Chapter 218 — Now Your Role is Over

1

A duel between magics.

In this pure contest of power, Manus felt something flash.

It was like some kind of will.

Mana was a substance that contained many things.

The spirits within it lived while causing various supernatural phenomena.

This time was no different.

What Manus felt was…

‘Betrayal? And… anger.’

Papalis was expressing anger toward someone.

However, that didn’t mean he had to yield this battle.

Anger and betrayal, who cares.

They were clearly enemies, monsters trying to destroy this world.

Demonium.

Why else would they be called those who command demons?

Manus poured in mana with all his might.

“Huuup-!”

Concentration exerted to the extreme.

Mana drawn to its limits.

Since coming to this world, how many times had he gone all out like this?

He concentrated so much that even thinking about that felt wasteful.

As a result, the massive solar wind began slowly pushing back the darkness.

Having no mana meant magic resistance would weaken too.

‘Just a little more…’

“Senior! I’ll help you!”

When the delicate balance was being maintained, it was Melanie’s voice that broke the equilibrium.

Along with a warm feeling, mana gradually rose.

This wasn’t Melanie’s mana.

-We’ll help!
-Though reluctantly, I’ll help!

Spirits.

The spirits Melanie controlled infused Manus with power.

When did she learn such technique…

Clearly she must have received great help from the spirit magic professor.

After getting this much help, he’d have to quit the game if he couldn’t win.

If that happened, he’d have nothing to say even if he died here.

Manus converted the spirits’ mana into his own power and poured it into his magic.

[Kuhm!]

The dark red mana, Papalis’s attack, was gradually pushed back.

Though it seemed to be exerting itself, reversing the already tilted balance was impossible.

Manus finally drove the completed magic into Papalis’s body.

Rumble!

Heaven and earth shook and a huge mushroom-shaped explosion occurred.

The massive explosion clearly demonstrated the power of flame magic.

In exchange, Manus too was reduced to a state near exhaustion.

“Ugh… I’ll leave the finishing to you.”

“Leave it to us.”

“Though it seems beaten up, we’ll finish it quickly!”

The others would handle the rest.

Manus took out and drank a potion from his spatial storage and turned his head.

Papalis was now little more than a massive corpse.

Now it was time to go face the Wanderer and Soul Eater.

There would probably be about one sacrifice.

That’s how it was in the original work too.

‘Wonder how much the worldline has twisted.’

If there were more sacrifices, things would spiral into an unmanageable situation.

Right now, Albion could only resurrect one companion.

2

“Huff… huff… tough bastard.”

“Huhu, how is it? My masterpiece. It wasn’t called an object of terror for nothing.”

[3]

Guillermo exhaled roughly while maintaining distance from the Soul Eater.

He hadn’t allowed attacks and had only been grazed twice.

Yet he had to feel a threat to his life.

That kind Wanderer had kindly explained the Soul Eater’s ability.

Eight times.

The fact that it would harvest souls unconditionally after landing eight attacks.

‘That one’s clever. Very much so.’

Guillermo felt the pressure gradually tightening.

Attacks flying from behind couldn’t inflict sufficient damage on the Soul Eater.

The main body, the Wanderer, seemed to not take damage at all.

Naturally the battle dragged on, and the pressure on Guillermo increased.

Being pushed into a defensive position both physically and mentally.

The fact of eight attacks extremely limited his movements.

“If only Melanie were here at a time like this.”

“It seems things aren’t finished over there yet.”

“It’s coming! Be careful!”

With Kael’s shout, Guillermo threw himself aside.

Bang!

The massive, long tentacles tore up the ground indiscriminately.

Moreover, now the Wanderer joined in, pouring various magic.

Attacks focused solely on Guillermo.

Knowing they would naturally gain the upper hand if they took down the vanguard, they persistently harassed him.

Meanwhile, Kael continued analyzing the battle situation with her red eyes.

‘The connection between Soul Eater and Wanderer… I can see it.’

Familiars and summoners are usually connected by soul threads.

But necromancers were different.

Tools raised with mana rather than soul contracts.

That’s what the Soul Eater was.

Kael tried controlling mana.

When she pulled the connected thread this way, it stretched.

But it wouldn’t break or come under her control.

“What are you doing? It’s useless.”

Whoosh!

The Wanderer instantly teleported to aim for the back of her head.

Kael hurriedly rolled to dodge the attack.

Her whole body hurt, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that.

‘If we could cut that, it might be possible!’

“Anais. Please attack.”

“You!?”

“I have something I need to do.”

If they could just neutralize the enemy’s summon, a necromancer would be nothing.

A useless ability against those who control familiars, but different for those who handle tools.

Her magic cut through the air.

Rumble!

The fastest lightning.

But the mana thread was only cut briefly before instantly reconnecting.

“What are you aiming for? This is interesting.”

Slash!

Part of her hair was cut off.

A dangerous attack that would have severed her neck if she hadn’t dodged just in time.

She wanted to do something about that line while dodging the Wanderer’s attacks.

‘What should I do!?’

Wind, fire, and even non-elemental magic were thrown, but the mana thread wouldn’t break easily.

Meanwhile, Guillermo’s counter had risen to 4 from having to block precise attacks he couldn’t avoid.

Large beads of sweat formed.

He didn’t even have proper strength left to dodge.

The battle was long and tedious, and it was an environment where a guardian’s advantages couldn’t be properly utilized.

At that moment, an unexpected voice was heard.

“I’ve arrived!”

Clank!

Heavy chains passed by sharply.

Trace.

He who had been hiding his presence charged in.

“Senior, are you alright?”

“You… where were you until now?”

“I was inside the tower and came out… since things seemed strange outside…”

“Anyway, good timing.”

Come to think of it, they had forgotten about Trace’s existence.

Perhaps because things were so hectic.

They had forgotten he hadn’t participated.

Trace frowned while looking at the Soul Eater.

“A soul devourer, Soul Eater.”

“Yes. They say it steals souls after landing eight attacks.”

“I know. I’ve read about it in books.”

Trace skillfully swung his sword with chains attached.

As if knowing the Soul Eater’s weakness, it was an attack without hesitation.

Clank!

The chains instantly bound the Soul Eater’s body.

[1]

Though a counter appeared for Trace too, he paid it no mind and threw his other chain.

The two began an intense power struggle while tightly bound.

Trace’s counter increased to ‘2’, but that was it.

He spoke while dripping sweat.

“You need to bind the Soul Eater so it can’t attack, then hit it. Anais, binding magic!”

“Alright, got it!”

With Trace’s appearance, the battle situation clearly improved.

Meanwhile, Kael was still trying desperately to cut the mana thread.

With the Soul Eater bound, the Wanderer had no room to be leisurely either.

‘There were clever ones.’

He raised mana to open a teleportation gate.

He had planned to save it, but the situation had reversed.

Kael saw another mana thread connecting.

It was already difficult, but if another familiar appeared it would become a desperate situation.

They had to prevent that at least.

She cast the fastest magic, firing it straight at the teleportation gate.

[Series Fulgetra]

Rumble!

Brief lightning flowed through the teleportation gate, but the mana thread didn’t break.

Boom!

What appeared from it was another Soul Eater.

Kael’s eyes widened as she desperately searched for someone.

The Wanderer wore a sinister smile.

Demonium hadn’t fallen yet.

So now he just needed to harvest their souls.

“Huhuhu, give up. There is no hope for you now.”

“Don’t make me laugh-.”

Rumble!

Kael and the Wanderer were blown away by a sudden sound and light.

A ringing in their ears and their whole bodies ached.

They groaned in pain that prevented clear thinking.

“–il! Kael! Are you alright!?”

“Uugh…”

“Kael, get it together.”

[Pian]

Anais deployed 3rd-Class healing magic.

The healing magic she had steadily learned shone here.

Scorched skin returned to normal.

The pain gradually began subsiding too.

“My, I’m sorry.”

It was a voice that shouldn’t be heard here.

Though saying sorry, there was no trace of apology in the voice.

Anais raised her head to look where the voice came from.

Black hair.

Blue eyes.

An overwhelming presence radiating mana.

It was a familiar sight.

The appearance she had always admired and watched.

“You are…”

“Can you stand?”

“…Yes.”

The difference was mana even more dense and intense.

And that the one stepping softly on the grass was female.

That just now wasn’t 5th-Class magic.

Anais knew especially well as she was just attempting 5th-Class magic herself.

Even more so for Kael who could already use 5th-Class magic…

6th-Class.

Or magic even beyond that.

“Kuh… y-you are…?”

“My brother told me. A joker always appears last.”

“Ugh… Caesar, how on earth!”

“Indeed, I wonder myself why I’m standing here.”

Arms crossed and blue eyes glowing as she looked down at the Wanderer, she was exactly like her father.

Arrogant and proud.

But even that appearance inspired awe.

That was the power Caesar possessed.

“Blue-haired little one, what were you trying to do?”

“I was… trying to cut the mana thread.”

“You have good eyes.”

Kael saw it clearly.

The moment lightning struck, the mana thread connecting to the Wanderer was torn to shreds.

As proof, the teleportation gate vanished helplessly and nothing came out from within.

At the same time, she understood.

How to cut the mana thread.

In that instant, her eyes had read the mana pattern.

That memory remained vivid, continuing to circle in Kael’s mind.

“Did you see? How to cut it?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re the sister father mentioned. You’ll be Eres’s senior, I’m counting on you.”

“Ah… y-yes.”

Kael got up unsteadily and stretched out her hand.

The Soul Eater that Trace was firmly holding.

She fired magic at the mana thread connecting to it.

“Ah, no-!”

The Wanderer shouted after sensing something ominous.

But his cry vanished helplessly.

Invidea spoke with derision.

“It seems my brother’s planned role for you ends here.”

Crackle!

Ominous lightning bloomed in her hand.

For the first time, fear appeared on the Wanderer’s face.

–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading

Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt