Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Ancient Lich, Skeval (3)
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Hundreds of years ago, there was a kingdom.
That kingdom turned to ash overnight.
All records related to the kingdom were erased. All that was known was that a kingdom had existed there. Information about it was exceedingly scarce.
There were four calamities that reduced it to rubble.
The Black Storm, Black Dragon Belial.
The Apostate, Gletus.
The Sword of Death, Ganikalt.
And...
'Ancient Lich, Skeval.'
This skeletal bastard standing before me right now.
These four wiped the kingdom off the map in a single night. All that remained was ash.
Judging by the ruins of the kingdom that had been reduced to ash, it was by no means a small country. It was a great power worthy of the name. And back when I was the Next Mage Tower Lord, I had worked on a project to restore that kingdom's magical scholarship.
'Though what we restored was less than 1%...'
Even that alone had turned the world of magical scholarship upside down.
It was a nation that possessed such profound magical knowledge. Yet it fell to a mere four calamities. It's said the Demon King had no hand in its destruction.
Four calamities that destroyed a nation overnight.
'The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Army.'
Just speaking their infamous names would make my mouth ache.
I had faced every one of them on the battlefield at least once, and I had personally felt that they were not mere rumors—they were very real nightmares.
The day I first encountered the Apostate Gletus.
I had to break all ten fingers and both arms. I had mimicked a ritual, offering parts of my own body as payment to the scales. Only then could I stop that mad summoner.
And what about the day I faced the Black Dragon?
I did eventually subdue it, but that subjugation took a full month. I tore off its wings, pulled out its claws, drove a stake into its neck to seal its breath. Even then, I fought the rampaging Black Dragon for three days and nights straight to claim victory.
I nearly died countless times.
I had to stake my life over and over.
'...The Sword of Death, Ganikalt.'
That monster.
I never once beat the swordsman who guarded the Demon King closest of all. Even the Sword Master who taught Kyle and me hand-to-hand combat knelt before Ganikalt—and lost his life.
The Four Heavenly Kings were always like that.
They defied common sense.
To deal with those who transcended common sense, Kyle and I had to do insane things. Only then could we halt them or at least escape.
"Except for exactly one of them."
I take one step forward.
One of those four calamities stands before me.
Ancient Lich, Skeval.
Skeval is no slouch compared to the other three. In terms of infamy alone, he ranks right behind the Black Storm, Belial.
'Nightmare of the Frontlines.'
That moniker wasn't given lightly.
It's no exaggeration to say most of the losses on the front lines were due to Skeval.
Skeval is a magical scholar who has lived for hundreds of years.
He reads every spell and hijacks the circuits, making them his own.
No matter how grand a circuit the mages weave or how massive the spell they prepare to annihilate the Demon King's Army, Skeval steals it effortlessly. The spells prepared to wipe out the Demon King's forces turn right back on the knights.
Crunch.
I take another step forward.
"Hey, Skeval. You know what?"
Circuits ignite along my forearm.
"I only recently learned this myself, but apparently, I'm the creator of the Battle Mage class."
It's ridiculous.
I mutter as much and crack my knuckles.
"A combat system designed to survive on the battlefield and take on a single mage... I never imagined they'd slap a class on it."
Of course I didn't know.
When it came to Battle Mage—what they call combat magicology—I always felt a disconnect.
-Combat system suited for the battlefield.
-Practical mage.
-Extreme versatility covering close and long range.
That's true.
True... but...
'I didn't design it with all that in mind.'
What the world calls combat magicology.
In other words, the origin of the combat system utilizing spell Stock...
It's surprisingly simple.
"This was made just to take you down."
It's true it was a combat system for surviving the battlefield.
But more precisely, it was a combat system designed to counter the Ancient Lich Skeval.
I built it, added bits here and there, and it became a complete combat style. I didn't have all that in mind from the start.
Skeval is one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
Common sense doesn't apply to the Four Heavenly Kings.
To fight enemies beyond common sense, I had to shatter my own common sense first.
The things that were taken for granted back then.
Spells must be woven.
Chanting takes time.
You need vanguards to protect the mage during that time.
Mages are weak in close combat.
If attributes clash, mages are useless.
Mages have poor efficiency.
I overturned all of it.
Stock spells in advance.
Shorten chants by engraving circuits on the body.
I step up as vanguard.
Learn hand-to-hand for close combat.
Mainly use impact spells unaffected by attribute matchups.
Design a system that wastes not a single mote of mana.
I stand at the front lines.
I overturned everything.
That's how the magic system called combat magicology was born.
'It was the only way I knew.'
If it didn't work, I fixed it.
I overturned everything until it did.
'Because that's what a mage has to be.'
I take another step forward.
I stop right before the defensive barrier Skeval has deployed. Skeval glares at me from inside the barrier.
Black eyes gleam.
Its bony fingers weave a spell.
Looking at it, I say,
"If the opponent is a swordsman, a summoner, let alone an ancient dragon... I can't win."
Alone, I can't.
I need Kyle, and those two damn bitches.
But.
"When it's."
"Another mage like me. A Wizard."
When it's Skeval.
"I can't afford to lose."
I win.
I win no matter what.
"It's a matter of pride, right?"
I curl my lips into a grin.
Then thrust my hand out.
Spells ignite sequentially along my arm.
'Come to think of it, it's hilarious.'
The combat system I created to beat Skeval.
This class the world now calls Battle Mage—I'm confident it's widely misunderstood.
'Missing one key piece—how could that be complete?'
The reason Battle Mages can stand on the front lines with warriors isn't just utility. Combat magicology was created to overwhelm Skeval from the start.
Skeval is a mage beyond common sense. But even he remains within the realm of a Wizard.
Wizards—mages—have one fatal flaw.
Assuming all spells are pierced, a wizard can never beat a warrior in close range.
'So the solution was simple.'
Handle magic on Skeval's level.
While possessing a warrior's physique.
That's the condition for beating Skeval.
Once you know the condition, there's only one thing left.
"Balance."
Fulfill the condition.
And I knew how.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ "Balance, I demand a trade." -State your desire. Ultimately, this too is a price.
Paying the cost of spells with the body.
And mages are beings who trade with the stars.
What to do is set.
⚙ MANA TRADING SYSTEM ⚙ "Substitute the cost of physical strain." -Pay the price. "My mana." Sizzle!
Ashen smoke rises from my body. The rising smoke is all mana particles. The strain on my body is replaced by mana consumption.
"Ashen!!!!!!!"
Skeval lets out a roar and thrusts its arm forward.
Spells pour from inside the barrier. A huge number of spells target me. Dozens fly straight at me.
No waste in those spells.
Fast. Precise.
But like any ordinary mage.
"You're weak in close combat too."
You can't beat a warrior charging head-on.
I dive into Skeval's embrace in one step. Dodging spells on the run. Every spot I plant my foot leaves a scorched footprint.
The body reinforcement spells that push beyond limits rival a first-class warrior's physique. Like Kyle, I close the distance in an instant.
Skeval's black eyes are right in front of me.
Staring into them, I raise my arm.
"Got a lot of Life Vessels, huh?"
"...!"
I clench my fist. Skeval hastily weaves a spell, but my fist is faster.
"Let's shave one more off today."
I swing.
Crack!
A crack forms in the barrier cloaking Skeval's body.
2.
"I heard a class imitating that guy popped up."
"That's right. You might not know since you're always on the front lines... but they say a class called Battle Mage has been created."
"...You can imitate that bastard?"
Gale nodded.
"Yes, it's quite famous these days. Mages standing on the front lines with knights—Battle Mages..."
Kyle wore a displeased expression at those words.
Gale glanced at Kyle's face and continued.
"You know how there's that one Mage Tower Lord renowned for combat magicology? The Ashen Mage Tower Lord."
"...I know him well. Met him plenty."
"Oh, really?"
Kyle's eyes momentarily lost their spark, but Gale pressed on regardless.
"I heard he's raising a child with Hero potential. Name was Chloe or something? You know, another Hero besides you appeared."
"...I think I heard that on the battlefield."
"Yes, she's still in training... but she seems more talented in magic than swords. So they're planning to raise her as a Battle Mage."
"...Why bother?"
"Pardon?"
Gale tilted his head.
"Wouldn't a Hero-level Battle Mage help you too, Sir Kyle? She might even fill the Ashen Mage's vacancy..."
"No."
Kyle cut him off sharply.
"Looks like you all are misunderstanding something."
"...Misunderstanding?"
"I've read the books on Battle Mages. But the most important part was missing."
There was no emotion in his voice.
"No matter how much reinforcement a mage applies to their body, they can't surpass a certain level. Plenty tried imitating him on the battlefield without knowing that."
Kyle stated flatly.
"But only that guy could keep up with me."
No knight.
No warrior could stand by Kyle's side, let alone a mage. Kyle's body was different from others. He bore a body blessed by the stars.
Kyle's movements, burning starlight, were on another level. Knights who clumsily tried to follow were isolated. That's why Kyle was always alone on the battlefield.
Until Raniel matched those movements.
'It took less than a year.'
Raniel mimicked the starlight-burning method Kyle had honed over years of training in just one year.
"When I run burning starlight."
Starlight belongs to Kyle alone.
But Raniel had something similar.
"That guy ran burning mana."
Kyle closes his eyes.
He recalls that figure with eyes shut.
Raniel running beside him on the battlefield scattered ashen mana. He doesn't know the principle. But the scattering ashen mana resembled ash particles.
"The reason he could hold the front lines, could keep up with me."
Kyle opens his closed eyes.
Looks at Gale.
"Was thanks to that unique combat style. But the combat magicology manual omitted it."
Kyle declared firmly.
"Learning combat magicology won't replace that guy."
"...I see."
Kyle fell silent after that.
Gale tilted his head and continued guiding the way.
'...Burning mana while running?'
Come to think of it, a senior of his had said something like that. Gale suddenly recalled it.
-Everyone's mistaken.
Words from Kalt, who had served under the Ashen Mage, Raniel.
-The reason Raniel is called the Ashen Mage isn't because he was the Next Lord of the Ashen Mage Tower.
From the start, Kalt continued.
-Origin doesn't matter on the front lines. We didn't even know he was the Ashen Next Lord at first. Yet he got the moniker 'Ashen Mage.'
Why do you think?
-Because ash really scattered.
Ashen hair flutters.
Ashen mana trails behind that hair. The mage crossing the battlefield was ashen.
-Combat magicology or whatever—it's laughable.
No one can imitate him.
Kalt's voice from long ago echoed in Gale's ears.
3.
With the scales set, I extend both arms forward.
Clap!
Palms collide. Circuits rub. Fuse. I cast the reinforced spell on my body.
Spell-nesting.
Accel.
Muscular.
Enhance-Strength.
Basic body reinforcement spells.
I layer them over my already reinforced body. Bones creak. Strain hits the body.
This is why mages can't become warriors.
Body reinforcement magic imposes some kind of strain. Depending on the mage's skill, the limit varies... but it means you can't match a warrior of the same class physically.
'That's why I couldn't keep up with Kyle at first.'
So I came up with one idea.
Accel.
Muscular.
Enhance-Strength.
I cast the spells once more, lift my creaking arms, and snap my fingers. The scales approach me.
"Balance, I demand a trade."
⚙ BALANCE ⚙ -State your desire. In the end, this is also a price.
Just paying the spell's cost with the body.
And mages trade with the stars.
What to do is decided.
"Substitute the cost of physical strain."
⚙ MANA TRADING SYSTEM ⚙ -Pay the price. "My mana." Sizzle!
Ashen smoke billows from my body. The smoke is pure mana particles. The physical strain shifts to mana drain.
"Ashen!!!!!!!"
Skeval roars and extends its arm.
Spells flood from within the barrier. An immense volume targets me. Dozens hurtle toward me.
No waste in those spells.
Swift. Precise.
But as with any average mage.
"You're weak up close too."
You can't defeat a frontal assault from a warrior.
I plunge into Skeval's reach in one stride. Dodge spells mid-charge. Scorched footprints mark where I tread.
Body enhancements transcending limits mimic a master warrior's frame. Like Kyle, I erase the distance instantly.
Skeval's black pupils fill my vision.
Meeting them, I raise my arm.
"Plenty of Life Vessels, right?"
"...!"
I ball my fist. Skeval scrambles to weave a spell, but mine flies faster.
"Let's chip one more away today."
I swing.
Krunch!
A fracture spiders across the barrier shrouding Skeval's frame.
4.
"This is Aphria Academy."
Gale guided the Hero through Aphria's back alleys.
'...Looks like it's started.'
The black barrier is visible at a glance. Demonic energy seeps up from the ground.
"Soon, the altar's initial phase—summoning mid-to-low grade monsters—will begin. We need to hurry..."
Before he finishes, skeletons rise from the ground. Plain bone skeletons influenced by the barrier's demonic energy.
-Grraaahhh.
The white bones turn black.
The completed Black Bone Soldiers charge at Aphria's faculty and students.
"Aaaah!"
"Monsters! Monsters!"
"Evacuate now...!"
As professors gather students and chant spells, someone leaps in.
Crunch crunch crunch!
Crushes a Black Bone Soldier underfoot. Swings his sheathed sword to pulverize two more. Black Bone Soldiers scatter with every move.
Rushing over, Gale calls the man's name.
"Senior Kalt!"
"Gale, you made it?"
Kalt glances back at Gale.
The Hero stands there. He speaks.
"Sara. Protect the students. Remia. From a high vantage, support the knights against the Black Bone Soldiers."
Short orders. The Divine Archer and Saintess nod silently and move out.
Shing.
Kyle grips his holy sword's hilt.
Starlight blazes. The Black Bone Soldiers' movements halt briefly.
-Groooaaar.
Their gazes turn to Kyle.
Kyle draws his Star Sword. Swings. No pause between draw and strike. The smoothly unsheathed blade unleashes a slash of light.
Slash!
"I'll."
Holy sword drawn, Kyle points at the barrier.
"Handle the altar."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Author's Note (Afterword)
Talking about Battle Mages dragged on with explanations.
Still, I added enough to hit 7,700 characters including spaces :)