Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Time Attack
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Thousands, tens of thousands of spectators packed the circular arena.
They were all cheering wildly at the massive screen standing at the center of the arena.
“Kill them! Slaughter them all!”
“Destroy everything! That’s it! Hahaha!”
“Why are our side getting pushed back? Haha! Still fun! Die! Get crushed!”
Psykers, who had discarded their human flesh for immortality and transformed themselves into complex constructs of mana and energy.
Even though they had forsaken their bodies and thus all bodily sensations and pleasures, they could not forget the joys of their human days.
Of course, they couldn’t eat food, enjoy carnal pleasures, or feel the satisfaction of growing their bodies through their own efforts.
Thanks to that, this “invasion” that came every few decades was an unparalleled peak of stimulation, something irreplaceable.
Watching them from a special VIP room set aside in the arena was a certain man.
“Patron... Number 1 is dead.”
The moment Claude’s Pure Magic obliterated the patron, every spectator leaped to their feet, unleashing fervent reactions.
“And they’re all thrilled. Yes. The annihilation of a Psyker is stimulating, even if it’s a great figure who sacrificed himself for the race.”
The man was wrapped in black bandages around his body. The man in white bandages standing beside him tore his gaze from the screen and asked.
“You seem displeased, Overseer.”
“It feels like we’ve lost far more than we’ve gained. We obtained immortality, but lost our dignity.”
“Those who didn’t receive the bandages have no choice.”
“Yes. No choice.”
The bandages were a privilege reserved for the elite of the Saik Dimension.
Most citizens who couldn’t wrap themselves in bandages had no option but to pour all their passion into such primitive thrills, wasting their energy as generators propping up civilization.
“And now we face a fatally dangerous situation.”
The Overseer, wrapped in black bandages, said. The agent in white bandages looked puzzled and asked back.
“Number 1 sacrificed himself to wipe out their remaining time. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Do you really think so?”
In that instant, the agent’s entire body shrank slightly.
Crunch!
The agent dropped to his knees on the spot, groaning.
“Ugh... Overseer...”
“Why do you think Number 1 sacrificed himself?”
“Th-that’s because. They, the beings of the Ald Dimension, were deemed dangerous...”
“Exactly. Especially that human.”
The Overseer stared at Claude’s dazed face on the screen.
“That one’s presence is becoming a threat. How much of the Ald Dimension’s potential has been unlocked now?”
“R-right now...”
The agent pulled out a small clock-like device and checked its contents.
“Right now... 14%.”
“And one year ago?”
“One year ago... 4 percent.”
“In just one year, it rose 10 percent. Clearly because of that Claude fellow.”
At the same time, the agent’s crumpled bandages restored to their original shape. The agent hastily stood up and assumed a rigid posture.
“Now we know the grace period, which had 9 years left, has been shortened to 1 year. Doesn’t that just give him even more motivation?”
“That’s...”
“Claude will surely go berserk over that one year to awaken the dimension’s potential. He’ll sweat bullets for it.”
“But only one year remains.”
The agent replied in a cracked voice.
“Even if he raises it another 10% in that remaining year, the odds of repelling the invasion are still minuscule.”
“Minuscule means there’s still a chance, doesn’t it?”
The Overseer lowered his head, his voice dropping.
“The total potential of the Ald Dimension is extraordinarily high. Higher than any other dimension we’ve annihilated so far.”
“That’s true, but.”
“When its potential was at 4%, what were the odds of our invasion failing?”
“None. Not even in the decimals, infinitesimally below.”
“And now?”
“Still under 1 percent. About 0.97.”
“That’s nearly 1 percent. Do you think 1 percent is low?”
“It’s not a high number, but...”
“You’re reckless too. The recklessness of one who’s only had the bandages for a short while.”
The Overseer glared at the agent as he spoke.
“Remember that with that 1 percent probability, we Psykers could perish.”
“...”
“If they repel the invasion, the Ald Dimension qualifies. Then the scramble for positions begins. If we lose there, what happens to us?”
“...We perish.”
The agent protested in a heavy voice.
“But Overseer, since we joined this ‘Great Game,’ we’ve never once lost to a lower dimension.”
“Of course. We’d have perished if we had.”
“...”
“Now the entire Saik race faces the possibility of annihilation. Because of one human from that lower dimension. This is a critical situation. Understand? You young agent who’s only had the bandages for a mere 179 years?”
The Overseer placed a hand on the agent’s shoulder. The agent’s body convulsed wildly as if electrocuted, twisting in agony.
“Guh, kuh, ugh, ack.”
“Do you feel it? This pain I’m feeling so viscerally?”
“...Yes. Overseer. I’ve felt your pain as well.”
The agent shuddered, white steam pouring from his entire body.
“I apologize. To think the great Overseer has been suffering such horrific torment.”
“That tiny human did this to me. From today, you are Patron Number 2.”
Silence fell. The agent immediately dropped to one knee and replied.
“It is an honor, Overseer. Truly an honor.”
“One year remains. And we can no longer interfere additionally in the Ald Dimension. But there are still remaining sponsored individuals, right?”
“Yes. Seven remain, and six of them can still be utilized.”
“Why not one?”
“One had its image barrier destroyed by Claude’s Pure Magic. It’s difficult to approach now.”
“I see. Utilize them to the utmost. I’ll provide all possible resources. With that, eliminate Claude before the invasion begins, or inflict damage on the Ald Dimension that even Claude alone can’t handle.”
“I will keep that in mind, Overseer.”
“Then what will you do first?”
“I will first...”
The agent, now the new patron, pondered briefly before answering.
“Secure the Elf Lord, Dezhar.”
“Why?”
“Dezhar alone sways the Ald Dimension’s potential by 2 percent. We must bring him to our side and utilize him before variables arise.”
“Do so.”
The Overseer nodded. Then he gripped both of Patron Number 2’s shoulders and said.
“You said the manifested potential of the Ald Dimension is 14%.”
“Y-yes, Overseer.”
“If we eliminate Claude, it’ll drop back to 4%.”
“Probably... I think so.”
“I pray that before the invasion, the manifested potential returns to single digits. As long as it doesn’t directly violate the ‘Committee’s’ rules, use any means necessary to make it so. Understood?”
“Understood, Overseer.”
Number 2 vowed, feeling his body crumple once more.
“Even if it costs my life, even if my existence perishes, I will...”
* * *
My mind feels like it’s about to fly away.
Where am I? Who am I? Why am I clutching bandages and slumped on the floor?
Well, that pervert bandage guy said so, didn’t he? Now the otherworld invasion is only in 1 year?
Oh god, oh god. Is that real? We’re in deep shit. What do we do? Aren’t we all screwed now?
“Prince! We’ve won!”
Dabi’s shout pierced my eardrums in that instant.
Thanks to that, my spirit, which had escaped to the afterlife, returned to the land of the living. I looked up blankly at Dabi standing beside me and nodded.
“Yeah. We won.”
“We won, so why the long face? Are you hurt somewhere...? No, there’s blood on your side! Prince!”
“Ah, this. It’s already healed.”
I touched the wound from the patron’s stab and shook my head.
“No injuries, so don’t worry. My heart’s the one that’s hurt, though.”
“I was shocked too. With those absurd monsters suddenly pouring out, the other knights and soldiers must’ve been hit hard as well.”
Yeah, they would’ve been.
But the wound in my heart is in a different league. If that patron was telling the truth, then there’s only 1 year left until the full invasion.
“What the hell am I supposed to do...”
“Prince?”
“Dabi, I need some time to think, so can you leave me alone for a bit? Just a little while.”
Right now, I need time to think alone. Dabi nodded and stood rigidly guarding in front of me.
...1 year left.
What’s surprising is, it doesn’t feel like I’ve plunged into utter despair.
If the invasion started right now, maybe, but there’s still a whole year left, right?
Sure, it’s frustrating that the time’s been slashed, but thanks to that, my head’s spinning faster with urgency.
Yeah. Think, Claude. You need to think now.
No matter how exhausted my body feels, like it’s about to collapse, I have to come up with something right this moment.
Why?
Because the patron died.
Isn’t that a good thing, then? That bastard fell into his own trap and shortened our time, but at least he won’t rampage anymore?
Hmm...
No way.
You can’t bet the fate of the world on such soft thinking.
No way there’s only one patron in the otherworld, right?
Of course, assume there’s a new one. They’ll surely go all out to ruin our last year. Right? If I were them, I would. Absolutely.
No, if I were them, I’d focus entirely on me as the target and throw everything at killing me.
Me, me, me, me, me...
Yeah, me.
But how?
Most of the otherworld’s schemes end up tied to human traitors.
So what do we do?
Eliminate them in advance. The human traitors.
Then who first?
Who else? Start with the root of this mess that just happened.
“Ugh, my back... Can you help me up?”
“Yes, Prince.”
Dabi grabbed my hand and yanked me up like drawing a sword. Whew, this kid’s still brimming with energy. I feel like I’ve completely melted.
“For now, stay here and handle the cleanup. Bring all the priests I left at the Tolari Magic Tower and treat the wounded. Meanwhile, I have somewhere urgent to go.”
“Right now?”
Dabi’s eyes widened as he shook his head.
“No. What you need, Prince, is rest. No matter how urgent, you should take a few days to rest and calm your mind...”
“I’m going to calm my mind.”
“Huh?”
“In this state, I can’t even stretch out and sleep. I need to kill those bastards right away. At least one of them.”
I pulled a sugar bar from my pocket, popped it in my mouth, and closed my eyes.
“Ugh, it’s melting... Anyway, it’s no big deal, so don’t worry. I’ll be right back.”
“No big deal? Who the hell are you going to kill?”
Dabi asked. I didn’t bother answering and shoved another sugar bar into my mouth.
Right?
If I said I’m flying off to the Eternal Forest to kill the ‘Elf Lord,’ Dabi would surely knock me out cold to stop me, wouldn’t he?