Ch. 132: The Curse and the Wizard
Igni let out a slow breath.
If he uses his [Magic], the fight would be instantly over.
But that would be at the cost of Howell’s life.
Right now, Igni’s goal is to capture Howell ー not to kill him. He can try stopping time and let him experience a few years of paused time, but that might destroy Howell mentally.
100 years of a paused state like that only worked on Celia because she was an [Extreme], and Igni had to resort to brute force against her fight.
He couldn’t resort to using the same tactics on a <regular> human being.
Howell: “Piercing Stone Tower] {Tetsura Talim}!!”
With Howell’s incantation, a giant 20 meter (～65 feet) spear erupted from the ground. It was aimed directly at Igni and closed in fast. Igni cast his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and dodged. A zigzagged around the sky to not allow Howell to pinpoint his location.
And as Howell remained on the ground looking up, Igni laid out a carpet bomb bombardment.
<ZUDODODODO!!!> (*sfx)
And ear-splitting sounds erupted across the ground as the mountain side was carved down. Howell stood in the center and blocked Igni’s attack with [Stone Defense] {Tetsura Wall}.
But after stopping 10 of Igni’s {Fireballs}, the wall dented, bent severely, and soon broke down into dust and no longer provided any cover. Countless {Fireballs} rained down upon Howell mercilessly.
Howell: “You’re strong!”
Howell laughed as he screamed the words.
Howell escaped the bombardment by traveling up into the sky. Igni changed the course of his {Fireball} to fly upwards and chased Howell down, but none of the strikes were effective.
Igni: “.........I should raise the power of my Spell a little higher.”
Igni mumbled to himself as he concentrated more Magic Power into each Spell.
Out of all the Magic Types, the [Earth] Type as the best defenses. Because they use the earth for their Spells, they can use their Spells in most environments effectively. They can weaken even the most powerful strikes into a normal Spell level.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition}”
Igni poured more Magic Power into the {Fireball} he created, and the red burning flames changed to blue. With Igni’s additional Magic Power, he forcefully elevated the temperature, and normally, the temperature should have burned his skin, but Igni remained uninjured.
That is the realm of Spells.
Igni: “[Bombardment] {Fire}”
128 {Fireballs} that were created behind Igni flew towards Howell, but Howell enveloped himself with a magnetic field, and using the earth’s magnetic force on the surface, he evaded Igni’s attack with ease.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition} : {Homing}”
And seeing how his initial attack was ineffective, Igni changed the [Equip Flame] Spell Type.
Though the range is limited to a few hundred meters, homing {Fireballs} now chase down Howell.
Howell dodged the homing {Fireballs} just as he did with the rest, but he failed to notice the {Fireball} make a 180 degree turn and struck him directly in the back as it exploded.
Howell: “........ha….HA HA HA!! You’re so strong, Igni!!”
And Igni created a {Freiball} and then <circulated> the Magic Power inside of of it.
It was a {Fireball} with the ultimate speed.
Looking up to his Grandfather, Lucas, more than anyone else, Igni stretched out his hands to reach the fastest and strongest Wizard and developed this Spell.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Ultimate Light] {Lucas}”
<GIN!> (*sfx)
The {Fireball} with more concentrated Magic Power turned bright white as it was released.
Igni decided to finish the fight with a Spell named after his Grandfather.
Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}”
For Howell who cannot see the manipulation of Magic, it was impossible to evade.
The {Fireball} transformed into a beam of light and pierced Howell’s stomach.
<JU!>
An eerie sound emitted as the light pierced and burned his skin.
The next two Spells struck Howell in the legs.
The last Spell pierced his shoulder.
And as he wavered weakly……..Howell dropped to the ground after crumpling in the air.
And as expected of a man of his caliber, before he hit the floor, he killed his impact by increasing the magnetic resistance between him and the ground.
Howell: “......you are strong, Igni.”
Igni: “Surrender. What you’re doing isn’t respectable, but it’s not illegal. You’ll probably be scolded by Mr. Seta and will be forbidden to enter these mines ever again.”
Howell: “......hmmm, but that would be problematic, Igni.” Igni: “Why?” Howell: “Why? I’m surprised that you have to even ask that question. A [Human Stagnation] with a will of its own is a rare sample to behold. It is something the researchers in the Capital will squeal a glee of delight for. Besides, can you not see the endless possibilities of using such a thing on the battlefield?” Igni: “................”
Howell: “Igni, did you know?”
Igni: “What?” Howell: “The [Demon King’s Realm] is no longer infecting the territories connected to it.”
Igni: “.........yeah.” Sara, who was the source of the Magic Corruption that was spreading out from the [Demon King’s Realm] is now currently being protected and guarded in the deepest room of the Rolmod Wizard Academy. But that is a state secret.
Howell: “So many nations have caught on. ………..they are now eyeing the neighboring countries as enemies.”
The [Demon King’s Realm’s] danger has already passed. The territories bordering the [Demon King’s Realm] have now turned their attention away from the [Demon King] to each other. That is human nature.
Howell: “A strong [Curse] you cannot see and cannot defeat…….such a thing could be used as an effective weapon, no?!”
Igni: “It’s useless.” Igni quietly spat the words.
Igni: “Those kinds of things are worthless before an [Extreme].”
Lucas would erase it in a blink of an eye.
Celia cannot die, so it won’t be a problem.
Clara can force a result upon it, so she would be able to kill it without making a sound.
Abyss would send it to the ends of an infinite 2-dimensional plane.
Floria can erase phenomena so she could make it so the fetus never existed in the first place.
That is a [Magician]. That is an [Extreme].
This kind of obstacle is no different than a small rock on their path.
Howell: “We wouldn’t know till we try, no?! Igni?!?!”
Igni: “No, I already know without trying. The [Extremes] is that kind of group.”
That is why everyone admires and looks up to themーーand fears.
Igni has not met all of the [Extremes]. But as a [Magician] himself, he knew and spoke frankly. What Howell is suggesting <would be no match>.
Igni: “What you’re trying to do is a meaningless experiment.”
That’s why Igni looked down coldly at Howell as he spoke. There was not a single dust of exaggeration in his statement. For someone who can create something from nothing and make something into nothing ーー against the monsters who stepped into the realm of God, this level of Curse would be ineffective.
Igni: “That’s why you should find some other research…..”
Howell: “Goodness, you are tough to convince, Igni.”
Howell wobbled to his feet with a hand to support his pierced thighs and within it, something small was held in the palm of his hand.
Sensing the object with his sharpened five senses, Igni immediately realized what it was.
He saw that it was a mummified remains of the fetus that had shrunk so small that Howell could fit it in the palm of his hand.
Howell: “But Igni, you do not know anything about Curses then. The [Gu] gives the survivor the strength it sapped from the other children. Then over the last couple of years, this baby had the [Gu] repeated countless times, so how much power do you suppose it has gained?”
Igni: “...........what are you trying to say?” Howell: “A [Curse] may seem deep and complicated at a glance, but also extremely simple and yet it is very deep and complicated………this one, however, is a simple one.”
And Howell swallowed the mummified fetus.
Howell: “There is a strong meaning to swallowing a strong curse whole, Igni.”
And after a few words, Howell’s body began to regenerate at a rapid pace.
Howell: “Now then, I am already done with the preliminary tests. I did not think that I would have to perform the actual event in person………but I guess that was always a possibility.”
And Howell’s body rapidly swelled up with Magic Power, and Igni had to make a decision.
Howell: “Now then, Igni. With this, I should be able to face even the [Extremes]!”
Howell laughed.
Igni took a ready position.
Igni: “No, you’re not there yet. You still don’t understand what [Magic] is.”
Howell: “That is true. But if you think about it, even an [Extreme] is just a human being. If you hold limitless power, maybe we can catch up to them even without [Magic].”
And Igni could only respond with a disappointed sigh at Howell’s smile.
Igni: “..........if that was the case, they wouldn’t be called [Extremes].”
Howell: “Hmmmm, Igni, you speak as though you know what a [Magician] is.”
Igni: “.........yeah, that’s right.”
Igni quietly confirms the [Path] within himself.
She will be already sleeping at this time.
So he apologized quickly.
Igni: (I’m sorry. I will borrow your power for just a little bit.)
Now that it came to this, it could not be helped.
Igni: “I’ll show you. I’ll show you [Magic].”
And announced his intention loudly.
