Chapter 30: ■■■■ (4) — Fictional Hell
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: ■■■■ (4) — Fictional Hell
I almost had a heart attack.
Of course, I knew the full moon would appear, but my heart still skipped a beat when it actually happened.
I took a deep breath to steady myself.
I guess I’m weak against stuff like this…
On top of that, a Berserker’s cry had escaped my lips before I could stop it. It didn’t sound like me at all; it was as if the armor had sensed my emotions and processed them through some sort of artificial filter.
Regardless, if I had been even a second later, the situation would have been irreversible.
I looked at Professor Fernando. He was on the verge of collapsing! He looked like he might pass out at any moment, yet he was doing his best to cling to consciousness. The poor guy.
I should probably reassure him so he can pass out in peace.
[…Who are you?]
The moon’s voice echoed softly.
That thing looks repulsive. Look at that "nice" set of teeth. I really want to land a clean uppercut and knock them all out.
This was [Fictional Hell], and that hideous full moon was "Leafa the Illusive." This world was his creation, his personal domain.
“You can’t understand what I’m saying anyway.”
[Grrrr—]
I was currently unable to communicate. As a Berserker, my language skills were non-existent. In this state, words were useless; I would have to communicate with my fists instead.
[Ah, it’s you—]
Only then did Leafa, in his lunar form, seem to realize I was the demon hunter.
“Huh?”
[Greung?]
Before long, Night Sky Monsters began to rise from the sea. Dozens, thousands, tens of thousands—countless monsters of every conceivable shape and size emerged.
—Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!
An earthquake shook the domain as a massive arm stretched from the ground toward the horizon.
[Wheeeeeeeeew————!!]
A gigantic monster rose from the sea—a titan wearing a skull mask, its entire body composed of the flowing Milky Way. Even from this distance, its size was beyond imagination. And yet, it was still much smaller than the octopus floating in the sky.
[The disruptor. You’re the one who’s been a nuisance to us demons, aren’t you?]
Of course.
And you’ll be dealt with soon enough.
[Fictional Hell] would soon expand and engulf Duke Hall. I had to defeat him before that happened to ensure there were no victims other than Professor Fernando.
[Ah, I’ve wanted to meet you! I’ve been wondering what kind of crazy guy you were! Heh heh heh! I’m so happy right now!]
“Is that so?”
[Grrr—]
[Disruptor, disruptor—! Let me play with you—!]
The full moon cried out, laughing like a child. The monsters began to pounce, their oversized mouths twisted into grotesque grins.
[Kyahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Kyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha————!]
[Fictional Creature]
Lv: 80
Race: Demon
Elements: Dark, Fire
Danger: High
Psychology: [Wants to bite you.]
If I were killed by these monsters, I would lose my mind and end up in a vegetative state. The strength of each individual couldn't be ignored, and with an infinite number of them spawning, any conventional fight would turn into a war of attrition I was bound to lose. I didn't even know if they gave decent EXP; in the game, they gave none at all to prevent players from power-leveling.
This was a segment from ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱: 「Act 6, Chapter 3, Fictional Hell: The Subjugation of Leafa the Illusive.」
In the game, the player had to protect the students by defeating these fictional creatures. Leafa essentially forced Ian and his companions into a "defense game" while holding the students hostage. If even one student died, it was game over. I remembered swearing a lot and retrying that part countless times.
After surviving for a set amount of time, a cutscene would trigger. That was when Ian Fairytale learned how to actually attack this world.
The protagonist, Ian, would struggle alongside his companions, enduring through sheer determination to protect the students… As he swung his sword, he would repeat to himself, “I can do it.”
Eventually, he would begin a form of self-hypnosis, telling himself, “I am strong,” or “I can be stronger.”
Then, he would surprise himself with just how powerful he had become. That was when the real subjugation of Leafa began.
Yes, the strategy for [Fictional Hell] is…
Self-hypnosis.
I have to embrace my inner chuunibyou!
The trick was to confront a world of illusions with your own delusions. If you didn't know this strategy, even a Level 180 Dorothy Heartnova would struggle. However, if you knew how to play the game, even a normal Level 51 Isaac could win without [Hunter] being active.
The key was to visualize yourself becoming stronger. The more vividly you could imagine that power, the more effective it would be. If you couldn't visualize it, the strategy was useless.
As a veteran of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, I had a perfect understanding of what it meant to master the ice element.
In other words, I was Leafa’s natural enemy.
“…”
Everything in this world was against me.
First, I cast [Ice Barrier] around Professor Fernando.
「Ice Barrier (Ice Element, ★6)」
Now, let’s visualize being completely overpowered.
For a moment, I shut out the world—a skill I had acquired during my years as a student, hunched over a desk and disconnecting from reality to study. I faded my own life and presence into nothingness.
The world fell silent as I redefined my existence within it.
I am strong.
I am strong.
I am the strongest in the world.
Strong.
[A demon has been recognized as an enemy.]
[The unique trait [Hunter] has activated!]
[For a limited time, your level and stats have been greatly enhanced!]
[For a limited time, your skill tree has been increased by +10!]
>
[A demon has been recognized as an enemy.]
[The unique trait [Hunter] has activated!]
[For a limited time, your level and stats have been greatly enhanced!]
[For a limited time, your skill tree has been increased by +10!]
>
[A demon has been recognized as an enemy.]
[The unique trait [Hunter] has activated!]
[For a limited time, your level and stats have been greatly enhanced!]
[For a limited time, your skill tree has been increased by +10!]
>
[For a limited time, your level and stats have been greatly enhanced!]
[※ It’s already maxed out!]
[For a limited time, your skill tree has been increased by +10!]
[※ It’s already maxed out!]
[Status]
Name: Isaac
Lv: (200)
Gender: Male
Year: 1st
Title: Freshman
Mana: 999,929 / 999,999
>
• Mana Recovery Speed (EX)
• Stamina (EX)
• Strength (EX)
• Intelligence (C-)
• Willpower (EX)
>
[Combat Skills]
Elemental Series 1: Ice
• Elemental Firepower (EX)
• Elemental Efficiency (EX)
• Elemental Synergy (EX)
Elemental Series 2 (Locked)
[You have realized the full extent of the ice element, reaching the level of a Sovereign!]
[You have obtained the passive skill [Ice Sovereign]!]
>
「Ice Sovereign (Ice Element, ★9)」
Every cell in my body felt foreign. I lowered my head, taking a brief moment to adjust to the sensation.
My skin felt more vibrant, my body brighter. The hair inside my hood felt like it was standing on end, and my nerves were screaming with alertness. A pale blue chill flowed gently from my body; I felt as though I could command the most powerful magic in existence.
My body felt incredibly dense and heavy, yet simultaneously light as a feather.
The passive skill, [Ice Sovereign]. Its effect was simple: it maximized the output of any ice magic I cast.
“Haa.”
I watched the world rushing toward me. A pale blue mist escaped with my breath.
It’s time for you to sleep.
From now on, I’m going Super Saiyan.
*
Dorothy entered [Fictional Hell].
Entering that magical space was easy, like crossing into another dimension. She swam through a black-hole-like darkness until a surreal landscape opened up before her.
An open sea mirrored the night sky, dotted with abandoned buildings. The heavens were filled with stars and the Milky Way. A giant octopus watched from beyond the atmosphere, planetary rings streaked across the sky, and a full moon with a mouth large enough to swallow half its own body loomed over everything.
And then, there was the battle.
An army of monsters was rushing toward Professor Fernando and a hulking figure in an ultramarine hooded coat. Dorothy watched from the sky, frozen in place.
◆◆◆◆◆────
With her unique trait [All in the World] active, Dorothy peered into the essence of the giant figure. She saw a near-infinite mass of mana—an overwhelming power capable of swallowing the entire world.
She recognized that essence instantly.
“Isaac?”
It was Isaac, the silver-blue-haired freshman.
But it clearly wasn't him; the figure was a massive, muscular monster in a hood.
…A magical disguise?
That was the only answer. Nothing but a high-level Magic Cloak of Disguise could explain such a drastic change in appearance.
But why?
The being within Isaac’s essence was staring elsewhere, its countless eyes glowing a brilliant red. It didn't even seem to notice Dorothy. All of those eyes were fixed on the full moon. Through [All in the World], Dorothy realized the moon’s true identity: a demon.
Only then did she understand. The unknown entity within Isaac was hostile toward demons.
[■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■■.]
It was a life full of hardship.
The being within Isaac began to chant. As the first words rang out, a chill ran down Dorothy’s spine.
“This is dangerous…”
Dorothy channeled her mana to its limit, wrapping herself in a powerful shield of starlight.
Isaac intended to use magic powerful enough to shatter this world. He was so focused on the incantation that he hadn't even sensed Dorothy’s presence. She would have to defend herself against his magic.
Fernando, however, didn't need to worry. Isaac had already provided him with the ultimate protection: his own [Ice Barrier].
[■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■.]
Nothing remained by my side.
[■■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■.]
Nothing held meaning in my life.
In ancient times, there was a woman said to have fully mastered the ice element. Her name had been lost to history, and she was now revered only by titles: the "Ice Sovereign" or the "Witch with a Scythe." She had woven her very life into her magic.
These were the miserable words of an Archwizard who found no reason to continue existing. It was a chant filled with grief and resentment. At the end of her life, her sorrow had triggered a calamity that plunged the world into a hundred-year ice age.
Behind the Berserker-shaped Isaac, a series of pale blue magic circles began to materialize in rapid succession, interlocking like the cogs of a great machine.
[■■■■■■■■.]
Solitude.
[■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■.]
Only you remained by my side.
[■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■.]
I never basked in the glory of countless victories.
[■■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■.]
Neither fame nor fortune had meaning.
[■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■■■■■.]
It was only when the owl of dusk spread its wings that I realized.
The giant octopus floating in space sensed the impending doom and began to strike down with its massive limbs. The air vibrated. The creature, which could crush an army with a single arm, descended with violent force. The beautiful night sky vanished, replaced by encroaching shadows—
[■ ■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■.]
A world with only you.
In the darkness, clusters of magic circles carved themselves into the air at irregular intervals, even as the octopus’s arms fell toward the world. Behind them all, a colossal magic circle traced a trajectory that seemed to touch the heavens.
It glowed with a blinding brilliance.
Isaac stretched his right arm upward.
Massive amounts of ice mana coalesced into a whirlpool, forming a cold sun that cast a pale blue light. The cold sun expanded instantly, growing until it eclipsed the sky itself.
[■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■.]
Is hell itself.
As the essence of the unknown monster finished the chant, Isaac lowered his arm. The cold sun began to fall toward the hordes of monsters, who now looked like mere ants.
It only took a moment.
「Cocytus (Ice Element, ★9)」
Kwaaaaaaaaaahhh━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━!!!!
Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaah━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━!!!!
The rays of the cold sun pierced the clouds. They drove away the darkness, painting the sky in a brilliant blue light.
In the blink of an eye, the sea froze solid. A violent, icy wave ravaged the world—a rampaging freeze of death. Cold winds and heavy snow whipped through the air. Countless ice spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the already-frozen monsters.
A beam of light erupted in all directions, engulfing everything in its path.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Snap.
The night sky turned white. The world became a frozen hell, true to its name. Freezing gusts and jagged ice transformed the land into a wasteland of extreme cold that would kill any living thing instantly. The army of monsters and the abandoned buildings were obliterated by the light.
High above, the giant octopus was frozen solid, as if time itself had stopped.
Dorothy and Fernando were speechless.
“I just… What did I just see…?”
It was far beyond anything they could have imagined. Dorothy’s starlight shield was a wreck. Despite the distance, despite using her maximum output, and despite her mastery over natural forces… she knew she would have been annihilated if she had been caught in the center of [Cocytus].
“Haha…”
Fernando burst into a fit of absurd laughter. The overwhelming power of the man standing before him evoked a sense of emptiness rather than admiration. For whatever reason, he was just relieved that this monster among monsters was on his side.
He couldn't hold onto consciousness any longer. Slumping over in relief, Fernando collapsed.
[Uh, how…?]
Leafa had been less affected by [Cocytus] than the others, as he had been watching from further away. Even so, his lunar body was frozen in several places. Because of his massive size, his plight was visible even to Isaac and Dorothy.
Then, Isaac bent his knees and kicked off the ice…
Kuuung—!
…And began sprinting toward the full moon.
Kuuung—!
Kuuung—!
Kuuung—!
Isaac tore across the ice, his body soaring through the air with every thunderous step. To Leafa, it was the sound of approaching death. Isaac propelled himself like a rocket toward the moon.
Kwaaaang—!
[Oh, no…! G-get away…! Do not come—!]
A deep sense of dread washed over Leafa. His survival instincts were screaming.
He’s dangerous. He’s dangerous. He can’t be defeated. There is no possibility of winning.
How can such a being exist in this academy? How can there be such an abnormal monster!?
The only one who could deal with someone like this was the Evil God Nephid.
Isaac conjured [Frostfire] from both hands behind him, using the blast to propel himself across the frozen world of [Cocytus]. The [Frostfire] vastly increased his momentum as he streaked across the frozen sea.
His speed was incredible. Leafa couldn't even track his movements.
[Do not come————!!]
As the distance closed, Isaac’s magic was finally within reach of the demon. Leafa screamed in terror and forcibly deactivated [Fictional Hell]. He wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
Clink—————
Chararararara—————
The world shattered like a pane of glass. Light engulfed everything as the domain collapsed, and bizarre purple mana dispersed into the air.
Everyone inside was spat back out into the real world. The familiar, ordinary scenery of the Duke Hall rooftop returned to their vision.
Rooooooarrrrr—!
The moment [Fictional Hell] was released, a wall of black flame rose up, bisecting the rooftop.
「Flame Wall (Fire Element, ★4)」 + 「Black Flame (Fire Element, ★5)」
= 「Black Flame Wall (Fire Element)」
[Ah… AHH!]
Leafa tried to scramble away in the chaos.
「Ice Wall (Ice Element, ★4)」
Drrrrrrrr—!
Walls of ice erupted from all sides, forming a ceiling and sealing off any escape route.
And then.
Snap—
“Gotcha.”
Isaac’s hand cut through the flames and seized Leafa’s head.
Before the demon realized it, Isaac’s mask was off and his hood was down. He had regained his original appearance and voice.
「Ice Generation (Ice Element, ★1)」
The simple ice created by Isaac ignored its elemental disadvantage and extinguished the black flames.
Die. Die.
Leafa trembled, examining the monster before him with his [Second Eye].
[…Huh?]
For a moment, Leafa doubted his own sight.
Wavy silver hair with a bluish tint. Cold red eyes. This was the weakest student of Märchen Academy’s first-year Magic Department—a boy graded as E in terms of mana.
He was a candidate so insignificant he hadn't even been considered a hindrance. Leafa hadn't even bothered to watch his duel.
[Grade E…? How could you…?]
His mind spiraled into confusion. Leafa couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
[…!]
Isaac didn't answer. He began condensing ice mana into his other hand as the magic circle for [Frost Explosion] materialized in front of him.
Leafa was paralyzed with terror.
[S-spare me…! Spare me, please…!]
It was a pitiful plea. However, Leafa’s desperate cry only echoed helplessly within the small, frozen confines of the [Ice Wall].