Chapter 146 Part 1
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Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama
「Ahahaha, Zeph-kun… Please don’t dodge okay?!」
「Tsch…!」
As I took a step back, Claude quickly followed after me.
As she did, her sword came swinging down as well. I somehow managed to dodge the flurry of strikes that came at me.
The sword slashed didn’t have Claude’s usual swordsmanship behind them.
They were crude, but each one of them had a lot of weight behind it.
To think you can produce so much power with Berselm.
Divine Sword Ainbelle squeaked with a dull noise as I received her strikes.
Currently Claude’s sword was also covered in Screen Point, so it shaved off a bit of Divine Sword Ainbelle each time they clashed, due to Divine Sword Ainbelle being a sword made out of magic power.
I was able to stop Claude’s sword just before it landed on my head, but I was then pushed back by the sheer difference in our strength.
「Urgh…?!!」 said Ain letting out a painful groan.
I felt something hot fall on my cheek, as I desperately supplied Ain with magic power.
「…!!」
If it isn’t blood…
Before my eyes, Claude’s eyes were filled with tears.
「Zeph… ku…」 she whispered out with a small, sad sounding voice.
But even so, she still didn’t stop her sword.
The command given by Grain was forcing her against her will.
「Ple…a…se…」
「Claude…!」
Claude shed tears, but soon she once again sunk into her crazed state and her expression changed, as she crossed swords with me, blowing me away.
「A…hahaha…」 she laughed as her tears continued to pour down. She looked just like a broken doll.
Truthfully, her heart was probably on the verge of falling apart.
I’ve heard that, somewhere within the depths of one’s heart, their consciousness remains even after being given a command. Which means that the pain Claude must be going through right now is immeasurable. That bastard! You won’t get away for putting Claude through this…
「Claude!!」
「Ha!!」
Claude’s sword fell down once more. I somehow managed to avoid it. However, it had turned into a one sided slaughter.
I had no time to even use spells, and even if I did they wouldn’t do much, due to Claude’s Screen Point.
But I can still do this… Time Square!!
While fighting off Claude’s sword I somehow managed to cast Time Square.
While time was stopped I cast Red Crash twice.
Due to Claude’s Screen Point spells had almost no effect on her, but the spell right now would still serve as a good flashbang.
I let time flow again and the fire spell bared its flames at Claude.
「What’s that…?」
The Red Crash was cut off in an instant, however I had already expected as much.
「And now the other one…!」
「?!!」
While time was stopped I hadn’t cast both of them at once, but rather one after another. Which led to the current situation in which Claude’s body was engulfed in flames.
She probably didn’t get hurt, however I guess it was enough to scare her. And now…
I rummaged through my bag and took out a certain item.
A Spirit Power Recovery Medicine. A medicine which would recover all of my magical power at once.
I was going to make Claude drink it and negate her Screen Point!
Drink this!!
I threw the Spirit Power Recovery Medicine at the frightened Claude.
However, Claude smiled as the bottle was flying at her.
「I’ve already seen that you know… You did the same thing before… I won’t fall for it a second time!!」 she said as she took out her shield and used it to guard against the flying bottle.
The bin collided with the shield and shattered into pieces.
However, I had already planned for that development.
「?!!」
Due to her putting up her shield, Claude’s blind spot had widened.
And when I suddenly appeared from a place she wasn’t expecting, she showed an astonished look.
The bin that I had thrown just now was an empty fake, the real one was with me the whole time.
Claude finally caught onto my plan, however just as she did so, she showed a bright smile.
Her body relaxed and she closed as if she was letting me have my way.
「Please…」
Kill me.
Is what I felt she was trying to say. However, there was no way I’d do something like that.
I grabbed both of Claude’s arms and embraced her.
And then I pried open her sealed lips with my tongue.
「Wh?!!」
I poured the Spirit Power Recovery Medicine from my mouth into hers.
The white fluid filled Claude’s mouth. She struggled to spit it out as if she was in pain, but I held her tightly, not letting her.
Endure it… Drink all of it.
Claude was struggling like she was in tremendous pain, however she finally seemed to have given up as she slowly began to swallow.
As the liquid began flowing down her body, her magic power rose and Screen Point’s influence began to grow dim.
Now!
I cast Healing on Claude while still embracing her. Doing that I could see the light returning to her eyes.
The sword she held fell to the ground.
… Phew. She managed to come back.
As I slowly pulled back my lips and let go of her, Claude looked up at me with teary eyes.
「Zeph-kun… Why…」
「That’s my line. You idiot.」
I gently stroked Claude’s head. Her face twisted as she was about to begin crying at any moment.
「But I… I did those things to you and Milly-san…」
「You were going through a lot, I know.」
「… It was just so painful… And you… You and Milly-san…」 she said as she looked down and shed tears.
I hugged her once more, and she began to cry as the wall that held back her tears collapsed.
「There’s no doubt that I like Milly. But Claude, I also like you as well. That goes for Lydia, Shirushu and Silverie as well.」
「… You can’t… give me an answer such as that.」
「I’m sorry.」
I took out the collar from my bag and put it around Claude’s neck.
「What’s… this?」
「Shirushu said she wanted to get something matching for you both. And I told her I’d give it to you. It looks great on you Claude.」
「Thank… you…」
Claude held onto the collar with both hands, as she cried while burying her face into my chest.
However, her strength soon left her and her knees broke down.
Berselm allowed one to display strength way beyond one’s limits, but when the skill wore off it made it so that one couldn’t even stand up.
I took the unconscious Claude and laid her on the ground. I then stood up and looked towards a boulder in the distance.
「Your facade is over. Come out Grain.」
After a moment, a tall shadow came out from behind the boulder.
Grain came out as his bloody coat fluttered in the air.
「…Haa. So even something like this doesn’t work on you huh.」
「Oh no, it sure did work. The rage that I’ve built up towards you is just about to overflow you see. Grain you did something you shouldn’t have.」
「Phew, so scary. You talking about Claude? You had quite the passionate moment just now. Kuku… I was planning to take down both of you if you had shown an opening but it seems that failed… However, you still showed me something quite interesting which I hadn’t expected. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you two. Hyahaha!」 said Grain as he laughed.
As I took a step forward Grain’s expression tightened and he took one step towards me as well.
Only the sound of our footsteps crushing the ground beneath resounded in the area and we both suddenly stopped in place.
「Aren’t you wondering why I’m still alive?」
「I’m not surprised after all you’ve done you see. Folks like you don’t seem to disappear no matter how many times you crush them after all. You’re just like cockroaches.」
「…Pff, you sure let your mouth run there.」 said Grain and took a step forward as anger made its way into his voice.
I guess he didn’t like being called a cockroach. He must be quite pissed off. However, the rage that I’ve built up against him is way more than that!
《Ain! Let’s go!》
《Kay!!》
I turned, my anger exploding into magic power and sent it towards Divine Sword Ainbelle.
I clutched onto Ain as she began to shine brightly and took a step towards Grain.
Ain’s anger was probably about as well considering the light coming out of her couldn’t be compared to her usual one.
We were at last within each other’s range. If I were to swing my sword I would reach him.
「Come Grain. I’ll definitely give you a free one way trip to hell this time.」
「That’s my line…!」
Just as the words left his mouth our swords clashed.
Sparks flew through the darkness of the night.
My swing, which had all of my power behind it, shook Grain greatly.
My body which I had strengthened with Spell Fusion before the clash, could be said to be on par with Grain’s.
We crossed swords a couple of times, however it was clear that neither me nor he were serious about killing the other with other swords. That was because both of us were mages after all.
After crossing swords one more time we drew back a step.
「Kuku, it’s about time we get serious, don’t you think Zeph?」
「I was just about to say that as well!」 I said as I sent magic power towards Divine Sword Ainbelle and swung it down while casting Time Square.
While time was stopped I cast Red Crash and Black Crash.
Double Spell Fusion: Pyro Crash.
A whirlpool of flames burst forth. However, Grain just smiled and raised his left hand.
Immediately after that the whirlpool of fire enveloped Grain and burned him down… Or at least that’s what was supposed to happen, but the flames were sucked into his hand before they could envelop him.
「Hmph, Screen Point was it called this magician killing spell? Come to think of it, once I use it, it makes it quite difficult for me to use magic, but if I apply it to only a specific part of my body then that’s a different story. Well, your average joe probably wouldn’t be able to pull it off, but for a genius such as me it’s a walk in the park!」 laughed Grain as if he had already won.
There were some very rare cases in which competent mages used magician killing spells in a unique way.
The way Grain used Screen Point on only a part of his body, allowing him to use magic, was precisely one of those cases.
It was definitely impossible to control it with just an average sense in magic.
… A genius huh… I cannot dispute that.
The talent and potential he had as a magician really did make me think so.
However, no matter how powerful one became, if he were to dip his hands in the darkness even once he would then stray from the right path and proceed to the one of evil.
That magician would then commit inhumane acts, and pile on corpses of innocent people… There were a number of people like that throughout my lifetime.
Grain looked back at me with menace as my eyes showed pity for him.
「Huh? What’s with that look?」
「… I just thought you’re a sorry fellow, that’s all.」
「…! I don’t like that look of you!!」 said Grain as he swung down his sword with anger, producing an enormous fireball.
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