Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: A Quiet Night's Reflections
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The night in the third gymnasium used by the Snake Masters was serene. Only the intermittent chirping of crickets outside the window filled the arena.
Though they hadn't explicitly promised to do so, the five members of the challenger team gathered here right after the match ended. Just as they had every day for the past ten days.
When Rain entered through the door and paused in surprise before chuckling softly, everyone else broke into knowing smiles.
"Hmm, so that's how it turned out."
Logan, having heard the aftermath from Rain, stroked his chin with a hint of regret. Nora, on the other hand, seemed to accept it without much fuss.
"Well, I never thought one game would completely crush the Gryphonballers anyway★"
Just then, Weiber suddenly pointed at Rain provocatively and spoke up.
"Don't get the wrong idea—I'm saying this upfront. I only helped this once because we had to take down the Gryphonballers. You're still my enemy, so don't act all buddy-buddy now."
A brief silence fell, only to be broken as Logan, Kaden, and Nora shook their heads in their own ways and snickered.
"Dude, aren't you sick of that schtick yet?"
[fr lol]
"Way too clichéd. Time for a change, don't you think?♣"
Weiber bristled and told them to cut it out, but Logan slung an arm around his shoulders amiably and laughed it off.
"......"
Rain watched the two bicker with a smile, then quietly gazed down at his fingers, meticulously wrapped in bandages.
The scars of that brutal training—torn skin, blisters, broken nails—proof of ten relentless days.
As a pang tugged at his heart, Lilian spoke up.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing... Just feels like it's really over."
This might be the first time he'd ever properly witnessed the end of any journey.
Even during his days as the great mage of the hero's party—his first and longest journey of a lifetime—he never saw its conclusion.
He hadn't ended it himself, hadn't witnessed it, and had simply lived on in solitude and helplessness, unable to share that end with his comrades.
"We really pushed hard, didn't we?"
Perhaps, just perhaps.
Words he might have shared with the Rista party—or rather, should have shared with them first.
"Feels like it's truly all over now."
What if he'd said them back then? What would have happened?
Kies, dead drunk, would have hoisted him up and plopped him on his neck. Fride would have burst out laughing at Rain's frantic protests, only to choke on her cigarette smoke. Serves him right.
Rista would have worriedly patted Fride's back. Definitely.
Tureina would have clung to Kies's leg, demanding he stop bullying her master... and Pipi would have circled above her head, teasing away.
If only he'd been there then, if only he could have savored that "moment of ending" with those hopeless fools...
"This is what an ending feels like..."
A deep sorrow welled up from the depths of his chest—perhaps even his soul—hot tears pricking at his eyes unbidden.
"......?"
"......?"
"......?"
The disciples of the Eight Great Academies, oblivious to Rain's inner turmoil, exchanged bewildered glances when he wiped his eyes with his arm. They soon turned on the suspected culprit, jabbing him with their elbows.
'You ruined the mood with your dumbass comment★'
'Nora's right. You wouldn't know how sensitive our young master is.'
[fr, you crossed a line;;;]
'No, you crazy bastards, why's this my fault?'
'Whatever, just apologize already. You're making him cry.'
Outnumbered and shoved forward by the other four, Weiber sighed like the world was ending and grumbled.
"Fine, got it! Seriously! I'll help you one more time next time, so quit acting like such a pathetic noble!"
Rain, clueless as to what was going on (and not hurt by Weiber anyway), blinked in confusion. Logan quickly backed him up.
"Exactly, young master. No need to feel slighted! If you're still bummed, how about calling for one more crushing match against Lionheart?"
A momentary hush.
Lilian pressed her temple and shook her head in disbelief.
"You say that straight to Professor Owen and see if you can handle the fallout?"
"Ah, no, I mean... What I'm saying is, this isn't the end!"
As Logan scratched his head like an idiot, laughter erupted once more. Even Rain let out a chuckle.
Yeah, it probably would have been like this.
It definitely would have been back then too.
No time to dwell on the loss of an ending—they'd have been dreaming up futures together. After all, they'd set off on adventures as one...
* * *
As Bow Star Kies's twilight deepened and he remained bedridden, his kin and disciples flitted about in panic, at a loss.
"The shrine maiden says there's nothing she can do..."
"Still no word from Fride?"
"No one knows her whereabouts since she headed south."
"Then we have to bring Tureina!"
"Master said he won't accept treatment from her."
Amid the frantic noises from beyond the door, the old hero felt no fear of death.
Just an inescapable regret and sorrow.
Kies's ragged, final breaths drew his gaze to the rack on the wall, where his lifelong companion rested.
Serwevon, the white spirit bow—its frame blooming with the flower of life from the sacred branch, its string woven from its vines.
'Serwevon, companion of my soul.'
The pristine white frame resonated to its master's call, exhaling the world tree's breath. A familiar, pure scent curved Kies's lips into a smile.
'I grow old and die... but you, a fragment of the world tree, shall live near eternally.'
Wooong... Gloomy light seeped from the bow's cracks. Serwevon, with its own will, mourned its friend's passing.
'With that immortal life, guide my unworthy disciples... Make them archers as fine as I.'
Wooong...
'And when our friend returns, when Lin needs aid... Be his strength.'
Wooong, wooong, wooong... At Lin's name, the world tree's scent from Serwevon carried autumn's aroma. Sad, fleeting, withered...
'And one day, when we meet again, pass this on.'
As death's heavy veil sealed his eyelids, the scene flashing before Kies was that flower field.
Birds singing, flowers dancing—the field where Rista dragged a reluctant Lin by the hand, while he and Fride watched from afar, smiling.
After etching that eternally longed-for day once more in his heart, the star of the bow quietly fell beyond the night sky.
'I never forgot you, not for a single day in my life.'
* * *
Back at the dorm, Pipi greeted him enthusiastically. He scooped a handful of corn from the sack, and it danced with joy.
He grabbed his wash kit and headed straight for the bath. As he peeled off clothes pickled in sweat, his left palm caught his eye.
Whoa, the lines look deeper... Come to think of it, it started hurting during volleyball. Did it happen then?
"Hmm...?"
He'd planned to soak in the hot tub until lights-out, but curiosity won out. He rinsed off quickly and emerged.
The mirror in the changing room showed a body honed by magic-protein—defined muscles with real weight—but no time to admire it.
All that mattered was his body moved freely as it wished. Falling for muscles was a Chaihak Academy thing.
"Rudiyën, come out."
Toweling his hair, he opened his notebook. A cobalt-blue butterfly of light fluttered out and perched on his shoulder, as if waiting.
Socrafres.
- Inheriting 'unique magic' research progress from the surrounding environment.
- Progress: 49.8% -> 50%.
- 'Unique magic' comprehension: 50% achieved.
>>>
Brante.
- Mana circuit alteration detected: Yuryangsejon => Yuryangsejon - Gyeong (流量世尊 - 警).
Yuryangsejon changed?
Yuryangsejon - Gyeong?
That rune... He pondered briefly, then spread his left palm.
"Analyze the circuit."
Rudiyën settled on his palm, fluttering its wings lightly. Mana particles scattered, then coalesced into text before his eyes.
>>>
Camitishia.
Analyzing circuit...
・Upon activation, deploys 'Heart Image Barrier: Yuryangsejon - Gyeong' within 20 meters of the caster.
・Within 'Heart Image Barrier: Yuryangsejon - Gyeong', magic combination success rate using 'unique runes' and 'unique formulas' rises from 38 -> 43%, power amplified from 71 -> 76%.
Ignoring the 5% boosts to success and power, it wasn't much different from plain Yuryangsejon.
But 5% was still 5%.
He pumped his fist excitedly, then noticed the new option below.
>>>
Camitishia.
・Within 'Heart Image Barrier: Yuryangsejon - Gyeong', forming the Gyeong (警) mudra activates 'Jeso Swirl Yeon (制誓鎖攔鍊)'.
Jeso Swirl Yeon... He let out an involuntary chuckle.
Was this for real? Possible?
Jeso Swirl Yeon was essentially the true name of his 5-star spell 'Chains of Vigilance'—more a sequence of its five runes, really. The very technique Ribarden had cornered him with.
'I stole it with Bell Quirius to use it, but I figured direct casting was still far off.'
No wonder it became Lin's staple—it was that powerful.
But magic's world was give and take. Not all upsides.
・Mana cost for activation: 37,000 (Warning - Caster's current mana: 39,943).
As expected, the heart image deployment cost had nearly doubled.
From 20,000 before, now it demanded almost all his mana.
Good or bad...? Obviously good, but it soured the mood. Can't they just give without strings?
"Keuk."
Chuckling at his own childish gripe, he flopped onto the bed. Pipi extinguished the lamp and alighted on his forehead.
"Keuk, keuk, keuk."
"Pipi knows?"
"Pipi doesn't. Keuk, keuk."
"I'm already halfway to 6-star magic! Jealous? Jealousjealousjealous?"
"Pipi jealousjealousjealousjealousjealous."
"Kekekeke."
"Kekeke."
Pipi always played along with his childish antics—it made him so happy.
Halfway to 6-star magic thrilled him so much he rolled around on the bed, kicking up dust, until Pipi pecked his forehead to stop.
Drowsiness crept in. He pulled the blanket to his chest, and Pipi settled beside his face, sharing the sun's warmth.
"Goodnight, Pipi."
"Pipi goodnight. Goodnight, Lin."
The boy's eyes drifted shut, his consciousness slipping into darkness...
As his steady breathing began, Pipi quietly took flight, perching atop the dorm's highest point—the bookshelf.
Its eyes aglow, it stood vigil against any dangers lurking in the night. Just as it had through the long journey's days, and ever since arriving here.
- Protect that child for me, Pipi.
As promised to Fride.
Contrary to Lin's thoughts, Pipi wasn't sleeping more. It simply stayed awake at night.
In the summer night breeze drifting through the open lattice window, the sun parrot preened its wings with its beak and gazed at the moon.
The four moons, unchanged from the night the journey ended three hundred years ago.