Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 8

by Ryo Shirakome

  “Divine Purgatory.”

  A beautiful yet cruel voice rang out across the room. The next moment, her spell of annihilation took shape. Her blue sphere emitted its strongest pulse yet. It then grew so bright that every inch of the room, from the ceiling to the floor, was bathed in pale blue light. Quiet, calm, merciless ripples spread through the ocean of light, turning the cockroaches surrounding them to ash. In less than a second, all of the small cockroaches had been incinerated.

  The human-shaped cockroaches turned to flee, but before they could run even a few paces, the light caught up to them and obliterated them instantly. With the cockroaches gone, Hajime could once again see Shea and the others. As far as he could tell, they were all fine. The light reached their location, cremating all of the half-human-shaped cockroaches as well.

  Shea and the others looked around in confusion as their opponents crumbled before their eyes. A second later, they realized how strange it was that they had survived long enough to be confused in the first place. But it wasn’t just Shea and the others that the light didn’t touch. Neither the Grand Tree nor any of its branches were affected by the obliterating magic either. Only the cockroaches were incinerated. But that only confused Shea and the others more.

  The strange and terrifying phenomenon had been caused by another one of Yue’s composite spells. Divine Purgatory was a spell that combined fire, gravity, and spirit magic. First, she’d used gravity magic to compress ten instances of the fire spell Azure Blaze into a single point, then she’d used the spirit magic Cull to choose either the only creatures to be affected by her spell, or the only creatures not to be affected by her spell. It was an annihilation spell that worked on a massive scale and spared those Yue saw fit. The rest were incinerated in a wave of merciless, inescapable flames. Yue’s strength was beginning to approach that of an actual god’s. The name she’d given to her spell, Divine Purgatory, was quite fitting. Judging by the fact that the human-shaped cockroaches weren’t regenerating, Hajime assumed her flames had destroyed whatever source had been powering them as well.

  “That’s one hell of a spell. I knew I could count on you, Yue.”

  “Hajime...”

  Their voices echoed loudly in the now empty room. Yue staggered, utterly exhausted after using such a large-scale spell. Hajime caught her before she fell, and lifted her gently up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed into his eyes. As if trying to make completely sure her feelings and his had both returned to normal.

  After a short pause, Yue smiled. She’d seen exactly what she’d hoped to reflected in his eyes. At that moment, had Hajime claimed her smile was the cutest in the world, no one would have dared refute him.

  “Hajime...” she murmured again, her voice dripping with affection.

  “Thanks for the meal.”

  “Bwah!?”

  She started sucking his blood, both to restore her mana and as an expression of love. She was a vampire, after all.

  A haggard but unhurt Hajime returned to the platform where the others were waiting, with Yue cheerfully in tow. Shea and Kaori ran up to him the moment he landed.

  “Yue-saaaaaan Hajime-saaaaaaaaan. Are you alright? Because we’re not! Tio-san was so cool a few seconds ago that I think I’ve been scarred for life!”

  “Hajime-kun, Yue! Listen to this! Tio actually seemed like a big sister for once! It was terrifying!”

  The first things out of their mouths weren’t complaints about how Hajime and Yue were flirting too much, or praise for Yue’s new spell, but terror regarding Tio’s transformation.

  “Y-You two, there’s a limit to how rude you can be... Haaah... Haaah... But alas, your insults feel so good!” Tio twitched in pleasure, like the pervert that she was. From the looks of it, she was back to normal.

  “She looks like her usual perverted self to me.”

  “Yeah... She’s as pathetic as always.”

  Tio crumbled to the ground, her entire body shivering in ecstasy. It appeared her legendary dragon mode had been a product of the emotion reversing magic. It was only under its effects that she’d acted normal. Shea and Kaori would likely never see the creepily cool and scarily reliable Tio ever again. Whether that was a good thing or not, no one knew.

  Afterward, Kaori used restoration magic to heal everyone, and they took a short break to eat some rations and catch their breath. None of them broached the topic of how they’d acted under their reversed emotions. A lot of the events were awkward to talk about, and none of them really wanted to remember what had happened anyway.

  Right as everyone was starting to feel rested, almost as if the labyrinth had been waiting for them to recover, the part of the Grand Tree near the ceiling began to glow. With a loud creaking noise, a branch started to grow from the glowing section. It extended at a downward slant, heading toward the party’s platform. Once it arrived, it twined itself around the wooden platform and became another path. Then, the wood on its surface undulated and stretched until it turned into a set of stairs.

  “I really hope that last trial was the final one,” Hajime said with a rueful smile. The aftereffects of Overload hadn’t disappeared completely yet.

  Yue and the others nodded in agreement. Kouki especially was nearing his limits mentally, and he fervently prayed there wouldn’t be any other battles. The party climbed up the flight of stairs and found a familiar hollow greeting them at the top. The magic circle inside was visible this time. Once everyone was inside, it began to glow, and they were teleported once more.

  This time, Hajime and the others found themselves inside a garden. The air was fresh, and the sky dazzlingly clear. The garden was about the size of Hajime’s school gym. Canals crisscrossed the neat lawn, crystal clear water flowing through them. Trees were spaced at regular intervals, each bearing delicious-looking fruit. Inside the ring of trees was a chalk-white building. Hajime and the others had been teleported to one corner of the garden, a short distance from the building. Bridges stretched out in all four directions, and there was a magic circle at their feet.

  “Hey, Nagumo, is that it!?” Excited, Kouki pointed toward a tree that was larger than the rest. It towered over the others from the far end of the park. Like the platform they were standing on, it was growing on an island ringed by canals. Near its roots stood a conspicuous stone tablet.

  Hajime held out a hand to stop Kouki, and warily examined his surroundings. A quick glance told him that they were at a high elevation. Past the garden, there was only blue sky in all directions. Tio carefully walked over to the edge of their platform and looked down.

  “Unbelievable... Master, it appears this is the Grand Tree’s summit.”

  At Tio’s words, Hajime and the others crowded around the edge as well. Looking down, they confirmed what Tio had said. Below them stretched out a dense sea of fog. They were obviously high above the Haltina Forest. And the only thing that rose above the forest’s mists was Uralt, the Sacred Tree. However, Hajime pointed out a contradiction in Tio’s reasoning.

  “Hold on, this doesn’t make any sense. When we came here in Fernir, we didn’t see anything like this. If the fog’s that far below us, this garden has to be at least 400 meters up. Meaning...”

  Hajime trailed off as he noticed another inconsistency. When they’d first seen the Grand Tree from down below, they’d estimated its size meant that the tops of its branches towered over the sea of fog. Yet they’d never once been able to spot it while traversing the sea of trees in Fernir.

  “I see. Someone must have used concealment magic on it.”

  “Yeah... They could have used spatial magic to bend the light around it, or simply moved the top of the tree to a different plane entirely. Or used high-level spirit magic to interfere with the perception of anyone who looks at it, even...” Yue gave an expert’s opinion on how Haltina had managed to hide the tree.

  Dark magic could interfere with people’s perceptions as well. But not on this scale. Meaning it was likely Haltina had used so
me kind of magic from the Age of the Gods to hide the tree. Yue had a few theories, but she couldn’t be sure which was correct. Both Yue and Tio shuddered. As expert mages themselves, they knew just how impossible a feat it was to hide something this big so well that no one, not even a master magician, could spot it. The two of them gulped, but no one belittled them for it. The others were just as overwhelmed. The trials they’d faced thus far had been the nastiest, most trying yet, but they’d expected as much from a Liberator. What they hadn’t expected, was this Liberator to also have an aesthetic sense.

  “I guess this really is the final goal, then.”

  Hajime and the girls nodded to each other, then walked over to the lithograph. They passed underneath an intricate arch as they crossed the bridge over the canals. As they neared the stone tablet, it began to glow. Bright green mana filled the canals. It appeared the canals themselves were this labyrinth’s final magic circle. Motes of green light rose up from the waterways, like thousands of fireflies.

  The usual sensation that accompanied having their memories read assailed the party, then Hajime and the girls felt knowledge of this labyrinth’s ancient magic forcibly imprinted onto their minds. Though Hajime’s group was used to it, the rest weren’t. A cute squeal came from someone in Kouki’s group as they had their mind probed. Just as Hajime was about to say something about the magic they’d just acquired, the tree behind the lithograph began to squirm. Instantly alert, the party drew their weapons. The tree’s bark twisted and warped until it had formed an approximation of a person’s face. The face protruded from the trunk until it had formed a full head and shoulders. Once the person, no, woman’s face was complete, she opened her eyes and spoke up.

  “First, allow me to congratulate you on making it this far. I am Lyutillis Haltina. You have done well to complete my trial, along with the trials of the other labyrinths. You have my respect for completing such a difficult gauntlet, and my apologies for forcing you through it.”

  It appeared the tree was the medium in which Haltina’s memories had been stored. It wasn’t too different from the hologram that Oscar Orcus had left behind.

  “She looks like a princess...” Kaori muttered. Hajime nodded in agreement.

  “Yeah, she sure does.”

  Lyutillis Haltina had the same refined air and carried herself in the same dignified manner as Liliana. As it was only her head, shoulders, and long straight hair that were protruding from the tree trunk Hajime couldn’t be completely sure, but she looked like a beauty. Her long ears tapered to sharp points, denoting that she was an elf.

  “However, a trial of this nature was necessary. Since you have completed various other labyrinths, you have likely learned about the tragedies of the past, of our relationship with the gods, and of the tyranny our world currently lives under. It is for that reason that I wanted you to know both the strength that can be derived from unbreakable bonds and the ways in which they can be tested. Moreover, having come this far, I felt it necessary to teach you both the strength of a person’s heart, and its fragility. I pray this knowledge will aid you in the trials to come.”

  Shea and the others listened to Lyutillis’ speech with rapt attention. However, Hajime was beginning to grow impatient. It was clear he was tired of the lecture. The only reason he kept silent was because he knew the others were interested.

  “I know not for what purpose you sought my magic, evolution magic, for. And now that it is yours, you are free to use it as you please. All I ask is that please, don’t allow this power to rule your thoughts. If ever there comes a time you feel yourself drowning in the power you’ve obtained, cling to the bonds that saw you through these trials.”

  Hajime started glancing about. He was looking for the proof that they’d conquered this labyrinth. It was obvious he wasn’t paying much attention to Lyutillis. Judging by the constant glances he kept giving the lithograph, he was likely planning on pulling the whole thing out soon. As a precaution, Shea grabbed onto his left arm, while Yue took his right and Kaori wrapped her arms around his waist. They silently pleaded with him to wait, calming Hajime down enough to listen to the rest of the speech.

  “The power of my ancient magic, evolution magic, allows you to enhance all other forms of power, no matter how weak. You should already have been granted the knowledge of how to use it. But that’s not where the true worth of this magic lies.”

  Hajime’s eyes suddenly shot open. He looked over at Lyutillis, his curiosity piqued. The knowledge they’d been given hadn’t contained anything about evolution magic’s true worth. Realizing that Hajime was interested in Lyutillis’ words, Yue and the others let go of him. Meanwhile, Shizuku glared at him in exasperation.

  “As its name suggests, evolution magic causes other power to evolve. Naturally, that includes other ancient magic. Creation magic, gravity magic, spirit magic, transformation magic, spatial magic, and restoration magic... These are all powerful branches of magic that manipulate the fundamental forces that govern this world. If you were to evolve them all and combine them, you would give birth to a magic that surpasses all others. Magic that could truly be considered godlike... Concept magic.”

  Someone gulped, the noise echoing loudly in the following silence. Surprise was etched in every inch of Hajime’s face. He thought back to what Miledi Reisen had told him in the Reisen Gorge.

  “You’ll need to acquire all the ancient magic the Liberators left behind in order to achieve your goal.” That was what she’d said. And now, Hajime finally understood what she meant.

  “Concept magic is exactly what it sounds like. It can bring forth any concept its user can imagine, granting them the powers of a god. However, even if you manage to collect all the ancient magic, mastering concept magic won’t be easy. For concept magic operates not on theory, but on force of will. You will need an unbelievably powerful will to bend this magic to your desires.”

  So that’s why we didn’t get any knowledge of that from the magic circle. Hajime raised an eyebrow. After all, “unbelievably powerful will” wasn’t very specific.

  “Even with our powers combined, us Liberators were only able to create three concept magic spells. They served our needs well enough, but... Regardless, as a gift, I shall pass on one of those to you.”

  The stone tablet below Lyutillis slid to the side, revealing an object resembling a pocket watch. Hajime bent down and picked it up. The front of the object was covered with translucent glass-like substance and inside sat a single needle. Engraved on the back was Lyutillis Haltina’s crest, indicating that the object also served as their proof that they conquered the labyrinth. As Hajime scrutinized the object, Lyutillis continued her speech.

  “That object is called the Compass of Eternal Paths. The concept magic spell its imbued with—” —Points its owner toward whatever they desire.

  “Huh!?”

  Upon hearing those words, Hajime’s heart started to pound. It felt as though his body was on fire. All sound vanished, and those words repeated themselves over and over inside his head.

  “Points its owner toward whatever they desire.” Does that mean...

  “If you wish for something, the compass will show you where that something may be found. Whether that something is a missing person, a hidden object... or even a different world.”

  “Ah—”

  The other world Lyutillis was likely referring to was the world of the gods. If it took an unbelievably strong will to create concept magic, there was no doubt what the Liberators had created these spells for. To defeat the gods. Meaning originally, this compass had been made to discover their location. Hajime guessed that Oscar had used his creation magic in conjunction with concept magic to make this compass. However, if this compass was capable of showing the way to the world of the gods, then that meant it was also capable of showing the way back home to Japan.

  In his hands... was a guide to the way home. Finally, at long last, he’d found his first real clue. Immeasurable joy filled his heart. He was so
happy he couldn’t express it in words. In fact, he didn’t even know what kind of expression to make. His hand trembled. The day he’d been reborn in the abyss, he’d sworn that he’d return home, no matter what it took.

  The sense of elation made events of his long, arduous journey flash through his mind in an instant. Hold it together. It’s not time to celebrate just yet. Hajime willed the tears welling up in his eyes to dry as he mentally cautioned himself. His mechanical left hand creaked as he balled it into a fist. It wasn’t the same hand he’d come to this world with, but he was proud of it. As he looked down at his fake arm, he renewed his resolve. And then, he turned around to find Yue looking gently up at him. She took hold of Hajime’s fake hand and entwined her tiny fingers around his own.

  “So long as you obtain all the ancient magic and possess an unbreakable will, you will be able to go wherever your heart desires.”

  Though she couldn’t possibly have known Hajime’s current feelings, Lyutillis’ memory appeared to be smiling as she said that. Finally, she said the customary last words of all the Liberators. But those words, delivered centuries ago from the depths of her heart, reached Hajime.

  “I pray that you can live freely, in a world where you may choose your own future. May the path you walk be filled with blessings.” Still smiling, Lyutillis disappeared back into the tree.

  Here, at the very top of the Grand Tree, Lyutillis had spoken to them through yet another tree that was growing at its summit. Thinking about it, it seemed to Hajime that the entirety of the Grand Tree housed Lyutillis’ spirit.

  The party fell silent, either too awed by what had just happened to speak, or too busy digesting Lyutillis’ words. The only sound was the wind rustling through the leaves.

  Finally, Hajime broke the silence. In an even, controlled voice, he turned to Yue and spoke up.

  “Just in case... Yue, do you think... you could use spatial magic and evolution magic... to teleport to another world?”