Chapter 553 – Retreat (3)
Humans are sensitive, therefore they are impulsive.
When blood gushes from a torn wound, they panic, when bones are crushed, they scream.
At times, unable to withstand the pain of a moment, they even succumb to death. Once inflicted with critical injuries, including organ damage, the body gradually loses its capacity for control.
Of course, each individual has a different threshold for endurance, but limits are self-evident, and to transcend common sense is impossible.
If it were otherwise, that would not be human.
"Hohoh, kuhuk, kuhuk...! A test subject that will not die, hah, truly it is...."
Even with holes pierced all over the body, it does not kneel, even when its skull is struck by rock, it does not lose consciousness.
Moreover, through those strange eyes, with magic circles floating within, it disregards distance and implants something made of mana into its body.
'A byproduct of that special entity called Endless Negation which appeared in the western continent 500 years ago... could it be a secondary power obtained by absorbing the Argyle family heirloom [Reviving Blood].'
Everything is riddled with riddles.
How it escaped the effects of Coercion, how it managed to kill Rayshen, how it reached such a height.
All of it entirely different from the information Crodon Olentia had mentioned.
A meticulous trap.
But the real one is not those waging a magic battle here in Green Wood, but the one Isabella mentioned as the 'family head'.
That one is truly the protagonist baring fangs toward Bohemirn's magic tower.
'Who in the world are you.'
No matter how much I think, no answer emerges. Nothing surfaces.
There was not a single outsider who so thoroughly understood the internal affairs of Bohemirn's magic tower.
While sorting through countless thoughts, Isabella rose once more into the sky, laughing softly.
"You said killing me is petty, and yet, you seem troubled in your head?"
"Hohohot... well, I came with a light heart, so naturally."
Omar smiled in return, conjuring water on his palm. Lightly wiping his face, he cleansed the bloodstains clinging to his skin.
Red liquid dripped into the lake, diluted away.
'That woman is not human. A peculiar heteromorph, no, exaggerated a little, it would be correct to define her as a special entity itself.'
In a fleeting instant, through his fingers he checked the battlefield situation. Of the 14 Mages he had brought, half were already dead.
Meanwhile, the enemy had only wounded, but not a single corpse.
Complete defeat.
The enemy's strength was far higher than expected. Then again, they would not have ambushed unless they were certain of victory.
Regardless, if it continued like this, even Omar would not escape calamity.
'The best option is to quickly flee from here....'
But it would not be easy.
When he clashed his spells against the dome of mana sealing the area, he discerned its resistance was considerable.
Not only that, the damaged sections regenerated each moment.
'If there were room to concentrate firepower, perhaps, but at present, to attempt a reckless escape is the worst of all poor options.'
Time once lost cannot be regained, a misjudgment cannot be undone.
'Therefore there is only one effective method.'
Destroying that unidentified artificial golem maintaining the barrier.
Arcane
Gathering mana to the very limit of his capacity, countless drops of water and fragments of stone floated around Omar, slowly swimming through the air.
Likewise, Isabella's Arcane
After several clashes, the nature of each other's Arcanes had already been grasped.
It was time to unleash full power.
Both clenched their fists and simultaneously declared.
"Condensation of bonds."
"I shall seize the very foundation."
The activation words of their artifacts.
Hwaaaak. Udududuk.
Earth and water gathered upon Omar's armguards, forming gauntlets, while Isabella altered her mana through [Elderron].
Fixing his eyes upon the enemy, Omar finished his inner calculation.
'That young lady's Arcane interferes with mana resistance, thus the longer it drags on, the worse for me. Therefore, proceeding with the utmost short battle from here is most suitable.'
Within that, he would snatch a chance to prepare his trump card and escape. Then head straight to the nearby city.
Rather than calling upon the sparse forces of Bohemirn's branch, he was certain using the citizen residential area as a shield would buy more time for the tower's reinforcements to arrive.
Immediately, magic crossed.
Upon earth magic imbued with water, black-brown megaliths of greater weight and hardness clashed against colossal ice blocks.
***
Amidst a battlefield where fragments of elements burst in every direction, Arcanes rained down.
Kwaaaaang! Kwang! Jjeojeojeojeojeojeojjeok!
From the successive explosions, Green Wood forest trembled. The lake, which had been still for a while, surged violently.
Falling rocks and ice shards raised columns of water, stunned fish floated to the surface.
"Hm."
Omar crossed his arms.
The gauntlets infused with earth and water unceasingly supplied the foundation needed for magic, combining both attributes into Arcane, and he swung down.
Sharp Arcane rocks flew like hail, splitting the air with booming sounds. Omar's original magic, solely devoted to lethality.
At once Isabella drew a horizontal line.
Quadra-casting.
From four icy rifts formed in midair, hundreds of ice spikes poured down, colliding against his magic.
But due to attribute disadvantage, being pushed back physically was inevitable.
Swaeeaeaeak!
Isabella moved evasively, leaping away from the range. A maneuver she had mastered while sparring with Adrian and Verden.
Once again, as the same magic came flying, she extended her hand.
Halt.
The rushing rock fragments froze midair, then reversed.
Turning back upon their master, Omar barely blocked Isabella's counterattack by conjuring a wall of Arcane.
"To manipulate another's magic... that artifact on your left hand, not only does it enhance Arcane, it even extends the domain of Arcane's influence, does it not."
"Correct."
The rock wall shook.
Seized.
The instant Omar retreated, the gaps filled with ice and exploded. Skin grazed and ripped open.
Calculation after calculation.
Ceaselessly casting magic made his head burn. Heat spread from wounds that multiplied with every moment.
Within the duel, where no inch was yielded, only killing intent overflowed, like the essence of elemental magic itself, rooted in destruction.
"Haa, haa...."
Omar gasped heavily.
Grasping an ice spike lodged in his side, he yanked it out.
Cold spread.
Since it originated within, outer magical protections were useless against it. He felt how much his mana resistance was eroding away.
Kududuk.
From his left arm, a colossal earth spear arose. But before it could fire, it froze solid.
'Already she's taken control...!'
Though Omar wielded artifacts suited to his abilities, Isabella's [Elderron] was a masterpiece created by legendary dwarves and their disciple solely for her.
The central material being a dragon's rib.
The difference was absolute.
Puuuong!
The ice shattered to pieces.
"Kruuhp...."
Exposed to the shock, Omar plummeted.
At the same time, he assessed the field.
During the battle, the distance between him and the hostile Mages hunting his subordinates had grown significantly.
Meaning, if he hindered Isabella's movements, he could escape.
'Now is the time...!'
He deliberately did not regain balance, crashing into the lake. Rising upon its surface, he knelt, then straightened his back.
As if wielding a guillotine, he spread both hands and struck down upon the water.
Tuung! Tuung! Tuung!
Three sharp water pillars surged upward, each bearing a massive earthen spike, which launched at supersonic speed.
So fast that Isabella had no time to erode them. She retreated diagonally out of their trajectory.
But at that instant, the spells exploded into tens of thousands of fragments, widely encircling the space she occupied.
Omar Boldrak's hidden trump card.
Amid countless fragments───the moment his hands had touched the lake earlier, multiple 2nd-generation Dexar jewels he had embedded now shone.
Based on a three-dimensional sphere formed of Arcane shards, the jewels linked together, constructing a magic circle. Inside, muddy water began filling.
A type of seal.
It was aimed at exploiting the fact that drowning and regeneration are separate.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Isabella's eyes flashed.
The mana tumor lodged in Omar's body throughout the repeated spell battles burst. His bloodstream reversed, he vomited blood, his pupils dyed red.
Yet, the spell did not halt, and her figure soon vanished into the dark, turbid fluid.
"Huff, huff...!"
Having caught a last glimpse of Isabella, Omar did not hesitate to cast
At maximum speed, he dashed forth, ramming the whirling black fragments with all his strength into Beta.
Jjeojeojeojeoeng!
The frame near its chest cracked, a small fissure spreading.
But, that was all.
"W, what...."
The oversight Omar made.
Beta's resistance surpassed even the mana dome sealing the retreat. Moreover, it possessed the natural golem's immortality.
Alpha's younger sibling.
If there had been any chance of breaking, it would never have been deployed in this mission.
[Detected hostile contact. Countering attack.]
Beta moved. Having enlarged its body, each limb was massive in scale. Its swung arm came crashing down vertically.
Swaaaa───!
Omar narrowly avoided a direct hit, but the aftermath was unavoidable. Swept away by the towering wave of the lake.
Unable to manifest a barrier in time, he was exposed to the pressure, his senses thrown into disarray.
Then it came.
Jjeojeojeojeok.
The water pillar froze solid, carrying Omar within it.
Bound entirely, he raised his gaze, eyes wide.
"How, how can you break free from my original spell so soon...!"
"Because I am stronger."
Isabella curled her index finger.
"I'll return this."
The components of
There was no avoiding it.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
Omar was blown away, colliding with the ground amidst scattering ice shards.
His robe, once bearing the emblem of Bohemirn's magic tower, now soiled with mud.
"Kk...."
He barely managed to stand, staggering, but too slow.
Isabella seized Omar's right wrist with her left hand.
Erosion burrowed in.
Burning what resistance he had left, Omar formed rock around his arm and swung with all his might at Isabella's face.
"Even if your head shatters───?! Uaaaaaagh!!"
But his desperate effort was meaningless. Inhuman strength gripped Omar's wrist, crushing it.
Agonizing pain drove him to his knees.
Wiping blood from her face, Isabella whispered sweetly.
"Die."
"No...."
Bbeoeoeok!
Her fist smashed into his face. No magic, just raw physical force.
Bone-crunching sounds, blood splattering.
Jjeoek! Jjeoeoek! Ujijijik!
One strike did not end it. Blow after blow followed. Each impact rekindled long-harbored rage.
"...Javella? Isabella!"
From the burning mansion, her dead family resurfaced one by one. Years of fleeing, filled with torment.
Balrog Bessias.
Crodon Olentia.
If they were before her, she would tear them apart alive. But since she could not, Omar became the substitute.
It was emotional venting.
Just as she raised her arm again, someone grabbed her from behind.
"Sis, stop!"
"He is already dead."
Restrained by Unia and Cain, Isabella blinked. Reason returned, and in her sight, Omar Boldrak was gone.
All that remained was part of the arm she had grasped, and blood-soaked mud.
"Ah."
She realized, belatedly, that she had lost control in her excitement. Letting out a cough, she stepped back.
"Sorry. I didn't mean... krhm, what about the others?"
"Of course, all dealt with."
Alderneys pointed at the Mages who had fallen to the Society's joint assault.
Thus, Omar's faction was annihilated.
Kuung, kung.
Beta, having completed its role with showy certainty, emerged from the lake, released its enlarged form, and shrank its frame.
[The operation in the central continent has succeeded.]
At those words, Isabella, entrusted with command of Verden's 3rd unit, exhaled deeply.
Casting away the tension enveloping her body, she addressed them all.
"Let's retreat."
She picked up Omar's spatial bag and artifacts.
"Take everything they had with them."
***
She activated secondary control toward the spatial magic circle prepared beforehand. Returning to the grand hall, squads 1 and 2 awaited.
Including, of course, Verden.
"Your outfit is a mess."
"That's just my way, isn't it? I guess I'll need to find a robe-type artifact with higher durability, and in a flashier color."
"Then we'll look together later. More importantly, Omar Boldrak?"
"Of course, dealt with without issue. The process is simple enough that I could just explain it, but would you rather see it directly through my memory?"
"If that's more convenient, then so be it. It's not urgent, so rest for now."
Verden's
Naturally, its performance could not rival Dahit Wethroel's
Of course.
After all,
Its use on Hiram had been incidental.
The true origin, the intended purpose, lay elsewhere.
Magic city, united front, central continent.
'Now that the raids in the three places have succeeded, it's time to see Bohemirn's tower's response.'
The incident had been large enough that news would soon reach Balrog Bessias in Arkenad's Magus Nation.
Meanwhile, Verden would reinforce the countermeasures already in place.
Separately, there was also the matter of Enette, taken from the unofficial laboratory.
'In any case.'
Verden turned his gaze.
Placing his hands upon the shoulders of Adrian and Isabella at either side, he spoke to the gathered members.
"Everyone. Well done."
Thus he concluded with grandeur.
The world still knew nothing of Verden.
***
The Luas faith, which existed only for the sake of humanity.
With their support, a vast underground prison, 'Kernadel', confined and managed dangerous individuals, granting chances for repentance and redemption. The city above oversaw it with strict governance.
"So that is the prison."
A transcendent from a bygone era, Sandir Paen, walked toward the distant city.
Upon his back, he carried but a single spear.