Chapter 298 – One Who Can Understand (3)
Balrog's coercion magic circle is the pinnacle of behavioral restriction.
From the moment magic power takes firm root in the body, the subjected target is burdened with the coercive force of the caster's commands.
Consciousness remains, but it means little.
Pain is the defense mechanism of life.
It is precisely this instinctive fear that was the origin of the creation of Coercion.
Depending on the intensity of resistance, the pain differs, but at its peak it is enough to shatter the soul. One could liken it to invisible steel spikes slicing through bones, muscles, and nerves.
This was Verden's experience from having resisted fiercely, time and time again.
But the drawback is clear.
Not every action can be imbued with coercive force.
No, the command itself is possible, but due to overload, the self is gravely damaged, and the subject collapses like a puppet whose strings have been cut.
In other words, the complete loss of autonomy.
Even unconscious breathing, the violent beating of the heart, the movements of the organs—all of it ceases.
If the caster does not command each of these functions one by one in perfect harmony, death follows in an instant.
And even if life is barely preserved, there is no advantage.
Efficiency plummets endlessly compared to before.
Balrog Bessias, who accomplished the rapid growth of the Bohemirn Magic Tower, could never ignore such side effects, being one who always pursued efficiency.
Verden perfectly exploited these flaws of the coercion magic circle, seizing the opportunity to create Defying the Heavens.
"..."
He revived his past memories and examined the magic circle.
Nothing unusual was visible on the skin.
Often, those with innately high magic resistance displayed this sort of thing.
After all, outsiders could never identify the true nature of the circle, and it would merely appear as a tattoo or some kind of mark.
If the subjected target dies, the circle naturally vanishes as well.
But Verden's focus was on something else.
Something is hidden.
The moment doubt arose, he placed his left hand upon it.
Sensing Balrog's unpleasant magic power, he felt the battered interior. Following the stem of magic lodged inside, he traced it back.
Soon, he discovered the source of the foreign sensation.
Another coercion magic circle in the head…?
One engraved in the skull and torso.
They resonated with one another, circulating a very subtle flow of magic throughout the body.
Though he had long been subjected to the unofficial laboratories of the magic tower, he could say with certainty he had never seen anything like this before.
What was the purpose of this structure?
Verden's contemplation continued.
A genius's understanding of magic.
In a single instant, his intuition presented numerous possibilities from the vast sea of knowledge, and by merging thought and calculation, he derived the most reasonable conclusion.
The weakness of coercion magic circles.
Balrog Bessias's choice to overcome it was…
"…Mind control."
Looking again from this new perspective, the structure was clear.
The magic circle in the skull seized the brain and head.
The one in the torso acted as a central axis, spreading its influence throughout the entire body.
It resembled black magic that erodes resistance to control the mind, yet it was fundamentally different.
This is far worse.
As Verden reasoned, in order to establish this form of magic circle, the subject's inner self would have to be nearly wiped blank.
And even then, if there was the slightest resistance before the circle took root, the attempt would fail.
Even for an ordinary human, such a process was impossible.
Unless their mind was practically erased.
Yet before him stood a completed work.
And it was controlling none other than a warrior of this level, one who surely possessed a mind far more resilient than most.
"Balrog… just what have you done?"
Shock flickered in Verden's eyes.
***
Adrian's gaze was fixed to the ground.
The same magic circle unfolded that he had seen in his memories countless times before, the very same Balrog had used.
Just as it had then.
Suppressing his body, binding him.
Balrog.
Adrian remembered.
Balrog Bessias.
He did not forget.
The vow to one day kill him.
But that emotion did not reach the present.
All unnecessary feelings were twisted into coercion, and only the mental strength ingrained within pierced through both his consciousness and unconsciousness.
[Kill all witnesses.]
The mission reverberated within.
Adrian slowly raised his gaze.
Right before him stood the target to be killed.
A pair of azure eyes, filled with complicated depths, met his. What they meant was irrelevant.
What mattered was figuring out how to kill.
…The magic circle.
In his right eye, a strange magic circle had appeared, though now it was gone. Instead, the staff floating in the air began to radiate rainbow-hued brilliance.
The battle had raged just before this.
From all his experience thus far, Adrian sought the answer.
An unnaturally fast computation of magic.
That eye, and that staff, were without doubt related.
The moment the circle appeared in his eye, magic was invoked at the exact place his gaze fell.
An absurd ability. Thus he was certain.
There had to be restrictions in using that eye, or tremendous strain. And that radiant staff was surely a tool to offset those drawbacks.
The answer was clear.
The path had already been chosen.
Crack, grinding his molars nearly to breaking, Adrian focused his mind.
He had already endured this magic circle many times.
It was tediously familiar, and he had even thought of ways to break it in the past.
No trial and error was needed.
Here and now, he must succeed in a single attempt.
"…!"
At that moment, Verden sensed the anomaly.
Adrian, once bound, suddenly lifted his head, and his energy erupted all at once.
Kwwaaaaaazzzzzhhht!
Imprison shattered.
The gravitational chains binding his arms snapped likewise.
Though pain wracked his twisted muscles and bones, he paid no mind. Adrian's mental fortitude made it possible.
Murderous intent burned in his gaze.
Adrian swung his arm, Verden twisted his body to evade.
But he was not aiming to cut him.
──Kaaaang!
The rusty sword cleaved the air, slamming into Orient.
At once, the Domain of Aurora dissolved, and heavy darkness descended. Immediately after, Adrian spun, his back kick crashing into Verden's abdomen.
Though the blow sent him flying, he was unharmed.
For when it came to physical strikes, Ainber's resistance was solid.
In an instant, Verden regained his stance with Flight.
Adrian lunged after him, grasping the falling sword, swinging it fiercely. At the same time, Orient returned to Verden's grip.
[Lightning Imbue]
The ruined forest became their stage.
Sword and staff collided, sparks flying.
Lightning coursed through the metal.
Suppressing the numbness in his body, Adrian poured out all his strength.
It must end here.
He barely reached.
He had to cling and press the attack.
Kang! Ka-aang! Kagagagagak!
Adrian's consecutive strikes poured down like a storm.
Not yet at his former speed, but steadily accelerating.
He ignored the electrocution completely.
Verden, strengthening his physique with imbued magic, began to struggle to keep up.
Crackle.
Verden's Mystic Eye activated.
The instant a faint current surged straight ahead, Adrian ducked to an extreme low, narrowly evading it.
Without missing the chance, he used his lower body to slash upward.
His target, the neck.
But it was a mistake.
Though evading the Mystic Eye was impressive, his intent was far too obvious.
Verden lightly tilted his head.
He added rotational force and swung Orient. The charged magic burst forth, and the shockwave released from the rune struck Adrian's side.
"Khuek?!"
Boom───Kududuk!
He planted his arms and legs, scraping against the ground.
He struck his chest hard with the pommel, forcing open his blocked airway.
Then, a magical bombardment rained down on him. Dozens of massive droplets, reinforced with gravity, ravaged the forest and ground.
Yet not a single one landed squarely on Adrian.
It was no mistake, but intent.
Verden pressed Orient against the ground.
He must never be killed.
The situation had changed.
As long as he was dominated by the coercion magic circle, he could not be treated as an enemy. Thus, any overwhelming magic that might inflict fatal damage was forbidden.
But keeping him restrained indefinitely was also difficult.
He was relentless and perceptive enough to exploit openings in the Mystic Eye and counterattack. He had even shattered Imprison with that body.
He definitely has prior experience with Balrog's magic circle.
Which meant the magic circle was not the ultimate solution.
And once the mind was dominated, knocking him unconscious was impossible.
There was no time to break it, not immediately.
He could not even know if it was possible at all.
Even Verden himself, without Defying the Heavens, would not have been able to dispel a coercion magic circle engraved directly by Balrog.
Therefore, there was only one way.
Temporarily suspend the function of the coercion magic circle.
He had already analyzed the structure.
By threading into the cords of magic power and interfering, it could be done—but what he needed was a little time. During that time, Adrian had to be completely neutralized, unable to act.
Which means, I must break his limbs.
Healing could come later.
Verden made his decision, drawing forth his magic power.
[Terrain Manipulation]
Walls tens of meters high and long.
He thrust them forward with force, and the terrain shifted, curving as though to encircle Adrian.
Kugugugugugugu!
The earth rushed in.
Adrian, barely standing, stared ahead.
…Strong.
He wielded mighty magic as naturally as breathing.
His magic power seemed limitless, showing no sign of running dry, and though computing magic of this level, he displayed not a trace of strain.
He was different from a Transcendent.
Overwhelming, in another sense.
Even the man Adrian had once been could not have defeated him.
So, what then?
Should he surrender and accept defeat?
His vision blurred for an instant.
Memories of the past replayed before his eyes.
Once, he had asked,
───Master, what should I do if I meet an opponent I cannot defeat, even with all my strength?
───Then you should lose.
At that banal question, his master answered with biting words. Adrian, barely past his twenties, had frowned.
───Even if my life is on the line?
───Most battles are fought with lives on the line, Adrian. Even a mere goblin is no different. To you, they may seem laughably weak, but to themselves, they fight with their life. Then tell me, how could a goblin possibly defeat you?
Of course, there was no way.
The gap could never be bridged.
Still, it was not the answer he wanted, so he pressed on.
───…Even if there is a reason I cannot die, must I still accept death?
───Then what else can you do? To fight with every last ounce of strength, that is all.
───Then if I meet a Transcendent, I must certainly die.
───A Transcendent, you say…
His master stroked his chin.
───A Transcendent is one who has crossed the boundary of species. They reign over the world, absolute, like the very sky itself.
Adrian slowly lifted his head.
White clouds and blue sky filled his sight.
───Then the answer is simple.
───…Pardon?
───Cut down the sky. Adrian, if anyone can, it is you.
Pointing toward the heavens, his master had smiled brightly.
It was conviction and faith, the belief that Adrian would indeed reach that height.
Adrian was his pride.
And then, he lost everything.
It was my fault.
He knelt before a Transcendent.
It had been his first defeat, falling without cutting the sky. And the price was not his alone to bear—his master had borne it too.
His master's end remained vivid in his mind.
So what would the second defeat steal away?
He could not guess, and that was terrifying. So he resolved not to think. He simply would not lose. After all, he still gripped a sword.
Kwaaaang!
Adrian stamped the ground and charged.
He did not evade. He had no more choices.
Either die, or win. If every ounce of power was not enough, then he would pour in more than that.
"Uaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!"
He roared, gathering all his energy.
Kwaaaaang!
He crashed against the earthen wall, but did not stop. With one swing, he split the wall apart and surged forward.
Martial Technique, Intensification.
A technique beyond his current skill.
It felt as though his whole body were burning away, but he endured.
Failure was not permitted.
He would never be defeated again.
A violet afterimage lingered vividly.
Though his form could not be seen, he pursued only speed, his path a straight line.
Which meant stopping him was simple.
Blow away the area, or flood his trajectory with magic—it would be enough.
But if I do that, he will die.
That would contradict the purpose.
So Verden did not dodge. Through his opponent's all-out strike, he sought the possibility of sparing him.
[Elementalization]
He chose gravity as his attribute. A dark violet aura cloaked his body.
As the Ruler of Elements, Verden gathered magic into Orient's jewel, forming two diagonal rings of gravity.
Things of the same nature repelled, creating a force of repulsion.
The profundity of anti-gravity, realized through infinite Mado.
At that instant, they entered each other's range.
They moved simultaneously.
The descending sword strike, and the surging spell from below.
Kwooooooooom!
A shockwave, like tearing eardrums apart, swept the surroundings.
A vast clearing formed in the middle of the forest, the ground where they stood sunken deep under the massive impact.
And then, the clouds covering the sky split apart.
It was Adrian's sword aura, concentrated beyond limits of speed. Through the rifted clouds, blue moonlight spilled down upon the two.
The strike was evenly matched.
Perhaps Adrian's blade had even pierced through the spell to reach Verden.
The final strike he swung held that much weight.
But it was his limit.
Crack, crackcrackcrack.
The physical force rebounded by anti-gravity.
The rusty sword in Adrian's grip shattered to pieces. The right arm that had held it broke, and the nerves of his left arm were paralyzed.
He had lost his weapon.
His arms were useless.
No more strength could be wrung out.
And yet he had to move.
[Kill all witnesses.]
Adrian clamped one of the floating sword fragments in his teeth.
He threw his weight forward, aiming with all his will at his opponent's throat, and stabbed.
Crunch.
Naturally, it did not reach.
The magic barrier hovering over the skin blocked the blade.
Adrian, eyes bloodshot, bit down harder.
He knew it was futile, but still he showed his persistence. It was the best he could do.
He possessed a tenacious spirit.
And so, he strained to fulfill the command forcing him. A twisted scene, of a man coercing himself.
Verden watched him.
Then, releasing Orient, he grasped the swordsman's shoulder with his right hand.
"..."
He gathered magic into his left hand.
Extending his arm, he instantly invaded the coercion magic circle.
He had long known its internal structure.
Threads of finely controlled magic tore through its labyrinthine design, pinpointing the locus.
Interference with the circle, cutting through the path and temporarily severing the flow of magic.
The magic circle halted.
Not for long, but for now.
"I don't know what you've been through."
How long he had been subjected to experiments,
What those experiments entailed, and what he had lost—Verden could not know.
He could only understand.
"For now, rest."
The madness faded from Adrian's eyes, light slowly returning.
The strength left his muscles, the sword fragment fell from his mouth, and at last his body leaned and collapsed. He had no strength left to resist.
The Sword Saint, Adrian Chambers.
This was his second defeat.
And belatedly, the faint ring of metal echoed, marking the end of the day.
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