Chapter 19: The Last One

The fight between those who wield a mana sword is direct and fair.

That is why the profession of gladiator can still exist in Serdes.

Being direct, it is simple; and being simple, it is clearly visible.

That is why it is so entertaining to observe the game of strategies that unfolds within that simplicity.

But the world of mages is the opposite of the sword.

It is abstract, and within it there are clear and unavoidable differences.

The gap between circles is far too evident.

With just one circle increase, the probability of victory tilts by more than 95%.

That is the brutally honest and unfair world of mages.

However, that 5% of irregulars always exists.

Overwhelming talents who can negate ten years of accumulation in a single day.

Perda Valdrova, whom Vernell Marquis was observing at that moment, was precisely that kind of individual.

‘Magic Intercept?’

A technique that consists of taking, through one’s own will, a spell manifested or fired by another and returning it in the opposite direction.

It was one of the most difficult arts and was almost never seen in battles between mages.

‘Isn’t it a technique reserved, at the very least, for those who have reached the fifth circle?’

Only mages with deep understanding of magic and great mastery of mana—fifth-circle Master Mages—used it.

But Perda was merely second circle, a level that even he himself could ignore.

‘No… in theory I have heard that even a second circle could achieve it.’

Second circle, Spell Blower.

It was called that because one began to blow spells, weaving magic through the thread of mana.

However, it was coarse, weak, and imprecise magic; a level that was scorned as if one were barely blowing out spells.

‘Theory is only theory.’

In the world of magic, theories that never materialize abound.

‘And yet he is using Magic Intercept? Truly?’

It was possible.

But no one had achieved it.

If that was truly Magic Intercept, Vernell was witnessing the birth of a new page in the history of magic.

***

Returning to the present, after attempting Magic Intercept for the first time that day, Perda’s evaluation was simple.

‘Just as I thought, it is not that complicated.’

If the Mana Worker masters the point, the Spell Blower masters the line.

Through that line one can create a surface, that is, weave magic.

‘The only thing I know how to use is Magic Shot.’

The spells he had used in second circle he had forgotten after becoming an archmage, and he had not even bothered to relearn them.

‘But that is enough.’

Simple, but exactly what was needed at that moment.

He did not need to transform mana into any element; pure mana was sufficient.

At least against a demonic beast.

‘I have captured demonic beasts countless times.’

In his time collaborating with Tesalos, follower of the demonic race, one of his demands was precisely to capture them alive.

Killing them was easy. Capturing them was not.

By sharing knowledge with Tesalos, he had learned the characteristics of those creatures.

‘And in the end we discovered something very simple.’

If a human is continuously exposed to corrupted mana, he is destroyed or dies.

On the contrary, those monstrous masses that devour corrupted mana find pure mana to be poison.

Perda was going to inject that poison into its heart.

By interrupting the emission of mana and provoking intoxication, the beast’s super-regeneration and overwhelming strength would temporarily stop.

It was like inserting a piece of wood between gears that spin without ceasing.

‘Someday it will break, but at least it slows the mechanism.’

Perda launched the first sphere toward the face of the demonic bear.

He fired in an arc, so it could not track the direction, and made it fall precisely onto its crown.

Boom!

An ordinary human would have had his head turned to pulp.

— GRAAAAH!

But the bear roared and lifted its head.

Its resistance was reinforced by magical intoxication.

The skull had caved in slightly, but it was not significant damage.

Perda gave the order.

“Prepare a large one.”

“Yes!”

While Vernell shaped a larger sphere, Perda prepared the next.

Again, a curved shot.

This time not from above, but with a wide lateral swing.

Boom!

The bear’s head shook violently.

— GRAAAAH!

Enraged, it raised its forelegs searching for the enemy.

Perda did not miss the instant.

Four spheres formed on his fingers.

“Now.”

Vernell launched his along Perda’s line of fire, and Perda intercepted it mid-flight.

Together with the four floating at his fingers, he fired in a straight line toward the beast’s chest.

Boom!

One sphere exploded in the air.

The force of the push propelled the other four with greater speed.

The three small ones created by Perda spiraled and struck the chest first.

BOOOOM!

Three consecutive explosions tore the skin and left the flesh exposed.

Then Vernell’s large sphere penetrated the exposed flesh.

‘Deeper.’

The acceleration and rotation drilled inward.

‘More.’

And finally it exploded.

BOOOOOM!

A massive detonation completely engulfed the demonic bear.

“H-hah!”

Vernell let out a ridiculous cry of surprise.

‘Did my sphere have that much power?’

He knew it was his that had exploded.

But he would never have achieved such force.

And that second-circle mage had manipulated it as if it were his own.

Perda fixed his gaze beyond the cloud of dust.

‘Show yourself.’

Visibility returned and the target reappeared.

As expected, the bear’s body was devastated.

The black skin torn away, the flesh violated in dark purple tones.

Organs and bones exposed.

Perda’s eyes located the heart.

‘It is still beating.’

The source of all vitality.

Each beat pumped forcefully, and with each pulse the flesh began to regenerate.

‘Complete super-regeneration.’

Not only did it possess extreme resistance, but recovery capacity superior to other beasts.

‘It must be finished quickly.’

The creature was momentarily defenseless, unable to move a finger.

If it managed to move again, defeat would be Perda’s.

‘I must be more aggressive.’

After making the decision, Perda generated spheres on his fingers and shouted.

“Vernell! Launch the spheres as soon as you form them!”

“Yes!”

Perda unleashed a fierce assault against the heart.

— Guh… guh…

The bear’s body, struck directly in the heart, trembled and exhaled with difficulty.

Perda’s spheres struck the heart again and again, forcibly tearing apart the flesh that tried to close.

Would Perda’s mana run out first, or would the bear’s regeneration stop first?

It was like a tug-of-war around a single hole.

‘It is enormous—it is not turning out so simple.’

He could not guarantee victory.

If he were a fifth-circle mage, he would resolve it without difficulty.

But with the amount of mana from second and third circle, there was no certainty.

Perda found himself in an uncomfortable situation.

***

‘How unpleasant.’

Vernell felt nauseous.

As if he had inhaled a dense smell of oil for too long, his mind grew clouded.

The sensation of mana leaving his body shattered his concentration.

‘Since I became a scholar, have I ever used this much mana?’

No.

A scholar needs to focus his strength only on what is necessary.

That was why Vernell always kept more than half of his mana intact.

While Perda attacked without pause, Vernell drained his at the same pace.

He had barely 20% left.

Three more spheres and he would be exhausted.

Then another doubt arose.

‘The regent has also spent a lot of mana—how is he still casting spells?’

At a glance he had fired more spheres than Vernell.

Vernell lifted his gaze.

He froze.

‘B-blood from his nose!’

For a mage, bleeding from the nose while casting spells meant only one thing.

‘Overload!’

An anomalous phenomenon caused by excessive mental concentration and forcing more power than one’s capacity allows.

‘At this rate he will suffer mana burnout…!’

In the worst case, he could be permanently incapacitated from performing magical calculations.

‘He came without a staff… of course.’

A staff helps stabilize mana formation.

Perda was calculating everything solely with his mind.

Overload was inevitable.

With that hemorrhage, he had to stop him immediately.

“Vernell.”

Perda’s voice was calm.

“Y-yes?”

“Focus.”

Vernell’s confusion vanished.

‘Yes… calm down. If someone with Blue Circle loses composure, what remains?’

It was ridiculous.

The Red Circle was calm, and the Blue Circle trembled.

‘Truly… I had no resolve at all.’

Had he been willing to risk his life for his project?

‘No.’

He only thought about researching.

Let someone else capture the beasts while he studied to bring peace.

Perda was risking his life for his research.

Even risking burnout.

‘Then I must risk it too…!’

Vernell faced his own fear.

And he leaped.

“Grrrgh!”

He forced out the last drop of mana, converting his own vitality into energy.

“Lord Regent!”

A brave roar, unbefitting the insecure Vernell.

“Receive my last mana!”

A massive sphere shot toward Perda.

“Thank you.”

Perda claimed it and hurled it at the bear.

BOOOOM!

An explosion thundered inside the creature.

Its movement and regeneration stopped completely.

‘And the heart?’

If it exploded, everything would be in vain.

Perda observed with concentration.

‘It is still beating.’

Barely alive.

The super-regeneration was halted.

“Now! Cut the tendons and bind it!”

Arwen and his men charged.

It was as easy as taking a spoon and eating a banquet already served.

Without a single casualty, they captured the beast.

Meanwhile, Perda examined Vernell.

“Are you alright?”

Vernell convulsed, blood streaming from his nose.

Mana burnout.

And yet, he smiled.

“Ha… ha… w-what did you think… of my sincerity?”

Perda answered coldly.

“It was stupidity. Risking your life that way.”

“L-lord regent… if you do it, how could I…?”

He did not finish the sentence.

He fainted.

Perda laid him down carefully.

“Are you alright, lord regent?”

Arwen asked.

“The beast?”

“Yes. It is… in stable condition. We will take it to the castle.”

“Thank you. Before that, something urgent. Is there any mage in the territory?”

“Yes.”

Perda pointed at the unconscious young man.

“Take this idiot and transfuse mana into him. The castle is far; I trust you.”

Arwen nodded with his hand over his chest.

“Understood. But… do you not need attention?”

“Why?”

Arwen pointed to his own nose.

“You are bleeding.”

“Blood?”

Perda wiped it.

The blood was already cold.

“I see.”

He had not even noticed.

Arwen offered him a handkerchief.

“They say forcing magic causes hemorrhages. If you feel dizzy, you should be treated first.”

“No, I am fine.”

Perda wiped himself and gave a few light taps.

The bleeding stopped immediately.

“I may be reckless, but I am not foolish enough to ruin my body.”

He would take risks when necessary, but never his life.

In truth, he could still generate three more spheres.

“It is just that, with the explosion, a stone flew out and struck my nose.”

That was why seeing Vernell push himself into burnout seemed simply pathetic to him.