Slave, Bite
Slave, bite. Fuck, I'm screwed. Totally fucked. How many times had I uttered those words since this life began? I couldn't even remember anymore. It was just pure shit.
'Ah, fuck, why.' That massive wall exploded into pieces.
BOOM—!!!
Debris rained down onto the floor, leaving trails of black flames flickering in its wake. Crackle. Crackle crackle. The dark fire blazed fiercely.
'...I knew it was a bit much.'
But I hadn't expected it to be this extreme.
Whoosh. The spinning magic circle gradually slowed to a halt. The ring bound to my heart soon lost speed.
Vrrr.
It finally stopped rotating. The mana that had set my body ablaze finally settled. The heat faded. My racing mind cleared, and only then did the full situation sink in.
Poll Hollen—the bastard from the Poll Marquis family who'd picked a fight with me—stood there in a daze. He couldn't even unleash aura on his sword; his body was rigid like a broken doll. Then he collapsed to his knees.
"Hah... hah hah..."
His ragged breathing matched the sheer terror etched on his face. The guy was staring at me, petrified.
"What the... how... how?!"
He wasn't the only one reacting.
"Did he... just now... cast without incantation?"
"No chant for sure? Was it too short to hear?"
"Nonsense! No spell with such a brief chant could pack that punch!"
"No, he didn't chant at all... And what the hell is that unnatural color?"
Black flames. My Amaterasu. No, black fire. It had demolished the entire wall. I flicked my hand at the flames still burning on the rubble.
'Disappear.'
Whoosh—!
At my command, the fire vanished. And with it, one of my knees buckled.
"Urk."
Thud! I dropped to my knee. My head swam. Mana depletion. I'd dumped everything in one go, and the dizzying sensation hit hard.
'Dangerous?'
Luckily, not that bad. I could still hold onto my senses. My expanded mana capacity was helping. Ah, shit. Should've been more careful.
'Got too hyped and overdid it.'
Who could've predicted it'd turn out like that? Well, I kinda had, but not that it'd shatter everything.
'Hypothesis confirmed, at least.'
My foggy mind pieced it together. Magic power scaled directly with mana input—that much was true. And infusing attributes amplified it further.
'The question is—'
Wrapping it in flames and wind. Did mixing attributes make it stronger? No clue yet. For now, grasping the basic principle was enough.
Mana in equaled power out.
"Pah..."
I exhaled deeply, recalling it, and my mind finally sharpened.
"Ruin!"
Someone bounded over with an excited voice. Mirai.
"That was awesome!"
She grinned as she approached. Why did this girl keep acting so buddy-buddy?
"...Lady Mirai smiled?"
"That ice queen actually..."
Others seemed shocked too at her friendly vibe. Wasn't just me seeing it weirdly. Even the knights gawked.
Oh boy. The vibrator hummed quietly again.
"You're amazing."
"...Yeah. I'm pretty good."
I swept back my hair and stood.
"So cool."
"I know."
"Spar with me next time."
"Sure, anyt—wait, what?"
Her words froze me as I stared. Her big eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Do it with me. Looked fun."
"...Uh... um..."
That might be tricky. I wasn't keen on dueling if I could avoid it. The madness in her eyes was scary. She was dead serious, pushing for real.
Wait, thinking about it... kinda hot?
'...If she weren't a loli.'
I might've been interested. Sadly, not my type. Unlike Poll Hollen the loli-con.
"With me too...!"
"That's enough."
A figure appeared amid her advances. Colton Clay. When did he get here? I hadn't seen or sensed him move. Level difference reaffirmed.
"His Majesty is watching. That's no excuse for recklessness."
His icy warning hit Mirai. She stiffened at her grandpa's words.
"...Sorry."
"Apologize to the right person."
Clay dragged her toward the emperor and knelt beside her.
"My apologies."
"...Sorry..."
The emperor waved it off.
"No harm done. It was entertaining anyway—no need to get angry."
He didn't even seem mad. Barely interested. His eyes were fixed solely on me. Intense.
"Excellent."
He smiled. The grin made him look ridiculously handsome. As expected of a main character. My fave shone even here.
"The duel stands as is. Satisfied with the outcome?"
"Not bad. Minus me smashing that wall..."
The wrecked wall hung in the air. He glanced but shrugged.
"No punishment. Don't worry about it."
"Thank you."
Emperor bro... rich folks really are kinder and more generous?
'If he'd made me fix it or pay...'
Bankrupt. I'd have hanged myself.
I sighed inwardly, catching my breath as my mana pool refilled.
"Duke Colton."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Prepare a seat for the mage—"
"..."
"And have the tower masters attend."
Colton's eyes widened. Uh, what? Did I just get roped into something?
The emperor departed after that. As he stepped away lightly, every tower master stared at me—not daring to look at him.
"...You saw it."
"Indeed."
"Not the no-chant issue. What the hell was that?"
"What even manifested? Is that... really possible?"
"Wonder what the Association President would've said."
Shock, fear, laced with curiosity and intrigue. The mages were all stunned, minds blown.
'Looks like...'
I fucked up again. Just shot my shot, but shit hit the fan.
'...Never a dull moment.'
Was it 'cause I was just that good? Yeah, let's go with that. Genius was better than useless. I nodded, jerking off my ego.
Ah, "jerking off" sounded wrong. Anyway.
'Good things are good, right?'
I glanced at Poll Hollen to brush it off.
"...Ah..."
Dazed face. The loli-con deputy still hadn't snapped out of it, staring into space. Might piss himself.
I looked away.
'Good XP farm.'
I wouldn't bother remembering whatever he said. I'd gained plenty from him.
'Thanks, deputy knight.'
Forgot his name already. Poll, whatever—irrelevant. Take pride in losing to a future badass mage.
I nodded smugly—
"Rise. We follow His Majesty."
Clay said.
"Ah, yes..."
I trailed after him.
＊＊＊＊
'Fuck me.'
Arriving with Clay made my gut drop. Audience chamber, right? Where you meet the emperor.
I knelt before him in the vast hall. Two lines of people flanked me. Colton Duke on the left. Right side...
'From Harrington or something?'
The knight commander. Golden-plated knights lined up. Tower masters too. And I knelt at the center.
'...Intimidating as fuck.'
The overwhelming aura was crushing. Scary shit. Did it have to feel this heavy?
Swallowing my nerves—
"Mage."
The emperor called.
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
"Beyond our wager, you showed me something entertaining. More valuable than expected."
"...I am deeply grateful for your grace."
This right? Grace or whatever—couldn't recall. Borrowed from historical dramas. No corrections. Seemed fine. Or not, fuck it. Best I got?
Straining to keep my voice steady—
"Very well, son of Elise. What title do you desire?"
His words made my shoulders twitch.
"...Can I choose freely?"
"If you wish it, so be it. You could take Elise's, but... I doubt that's your desire."
Sharp emperor had read me already. Free pick on surname. The title itself didn't matter—probably baron anyway.
But naming rights. That hooked me.
'Choose freely, huh.'
His golden eyes looked down. Royal knights' armor gleamed around us.
From their midst, I spoke. I'd decided long ago.
"I—"
He nodded at my words. My surname was set.
＊＊＊＊
After talking with the emperor, I stepped out. Aeria was waiting.
She'd heard about the title and rank.
"You chose it yourself? What surname?"
"Ah."
She wanted to know, huh? I declared proudly.
"Averis."
"...Pardon?"
"Call me Averis Ruin from now on."
Aeria's brow furrowed. Face screaming she had no clue what it meant.