Chapter 254
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: Part 2 Chapter 22: Sparring (1)
Morning sunlight filtered into the dim room, chasing away the darkness.
Isis, who had risen early, slipped into a white shirt in the nude.
She then walked over to the window and gazed outside.
Avalon's residents were already bustling about their morning tasks.
The Frontier turned because of people like them.
Truly grateful folks.
Her gaze shifted to her right arm.
The blackened, dead limb felt almost no sensation.
It was a wound from Chironseira, the ancient dragon of the Blue Clan.
"No chance of full recovery, huh?"
Even armed with the Thunder Dragon Sword Gram, an ancient dragon was still an ancient dragon.
And one of the strongest among the dragonkin at that, so getting off with just her right arm was a bargain.
The other Frontier members didn't seem to see it that way, but a good outcome was what mattered, right?
"Your arm?"
A voice came from the direction of the door.
It belonged to a man with gray curly hair down to his jaw, a gray diamond-shaped gem embedded in his forehead.
"Clark, you're here."
He was of the same Lan race as Isis and served as the Frontier's stoic vice-captain, always by her side.
He was also the guard knight assigned by the Lan king to monitor and protect her.
Isis laboriously lifted her right arm and said,
"As you can see, still like this."
"Let's head back. The shamanism of our homeland can heal it."
"What's with the long-winded talk?"
"I'm not joking, Princess."
At Clark's serious tone, Isis couldn't joke anymore.
"Your arm's in that state—what more could you want? His Majesty is worried. If you don't plan to cut ties with him, let's go back now. Someone else will carry on the great cause."
"Hey, Clark."
Isis's beautiful eyes narrowed sharply.
A terrifying killing intent poured out, constricting Clark.
Clark countered her aura with his own.
The power unleashed by the two Lan filled the small house, threatening to collapse it at any moment.
"I told you never to mention going back in front of me again."
"I have no reason to obey that. The only one who can command me is His Majesty."
"Stubborn fool. How long do you plan to live like a slave? Aren't you sick of it?"
"The very idea of killing the 12 Gods is misguided. The Lan are strong. But why can't you accept that slaying gods is impossible? Did Jamie Welton give you hope?"
Isis flinched slightly.
Clark continued with sunken eyes.
"He's human in the end. I don't intend to underestimate humans like Hawks does, but don't they have clear limits no matter how strong they get?"
"You don't know him."
"But I know you, Princess. Why are you so invested in another race's affairs? World Reset? We Lan can endure it. That's how we're made."
"Right. We can endure. We might even be appointed rulers of the next world. But Clark, I don't want to be a slave."
Slave.
At that word, Clark had nothing more to say.
The path Isis chose wasn't just a thorny road.
It was akin to crossing a hellscape shrouded in sulfurous smoke.
"We must liberate the world. It's not that I'll become something great to make it happen. Someone has to do it. This land is the 12 Gods' playground, and to them, all life is less than ants. They say the ancient gods, once rulers of the world, existed for its prosperity. I want to make it that way. I want to show those who know no hell what it is, and extend a hand to pull them out."
"Princess."
"If you don't want to help, fine. But don't tell me to go back. If you do it again, I might kill you."
Knowing her final words were sincere, Clark could only sigh.
"I'll tell His Majesty you're fine for now."
"Clark."
Clark vanished.
Isis stared at the spot where he had been, then let out a low sigh.
"Lucky."
She sat on the bed and brushed back her sky-blue hair.
Clark was one of the top powerhouses in the Lan world.
With her right arm in this state, she couldn't stop him if he decided to drag her back.
Fortunately, he showed consideration in the end.
Isis lay back on the bed.
Having her energy drained first thing in the morning left her a bit hungry.
Then, she spotted a flash of light in the distance.
"Who's that this early?"
It just might be Jamie Welton.
Forgetting her hunger, she dressed properly and headed toward the light.
"This is the layering technique."
Jamie drew a magic circle in midair using the layering technique and showed it to Nel-Sharan.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched intently.
"You don't have to complete a magic circle in one go. Trying to do it all at once makes it hard to place the necessary symbols precisely."
Just like at Phoenix Academy, Jamie was explaining the basics of magic circles to Nel-Sharan.
This era's humans hadn't developed layering or three-dimensional synthesis techniques.
Even elves were the same, judging by Nel-Sharan's perked-up long ears as she listened eagerly.
"This way, you can infuse more at once. Got it?"
Jamie closed the magic circle and asked Nel-Sharan.
She pondered for a moment, then stood and deployed the layering technique herself.
'As expected, she nailed it on the first try.'
Nel-Sharan seemed to have the talent of a scholar like Ann.
Of course, her autism prevented her from fully realizing it, but her comprehension was overwhelming.
Jamie thought she might even surpass 9th class.
She was one of the few geniuses across his pre- and post-reincarnation lives.
Then, he sensed someone approaching from afar.
"What're you guys up to~?"
Isis's voice carried from a distance.
Her sky-blue hair fluttering, she arrived in an instant, arms spread wide in a stylish landing pose.
"Ow ow!"
Her right arm strained, and she grimaced, rubbing it.
"Lady Isis?"
Braha called her name with a surprised look.
"Hi~ Braha."
Isis waved cheerfully at Braha, but something darted behind him with a rustle.
It peeked out, staring at Isis.
It was Nel-Sharan, her hood half-off.
Jamie tilted his head at Nel-Sharan's sudden change.
"Did you tick her off or something?"
"No... I guess I'm just scary to her."
"Hmm."
Nel-Sharan kept her half-lidded eyes fixed on Isis.
Her lips drooped downward, as if she really disliked her.
Come to think of it, unlike her current lively demeanor, when they first met at the guild hall, she stayed silent no matter what was said around her.
"Nel's famous for only talking to Braha and Uncle Lil, so how'd you end up together? You've only known her a day."
Isis was equally surprised.
She knew well about Nel-Sharan's mental issues.
Still, her magical prowess and genius brain earned her a spot as a Frontier executive.
Her artifacts were indeed a huge asset to their forces.
"She suddenly wanted to chat. Guess she felt something from my fight with Hawks yesterday."
"Even so, she's super shy..."
"But what brings you here?"
"Saw the flashes from here and came to check. What were you doing?"
"Testing this."
Jamie showed her the rabbit carving.
"Wooden rabbit? What's it do?"
From what Jin had once told him, there was a saying in Rye: A single glance beats a hundred words.
Instead of explaining, Jamie infused mana into Nia. It transformed into a hand cannon enveloping his right hand.
"...Nel's work, huh?"
"A cannon incorporating the photon system."
"Photon system?"
"Like this."
He aimed Nia skyward and fired photon energy.
Isis let out a short gasp of admiration at the pure white beam shooting into the air.
"Whoa!"
She was no mage, but she could tell the energy in that beam was extraordinary.
Jamie added,
"Not a perfect photon system yet, but once complete, it'll smash enemies with light-speed power. In this universe, speed is absolute power, so the destructive force will be unimaginable."
"If we could mass-produce these..."
"That's for later. Still needs work."
Jamie lightly tossed Nia to Nel-Sharan.
She, who had been eyeing Isis warily, lunged to catch it.
It bounced from her hands a few times, nearly hitting the ground.
Its base form was wood, so it wouldn't break, but Nel-Sharan clutched it tightly and sighed in relief.
Braha approached and patted her head.
Jamie watched the scene, then asked Isis,
"Why do you look so down?"
"Huh?"
"You seem a bit gloomier than usual."
Isis touched her face, flustered.
Had her earlier encounter shown on her expression?
No way.
She'd lived long enough that hiding her feelings was child's play.
So how did Jamie notice?
"It was real."
"You were probing?"
"Halfway? Gloomy people have a vibe. Especially those forcing cheer early in the morning—often more down than usual."
Just from that?
Isis found it absurd, but also pathetic that she'd fallen for such a probe.
That earlier talk had rattled her that much.
"It's nothing. I get days like this once a month."
Jamie frowned at her words.
She didn't seem eager to share, so he dropped it.
They weren't that close anyway.
"More importantly, you asked Uncle Lil about a sword?"
"How'd you know? I just dropped it off an hour ago."
"Everything in Avalon gets reported to me in real-time. Even the small stuff."
"Big Brother?"
"What's that?"
"It's a thing."
"Boring. Anyway, I heard you have some sword skills..."
Isis smiled intriguingly at Jamie.
He raised an eyebrow casually.
"What's the deal?"
"Mind if this big sis shows you the ropes?"
"Who's the big sis? You're younger."
Counting his time trapped in primordial darkness, Jamie had lived over 60,000 years—a true ancient monster.
Isis had over a millennium, but it was incomparable.
She shrugged teasingly.
"I'm stronger, so big sis."
"Funny logic. So, who's stronger?"
Jamie wiggled his fingers, ramping up his fighting spirit.
He'd wanted to test Isis's strength firsthand anyway.
Then, Nel-Sharan, who had been doting on Nia, spoke up.
"Isis strong. Jamie lose."
With that, she grabbed Braha's hand and vanished.
Jamie and Isis stared at the spot blankly. Then Isis grinned provocatively first.
"Hear that? Wanna see?"
"Not 'see.'"
Jamie formed a mana sword in his hand.
"Sparring!"
He attacked preemptively.
A truly manly move.