"…Huh."
Theodore observed his torn hand and emitted a sound—a mix of surprise and nonchalance.
The unexpected event seemed to be taken lightly, and it wasn't just mere posturing.
From his being, Theodore exuded a concentrated torrent of mana, weaving intricate spell formations around him. These formations converged on his arm, the core of the injury.
The interwoven patterns of magic reacted in harmonious resonance, giving birth to a mechanical hand sculpted from enchanted particles. In mere moments, Theodore's wounded arm was restored to its unharmed state.
This was a precision magic, one demanding utmost focus—a fusion of pure magical arts and Life School magic. Yet, for Theodore, a Grand Master and an esteemed elder in the current magical society, it appeared almost effortless.
[Grenade]
Philip Roar channeled mana into his enlarged spear, an incantation on his lips.
The force, mirroring its master's temperament, coursed vibrantly down the length of the spear, converging at its tip. It detonated akin to a grenade, scattering myriad shards in all directions.
Babababababang!!
Philip erected a magic barrier, deflecting the projectiles, his gaze steady on the outcome.
As the dust from the blast began to settle, Theodore emerged—a figure who had thwarted both the explosion and its fragmentation through an magical shield that materialized as defensive armor. His demeanor was strikingly composed.
"Impressive…."
"I was taken aback as well. Even with my understanding of the Roar family's techniques, it proved perplexing."
"If knowledge was the sole determinant of victory, the desk-bound wizard poring over tomes would stand unrivaled."
With a single hand gesture, Roar shrunk his sword and propelled it with formidable strength, dispelling the size-altering incantation.
Falchion, Viking sword, Bowie knife, Gladius, Longsword, and more—arrayed in magical augmentation—these varied blades streaked through the air, aimed at piercing Theodore.
Yet, Theodore unleashed his veiled, colossal mana reserve, erecting a barrier both pliable as clay and dense as granite. It halted the airborne weaponry in mid-flight.
"An adept offensive. Employing magic for projectile throws surpasses rudimentary magical bullets. Most magical barriers would easily yield. However, they can also be turned against you. Like this."
With a snap of Theodore's fingers, the specially-enchanted swords splintered into dozens of fragments.
In this state, Theodore infused them with mana and propelled them back.
"Evade!"
Facing two thwarted surprise assaults and an onslaught of steel fragments, Philip didn't flinch. He promptly retrieved a large sword from his possession, suffusing it with mana, then swung with all his might.
Crash, crash, crash, crash!!
The blade, nearly a structural monolith, cleaved through a hotel wall, hurtling toward Theodore's magical defense with unrestrained force, the intent to pulverize it via sheer physical dominance.
Yet Theodore nimbly sidestepped the blow, executing a maneuver almost divine.
"You believed my youthfulness was mere appearance?"
Dodge alone wouldn't suffice; capitalizing on the colossal blade as a stepping stone, Theodore closed the distance in a split-second, conjuring an electrical spell that ignited in his hand.
Although Philip discarded his great sword and retrieved an axe, his actions fell fractionally too late.
As Theodore advanced, the electrical incantation flared with brilliant luminosity.
Whizzz—zzzzzzzzzzzz!!
A high-voltage surge, potent enough to liquefy metal, threatened to scorch Philip's visage. However, Tilda, who had been observing, intervened in the nick of time to shield him.
With both hands, she sculpted an ice barrier, intercepting Theodore's assault.
Notably, Tilda's ice barrier didn't merely neutralize Theodore's electrical surge; it absorbed and attempted to corrode it. In retaliation, Theodore, undeterred, swiftly transmuted his electrical magic into ice, fusing the two forces in a clash of control.
It was a bold challenge—to pit himself against the One Master of the Skadi School in an icy confrontation.
Astoundingly, Theodore wrested dominion over the ice magic from Tilda.
"……!"
Scraaaaaape!!
As the ice, pilfered from Tilda, threatened to ensnare her, Philip's axe swept forth, interposing to rescue her.
The blade cleaved through the air, aimed straight for Theodore's neck.
Theodore, whose abilities far outstripped those of the average wizard, evaded the strike with a movement akin to a beast, creating considerable distance in the blink of an eye.
"Thank you for your assistance earlier, One Master Tilda."
"Gratitude to you too, General Philip."
Observing Theodore warily, Philip and Tilda exchanged pleasantries, shedding their unwieldy outerwear.
Despite teetering on the brink of Theodore's trap, rather than succumbing to intimidation, they opted to unite their efforts and confront him.
A fitting course of action for leaders of their stature. Theodore acknowledged their resolve.
"Indeed, both of you are formidable, not only in skill but in spirit. You faced near-death situations, yet your response… That's why it's even more lamentable. Why do you spurn my offer? Aren't you apprehensive about unattainable aspirations and the inevitability of death?"
"Do soldiers fear death? I want to reply like that, but honestly, I am scared."
"Then why?"
"Everything in this world has its limits, Theodore… To the second question I asked earlier—answer me now. Have you colluded with life alchemy? Or with a warlock?"
Philip inquired, his gaze shifting to the fog barrier that had been vexing him.
For even Theodore, achieving such an endeavor solo would be implausible.
"Your words have taken a lighter tone, General Philip."
"I respected you for your mastery as a wizard. There's no reason to extend respect to a traitor. Answer me."
Although Philip implored for an answer, Theodore remained silent. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Tilda.
"Why did you decline? Don't you also aspire to push boundaries?"
"No, my rationale is more practical. The Issai family values pragmatism."
"Pragmatic reasons?"
"I acknowledge your prowess as a wizard, but I doubt you can surpass Merlin. I'm not naive enough to entrust my family's fate to the losing side."
Tilda's words were as frosty as her mastery, causing a pang in Theodore akin to a toothache. A pang so acute it almost incited a surge of rage.
In fact, he was so angered that he found himself smiling.
"Heh heh heh… Very well then, I can't force it."
With this response, the trio atop the hotel unleashed a torrent of magic. Moments later, the establishment was veiled in a shroud of massive weaponry and pallid ice.
***
"Krururururu-"
Snap!!
With a swift strike of his Tonfa, Oliver dispatched a chimera—a grotesque amalgamation of canine skull and human form, or rather, what had been a villager.
The chimera, undaunted by any onslaught or threat, lay defeated on the ground, its struggle futile. Confirming this, Oliver pivoted to address Kevin.
"This side is taken care of."
Kevin, who had strewn numerous charred cadavers about, responded. Among these figures were chimeras, but also several presumed wizards of the School of Life Magic—individuals he had taken down himself.
"You've worked hard."
"Not at all… But are you alright?"
Oliver asked, piercing through Kevin's complex emotions.
"I'd like to say I'm fine, but honestly, I'm not. I don't even know where I am."
Kevin's voice emerged against the backdrop of fog-covered terrain.
Indeed, this was the reality; the front, rear, flanks, and even the heavens were swathed in a dense mist, rendering it impossible to discern one's surroundings.
They had stood on the demonstration grounds mere moments ago. Yet, when the fog encroached, they were cast into this realm accompanied only by Oliver. If he hadn't instinctively pulled Oliver close, he might have been marooned alone.
‘Is this how they intend to scatter us and defeat us one by one? It's simple but effective.'
Kevin dissected the magic, flow, and pattern inscribed within the fog, piecing together the enemy's strategy.
It was unmistakably a barrier spell, physically segregating space, infused with elements of spatial magic. Yet, this was no ordinary spell.
‘Even if they harness the lake's mana to control it, the scale is ample to engulf Lake Village. Moreover, the spell's potency is formidable… I can't fully grasp it.'
Kevin was dumbfounded by the inscrutable magic's magnitude, pondering who might be behind this.
Despite the assembly of adept wizards, a mere handful were capable of wielding such magic.
Uniting the wizards could have been logical, but considering how the fog had swallowed them earlier, the probability was slim.
In the wake of the thwarted ambush, they responded promptly. In a collective, such rapid reflexes were challenging.
‘Or did they entrust authority to an individual? Even if so, conventional expertise wouldn't… Wait, what am I doing?'
Kevin reproached himself for his folly.
He had acted haphazardly, ensnared by a profoundly aberrant circumstance.
Parsing the fog barrier and identifying the culprit were indeed paramount, but more urgently, he needed an escape plan.
Despite having vanquished dozens of adversaries, Kevin found himself ensnared in this place, akin to a trapped insect.
Foremost, his immediate priority was escape.
‘But going at it alone won't be easy…'
“Zenon.”
While Kevin assessed the situation and his potential actions, he beckoned Oliver.
Unusually, while Kevin was lost in thought, Oliver was engaged in examining the interior of a chimera he had subdued earlier, employing a checkered dagger to dissect it.
Having dissected countless subjects himself, Kevin couldn't help but scowl given the present circumstances.
“What are you doing?”
"Something was bothering me, so I decided to take a look."
With hands stained crimson from the crude dissection, Oliver responded in his customary manner and accent. This very casualness amplified the eerie factor. He appeared to be performing a mundane task.
"…What's bothering you?"
"It's an enhanced human."
"What?"
"The internal structure bears resemblance to the enhanced human-C03 I encountered at Mountain Pace. The subtle anomalies in Life-force and mana appear linked to this."
Kevin inquired, eyeing the chimera—its human body crowned with a dog's head.
"But didn't you mention a cow's head at Mountain Pace?"
"Yes, it was a cow there. However, this is a dog… Seemingly designed for combat rather than labor."
Oliver conjectured, a sentiment that didn't surprise Kevin.
The involvement of the School of Life Magic wasn't novel in such affairs. The shocking aspect was their entanglement in this conundrum.
‘They might be eccentric, but stooping to this level… Why?'
As Kevin mused, Oliver voiced his skepticism.
"It's puzzling, though."
"What is?"
"“Even the chimeras used to fear me, but these came at me… Could it be due to the brain surgery?"
Oliver indicated the surgical scar tracing from the creature's temple to the rear of its head.
Perhaps that held some truth. After all, the true seat of a human's essence wasn't the heart but the brain.
"Well, in my view, our primary concern should be escaping from here."
Kevin asserted resolutely, apprehensive of the conversation drifting off-course again.
Fortunately, Oliver comprehended instantly, shelving his personal curiosity. He rose from his place, wiping his bloodstained hands on his tattered attire.
The pedestrian nature of his actions sent a shiver down Kevin's spine.
"Apologies, Professor."
"No worries. I've assessed the situation in any case… It appears the School of Life Magic, host of the conference, and the Department of Life Alchemy are responsible for this."
Oliver nodded, his suppositions evidently aligned with Kevin's.
It wasn't a puzzle requiring considerable acumen to solve.
"I'm unsure of their motives, but one fact is clear; we're ensnared entirely. The fog itself doesn't hurt us, but it perfectly traps us so we can’t escape. Plus, it can be used to transport us wherever the enemy wants, making us as good as caught in their hands."
“I think the same. It seems to be a very complicated mixture of basic barrier magic with spatial magic.”
“Exactly. That’s the problem. If we can’t handle spatial magic, we can’t get out.”
Kevin vented his frustration. Among the Spatial School's constituents, scarcely 30% were adept in spatial magic.
In many ways, it was the most challenging barrier.
While an overpowering magical onslaught could distort the barrier itself, that wouldn't be prudent.
Such an approach could exhaust both stamina and mana, rendering them susceptible to subsequent assaults. Alternatively, the wizards behind this expansive and complex spell could potentially converge upon them.
‘Simply idling here isn't an option either.'
As Kevin ruminated anew, Oliver suddenly approached the fog and extended his hand to touch it.
Then he remarked:
“I think I can interfere with the magic, so I can make use of the barrier.”
