"Where are we?"
"On the way to Ephomos."
Haruna and I quickly moved towards the capital.
The way here wasn't difficult.
"We need to hide well here. If anyone comes, just say my name."
"Understood."
I was able to come here by utilizing the Red Dragon, Yongyong.
I wondered why it was named so, but since Evan decided on it, I just let it go.
"But, is this the only way in?"
We were outside the capital.
In front of the castle was a strange cave.
"There is a way in from the capital, but we can't actually enter the capital, can we?"
"Into the capital?"
I quickly realized the reason.
There were checkpoints to enter the capital now.
The checkpoints in place to capture Perrian Astria were still in operation.
Haruna couldn't enter the castle like this.
She was currently doing her best to hide her appearance.
The reason I went to the Academy was to create a situation where Haruna could reveal herself safely.
The Academy was a more troublesome place for the rebels than the capital.
The capital, being such a large castle, was difficult to manage every part of it.
On the other hand, the Academy was smaller, and with McDowell and Cromwell vigilantly watching, the rebels couldn't just come as they pleased.
"How far do we have to go?"
"We'll be there soon."
We walked deep into the cave.
It seemed endless, but soon we could see the end.
"…It's blocked?"
The problem was that the end was blocked.
I looked at Haruna puzzledly.
"You have to break through."
"Break through?"
"With Ephomos gone, they blocked the entrance completely, so you have to break through to get inside."
I looked at the ceiling.
Using great force in the cave could bring the ceiling down...
It was hard to know how much it was blocked, so precise control of power was necessary.
I touched my chin and then the wall.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Can you break through?"
"…It seems a bit much to force our way through."
Punching through could definitely bring the ceiling down.
Then there was an option.
To use spatial magic to break through.
That also carried its risks.
Using Spatial Severance might touch something important and cause damage.
So...
"Behemoth."
I had Behemoth, a demon of earth and metal.
Although it looked like an elephant, it was quite useful.
"Pwoo!!!"
Thump!
When I summoned Behemoth, suddenly a large body appeared.
"What, what's this!"
Certainly, when I summoned Behemoth before, its body was very small.
It was about the size of my waist before, but now it was bigger than my body.
The large body of Behemoth filled the cave, rumbling ominously.
As its body touched the ceiling, the cave started to resonate.
I quickly slapped Behemoth's body, urging it to shrink.
"Hey! Hey! Shrink your body! Do it quickly!"
"Pooh?"
Behemoth tilted its head but began to gradually reduce its size.
As Behemoth shrank to about the size of my waist, the ceiling stabilized to its original state.
That was a close call... We could have been crushed under the cave.
I looked at Behemoth, my heart still racing.
"Hey! Keep your size like this normally. Unless I say otherwise, maintain this state."
"Pooh…"
Behemoth seemed somewhat displeased.
Ignoring that, I pointed towards the blocked path.
"Can you break through that?"
"Pooh!"
Behemoth moved its trunk, and the wall in front of us started to wobble.
The stone, which appeared solid, turned to mud, and a path began to open.
After a few minutes, a clear path was opened.
"Let's go."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"Understood."
I led Behemoth and Haruna forward.
A few steps ahead, a remarkable sight unfolded.
An underground city.
Yet, a destroyed one.
That was exactly the vibe.
All the buildings were destroyed, and not a single person was in sight.
"…But what is that?"
In this ruined city, one house stood out as discordant.
A house built in the center of the city.
While all other houses were destroyed, this one remained intact.
At the same time, an unsettling feeling emanated from it.
Time magic.
Time magic was being used there.
"Haruna, stay here. I'll leave Behemoth with you."
Haruna wasn't combat-ready.
If Aryandor was there, he wouldn't leave Haruna alone.
It seemed right for me to go there alone.
"Understood."
Leaving Haruna behind, I ran towards that place.
Arriving at the front of the house, I cautiously opened the door and entered.
"Huh?"
I was puzzled.
Entering through the door, I saw a familiar sight.
"…The Ophillius mansion?"
The house was built exactly like the Ophillius mansion.
Then, the truth of the situation dawned on me.
I quickly ran upstairs.
The bedroom was where time magic had been used in the Ophillius mansion.
So, if I go to the bedroom…
I opened the door to the bedroom on the second floor.
There was a man inside.
A man looking into the void, seemingly in despair.
It was Aryandor.
As I entered, Aryandor turned his head.
I immediately mobilized my mana.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})However, Aryandor showed little reaction.
"It's already too late."
"What?"
Ophillius is nowhere to be seen.
Nor is there his corpse.
"What have you done?"
Aryandor said nothing.
He just walked towards the window.
"You can't escape."
Aryandor looked at me blankly, then laughed.
"You think you can stop me?"
"There's nothing I can't stop."
He's someone I've already fought once.
If a fight broke out here, and if Haruna saw and asked for help, I might be able to capture him.
The problem was figuring out the current situation.
Where did Chancellor Ophillius go? Did Aryandor kill him?
If so, his power...
According to Haruna, Aryandor, having obtained all time magic, is now beyond my reach.
But handling new power requires time to adapt.
If I don't give him that time...
Aryandor looked at me and then spoke.
"Rudy Astria."
"…?"
"Do you have any interest in making a deal with me?"
"What?"
Is this guy insane?
A deal?
I almost cursed out loud but held it back.
"What kind of deal?"
I thought I might as well hear him out.
Perhaps he's had a change of heart.
"I'll send you back to the world you originally came from."
"What?"
"You know this isn't the world you were in. Essentially, you were brought here against your will. So, I'm saying I'll send you back to where you originally were."
"Are you crazy?"
I couldn't hold back my curse at his words.
This guy must have really lost it.
"I know how to send you back to your original world."
"I know that, as*hole."
Clearly, in the future, I used spatial magic to return to my original world.
So, wouldn't I find out how after this is all over?
"No, you don't."
Aryandor said with a flat, emotionless gaze.
He looked like a real madman talking like that.
"What's the method then?"
At my casual question, Aryandor answered easily.
"Every user of time, space, and dimensional magic except for one must die. The one remaining will have the power to travel dimensions."
"Ah?"
My eyes widened.
All users of time, space, and dimensional magic must die?
Then, the future me...
I started to understand the situation.
By that time, everyone was dead.
Aryandor, Haruna.
That's why I was able to move.
"So, you're saying you'll die?"
"Yes. I'll make sure to die."
"…"
In exchange for me returning to my original world, Aryandor dies.
Is this the right choice?
If I choose this option, everything ends.
This confusing situation, the danger to everyone.
"What do you think? Will you accept my offer?"
"Hmm…"
I looked at Aryandor.
...It wasn't going to be that simple.
I smirked.
"F*ck off."
There's no way this guy would make such a tempting offer, and I had no intention of killing Ian and Haruna.
I'd welcome his own suicide with open arms, but this obviously looks like a trap.
"Spatial Severance."
Aryandor twisted his body to dodge my magic.
"Hmm... Don't you want to hear the whole story before deciding?"
"Do you think I'd trust you?"
I've seen the end of those who've cooperated with this guy.
He discarded his own leaders like trash and even killed Perrian, his ally.
Would he really cooperate with me, his enemy?
Unless I was a fool, I wouldn't accept such an offer.
Aryandor looked genuinely puzzled.
"Once you return to your world, what happens to this one doesn't matter to you, does it?"
"Whether I return or not isn't the issue. It's blatantly obvious you'll betray me. Hey, how about I make you an offer? If you die right here, I'll accept your proposal. So, will you die?"
When I said that, Aryandor smirked.
"But, I was actually serious about the offer."
"Then die for me."
"That's problematic. There are still a few things I need to do."
I flipped Aryandor off.
"Then f*ck off. I'll kill you without sacrificing anyone."
"Sure, give it a try. I'll cheer you on."
Aryandor responded mockingly and manipulated his mana.
His surroundings fluctuated.
"Time magic... Priscilla!"
"You still can't block time magic, can you?"
Aryandor was mocking me.
"Rudy."
"Priscilla."
I focused on Aryandor's form.
I just need to use the same sense of technique as before.
The sense of freezing space.
The feeling of making it immovable.
Remember that feeling.
"See you on the battlefield, Rudy Astria."
"Ugh…!"
I align my senses with Priscilla.
I show Priscilla the domain of space.
So, the movement of space…!
"Take care."
Then, Aryandor's form disappeared.
"…Shit."
I cursed and looked at the place where Aryandor had vanished.
Well… If it were that easy, I would've gone straight to the rebels...
Not being able to suppress that technique is why I can't defeat the rebels.
I sighed.
The rebel's headquarters.
As Aryandor arrived, the necromancer, Daemon, approached him.
"Have you returned?"
"Yes."
Daemon followed Aryandor and began to speak.
"There's a lot that has piled up."
"Is that so."
Aryandor listened to Daemon's story with indifference.
"Raven has been captured…"
Aryandor showed no interest in Daemon's words.
He had other concerns.
'He's starting to be able to use it.'
He looked at his hand.
He had just returned to this place using time magic.
But it wasn't easy.
Rudy's attempt to block the time magic had worked to some extent.
He had tried to use time magic to return to the rebel's headquarters, but he ended up somewhere completely unrelated.
Although he hadn't completely blocked the magic, he had succeeded in partially suppressing it.
'If this drags on any longer…'
It meant defeat.
The rebels no longer had the upper hand.
"Aryandor?"
At Daemon's call, Aryandor turned his head.
"There are many issues internally as well…"
"It doesn't matter."
"…What?"
Aryandor stood up.
'Aryandor, live your own life.'
Aryandor pondered the last words of Ophillius.
His answer was already decided.
'This is my life.'
Aryandor looked at Daemon and spoke.
"Prepare for war."
At those words, Daemon's eyes widened.
"War?"
"Before Rudy Astria masters his abilities. We will go to war."
Aryandor spoke with a murderous look in his eyes.
