Chapter 358: The First Battle (Triple Chapter)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 358: The First Battle (Triple Chapter)
After Liya "purified" the area with her Holy Light, Muen and his companion spent some time scouting the village.
They found no further signs of danger or anything out of the ordinary. However, they did find statues of the Goddess enshrined in every single house, a testament to the devout faith of the original inhabitants.
Beyond that, the passage of time had eroded much of the village's original character, making it difficult to uncover any useful clues.
Later, around the outskirts of the village, the two discovered fruits that tasted like "chicken," "fish," and various other meats.
"No wonder there isn't a single trace of farmland. In a place like this, there’s no need for the backbreaking labor of planting crops."
Foods that only the "wealthy" and the "upper class" could afford in the outside world could be obtained here simply by reaching out a hand.
"Thinking about it that way, it’s quite a blessed existence. Though, I wouldn't dare try this kind of 'happiness' on a whim."
Muen gave a light, sentimental sigh, casually tossing aside the exquisite fruits. He turned to Liya.
"Let's go. There’s likely nothing else of value here. We should keep moving."
"Okay!"
Liya nodded vigorously. She had seemed quite cheerful for a while now.
*
Cantville had no sun, and consequently, no concept of time.
In fact, from the moment Muen entered these ruins until now, the intensity of the light hadn't changed at all.
Morning, noon, and evening simply didn't seem to exist here.
However, Muen had specifically reset his pocket watch upon entry to keep track of time. When the hands indicated that six hours had passed, he finally saw the silhouette of a town emerging from the other side of the wilderness.
"As expected. If there are villages, there must be larger settlements—towns."
The two reached the edge of the town and peered cautiously inside.
"It’s abandoned too, though," Liya noted.
She looked left and right. The town was indeed derelict and overgrown with weeds. Countless shadows seemed to lurk within the deep darkness.
Aside from some strange graffiti on the walls that caught the eye, the town offered nothing special. Consequently, both she and Muen soon shifted their gaze past the silent town to the massive wall situated behind it.
"That must be... the wall the Church mentioned, the one that seals off the inner region."
"Yes, it should be. My teacher told me that the Church's exploration stopped at the outskirts not just because the ruins are fragile, but because this wall blocks the path forward. To enter, one must open a passage."
"A passage? Like a door or something? I assume other methods... won't work?"
Muen looked up, his gaze following the wall as it stretched upward, and he couldn't help but marvel.
The higher the wall went, the more its color faded, until the upper half merged completely with the backdrop of the sky.
It was only now that Muen realized the wall was terrifyingly high. It likely connected directly to the "sky" of Cantville, completely dividing the entire realm into inner and outer zones.
Whatever the wall's purpose, it was clear that shortcuts were out of the question. To make progress, they would have to break through head-on.
"It seems the area beneath this wall will be the most contested zone for all the participants."
Muen rubbed his chin, his eyes flickering.
The vastness of the outer region made it difficult for participants to encounter one another; the fact that Muen hadn't seen a soul in six hours was proof of that. However, as long as anyone intended to go deeper into the ruins, they would inevitably meet beneath this wall.
That included the Saintess candidates and their knights.
"Anyway, let's head in while there's no one else around. We might be able to seize the initiative."
"Um... Huh? Muen, Muen! Look over there!"
Just as Muen was about to step into the town, Liya let out a soft cry and nervously tugged at his sleeve.
Muen looked in the direction she was pointing, and his eyes narrowed instantly.
At the edge of the town, beneath a wall not far from them, a figure sat leaning against the stone. It was so silent that Muen hadn't even noticed it at first.
But upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't a person—or rather, not a living one.
It was...
"A corpse?"
In the shadow of the wall, the pale face was frozen in a mask of terror. The lifeless, wide-open eyes were glazed over, yet they still held a trace of shrill resentment.
It was a man. He seemed to have died recently; warm blood was still trickling from a hole in his forehead.
"An inhabitant?"
"No. Looking at the clothes, he should be an Outsider like us."
Muen approached cautiously to examine the wounds.
The man's clothes were still neat—some kind of uniform. The only visible external injury was the hole in his forehead. There were no signs of a struggle in the surrounding area.
In other words... he had been killed in a single strike.
None of the people qualified to participate in this ceremony were pushovers. What kind of enemy could kill someone like this in a single, frontal blow?
Liya’s face was tense. She seemed to have realized the horror of the situation as well and looked at Muen nervously.
"What should we do?"
"I think—"
Zing!
Before he could finish, the answer to her question revealed itself.
A sharp, whistling sound tore through the air, like a claw violently rending the atmosphere. It carried a bone-chilling cold and murderous intent toward the prey that had finally fallen into the long-awaited trap.
"Muen, watch out!"
Liya’s scream and the icy arrow arrived almost simultaneously. But even before that, Muen’s body moved as if by premonition, shifting a few centimeters to the side without a trace of wasted effort.
The arrow easily tore through his Fighting Spirit defense and grazed his cheek. Had it not been for those few centimeters, his head would have been pinned to the wall just like the corpse.
"A magic arrow... capable of easily piercing Fighting Spirit?"
Muen’s gaze shifted slightly, casting a grim look at the arrow behind him, which had instantly ground an entire house into splinters.
The power was immense, the attack swift. From what he could sense, the arrow was imbued with multiple attributes: anti-magic, stealth, armor-piercing, poison, and fire.
Most importantly, before that whistling sound had reached his ears, his Death Warning... had failed again.
This was a rare occurrence. During the previous assassination attempt, the killer had suppressed their cultivation to hide their killing intent. But in a long-range snipe like this, who would be foolish enough to tie their own hands? If they suppressed their cultivation to that extent, they probably wouldn't even be able to draw the bow.
So, was it the arrow that was special... or the person?
Muen raised an eyebrow and turned toward the depths of the shadows.
"Sending such an expensive gift right off the bat... I'm truly flattered."
"Flattered? I'm the one who's shocked."
A young man wearing a silver uniform with a beast emblem pinned to his chest stepped out of the shadows. He held a longbow and looked at Muen with a hunter's cruel smile.
"To think you could dodge that sneak attack... Princess Celicia’s little pretty boy... you don't seem to be the harmless rabbit the rumors say you are."
"Pretty boy..."
A vein throbbed on Muen's forehead.
"Sir, while I admit I have a peerless face that makes countless men jealous, it's quite rude to use such hearsay nicknames so casually."
"Is that so? My apologies. I was being reckless."
The young man nodded seriously, as if recognizing his lapse in etiquette. "In that case, please exit the stage along with your Saintess candidate, Mr. Scum Man Who Juggles Thirteen Women."
"...That was just nonsense made up by the newspapers," Muen ground out through gritted teeth.
"Really?"
The young man paused, pulled out a small booklet from somewhere, and frowned.
"But the intel I bought from a strange man in a bear suit said otherwise. It recorded the matter in great detail—every 'ship' accounted for, start to finish. Especially the part about sinking a Dreadnought-class battleship; it was the most gripping piece of realist emotional drama I've ever read!"
"Huh? ...Bear suit?"
Muen’s eye twitched. He saw a hand-drawn pink bear face in the corner of the booklet, seemingly mocking him...
The Pink Bear!!
That bastard!!
So you didn't just spread rumors about me in the newspapers?!
A gentleman always settles his scores. I'm definitely going to file a massive complaint against you later!
"Forget it. Even though it cost me a full thousand Emiels, it doesn't matter now. Muen Campbell, your biggest mistake was showing off your strength too early in front of others."
The young man tossed the booklet aside, notched an arrow, and sneered.
"Sometimes, weakness is an advantage. But no wolf will tolerate a sheep shaking its tail in front of it—especially when you represent the Empire and the God-Attendant Knights!"
The young man released his fingers. The bowstring boomed, and a second whistling sound rang out!
Unlike before, Muen sensed a massive amount of mana within this one!
"Liya, get back!"
Muen pushed Liya to safety. As he turned his head, he caught Liya’s nervous and resentful gaze.
"Muen... is it... is it true about the thirteen women?"
"It's a lie!" Muen roared, his heart bleeding.
What was going on? Didn't she say she believed in him before? Why was she wavering now?!
How could he possibly be that capable? So far, he had only juggled...
Wait, now was not the time for that!
A violent explosion erupted where the arrow struck. Searing heat swept out like a fire tornado.
Fortunately, despite her question, Liya’s movements hadn't slowed. She successfully dodged the attack using her Holy Light.
However, within the billowing dust, an even denser and more terrifying mana fluctuation surged again.
"Dodged again? I suppose I'll have to get a bit more serious."
The young man’s regretful sigh drifted from nearby.
This time, the source of the mana wasn't an arrow, but... a chant!
"Muen, be careful! The emblem on his chest... he's from the Summoning School—"
Liya’s voice was cut short, drowned out by a grand, multi-layered chant that sounded like several high-pitched voices in harmony.
Muen’s pupils shrank. He waved away the smoke, but the figure on the other side wasn't Liya. It was...
A pouncing monster!
A wolf-like beast rose on its hind legs, its sharp claws whipping up a foul wind capable of rending steel!
This was...
A magical beast?
Muen’s pupils contracted. He activated Shadow Step, his figure flickering as he dodged the beast's lunge.
But dodging the attack didn't bring him relief; instead, his heart grew heavier.
As the smoke cleared, his surroundings came into view.
One by one, ferocious magical beasts prowled out from the shadows of the derelict buildings, slowly surrounding Muen.
Atop a tall building, a beast radiating the aura of a savage alpha let out a deafening roar toward the sky.
"Summoning School... You're a Summoning Mage?"
Muen dodged another lunge and smoothly drove Elizabeth into the beast's vitals.
But even with its neck pierced and blood gushing out, the beast's ferocity didn't wane. It snapped at Muen with a hideous expression.
Muen flickered away again, frowning at the uniformed young man.
"You can summon this many beasts by yourself?"
Information about Summoning Magic flashed through Muen's mind.
He was no longer a magic novice. After a period of intensive study, although he could still only cast a single Illumination Spell in practice, his theoretical knowledge had improved significantly.
That was why he was surprised.
Summoning Magic brought forth either contracted beasts, terrifying creatures from the Abyss, or magical constructs. Regardless of the type, it was closely tied to the caster's mana capacity.
But for a Third-Tier Mage's mana...
Muen glanced at the growing number of beasts. They had completely surrounded him—nearly a hundred of them.
This number... was terrifying.
"Heh. This is the gap between a genius and a commoner, isn't it?"
The young man let out an arrogant, reckless sneer, looking down like he was watching a struggling ant.
"Keep struggling. I'll enjoy the show from here!"
"Genius? Commoner?"
Muen ignored the words, turning to look around.
"So, where's Liya? Did you make her disappear with your 'genius' magic too?"
"Hehe, who knows..."
The young man tilted his head. Muen followed his gaze and saw another area on the other side of the wall, also surrounded by magical beasts. Flashes of Holy Light and the screams of a young girl occasionally drifted from within.
"Perhaps..."
Seeing this, the young man’s smile grew even more insolent, as if he wanted his words to stab into Muen's heart like knives.
"The person you're protecting is about to meet a tragic end, Sir Knight."
"..."
Muen’s expression darkened instantly. He glanced at the other side again, said nothing, and suddenly accelerated!
A dozen beasts pounced simultaneously, forming a giant net falling from the sky with no room to dodge.
But Muen didn't dodge. Instead, a cold blade-light erupted from the gaps between the flesh.
He carved a path in an instant.
Blood sprayed like rain.
"Hmm?"
For the first time, the young man showed a hint of surprise, but he quickly regained his composure.
"You've exceeded my expectations again, Muen Campbell."
He waved his hand, and more beasts stepped out from the darkness to replace the negligible losses.
Muen moved rapidly, his blade-light sharp, but the beasts seemed endless.
Surrounded by the pack, Muen appeared incredibly small and fragile. He was like a small boat in a vast ocean, liable to capsize at any moment.
"Not bad, not bad. With the strength you're showing now, you certainly had the courage to provoke people that night. I just wonder how much longer you can hold out. Or perhaps you'd prefer to listen to your Saintess's screams?"
The young man laughed loudly. On the other side, the girl’s cries had turned into screams of agony. Faint traces of blood and a scrap of a white skirt were tossed out from the circle of beasts.
"..."
Yet Muen remained expressionless and silent.
He only moved faster, nimbly evading the beasts' coordinated attacks. When he couldn't dodge, he used his blades to cut a path.
He was like a tireless machine.
As he moved, he suddenly looked up at the young man.
"Hmm?"
The young man, who was aiming a magic arrow at Muen to deliver the final blow, frowned slightly.
A strange sensation suddenly gripped his heart. For a split second, Muen’s figure seemed to blur. But when he focused, Muen was still in the middle of the pack, just slightly closer than before.
Was it an illusion?
The young man cleared his mind and continued to look for a fatal opening.
Then, Muen looked at him deeply once more.
This time, a strange expression appeared on his face.
After another look, Muen’s expression became even stranger. He lowered his head slightly, as if deep in thought.
"I see."
As if he had figured it out, Muen suddenly stopped, much to the young man's surprise.
He stopped right in the middle of the ferocious pack.
Muen casually twirled Elizabeth, flicking the beast blood off the blade. He faced the young man and said composedly:
"It turns out... you aren't a Summoning Mage at all."
"What?"
"Instead, you're..."
Muen thought for a moment, then confirmed:
"An Illusionist?"
*
"Ho? Quite a lively scene, isn't it?"
When the Pink Bear, clutching a jumbo bucket of popcorn, arrived at the seats reserved for "Saint Maria Academy," he happened to see two white-bearded old men in nearby seats arguing until they were red in the face.
"Huogu, you old fossil! I've had enough of your Illusion School! Dammit, your students are pretending to be from my Summoning School to cause trouble again! The reason my students can't find wives is all your fault!"
"Bullshit! Dodge, don't you go pointing fingers! Who told you lot to hang around those stinking magical beasts all day? You value beasts more than women! Don't blame us because you can't find wives. You think we want to impersonate you? We're the ones losing face!"
"Lies! What do you mean 'stinking magical beasts'? That's the love of a companion! That's a bond! You lot who only smile at 2D drawings and fabricated beauties don't know a damn thing!"
"You're the one who knows nothing! We are simply studying how to perfectly construct the female form in illusions to paralyze the enemy!"
The Pink Bear munched loudly on his popcorn. Having come into money recently, he was so extravagant that he didn't even care when popcorn spilled onto the floor. His eyes sparkled as he watched these two elders—titans in the magical world—escalate from a shouting match to rolling up their sleeves for a brawl. The shockwaves from this intense battle... were less impressive than an old lady selling vegetables on the street.
"That's enough, you two."
A voice as gentle as a spring breeze rang out, instantly cooling the thick tension in the air.
The Saintess remained smiling as she looked at them.
"Please, let's not make a scene in front of others, shall we? And... this is the Church."
"Hmph!"
"Hah!"
The two glared at each other, huffing, but ultimately sat back down out of respect for the Church.
Whether by design or accident, their seats were right next to each other.
"What's going on? Something exciting?"
After the dispute settled, the Pink Bear looked disappointed that it hadn't continued, all while stuffing more popcorn into his mouth.
"Look there."
Beside him, Marquis Angus, also representing the Empire, pointed toward the center.
In the middle of this small but prestigious meeting hall, a light screen was broadcasting the current events within Cantville.
The image currently displayed was...
"That Muen kid?"
The Pink Bear blinked. "He's already in a fight?"
"It was boring for a few hours. This is the first battle." Marquis Angus pulled out a handkerchief and coughed. "So, a lot of people are watching."
"Is that so?" The Pink Bear rubbed his chin. "But the kid looks like he's in a bad spot."
On the screen, Muen was moving swiftly, his blades flashing.
But to the audience, Muen looked like he was... slashing at thin air.
That’s right—slashing at air.
There were absolutely no enemies in front of him, yet he was swinging his twin daggers ferociously, as if trying to tear something to pieces.
"Illusion? I see."
The Pink Bear rubbed his chin, finally understanding why the two old men had been fighting.
In the Tower of Origins, the Illusion School and the Summoning School had a long-standing grudge.
The reason was that members of the Illusion School loved to disguise themselves as Summoners to cause trouble. After all, when it came to scaring people, few things were more effective than the ability to summon terrifying beasts or monsters at will.
Due to their style of operation, the Illusion School had a notorious reputation, which indirectly made the Summoning School notorious as well... and the Summoners had resented this for a long time.
Thus, whenever the two schools met, a fight was almost guaranteed.
However, at this moment, not many people were focused on the school rivalry. Most of the attention was on the screen.
"A pity. To walk into a trap without any caution... he's still too young," someone sighed with regret.
"He hasn't even realized it's an illusion. He's already dead. The representative sent by the Leopold Empire isn't as excellent as I imagined."
"I heard the top candidates, Princess Celicia and a student named Ariel, didn't come."
"Is the first Saintess candidate about to be eliminated? That was fast."
"The student from the Illusion School this time is exceptionally talented."
Someone offered congratulations to the old man named Huogu. "Is his name Ellag? To be able to set up multiple layers of illusions so skillfully... that talent is enviable."
"Oh, it's nothing. That boy Ellag is just average," Huogu said, waving a hand modestly. But his back was straight as a rod, and he stroked his beard with a glowing, triumphant smile. "Some details still need work. He needs more discipline. Heh, more discipline. He's only able to do this because he's facing such an obscure opponent..."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, someone let out a cry of surprise.
Others craned their necks, eyes wide.
Beside Huogu, Dodge Sloer—who had once represented the Tower of Origins in Belland—spat out his tea the moment Huogu said the word "obscure." He looked at Huogu with a bizarre expression.
"Hmm?"
Huogu, who had assumed his student had the victory in the bag, finally noticed something. He couldn't help but look back at the screen.
His expression gradually darkened, turning into one of disbelief.
"That kid..."
*
"You aren't a Summoning Mage at all."
Facing Ellag, whose expression was now just as grim as his teacher's, Muen smiled and spoke each word clearly.
"What you're using... is an illusion!"
"You..."
Panic flashed in Ellag's eyes. He asked hoarsely, "How did you find out? Was there a flaw in my illusion?"
"No. Your illusion was perfect."
Muen wiped a finger across his cheek.
The sting of the arrow.
The pressure of the beasts.
The stench of blood.
Everything was perfect.
"But," Muen said, twirling his pure white short blade as he looked at the genius of illusions with a light laugh.
"I've already slashed you over a dozen times, yet you didn't notice a thing. No pain, no bleeding..."
"So, if it's not fake, what is it?"