Chapter 110: Subjugation of the Floating Island (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110: Subjugation of the Floating Island (6)
[───────!]
The haunting wail of woodwind instruments echoed through the heavens.
High above the Floating Island, a creature straight out of legend took flight. The white dragon, Frost Dragon-Hilde, soared through the clouds, exhaling a freezing mist as she spread her magnificent wings to their limit.
Around her, a massive [Frostwind] swirled with violent intensity.
I shattered the remnants of the black pillar with a single blow and pulled Dorothy free, cradling her in my arms. She didn't even have the strength to steady herself; her breath came in ragged, labored gasps.
Her eyes fluttered open, barely managing to focus on my face.
“Pres… ident…”
Her voice was a fading whisper.
I didn't bother to reply. Seeing her in such a wretched state, I didn't want to force her to speak. Instead, I gave her a reassuring smile—a silent promise that I had come here specifically for her.
This was the moment I had longed for.
In every single playthrough of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, I had dreamed of this. I wanted to rescue Dorothy, no matter the cost.
To me, buried under the weight of state exam prep, your radiant figure—determined to shine even when you had nothing left—was breathtaking.
I hated the thought of you dying.
Let’s live on without any more sacrifices, okay?
For your sake, I will reject the very reality of this scenario and grind this overgrown heap of filth into dust.
That was my oath. My resolve. From the very beginning, my only thought was saving Dorothy.
Using [Clairvoyance], I saw Ian’s party regrouping with the subjugation team before fleeing the Floating Island. As planned, Kaya had likely persuaded them to retreat the moment they met, claiming the Black Monster had reappeared.
Now, I had to do my part. At the perfect moment, I activated [Hunter], devastating the surroundings and unleashing a bone-chilling frost. Sensing the sudden spike in danger, the subjugation team made the call to escape.
The Black Monster was an unstoppable force of nature. To the world, he was a catastrophic Archwizard capable of wielding apocalyptic magic. If such a monster was deliberately picking a fight with the Floating Island, the only logical move was to get out before the crossfire killed them all.
‘Wait, when did Ian pass out again…?’
To my utter lack of surprise, Ian was being carried away by the team, already unconscious. I figured he’d been clipped by falling debris from the Emerald Palace after he fired [Apostle of Light] at Oz, the core of the Floating Island.
‘Well, no need to worry about him now.’
Ian’s role here was finished. I was grateful for everything he’d done to get us this far.
I looked up to see a massive sinkhole, likely carved out by the explosion of mana gas erupting from the island. Above it, my familiar, Hilde, was dominating the battlefield with [Frostwind].
[Frostwind] didn't just buff Hilde’s ice magic; it empowered mine as well. Simultaneously, it acted as a perfect smokescreen.
With [Hunter] active and my familiar at my side, I felt a surge of hostility toward the Floating Island. My body felt impossibly light, allowing me to leap and land outside with effortless grace.
Whooooosh───.
The [Frostwind] glowed with the brilliance of white jade, its color far more vivid than I had anticipated.
‘With this, I don’t even need a disguise.’
The storm was so thick I didn't need to wear a mask. I could finally cut loose with my full power.
Koong──.
Boasting her gargantuan frame, the white dragon Hilde descended and lowered her head toward me. Her landing alone sent a shockwave of dense, freezing mana and dust through the air, making the very ground tremble.
I placed the limp, powerless Dorothy onto Hilde’s back, using [Rock Generation] to secure her in place. Then, I layered [Ice Barrier] and [Stone Barrier] around her to neutralize the effects of my own magic, ensuring she remained safe from the coming storm.
Dorothy tried to say something, but the words wouldn't form. The curse was still devouring her life force and mana; she didn't even have the strength to speak.
“Just wait for me…”
It’s okay. Everything will be fine.
"...Until I tear this thing to pieces."
Dorothy’s eyes widened slightly. I couldn't tell if she was surprised by my words or the sheer weight of my resolve, but I didn't have time to dwell on it.
My hair and navy blue cloak whipped violently in the [Frostwind]. In contrast, Dorothy looked as if she were encased in a serene, silent world within my barriers.
It’s finally time.
I turned away and glared at the fantasy world known as the ‘Land of Oz.’ Behind me, Hilde took to the skies with Dorothy in tow. As she spread her massive wings, she scattered jade-colored frost like a localized hurricane.
[───────!!]
The Floating Island vibrated as if struck by a massive earthquake. From some unseen depth, the eerie woodwind scream resonated again, clawing at my eardrums. It had sensed my mana. It felt threatened.
I didn't care.
I casually rolled my shoulder, stretching my limbs. I flipped up my hood and let ice mana bloom in my right palm. Pale blue frost flowed between my fingers as tiny ice crystals crystallized in the air.
I quietly surveyed the world before me.
From this moment on, I am going to completely annihilate the Land of Oz.
❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ Chapter 2: 「Back Story – Wizard of Oz」.
In the original fairy tale, Dorothy returned home after her adventure and found peace in her aunt’s embrace—a classic happy ending. But in this world, Dorothy’s "homecoming" was a grim reality of despair.
Even so, she had chosen to stand tall. She had decided to show this fucked-up world exactly how bright she could shine. Her final act was supposed to be a noble sacrifice. To defeat an enemy no one else could touch, she was meant to throw away the last embers of her life with a smile, triggering [Last Light of a Dying Star] to bring the island down.
...But how the hell am I supposed to just watch that happen?
You said you wanted to live.
That’s why I can’t give up on you.
I am here. Just for you.
I am standing in this place, at this time... solely for you.
「Ice Sovereign (Ice Element, ★9)」
My hair stood on end. The color drained from my skin as the energy of the Ice Sovereign surged from the depths of my heart.
[Ice Sovereign]. Its effect was simple: it maximized the output of every ice spell I cast.
Unlike the original game, I possessed a 9-star passive, the legendary weapon Frostscythe, and a mythical familiar in Hilde. My full power easily eclipsed the Floating Island’s Level 190.
However, I couldn't maintain this state for long.
‘Ten minutes. At best.’
It wasn't a calculation; it was an instinctive certainty. I had ten minutes to end this.
I summoned the Frostscythe from within my soul and gripped it tight. Frigid air coalesced in my hand, forming a massive scythe that pulsed with a dark blue glow.
The cold was suffocating.
As I tapped the tip of the Frostscythe against the ground, ripples of pale blue mana spread out in dozens of concentric circles. In an instant, the dead of winter claimed the Floating Island.
Then, I flooded the area with mana.
Wooooong──.
Hundreds of massive magic circles manifested in the sky. I leveled the blade of the Frostscythe forward and gave the command.
"Hilde, freeze it all."
Hilde let out a primal roar, unleashing a torrent of ice mana.
[Kaaaaaaaa────!!!]
Above her head, a magnificent pale blue magic circle, overflowing with power, snapped into existence. Without a moment's hesitation, the white dragon poured a massive, silver-white spell through the array.
「Hell of the Crimson Lotus (Ice Element, ★8)」
White streaks carved through the air, instantly expanding into pillars of silver light wreathed in frost.
Kwaaaaaaahhhhh──────!!!
A violent explosion dyed the world white. [Hell of the Crimson Lotus], a strategic-class spell, transformed the landscape into a frozen purgatory.
Simultaneously, I aimed at the mist-shrouded Land of Oz and launched massive blocks of ice from the hundreds of magic circles above.
Kuoooooooo─────!!!
Kwangggg──────!!!!
Dozens of mountain-sized ice masses, reinforced with rock, tore through the air. It was a hail of death from a frozen hell, accelerating to terminal velocity. Each chunk carried enough force to level the entire Märchen Academy campus.
「Winter Shower」
Every time a comet struck the island, the compressed ice mana detonated.
The physical impact was staggering. The ground buckled, space itself seemed to twist, and the deafening roar threatened to burst my eardrums.
Fragments of the Floating Island shattered and flew into the sky. As the hard, earth-like shell broke away, the squishy, crimson interior of the island’s true body was revealed. It looked like a living organism, complete with pulsing organs.
Sharp icicles rained down incessantly, while blizzards and [Frostwind] tore through the remaining structures. The explosions were a continuous, rhythmic thunder.
In this moment, the heavens shook, and all hell broke loose.
“Eden, assist.”
I summoned my golem familiar. As I infused him with rock mana, he ballooned in size, his skin hardening into reinforced stone until he became a true titan.
[Guoooooo───!]
Eden slammed a colossal stone fist into the Floating Island. A violent sonic boom followed, and the resulting air pressure sent a sandstorm billowing in every direction.
Hilde unleashed her magic, Eden rained down blows, and [Winter Shower] continued its relentless bombardment. Amidst the chaos, I listened to the agonized wails of the Floating Island—the sound of a thousand broken flutes.
I began to walk through the carnage.
My chest burned. My heart hammered against my ribs. Perhaps it was the strain of maintaining [Ice Sovereign], but I felt detached, as if I were stepping into another dimension. A heavy, captivating melody played in my mind, and a strange sensation wriggled deep within my soul.
It felt as if, with just a few more steps, I would awaken something—
[───────!!]
The Floating Island wasn't just taking the hits. Its earth magic condensed into beams of light that struck back in clusters. The scale was too massive to dodge.
I swung my arm, channeling mana to raise towering walls of ice and rock from the ground. Within the pale blue ice, light brown rock mana flowed—the elemental fusion magic, [Fossilized Ice].
The reinforced walls stood like an impregnable fortress, absorbing the onslaught of light beams. The island howled in agony, counterattacking with everything it had.
But this wasn't the end.
[HurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurtsHurts.]
A sea of faces suddenly erupted from the ground beneath my feet. Their eyes were hollow voids, their lips moving in a frantic, silent blur of pain.
“Shut up!”
Kuuuuoooooooo───!!
The ground beneath me surged upward, trying to crush me against the sky. The sheer pressure forced me to one knee. There was nowhere to run; the entire landmass was rising.
Then, from far above the clouds, I felt a massive surge of mana. I glanced up to see something descending through a torrent of flames.
A meteorite.
Enveloped in earth mana, a maroon trail of energy followed the massive rock as it burned through the atmosphere.
I clenched my fist and struck the rising ground.
Kwannnggggg────!!
A sonic boom erupted from my knuckles. The surging earth shattered into a million pieces, and the shockwave blew my hood back. I floated amidst the debris, turning my body toward the incoming meteorite.
To any observer, I would look like a speck of dust compared to the falling mountain. But in my [Ice Sovereign] state, a rock of that size was nothing.
I released the [Fossilized Ice] around me and prepared the 6-star spell [Frost Wave], extending my arm toward the sky.
At that moment.
[Nihihi.]
A child-like giggle echoed.
The mana I had felt from the island moments ago suddenly exploded with terrifying intensity, rippling through the sky.
‘What is this…?’
My eyes trembled. I looked down. Thousands of heads filled the ground, staring up at me with those eyeless, pitch-black sockets. Their expressions contorted into grotesque grins.
[Nihihihihihihihihihihihihihi!!]
[Nihihihihihihihihihihihihihi!!]
They began to laugh, mocking me. It was as if they were saying, ‘You fell for it, didn't you?’
Hwahhhhhhh───.
The Floating Island’s body turned the color of deep red wine. Even the heads in the ground changed hue. Fissures split the earth, and lava-like earth mana erupted in pillars, the heat so intense it began to overwhelm my [Frostwind].
Amidst the black smoke and rising magma, demons made of volcanic rock and flowing blood began to crawl out in a steady stream.
“Don’t fuck with me…”
My jaw tightened.
[Geuheheheheheheheh───.]
Beyond the Floating Island, from every direction, colossal beings rose from the sea, surrounding me. Misty currents swirled around them as seawater cascaded off their massive frames like waterfalls.
Their bodies were made of black rock, with lava pulsing through the cracks. They had the heads of tigers and the bodies of bears—massive, one-eyed giants that stared at me with twisted smiles.
Each one was a high-ranking minion of the Floating Island.
[Kalida the Freakish]
Lv: 185
Race: Demon
Elements: Dark, Earth
Danger: Extreme
Psychology: [Wants to crush you with its palm.]
Every single one of them was stronger than Hilde. In all my time playing ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, I had never seen this. This was a hidden form of the Floating Island I never knew existed.
“…”
Then it clicked.
In the game, Dorothy used [Last Light of a Dying Star] to instantly overwhelm the island. It never had the chance to reveal its true form. She had judged that no one could defeat it because her [All in The World] ability allowed her to see this hidden horror.
[Cavallion the Earthshaker]
Lv: 200
Race: Demon
Elements: Dark, Earth
Danger: Extreme
Psychology: [Wants to toy with you before tearing you limb from limb.]
The Floating Island was essentially an Archwizard-level entity. It had been suppressing its mana, masquerading as a Level 190 threat.
I looked over at Hilde. She was still pouring magic into the island, and on her back, Dorothy was watching me, her eyes filled with terror and worry despite her condition.
A massive, reddish-brown magic circle was forming beneath the Floating Island. It was preparing a spell to erase the entire region—including Märchen Academy—from the map. Now that its true identity was revealed, the casting speed had tripled.
I had seconds. Maybe tens of seconds before everything turned to ash.
That’s right. This bastard has been playing with us the whole time.
It enjoyed the spectacle. It loved watching humans scramble in futility against its suppressed power.
There was no escape. If I didn't annihilate this thing right now...
Everyone dies.
Everything ends.
All because I tried to save Dorothy.
It felt as if fate itself was trying to force me back onto the path of sacrifice. As if the world was demanding Dorothy’s life to pay for its survival.
Sacrifice.
Why is this world so obsessed with that word?
“…Ha… Fuck.”
I spat the curse out.
How can I accept that? I’m right here.
I will save Dorothy. I will stop the bad ending. No matter what.
[Frozen Soul] kicked in, chilling my mind and steadying my racing heart. I looked up at the falling meteorites. As I plummeted through the air, I narrowed my eyes.
Babump.
A strange pressure squeezed my heart. Something inside me was screaming at me to grip the ice mana even tighter. It was telling me to fully embrace the [Ice Sovereign].
With every passing minute in this state, I felt like I was crossing into a new realm. Deep inside, I heard a booming sound—like someone pounding on a massive iron door.
I didn't know what it was, but I welcomed it. I needed firepower. I needed enough strength to blast this island out of existence.
But I wasn't there yet. I didn't have the key to that door.
‘If I can’t unlock it…’
Then I’d have to kick the damn thing down.
This wasn't my first crisis. Life never went according to plan. Even with my knowledge of the game, things always went sideways. This was just another obstacle to overcome.
The horde of ‘Kalida the Freakish’ reached out for me with lava-soaked arms. The air pressure from their movements alone was staggering. The magic circle below glowed brighter, and lava pillars shot toward me.
I was surrounded. Targeted from every angle.
But I had one last card in my hand.
A shabby, worn-out key.
[Key to Mysteries]
Rank: Tier 1
Description: A key imbued with ancient magic. Used to open the doors to a certain underground realm. Can be used anywhere.
[※ Caution: Numerous deadly threats will target the user upon activation.]
This key could drag anything into the Netherworld.
The range covered everything in direct contact with me or my magic. I remembered Ian using this in the game; the monsters hit by his light were dragged into the abyss with him.
If I dragged the Floating Island there, it would be isolated. But if I failed to defeat it in the Netherworld…
‘I’ll never come back.’
It didn't matter. I had to try.
I manifested dozens of magic circles around me, casting [Frost Wave].
Chararararak─────!!
The cold exploded outward, flash-freezing the meteorites, the clouds, and even the reaching fists of the giants. It wasn't enough to stop the lava, but it was enough to establish a connection.
The frost from my spell and Hilde’s [Frostwind] acted as a bridge, linking me to the entire battlefield.
If the boss wanted a Phase 2…
“Then it’s my turn.”
Let’s see how you like my Phase 2.
I thrust the [Key to Mysteries] into the air.
As I willed it to turn, I felt a satisfying click. An unseen door emitted an otherworldly light, locking the key in place. Without hesitation, I twisted it.
Guooooooooo━━━━━━━━━━━━.
From the void, a massive, ethereal maw appeared and swallowed the world whole.