CH 3

EPISODE 3『THE REAL WORTH OF THE GREAT MAGICIAN』

Translator: Norva

Editor: Norva

The figures of the enemies is nowhere to be seen due to the influence of “Obstruction Barrier” which covers the surroundings.

It is impossible to detect the magic presence. But, just from being attack by kingdom-style magic, I can grasp who I’m dealing with.

The reason why I cannot kill that fellow――”Karma of Reverse Burial” and I can break through that technique if only I can use my mental magic skillfully.

After obtaining the way how to deal with this, I would like to go and see him. Luser seems seriously want to take revenge on me.

Hence, I slash the incoming magic while glaring at the outside of the barrier.

「……Who are you and show yourself!」(Iori)

I know the real identity, but I pretend not to know it and call the assailant.

They seem to respond to my call, however, they do not reveal themselves.

The echoing voice could be heard inside the barrier.

『We belong to the Kingdom――”Selector”』

『The one who sort out that unnecessary existence in the kingdom, the Executioner』

As expected, the opponent is the “Selector”.

The chivalric order, the strongest battle group in the kingdom that organized beyond the framework of the magic division.

『Amatsuki Iori――the corrupted Hero who acts together with a Mazoku albeit being given a mission to eliminate the Mazoku’s itself』

『If there is even slightly the heart of a human left in you, eliminate that Mazoku and return to the kingdom with us』

『This is the mercy of His Majesty the King』

Because the voice echoed and I unable to confirm where it came from.

「Don’t make me laugh, you selectors. I have nothing to do with the circumstances of the kingdom」(Iori)

I’m not interested in a speck.

「Luser, you’re there, right? Shall we continue from where we left in the Labyrinth of Hades」(Iori)

Besides, I don’t have any business with likes of selectors.

There’s only one person I really want to meet.

「――This time I will kill you for sure」(Iori)

However, there is no reply.

『――――』

But the little breath is audible from the other side of the『voice』.

With that alone I understood it.

After all, Luser is here right now.

『You foolish corrupted Hero』

『To treat the mercy of His Majesty the King with disdain』

『Your existence is no longer necessary for the kingdom』

『It’s a good place to ceded that life of your』

The reverberation stops and I can’t hear the voice anymore.

It looks like the other party is seriously gonna come to kill me.

「Iori, do not lose your calmness. I understand that you’re uplifted――」(Elfi)

「……I know」(Iori)

Though, saying that I can cope with the “Karma of Reverse Burial”, it won’t be something easy for me to kill Luser. On the contrary, it can be said that the situation is rather bad.

The fact that they have launched an ambush on us is because the other party have made some preparation to kill us.

Thus, the surprise attack from the selector has continued once again.

The high power magic flies continuously from multiple directions.

I ward it off with the soft sword, but the selectors quickly switched the magic they use in response.

A wide range of magic that cannot ward it off with the soft sword is released.

「――What a drag!」(Elfi)

However, it was being roundup by Elfi demon eyes, and it was crushed by gravity and extraordinary disappeared.

As it is, Elfi shoots the demon eye at the surrounding barrier, and the barrier blew up and created a big hole in it.

But――――

「……Mu」(Elfi)

The part opened by the demon eye has been restored in a matter of seconds. It seems that this barrier is developed with a considerable amount of magical power.

Hence, Elfi looks at the outside of the barrier to try to detect those who are outside.

「How is it?」(Iori)

「……It is useless. Apparent there is nothing I can see because they were moving around so as not to be caught by me」(Elfi)

If the target is not visible, then Elfi cannot be used the demon eye. Apparently, their countermeasure against the demon eye seems perfect.

In that way, the assailant went to their next move.

The doll of the rock which exceeds two meters inside the barrier comes at us with loud footsteps. It is a “man-made earth giant golem” which can be controlled remotely. It comes from all directions and we are surrounded.

Their movement was slow due to the effect of “obstruction barrier”, but they are approaching straight here.

「……This is bad」(Iori)

Because they were attempting to obstruct us.

If the Luser the magician and his party are going for a passive move, this will be the worst-case scenarios for us. So, we must somehow break through this barrier and we need to do quickly.

「Elfi! Like a while ago, was it possible for you to destroy part of the barrier for a moment?」(Elfi)

「Yeah, it was repaired immediately, but the strength itself seems not to be high」(Elfi)

「Use the demon eye once again after we approaching the barrier because we gonna try to slip out before it restored!」(Iori)

We start to make our move as soon as I told that to Elfi. Hence, I throw the magic stone at the “earth golem” which stands in our way and is used the “break magic” to explode it.

It causes the “Giant Earth Golem” to fall apart. However, the blown part is restored as if it is rewinding. This sort or earth golem will continue to regenerate unless I destroy its core.

「You in the way」(Iori)

Thus, I cut the core with a jade longsword after I analyze and pinpoint its core location while it in the state of regenerating.

*Baki* crushed sound sounded, as the earth giant collapsed to the ground.

I trampled the wreckage and run for the barrier while ignoring the giant earth golem that follows from behind.

「Elfi!」(Iori)

「Aa……!」(Elfi)

The demon eye exploded into the barrier again.

We jump out from the hole opened in the barrier.

「……Mu?」(Elfi)

There is no attack from the selector to us who finally went outside. Anticipating a surprise attack, the on guard Elfi was glancing around.

「……what the meaning of this, I don’t see any of them」(Elfi)

「――――」(Iori)

I recall back what happened.

At first, they started to attack with magic. But soon the magic stopped and the earth golem was released.

While we’re dealing with the earth golem, they’re not attacking us with magic. If it were me, I would have attacked while manipulating the earth golem.

So, what was those selector doing in the meantime?

――What will Luser do during at that time?

「――――!?」(Iori)

This is bad.

「Elfi! We are leaving this place right now!」(Iori)

「Iori? What did you mean?」(Elfi)

「There’s no time to explain it, just use your “Demon Leg”――――」(Iori)

◆

「――”Lost Magic・Infinite Falling Star”――」

◆

The chill runs through my back and having a kind of hallucination where the surrounding temperature suddenly turns cold.

It seems the same for Elfi too, and at the moment when she was looking up at the sky, suddenly her crimson eyes opened wide.

――The stars were falling.

Before we knew, there was a huge star that glows shined overhead.

No, it is not a star.

That is an enormous mass of・・・・・・・magical power.

「Did the selector’s using it……?」(Elfi)

「You’re wrong, it’s probably……Luser’s」(Iori)

I had a hunch that he was doing something from the back when he doesn’t show up. But I’ve never expected that he was about to use this kind of magic.

Obviously, it has the strength of the Lost Magic class.

It never crosses my mind that weakening Luser was still capable to use such magic.

The reason why the selectors’ never attacks us was probably trying to escape from this blow.

「Can we escape with the “demon leg”?」(Iori)

「……That’s impossible. If that falls, this mountain will destroy」(Elfi)

「Really……」(Iori)

「Therefore I’ll shoot it with the maximum firepower of my demon eyes and there will be a tremendous explosion, but be sure to prevent it with your “Magic Break Suppression――」(Elfi)

Suddenly, Elfi stops talking about her plan at the moment her eyes were looking up at the sky.

「――――」

A star that is falling right now have another star falling from right above it.

「Absurb……! There’s another one!?」(Elfi)

「……Did he create two of them?」(Iori)

「In that case, even if I shoot it with the demon eye……!」(Elfi)

If it just a single star, we might be able to cope it with Elfi’s demon eye and my “Magic Break Suppression” somehow.

However, it is impossible if there’s two of them. Because I won’t be able to prevent it with the current “Magic Break Suppression” at all.

「――――!」

As insurance, the “Obstruction Barrier” was concealing our surroundings.

They might have been deliberately devised it beforehand.

In order to securely hold us.

『――It’s the end, Amatsuki』

「Luser……!!」(Iori)

Ridicule of Luser echoes. In response to the first star which has approaches just above the barrier.

Elfi does not give up and charges the magical power to unleash the demon eye.

However, with this――――

『You will be crushed by my magic and die along with that goddamn Mazoku now』

A harsh voice of triumphed Luser.

The stars are approaching.

If this goes on, we will die.

Without being able to carry out my vengeance while the revenge targets are right in front of my very eyes.

Am I also going to be killed once again by Luser?

――If this goes on, both of us・・will die.

If that star falls, Elfi will definitely die.

「……I won’t let it happen」(Iori)

『……Hah?』

「――I won’t let you kill」(Iori)

In the empire, I decided to walk forward with Elfi. So I don’t want to let Elfi get killed.

As if I gonna let you kill her.

「I definitely gonna help」(Iori)

『Hah, what the hell can you do right now?』

While Luser makes a mockery.

The current you can’t do anything right now.

That’s right.

The current me can’t do anything right now.

Therefore――

「――――」

I cannot hear any noise.

Such useless things don’t come into my sight.

Then, while the movement of the world slowed down. In that grey world, my Amatsu self is standing in a faraway place. Hence, I reaching for that back which was staring at the approaching falling star.

Thus, the magical power surged through me like an electric shock.

In the past few days, it never responded to me no matter how much I used it.

But right now I’m sure that I can use it,

「――【Hero reproduction・The Raise】」(Iori)

Thus, I used my mental magic.

◆

It definitely will be useless even if I use the “Magic Usurpation”. Because I won’t have enough strength to handle both of stars at the same time.

The same for the “Magic Break Suppression” too. Because I don’t have enough strength to counter both of it.

Then, the one I should use is――

「”Magic Reflection”――!!」(Iori) TN Impact Mirror

A countermagic that doubles the power of the attack received and returns it to the opponent.

I swing down the jade longsword that cladded with the magical power.

Hence, the blade touches part of the falling star. and at that moment, the amount of magical power encompassed by the falling star rise.

『Wha……!? Amatsu, could it be that you bastard is!』

At the same time, the trajectory of the star is greatly changed.

It rises to bounce to another incoming star.

It was pushed upward by the rising star, and both of the stars moved to the far-off sky of the holy mountain.

「Good job, Iori!」(Elfi)

Before seeing the outcome of it, I hang onto Elfi.

『D-damn you……!』

「You don’t have to be that flustered, Luser」(Iori)

Hence, while holding onto Elfi who invoked the “Demon Leg”, we quickly leave the place.

Immediately afterwards, a tremendous explosion occurred in the sky.

We arrive at the foot of the holy mountain earlier than we are being swallowed up by the aftermath.

I murmured while looking up at the shaking holy mountain.

「I will definitely kill you after I make enough preparation for it」(Iori)

◆

「That impossible……! For the loss magic……!」

Looking at the two stars that disappeared above the holy mountain, the “Selector” first seat Harold Ravens grinding his teeth.

No matter either its a Hero or a Mazoku, it should be impossible to cope with consecutive blows of loss magic.

Harold’s expectations crumbled easily in front of his very eyes.

「That corrupted Hero! We need to pursue them again before they reach the Religious State! Move your ass right now guys!」

「――Wait」(Luser)

It was the “Court Magician” Luser Gilban who have stopped Harold who was going to give an order.

He turns his sharp gaze towards the selectors while his entire body was drenched with sweats after using the loss magic successively.

「It’s the opponent who fends off the “Infinite Falling Star”, It is necessary for us to change our strategy. Let’s let them go for now before we’ll get them next time」(Luser)

「……are you saying that we the selectors are unable to kill them?」

「Yes, that’s right」(Luser)

Lusers know that really well.

The true identity of Amatsuki Iori.

The one who repel the “Infinite Falling Star”.

If Amatsuki Iori regains his power as Amatsu, the likes of selectors are no match for him.

Therefore he needs time to arrange a proper preparation.

In the other hand, Harold and other selectors are glaring at Luser due to his remark just now.

「”Luser-dono apparently seems to be overestimating that brave」

「……What?」

「Well, it will not be surprising. Perhaps it because you disgrace by that brave twice」

Luser flies into a rage with the words of the provocation. However, he can’t move well due still in the state of exhaustion of magical power, he can do nothing other than only glares at Harold.

「We are the “Selectors”. The kingdom strongest existence. Whether it is a brave or a Mazoku, there is not a thing which we cannot judge」

In the words of Harold, the selectors silently show consent.

「The likes of the relics of the past shouldn’t get conceited. The good-for-nothing who let hero Amatsu die easily. It would have been better if you were the one who’s dead not hero Amatsu」

「……Harold, you bastard」(Luser)

「I will report this to his majesty latter on」

Laughed scornfully at Luser glaring, Harold raised his voice.

「 The seat of the commander of the “Selector” is handed to this Harold Ravens!」

「「――Hah!」」

「Luser-dono will only to use magic on my order」

With seem to spit out the way of talking, Harold gave instructions to the selectors to track Iori.

Shortly after they reply him, several selectors rushed towards Iori’s direction.

Hence Harold and the selectors started moving.

While Luser is left behind in the place.

「Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn it……!」(Luser)

In a place where nobody is there, Luser strikes his fist on the ground many times.

「Every single one of them……! The heck with a hero!!」(Luser)

At that time, the words said of Harold ran through his mind.

――It would have been better if you were the one who’s dead not hero Amatsu.

“Idiots”, as Luser bit off his lips and muttered that.

「I’ve never made mistake……at that time, and this time too――」(Luser)

The pupil of Luser who finished stagnating. Is the pupil of a magician that blazing with vengeance and it was staring at the direction Iori went away.

「Those fools won’t be able to kill Amatsu」(Luser)

Such people cannot kill the monster which he was unable to kill during in his heyday.

Luser turned his eyes to his right hand which was wrapped by the bandage.

「……it seem that I have no other choice but to use this」(Luser)

As he muttering in low voice, Lusers stretched his hand at his robe. It was a small necklace to have taken out of there.

It is a mere necklace, not a magic item.

「It’s not me who should die. That naive bastard scum who should be」

Hold the necklace, Luser thinks.

He will not forget about it even if anyone forgets it.

No matter what, absolutely.

「――The revenge from thirty-three years ago, I will definitely……!!」

It was a muttering that similarly to a cursing.