Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 202
>Chapter Title: Didn't Appear
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Aster found himself gaping blankly at the spectacle Damian, Chenbi, and Mysern had created.
'What the...'
The Infernals' bodies crumbled into dust in an instant.
There was no sign of recovery.
It felt utterly futile compared to the desperate struggle they'd waged just to hold them off—and what shocked Aster most were Damian and Chenbi.
As far as Aster knew, Damian hadn't mastered any secret arts for ice magic.
He knew the basics and the principles, sure, but nothing like constructing a mental image.
And yet...
What had Damian just pulled off?
Without the guidance of long years perfecting a mental image... that spell he'd conjured on the spot was devastating.
As if mocking veteran mages who'd honed theirs for ages.
But the real marvel was Chenbi.
'He's blazed his own trail.'
It was clear.
Just like Dalia, who had represented the Dinai Family in his past life, Chenbi had carved out his own path.
Of course, it'd be slow going.
He was just ordinary talent, after all.
But in exchange for the slowness, he'd see more—things geniuses overlooked—hear more, and eventually realize a complete domain of his own.
And when that domain was fully formed...
The world would know another mage.
A mage named Chenbi.
That's when it hit him.
Aster frowned and let out a hollow chuckle.
"...These rotten bastards."
The curse slipped quietly from his lips.
He'd sensed the shift in the space.
The atmosphere changed right after.
Shhhk—
An ominous rustling from all sides.
Like millions of ants scurrying past, the sound echoed through the space.
The spirits' clamor followed.
[It’s not over?]
[How?]
[Why isn’t it ending?]
The Infernal fragments, split like grains of sand, began clumping in midair.
Gaias's eyes twitched at the impossible sight.
They'd pooled every spirit's power into that honed strike.
Thanks to Chenbi exceeding expectations, they thought the Infernals couldn't hold out any longer...
That's when it hit him.
Whoosh—
Flames erupted again.
[Danger!]
The spirits scattered in panic, while Damian, Chenbi, and Mysern gritted their teeth and stepped forward.
Or tried to.
"That's enough."
"...?"
Aster held them back and strode forward.
[Savior, run.]
[We’re in danger.]
Amid the spirits' outcry, Aster walked steadily to the cavern's center and took position.
Five convergence points for the fragments.
The flames... faint.
With that grasped, Aster closed his eyes and focused. Circles spun in unison, cores resonated.
As spatial awareness mapped the surroundings perfectly, Aster flicked a finger.
Soon—
Grind, grind! Boom!
The Infernals' convergence points were drawn over Aster's head.
As the five merged into one, Aster quietly felt the burning flames above him.
Because they were fused?
It was hot.
...But.
'Not as hot as that.'
The blaze followed.
KABOOM—!
A pillar of fire surged with Aster at its heart.
Transcendence.
Aster's transcendent flames incinerated the fused Infernal remnants.
Endlessly, relentlessly. Until total annihilation.
And when the Infernals vanished without even ash...
Aster slowly raised his eyelids.
'...Not bad.'
No, perfect.
This wasn't his solo feat—it was achieved with Damian, Chenbi, and Senior Mysern.
Alone, it would've been impossible.
He felt it again... no one here needed protecting. Not a single soul.
* * *
After confirming the Infernals' total annihilation several times over.
Damian and Senior Mysern immediately began their breathing exercises.
They'd pushed too hard holding off the Infernals, but Chenbi was mostly fine and explained the whole story to me.
I rested while listening intently, though my eyes followed Baharmut's spirits.
They clustered in groups of three or five, darting around the space—a strangely captivating sight.
[We’re friends.]
[We’re together.]
Muttering nonsense, they gathered and dispersed repeatedly, and each time...
[Thank you.]
A faint, flickering spirit would wobble through the air.
At first, I had no clue what they were doing.
Looked like fish swarming prey, but they'd always end with one frail spirit emerging.
'Bullying?'
...Of course not.
"Ah, that's... they're sharing their essence with spirits who've lost theirs. Losing essence doesn't mean instant disappearance..."
"CPR?"
"Yeah, kinda."
They couldn't revive anyone before the fight ended, but now with it over, the spirits with spare essence were helping out.
According to Chenbi, no spirits were obliterated by the Infernals, but plenty had lost essence.
That's when Gaias approached Chenbi.
[Friend, I want to help. Okay?]
"Ah, yeah. Sure."
With Chenbi's okay, Gaias floated up and joined the revival efforts.
His body shrank with each revival—a truly mystical scene.
I'd never seen so many spirits gathered like this.
Exaggerating a bit, the space brimmed with them—like standing in the Milky Way.
Even I was entranced by the beauty, when Chenbi's flat voice cut in.
"...So that's how things stand. Aster, you listening?"
"Ah, yeah. Totally."
"What'd I just say?"
"The spirits sacrificed a ton to save us? Dozens? Hundreds? In the future they saw, we all died?"
"...You were listening."
Looked like I was zoning out, but nah.
Chenbi's words carried real weight—not the kind you brush off.
And why so heavy? The spirits' resolve.
Freedom-loving spirits choosing dissolution after the barrier broke to help us? No easy feat.
So gratitude was inevitable, but one question nagged.
'Then how'd I handle the Infernals solo in Baharmut?'
The future the spirits first saw.
In it, I was alone.
I'd freed them single-handedly, but now I couldn't fathom how.
'Did I smash 'em?'
Nah, that future always ended badly when I tried brute force.
Maybe I figured the proper counter? ...Nope.
'Special relic needed to smash Infernals, and Baharmut didn't have it?'
How the hell did I deal with them in that first vision?
Not smashing, not countering—how else?
Curiosity bred deeper doubts.
As questions piled up, I needed to refocus.
It wasn't important anymore anyway.
So what mattered now?
'...Spoils.'
The highlight of ancient ruin dives? Byproducts.
Books, treasures—even junk could fetch a fortune with luck.
And value?
'...Condition.'
From wrangling Infernals around, Baharmut's byproducts were pristine.
Like they'd been used yesterday.
The whole space was a treasure trove—realizing that soured my gut.
"...Damn it."
"Aster, what's up?"
"Nah, nothing."
Ignoring puzzled Chenbi, I recalled the chase.
The byproducts destroyed while leading Infernals: pristine books, artifact-stuffed warehouses— all torched.
If only they'd survived... tch.
Bile rising.
But what could I do?
'...Already ashes.'
Live looking forward.
Better ponder remaining Baharmut riches than regret.
Mind set, I moved to loot Baharmut before Damian and Senior Mysern woke.
Er, salvage.
Or tried to.
If not for the sudden emptiness.
"Chenbi, where's the wyvern?"
"...? Wyvern?"
Right, Chenbi wouldn't know.
I kindly explained to his baffled stare.
"The spirit that came to us first. Sent it your way earlier—can't see it now."
Something felt off, and yeah—the wyvern was gone.
I'd sent it to relay to Chenbi.
Did it bail already?
Nah.
"Really? It followed earlier, but yeah, gone now."
"...? You saw it?"
"Duh, you sent it. Followed us after. Weird, not here."
Chenbi tilted his head, puzzled.
But briefly.
Then, like it just hit him, he asked—probably weirded out I called the spirit 'wyvern.'
"You contract with it? Didn't look like it."
"Nah, no contract."
How to put it.
Planning to?
Thinking it over, my bond with the wyvern was ambiguous.
It claimed we'd contract in the future—but that's future talk; now, strangers.
Didn't mean I ignored it...
'Tch, nope.'
Pondering my reply, Chenbi spoke.
"Wanna look? Gaias could find it quick."
He started calling Gaias.
But I shook my head.
"Nah, forget it."
"...Forget it?"
"Yeah, probably fine. No spirits dissolved by Infernals, right? Good enough."
Honestly, felt empty.
Annoying gnat while tagging along—now gone, curious.
Not attached.
Just, it called itself 'wyvern,' so extra tug.
Anyway, I shook off the regret... er, annoyance, and headed for spoils.
Priorities.
"Aster, I can find it."
"What, no need."
"Then quit eyeing the spirits? You're scaring my friends."
"Whatever..."
Great spirit mages don't block comers or cling to leavers.
But wyvern... er, Spirit No. 1 never came, so no sweat.
Just thought:
'Well, it'll show when it wants.'
...And Spirit No. 1 didn't appear.