Chapter 474
Chapter 474
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 474
>Chapter Title: If It's on the Nose, It's an Earring
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The keyword was 'ancient magic.'
So, what exactly was ancient magic?
'Magic where concepts take precedence over calculations.'
Of course, concepts were important in modern magic too.
Why wouldn't they be?
'Mental images are concepts, after all.'
So, isn't it the same thing?
No, it's different.
In modern magic, the mental image is the destination. In ancient magic, it's the starting point. Or, to be more precise, it's the starting point, the path, and ultimately the destination.
In other words...
'...The alpha and omega.'
The beginning and the end.
But let's see.
Was Word Spirit ancient magic?
If so, that meant it was the ultimate use of 'concepts.' So, what concept was being used right now?
Right now...
I had no idea.
'...Who am I, and where am I?'
To be honest, ancient magic was an area far too esoteric for a modern mage to comprehend.
'Should I just bust out Reverse Heaven?'
The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I quickly dismissed it.
Using Reverse Heaven's power without a solid counterplan was like drinking saltwater when you're thirsty. It might quench the immediate thirst, but a greater one would soon follow.
'...Maybe they want me to use Reverse Heaven's power.'
So, what should I do?
I keenly felt the limitations of my brain, which had poor efficiency relative to its mass. Magical attainment and wisdom didn't overlap much, it seemed.
"Then let us bring this to an end. Master of Reverse Heaven, humbly accept it. Your death will benefit the world."
"An inevitable conclusion. No human can escape it."
Tch, we're really down to the wire here.
It was then.
[...Bra... brainwashing.]
I tilted my head at the voice ringing in my ear.
The voice belonged to Zamal's Arbiter...
'Birdbrain?'
No, even so, calling it a birdbrain was a bit much, wasn't it?
As indignation welled up, Zamal's Arbiter's voice rang in my ear again.
[Min...d con...trol...]
Ah, so that's it.
'Brainwashing?'
It seemed to be saying that, and soon Zamal's Arbiter's voice, which had been stuttering, regained its smooth flow.
And it said,
[Be silent, stop, kneel, recall the words spoken before. They call it 'Word Spirit' so grandly, but in truth, it is nothing more than extremely powerful brainwashing or suggestion.]
Thinking about it, that made sense.
'Come to think of it...?'
Something clicked as I listened.
- Weak and pitiful beings.
- In the end, they are merely human. Frail ones.
- No matter what they do, the agent is merely a frail human.
It kept saying 'frail.'
That human limits ended there.
And that was it?
- Word Spirit.
- One of the ultimate pursuits of the ancients.
Elevating their own method to the status of an 'ultimate.'
- You won't be able to move no matter what. This is Reverse Heaven... a power created by borrowing the Grimoire's might.
- You cannot move, no matter what you do.
Propping up their claim by invoking the name of the 'Grimoire.'
At the same time...
- How regrettable. The heads of noble houses might have resisted if they had a Grimoire.
- What can be done? That is simply your limit.
- You've held out long enough. Humbly accept your limits and bow your head. We have transcended humanity.
- There's no shame in it.
Subtly implanting the idea that 'without a Grimoire, you can't escape,' whispering that defeat was natural.
From the start, spilling all that information about Word Spirit and borrowing the Grimoire's power was to plant the 'suggestion.'
'But...'
Was this even possible?
Even if the emperor whispered, 'You're an idiot and a fool,' these guys would flip him off, saying, 'Haha, just because you're the emperor doesn't make it true.'
In the best light, they had thick mental barriers. In the worst, they were stubborn as mules who never listened to anyone.
...No, wait.
That's not the important part right now.
So... let's see.
'This is brainwashing or suggestion.'
Of course, it wasn't true brainwashing. It was the advanced ancient magic called Word Spirit, something on a whole different level from mere brainwashing or suggestion. But whatever its true nature, I had felt it earlier.
'Ancient magic is whatever hangs on your nose is an earring.'
I had felt it keenly when shattering the pure white shield.
It all depended on how you accepted it.
And look at Zamal's Arbiter.
'...It broke free partially by perceiving it as brainwashing or suggestion.'
That was why it could send the message spell.
...In any case, now that I knew it was brainwashing or suggestion, escaping it wasn't so hard.
Why?
'Because it's me.'
"Now, accept your fated end, you mortals."
"Kneel and bow your heads."
The voices came.
At the same time, my body moved on its own.
I let my body kneel and bow while I calmly sank into thought. I focused my mind to break the old men's brainwashing.
...The first method to dispel brainwashing or suggestion.
A shift in perspective.
"Alright then..."
"...Humbly accept it."
Perhaps because the mana in the air had vanished, Sun and Moon resorted to a primitive method instead of magic.
Sun and Moon grabbed my hair, yanked my head back, and brought a dagger—who knows where they got it from—to my throat.
They blabbered on endlessly, but even amid that, my body didn't move.
But it was fine.
The reason I knelt was...
"To gain propulsion."
...But instead of kicking off and leaping up as the dagger dug into my skin, I thrust out my hand. And—
Squelch.
"Gahk—!"
"Kak!"
Thumb and index finger. The warm sensation at my fingertips.
I had gouged out their eyes. Not snow falling from the sky, but the eyes attached to human faces.
I stood up, brushing off my seat, as Sun and Moon recoiled in horror. Then I clenched my fists.
"You're dead now."
As I said, without magic, the strongest fighter was me.
Aster.
Master of the Magic Tower.
* * *
A chilling rupture echoed through the space. Thwack, splat, crunch. It sounded like leather being beaten, and the hand-to-hand combat was turning out fiercer than expected.
A fist to the face, and without fail, one came right back at mine.
One for one.
They traded punches amicably.
Aster's brawl with Sun and Moon was evenly matched, like goblins fighting kobolds—a beautiful sight that knights might swear lifelong enmity over.
Of course, Aster himself felt no beauty in it.
Why had this happened?
Simple.
...Word Spirit.
'Cheating with doping?'
"You are a body no lowly worm like you can touch."
"Your eyes are wide open to it."
Realizing Aster had found a way to counter Word Spirit, Sun and Moon included themselves as its targets.
That was why they could keep it neck-and-neck...
[Get out of the way.]
Aster leaped aside at the eerie sensation. At the same time, a bolt of lightning stabbed down at Sun and Moon.
Crackle!
"...Gahk!"
"Huhk!"
The magic didn't stop there.
Following it...
Golden sand, white ice, boiling flames, and all sorts of other colorful spells adorned the air.
The great mages who had broken free of Word Spirit thanks to Zamal's Arbiter's advice had stepped up...
'How?'
Mana was flowing in from another space, but there still shouldn't be enough in the air?
The answer was simple.
Of course...
'...Ah, just draw from the core's magic power.'
I had too naturally assumed we had to use the ambient mana for spells.
It was the influence of Circles.
Ever since creating Circles, I often manifested magic without using internal mana at all.
It wasn't stupid.
Not at all.
But wait.
Aster tilted his head as he watched Sun and Moon taking spells without retaliation.
'I get why for me.'
But why weren't they using magic?
Because those bodies belonged to golden mages? Could black magic not manifest ancient spells?
No, whatever the reason, that wasn't important now.
This was the perfect chance to crush Sun and Moon...
'I won't miss it.'
He clenched his fist and created Burst. With ambient mana scarce, he drew from the Circle's power. And like before, he added the 'binding.'
Right after—
Boom!
Like during the earlier fistfight, this was a strike aimed straight for the kill, no holds barred.
But Sun and Moon's reaction was no slouch.
"Wretched things!"
"Stop!"
His body hesitated.
It lacked the overwhelming compulsion from before, but it was enough to create a momentary opening. Sun and Moon bolted from the wrecked control room.
"Damn, loud mouths too."
And they ran fast, too.
So, what now?
Chase? Or not?
Quick glances exchanged. No one spoke, but perhaps because they'd briefly synced up, their intent conveyed through eyes alone.
'Yeah, let's catch them.'
And so, the corridor they chased Sun and Moon into was chilling.
No sign of 'Hand,' and with all the magic circles extinguished, it was filled with darkness. The only sound was far off...
Tap-tap-tap-tap!
Sun and Moon's frantic footsteps.
'Running like that will wreck their cartilage.'
Clearly abusing bodies that weren't theirs—stubborn bastards like that needed to be caught and beaten senseless.
'That's the last courtesy I can pay my four friends.'
The end was near.
"Heave-ho. Let's put a little more effort into it."
* * *
Somewhere in the Sheshtairon Mountains.
In front of the Sanctuary Warp Gate.
Shine, who had been standing guard blankly, suddenly looked up.
It was now the dead of night.
'The moon...'
...Wasn't out.
Since becoming one of the nightfolk, Shine found the dark night more comforting than the bright day. Yet for some reason, his mood was foul.
"Hmm."
Shine sat on a rock and hugged his demon sword Proteus close.
'Come to think of it...'
How to put it.
At some point, the ambient mana had subtly changed.
Like the calm before a storm.
"What to do..."
Shine pondered.
Stay here guarding the warp gate, waiting for the villains? Or head up to check the source of this premonition?
...The deliberation didn't last long.
Better to make a needless trip than regret it later.
Oh, but first.
As he moved to head for the mountain peak, Shine paused and eyed the warp gate.
What if a villain emerged or trash slipped in while he was away?
Then, a good solution...
'Yeah, that'll do.'
Shine gripped his demon sword Proteus. And—
Slash.
The warp gate split with a cutting sound.
"This way, no chance of crossing paths."
Grinning contentedly at his clever ploy, Shine kicked off. The Sheshtairon Mountains were towering, but his steps were unhesitating.