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Infinite Mage Chapter 91: Adverse Dominance

Chapter 91: Adverse Dominance

Canis,‌​‍ frantically dodging the⁠ blinding flashes of‌​‌ the Photon Canon,‍‍ was in unprecedented‍‌‍ panic. Why wasn’t⁠⁠‍ he getting tired?‌‌ It seemed as⁠⁠ if the limit⁠‍ to his mental‌ strength had vanished.​‌

-Harvest!⁠‍⁠ At this rate,​ we’ll be done⁠‍​ for!

There‌ was still no‍‍‍ response from Harvest.​‌ Unprecedented in their‍ history, this silence​ was ominous. And‍ the reason behind⁠‌ it was unclear.​ Harvest wasn’t a foolish magical creature⁠⁠​ that would stay⁠ silent in battle​ just because of⁠‍ a disagreement in​ opinions.

-Harvest!⁠‌ Answer me!

A Photon Canon brushed⁠ past Canis, who‌ hastily twisted his‍ waist to dodge.‍ It was clearly⁠ a delayed reaction.⁠ It wasn’t that⁠ he avoided it;⁠‌ it was that‍‌​ he wasn’t hit.⁠‍

“What’s⁠ going on?”

About‍‍‍ a dozen flashes⁠‌⁠ were fired by‌⁠ Shirone, but the​ aim wasn’t precise.‍‍​ Canis then realized⁠​ something. The numerous⁠ flashes were annihilating⁠‌⁠ all the darkness,⁠‍‍ blocking his Dark​ Port routes.

‘Insane…!’‌⁠⁠

If‍ he couldn’t hit,​​‍ he would trap‌​‍ and beat him⁠​ that was the⁠⁠ strategy. It made​‌ sense but was​‌ too brute-force, wasn’t‍ it? Photon Canon,‍ a magic spell‌ that consumes a lot of mental​‌‌ strength, had already⁠‍ been fired more‍​‍ than 200 times.‌‍​ But instead of​⁠​ tiring, the number⁠ of flashes was‍‌‍ increasing.

‘How‌‌ immense is his‍‌⁠ mental strength?’

Chilled​‌⁠ by the thought,‌‍‍ Canis felt despair‍‍ as dozens of‍‌ Photon Canons filled​ his view, blocking​​⁠ all escape routes‌‍ through Dark Port.​​

‘I‌‍ can’t escape this.​‌‌ It’s over.’

He⁠‌‍ felt bitter and‌ resentful. More than​ dying, the fact‌‍‍ that he was‌⁠ being defeated by‌‍​ a light mage​​‌ in front of‌ his master was⁠⁠ scarier.

-Annoying.​​ Arcane.

-Harvest?‍⁠

For​‍ the first time‍‌ since the aerial⁠​ battle began, the​ mental channel opened.‌ Harvest blocked Canis’s​​‌ path and took‌‌⁠ the Photon Canon‌⁠ hits. The consecutive‍‍ shockwaves made the​​ magical creature’s body‌ shudder, emitting strange‌⁠⁠ moans.

Unable​ to absorb through‍​​ its surface alone,⁠‌ Harvest opened its‌ body wide and⁠​ swallowed the Photon‌​‍ Canon whole. Its​‍⁠ body twitched, and⁠⁠ its once slender‌​‍ waist ballooned like‌ a balloon. It‌ began digesting the​​ photons at full​⁠‍ capacity, and gradually,‌⁠ its body shrank‌‌​ back to its‌‌ original form.

“Cough…!”​

Canis‌‍‍ bent over, shocked.‌ Harvest was able‍​ to absorb the‌​ Photon Canon because‌‍ it drew upon‍⁠​ his mental strength‌​‌ without permission. However,​ unilaterally borrowing power‌‍​ without consent was​ impossible under the⁠⁠ master-servant contract.

-Harvest?​⁠⁠

-Get​ it together and‍ prepare!

Having⁠ drained all of‍ Canis’s mental strength,⁠‍​ Harvest rushed towards⁠​‍ Shirone, swinging its⁠ claws. Shirone, not⁠‍ adept at close⁠‌ combat, was cornered.‍‍ Harvest’s speed was‌‌‌ nimble enough to​‌ catch up with‌​‍ his teleportation. How⁠⁠ could this be?‍ It even seemed‍ much stronger than‍ Canis.

Ethella,⁠⁠​ thinking the same,​ looked at Arcane.‌ Watching the battle‍ with emotionless eyes,‍​ she understood the‍‍ situation.

‘Viltor​‌​ Arcane. You are‌ truly cruel.’

Attaching​‍ the supreme magical‌⁠‌ creature to Canis‌ wasn’t out of‍​ love for his‌‍​ disciple. To the‌‌ revenge-driven Arcane, a disciple was merely‍‍ a tool to⁠ achieve his goals.​⁠ Canis was just‍ a fuel tank⁠‍​ to maximize Harvest’s‌​ power.

As⁠​⁠ Shirone increased the‌‍​ speed of his⁠​ teleportation, Harvest’s movements​​ became faster. Canis’s‍ complexion turned as‌⁠‌ pale as a corpse. Completely drained⁠‍ of mental strength,‌​‍ he couldn’t even​‍‌ think. Only feelings​ of betrayal and​ deprivation echoed in‌‍ his mind.

-Harvest.‍ Why?

Only‌‌‌ silence returned. Realizing‍‍ who the real​⁠ master was, life‍ faded from Canis’s‌ eyes. All past‌‍​ events flashed before⁠‌ him, bringing tears.⁠

Shirone‌‌ retreated to the‍ ground. Blood flowed​‍‍ from a wound​‍​ as if cut‍​​ by a sword.‌

‘The​​​ Photon Canon doesn’t​ work. There’s not⁠‍ much time left​​ for Immortal Function.’‌‌

Canis,‍⁠‍ who came down‌⁠ with Harvest, leaned‍‍ on the ground,⁠ his pupils out‌⁠‍ of focus. Harvest,​‌ unconcerned, charged at​ Shirone. It had​‌‍ to end the⁠ battle before Canis’s⁠‌ mental strength completely‌‌ ran out.

Dodging​‍‌ Harvest’s razor-sharp claw⁠ attacks, Shirone thought.​ Until a moment‌⁠ ago, he had‌‍‍ the upper hand,​‍ but the situation​‍ had been reversed‍ in an instant.‍

Reversal‍⁠ of master and‌‍​ servant.

The‍​⁠ situation changed as​ Harvest, previously just⁠⁠ a support for⁠‌ Canis, took the‌​ forefront. A magical⁠ creature without fear‌ of death. Could⁠⁠​ there be a more difficult enemy‌​​ on the battlefield?​⁠ Harvest moved as‍​ a war machine,⁠⁠ feeding on the​‍⁠ life force from​⁠‌ Canis, the fuel​ tank.

‘A​​ war machine…?’

Shirone⁠‍⁠ suddenly realized his⁠ mistake. He hadn’t‌⁠ noticed it, blinded⁠‌ by Harvest’s intelligence.‍ The reversal of⁠ master and servant⁠‍ simply meant that​​ the enemy changed‍ from a living⁠‌ being to an​ inanimate object. Naturally,‌‌ his magic needed‌‌‍ to adapt accordingly.​​

Shirone⁠​ canceled the Photon‌ Canon and cast‍​‌ Photon Output. The⁠‍‍ Photon Canon was‍‌ dangerous because of‍⁠​ its impact force‌‌ on living beings.​​ However, for lifeless​⁠⁠ Harvest, physical force‌⁠‌ was irrelevant. If‌‍ it specialized in⁠⁠ absorbing energy, then⁠ overwhelming it with​ energy beyond its‍⁠ limit was the​⁠‍ solution.

Photon⁠⁠ Output, being pure​‌​ magic without even‌‍ mass, was easier⁠ to wield than​​ Photon Canon. Moreover,⁠‌​ the Immortal Function‍⁠‍ was still active.​‍ When Shirone’s power,‌ channeled through 300​‌ hologram devices around​ the campus, converged,​ a beam large‍‌‌ enough to cover‍ a human body⁠ was fired.

“Aaaaaah!”⁠​‌

Harvest​ was pushed back,‍​ buried in the​‍ light. Although it‌ had no physical​‌ force, smoke rose⁠⁠​ from its body​ made of dark‍​ matter. However, immune‌‍⁠ to light, the‍‍ properties of the⁠‌ photons were of​​ no help. Only⁠ the energy contained‍​‍ in the photons⁠ could whittle it​⁠ down.

‘I⁠‍⁠ need even stronger‌ energy.’

Shirone‍ recalled the core‌ principle of photonization​ theory: energy is‍ mass times the​⁠ speed of light‌⁠ squared. The Particle​ of God provides​⁠‍ mass. If so,‌​ reversing the photonization‍ theory’s formula to​ convert mass into‌‌ energy was also​ possible.

Reconfiguring‌‌‌ the photon output’s‌‍‌ power source to‍‍ be mass-based, he‌‍ combined it with⁠‍ the omnipotence of‌⁠ the Immortal Function.​ Mass began converting​ into energy in‌⁠‍ real-time. When theory⁠⁠​ and reality perfectly‍ aligned, the exhilarating‍‍​ feeling was incomparable.‍⁠ Stepping into an⁠ unknown world for‌‌ the first time,‍ Shirone felt a thrill.

“What…⁠ what is that?”⁠‍

Everyone‍‍ watching the battle‌ widened their eyes.‍ The photon output⁠‌⁠ began to narrow​⁠‌ and emit a crimson hue. Although⁠ the nature of​⁠ the magic was‍‍⁠ unknown, the color⁠​ itself was threatening.‍⁠‍

Yiruki⁠‍ recalled a phenomenon‌ of light his‍ father had mentioned.⁠⁠‍

“Is‍⁠‌ that… a laser?”⁠​​

“Laser?‌⁠ What’s that?”

“A‍​ state where light‌​‌ energy is highly‌‌ amplified. You could‌‍ say it’s the‍​ ultimate evolution of‍‍​ the flash series.‌‌‌ But how is​ that possible?”

A laser was a matter of brute⁠ strength, not talent‌ or effort. At​ least ten years‌ of mental rebounding‌ was needed before⁠​​ photons could be‍‌ amplified to laser‍ intensity.

However,‌​‌ it’s a different‍⁠‍ story if approached​‍‍ mathematically. Shirone, reconfiguring⁠ photonization theory with⁠​‌ the Particle of​ God, amplified the⁠⁠⁠ energy through mass‍​⁠ conversion instead of⁠​ brute strength. Essentially,⁠​‍ his unique power⁠ source developed a new route.

“Aaaaaah!”​​‌

Harvest‌​​ writhed in pain.⁠ The laser was‍ extremely thin compared‌ to photon output,⁠​ but the concentrated‍⁠ energy was unimaginably‍⁠​ powerful. The color‍​‍ was never the‍‌⁠ issue. The real​ danger was the‌​ invisible heat rays​ outside the red​‍⁠ spectrum. The single-wavelength⁠ laser vibrated molecules,‌‌⁠ generating immense heat.​

“Harvest!”⁠‍​

Canis,⁠‌ clutching his throbbing‌‍​ head in agony,⁠⁠⁠ shouted. The immense⁠ shock hitting his‍ brain meant that‍ in just 2 seconds, Harvest had​ exceeded its energy‌ absorption limit. This‌‌ was the power​⁠ of Shirone’s new‌​​ magic, Laser Pulse⁠‌⁠ Cannon.

Harvest​‍ struggled to digest⁠⁠ the energy, but​ the vibration speed‍ of the molecules‍​‍ was too fast.‌⁠ As the absorption⁠ reached saturation, its⁠‍⁠ body swelled enormously,⁠⁠​ ballooning up like⁠⁠‍ a balloon.

Ethella​⁠⁠ observed Arcane’s reaction.‌⁠⁠ Despite the clearly​‍⁠ dire situation, his​ expression remained unchanged,‌ stirring unease within‍ her.

“Canis!⁠ Just give up!”​​

What‍‍ would be the‍‍ next state of‍⁠‍ the massively swollen‌ Harvest? It could‌‍ be dissolution, but⁠ perhaps something even⁠​ more dreadful awaited.​‍

“Shut‌​ up! I will​⁠ fight!”

“You’re​ being deceived by⁠‌ Arcane, Canis. Harvest​⁠ isn’t your subordinate.‌​⁠ Rather, you’ve been‍⁠ its subordinate all‍⁠⁠ along. Arcane just‍‍⁠ used you.”

Canis​‍ didn’t respond. It​ wouldn’t be true⁠​ to say he‍‍ felt nothing. He‌ had suspected this‍⁠‌ possibility since he​ was first told⁠‌ that the ultimate​ product of an‌‍ archmage, a magical‍ creature, would be⁠‌‍ his. He just‌‌ lacked the courage‌⁠​ to face reality.​‍ Accepting the truth⁠ meant he would‌ be left with⁠​ nothing.

“I​ will win! I’m⁠‍‍ not afraid to⁠​‌ die! I’ll never‍‍ surrender to you​⁠ people!”

When​ he came to⁠ his senses, he⁠⁠​ found himself in​ Radum, the world’s‍‍ hell. To Arcane,‍⁠ he was just‌⁠ expendable. To Harvest,⁠⁠ whom he thought​ was a friend,‌ he was merely⁠‌ a fuel tank.‍⁠‍ Now, nothing mattered‌⁠​ anymore. Only his‌‍​ hatred for the⁠⁠‌ world remained.

‘Canis…’⁠‌

Arin‌ covered her mouth,​‍⁠ tears streaming down.⁠‍‌ Canis had always‌‌ been that kind‍⁠‍ of boy, poor⁠ and suffering, with‌‍​ nothing to offer​ to those he⁠‌ loved but his‌⁠​ own pain.

“Master!‌⁠⁠ Please save Canis!⁠​​ I beg you!”‍‍‌

She‌⁠ didn’t even consider‍​ him a master​‌ anymore. Still, she‍‍‌ swallowed her pride,​​ pleading to save‌‍⁠ Canis. But Arcane⁠‍‍ only coldly commanded‌⁠ Harvest, indifferent to‌‌ the plea.

“End​ it here, Harvest.”‍‍

Harvest,‍⁠⁠ in a state‍ of energy saturation,⁠‍‌ couldn’t respond. Even⁠‍ attempting to vocalize⁠ through vibration could‍ cause an explosion.​ And that was​ exactly what Arcane⁠‍ desired.

-Canis.​​ Listen.

-Harvest.⁠‍‍

-Arcane‌‍​ intends to detonate​⁠ me. Probably, everyone‌‍​ here will be‌ caught in the​ blast. Then, both‍ you and I will be finished.​‌

Arin⁠​ released the students⁠‌⁠ from mental control.‌ Then, running towards​ Arcane with tears​ and snot streaming,​⁠ she pleaded.

“Save⁠ Canis! If not,‍⁠ I’ll never forgive⁠​ you!”

“Arin!”‍​⁠

Canis,‍ rising up, said,‌​​

“What⁠ are you doing​‌​ to the master?​‍​ Stop right now.”​⁠

“Canis!⁠‌⁠ This man… he…”‌

“Yes.⁠⁠ The master saved​ us from hell.​ He helped us‍‌‌ escape Radum. That’s⁠ enough for me.⁠‍ I’ll fight to‍​ the end.”

Was‌​ Canis’s word sincere?‍ But it no​⁠‌ longer mattered. His‌ rage burned so​‌​ fiercely that even‌‍‌ his own death⁠ felt satisfying.

“Yeah!‍ We’ll all die​ together!”

Canis‍ screamed to the‍‍ sky, hot tears‍‍​ rolling down his⁠ cheeks. His life‍‍ had been filthy.⁠‍ But if that‍‍⁠ was his fate,‌⁠‌ he would embrace‍‌‍ a nauseating end​ to the last.‍‍

“Aaaaaah!”⁠‌

Bubbles​ erupted over Harvest’s‍⁠ body as molecules​​ boiled. Everyone knew⁠‌ what Arcane wanted⁠‌ to blow up‌ the entire school.‍‍

“Shirone!​‍​ Stop! Harvest is‌‍​ going to explode!”⁠‍‍

Shirone,‌ engrossed in releasing​​ energy, abruptly stopped‍⁠ upon hearing Ethella’s‍ words. But the⁠ chain reaction in​⁠‍ Harvest’s body was​​ already underway, foreboding​‍⁠ secondary and tertiary‍⁠‍ explosions.

“Hahaha!⁠​⁠ Farewell! Dying with‍ trash like me​ must be disgusting!‍​‌ This ends everything!”​​​

-Canis.‌ I’m sorry.

Canis’s​ face hardened.

-I’m‍‍ going to release‍⁠ the master-servant contract.‍‍

Harvest‌⁠​ absorbed all of‌ Canis’s remaining mental‌​ strength and released​ the contract. Canis,‌ feeling as if⁠⁠‌ his soul was​‌‌ being ripped out,​​ collapsed in shock.‍

“Why…‌ Harvest…”

Harvest‍ soared into the⁠⁠‌ sky. How many‌​‌ seconds were left​ until the explosion?‌​ 3 seconds? 2 seconds? In the‌​ final moments of‌ life, memories seeped‌⁠​ in vibration form.⁠ Harvest. Harvest. Harvest.‌⁠‌ The constantly calling‌‍ voice was now⁠‍​ beyond reach, and‍⁠ Harvest felt regretful.⁠​

‘Hehehe.‍‍ Canis. That’s your‌ problem. You pretend​ to be strong‌‌⁠ unnecessarily.’

Never‌​​ fearing death, as‍ it had no‍⁠‍ life to begin⁠ with, Harvest was‌⁠ just worried. The‍‌ sense of betrayal‍‍‌ received through the⁠​ mental channel was​ still palpable, as‌ if they were‌ one. But now,⁠​​ unable to convey‍ anything, Harvest just​ hoped.

“I⁠⁠ hope Canis isn’t​⁠ too hurt.”

At​‌‍ an altitude of‍ 2 kilometers, where‌⁠ voices couldn’t reach‍ the ground, the‍ mouth on the​ shadowy face grotesquely​‍​ split.

“It⁠⁠​ was fun, though,​⁠ Canis.”

Boom!‍

A massive explosion, shattering‍⁠ the world’s darkness,​ erupted.

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