Chapter 418: Central Magic Tower (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 418: Central Magic Tower (2)
Silence fell for a moment after Arm Spitter spoke.
[You are talking nonsense, Arm Spitter. Surely you don't expect us to believe that?]
Burnt Vegetation soon began to radiate overt hostility toward Arm Spitter.
No matter how much they needed to protect the Star Eater, Arm Spitter's claim was simply too absurd. Every Divine Blood present furrowed their brows in unison.
Consequently, Burnt Vegetation and the other Divine Bloods prepared for a confrontation—
[...It seems I’ve been underestimated.]
Yet, Arm Spitter remained composed.
[I haven't underestimated anyone. I am merely stating the facts.]
[I’m warning you, Arm Spitter. Such ridiculous lies only serve to anger me.]
Burnt Vegetation issued a stern warning.
[It is only natural that you don't believe me. I didn't believe it at first, either.]
[...What?]
When Arm Spitter remained calm even after the warning, Burnt Vegetation asked back, utterly dumbfounded.
[...Are you saying the Star Eater can actually share divinity?]
[Yes. You might think it's a joke, but it isn't.]
[Is that really the truth?]
[It is.]
As Arm Spitter nodded, his hundreds of tentacles rippling leisurely, Burnt Vegetation looked at the other Divine Bloods accompanying him.
Every single one of them wore a look of uncertainty.
However, after a brief moment of dazed silence, Burnt Vegetation snapped back to his senses.
[Did you see it with your own eyes?]
[No. I did not.]
[...? Then how can you be so certain if you haven't seen it yourself?]
When Burnt Vegetation asked incredulously, Arm Spitter replied.
[Because I heard it from the ‘Risen One.’]
[If it's the Risen One—]
[That fellow who follows the Abyss Gazer—]
[What exactly did you hear?]
Arm Spitter then calmly recounted the story he had heard from the Risen One.
After some time had passed.
[In short, there is no reason to carry out Rotten Mouth's request just for the sake of joining a faction.]
As Arm Spitter finished speaking, a small stir began to ripple through the Divine Bloods.
It was exactly as he said. If the Star Eater truly possessed the power to grant status to the Divine Bloods, then merely joining a faction was no longer the priority.
Thus, the murmuring soon died down.
[Hmph—but in the end, isn't it all just talk?]
Burnt Vegetation regained his composure once more and countered.
[There is no reason for the Risen One to lie.]
[Why not? The Risen One is one of the Abyss Gazer's loyal subjects.]
[That doesn't mean he has a reason to lie to me.]
[...]
Burnt Vegetation fell silent at Arm Spitter's response.
Come to think of it, that point wasn't wrong either. After all, the Arm Spitter standing before him belonged to the same circle.
[...There's still a chance your words are a lie, isn't there?]
[Are you asking me that? You should ask the ‘Piercing Eye’ instead.]
At those words, Burnt Vegetation turned his gaze toward the Piercing Eye, who had come along with them.
This was a Divine Blood with the ability to discern an opponent's true intentions.
The Piercing Eye, who had been staring at Arm Spitter with hundreds of eyes without a single error, finally spoke.
[...It is not a lie.]
He spoke slowly—with a slightly confused expression.
[What did you say...?]
Burnt Vegetation’s mouth hung open at the unexpected answer.
It made no sense to him. However, he clutched his dizzy head with one hand and thought.
‘Could the Star Eater truly possess such an impossible ability?’
Though he had confirmed through the Piercing Eye that Arm Spitter wasn't lying, it was still hard to believe. The ability itself was fundamentally nonsensical.
Ultimately, after agonizing over it for a while, Burnt Vegetation spoke.
[...To be honest, I still find your words hard to believe.]
[Is that so?]
[Yes. It's possible you simply accepted a lie as the truth. Therefore, I shall verify for myself whether your words are correct.]
He made his decision.
* * *
“...Are you saying you’ve found a means to use them other than magic?”
[Well, strictly speaking, it’s more in the realm of ‘inference’ than ‘finding’ it.]
Well, it’s not like I can use your power myself, Heinkel added.
She waved her hand, signaling Penia and Alon, who had come to the library, to take a seat. After organizing her thoughts for a moment, she began her explanation.
[Let me say this first: what I’m about to tell you is purely a theory.]
“...I’m listening.”
[Mmm—]
Heinkel hesitated for a moment before speaking.
[As you know, we’ve already succeeded in replacing the method of chanting Phrases with ‘magic,’ right? You’re even using it in actual combat.]
“That’s true.”
[In other words, it’s already been proven that Phrases can be used through other means. Now, the important thing is the counter-evidence: that the ‘pronunciation’ used to chant the Phrases isn't what matters, but the will itself.]
Heinkel looked Alon straight in the eyes.
[But despite that, you failed to chant the Phrases using only Intent. Why do you think that is?]
Alon pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
“To be honest, I haven't a clue.”
[Why?]
“If there were even a slight result, I could conduct research from there, but so far, I haven't succeeded even once.”
Ever since he succeeded in chanting Phrases through magic, Alon had been striving alongside Penia to chant them through Intent. However, unlike with magic, Alon had never once succeeded with Intent. He hadn't even found a starting point.
At Alon’s skeptical answer, Heinkel spoke.
[To get straight to the point, I don't think your approach is wrong.]
“...Is that so?”
[Yes. The problem is simply that the ‘preliminary preparation’ hasn't been done.]
“Preliminary preparation...?”
Heinkel nodded.
[Alon, what do you think about when you chant a Phrase?]
“...What do I think about?”
[Yes.]
As Alon tried to think of an answer to the sudden question—
[Stop, you don't have to say it.]
“Pardon?”
[That was answer enough.]
A look of bewilderment crossed Alon’s face. Seeing his expression, Heinkel elaborated.
[Alright, I’ll give you the conclusion. The reason you’re failing to chant Phrases with Intent is entirely due to your ignorance.]
“Ignorance, you say?”
[Don't take it too personally. It’s just a situation where something you never needed before has suddenly become necessary.]
As if preparing for a long explanation, she cleared her throat.
[Based on everything I’ve heard from you so far—you are special. You can use Sentences without obtaining the Heart Image that other Magi require, and you can activate Phrases just by speaking them without ever learning them. That is an undeniable blessing. However—]
She whispered in a low voice.
[—That is exactly what is acting as a poison to you right now.]
“...A poison?”
[Yes. Because of that, you’ve been using magic far too easily.]
Alon was puzzled by Heinkel’s words for only a moment.
“!”
Beside him, Penia muttered as if she had realized something.
“...A lack of motivation?”
[Correct.]
Heinkel nodded.
[Fundamentally, to use magic, you need a formula. Similarly, Phrases and Sentences also have formulas, and there are principles behind how they are activated. But you—]
“...Because I can use Phrases and Sentences just by memorizing them, it’s difficult to use ‘Intent’ as a medium because I lack the motivation?”
[Exactly. That’s it. To put it simply, your blessing has come back to haunt you.]
At least in this current situation, Heinkel added.
[Of course, this is just a theory. But if it’s clear that Phrases can be activated just by conveying one’s will, then this seems to be the only reason why you can’t use magic through Intent.]
“Then, to use Intent as a medium—”
[You’ll have to study Phrases and Sentences from the very beginning. Though the amount of material is quite murderous.]
She presented Alon with a single solution.
* * *
Immediately after hearing the explanation.
Alon’s deliberation didn't last long.
“...I’ll give it a try.”
[Good choice. Actually, if you’re just trying to experiment with using Intent, you won't have to invest that much time, so don't feel too pressured.]
While Alon nodded, Heinkel let out a soft exclamation as if she had just remembered something.
[Ah.]
[And if possible, could you do me a favor?]
“What kind of favor?”
[It’s nothing much, but I heard a rumor... about that cat you carry around?]
“...You mean Blackie?”
[Yes, him. I heard he can transform into a Divine Blood. Could you show me that?]
“...It’s not that difficult, but why so suddenly...?”
[No particular reason. Just pure curiosity. I’ve always been curious about the existence of Divine Bloods. Is that a no?]
Alon shook his head.
“No, as I said, it’s not difficult. However, it might be a bit hard to show you here. He gets quite large.”
[Then show me outside.]
“Understood.”
The group soon left the library and headed outside the Central Magic Tower, arriving at a wide, empty lot.
Alon checked on Heinkel, who was watching from the edge of the tower.
“Blackie.”
[Kyu?]
“Please.”
He called out to Blackie.
And then.
[Kyu—!]
With a cute cry, Blackie jumped to the ground, and his body began to transform instantly.
The massive legs that began to sprout from his back grew in the blink of an eye, hoisting Blackie’s body into the air.
Blackie’s elevated body expanded rapidly, and from within that dark, abyss-like form, dozens of eyeballs began to manifest.
Finally, the ‘Poison Eater,’ known as the Disaster of the Colony, revealed its form.
[Oh.]
The moment Heinkel’s impressed exclamation was heard.
In the forest on the opposite side of the Central Magic Tower.
The Divine Bloods, who had located the Star Eater through the Piercing Eye and opened an abyss-like black hole toward Alon’s location using Arm Spitter’s ability—
[Th-That is—]
[The Poison Eater?]
[...No, it’s not the Poison Eater. Didn't you see? That tiny cat the Star Eater was carrying transformed into that.]
[Even that ability—it’s definitely weaker, but it undoubtedly belongs to the ‘Poison Eater.’]
[Which means—]
As they watched Blackie’s form.
[—The Star Eater’s power... is real?]
They were beginning to fall into a strange delusion...