Chapter 41 — Eresis, the Name of Rebellion

1

Someone says this world is terribly unfair.

But someone else says there is one thing that’s fair to all living beings.

-Death.

The only final destination allowed to all things.

There were creatures that lived so long they could be believed to be eternal, but no life overcomes death and lives forever.

They thought.

[Death itself is the ideal we must walk towards.]

Death is the greatest truth, and the god who presides over that death is the greatest god.

The god of death, who bestows fairness amidst all unfairness, deserves to be revered.

These words, spoken by someone, became a comfort to those who hated the unfairness in the world.

People who cried out against the world’s injustices gathered in the shadows.

Those who came together to praise the god of death and to cover the world’s unfairness with fairness soon became a huge organization.

Eresis.

Those who dreamed of a new paradise called themselves that.

An absurd world is like a corrupt religion.

Thus, their will to betray this world and live a life like heretics.

“-You have conformed to the corrupt world. Then die. I will begin the holy war to reclaim the sanctuary.”

Crack-.

A strange figure emanating pure white sparks.

He knelt on one knee and looked up at the students with eyes full of rage.

The huge barrier blocking the tower was irritating.

The massive barrier blocking the sanctuary must be a trial.

If so, reclaiming the sanctuary from the forces of evil is their duty and destiny.

The stranger’s expression was filled with ecstasy, anger, and anticipation for what was to come.

“Go and sweep away all the impure things.”

Grooooooowl-!

Following the great cry of death, the drake roared.

Kuung-!

The drake raised its body that had been crouched.

As if Kael’s holy magic had provoked its anger, it looked ferocious.

The robed stranger crossed his arms, revealing gleaming eyes.

Now the barrier blocking the sanctuary will be destroyed.

‘Just wait a little longer. My god-.’

The drake is the incarnation of a dragon.

They were beings so powerful that they once ruled this world.

He believed that even a young drake could easily blow away a mere city wall.

Kuung-!

The grayish, muddy pupils stared blankly at the city wall.

Following the command of the living, the small drake rammed its massive body into the wall.

Kwaaang-!

“A-are we going to collapse at this rate?!”

“Even if everything else has stopped, the magic imbued in the barrier hasn’t. So it can hold. Meanwhile, we just need to catch the drake.”

“-Can we kill it?”

Alano gritted her teeth.

We have to do it.

We can’t kill all these people.

We must save at least one person.

“We have to kill it. Without fail.”

Mana surged in her body.

Mythos Academy is the foundation for countless people.

They couldn’t let the stepping stone towards the future crumble.

Crackle-!

A chillingly beautiful flower bloomed.

She could do it too.

She just hadn’t brought it out, saving it for when an urgent situation arose.

‘I can’t handle it as skillfully as Manus yet, but-.’

A headache struck as if she was about to overload.

Crackle-!

Bright red flames flickered in her opposite hand.

Double casting.

The mark of a genius and the glorious symbol of a magician.

Two spells advanced towards the earth.

[Ignira]

[Glacia]

Double casting of 2nd-class magic.

The ice flower froze the ground, robbing mobility.

The barren wasteland turned into a glacier zone in an instant.

[Aaaah-!]

Crunch-!

Binding the massive body was just for a moment, but it was enough time for the magic to reach its target.

The drake was engulfed in flames.

Alano’s command could unite the strength of the first-year juniors.

Anais also unleashed 2nd-class magic.

Melanie borrowed the power of the flame spirit: Salamander.

And Pearson and Kael?

“Kael! Give us one big blast!”

“-I’m ready!”

Kael’s hands trembled slightly.

Now-.

Show us.

Our ace.

The magician carrying all of Manus’s expectations.

[Double Spread]

[Donium] — [Ignira]

2nd-class light attribute magic: [Donium].

2nd-class flame attribute magic: [Ignira].

It wasn’t like the sun-like flame Manus had created before.

It was God’s punishment to burn the dead.

Subtlety was a luxury.

A fierce strike was completed.

And Pearson’s support magic amplified its power.

She unleashed her magic with all her might to catch up to the one she was aiming for.

[Lumen Poena]

A bright red beam shot out like a railgun, and the impact sent Kael flying back.

When she barely regained her posture and checked the result, she saw a truly astonishing sight.

“T-the drake has been pierced?”

“Amazing! With this-!”

[Aaaaaaah-!]

The gray-eyed monster did something extraordinary.

Crunch-!

It chewed on one of the restless dead.

The rotten flesh emitting acrid smoke began to grow steadily.

“This is…”

“Keke, it’s my cute pet blessed by death. Your magic was truly excellent, but my pet won’t fall to just that. Kekekekeke-.”

“That drake, it’s gotten bigger, hasn’t it?”

“…What should we do-.”

Alano thought calmly without losing her composure.

Kuuung-!

The now-recovered drake pounded on the city wall.

Its much larger body began to bang against the wall with a mass rivaling a battering ram.

Alano’s eyes scanned the wasteland.

The dead becoming nourishment for the enemy.

The drake standing tall among them.

‘It recovers. The drake’s main body is attacking the wall-. That strange-looking man has considerable durability.’

He wasn’t directly involved in the battle.

Why?

Her eyes moved ceaselessly, assessing the situation.

“Anais, Kael, for now, use fire magic to kill only the surrounding dead.”

“-Yes.”

“Pearson. Cast support magic on the city wall.”

“O-on the city wall?”

A somewhat bewildering order.

Cast support magic on the city wall?

Can you even cast support magic on objects in the first place?

“The wall we’re standing on right now has magic cast on it too. Just layer on top of that.”

“-I’ll try.”

If we can’t do it, the whole school will be in danger.

If Manus were here at a time like this, he would have done it perfectly, but he can’t be there like a nanny forever.

I may be terrible at both attack and defense magic, but I’ll show you why I got into Class A.

Pearson decided to give it a try.

Her request had once again eliminated a preconceived notion.

Pearson was a free spirit.

His magic, too, began to break out of the mold.

“Good-.”

He closed his eyes and touched the ground.

The cold texture of the city wall transmitted to him.

He read the magic circle engraved in its essence.

How to strengthen these spells.

How to weave the formulas to make a stronger structure.

Ugh-.

Perhaps due to pouring in too much mental energy, his consciousness blurred for a moment.

‘Amazing. This is amazing magic. The structure of the formula is so intricate I can’t even understand it… Amazing. It’s complex.’

He couldn’t directly touch the magic.

Then-.

“The magic circle mustn’t be harmed, you see. I’ll protect it.”

[Duramen]

Mana flowed along the city wall.

Giiiiing-!

The spaces between the bricks forming the wall shone.

“Oh-?”

The stranger, seeing this sight, realized something had gone wrong.

Kuuung-!

The wall that had been slowly cracking actually became stronger.

Even when the now-larger drake rammed into it with its body, it didn’t budge.

“Success-! How’s that! I’m brilliant at support, I tell you!”

“Well done!”

Whoosh-!

The wasteland was becoming a crematorium for the dead.

The fire control was so exquisite that the weak undead were burning up in droves, while the drake remained unscathed.

The stranger looked at Alano, the woman with flowing silver hair.

“You look like a saint, but your evil deeds are beyond measure. I must mark you as a person of interest.”

Her command ability was truly outstanding.

He closed his eyes and gave new orders to the drake.

The small servant was faithfully carrying out orders, but something was lacking.

It needed to be more aggressive, able to shake the city wall.

‘Prepare your ultimate attack, my servant.’

If physical force doesn’t work, prepare something bigger.

Light kindled in the grayish pupils.

Memories of when it ruled the earth in life dominated its body.

Intruders.

Hostile entities.

Those threatening its domain.

Annihilating them was its destiny and fate.

[Kuoooooooh-!]

“Aagh!”

“W-what is this?!”

The mana they were trying to concentrate scattered.

It was natural for those on the wall to be startled.

Only Alano maintained her composure.

“Pearson. You need to weave the formula again. Respond calmly.”

“They really have such a dirty trick!”

Whoosh-.

A strong wind blew.

The drake spread its wings that it had kept neatly folded and flew into the air.

It had only risen a little in altitude, but for those watching, it was quite intimidating.

The drake opened its mouth wide and drew in a lot of mana from the atmosphere.

Mana piling up in high density, repeating compression and expansion.

The group immediately understood what this meant.

“It’s a breath attack-!”

“Fire-!”

In an instant, magic of various colors flew.

There was an explosion large enough to cover the massive body, but the impact was uncertain.

Whoosh-!

When the drake flapped its wings once, they caught sight of it still gathering mana in that pose.

A desperate situation.

For the first time, Alano’s eyes wavered.

There was no way, absolutely no way they could block this with their power.

No method came to mind.

Despite feeling she had explored countless knowledge, it was insufficient.

The feeling of suddenly becoming an incompetent person.

That was about to plunge her into despair.

“-You’ve done well.”

That firm hand, both gentle and strong, roughly grasped her hand that was about to fall into despair.

Grabbing her shoulder, a man with black hair stood in front of her.

The mana seeping out was ominous.

“Dealing with a familiar is simple, and there’s no need to be scared just because it’s a drake.”

“It’s a breath attack. It’ll blow away not just the wall but everything behind it too.”

Manus smirked and cast a simple spell.

Lightning magic, the fastest of all.

The target was the stranger behind the drake.

The stranger, startled by the rapidly advancing beam of light, left his spot.

Kwang-!

It was truly tremendous power.

“Kugh-. Such fast and strong magic. A new formidable enemy, I see.”

[Uoooooh-]

Kuung-!

The drake stopped gathering mana and descended to the ground.

The secret was revealed.

There’s always a gimmick to prevent total annihilation.

The stranger looked up at Manus, grinding his teeth.

Soon, he let out a chuckle.

Familiar and summoner.

The undead had the same relationship.

“I don’t know what class of magic you used, but it’s quite something. Such destructive power.”

“Your eyes are as rotten as hiding behind filth and running your mouth.”

“-Your words are harsh.”

The stranger’s eyes turned red.

But soon, the words he heard were enough to bring his reason back to normal.

Manus’s arrogant eyes looked down at him.

“It’s 1st-class magic. Eresis.”

The stranger alternately looked at the deep crater and Manus.

Was it possible to create such a mark with 1st-class magic?

Something was going wrong.

Black hair.

Blue eyes.

Recognizing this appearance, the stranger shuddered with fear.

–TL Notes–
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