Chapter 126: Nameless Hero (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126: Nameless Hero (2)
Following the conclusion of the first year in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, several enemies emerged during the winter break.
Among them was a rival-type character. I’d bicker with them whenever I visited the guild, but they weren't a priority right now.
My real focus needed to be on the colossal demon known as the Devil Pillar.
The Devil Pillar had slumbered beneath the lands of the Astrea Duchy as a mass of dark mana since antiquity—a demon that had gradually accumulated power over the eons.
If I simply let this winter break pass, the Devil Pillar would descend in its full-blown demon form and trigger a large-scale catastrophe.
However, a specific condition could force its premature awakening: the approach of a being wielding Divine Power, such as Ian Fairytale.
In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, the player could reach the location where the Devil Pillar appeared by accepting a specific commission.
‘I was nearly too late.’
My [Clairvoyance] had grown so potent that I could survey an immense radius around me, thanks to the steady increase in my proficiency.
Using that power to its limits, I had been constantly observing the Astrea Duchy, the site of the Devil Pillar’s emergence. I couldn’t predict which commissions Ian would take on first or which ones he would save for later.
As such, the moment the Trial of Sandstone ended, I told Gormos I’d see him later and hurried out of the trial grounds, immediately reactivating [Clairvoyance].
That was when I witnessed Ian passing through this area…
‘Of all the times, why did it have to be while I was undergoing the trial?’
In the end, I bypassed the bridge connecting Märchen Academy to the mainland and secretly summoned Hilde, soaring high above the clouds. I kept her at a manageable size; I wasn't ready to handle her true form just yet.
After arriving at the destination and surveying the surroundings with [Clairvoyance] again, I judged that I didn’t need to worry about anyone discovering my identity. Everyone in the vicinity was currently trapped inside the beads floating around the Devil Pillar.
With [Hunter] active, I intentionally released a surge of frigid ice mana to draw the demon's attention. Kaya looked to be in dire straits.
In my current [Hunter] state, I was Level 200—the level cap.
I felt weightless, buoyed by a sense of absolute omnipotence, as if the world itself were at my fingertips.
“Sir Isaac…?”
Kaya was suspended in mid-air, enveloped by a gale of pale green wind. A single bead of cold sweat rolled down her face as she stared at me in astonishment.
I knew Kaya would show up when the Devil Pillar emerged. This was the Astrea Duchy, after all. In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, it was an inevitability that she would fly here regardless of when the Devil Pillar made its appearance.
Fortunately, Kaya had arrived safely and managed to protect Ian and Amy. She had done well holding the line.
In the original game, a makeshift party would form to confront the Devil Pillar: Kaya as the tank, Amy as the support, and Ian as the damage dealer. But since Kaya was holding her own, there was no need to mention that Ian had already fainted.
“…”
As I ruminated over the scenario of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ after completing the Trial of Sandstone, everything felt incredibly out of place.
Was it even appropriate to call it the ‘original scenario’ anymore? My mind was in chaos as I tried to decipher what information could be trusted and what should be discarded.
However, since predicting the future through the lens of the game was still effective, it was best to save my doubts for later. Even if things were changing, I would stick to the game's logic for now.
I stopped in my tracks. The blighted land attempted to devour my life force.
However, the effort was futile. My mana was far denser than that of the Devil Pillar. It was like trying to crush a block of steel with a tiny mousetrap.
“Kaya.”
“Y-Yes?!”
“Thank you. You did well holding out.”
Though it sounded like a line straight out of a shonen manga, I meant it sincerely.
A brilliant light flickered in Kaya’s eyes. Through [Psychological Insight], I could feel her deep moved, her joy, and an intense sense of relief all at once.
“Get out of here.”
I calmly pulled the hood of my wizard robe over my head.
The garment’s enchantment activated, blurring my features and preventing anyone from recognizing me. Even if they looked directly at me, they wouldn't be able to discern my true appearance.
With a determined nod, Kaya transformed the crimson arbor gigantes back into its mana form.
I felt a gaze piercing the back of my head. By channeling a mere sliver of mana into [Clairvoyance], I could observe the area behind me without even turning around.
As the crimson arbor gigantes dissolved into shimmering dust…
Amy, who was cradling the unconscious Ian on her knees, looked around with an expression of utter bewilderment.
“Who…?”
「Ice Generation (Ice Element, ★1)」
Rumble—!
A wall of ice surged up behind me, cutting off Amy’s line of sight.
Since she had been encased within the thick tree, it was unlikely she had overheard my conversation with Kaya.
Before Amy could get a proper look at me, Kaya used wind magic to lift Ian and Amy into the air.
“Ah, w-wait! Kyaaaaah!!”
They sliced through the air, immediately retreating from the battlefield.
Amy, suddenly hoisted into the sky, let out a terrified shriek. Right—I forgot she had acrophobia.
Anyway…
Now, only the demon and I remained.
The Devil Pillar glared at me intently. It clearly didn't want to let Kaya’s group escape, but it was far too wary of me to give them any attention.
I pulled up the demon’s status window.
[Babel the Corrupted]
Lv: 165
Race: Demon
Elements: Dark, Fire
Danger: Highest
Psychology: [Feeling utterly overwhelmed by you.]
Babel the Corrupted.
This bastard was the perfect punching bag to test my newfound strength.
Right now, I was capable of rational thought, but my mind felt muddled, as if I had just woken up in the middle of the night.
It was the result of the massive influx of rock mana. It felt similar to when I first acquired Frostscythe. My body was likely still adapting to the power.
Focusing my senses, I felt two storage spaces deep within my body.
In one, a fierce chill swirled around Frostscythe.
In the other, a stone wall as tall as a mountain stood, with a heavy greatsword embedded at its center.
I extended my right arm.
Rock mana gathered with a light brown glow, and a greatsword materialized in my hand. The mana pulsed through the blade, illuminating the ancient inscriptions etched into the hilt.
The Ultimate Weapon of the Rock Element: Gormos’ Obsidian Blade.
The weight and grip were perfect. It felt like it would be incredibly satisfying to swing.
I slung the Obsidian Blade over my shoulder. Light brown rock mana and topaz-colored stone fragments erupted from my body.
───────[Kiriririririk—!]
The Devil Pillar screeched.
From the edges of the blighted land it had created, black-red mana rose and stretched toward the sky.
The air grew heavy. A colossal wall of flames radiated intense heat, engulfing the area. Then, with a low hum, black-red magic circles densely engraved themselves onto the wall of fire.
‘It’s jumping straight to its Phase 1 final pattern.’
I expected as much. Had I not already dealt with this when facing Orpheus the Submerged?
The mana seeping out of me was far superior to its own. The demon must have sensed a threat to its survival, realizing it would die if it didn't unleash everything from the start.
Every single magic circle locked onto me.
With an eerie, wailing Kiriririk, the circles began spewing a massive onslaught of dark blades forged from black-red flames.
The bombardment saturated the area, dyeing the world in its dark hue.
From the sky, they sliced the air.
From the ground, they cleaved the earth.
Countless dark blades converged on me simultaneously, as if heaven and earth were surging to meet one another.
Flash—!
Kragagak—!
The dark blades rushed in. The ground distorted, shattered, and tore apart as the remaining life in the vicinity was drained away.
It was a relentless onslaught. If we had been at similar levels, this would have been my defeat.
“…Impressive.”
Whooooosh—!
As I swung the Obsidian Blade, light brown rock mana surged like a storm, dispelling the dark blades. My mana extended aggressively in all directions like a seismic wave.
The Devil Pillar’s giant eye widened in shock. It seemed stunned that none of its attacks could even touch me.
「Eclipse (Rock Element, ★7)」
The unique skill of the Obsidian Blade: [Eclipse]. Behind my back, rock mana condensed into the shape of a ring.
While the Obsidian Blade was drawn, this skill coated me in mana armor with exceptionally high defense. As long as this armor remained intact, even the onslaught of Babel the Corrupted could never harm me.
My half-lidded eyes began to emit a mysterious topaz light.
The high-density rock mana flowing through me gave me a pleasant sensation of weight.
Clang!
I plunged the Obsidian Blade into the ground. The tip bit into the earth, creating spiderweb cracks.
Shall I only test the power of this greatsword?
‘No.’
No. I can’t stop there.
There’s a level even beyond my current reach. I can feel it.
I was in a realm where, if I tilted my head just a little, I could gaze upon the pinnacle of the ice and rock elements. I could see the vague silhouette of a new level right before my eyes.
My mana circuits rotated at an even faster speed. My cloudy mind finally regained total clarity.
A cold yet heavy sensation.
The extremity of Mana Mastery was awakening something deep within me. The rock mana of the Obsidian Blade added a vivid color to that sensation.
Through thousands and tens of thousands of repetitions of elemental magic training… through all the blood I had shed…
I had piled up experience and accumulated proficiency.
And now, with the power of [Hunter], I drew out the very limits of this sensation—one so familiar it was no different from breathing.
The two forked paths of ice and rock converged at a single point.
Kugugugugu—.
Topaz rock armor overlaid the ring of mana on my back. Several more rock rings formed, floating in place.
A massive amount of rock mana gathered behind me. Topaz fragments coalesced in the air, and then—
“Now it’s my turn.”
I cascaded ice mana into the Obsidian Blade.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa—!
A chill billowed out like steam. Rock mana and blizzards raged together. My hair and robes fluttered fiercely. Ice mana gracefully merged with the immense rock mana imbued in the blade.
The ground trembled. Tremendous rock mana erupted behind me in a brilliant, grand display.
Within that light, a colossal golem, larger than a mountain range, took shape and stood upright.
A massive rock ring floated behind the golem’s back. A pale blue light flashed in its eyes as ice mana radiated intensely from its form.
In its hand, it gripped a rock greatsword that mirrored the power of the Obsidian Blade.
The Synchronization between the golem and me was at its maximum. We were one.
It had stepped into the lofty realm of ice and rock alongside me.
A majestic presence.
The Golem Familiar: Eden - The Breaker.
He overwhelmed the battlefield.
Kuooooooo—.
A familiar’s abilities and growth were heavily influenced by its master.
Because our Synchronization was at its peak, I could freely bestow my [Hunter]-enhanced power unto Eden.
As a result, his level had temporarily increased to 175.
I had succeeded in awakening an unprecedented second element in a magic beast.
“Eden, get rid of it.”
With a single command, Eden - The Breaker raised his rock greatsword. The mere motion sent fierce winds howling in all directions.
Babel the Corrupted unleashed a storm of dark blades, but they couldn't even scratch Eden, who was protected by the effects of [Eclipse].
Crash—!
When Eden took a step forward, the ground shook with a thunderous roar.
A heavy shockwave erupted. Eden swung the massive rock greatsword diagonally, leaving a trail of light blue energy.
A whirlwind of blizzards and rock debris unfolded.
A blinding flash.
Babel the Corrupted was cleaved in two, its torso instantly flash-frozen into a block of ice as it collapsed.
But it wasn't over. The next phase remained.
The large eye on Babel’s body rolled back, revealing only red pupils.
Kwang—, Kwang—, Kwang—!
Like rocks colliding, a rhythmic roar echoed. Babel’s body folded like paper, condensing into a single point.
In an instant, Babel transformed into a three-meter-tall, ash-gray monster—a muscular, one-eyed giant with black flames flickering on its arms and back. Its lipless mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth, was torn all the way to its ears.
Babel the Corrupted: Phase 2.
A magic circle of roaring flames unfolded around it. Black flames lashed out like dozens of uncontrollable whips, but…
I had already reached it.
[…!!]
I could see the flow of mana. I could see every attack in slow motion.
“Let’s finish this.”
In that split second, I wove through the gaps in the fire magic and swung the Obsidian Blade.
A light blue flash streaked through the air.
With a tremendous explosion, Babel’s body was split clean down the middle.
Kwagagagang—!
Vibrations infused with ice and rock mana spread out, creating a terrifying pressure that sent the bisected demon flying.
Within the wall of black-red flames, where an intense cold now reigned…
I slung the Obsidian Blade over my shoulder and exhaled a breath of icy mist.