Chapter 139: 4-star (4)
cQ0aI remember the first time I opened my eyes in a corner of the slums. That was the moment Dereck’s journey began.pXquH1
pbFIGRpWithout warning, he was thrown into a hostile environment where he had to scavenge just to survive. As he struggled to endure it, a question naturally engraved itself into his young mind.QGT
360It wasn’t a deep question, nor something that would help him survive, but it was something everyone wonders at least once in their lives.EIvE
8D27Why do we live?SBhFx
XT2dwGIt was a trivial question the boy asked himself while chewing a piece of hard rye bread, sitting in a corner of the street and gazing up at the sea of stars in the sky.6qDW
iveSmIt was a cold street.Mgn0NK
P5bppPThere were so many beggars lying on the ground that no one passing by paid any attention to Dereck—but he kept looking at the sky, his eyes shining brightly.5Eq
zSOxR***rrOj1
H6At6gBang! Crash!fkYh
r4BThe figure of Dereck, who had just stood up, vanished in an instant.7Wubpv
fHcIUGrand Duke Beltus frowned and looked around. In that brief moment, Dereck had used illusion magic to erase his presence and hide among the rubble, seeking to take the Grand Duke by surprise.mb3Y
lIflRTHe was already an experienced mercenary.qRMbTPF
zIuyHe instinctively knew that facing a grandmaster-level mage head-on was suicide.9Cp
lzavbNo matter how damaged Fina had left him, Grand Duke Beltus was still a five-star mage, responsible for an entire noble house. To defeat him, one had to use every possible trick—not just raw magical skill.xmi
qa36Battlefield coordination and improvisation were Dereck’s specialties.P7T3
oJXN1The Grand Duke, who had more or less grasped this, immediately cast a defensive spell over his entire body the moment Dereck’s figure disappeared.xgq
4AyKv6vHe didn’t know from where or how the attack would come. The only certainty was that as long as he didn’t allow a critical hit, Dereck could never surpass him.7ELa
5X4Whoosh!5MP0LCp
R75pBeyond the shattered outer wall, a fireball from Dereck came flying inside.Zmdxs4s
BVZxHowever, any magic below two-star level could be dispelled and nullified with a single glance.1Qx0y
01AXYMGrand Duke Beltus possessed the ability to control magic with his eyes alone.UyLHUQZ
Gtas2zcIt was a unique method of Beltus’s own—something even veteran mages could not easily master.gkIAc
urRIt’s a common trait among those who reach the four-star rank or higher the way they manipulate magic through their own interpretation lies beyond ordinary talent.6Osl
c0wSnap!Wor
abe7x2However, Dereck’s true intention was to draw Beltus’s gaze.YPXEPE
rqqLeaping from the rubble, Dereck lunged at him with his sword drawn. His jump was so fast that by the time someone blinked, the blade was already right in front of him.hX4Ke
ajxGClang!qdF
TsfUBut the two-star combat spell Protective Wall had the power to nullify physical impact in proportion to the caster’s magic.Z98
hCd1i5jThe sword, blocked right before the Grand Duke, trembled violently.kFUlZ
9mPEdl“Do you think you can defeat me with such pathetic tricks?”RZ5YH1g
pEPBang!tZiL
qsJvFThe Light of the Empire in Beltus’s hands shone once more.4VG
IZHIn an instant, the shockwave it released hurled Dereck against the wall. Dust rose as Dereck coughed in pain.fMXge
42dEven so, he stood up and widened the distance between them.K1zxf
8lktWas it a retreat? Or was he trying to lure him in? It wasn’t clear, but the Grand Duke had no choice but to pursue.3uokUH
xE6aHe could already feel it. If he didn’t kill that monster right then, he couldn’t imagine how powerful he might become in the future.6jBx
gycpglEven before a five-star mage, Dereck’s mind was constantly turning—searching for openings, adapting, refining his use of magic, attempting to overturn the situation.41ethg
iV90MpHis sensitivity to magic was high, and his rate of growth abnormally fast.fgqUh
g4eRZJWho could doubt it? That monster had the potential to reach at least five stars.G5P
wNYhIt was a great fortune to encounter him while he was still a three-star mage, momentarily stagnant after hitting a wall.rhRob
xZSBIf the opportunity had arisen to tear him out by the roots, it had to be taken.xMHnte
YsuAnd so, Grand Duke Beltus dashed down the corridor, chasing Dereck.WHTm
BomslBoom! Bang!23ho
ljIDereck cast confusion magic, scattering illusions everywhere.bOoG4
pPm6kFKThough numerous illusory doubles appeared, created by the confusion magic, Beltus—who also mastered detection spells—was not deceived.jVK0
FQsQArrows flew, swords clashed against his body, but he ignored them all.uLurV4b
5TDxkHe already anticipated they would vanish the moment they touched him.PrS
AAPPDereck crossed the half-destroyed corridor of the second floor and opened the door leading to the outer stairs.GFRI
rePp– Groooh!8LZSD
vsAFBut what appeared before him was a giant demon.YN9sUq
FuKThe sight of its massive face closing in was pure terror.wH0
qrhDThe hellish demon, moving under Beltus’s command, had already been waiting, knowing he would try to escape through there.485y
cXgQRpIts eyes gleamed, and soon a gigantic fist came crashing down toward him.oSCoN
l4je– Booom!oOdTbq
1I0GiStruck by the impact, Dereck rolled once across the floor.qzd
QaJVBursting through the dust, he sprinted at full speed toward the lower floor.U9clcAL
Ec6“What a pleasure to see you run!”8kAIk5X
AHHyF7The Grand Duke, wrapped in magic, floated and pursued him downward.POz4wnX
h2PUIEven if he had to abandon everything, he was determined to kill him right there.ziG6rOE
itXWith that resolve, he plunged after him.oKEXA
qhw– Fwoosh! Thud!H9i
KMCR9ioDereck threw himself into the first-floor corridor, rolled, and kept moving.jynP
Df77SThe corridor on the second floor was almost completely destroyed, but the first floor still retained some of the luxury of a noble mansion.eAndui
sSrkwIOf course, the carpet was stained with monster tracks, and furniture lay scattered across the floor.h9C
3rsPr– Clang! Bang!x6zSa
Z29tQVBSuddenly, all the windows along the long corridor shattered at once, and a swarm of bat-like monsters burst in.WqXVy
Hg8It was impossible to count how many creatures Grand Duke Beltus controlled.AwVP
dAsP9Each was imbued with magical power, and yet they all seemed to move as one.9Uw
ZsP10When Dereck cast the two-star combat spell Fireball down the corridor, many began to burn and disintegrate, but the number flooding in far exceeded those destroyed.5jbWjb
VrVWielding his longsword, Dereck cut down the monsters one after another until the Grand Duke finally appeared at the far end.Gg6tGZ
OfgJDHe had entered floating through a window.A3lcgNp
UJYs0“Your words sounded grand, but you’re nothing more than a coward running away. I’ll end your life here…”zTru
77p– Bang!dko
qYAz5Before the Grand Duke could finish his sentence, the ceiling collapsed.nw8UA3I
UGSRTStartled by the sudden attack, he tried to deploy a defensive spell but couldn’t deflect all the falling debris.rN9lU
nRtrcWR‘An ambush… reinforcements…?’ejMFoIu
rRWvThe mansion’s entrance was blocked by the Archlich.hE3
eC0sCrAt this point, there shouldn’t have been any enemies left capable of intervening.cr1Bv
FFcHowever, among the remains of the second-floor corridor were clear traces of magical energy.KGFa
mjNKDtBut when he looked up, there was no one there.6ig7lUu
pFQegOnly then did Dereck’s eyes fall on the staff he held.DAf9
yuFpW‘Echoes…’tjk7cnI
pyHctThe staff, crafted by a transmutation artisan from the northern Rochester region, had the ability to re-manifest a spell after a brief delay once cast.Ka9
hemuJThe fireball Dereck had launched in the second-floor corridor wasn’t intended to subdue Grand Duke Beltus directly.AlubK
mB8usBy exploiting the power of Echoes, he had re-manifested the fireball with a timed delay to collapse the building’s foundations.cvya9KM
DjIGBy casting the spell with that delay, he succeeded in luring Grand Duke Beltus into the first-floor corridor, causing him to be buried beneath the debris.ldGUW
mOfCrackle! Bang!2s0
tnqOf course, the rubble alone wasn’t enough to subdue him. His defensive magic was powerful enough to easily withstand such weight.kCl8
3w9iS6However, his attention briefly shifted toward the second floor.fGulS
m9gYTULThat single instant of distraction.6wV
m15poIn a situation where the outcome could be decided in a fraction of a second, even the slightest lapse could lead to an irreversible result.TrjJ
PvoajWhen Grand Duke Beltus turned his gaze forward again, Dereck had already drawn his sword and was lunging at him.5gdqm
5FlPg4His movement was like lightning. The speed and lack of hesitation showed that everything had been meticulously calculated.UGa7
h8lzHIn that instant, lasting only a hundredth of a second—that fleeting moment when time seemed to stop—the Grand Duke’s mind began to accelerate.nWK
s0Naxx4Even with necromantic madness consuming his thoughts and his body on the verge of collapse, the master-level mage never stopped thinking.D50rLD
jyKMiIThe falling debris. Dereck closing in.zfY
ankeYIf he had to defend against one first, it had to be the latter.JMhS9B
JbWInstinctive reflexes.45DTzXB
rUhNODiDespite his old and weary body, and his years away from the battlefield, his combat instincts surged through him once more.vsnd
berTnsAIf he blocked Dereck’s attack, he couldn’t stop the debris.2Yw
xwiBut Dereck would be buried along with him.TeUYf
fxc3DCZBetter both buried, he thought, than allowing a one-sided strike.JJhQ
sPtsyWith that decision, he prepared to unleash a shockwave toward Dereck.dAdav
notkcWhoosh!IZcs
lHcLUxBut the moment the duke’s magic touched him, the figure of Dereck lunging forward with sword in hand dissolved into magical energy and vanished. It was an illusion spell.EAMD
wOyJEven in such an extreme situation, that madman had thrown in another feint.GVcefJ
ATXL3LTo foresee even the unforeseen—to respond to the response—the ability to see one step ahead is an indispensable skill for a duelist.NhBO
iWxHKHad he only done it to prevent the Grand Duke from blocking the falling debris by forcing him to react to the illusion?5RS3rQY
mLeBeltus realized his intent too late and turned his gaze upward to try and halt the collapse.eqJS6l6
7Hf– Thud!9R7FCIA
p9lKxT4However, Dereck was one step ahead.fc2GJN
YxB7XhA sword protruded from Grand Duke Beltus’s shoulder.JND
LnfHis eyes widened, and he looked back.TZW
kyPEven if both were buried beneath the rubble, that strike was fatal.cdntA
JyKFCDereck took another step and drove the blade in once more. The attack from behind was impossible to block.nzR
xMPCIn that situation, he too would be caught under the collapse.jE1
1yNPXYBut if he could land a truly deadly blow, it was worth the risk.x9Ek8aK
IqDIf he could claim the bone, he was willing to sacrifice the flesh.OL5lp0
lKyYThe reckless spirit of that young, blood-soaked mercenary was unlike that of a noble who had too much to lose.IvbOiw
V5Sjtj“You’re… a damn… lunatic…”ErDCyyt
uvpBlood spurted from the pierced shoulder.VYnt5
fTRL2– Crash! Bang!V7QsNDp
mN3PXThe debris from the second floor collapsed over them both.QqhFd0
9dzkJYv***zTN2A
7HApM– Rustle.8Hx
PqAThe sound of dust falling over the heap of ruins echoed faintly.FzT3g
nHzGejThe collapsed remains had broken through the hallway floor, sinking all the way into the basement.Xdb8
uO2uI3BStarlight filtered through the shattered ceiling, and a presence emerged from among the rubble.xzY0vR
tg0H– Crack, Thud! Boom!ITQaD
qmCAnDuke Beltus, with a wound in his shoulder, groaned as he rose.jn03i
kOdMBlood gushed out, and his legs wouldn’t respond.DjOp
NkUVb9His luxurious noble attire was covered in dust and blood; his broken body creaked audibly.X422CTj
kjHx9WEven so, he was still alive. Somehow, the protective magic he had cast had managed to preserve his limbs.OCOt
rBY– Crack! Thud!Y30Sg
JYPIBut as soon as he emerged from the heap of ruins, his knees gave out.AXj8lO
MgCE5The necromantic madness threatened to consume his mind once again, and the veins across his body burned like fire.bbRy93h
ea82RrLHis body was shattered, his mana nearly depleted, the mansion collapsing, the gathered armies scattered, and the monsters running amok.vnGryU
7xB2gAmid all that chaos, the duke’s blood coursed violently through his veins.QrpA2
6cZHe had to endure, to overcome this crisis, and take one more step toward the ambition he had pursued all his life.ta0
xlkThinking only of that, he clenched his teeth and endured.hNmpUEw
jA7lThat was how Duke Beltus had accumulated power.ygf5
nmPqNn“Cough, gasp… gasp…”aDz
JLBHe caught the scent of grapes.Z7s
p90vmIt was the underground wine cellar. The debris from the first-floor hallway had fallen all the way down to the basement.6jB
S7cBroken bottles covered the floor, and the wine spilling from the barrels soaked the ground like blood.vtqX8
BOcJ2fThe red liquid running down his hand—was it wine or blood? Or both?ojcpwV
6OJ8He didn’t know, but he had to stay conscious.ySURSKw
r2JE75s“Gasp, cough… ugh…”fSa
tdSmsxBeltus brushed the hair from his forehead with a hand soaked in wine and pressed against his bleeding shoulder.W9ta5P
sSBqhHis vision was blurring.iTXfAd
IwImJHe struck his face with his fist to keep from passing out.BVQv
YJLBoom!mVQPSXP
WWhSJvCrash!Jm3f3L
ZNoA9But another figure forced its way through the wreckage and stood behind him.h6N
gRhbThere was no need to identify him—it was the monster who had fallen with him into the depths.x4Q6I
aCpRed eyes gleamed beneath white hair. Wine stained the tips of his boots, and blood covered his face.DZJAZD
DmANI2He had a broken fingernail and a deep scar crossing his left eyebrow, perhaps crushed by debris. The sword was gone.Cv54t
eKeBut the man didn’t care and leapt from the wreckage, striking Duke Beltus across the face.mSL
cQE– Thud!BVPH3pd
KiTl“Ugh!”GzJmyr
KXScpmiThe duke fell to the floor, sliding, but managed to gather magic and released a shockwave toward Dereck’s feet.ESL
OSFDek– Thud!VBwrc
QesgjA situation pushed to the very limit.N4vf
jyJEven so, magic flared from his fingertips, summoning a sword that pierced Dereck’s shoulder and thigh.LaYB
L0YHP2The blow landed cleanly, piercing through him.ZJT
D9PvwTbBlood burst forth, and Dereck rolled across the wine-soaked floor, groaning.KdC
idX8“You… bastard… do you even know who you’re talking to…?”47e
clP9Just by summoning a few swords, Beltus coughed up blood.qsEc
OaryEvery spell he cast now clung directly to his life itself.X4Xgn
IDpVEven on the verge of collapse, the man—like a moving corpse—did not stop.KNzRl
AYrjcGiHe ripped the sword from his own flesh, opened his eyes wide in fury, and lunged forward, grabbing the duke by the throat.FeGNCG
7lAHe slammed him to the ground, seized a fallen sword—but Beltus tripped him.smjno
sWu2GwCrash! Bang!TjmDoJ
iDnEicDereck, sprawled on the floor, tried to rise, but he was already at his limit.JmkEKlw
bRXThe Grand Duke twisted his bloodied lips into a crooked grin and also tried to get up, reaching for the fallen sword—but Dereck hurled a nearby stone.wqAfTyR
tRDs– Thud!4bAJ
BRGVThe sharp rock struck his hand, leaving a deep wound.r9R
zsJugk8As Beltus staggered back with a groan, Dereck, barely standing, rammed into him with his shoulder.mYja0u
yXEXYt– Thud! Thud!RFOJ4gu
hanLZ6GHe threw himself on top of him and struck his nose several times.1J7Hgj
23AovBlood splattered, and a tooth rolled across the floor.07GF
5mPIYet the duke, bloodied and dazed, managed to gather magic and pushed Dereck away.hYcCh
9Jz1y37He kicked him in the stomach, stomped on his thigh, and raised the blade to finish him.As6K
4BjyslBlood splashed, and wine spilled.3LqqvIe
nvocWRed liquid flowed from a shattered barrel.7xkuZ
AAYzR3The fight in that basement was no different from the brawls that happened in the slums.FenMqzo
aflm7SAnd yet, both men were established nobles.APue
u5JWith trembling hands, Duke Beltus picked up a dagger, but Dereck, who suddenly rose, grabbed his wrist.CokZ7oF
vtVsGHUThe duke didn’t let go of the weapon. With shaking hands, he tried to stab him however he could, but Dereck blocked the motion with sheer grip strength.Vrb7UF
pHQQnDereck’s nails dug into the duke’s wrist, and blood dripped down.VpTj5
3v9NBeltus clenched his teeth and screamed, but his body no longer obeyed him.5aRXv
KKpmq“Die. Die! You damned… die…!”mpiaNb
lus“…”phfj
t1IvAzETwo men struggled over a single dagger.8bW
ENoAt that moment, Dereck, his eyes wide open, spoke.spM
T9a“I suppose you don’t have enough strength left to use magic.”I0HWgX3
VgZe4Jm“…”g1EE
wx6fqc“How pitiful.”6tvIw
tQoggIn that instant, a chill ran down Grand Duke Beltus’s spine.nEjQK
OfnjpEven in the middle of such an extreme situation, where both their lives hung by a thread, that madman was still observing and absorbing his magic.ziqVqth
pZPuals– Bang!X62Sq
JnU3At that moment, a first-level combat spell, Shockwave, shot straight into the Grand Duke’s abdomen.PFSF6
X1vvmBeltus was sent flying, crashing against a wine barrel, and rolled across the floor.bzjku
BSZtHDbThe wine seeping from the barrel soaked his shoulder.xGU
rjxqHis trembling pupils slowly rose from the river of blood toward the young wolf.1aC
fYu7U2That man was insane.xEslvK8
NGXzgHe had climbed to that point driven solely by the desire to master magic, and it was impossible to comprehend the fervor within him that bordered on madness.0qFd
QZn“Cough… cough… cough…”54dk
haXrMHDereck, too, was barely standing, coughing as if his body no longer obeyed him.KwYDY
l8qHe stumbled several times, his feet slipping, and had to push himself up from the ground again and again.7nvxj39
SLJC8Even so, he straightened completely without changing his expression.dVjFO6g
eQajIn his hand, he held a dagger.Uh4w
2fBonAnThe man staggering toward him was Death itself—the Reaper come to end the long path of Grand Duke Beltus.r5nj0s
fnkWhen that reality became clear, the duke’s toes began to tremble uncontrollably.pHI6WuB
iK8“You… damned lunatic…”jqH
bPrNJtN“…”7HV
ghV8g“Why… why are you so obsessed… with magic…?”MNMZnKa
lyqgCqCDereck’s cold gaze pierced Grand Duke Beltus.SSQxHbr
XpwThe latter tried to move his battered body, but even the wine running down his shoulders felt unbearably heavy.hn98B4y
ZFOg4“Magic… was just a means to rise for someone as low-born as you, wasn’t it…?”UaRz
tKdPmFH“…”koQfK
SyYVYk“Then I’ll do as you wish. Take my hand… I’ll show you what true power is…”Jk9K
T1m6The stench of death filled the air.xt0v6E
EYlFSlIt was so thick—more pungent and dense than the scent of grapes saturating the cellar.A7zQ9bg
Cr8fGNEThe duke’s sharp sense of smell didn’t overlook that abominable fear.PUbZnQa
Dv6mWith trembling hands, he propped himself on the floor and spoke to Dereck.p5PXB
ziZHOVw“If you wish to learn magic… I can help you reach the highest peaks… I am the master of Beltus…”FtQ
WtpVJyX“…”HIfpWw
MAvFN“Your skill and talent… have already been proven beyond doubt. Your courage and determination… you possess the qualities of a ruler… Trust me and take my hand… I’ll guide you to the summit…”8XUYHi
XBqgp“Why are you so obsessed with magic?”Ba9vFl
XLHVWADereck staggered and slowly approached.8ntPQ30
Bk9M– Clang! Clang!vayIgmm
CVMPHe let the dagger in his hand fall. It rolled weakly across the floor, disappearing into the river of wine.rqoD
fv5b3Soon, Dereck’s hand was imbued with magical energy.bj3
VOXoJCould he still use magic?hnmhze3
hgZTgFDuke Beltus clicked his tongue in disbelief.2sVP
jfM2vAfter scraping the very bottom of his energy, all that should have remained was pure willpower.kvs
5JJ9zOnly by drawing out every last drop of power from the body through superhuman will can one reach the next level.nrSgO
LyD9NzThat was what the duke had demonstrated throughout the battle.SHzRpuq
TiXNot bound by the magical system established by Adelbert, but rising above it—touching the very essence of magic itself.LgtGjy6
Ey927IMClashes of swords, collisions of spells—the sensation that touched the man’s senses flickered through his memory.Mh3FVlw
5lcERvIt was incredible that Dereck still had enough energy to channel magic.VCYS
y25VWHe had already suffered multiple fatal wounds, his body was covered in cuts, and blood wouldn’t stop flowing.SB0GY
HBRWxAnd yet, he tried to unleash a spell beyond one or two stars in level.xvSiz
5o2nFrom that point onward, it might well cost him his life.VHuyD
aoBwA0Everything in the world has a price.bK6gkO
YiMoQBut Dereck, without hesitation, squeezed out the last of his energy, trying to manifest everything he had ever seen, heard, and felt.BtOY
3Vg1AmjWas it a spinning lantern? Or a dream?i3NRUc
twGCome to think of it, he had always been gazing at the starry sky.WzQlB
UuxIn the corners of the slums, on tavern streets, by the roadside, in the barony.qfrEWHL
y8tHapBThe people beside him might have changed, but the scenery always seemed the same.MeiFyQj
LLfAJEach time, the people beside him asked similar questions.083Hu
F3znZ1dAn old man in the slums once asked.VwGO
4I5LgU“Dereck, why do you study magic?”aDIzu
cs8DXpThe boy eating hard bread replied.4FpK
8VlsNm“Just to survive.”XqHDAk
AfIAebA fallen noblewoman wandering the streets asked him.hsVFG3U
8WLgha“Dereck, why do you work so hard to learn magic?”2omNK
4yGqKd3The boy, already starting to resemble a mercenary, answered.inyT
iHsr“To become stronger.”a0qef
vnIP53An old wandering mage, worn by hardship, once asked.nUmi
UpbF“What do you intend to achieve by learning magic this way?”t4820pw
X7k9The man, who was beginning to make a name for himself as a magic instructor, replied.zGH0U
xjp“Because it’s fun.”Ygve6J
IEteAThe answer changed every time. It couldn’t be helped.lMm5o
ztP2gAs he grew, matured, survived, became stronger, and his circumstances improved, his reasons for seeking higher levels of magic varied—but the outcome of moving forward was always the same.DwwbW
zUDz2In that context, answering Grand Duke Beltus’s question was not difficult at all.VVgqI9
KqeHQiDNo long explanation was necessary.3KQlw
IVoP8FWhen asked why he was so obsessed with magic, he felt the answer had been decided long ago.QbhfaJy
RSDKWhen he had awakened in the streets of the slums, thrown into a cold world without rules or direction.OMRcHF
a7xThat naïve boy had wondered why he had to live.MGbaKe
1Cnm5Perhaps he had already understood it back then.9o8
WGHhGTo live well, it’s good to be obsessed with something.H2DoBlg
x4aUlA life without purpose or ambition lacks drive.mBcC
HetssSo he decided to be obsessed with magic.B7wloN
kk8G9UThat’s why, when people asked him why he clung so tightly to magical success, there was no grand answer.5SaBti6
hJhla“Just because.”hoZg6E0
Ei8gsaThat was all.amLpDb
39lGrand Duke Beltus’s eyes widened.Gty
JxEAn incomprehensible fear—like that felt before a being beyond all logic and understanding—seized him.9Gg
INMWXqdWhen humans sense death drawing near, they often cry.nWa
VbnwlmHHe clenched his teeth, searching for a way out—but there was none.YKtt
iE4W6tCCrackle, pop! Whoosh!psh
6yzIn Dereck’s perception, the magical system intertwined, soon radiating light.AANL
LC6b81aThe magical energy at his arm’s tip was familiar—and he deliberately shattered it.6KBA6h
AmaguQThree-star combat magic, Freeze.kRL
yIabHe knew the sensation of the magical flow, but he forcibly twisted and distorted it, combining the methods of illusion and summoning magic.oIS
pAJ8Beyond the rules established by Adelbert, when one gazes directly into the essence of magic, an entirely new landscape reveals itself.b1k2a
ppMe7The euphoria that swept through his entire body upon reaching that limit could not be compared to any extreme narcotic.mI3l5ir
G6qHi9Crackle, Pop!KJc
pqsE7CXIt felt as if his whole body were burning and electricity was crackling through him.yYJAjfR
g5DTo use magic of such scale with a body at its limit would inevitably bring aftereffects—he knew it.zGcd
JeD9But he couldn’t stop now that he had come this far.7OEtJ
SIuDEcDereck’s eyes glowed with a strange light, and the magical energy radiating from him began to envelop the entire underground cellar.V7JXMZj
IryIn that instant, Grand Duke Beltus felt an unfamiliar chill.MrzkaY
tqOKlaThen, with a deafening roar, Dereck’s magical energy exploded.yjDddmG
ElaR***wdqzbT
GtmhDF9“It’s gotten colder. Is it winter?”vnmL
y1LexdBFina, who had just stepped out of the forest, stretched lazily.ITj
HesKuShe planned to pass through a nearby village, take a horse, and return to the Ravenclaw Barony—yes, that was the extent of her brazen thoughts.y3Z7E
VII8Seeing her so relaxed after the catastrophe she had caused at the Beltus mansion made it clear she was far from a normal person.nxXPP4q
lZJXd4Even she was beginning to believe the saying that there were no sane six-star mages.i2G3S
xFiiBgmAs she walked through the clearing under the moonlight, she glanced toward the distant Beltus mansion.IWnYDxk
yWsmThe hellscape, covered in rampaging monsters and restless spirits, was just to her liking. She wondered when she’d next get to enjoy such chaos.9wWFJOd
qAZBut the mansion’s appearance had changed drastically since she left.KpS
57RAThe moon shone brightly.9dl4
W3QxYThe main building, revealed beneath the silvery light, was completely frozen.xksEO
nfU“Now that looks much better.”pDo6
84sdWU3Four-star combat magic—Large-Scale Spatial Freeze.eMZL
aSwG4YlA spell that stopped not only its surroundings but the entire battlefield—something only seen during the Great Northern War.ECSWRc
B3nQJAt that time, it was Melverot who used it, and wartime magic had always been distinguished by its colossal scale.ZvwcLn
tVN“♬ ♩♪”oKptvCi
7WyNuTHumming a tune, Fina left the mansion behind.h0LF
TXRShe crossed the clearing at an unhurried pace and disappeared into the darkness.vHMvy
GcMgFANThe sight of the frozen mansion under the moonlight was beautiful.FvCu
nPeConsidering the horrors unfolding within, the contrast was truly ironic.Jla4uq
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