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98. Sevenfold Divine Art – Septeos

「[Cocytus].」

The golem that was caught by the cold air broke into pieces, as if collapsing from the inside.

「You broke the stone by rapid cooling!?」

「As expected, you are quick to understand. The magic of the Age of Gods, Cocytus. It is truly powerful.」

Even Angelina knows this magic. When they were fighting against the army led by Duke Abik, she saw it being used to create a meeting place.

An unparalleled and powerful ice magic from the age of the gods, and there are not many who can use it.

「As expected, it is Skill Lender-san’s… No, that can’t be possible. This must also be an illusion of suggestion.」

「Oh dear, it is unfortunate that you can’t accept reality. Now then, let’s move on to the next one. Rage, Aeolus.」

「!! Stop it head on!」

Arms grew out from the walls and floor and supported the stone golem that was being pushed back by a ferocious wind. As the wind finally began to weaken, what followed next was overwhelming heat.

「It must be cold with the cold air combined with wind. Melt, Prometheus.」

「Generate a golem with air bubbles inside! Increase the insulation performance and… ugh.」

Unable to hold back the heat with her stone wall, Angelina took a step back as her robe was burned.

「Oh, you persevered.」

「This is a suggestion! It’s supposed to be a suggestion…!」

「I shall say it as many times as needed. This is reality. Have you not heard from Marge Siu? That he shadowed and confronted me in the basement.」

「What are you trying to say?」

「Why do you think I came out to meet him personally?」

「…No way.」

The person receiving the suggestion is usually unaware of it. Marge has already proven this using Azula.

However, what if Marge himself was also under the spell?

「My skills can only be used when facing each other. There was a need to stand before each other at least once.」

「That day when we met face to face, you used [Placebo Master’s Golden Spoon]?」

「You have finally discerned it. He must have been in a bit of a rush as well.」

「You took advantage of Skill Lender-san’s state of mind to rescue Azula-chan quickly!」

「And then I used my suggestion and made him “lend it to me”.」

In other words, he borrowed money without a loan document, and even the memory of the loan was erased. Unless the borrowing party comes forward on their own, it is no different from a direct transfer.

「I asked Marge Siu, “What is the most powerful skill you have?” and borrowed it from him. I also suggested that he wouldn’t notice that the skill was gone, and the result is this. It is indeed powerful.」

「Is that why you were confident that you could win even against the Skill Lender-san!」

「He was also hard to deal with. I was shocked when he changed the faces of my subordinates and replaced him with a prisoner, but my victory was already decided at that point.」

「…Declaring victory is the beginning of defeat.」

「You are adorable even when putting on a strong front. In that case, let me prove our victory.」

Stopping his words there, Kirmiji once again held up his right hand. Angelina also channeled power into her hands.

「[Song of the Age of Gods], activate. Flash, Jupiter.」

「Increase golem’s metal content and unevenly distribute its surface to dissipate the thunderbolts…ugh!」

Golems that corresponded to Kirmiji’s technique were generated one after another and were continuously crushed.

The boundary between the golems and Kirmiji’s magic were gradually receding. Only about five lines of golems remain.

「Miss Angelina. You must have put in a lot of effort to gain that much power. Would you like to join the Knights Order? Those who like hard work and study are always welcomed.」

「Geli doesn’t particularly like hard work. Geli wouldn’t want to if she didn’t have to. Geli does it because nothing can be accomplished if she doesn’t.」

「Okay then. It hurts my heart to torment you too much, so let’s end this now.

Freeze, Cocytus.

Melt, Prometheus.

Blow, Aeolus.

Flash, Jupiter.

Furthermore, [Song of the Age of Gods], activate. Learn technique.

Envelop, Hades.

Absorb, Persephone.

Overflow, Eridanos.」

「Seven Techniques…?!!」

「Let’s call it the Sevenfold Divine Arts, Septeos. As expected, it takes a little time to activate. It is a good opportunity for you to attack, isn’t it?」

Angelina’s immediate action in response to Kirmiji’s provocation was “additional defense.”

「All golem formations cancel! Merge and change shape, hemisphere!!」

「You are throwing away the opportunity to attack? Even though I had prepared a defensive technique.」

「That’s what Geli thought!」

A hemisphere of white porcelain completely blocked the passage. Kirmiji smiles at Angelina, who abandoned her humanoid golems that are capable of both offense and defense and took a complete defensive stance.

Inside the hemisphere were Angelina, Shizuku, Azula, and several dwarves. Sweat rolled down Angelina’s forehead as she felt the intense flow of mana even through her stone wall. Angelina took a deep breath and spoke without looking behind.

「The walk has been strengthened but Geli doesn’t think it can withstand Septeos. That is why, Shizuku-chan…」

「I know.」

「Just to confirm. You have brought the precious stone pendant, right? The stone is infused with mana from the Wolf’s Hidden Village.」

「Yes, I have it. I wear it around my neck.」

「Then Geli will proceed with the assumption that you can use [Garou] with the mana inside. Theoretically it should be possible since it was made in that land.」

「Okay. What should I do?」

「That guy thinks that we have barricaded ourselves in here. Geli will create a gap in the wall, so escape out of here. Your destination will be Geli’s house.」

「……Understood.」

「Geli is not talking about having at least one person escape because we can’t win anymore. It’s an all-or-nothing move at a one-shot reversal. First…」

「Um…」

Azula interrupted the two as they worked on a strategy in a short amount of time.

「Please wait.」

「Azula, there’s nothing you can do…」

「Please allow me to use my endemic skill.」

An endemic skill which belongs to the earth spirit. A rare skill that is rooted in the mana of the land and activated by borrowing its power. Garou is the werewolf’s tribe endemic skill.

Shizuku and Angelina weren’t too surprised as they had expected that the dwarves might have an endemic skill too, but they shook their heads.

「You have not been released from Kirmiji’s suggestion. We don’t know what he’ll make you do. Even the knights can manipulate you by saying “I declare”. It is too dangerous.」

「I am aware. Thus, Shizuku-sama.」

「What?」

「Have you ever cut someone’s body?」