novelraw Chapter 39 : Mage Hunting (5)
Chapter 39 : Mage Hunting (5)
Chapter 39: Mage Hunting (5)
Ymir was a recognized master of mental magic, even among the ranks of the Mage Tower.
His research into large-scale mental control of monsters and human mind control magic indeed had sparked considerable ethical controversy, but most mages acknowledged that the academic merit and value of his work far outweighed those concerns. Based on those achievements, Ymir had ascended to the rank of Conjurer and received full support to carry out his plans.
So naturally, Ymir took immense pride in his mental magic abilities. He could confidently say that across the entire continent, mages who had reached his level of mastery could be counted on one hand.
Of course, his human mind control magic was still in its infancy and fragile enough to shatter from the slightest shock, like hitting a wall, for example. But that was a matter of stability, not effectiveness. He could say with absolute confidence that it was impossible for any human to be completely unaffected by this magic.
"[..Rondone, Oltisiaren!"
And that confidence got shattered once again.
The shadow meant for mental control died out again.
The barbarian ignored the magic entirely, methodically slaughtering the Owlbears as he closed in. Growing desperate, Ymir began indiscriminately casting other mental spells beyond just control magic.
Knockout spells, confusion spells, sleep spells, fear spells...
None of them worked.
If invading someone else's mind usually felt like piercing meat with a knife, this guy was like trying to stab stone with a needle.
‘What the hell... what did he do to his mind...?’
An empty bottle rolling on the ground in the distance held the answer, but Ymir couldn't possibly realize that. He just watched in stunned disbelief as the barbarian roared and painted the corridor red.
"HRAAAAAAGH!"
Rip! Crack!
—Gwaargh!"
—Gwaaaaaark!"
Before he knew it, the barbarian had torn through all the monsters and reached him. He’s as good as dead meat if he doesn’t run now.
Whoooosh—!
But the moment he tried to flee, a dagger embedded itself at his feet and flames erupted, blocking his path. He tried attacking with his chains, but the barbarian was faster.
Clang!
Seeing the blade suddenly looming before his face, Ymir sucked in a sharp breath. To survive, he needed to quickly compose himself.
"...Ahem, remarkable. I had no idea the Delutana Council's capabilities extended this far. If they can cultivate warriors of this caliber, wiping out all the demons on the continent and even swallowing the Empire whole wouldn't be just a dream."
"...?"
"That monstrous combat prowess and resistance to magic, that courage and loyalty to charge fearlessly into enemy territory alone... You are truly flawless. If you worked as a mercenary, you'd rake in gold by the handful. If you fought in the arena, you'd seize the champion's glory. But... what exactly were you promised as payment for this mission?"
"..."
"Hehe, seeing your silence, it must be nothing special. Lower your sword, barbarian. We can be allies. The Mage Tower can offer you far better treatment than what you are receiving no—gkk!"
A cold blade smashed into his mouth. His mouth ripped open, his teeth snapped, and his tongue split in two. The mage’s mouth, busy spitting out spells and lies, was now just gushing hot blood.
Kadim coldly leveled his sword and spoke.
"No idea what bullshit you're spouting. From now on, you only answer what I ask. Dip your finger in the blood and write on the floor.”
“Eeek, wooop, he-heek... Eeek, eeeeeeeek!!!”
“First question. Why is a mage using ‘Demon’ tricks? Sacrificing live humans, using Demonic Energy instead of Mana, shoving evil thoughts into people's heads; that's all Demon stuff, not the Spirit doing things.”
Ymir didn't have the strength to answer.
The acrid taste of blood filling his mouth and the searing agony of torn flesh made his mind reel. Tears and snot poured down his face, and he kept making animal noises against his will.
"Ghe-ack, gkk, ehk, kk, kack..."
Could he live if he answered every question honestly?
Ymir looked up at the barbarian with desperate eyes. But all he saw was an executioner staring at a death row inmate. There was no hope in that gaze. At best, he could probably postpone death only as long as he was answering questions.
So Ymir made his decision.
He would abandon this flesh and use his final resort to strike back at the barbarian.
He gripped the chains tightly.
He squeezed his heart with all his might, hard enough that it felt like it might crumple. The heavy energy that surged up from his chest flowed entirely into the chains.
Clatter—!
"...!"
The chains writhed on their own and bound Ymir.
Sensing that he was up to something, Kadim swung down his axe at the chains.
Clang—!
But the chains didn't break.
Like a snake that had caught its prey, they stubbornly wrapped around Ymir's body and crushed it to the end.
Crackle—!
"GAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
His limbs folded, his neck twisted, and Ymir transformed into a wet lump of meat. Even after his breath stopped, the chains' crushing force showed no sign of weakening.
Blood and bodily fluids trickled down below.
Ssshhh—
Soon the pool of blood on the flagstones turned pitch black, then vaporized into dark shadows that flew off somewhere.
‘Damn it, what the hell did that bastard just do...’
Kadim retrieved his axe and dagger and quickly pursued the shadows.
He had a bad feeling about this.
That bastard wouldn't have killed himself for no reason. He must have offered himself as a sacrifice to pull some annoying trick.
And Kadim's prediction was dead on.
CRASH—!
The moment he rounded the corner following the shadow, a massive hand suddenly burst through the wall.
He barely dodged the grasping grip and looked up.
A majestic form too grand to fit through the hole in the wall stood beyond it.
Distorted eyes, a blunt nose, and sharp tusks sticking out here and there across its brass-colored skin. Its arms and legs were packed with muscles that looked like jagged rocks, and even under its potbelly, you could see abs hard as iron. It was a monster said to be strong enough to rip a mountain out by its roots, and its eyes were glowing black.
It’s a species famous for its overwhelming brute strength.
Ogre.
—Struggle all you want, barbarian. From now on, it will all be meaningless.
A voice resonated eerily through the ogre's vocal cords.
RUMBLE—!
The Ogre, possessed by the mage, smashed down the wall and charged at him.
***
Kadim gritted his teeth.
He had felt it clearly when the shadow entered the Ogre’s body.
It was diluted, but he was certain that Demonic Energy was mixed within those corrupted thoughts from the spell. Judging by the method and the raw materials, what Ymir was using was not magic, but the wicked arts of a demon.
To be precise, he was using the ability of a Possessor-type demon.
But Ymir definitely hadn't made a contract with a demon. If he had, he would've been using much purer Demonic Energy, and the monsters would've already transformed into demonic beasts.
In the end, the absurd conclusion was that the principles of 'magic' had changed like this over the past 300 years.
"..."
The questions spawned from this were not limited to just one or two. How were they using diluted Demonic Energy? Why use Demonic Energy instead of Mana for magic? And why was the Order of Elga tolerating such acts...?
But there was no time to think. He’d only get answers after he put down that Ogre.
—DIE!!!
—CRASH!
A fist as large as a battering ram ploughed through the wall. Bricks exploded, dust flew everywhere, and a deep trench was carved into the wall. The punch ended right where Kadim had been standing a split second ago.
The flagstones smashed apart, the floor caved in, and heavy vibrations shook the entire corridor.
Rumble!
He stepped back just in time to avoid getting turned into red paste. Kadim swung his sword to fight back. But when the sword hit the fist, it bounced right off like he’d hit solid steel. The Ogre swatted the weapon away like it was nothing and sneered.
—Useless. You don't seriously think you can pierce this thick hide with that little pocket knife...
Crack!
—Gkk!
Kadim switched weapons and brought down his throwing axe. This time, the hide was pierced. The chilling axe instantly dug into the flesh and severed the ogre's middle finger.
But the second it was cut, the wound healed. A brand-new finger popped right out of the stump.
‘What the hell? Ogres don't regenerate.’
Kadim frowned, and the Ogre laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen.
—Kehehehe, naive fool! Did you think cutting would be the end of it? This body is no ordinary Ogre. It has accepted Troll genes and can easily regenerate a scratch like that in no time.
"..."
Kadim almost laughed out loud.
Kadim wondered if the mage had his brain broken as he listened to the mage explaining his abilities to his enemy.
But his smile vanished pretty quickly.
An Ogre with its tremendous brute strength and tough hide alone was already a difficult opponent. Add Troll regeneration to that, and it became a monster as dangerous as a mid-rank demon or worse. To make matters worse, the Agility Enhancement Buff had nearly worn off, and all that remained was the now-useless Mental Attack Immunity Buff.
‘Do I have to drink the Hydra blood? Damn it, if I drink three kinds of blood in one day, the side effects are going to drive me insane...’
CRASH—!
While he was thinking, a massive kick came flying at him. A foot the size of a pillar smashed the floor, aiming right for Kadim. He dove to the right, but he couldn't dodge the shrapnel. A storm of rocks shredded his skin and left him black and blue.
Whoosh, whoosh—!
Kadim quickly backed away while throwing four daggers in succession. Three bounced off harmlessly, but one stuck deep in the Ogre's right forearm.
Squelch.
But the Ogre just ripped out the chunk of meat holding the dagger. The hellfire burned up the scrap of flesh on the floor but couldn't spread to his body. Even the hole in his arm stopped bleeding and filled up with new meat in seconds.
—!So, what's next? What's next, barbarian?
"..."
He gripped his axe and charged like an arrow. He tried to slip between the legs, but the Ogre anticipated it and lowered its stance. The Ogre then lifted the flagstones that had been loosened by successive impacts and completely overturned them.
—CRASH!
Ceiling and floor flipped.
A wave of flagstones rose like a wall and surged forward. Kadim violently smashed his shoulder through the debris so he wouldn't get buried. But before he could recover, a massive fist was already in his face.
This time, he couldn't dodge.
BANG!
"Gkh!"
The moment he was sent flying and his back hit the wall, his breath caught and something surged up from inside. One of the bottles he'd kept in his chest pocket must have broken as it soaked his upper garment. He didn't have time to check which bottle had broken.
The Ogre was already charging again with its fists.
Crash—!
From then on, the fight kept going downhill for Kadim.
The enemy was too strong. It was hard enough to inflict wounds, and even when he managed to, they regenerated immediately. With his buffs gone, fighting was no different from fighting barehanded. Gradually, the number of counterattacks decreased, and he became preoccupied with just dodging the incoming attacks.
—What now? What's the plan now, barbarian?
"Huff, huff..."
—This can't be it, right? You wouldn't have been so cocky if you were this weak. Come on, show me. Show me what other toys you have.
Blood ran down his face, and his muscles were screaming. He probably had broken ribs as every breath sent a jolt of pain through his chest.
Kadim gritted his teeth and glared at the Ogre.
The giant monster was still standing there perfect, without a single scratch.
Still, he did have one move left to bring the thing down.
‘If he’s part Troll... he can't regenerate his vitals. I just need to blow up his heart or his head.’
He gripped the axe handle like his hand was glued to it. He held his breath and aimed carefully. He channeled every ounce of strength from his biceps down to his fingertips and threw it with everything he had.
The axe spun like a turbine.
Whirrr—!
Thwack!
—Gkk!
But he missed.
The Ogre twisted its torso at the last second, and the axe only ripped into its shoulder.
The only weapon that could inflict damage had completely left his hands.
The Ogre seemed to realize this fact too.
It brushed its bleeding shoulder and charged.
Any feeble resistance was easily blocked.
The ogre snatched Kadim's blade away, threw it aside, and delivered a heavy punch.
—CRASH!
"Gkh!"
Kadim was slammed into the wall again. A triumphant smile rose on the ogre's face.
—Is this it? Is this really all? If this was all you had, why were you so insolent earlier?
"..."
—Disappointing. You should have accepted my offer from the start. You dug your own grave, foolish barbarian. Do you have any last words before you die?
His entire body felt like it was crumbling with pain. Yet Kadim's mind was as calm as a still lake.
Everything had gone according to plan. His injuries were severe, but he'd survived and endured well. He'd bought enough time without drinking demon blood.
Even though he was inside a fortress where he couldn't see the night sky, his heart beating like a drum told him the right moment had arrived.
Kadim didn't speak his last words.
Instead, he asked a question.
"Do you know?"
"..."
"Tonight is a night when the moon doesn't rise."
"...?"
"And just now, it became midnight."
The Ogre couldn't understand Kadim's words.
Nor the prayer that followed.
“O Atala, Master of Myriad Arms Who Knows No Defeat. Place your axe in my hand, bless the great warrior who thirsts for strife, let me quench my thirst with the red blood of my enemies. On the night when the eye that watches over the earth hides itself, I hone this axe in your undefeated name.”
Woooooong—
A blinding blue light exploded.
A wave of light flooded the room, pushing back the dark and cooling down the wrecked hallway. Overwhelmed by the unknown flash, the Ogre forgot all thoughts and stared ahead with dull eyes like an idiot.
It was natural that he couldn't understand. A miracle of the gods was something that transcended even the reason of mages who had devoted their lives to exploring mysteries.
Kadim's second unique trait, 'One Who Forges Names,' activated.
[What 'name' will you give that axe?]
Just like before, it wasn't a voice, but a clear will echoing inside him.
Kadim didn't hesitate.
He'd already decided long ago what name to give that axe and what effect to obtain.
"Salmon."
[...]
"From now on, that axe's name is 'Salmon.'"
Wooooooong—!
Even without holding it, he could tell. The weapon that had accepted its new name was resonating with him.
The stirring radiance flowed like a rapid current and was sucked toward the axe that had flown behind the Ogre. The light was compressed into a thin line on the axe, glowing blue bright enough to see from where he was.
Kadim reached out his hand.
His hand was empty, but he could feel it.
Like a fish swimming upstream to return to where it was born, a force pulsed and throbbed as if alive, wanting to return to where it belonged.
"...Come back, Salmon."
The moment Kadim murmured, the axe rose into the air and spread its metal wings once more.
Whirrr—!
The Ogre's back was right in the return path. The spinning blade tore through the thick skin without slowing down...
SPLAT—!
...and after shredding half the Ogre's heart and lungs to pieces, it burst out in an explosion of flesh chunks.
—GWAAAAAAAAAAGH!!
'Return.'
A special effect where it returns to the owner's hand from anywhere when desired.
The returned axe settled in its master's hand. The fatally wounded ogre vomited blood and collapsed to its knees.
Kadim smiled eerily as he slowly wiped the blood-stained axe blade with his sleeve.