novelraw Chapter 178 : Chapter 178
Chapter 178 : Chapter 178
Chapter 178 - The Executioner's Dilemma (2)
Swish-!
The heavy executioner's sword drew an unwavering arc, rushing towards the undefended part of the boy's body.
It was truly a checkmate, and it seemed as though there was no escape for the boy.
The means of response the boy possessed were far too meager, while the enemy's attack was far too powerful.
Even if the boy was smiling in that situation, it was the law that he could not escape the determined outcome and principles.
Just like the self-evident fact that 10 is a smaller number than 100.
However. The boy knew.
The one and only means that could overturn the causality of this world.
–Crunch.
Grændal's executioner's sword advanced, crushing the flesh and bone of the boy's left hand.
After a very short time, a fraction of a second, nothing would remain of Rain's left arm but a massive wound.
But, in that fleeting moment.
A light burst forth from the boy's bleeding hand.
“…!”
A beautiful, pure white light leaking out from within the gushing blood.
The pure white light, which burst out in the blink of an eye, instantly took the form of a translucent cube and soon enveloped the hand on the verge of being shattered and the executioner's sword.
In that brief moment, Grændal might have glimpsed his ‘god’ from that light.
And, what happened after that was very simple.
‘It’s not… moving…!’
That was the first sensation the Executioner felt.
The sword doesn't move.
It was not a matter of physical force.
The power received from the great god, the innate physical strength that had made him a top-tier knight even before receiving the god's protection.
He was pouring all of that power into it, but the executioner's sword was immobile.
As if the laws of the world did not permit the sword's movement.
The executioner's sword, stuck in an awkward position just before shattering the boy's hand, not even twitching.
The blood that had burst forth from the boy's pale hand, yet was fixed in mid-air without scattering on the floor.
It was truly a bizarre sight, as if transcending reality.
However, the haggard boy facing Grændal paid no attention to such a sight.
He simply proceeded to the next step, as if facing something perfectly natural.
Chuck.
When the boy put his empty hand, which had dropped the sword, into his robe and took it out again, there was something in his hand.
‘…A pistol.’
Just as Grændal quickly perceived, it was a gun.
Even though the size of the barrel was significantly larger than that of a typical pistol.
‘I don't know what trick he used to stop it, but is his plan to seal my movement and then project firepower at point-blank range?’
The veteran executioner's brain spun rapidly, and the years he had lived allowed him to accurately uncover the enemy's intention in that short moment.
But, what preceded that was an action that transcended cognition.
Pow-!
The executioner's fist, unhindered by Rain's trick and containing his full power, flew towards Rain.
It would have been natural for Rain's attack, which he had initiated first, to land first, but that was precisely the advantage that arose from the overwhelming difference in physical ability.
It was a powerful blow, to the point that the surrounding structures were being destroyed by the wind pressure created by the direct hit of the fist, but….
“Keuk…”
The boy with the gloomy impression simply endured it.
“Hah.”
The Executioner, who watched the scene, would have let out a hollow laugh as if finding it absurd.
Even though it should have been impossible for the boy to withstand it with the physical abilities he had perceived.
And right after that.
Taang-!
The pistol with the long barrel, held in the boy's hand, spewed flames with a deafening roar.
***
Since falling into this world, I had experienced countless battles, but it goes without saying that in most situations, I was in the position of the weaker party.
And yet, I was still alive. It wasn't simply because I was exceptional, but in any case, the experiences left lessons along with the scars of phantom pain.
Strike outside the consciousness.
That was the grand principle for when the weak faced the strong. It might be fair to call it the grand principle of combat, but the strong usually have other options besides this.
Therefore, I always had to devise a way to catch the enemy off guard.
‘What method should I use?’
Ever since I decided to take on Grændal, I had been completely preoccupied with that topic.
Excluding my regression ability, all the cards I had were already known to the enemy.
The momentary physical enhancement using 『Moment of Decisive Battle』.
The advantage in close combat using 『Space Perception』.
The firepower projection through 『Outlaw』, now 『Desperado』.
Besides that, my swordsmanship habits and even the magic I used were all known.
I knew it was unavoidable. I had been fighting against Ad Astra for quite a long time, and above all, wasn't my main enemy Crown Prince Claudio, who held a tight grip on the information in this world?
Faced with this situation, I had no choice but to somehow develop a new means to confront the enemy.
There weren't many options. Even so, there were certainly attractive options among them.
‘Origin Magic, I suppose.’
That attractive option was about Origin Magic.
Due to its characteristic of manipulating the laws of the world, it was not only suitable for catching the enemy off guard, but it was also overflowing with possibilities for fusion with other combat styles.
Above all, since information about it was almost unknown, the possibility that the enemy was already considering it was practically non-existent.
Therefore, during the vacation, I asked Arien.
“Ms. Arien, is there a way to use Origin Magic to seal someone's movement?”
“Hmm.”
It was a deadly question, if one were to be dramatic, but Arien's expression was as calm as could be. As it always had been.
“If you add some application, there are various methods, but since this requires the application of multiple magics, I will explain the most intuitive method considering Rain's magic capacity.”
It was certainly an easy-to-understand explanation, but was it just my imagination that it was somewhat painful to hear?
Anyway.
“The most intuitive method is the Space-type Origin Magic, 『Fixation』.”
“The name makes the ability easy to understand.”
Fixation. That simple name accurately explained the magic's reason for being.
Most Origin Magics had such simple names, which might have been easy to understand from the perspective of the world's laws.
“Yes. The 『Fixation』 magic has the effect of temporarily separating all beings within certain coordinates from the world and fixing them in that space.”
“Oho.”
I wasn't one to usually utter exclamations, but in this case, a short exclamation couldn't help but escape me.
It was exactly the magic I wanted.
“Then, by any chance, could you teach me that magic?”
However.
“It is possible, but… there is one problem.”
There was always a problem.
“This magic directly interferes with the world's space, so its magic consumption is extreme.
Even if I were to pour all my magic into it, at best, I could cast it over a range about the size of Archenia Academy and maintain it for about an hour.”
“…”
At best?
Isn't that incredible? The question rose to my throat, but I suppressed it for now and decided to resolve another curiosity first.
“…This is for reference, but based on my magic, how much would it be?”
“With Rain's magic.”
At my question, Arien looked around. She seemed to be looking for something, but it didn't seem to be working out, and in the end….
Chuck.
She held out her own fist. That small fist extending from a thin, long arm.
“This much, for about 0.5 to 0.6 seconds at a generous estimate.”
“Hmm…”
Well, yeah.
I had expected it. Although my magic had also grown through regressions, there was, with a little exaggeration, a gap between my and Arien's magic like that between the sea and a cup of water.
Perhaps there was no exaggeration at all.
“I see…”
It wasn't intentional, but I tapped my temple with my index finger as if troubled.
And seeing that, Arien, after a moment, brought up another story.
“For your information, the reason I mentioned my case first in the flow of the conversation just now was as a joke to elicit the reaction, ‘Isn't that incredible?’, from Rain. Was it successful?”
It was a story that made one's mind go blank in many ways, but.
“…Those words did rise to the tip of my tongue.”
“I see. It seems I have grown as well. You can be happy, Rain.”
Arien finished her mind-boggling story with an unwavering, calm tone and expression, then brought her right hand, making a V-sign, diagonally to her eye.
The preceding story, expression, tone, and the harmony of that cheerful expression was….
‘Still dizzying.’
I had been watching her for a year, but I still couldn't get used to it.
Well.
To be honest, it was also true that a pleasant laugh came out, just as Arien had said… but anyway. That's not what's important.
“But Rain.”
Arien added a clue at the end of the story.
“There is one way to drastically reduce that magic consumption.”
***
After going through this process, the story has now reached the present.
And the method Arien told me, the one that could drastically reduce magic consumption, was….
- Maintain physical contact with the object you wish to fix.
That was it. Unlike the standard method of casting from a distance, it involved risks and had the blind spot of binding the caster's movements as well, but it was certainly an option.
Thus, the policy was decided. Use the Space-type Origin Magic 『Fixation』 to seal Grændal's movement, and with the other hand, slam him with 『Desperado』 at point-blank range.
Of course, this too was not an easy path.
At first, I thought it was a simple matter of just placing my hand on Grændal's sword, but it wasn't that easy.
Vwoom-!
‘…He’s not giving me any distance, did he read my intention?’
The attempt to reach for the sword was seen through on the first try. Even though I was confident that I had seized the most optimal timing from the data accumulated through experience.
Kwajik-!
[ System : You have overcome deaths. ]
After trying five times, this plan was discarded.
Thus came the next stage of the plan. And the current plan.
‘Make him aim for my hand directly, then cast the magic at the right moment.’
Of course, even that was not easy.
Twak-!
[ System : You have overcome deaths. ]
Responding to a sword strike faster than sound, and casting magic at the right moment when my hand was ‘moderately’ cut, was not as easy as it sounded.
How many times was it?
I spent almost twenty more attempts just to get that timing right.
Paat-!
Thus, I somehow succeeded in casting the magic at the perfect timing, but….
Pow-!
Startled by Grændal who responded by instantly throwing a punch, I wasted another life.
‘What a monster.’
To not panic in a sudden situation and immediately execute the optimal action without hesitation.
It was terrifying, but nevertheless, I died again and again, and….
[ System : You have overcome deaths. ]
Taang-!
Beyond that death and time, I was finally able to land a blow on the Executioner.