Chapter 166 — Even Revenge Needs a Just Cause

1

As we live in this world, we carry with us various secrets.

Sometimes, while living with these secrets, they grow uncontrollably, beyond what we can manage.

For instance, the subject of the secret could become a powerful figure, or an unspeakable disaster might approach.

This was the case with Chairman Nyx.

The secret he had kept to himself gradually grew.

That growing secret turned into a disaster, and that disaster slowly began to devour the world.

He needed allies, people who could handle knowing the secret while remaining calm.

He needed someone with the powerful strength to stop the disaster, someone with the ambition to carry such a secret without fear.

And the person standing before him possessed all of those qualities.

“…You’ve brought something that I can’t deny. Please, have a seat.”

“Certainly.”

“Tea? Coffee? What would you like?”

“Make the coffee strong, please.”

The Chairman nodded and began making the coffee himself.

These days, when everything could be done with magic, making coffee by hand had become a kind of romantic gesture.

No matter how advanced and precise magic was, there was still something special about the flavor and distinctiveness of coffee brewed by hand.

Watching the coffee droplets slowly drip down, it felt as though the thoughts and tasks that needed organizing were falling into place.

When he returned with the steaming coffee, Invidea expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“I’m rather proud of my hospitality. So… where would you like to start?”

“I have three questions prepared. What exactly is the rift, what lies beyond it, and what is Manus doing there?”

“The rift… is an entrance to the world of the dead. Beyond it lies a world that looks identical to this one, but is completely different.”

“A world that looks the same, but is different… Is it the Otherworld?”

“Exactly.”

Invidea nodded quietly.

She had heard about the Otherworld before.

The land of the dead.

A place said to be ruled by the God of Death, Mors.

Regardless, Invidea had assumed that the Otherworld and the real world could not interfere with each other. It seemed she had been wrong.

She began to organize the information in her head.

Why would anyone enter that place, and what was happening within?

“…That’s why Manus and the club members are currently exploring the inside.”

“If we leave it unchecked, the world will be destroyed… But why haven’t you informed the outside world?”

A very natural question.

And the Chairman provided a very natural answer.

“The tower is a place that must be conquered. It must remain free from any political interference.”

“I see. I understand now. But still, sending students seems incredibly dangerous.”

“I’m aware of that… but there’s no other way. No one from the Academy, not even among our graduates, has been able to enter that rift.”

“Hmm…”

Invidea nodded.

She had spent four years at the Academy, but she had never heard of the rift or the Otherworld.

Thinking back, it was terrifying.

Had they truly been on the verge of having the entire continent swallowed up without even knowing it?

She recalled something she had said in the past.

She had promised to make the Caesar family even more prestigious and to make Manus the greatest magician.

Now, the family would need to know about this.

Though the Chairman had refused, the family’s involvement would make the conquest much easier.

Invidea’s eyes glimmered quietly.

“Real-life experience starting at 16… How exciting.”

It was something even she had not managed to achieve.

If Manus continued to grow at this rate, he would surely become the continent’s greatest mage.

2

On the second day of the search.

Twelve hours had passed, and then two more.

Had they been in a labyrinth instead of a garden, it would have been an unbearably long time.

The lush garden helped ease their visual burden and lessen the sense of dread.

If they were in a labyrinth, they would have been exhausted from the psychological strain alone.

They had been searching for quite some time, engaging in light conversations to keep their spirits up, all the while continuing their seemingly endless climb.

“How much longer do we have to go?”

“No signs yet.”

“Think of it as extracting as much power from the mana stones as possible. We need to get stronger, don’t we?”

At Guillermo’s words, everyone nodded.

That mindset would definitely ease their nerves.

As they grew weary of fighting demons, Manus finally spoke up.

“We’re getting close now.”

He instinctively glanced upwards.

An overwhelming presence that shouldn’t have been felt from the lower floors was surging above them.

Thick, murky mana.

And the unmistakable sense of negative emotions.

Even though it was clearly far above, the malice felt sharp, as if it were piercing their skin.

Kael, who had a sharp intuition, was also looking at the same spot as Manus.

Her eyes met his, and with a slightly uneasy expression, she gazed at him.

In response to her worried look, Manus spoke calmly.

“That thing is no instructor. It’s a criminal.”

“I know, but…”

“Looks like it’s already given up on being human.”

When Chesthip had still been human, he possessed a decent amount of pure strength.

He had learned magic in a formal manner, steadily accumulating mana through legitimate training.

His mana had been pristine, with no harmful side effects.

But now, what was it?

A tainted presence, as if it were stagnant water filled with impurities.

It might have explosive power, but it would surely have terrible efficiency compared to pure mana.

Manus glanced over at Albion.

“Are we ready?”

[Grraaargh!]

The fur-covered cat—no, the dragon—nodded confidently.

The plan was clear in his mind.

No matter how strong the enemy was, it was nothing more than a guardian born within the garden.

Manus had already surpassed the level of demons that appeared in the garden long ago.

He was well-equipped with items, and he had plenty of mana potions.

He had donned an excellent set of armor, Panzer, so even in a one-on-one confrontation, he would have no problem.

After reassuring the others who were still anxious, Manus pressed on.

The light from [Dux] was gradually growing brighter, pointing to the upper floor.

Soon, they would face their enemy.

3

Chesthip, now a reclusive demon, prowled through the garden as if it were his own domain.

It was a strange sensation.

Even with his blurred vision and foggy consciousness, he could clearly sense the layout of the garden.

And there was one more thing.

The whereabouts of the intruders he so desperately wanted to tear apart were now embedded in his mind.

It wouldn’t be long now.

Soon, he would make them scream in agony, those self-righteous faces twisted in pain!

Just imagining it sent a thrilling rush through his body, and he let out a long, booming roar.

[Grooooar!]

The entire garden trembled with fear.

The space itself buzzed and hummed.

The flowers of the garden, which had always seemed to bow to someone, now hung low, as if trampled.

For him, who had always lived serving someone else, this was an unparalleled pleasure.

Yes, this is it.

With this momentum, he would kill them all and ascend to an even greater existence.

Once he shed this form and reclaimed his human appearance, he would return to the real world and spread Andrea’s power.

With that thought, he roared and charged forward.

And finally, he laid eyes on those he had long awaited.

“What, what is that?!”

“So that’s where he went… He’s become a monster.”

[Groooaaar!]

Chesthip, seemingly having forgotten human speech, roared in a mix of joy and rage.

The vibrations of mana coursed through the air.

Just by letting out a roar, the stench of his intense mana filled the surroundings.

His strength was close to that of the 1st Apostle, Mathia.

He was a formidable foe.

For those familiar with the average strength of instructors, this level of power would be shocking.

However, Manus stood tall, more composed than anyone else.

Even in the face of this new, fearsome opponent, he showed no signs of anxiety or tension.

“Come. Andrea’s slave.”

[Manu…s.]

His voice was grotesque, not from the vibration of his muscles, but from the very trees trembling.

The others hurried to prepare for battle.

Chesthip’s gleaming eyes were fixed solely on Manus.

All of his hatred and murderous intent focused on one person—Manus.

The garden’s master, Andrea, had planted a small “gift” within Chesthip.

A small twist that could fulfill his desire.

[Event Boss: Chesthip — The Recluse ??? Appears]

[Apostle: Andrea’s Barrier is activated.]

[You are now in a one-on-one space with the Event Boss.]

[An extraordinary trial awaits you.]

It happened in an instant.

The space twisted, and the trees grew.

The others were pushed away from Manus in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, countless demons appeared, blocking the space between the barrier and the group.

Ah…

Kael watched Manus disappear and felt her heart sink.

He was a mage.

Though he had surpassed many limits, he was still, at the end of the day, a student.

“Senior-!”

“Stand back! Do you want to die?”

Guillermo roughly grabbed Kael’s arm, pulling her away.

At the same time, he deflected an incoming attack and readied himself in a defensive stance.

A flood of demons surrounded them.

It was time for the mages to shine.

“A-ah… Senior…”

Kael’s eyes were trembling violently.

In her mind, the image of Manus being engulfed in the Apostle’s flames overlapped with the present.

Severe trauma.

The fear of losing someone welled up again from deep inside her.

Anais grabbed Kael’s shoulders, forcing her to meet her gaze.

Kael was the ace in terms of firepower.

With no other mages available, Kael had to be the one to handle it.

“Kael! Snap out of it! We just need to finish up here and go rescue him!”

“…”

“Do you not trust Senior Manus?! How do you think he’d feel if we just stood here helpless when he comes back?”

“…I’m sorry. You’re right.”

Kael’s eyes regained focus.

Anais, too, now believed in Manus.

She knew that with him, they could confidently win no matter what the situation was.

That’s why she couldn’t let her friend waver.

“Senior Manus will be fine.”

“Exactly! I believe in him too!”

Kwooosh-!

Melanie used the power of a Salamander to blast away the demons as she spoke.

Yes, this was indeed an unexpected situation.

And yet, why were they so calm?

Kael clenched her teeth, suppressing the fear that was slowly creeping up on her.

She recalled Manus’s face just before he had been encased in the trees.

Manus had been calm, completely unflustered.

There was no need to worry.

He would return.

–TL Notes–
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