by Yuu Tanaka
“Theraclede! I summon you!”
Knowing he was outmatched, Linford resorted to summoning his minions. A magic circle appeared inside the barrier, stopping us from using our saturation attack.
To make matters worse, he was summoning Theraclede. We’d never encountered the Mad Warrior, but we knew he was bad news. He was as strong as a B-Rank and could maim Colbert with an ambush. How strong was he in his Corrupted form…?
We should retreat. It was too dangerous for us to fight him.
Or so I thought…
“What? Why is this happening! Theraclede, I summon you!”
The magic circle reappeared, but again nothing came out.
“Theraclede! You dare refuse my call! Traitor!”
It looked like Linford had been backstabbed by his own kind.
“You wretch! What of the girl?! Damn it, how dare he ignore my call!”
Now’s our chance.
“This ends here.”
“Grrr!”
While Linford was distracted with his rebellious minion, I launched into my third catapult attack.
I clanged against his barrier but had already taken it into account. Now came our real attack.
“Burst Flame.”
Burst Flame.
“Awooo!”
The general strategy was the same: deplete his mana and pin him in place by chipping away at his barrier. Once he ran out of mana, the barrier would vanish.
“Urrgh! Again with this foolishness!”
Linford looked distraught. Were we close to breaking through?
“Damn it…! I do not have enough conduits…but no matter! Oh, Lord of Evil! Grant your servant strength!”
The wizard refused to die. Enraged, he uttered an incantation. It seemed to concentrate the Malice in the temple on him.
What the hell is this…?
It was as if the temple was bestowing power on Linford… Was this the Fiendstone’s doing?
My Danger Sense was going crazy, chiming even louder than the time we ran into the Midgardsormr.
“Nuaaaarrgghhh!”
Jet-black mana erupted from the wizard’s body with an ear-splitting scream, crashing into us with the force of a tsunami. I broke through his barrier, only to be blasted away.
Fran, Jet, get out of here!
We had to get away!
Jet retreated to the shadows while Fran took me so we could blink out of the temple. We could see the concentration of Malice even from the outside. Pitch-black light shone through the temple skylights, swaying the great structure.
A great beam of Malice blew the roof off and shot towards the heavens. The temple shook as something exploded inside of it. A rain of pebbles and a great cloud of dust settled on the square. The temple was reduced to rubble.
An abomination stood at the center of it all.
“GRAAAAARK!”
The creature’s howl pierced the night.
The vibration shook the air and resonated my blade.
“That thing’s huge,” Fran said, looking at the thing that used to be Linford.
But that was Linford all right. Blessed by the powers of the Evil One, he was gigantic now, but he was definitely still Linford.
The monster stood in the rubble, staring at us with hateful eyes.
It’s huge!
“Woof.”
The Fiend was over fifteen meters tall. It was vaguely humanoid, with bulging muscles and inky black skin. Similar to Corrupted Humans but much too big.
Still, the creature’s face was Linford’s without a doubt.
“You won’t get away this time, Beastgirl!” the giant roared.
Name: Linford Laurentia
Race: Vilefiend
Class: Fiendmancer
Status: Vile
Level: 99/99
HP: 5620; Magic: 4458; Strength: 2027; Agility: 598
Skills: Speedcast 7; Identify 7; Fast Regeneration 9; Malice Sense 9; Abnormal Status Resistance 6; Incite 6; Venomology 7; Mana Manipulation
Class Skill: Fiendmancy 10; Vilemancy 5; Evil One’s Blessing; Cage of the Evil One
Titles: Blessed of the Evil One
Holy crap!
Linford had become the strongest enemy we had faced so far. He was even stronger than the Demon in the dungeon. He was easily a B-Threat, if not an A-Threat—an excellent match for that Lich we fought so desperately in the Sky Dungeon. And he had a couple of skills I’d never seen before, to boot.
Fighting him alone was suicide.
We’re getting out of here! Come on, Jet!
“Hm!”
“Woof!”
Fran and Jet sensed Linford’s terrifying power. They agreed without complaint. They turned around and ran as fast as their legs would allow. I started casting, and once we were a good fifty meters away, I finished my spell.
Short Jump!
Fran and I cast the same spell in unison. We would gain as much distance as we could through continuous blinking. Jet would figure something out with his Shadow Walk. However, our plan was cut short.
Gah!
“Ow!”
“Aarf!”
Our path was blocked by an invisible barrier. Jet rammed into the same substance, despite being in the shadows.
“None shall escape the Cage of the Evil One!”
So that’s what that skill was for! I didn’t think it would have such an effect. I looked around and noticed a clear dome, fifty meters in diameter, centered around Linford. This was the Cage of the Evil One.
Inferno Burst!
“Fire Javelin!”
Come on!
With all my spells lined up, now was the time for Telekinetic Catapult!
That didn’t work, either?!
But the dome wasn’t even scratched, and I took damage to my durability for the attempt. The dome was as strong as Linford’s last barrier.
Dimension Jump!
I used a mid-distance teleportation spell this time. Controlling where I would appear was difficult, and I often wound up in the wrong place. Still, it was a stronger spell than Short Jump.
How about this?!
“Hurk!”
“Ugh!”
Damn it! Did the dome block all teleportation skills?
“Corruption Flare.”
Malice and mana swelled behind us. If I were human, I would’ve gotten goosebumps. I could sense the danger and feared what was coming. I frantically cast another spell.
Short Jump!
A pitch-black ball of fire descended on us, burning everything in its path. If we hadn’t jumped, we would’ve been ash.
This is bad!
I put up a mana barrier at the last second, but it only soaked up some of the damage. Where we had been standing, there was now a gigantic crater. The flames were so hot that they turned the ash to glass. A direct hit would’ve burned us to cinders, while our mana barrier left us half-dead.
“You’ve done well to dodge that! How about this then… Corrupted Familiars!”
Wha—?!
“Let’s see how well you can dodge this.”
Countless malicious auras swelled all around him. I counted fifty at the very least. They were cannonballs of Malice, the size of volleyballs, which launched at Linford’s command.
To make matters worse, each shot came at a different speed and along a different path. Some came straight at us, while others made homing loops.
“Urk!”
Fire Shield!
“Huff!”
Wind Gale!
We dodged, cut, and blocked the shots that came our way.
Fortunately, each individual shot wasn’t too strong. But getting hit slowed our movements, opening us to the next volley.
What now? I had to find a way to get out of here. We could either find a way to bypass the dome or break through it. But Time Magic Teleportation and Shadow Walk couldn’t pass through. Should I spend my EP in the hopes of unlocking a new skill? I had no guarantee that it would work.
Should I
brute-force it, then? Throw all my Flame Magic and Sword Arts at it? Alternatively, I could level up Cleansing Magic in the hopes that it could purify Malice. But what if those were all false hopes?
If I wanted sheer force, that left me only one choice.
Teacher, let me use Unleash Potential.
No!
Unleash Potential. As mysterious as it was, I still remembered the damage it did to the Lich. With it, we could not only escape, but also defeat this monster. However, the skill was a double-edged sword. Even if we won, it would be a pyrrhic victory. I would not let Fran use it.
Ever.
Let me try something.
I decided our best bet was Space-Time Magic. I used six points of EP to max it out. I had twelve points left now.
Space-Time Magic is now at Level 10.
You have unlocked Unique Skill:
Dimension Magic 1
A Unique Skill? Maybe this will work!
Or so I thought. With Dimension Magic at Level 1, I only had Chronos Clock, Quick, and Slow at my disposal. They were of no use at the moment. I’d learned a new teleport spell for maxing out Space-Time Magic though. That allowed me to link long distances.
Long Jump!
The spell didn’t grant us escape. Our movement was halted once again by the Cage of the Evil One. I knew now that it wasn’t a matter of distance.
The Malice bullets caught us again, and we were surrounded.
Fran steeled herself. We have to use Unleash Potential.
Then I’ll use it, I told her.
No, I’ll use it.
Absolutely not. That skill takes from you more than you know. You might die.
But—
You are not using that skill!
Hmph.
As we carried out our argument…
“Guh!”
Fran!
Fran took a direct hit from a Malice orb. Damn it, we only lost focus for a second! The other orbs soon followed, crashing into her one after another.
“Gah!”
Fran was knocked to the ground, making her an easy target.
Crap!
I frantically put up a mana barrier and blinked a short distance away. Fran had taken respectable damage, and her mana was running low, but at least we escaped the Malice orbs. But that was exactly what Linford wanted.
“Corruption Flare.”
“Aaaah!”
Since our Short Jumps were too fast for Linford to keep up with, he anticipated where we would go. Great flames engulfed us, boiling away the blood Fran had shed.
I focused all my energy on the mana barrier. Fran did the same.
“Gaaaaah!”
Goddamn it!
The flames burned away two layers of barrier and engulfed us. It blew us away, and Fran’s body rag-dolled across the ground.
“Aaah…”
“Ho ho ho! I finally have you, yapping little Beastgirl!”
We’d managed to escape death, but Fran and I were broken and bloody.
Half of Fran’s left arm and leg were burned to ash and her body was covered in blisters.
Fran!
“Uhh…”
She was struggling to stay conscious. The next attack would finish her.
I healed Fran as much as I could with Greater Heal. But another Malice orb flew right at us and blasted us in different directions.
Fran!
She was far away from me now. I couldn’t see past the dust from the explosion, but I felt she was around fifty meters away. As I frantically tried to get back to her side, I noticed something.
Damn it! What did Linford summon this time?
I felt an inhuman presence coming from above. It had to be one of Linford’s familiars. As the mysterious being approached, I took the initiative and attacked. I usually would’ve surveyed the situation first, but current conditions left me impatient.
I flew into a telekinetic swing, but the creature dodged easily.
Now I came face-to-face with our mysterious visitor. It was small with black skin, bull horns, and wings sprouting from its back. An Identify revealed that it was a Demon. Yet it also revealed no hostility towards me.
It wasn’t hostile? Was this one of the Phyllians’ demons? I had no time to make sure. Linford could be preparing for another attack, so I took my chances.
Are you a friend?
“What? Who’s talking?”
Fult’s voice came out of the demon. I didn’t know the details, but at least it wasn’t out to kill us.
I’m Teacher. The sword lying down in front of you.
“Wh-what? How is a sword talking?”
That doesn’t matter right now! We have to get to Fran.
“R-right.”
I ignored the demon and resumed my flight to Fran. When I got to her, another demon was propping her up and helping her dodge Linford’s attacks.
Then one of Linford’s beam attacks swallowed them both.
FRAN!
I screamed instinctively. When the beam faded, Fran was still there, encased in a red barrier.
“It’s all right. Satya’s taking care of her.”
O-oh…
Thank God! I flew over to Fran and resumed healing her. Still, my Greater Heal wasn’t enough to put her back to full strength.
“Teacher… Satya was…”
“Don’t worry, Fran. These are only copies. Our real bodies remain unharmed.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Good to know…”
How did you two get here? Did you pass through that barrier?
We had no time to waste on pleasantries. We needed a way out, and we needed it now. The Phyllians had attached the demons to Fran to protect her when she was in danger. I thought they were a little out of line, but since they had saved her, I didn’t complain. The prince and princess only did it out of concern for their friend.
These demons hadn’t bypassed the dome, then—they were already with Fran when we were trapped inside. However, Fult and Satya maintained a psychic link to these demons, so the dome couldn’t block out telepathy and other such powers. Unfortunately, teleportation was still impossible.
I see… Thank you. At least we have some sort of backup now.
Even a single demon was a great help, but their next words weren’t as encouraging.
“I’m sorry, but we’re at our limit…”
How come?
“The Malice under this dome is so great that our demons are threatening to go berserk. Fran looks like she’s doing all right. I don’t think we can control these creatures for much longer.”
“But are you okay, Fult?”
“Like my sister said, these bodies are only copies. They have no bearing on our real selves.”
“I see.”
“I’ll use all of their power to heal you! I have to spend its power before I lose control!” Fult said in a hurry.
He sounded like his control was already slipping. When he healed her, it was much more powerful than Greater Heal. By the time he was done, Fran’s body was unscathed. The demon’s body started cracking and dissipated into fine sand. Having used up all its energy, it faded away.
“Stay alive, Fran!”
With Fult’s final cry, the demon disappeared. Meanwhile, Satya’s demon faded with the barrier protecting Fran.
“Aaah, there you are!!!” Linford spotted us immediately. The barrier must have hidden us from him.
He let out another volley of flaming Malice.
I won’t let you hurt Fran any more!
I flicked through my status screen, frantically casting Short Jump over and over.
Speedcast is at Level 10. You have unlocked Unique Skill: Instant Cast
Instant Cast: Activates a spell immediately by saying its name. Increases amount of mana consumed.
Good enough for me! I planned on using the reduced casting time to dodge with Short Jump, but now I could expedite that process. That said, I was worried about how much more mana I would s
pend…
But I had to do it.
With Fran fully recovered, I took her and ran.
Short Jump!
Short Jump!
SHORT JUMP!
I kept blinking to dodge Linford’s attacks.
I had to protect Fran.
“Gaaaah! How is this possible?! How are you able to use such advanced magic?! How do you already have Instant Cast?! Die! Die!!!”
Seeing us blink away like that frustrated the giant wizard. We had learned a new trick to survive his onslaught, and he was panicking.
That’s it, panic! You’re making it a lot easier for us to dodge! We’ll keep on running, and the next thing you know, we’ll move in for the kill!
And if that didn’t work…I might have to use Unleash Potential.
“Teacher…?”
I’ll take care of it, Fran.
“Hm…”
How long had our game of cat and mouse gone on?
Fran and Jet scored a hit from time to time, but Linford immediately regenerated. I had launched several Telekinetic Catapults at the monster, but none of my blows could finish it. If anything, it opened me to his counterattacks. I was knocked away mercilessly.
The battle was an endless nightmare. The only reason I hadn’t fallen into despair was because Fran was with me. I would protect her, no matter what. That didn’t mean I remained calm, however. I did my best to maintain my composure, so as not to worry her, but I was panicking on the inside.
The situation looked hopeless.
As my mana reserves ran dry and I reconsidered using Unleash Potential, a ray of hope shone through the dome. The heavens—or gods—had not abandoned us yet.
A chime like a bell echoed through the Cage of the Evil One.
And then the dome disappeared.
“What magic is this?!” Linford bellowed in shock.
What’s going on?
No, this wasn’t the time for speculation! This was our ticket out!
Let’s get out of here, Jet!
“Arf!”
Dimension Jump!
Our escape proved successful this time. I leapt a hundred meters away and hid Fran in the shadows of a nearby building.
You all right?
“Yeah… More or less.”
Fran nodded despite the pain and exhaustion.
Good!
“Woof!”