I got into school for nothing-125
I got into school for nothing (125)
Lesson 25. The Farther Apart, The Fonder the Heart - 6
The structure of the bracelet Ban Yuwon analyzed was as follows.
First off, all information confirmable via a normal climber's status window was dummy data.
The bracelet had no functions to create a shield or enhance attack power.
The elite who appeared wearing the bracelet had merely put on a convincing act.
However, the mana contained within the artifact was real; all of it was used to activate teleportation.
‘To be precise, it didn't contain mana, but psychokinetic energy. Because it was spatial movement performed by psychokinesis, not by magic.’
Thus, unlike magic, its coordinates were quite abstract, but even so, they couldn't hide their true nature from Ban Yuwon, the master of the Babylonia Code.
Originally, equipping this artifact would trigger teleportation instantly, but he subtly altered the condition to activate teleportation simply by touching the artifact.
While he was at it, he also modified it so that the artifact itself, which originally moved along with the target, would not follow.
“Ta-da! With this, all I have to do is throw it and hit an enemy, and I’ll have completed an infinite-power weapon that directly delivers them to the constellation Yergel! By imbuing it with the concepts of Return (復歸) and Control (操縱), retrieval and re-throwing are simple. All this, for the astonishing price of just thirty-nine thousand—”
—You, so gleefully excited that it's a constellation expending its power right now...!
The core reason Ban Yuwon called this ‘infinite power’.
It was because the constellation bore all the causality and karma, including the mana consumed for spatial movement and the activation conditions.
To make someone move by ignoring the Tower's shifts and leaping over spatial barriers—there was no way ordinary mana or psychokinetic energy could handle that.
In other words—this bracelet was no different from a terminal drawing out the power of the constellation Yergel!
“And since Yergel can't directly influence this room, it can neither stop nor retrieve this...”
—It must have been confident you'd touch it in Room 34 and trigger the spatial movement. It couldn't have possibly imagined you wouldn't fall for the trap, but instead bring it all the way to Room 39, modify its functions, and use it....
Even so, Cellon seemed to pity Yergel, having once been a constellation himself.
—I am curious how many it can send. It can’t be infinite.
No, it merely seemed filled with an experimental spirit.
—Deoong! Deoong! Deooeong—!
Just as Ban Yuwon tucked the completed ultimate weapon into his embrace and gripped Cellon, the great bell (大鐘) installed in the tall watchtower rang out loudly.
Finally, the shelled creatures began to enter their line of sight.
It was literally a wave of monsters.
The sight of the shelled creatures, tearing through the dense forest that covered the hill leading up to the city's mountainside, was so horrifying it made even Ban Yuwon, who approached the battle with a certain level of confidence, falter.
“D-don’t chicken out! We’re on top of these high walls! Look closely at these damn walls!”
“You damned monsters, you can’t kill us! We’re on top of these walls!”
“The land is dead! We’re on top of these walls!”
Soldiers deliberately used rough language to boost morale and raise the atmosphere, facing a battle close to death.
Everyone was either clinging to bows and arrows, ballistas, or cauldrons of boiling oil, or else carrying sharp stones piled like mountains up onto the city walls.
‘It really feels like I've stepped into a war movie. I think I'm starting to understand what Light said.’
Though he had unhesitatingly burned the letter, wanting to skip the quest, it wasn't a lie that he had told Light he wished to reduce the sacrifice of innocent people.
Because if as few people as possible died, he would receive better rewards.
‘Honestly, Rooms 31 through 33 were unremarkable. ...Compared to other teams, perhaps not entirely so, but for our team, it was smooth. However, overcoming the constellation's intervention and seeing through its trick in Room 34 must have earned us quite a good evaluation, and burning the letter instead of delivering it was also likely a decent attempt. If only we can clear Room 39 with a good score...!’
Ban Yuwon took a deep breath and raised his staff.
“Shall we unleash a big one now?”
—Light is good.
He had intended to unleash a volcanic explosion, a skill he had mastered through Yumina's meticulous training, right into the center of the shelled creature horde... but Cellon's voice, which flew in just before, stopped his movements.
—For monster waves, it's light magic. Those who wielded light magic weren't favored for nothing.
“Why...? You don’t mean... a wave?”
—Exactly. Light magic suppresses the activity of the infection wave. Since it eliminates the unique monster-strengthening phenomenon that only occurs during waves, it's best to unleash a light magic spell, infused with as much mana as possible, right into the center.
Light magic wasn't an advanced form of elemental magic for nothing!
For a moment, the thought ‘Then what about dark magic?’ rose to Ban Yuwon's chin, but he carefully tucked it away.
Because if he uttered that aloud, it would surely become another foreshadowing for something!
“Alright, then, with light.”
A sphere of light materialized in the air.
Since he couldn't blind the soldiers guarding the walls, he first temporarily sealed (封) the outer surface of the sphere with a weak shell of light.
Then, he filled its interior with intense light.
—Your mana has grown a lot in the meantime, hasn’t it?
‘Compared to when, exactly?’
Ban Yuwon scoffed, concentrating all of Cellon's and his own Hyungi—his mana—into the sphere of light.
And the moment it reached its critical point, he hurled it towards the horde of shelled creatures without hesitation.
“It’s light... light magic!”
“My heavens, the mercenary was a mage! And a light mage, no less!”
Soldiers gasped in astonishment, finally recognizing the true nature of the magic he had unleashed, as the colossal sphere of light descended into the very center of the monster horde, guided by Ban Yuwon.
But it was still too early to be surprised.
The sphere, rushing in at high speed, withstood the attacks of the shelled creatures that had been wary of it and tried to intercept it, refusing to burst. It safely reached the center of the horde... and exploded!
—Swaaaaaah
It was as if a sun had exploded.
The spectacle of a sun descending to the earth, exploding and shattering into tens of millions of fragments, engulfing the entire area—with a slight exaggeration, it would have looked as if a god had descended upon that very spot.
—You can create such a spectacle now... No, this is strange! A kid who started magic less than two months ago! Even with my help!
‘Moved to tears one moment, terrified the next—you're certainly busy.’
—Kuaaaak!
—Guooooooooh!
The screams of the shelled creatures layered upon each other, sounding like a chorus.
But Ban Yuwon was more astonished by the disruption of the infection wave spreading from the shelled creature horde than by the direct destructive power of his area-of-effect magic.
The infection wave was the core phenomenon inducing the monster wave.
As it was disrupted, abnormalities immediately began to appear in the monsters' movements.
‘It's real...’
—Would I lie? More importantly, quickly recover your mana, whether by meditating or whatever. There's no time to spare.
Cellon, who had likely stood on many such battlefields in his human days, urged him to act with calm words after a brief moment of surprise at his magic.
Ban Yuwon nodded silently, sat down, and began circulating his energy.
—Swoosh
—Kiiiiiii!
Of course, he wasn't doing nothing during that time.
The Stormrain Sword, twelve streaks of rain floating in the air, was moving in his stead!
While there was a restriction on moving freely during internal energy circulation, since the difficulty itself wasn't high, controlling the swords connected to him through resonance (共鳴) wasn't difficult at all!
“The swords are flying... The mage is controlling them! That person must have even modified the city walls!”
“A Grand Archmage, it’s a Grand Archmage. To think such a person would come to save our city...!”
“We can’t be outdone. Protecting Erathon is our duty! While those monsters are disoriented, pour everything into them and reduce their numbers!”
“Uwooooooooh!”
The morale-boosted soldiers launched their attacks against the shelled creatures.
Though each shelled creature was significantly stronger than the soldiers due to the monster wave, they were now weakened by the light magic, and the mere fact that arrows, which should not have pierced them, were now finding purchase, was shifting the tide of battle overwhelmingly in favor of the humans.
“The Grand Archmage’s swords are protecting us. Do not fear, and stand your ground!”
“The land is dead! We’re on top of these walls!”
Are they still doing that?
* * *
The situation was the same at the other city walls where Team Rebellion was stationed.
Even with the multiple shifts drastically increasing the difficulty, the combat prowess of Team Rebellion's members surpassed it.
And why wouldn't it be so? Hadn't they already defeated a god's avatar just last week?
Though there was a difference between an individual and a group, even accounting for that, they were strong enough—more than enough.
Furthermore, even though Rucell had gained even greater power by obtaining a thunder beast—.
“A mercenary? Such a delicate maiden? I wonder if she’s just foolishly throwing her life away...”
“Hmph, she’s quite comely. What a waste, what a waste.”
—It seemed she didn't appear as strong as she was.
Though it was rare in Union, perhaps savage prejudices that judged people by their appearance still lingered here.
Considering her fighting style, Rucell, who felt no need to mingle in this space, simply leaped over the city walls.
“Hup!”
“Oh, oh-oh-oh!”
“Is she trying to kill herself?!”
The walls were already heightened by Ban Yuwon's concept imbuement.
It was not unreasonable for them to think she was attempting suicide, seeing Rucell leap down without any safety measures.
However, mid-fall, she swelled her body to more than three times its size in the air, then instantly half-transformed, landing gracefully on the ground.
—Kiiiiiii
—Kuooooooooh!
It was only natural that to the shelled creatures marching towards the city walls, she looked like nothing more than a delicious meal.
Rucell, who had drawn forth claws of blue lightning over her hands and feet, roared loudly, raising a Wildness that would not be outdone by theirs.
“Awooooooooh――!”
The battle howling of beast-kin raises their own Wildness and that of their allies, while lowering the morale of their enemies.
Though she had howled before, intending to inspire herself before battle, this was the first time Rucell had truly succeeded in a battle howl.
‘It's all thanks to my master.’
Not only had she become connected to him and able to control her Heart Furnace, but she had also gained the strength of a giant.
Thanks to that, she was even able to achieve a certain degree of beast transformation (獸化), which she had long given up on, and no longer needed to feel ashamed of herself.
‘Therefore—I will dedicate this battle to my master!’
Kraaaang—! She roared again, kicking off the ground.
She fearlessly charged into the gaps between the shelled creatures, who had flinched at her howl, and swung her blue lightning claws!
—Kwajijijik
—Kiaaaak!
“Kyaaaaoooh!”
The shelled creatures, capable of collapsing a house with their forelegs and withstanding even artillery fire with their hard carapaces, were ripped apart like paper by Rucell’s claws.
Not just one or two; every single monster that rushed her couldn't withstand even a second, being torn in half and dying.
With her firmly holding her ground before the city gate, the entire wave of monsters pushing towards it came to a standstill.
“M-monster?”
“Could she be infected? No, if she’s fighting the monsters, then perhaps not...”
“A-anyway, now’s our chance! Attack, attack!”
As Rucell, transformed into a colossal beast, stormed through the enemy lines like a tempest, the soldiers also launched their respective attacks.
Even if individuals weren't strong, as a group, killing the shelled creatures wasn't impossible.
Moreover, for Rucell, who was rampaging on the field, even slight movements to keep the shelled creatures in check would allow her to perform two, even three times better.
“Awooooooooh――!”
Rucell battle-howled once more, enlarging her claws.
Sizzling, her Wildness-filled mana imbued the blossoming blue sparks.
‘Dokgo Yeon said that when my weapon completely aligns with myself, I can draw forth lightning or (오러 - Aura)...!’
Recalling Dokgo Yeon's words, she sprang off her spot once more.
Her form, traversing the battlefield, burning and tearing through everything she encountered, was already like a streak of lightning.
* * *
Meanwhile, what was Light doing?
—Dududududududu
—Kraaaat!
“You seem a little too excited, Eve...”
He was running, chasing after the elated Eve, who was thrilled to finally be active again after so long, and fighting the shelled creatures.
Currently, it had transformed into a machine gun, detaching Tikke's barrel and extending it to be longer and thicker, with about four such barrels attached simultaneously, firing magic bullets like mad and sweeping away the shelled creature horde.
—Kwaaaak!
—Keeek!
—Shishit, shishishishit!
Having devoured several concepts Ban Yuwon had acquired, and furthermore, being able to mimic concepts unique to him through 'resonance,' Eve's shapeshifting abilities had fully matured.
The core concepts it harbored, such as Life (生) and Phantom Beast (幻獸), were at 400 at this point.
Compared to the shelled creatures they were currently fighting, it wasn't an incredibly high Level, yet Eve's attacks were always critical hits, and the shelled creatures' attacks couldn't even graze Eve.
‘Just because the Levels are similar doesn't mean their strength is the same. It's a phantom beast species, so what can you expect? Its very origin is different.’
—Swoosh
Reflecting on the thought that had suddenly occurred to him while watching Eve, he realized anew that these were words only residents of higher dimensions would typically utter.
No, but this one was just a club initially, so it has that self-made feel... In the end, if Ban Yuwon hadn't been there, Eve's radical transformation wouldn't have happened, would it?
He had turned an ordinary object into an artifact, imbued that artifact with the concept of a living creature, and finally evolved it into a phantom beast.
Eve was practically a being symbolizing Ban Yuwon's miraculous Authority.
‘Eve started as just an ordinary club and became a phantom beast, yet I, who inherited the blood of a dragon, am still struggling like this.’
—Kwajik
Perhaps that was why he was further stimulated by Ban Yuwon's abilities.
Thinking that Ban Yuwon might be able to change his lacking and inferior self—.
‘No, that's not it. Then it would seem as if I'm only befriending Ban because of his abilities. Oh no, what if Ban misunderstands that way? We've only just managed to open up to each other and become friends...’
—Kwaaaang!
It was natural to be drawn to someone with outstanding abilities.
But not only was he reluctant to openly admit it, it also felt like confessing that he wasn't as accomplished, which made him feel ashamed—.
More than anything, he didn't want to be disliked by Ban Yuwon.
‘As expected—it's better not to mention my dragon's blood. It would feel too much like asking for help. Especially when I'm already receiving so much of it...’
—Kwajijik! Kwaaaah!
‘Yes, Aire is helping me too. I'll tell him then, once I've properly awakened my Dragonoid power. As for handling the Holy Sword... he said he'd help me from the start anyway.’
—Swoosh! Swoooosh—!
Light sighed.
Ultimately, wasn't he just receiving help from everyone?
And that wasn't all.
Even with this current matter, he had interfered with Ban Yuwon's actions and questioned his intentions as if he were someone important, so he would have no one to blame if Ban Yuwon grew tired of him.
Since it was just Light's solitary objection, Ban Yuwon could have dismissed him more coldly. But Ban Yuwon, who seriously considered and answered him, was truly a wonderful man... and Light still didn't want to be disliked.
‘But I can't go on like this. A proper friendship should be free of debt, they say... Right, so shouldn't I just give Ban back as much as I've received?’
—Kwaaaang!
Light swung his spear, imbued with terrifying mana, slicing through the entire horde of shelled creatures blocking his path, and pondered.
So, what exactly does one give to a friend?
“That young mercenary is astonishing. Just how many shelled creatures is he cutting down by himself?”
“The artifact moving on its own and firing magic is incredible too... Indeed, is that what it means to be the master of such an artifact?”
Light, lost in deep contemplation and reflexively swinging his spear, had almost forgotten the flow of the battle. Fortunately, Eve, moving ahead of him, guided him accurately, allowing him to clear the shelled creatures at a pace no less than Ban Yuwon or Rucell.
* * *
Dokgo Yeon slowly opened her tightly shut eyes and rose from her spot.
She felt a heavy vibration reverberating through the earth.
—Dwooong, Dwooong
Indeed, their exploration of the Tower of Babel was undeniably on a level that defied comparison to anyone else's.
The rocky mountain, which had always stood firm, guarding the city from behind, its sharp peak soaring endlessly into the sky.
Whatever those monsters had done beyond it, mana was now gathering at the mountain's core, generating a nucleus.
‘Infecting even inanimate objects with a monster wave, huh. It seems a constellation's power must be at play here as well...’
What do you call an inanimate object that acts while harboring a mana core at its center?
A Golem, of course.
‘If this thing just topples over, the situation will end instantly. ...Since it's making me carve down a mountain alone, I hope my Level (격) rises, even a little, this time.’
Dokgo Yeon, watching the rocky mountain, hundreds of meters high, gradually change its appearance and evolve into a golem shape suitable for movement, silently drew her short sword.
Challenging an achievement that the Tower would undoubtedly acknowledge—facing a mountain alone—.
“If you think you can’t kill it just because it’s inanimate, that’s a big mistake.”
The girl exuded death from her entire being.
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