"
Envers—Nangong Cheonghwi—held his sword upright, declaring boldly.
"I must ask that fake mage about the missing vigilante group 'Blue Rose'! She just has the odd fetish for taken people—her righteous heart makes her a true sage."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"How could I abandon a friend in peril? If she won't say where you hid her, I'll make my sword ask!"
I see.
The fake mad mage opted to exclude rather than recruit Roderus's side. And pinned the blame on the real Mima.
Even under Illusion Magic, Envers's aim was true. Just barking up the wrong tree.
"If that's your reason⋯⋯I'll respect it. I'll hit you hard with sincerity."
"Respect means stepping aside, no⋯⋯?"
"I'm blocking your dark history. Come on."
"No holding back, then. Hah—!"
Envers thrust his longsword with a kiai.
She gladly offered flesh.
Skrrt!
Did he expect a block? Surprise at the deeper penetration showed on Envers's face. Worried? Once enemies, no room for that.
Yuri decided to teach squad-combat mindset with her body. Even family scraps demand no hesitation.
Power from her toes, twist waist, spine to arm rotation—into his face.
Crack!
A clean, satisfying strike landed.
The impact echoed refreshingly.
"Guhk⋯⋯!"
"Up you get. Hesitation is poison, Nangong Cheonghwi."
"Ch-Cheongpung Geomwol!"
"Your arts are exquisite, but you're still green handling them. Your gaze is too honest. I won't demand killing intent, but resolution is key. Again."
Thwack!
Straightforward and pure—no room for tricks. Dodge if possible, take if not, strike at perfect timings.
By feel and reaction, three more and done. Yuri counted inwardly, swinging.
"Yuun Parang!"
Sword qi rolled in like thick clouds in a blue sky.
Thud!
Iron Mountain Push scattered it, foot trapped his stance exploiting reach, straight to the crown.
Crack!
Envers's eyes glazed further. Two more.
"Feeling like quitting yet?"
"⋯⋯No way!"
Stagger. Envers barely stepped forward.
Under hypnosis, he humbly admitted inferiority, pulled his trump for reversal. Discarded sword, grasped sky.
"Strong... you're strong⋯⋯ But I can't quit. Time for my ace! Apotheosis: Emperor Sword Formation──!!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
The sky pressed down. Heaven and earth bound Yuri Lanster, threatening fiercely.
Could she pierce the Apotheosis? The turning point.
I'm still three moves ahead with Illusion Magic. Felt it fighting the Doppelganger.
Early game, I dominated.
"Flame Harpoon! Whoa, dodged? Flame Harpoon!"
"⋯⋯Why are you using flame magic!!"
"Jealous? Should've class-changed yourself, punk."
Ridiculously effective hits. With Selbia, we weren't point-bombing—we were AoE carpet-bombing. Evil God-chan had to stick to the Doppelganger to block flames.
But the tide turned in a flash.
"Huh⋯⋯?"
One missed.
Cornered, analyzing—the Doppelganger finished calcs and counterattacked. Illusion Magic scrambled our senses.
Offense flipped to defense. Snapping to, we were the ones taking hits.
"Flame Angel Stage 1: Brilliant Cascade!"
"Wait, hold—don't fire that, Selbia!"
"Huh?! Why?"
"It's aimed at Yuri right now!"
Selbia freaked, swinging the barrel. But it pointed at me. Not the Doppelganger blasting illusions from behind—but my back, getting dogpiled by Evil God-chan!
Can't trust my senses.
Flash, pak!
I barely parried razor scales-claws with improvised Tai Chi. Fired Flame Harpoon at Evil God-chan's eyes... but it veered off.
Even me, patching mental barriers and scanning nonstop—eyes blur, phantoms flicker. He's brute-forcing through with raw compute, that bastard.
Why am I in a brawl at point-blank with Evil God-chan? Gave Selbia my Courtship Flame Serpent for defense, that's why.
Evil God-chan, leisurely ramping pressure, taunted.
"Feeling dizzy, Mima?"
"Like a runaway daughter beating her dad after leaving a note—stuffy and nauseous, you wench!"
"Who’s your daughter—!"
"How long you gonna drag this? Still confused?!"
Pew!
Mana beam flashed behind. Doppelganger fired something. No time to analyze.
Incoming. Where? Up? Down⋯⋯?
Back. Selbia suddenly shrieked, face flushing.
"B-bro, stripping here all sudden⋯⋯!"
"Not me or the Doppelganger, Selbia!"
"Time to daydream?"
Snapping back, honed scales nearly pierced my jaw. I exploded from toes for thrust, flipping.
Dodge summersault kick!
My instep arced reverse into Evil God-chan's jaw—but crack. Mine broke. Dragon scales, filthy tough. Pull back first.
"Thrust Explosion!"
"⋯⋯Lame spell name."
Radial blast for smokescreen, ejecting backward. Murmurs and incant from the fog.
"Dragonscale Bloom."
Shk, kagagak!
Black spikes erupted wildly from the ground. Jump to evade? Nah, anti-air would hurt. Reverse psych.
Wanted to hold this longer...
"Selbia, fire at me!"
"Where are you?!"
"Just shoot where your heart tells you!"
"Brilliant Cascade⋯⋯!"
Vrrr—! Crimson orb launched. On me, it spawned a hemispheric vortex incinerating surroundings.
Crackling filled my ears. Overwhelming heat swept Evil God-chan's fields clean.
Selbia's flames don't harm me.
Firing a mini-sun my way isn't friendly fire—it's a temporary barrier.
Looks disadvantaged. Wrong.
Battle dragging? Doppelganger's winrate plummeting. Yuri's thrashing Envers; Yuna's nearly cleared her field.
Hold a bit longer, we win. Those two join, we soul-grind them. Even without...
Got an emergency joker. Stall for time, catch breath in flames, yell.
"Hey, why? Why stir this mess, obsess over killing me, you punk?!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Doppelganger's face twisted in pain at the thought. Those red eyes—starved.
He gnashed.
"⋯⋯Remember? That exhibit with your girlfriend. Replica Masterpiece Exhibition—perfect copies of famous paintings."
I do.
Intellectual vanity? She dragged me; complained it sucked despite dragging.
Separately, I enjoyed it. Back then, I definitely thought—
"Why do so many flock to fakes? That's what hit me."
Yeah. Questioned it.
Felt off. Why pay premium tickets for exquisite replicas?
And then.
"Soon after, I thought... fake or real, when this many pay to appreciate, that fact alone births meaning."
The Doppelganger eyed complex-faced Evil God-chan, crumbling Envers under Yuri, distant-chanting Yuna.
Thoughts flickered in red eyes.
"I knew... long ago I couldn't be real. Just a tiny fragment!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"Yeah. So I wanted that meaning. Even if not 'real'⋯⋯ if I could have meaning as the 'Mad Mage'! So I stole it. Tried to steal⋯⋯!"
He screamed, admitting he's fake.
Chill hit me.
Apotheosis: emotion dyes soul. Often triggers in extreme stress, uncontrolled feelings.
And he's cornered now. Yuna-Yuri incoming, plans obliterated. Peak stress.
Shhh...
Black, murky, unreadable chaotic smoke billowed from the Doppelganger.
Unreadable magic. Or not magic?
No way.
"Your smoke, your mission, your... bonds too... I'll gather every fragment, become a full existence. No one can stop it──!!"
Nah. If I were him, I shouldn't do that.
I should first!
"Apotheosis: Infinite Drama──!!"
Mosaic-glitching mask appeared in Doppelganger's hand. I cranked tension max, gritted teeth.
Apotheosis scales with caster's tier.
So a 51%-gobbling Doppelganger's? Already terrifying what bullshit effect. But before that—
That cool mask should've been mine!
Fuming at my fragment Apotheosizing first—infuriating, unjust, near-fainting...!