Chapter 90
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Ten Sephiroth
Its fully spread wings made the monster seem even larger.
Its sharply curved beak pointed toward the ground, and the muscles of its body, paused briefly in mid-air, rippled.
A white storm descended.
“Run…”
*CRASH!*
The upper body of a student who had tried to flee was launched into the air. Before he could understand what had happened, the student saw his own lower half lying on the ground.
“Argh…!”
*CRUMBLE!*
Before he could finish his scream, his entire body was torn apart by the whirlwind that followed the monster.
The nearby students weren't in good shape either. Though they had avoided a direct hit, the slashing winds left them with limbs dangling, and even those who managed to block the attack saw their ancient artifacts shatter from that single blow.
The faces of the students, realizing their lives were on the line, turned deathly pale.
“I-I’m getting out of here. Fuck, I’m leaving!”
“I’m going back to my family! Camil! Follow me! Let’s go!”
“Shit, I never should have come to the academy. I should’ve just become a civil administrator…”
Even those dealing with the remaining ruin guardians and those holding back the monsters charging from a distance were no exception.
But before they could leave, a shadow shot out again.
And then, the wind stopped.
*BOOM!*
“H-help me!”
“The professors, where are the professors!”
“Sir Zaqnir! Please, please.”
That was the turning point. The students began to flee. They had no will to fight the monster. Who would even think of fighting after seeing that?
“Juniors! We just have to hold on a little longer! The academy will soon notice something is wrong and…!”
A third-year senior who had been commanding the scene tried to stop the desertion. But it was no use. Gripped by overwhelming terror, the only thing left for the students was their survival instinct.
“Shut up! You stay here if you want to, senior!”
“If we have hope, we can overcome…!”
*CRASH!*
“Kyaaaaahk-!”
The third-year senior’s body flew through the air, reduced to a bloody mess.
An attack from a monster of that immense size, descending from the sky with the aid of the wind, was not something a mere student could withstand.
That was the end.
With the focal point that had held the students together gone, they scattered, each running for their own life.
“H-help me! My legs won’t move!”
“Please, share some potions! I’ll reward you, please.”
Amidst the chaos, cries for help and the sound of shattering artifacts could be heard.
Allen moved to intercept the beast somehow, but the monster avoided him and began to pick off the remaining students.
Even when Allen didn’t hide the power of the giant, even when he unleashed all sorts of magic, the beast ignored him.
Veðrf?lnir couldn't penetrate Allen’s sturdy body in a short time, and Allen couldn't catch up to the mobility of the hawk flying through the sky.
In the midst of the chaos, there were some attempts to target the monster, but those too vanished as the beast began to prioritize eliminating those who attacked it.
Julius was unconscious and couldn’t help.
Blood and chaos, screams and death.
In that tumultuous battlefield, a white-haired woman moved slowly.
[Distinguish yourself in this dungeon practical.]
Maria Caritas stared at the monster, her face an expressionless mask, trying her best not to reveal any emotion.
[I couldn't confirm it since I can't leave the domain of the Holy Sword… but one of the ancient monsters is probably there.]
A shadowy black body cloaked in white wind.
Whenever it vanished from sight, a scream echoed, and the scent of blood wafted through the scattering wind.
[It will be too much for the students to handle, so when they’ve taken some damage… appear and kill it.]
She forcefully ignored the faint ripples in her heart and summoned her magic.
Magic, the color of a light resembling the now-lost divine power, gathered at her solar plexus.
When she closed her eyes, there was a door.
A door that separated humans from something else.
Suppressing the instinctive revulsion that rose within her, she threw the door open.
Her consciousness shifted as if a switch had been flipped.
The Tree of Sephiroth
Way of the Serpent
Tenth Sephirah: Malkhut
Her faint emotions turned completely numb. The walls that held back her limits disappeared. She ascended to something beyond human.
A halo bloomed from her body, driving away the black darkness.
To move a body that is not human requires commensurate intellect.
Eighth Sephirah: Hod
Upon her head, a flawless, dispassionate, and perfect mind took its place.
All unnecessary emotion vanished from her dark pupils.
White, radiant magic flared, and a pair of wings unfurled behind her back.
She took a step.
*Rustle-*
Behind her steps, which trod upon blood-soaked sand.
Quietly.
An emerald rose bloomed.
Seventh Sephirah: Netzach
The clamor around her subsided, and her mind grew clear.
“H-help… ah.”
“Save me, save… no, wait a moment…”
Those who had been in a state of panic regained their senses. Reason returned to those who had been writhing in pain. The panicked emotions subsided, and they recovered their composure.
At the same time, a hexagram shone upon her chest.
Sixth Sephirah: Tipheret
“A-a potion… huh? I’m… healing…”
“I-I’m saved…”
The wounds of the students touched by her halo began to slowly heal.
*Rustle-*
The attention of the battlefield focused on her.
Behind her, many students retreated in an orderly fashion. Their cleared minds made rational judgments, moving the critically injured to the rear.
Finally, the ancient monster also fixed its gaze upon her.
A flicker of what seemed like surprise could be felt from the monster.
“─────What are you?”
Maria ignored the monster’s words and searched for a way to kill it.
First Sephirah: Kether
A crown of light formed on her head, allowing her to ‘understand’ everything in her vision as if the world were a machine made of cogs.
“─────What is your identity? That strange power is, hmm…”
Weight, length, angle of sight, reaction speed, muscular strength, velocity, wind intensity…
All the constantly changing information flowed into her head. Her completely transformed intellect handled it all.
Ninth Sephirah: Yesod
Based on all that information, she predicted the opponent’s movements.
“─────It’s hard to compare you to anything I’ve seen in tens of thousands of years. You are not clearly visible even to my ‘eyes.’”
Prediction based on its movements so far, and a step further, precognition of its movements based on its simulated muscles and total power.
Fifth Sephirah: Geburah
Extreme combat support based on understanding and prediction of information.
Her strength increased, and her reaction speed quickened. Her movements and instincts related to combat were maximized.
A clear purpose was etched into her emotionless eyes as a sword of light appeared in her right hand.
“─────A new ruler? Curious, so curious. To raise only the spirit’s level while the body remains the same.”
Understanding of the monster.
Prediction of its movements.
Support in combat.
And the judgment to choose only the correct answer among dozens of options.
Third Sephirah: Binah
Based on all the information streaming into her mind, she completed her judgment.
“─────Who was it that gave birth to you? No, who made…”
“Calculation complete.”
She lifted her head. Ten swords of light began to circle around her. Her pupils moved ceaselessly, taking in information about its movements.
She stated dispassionately.
“Judged that the entity can be eliminated after 7,182 exchanges.”
Wings of light took to the sky. The ancient monster burst into laughter, its face intrigued.
“─────An interesting ability. No, is it a degraded version of the original? If I were to guess, perhaps the Hea…”
“Commencing termination of the Fallen Incarnation, ‘Veðrf?lnir.’”
The swords of light shot across the sky.
Simultaneously, the monster unfurled its massive wings and tore through the heavens.
The white angel and the black monster began their battle.
* * *
Allen watched with a cold expression as Maria and Veðrf?lnir clashed.
*KABOOM!*
Veðrf?lnir moved at a speed so fast its body seemed to stretch, launching attacks. Maria moved a beat faster, no, several beats faster, not allowing even the slightest opening.
Enraged by her, who evaded all his attacks by maneuvering her much smaller body, the beast unleashed hundreds, thousands of wind blades.
She weaved through the gaps in the wind, sometimes breaking through with force, evading every single attack.
No, between her evasions, she was also throwing swords of light, attacking simultaneously.
Perfect prediction to counter an incomprehensible speed.
In Maria’s eyes, there was no surprise or panic at any unexpected or unforeseen situation.
Everything was proceeding within her calculations.
As the casualties among the others decreased while she fought, Allen quietly gathered his prana and lowered his stance.
“What are you going to do? I think it’s better to wait for the next opportunity.”
She asked in a small voice. Allen shook his head.
‘The moment it shows an opening, I’ll jump in.’
Allen hadn’t just been taking hits either. While fighting, he had been thinking of a way to deal with that speed.
His heightened consciousness was now infused with perception. His amplified five senses assimilated with his body, observing the world, and everything was deeply imprinted in his awareness.
Thoughts continued in his slowed perception.
‘Originally, I was going to try and predict its movements like Maria…’
Watching her fight, Allen realized that was impossible for him.
He could see a few moves ahead in a fight, allowing him to act before his opponent. But seeing dozens of moves ahead like she did was impossible.
To be precise, he could mimic it to some extent, but his brain wouldn't be able to handle it.
So, what to do?
‘Give up?’
He couldn't.
It was doubtful he could escape, and he still hadn’t found any clues about the real Julius.
Allen gathered the facts about the ancient monster.
Feathers that ignored most attacks.
Speed that even he couldn't react to.
Wind that it could control freely.
And above all, the most depressing fact was that it had awakened its intelligence.
But was this monster an opponent to run from?
‘To the point of abandoning all my plans?’
No. Absolutely not.
The monster could present a challenge to Allen, but it was not an opponent that could make him despair.
The number of monsters that the Julius of the first timeline had killed was countless.
An ancient monster, Veðrf?lnir, was at best inferior to the many enemies who had died like that, never superior.
‘Then the problem is.’
The conclusion came as soon as the thought formed.
The lack of sufficient offensive power.
Allen’s magical repertoire was abnormally low on offensive spells. This was because he had focused his efforts on saving Julius in the first timeline.
Magic like Rachel’s teleportation or abilities that interfered with space itself were beyond Allen’s capabilities.
He had compensated by weaving threads of prana to create objects or by interfering with space itself, but that was no longer enough.
The fact that his magic took the form of musical instruments was a design he had researched to maximize his strengths.
‘I can't modify my magic any further right now.’
It was a shame. If only he could use his unstable time magic on living beings, it would have been a great help.
But that was not possible now.
Allen decided to look for ways to increase the offensive power of his magic once he returned to the academy and gripped Vestla tighter.
The task was simple.
‘If magic won’t work…’
He had no choice but to use his sword.
The third secret technique he had recently learned.
Giant's Sword Style, Third Form: Ljossol.
He had already seen that it was effective, so if he relentlessly aimed for it from the ground, the monster wouldn't be able to ignore it.
If he created an opening, Maria wouldn’t miss it.
Just as his Dragon's Heart thrummed, about to squeeze out more prana, a loud laugh echoed, and a voice that had been absent for a while was heard.
“Fuuuuuck!! Everyone get out of the way! Big bro's powered up. Vroom vroom, here I come!”
*CRACKLE-*
When Allen looked up at the sky in surprise, he saw Julius flying through the air, riding a spider that shimmered with starlight.
A spider-shaped tattoo glowed like a constellation on his back, and Julius, grinning from ear to ear, brought down a bolt of lightning.
“What in the world is that.”
Those were the words Allen wanted to say.
He thought Julius was gone after being hit and sent flying, but now he suddenly reappears with a new power?
‘As expected of Julius…’
It was a move worthy of him, an event that was bound to happen to him.
Allen nodded as if in understanding.
In the life of Julius that Allen had witnessed, things like this were commonplace.
Gaining power in a crisis, someone coming to help when he was on the verge of death, and finding rewards along with trouble wherever he went.
He was only surprised because it was the first time he had seen it up close, but it wasn't strange.
‘If that’s the case, things will be easier.’
If Allen created an opening, the other two would handle the rest.
Just as Allen, having decided on his course of action, was about to use his prana again, someone called out to him.
“Lord Allen.”
Normally, he would have ignored the call.
But he couldn't help but turn his head at the next person's voice.
“Allen, what are you doing here.”
“…Rachel?”
Behind him, Rachel stood with Alexius, looking exhausted.
“Rachel, why are you here…”
“You go off to a dangerous fight first, and you expect me to just stand by?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“If it’s not that, then what is it! Charging in all of a sudden! Are you in any position to say that to me right now?”
As Rachel took a step forward with an angry face, Allen stepped back with a troubled expression.
“You, right now…”
Just as Rachel was about to step forward again, Alexius intervened at the perfect moment.
“Now, now, let’s save this for after the battle. I’ll even prepare a place for you.”
At his words, Rachel seemed to recall the current situation and clamped her mouth shut. However, her gaze toward Allen did not soften.
“You’re in for it later, aren’t you? Hehe.”
Vestla chuckled with a cheerful tone.
As Rachel stepped back, Alexius looked at him with clear eyes.
“My lord, the chieftain is summoning you.”
“Is it related to that?”
Allen pointed to Julius, who was rampaging in the sky as if he owned it, and Alexius nodded.
“Yes, it is. It will be a good thing for you as well, my lord.”
Rachel squeezed Allen’s hand painfully. When Allen’s expression didn’t change, she immediately loosened her grip as if she were the one in more pain.
The glare in Allen’s eyes grew even fiercer.
“Let us go quickly. We don’t have much time left.”
The edge of the night was beginning to fade.