Chapter 13 — Support

1

The three mages displayed excellent skills.

Kael on offense.

Anais on defense.

Alano for balance.

[Grrrr-!]

They cast buffs and caught up to Cerberus’s speed.

They actively used Altus magic to compensate for insufficient attack power.

The dogs were fast and powerful.

“These guys have incredible durability, don’t they?”

“They only have straight attacks but they’re tough. We need to increase our power a bit more.”

“…Please buy some time.”

Anais nodded.

If it was about buying time, she could definitely do it.

After all, the Flois family was as brilliant as flames!

Whoosh-!

Brilliant magic unfolded from Anais’s hands.

Her eyes turned bright red.

She had a severe headache to the point of nosebleed, but it was fine.

‘I can too-!’

She could do it too.

To not fall behind, to not become a burden, she had to rise up.

Anais gritted her teeth and completed the casting.

[Ignira]

2nd-Class magic.

A technique she had never succeeded in before.

Anais blazed like a brilliant flame.

Elation.

Pleasure.

Pain-.

All of it mixed together to complete a massive fireball.

“Go-!”

Boom-!

As Anais shouted, the three guardian dogs turned their heads.

A fireball that brightly lit up the interior of the floor that had been tinted with darkness.

[Hmm!]

The low-intelligence guardian dogs were engulfed by the fireball.

An acrid smell filled the space.

The creatures all flipped onto their backs and started whimpering.

-Now’s the chance.

Kael didn’t miss the opening.

She combined two spells.

A magic she had used before.

She recreated the magic she had used when shattering that huge mask.

A chilling north wind blew through the dry tower.

Sharp ice needles assaulted the three dogs.

[Gelu]

Crack-!

The power had clearly increased compared to before.

The guardian dogs were helpless against the chilling attack.

But-.

[Grrrr-]

“…They got up?”

“Ice magic seems ineffective.”

The weakness of the Chariot Arcana is usually ‘electricity’ and ‘darkness’.

Dark magic requires learning black magic, so it’s out.

The three couldn’t figure out what kind of magic they should use.

‘Ice doesn’t work. Fire doesn’t either. Then-.’

Kael decided to employ each magic she knew one by one.

The others seemed to have similar thoughts, preparing different spells.

“Let’s prepare with ones that show a reaction.”

“Yes-!”

“Anais, don’t overdo it.”

“I… I can do it too.”

She said, wiping away tears.

She can do it.

A strange competitive spirit stimulated her chest.

There’s not much left, but she should be able to cast one or two big spells.

[Fulget]

Crackle-.

One of the attributes in Alano’s mind took shape.

If Manus’s was a long whip, hers changed into a giant spear shape.

Even with the same magic, the manifestation differs for each person.

This was also a part that received praise for revealing each character’s personality.

She had a meticulous personality.

A spear was prepared to strike the weak point in one go, not tolerating mistakes.

“First, one-.”

The saying that mages have poor physique is all nonsense.

At least in this game, that’s the case.

Thump-.

Grasping the electric spear with one hand, she put her whole weight into it.

“Hup-!”

Holding her breath tightly, her eyes precisely aimed at the target.

Zzzap-!

The sound of cutting through the air seemed like a scream.

[Grrrr-!]

One mask completely evaporated.

The lingering electricity made the surroundings tingle.

Now in her second year.

It was magic with power that could hardly be seen as from a peer.

Anais and Kael blankly stared at Alano’s work.

Whether the electric attribute was the answer, or the brute force was the answer-.

Anyway, one was killed.

“…Was that too much?”

“No! Too much? We would have died-!”

“Right? Then I should go for one more.”

Alano’s eyes changed fiercely.

The electric spear shone in her hand again.

Kael, who had been staring at that sight, spread her hands wide.

[Fulge]

Crackle-!

The method she chose was a giant arrow.

Perhaps because the ice spear Alano had shot earlier was deeply imprinted in her mind.

Seeing the two, Anais, who let out a small sigh, also gritted her teeth and completed her magic.

[Ignira]

Electric magic didn’t suit her aptitude, so she couldn’t learn it.

Still, she thought she could be of help as she was confident in her firepower at least.

When they return, she’d have to study even harder-.

“Let’s go all at once!”

With Alano’s resounding cry, a series of brilliant explosions followed.

Two electric attacks and one flame burned everything in sight.

“…Phew-.”

“They’re gone now, right?”

“Seems so. This is… what?”

The guardian dogs disappeared without a trace.

Jewels and accessories were scattered where they had been.

Things with faint mana residue were strewn about.

-What’s this now.

The three gathered around with curious faces.

Alano carefully cast an appraisal spell.

Fortunately, there seemed to be nothing dangerous.

“This-. Looks like magic items?”

“Yes. And this crystal contains mana. Kael, you’ve been collecting them, right?”

What Anais was talking about was probably mana stones.

Kael nodded.

What dropped now contained much purer mana than the previous ones.

Anais examined a large stone, a mana stone, and said.

“-Right, this much reward is deserved. It was really tough-.”

“Shall we stop here for today?”

It was their first battle.

It wouldn’t be good to overdo it.

The two nodded.

Not knowing what’s above, it would be better to prepare thoroughly before going.

“Then let’s go down. Anais, can you stand?”

“-Yes. I’m fine.”

“Let’s show these items to the Chairman tomorrow and think about how to handle them. This stone too.”

The two agreed readily, judging it best to do as Alano said.

Items that fit into the pouches they had brought in advance.

The three let out deep sighs.

“…Let’s head back now.”

“Yes-.”

The fight with the Guardians was really tough.

The three keenly felt the limits of their strength.

The tower was not a place one could challenge alone.

-How did Manus manage to go through such a place by himself?

The same thought occurred to the three of them.

What would Manus be doing now?

‘Next time, I’d like to come together.’

Such a thought suddenly popped into someone’s mind.

2

As the group was descending to the first floor via portal, Manus was just passing through the door of the 5th floor.

The unpleasant mana disappeared as if washed away.

They must have successfully cleared the boss-.

‘Maybe it’s because Alano joined, but it’s faster than I expected. And-.’

Originally, Alano was supposed to join after a future event.

Her initial status was set high, and she could use a wide range of magic.

She must be a tremendous force right now.

“The soul of Chariot, huh.”

Manus took out Orca’s Necklace.

Perhaps thanks to Caesar’s Mindset, he could see the Chariot Arcana freed from the shackles of death.

Whoosh-.

The necklace greedily devoured the soul, and the Roman numeral representing the Chariot lit up.

‘Should I go up first?’

It didn’t matter whether he went up or stopped here.

What Manus had to do was always the same.

The stairs opened.

Manus’s back as he climbed without hesitation was soon enveloped by the tower’s darkness and disappeared.

“Hmm-.”

6th floor.

Where the real game begins.

The atmosphere felt increasingly eerie, and the concentration of mana floating in the air thickened.

From here on, it’s completely random.

Even Manus himself had to search for the way one by one.

The next boss is on the 12th floor, so he just needs to climb up to there.

‘Should I skip tomorrow’s classes?’

After six hours, time stops here.

And the flow of time forcibly accelerates, becoming the next day.

A structure where people inside lose a whole 24 hours.

If you can’t climb quickly to the 12th floor, you’ll lose a whole 24 hours.

But well-.

Missing one day of classes won’t prevent graduation.

It’s not enough to lose the top rank either.

“I should move as much as I can while I can.”

This game has a set time limit.

If you can’t secure enough power within the given time, it’s the end of the world.

Studies are important, but isn’t preventing the end of the world more important?

He didn’t harbor vain hopes like returning to the original world if he died.

Even if he went back, he’d just return to being a random nobody.

Manus liked this world.

-So, he intended to do his utmost to prevent its destruction.

‘I’ve collected two souls so far.’

The Chariot, and the Devil.

From the 6th to the 12th floor, the ‘Magician’ and ‘Temperance’ Arcana would be added.

Now it was time to collect masks again.

3

The next day.

Alano woke up after a good night’s sleep for the first time in a while.

It seemed the same for Kael and Anais, as the three entered the school grounds with brighter faces.

“Good morning, senior!”

“Did you sleep well too?”

“Yes. I slept like I was knocked out.”

Though it was just a one-day expedition, the three had grown much closer.

A strange sense of kinship.

A sense of belonging.

Intimacy that came from sharing various other emotions.

“Let’s rest well today, and go up again on the weekend.”

“Yes.”

“We shouldn’t neglect our studies either. We’ll be able to perform well if we learn well here at the Academy.”

The three entered the school grounds side by side, where the huge tower was visible.

Two nobles and one commoner.

Moreover, one was the eldest daughter of the Harrison family, one of those great houses.

It was natural that all eyes were on them.

‘When did those three become close?’

‘Isn’t that the student council president? I’ve never seen her smile like that before!’

‘Wow, wow, should I write a novel about this? It’s popular these days~.’

The voices of Academy students whispering could be heard.

Anais spoke quietly while receiving this tremendous attention.

“Senior, you’re quite popular.”

“Popular? I’m not sure about that.”

This woman-.

She seemed completely unaware of her position.

Alano didn’t seem to care about the gazes around her at all.

It was really strange.

She takes care of herself like a fool, but isn’t sensitive to the gazes around her.

Anais slightly lowered her head.

Who knew walking between these two would be this burdensome.

‘Why is she so carefree-.’

She envied those eyes that just blankly looked ahead.

Sigh-.

In the end, she entered the classroom amidst countless gazes.

“See you later, we’ll eat together, right?”

“-Yeah. See you later.”

Kael smiled faintly.

Alano saw the two off and stopped by the Chairman’s office.

She planned to show the artifacts they obtained yesterday during her free time.

The student council president is busy, so she should move busily.

Her footsteps quickened.

Knock knock-.

The door of good quality had a nice resonance today as well.

The door opened, and the Chairman’s figure appeared.

Today, for some reason, there was one more familiar face.

“-Is that really true?”

“Yes. I’m wondering if it might be a mistake…”

“I’ll send my people to look into it. You may go now.”

“-Yes.”

What could it be?

The pink-haired maid backed away.

Her actions were always disciplined, no matter when you saw her.

She bowed her head slightly upon seeing Alano standing near the door.

“Alano. You’ve come at a good time.”

“What’s the matter?”

She asked.

“-Manus has disappeared.”

The Chairman’s words were completely unexpected.

Her face hardened.

–TL Notes–
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