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Fourteenth Episode: Twisting the arms of fate with my magic
The match will start after ten minutes.
I was in the waiting room.
Kuna and Anne came in.
「Why did you do such a reckless thing!?」
Anne pressed me with that question.
Her usual calmness cannot be seen.
「It is as what I just said at that time. I can get off by being evaluated only once if I have a match with a Rank 2 and knock him down」
「Liar, it was for my sake right? 」
「If I'm not mistaken, you're saying that I'm doing it for the sake of the evaluation is a lie. I'll admit it. But it does not mean that it's for Anne's sake. It's for all of us. 【Demon Sword Tail】's first mission is for all members to grab the scholarship student slots. So I did it for that reason」
「But!」
「This is just my pride. Don't get in my way」
I said it forcefully.
「Anne, Souji-kun has already resolved himself desu. It's not good to get in the way of a man's pride desu. A good woman should just see them off quietly at such time desu[1]」
「......I understand. I won't stop him」
Anne said so while looking down.
「But Souji-kun. Please promise me. You must win and absolutely come back to us[2] That's not it, in my whole life, I regret at that I've hit you that time even though I should have stopped」
「I promise. I will absolutely be victorious」
Because Kuna demanded a pinky swear, I respond to it.
「You promised it. ......When I'm with Souji-kun, life it's always full of surprises desu. Suddenly consuming such huge magic stone mon. I was really shocked. The fact that you survived was a miracle desu」
「That isn't so. In the first place, do you know why a person can die when consuming a magic stone?」
I asked the most fundamental question.
「I don't know desu. It's just kind of like that」
「To tell you the truth, magic stones contains miasma with the ability to make us stronger in large quantities. A miasma is a poison which violates the soul. So unless the body can endure it, they will instantly die」
Yes, that's the drawback of a magic stone.
As for the players of IRURANDE of the game era, they seriously make an order of magic stones to consume and what demons to obtain it from.
But, it's difficult to do a step-by-step stage and get a magic stone with the right strength, although it's safe, I had no choice but to choose the way to take a lot of inefficient magic stone with a bad Rank. Anyways, the magic stone's strength differs with the same type of demon, so you can't normally get it.
The present residents of sealed city doesn't change either, that is. The residents here took low tier magic stones in large quantities and little by little choose one that is slightly stronger than the other.
That's why a Rank 3 isn't easily produced.
「But there's no point even when I know that」
「Is that so, if the problem is known then it's easy to settle it. Just remove the miasma」
「That's impossible. They're perfectly mixed」
「I can do it. That's why, I was able to consume that magic stone」
Naturally, many payers disliked the bad efficiency.
To fundamentally settle it, tens of thousand of players each begun analyzing the magic stones.
They discovered the existence of the miasma and tried to remove it by various approaches. Several hundred of hypotheses are shared by the magic development team, in order to demonstrate, magic which corresponds to the respective hypotheses of hundreds of people is developed.
The result was, a magic equation that removes the miasma from the magic stone was completed in two years in game time.
The improved magic equation is what I've now used.
「Furthermore after removing the miasma isn't only safe, there is also an effect that double the strength compared to that when the miasma was present. The magic stone's power and the miasma's power repelled each other that's why the the strength obtained was reduced by half」
「Isn't it too wonderful desu ka? Felling at ease when consuming a magic stone, and furthermore the efficiency is doubled! It's revolutional desu yo. Please teach me this now」
「Err, that maybe tough, because it's a magic with 762 processes」
You at most must be high tier, just to use 100 processes.
It's to the extent that it's too much for the norm.
「That, isn't it an impossible magic for a person desu ka!」
「It depends on the effort」
More or less, there's a trick here.
When a normal person imagines the magic equation, a character string is imagined. But for a homunculus, because the magic equation is originally engraved in the brain, certain magic can be execute. For what can be engraved at a time is until up to 2420 processes, I can stock that many magic in it's limit. When I feel like it, I can delete a magic equation and I can put another magic equation.
seal of nepu
That application is also possible to engrave magic equations on others' brain. In that case, Even as a normal person, under any circumstances, It's possible to use complicated magic at high speed. However, once the magic equation is engraved, it can never be deleted. There are individual differences, because it's until 1000 process at most, It's necessary to carefully examine it before engraving the magic.
Anyhow, if Kuna and Anne allow me to, I want to present the highest magic to them.
「There's no problem if Kuna can't use it. Because I'll purify the miasma, you'll just have to consume the purified magic stone」
「A way to reach Rank 3 with ease, it has the strange feeling of unfairness desu」
「It's certainly so. It's speed is several dozens times faster than other people」
「Sorry for being so unfair. How many blood and tear do you think was shed in order to create this magic」
Tens of thousand of people in two years.
On the BBS[3], innumerable hypothesis plans appeared and shared like a round robin just to develop this magic. This is a development drama at the same level as project X. I thought whether that died.[4] I almost gave up midway several times, but I struggled until the very end, for the purification magic.
「A magic to purify a magic stone. Did Souji created that? So that's why i never heard any rumors about that」
「Right desu. If there was one, then the rumor will instantly spread right?」
They raised their voice as the two agreed.
「Though I didn't make this alone, I was part of a development team」
「Nothing but amazing people desu ne. I want to meet them someday」
「That might be somewhat hard, Because everyone is busy, maybe someday」
I deceived them with a forced smile.
it's almost time.
「Kuna, Anne. Thanks. Because of you two, my nervousness disappear. I'll win. For our party, for the sake of 【Demon Sword Tail】」
「Souji-kun I believe in you」
「Souji. Don't die even if you lose」
「I won't die, and I absolutely won't lose. To this emblem, I promise I'll win」
I put up the emblem hanging on my neck.
Well then, let's go. Toward victory.
Even if I raised my 【status】 to mid tier Rank 1, I won't hold a candle to the Rank 2 sempai. The difference of the fighting power between me and the opponent is tremendous.
If we compare them, it's like a fight between a elementary school kind versus a professional wrestler.
There's a difference in power.
But, there's nothing to fear.
I've already experience this same situation with a degree of hopelessness hundreds of times already.
◇　◇　◇
「Rank 1, you didn't run away and came」
I rise toward the platform in the colosseum.
It's an authentic enclosed stone system.
「I came, Sempai」
「Without any weapon at hand, are you making fun of me?」
Sempai has a plain lightweight plate mail and a one-handed sword it an easy to handle length.
「I do have a weapon at hand. 【Magic Silver Refining: First Mode・Lance Piercer】」
I executed the magic and transformed the ring coiled around my arm into a spear.
「......Using such bizarre skill」[5]
【Nepu! This translation can be only read at nepustation.com】
Some senior and spectators have noticed the abnormality of this magic.
In addition to the capacity of my magic.
「Ah, isn't that amazing? A weapon just popped out. Isn't it mysterious? That conjuring trick, What's that?」
【Nepu! This translation can be only read at nepustation.com】
The king was delighted, he ask the commenter on the neighboring seat the question. The commenter role was under the class lecturers.
seal of nepu
「Sempai, I just want to know before the match starts. Is it because you were irritated when I refused your party invitation or is it because sempai want sempai's otouto[6] to get the scholarship student slot that's why you involved Anne? You were going to stomp on her dream. I wonder if that perception was a safe bet?」
I was angry. To clear the false charge to her father and take the pride of the Auclaire house back, she aims to be an honorable noble. I will never forgive any guy to trample her wish for such good-for-nothing reasons.
「What's that all of a sudden?」
「Please answer it」
「......That's right. It's just like you have said. But even if I didn't do it, someone will crush that woman eventually, such is her fate. That woman's fate was sealed the moment her house became a great criminal. It will be destroyed. Before she gets some unfit dreams, I'll immediately finish it. I want you to appreciate that」
Sempai expressed a sarcastic smile.
Certainly, it's like as he said. The crime Anne's father will torment her throughout her life. As far as I know it, Anne yields to despair to the extend that it release the demon sword spirit by all means.[7]
【Nepu! This translation can be only read at nepustation.com】
「I see, it's fate」
「That is so. It's fate. Because you're related to it, You too will be destroyed. You should have followed me that time, I'll make you regret throughout your life」
「If such is ones fate, as you say......」
I won't accept that. If I don't accept it then there's only one thing to do. Then I......
「I'll twist the arms of fate with my magic」
I declared it as I thrust my spear. I only have that power.
Even if we overcome this place, fate will hit her next time. The I'll screw it down every time that happens.
Sempai became nervous and stepped back.
The female instructor stands at the center between me and sempai.
「I'll explain the rules. If the divine protection runs out, you faint, or you give up then it's means your defeat. In addition, whatever happens in this match is your own self-responsibility. Is there no problem for both parties?」
「I don't mind ze」
「I too, don't have any problem with it.」
Divine Protection, in this world, when one is wounded blue particles will emerge.
There is individual difference, it raise to the extent of ones 【status】, the quantity one will possessed becomes big.
The moment it runs out, any wounds would not heal.
That's why, the problem above all is no matter how much you raise your 【status】, if you run out of divine protection it will loss it's effect. It will become the same as a commoner's defense and physical ability. Only death awaits to those who will take an attack from the opponent in that state.
Even if a scratch can be cured by magic, you have no choice but to wait for the divine protection's natural recovery.
【This translation can be only read at nepustation.com】
「Well then, both parties ready......」
The instructor prepares.
Me and sempai hold our weapon.
Kuna and Anne's hands are both linked in front while praying.
I have to quickly win to let the two have a peace of mind.
「Start!」
And the match has started.