Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 113 "Huh? Ah! Oh no, am I not supposed to use this?" "..." Moria's mouth fell open in bewilderment. 'What is this guy doing?' Arcane Magic is a unique magic that transforms the nature of mana with one's own aura and manifests it. It naturally requires the mystery of individualization, and to skillfully handle individualization, one needs a certain level of magical power and mana sensitivity. The 6th Rank is that universal standard, and therefore Arcane Magic can be said to be a product of the 6th Rank. This was common knowledge that even a beginner who had only studied basic theory for a year would know. Yet he acted as if he didn't know that Arcane Magic was 6th Rank magic. While being a 6th Rank mage and using Arcane Magic himself. Moria tried to understand the intention behind Risir's actions. It wasn't easy. Taking his actions at face value was too absurd, but considering it a trick to use underhanded methods in the duel seemed too foolish. Moria believed in the value of magic. She didn't think that some incompetent fool who would resort to such tricks in a duel could reach that level of mastery at that age. "..." Then what on earth was that incomprehensible behavior? If all of this was a plan to cause confusion, it had worked perfectly. Risir's mental attack had burdened Moria's thinking. Risir looked at such Moria and politely apologized. "I apologize. I don't know much about this magic, so I seem to have made an unintentional mistake." "?" It was an apology worse than no apology at all. Moria's thoughts, which had barely begun to stabilize, fell into confusion again. Arcane Magic is a mage's identity. The teachings and enlightenment of mages belonging to schools are established through Arcane Magic and developed through it. And about such Arcane Magic, what? 'He doesn't know much about it?' For a mage to say such a thing about their own Arcane Magic. It was the first situation Moria had experienced throughout her long magical life spanning two lifetimes. Perhaps even throughout the entire ancient history of magic? 'What an odd fellow. It would be best not to engage with him.' Moria decided not to think seriously about him anymore. The sandstorm that had been swirling around Risir dispersed. The grains of sand that had fallen to the floor naturally scattered and disappeared. Risir, having withdrawn his Arcane Magic, spoke. "I'm glad to know this before we begin the duel in earnest. If it's alright, shall we continue with the duel?" Risir said this while looking alternately at Moria and Palag. "..." "..." Moria and Palag looked at each other with weary expressions and nodded. Then, Risir looked at Moria's waist and urgently called out. "Ah, I'm sorry! Before we continue the duel, there's one more thing I'd like to confirm! Miss Moria-" He looked at Moria while fidgeting with the sword at his waist. "Blue Breath is your specialty, isn't it, Miss Moria?" Even though she was now a mage rather than a swordsman, she could still handle a swordsman's breathing technique. This proved Moria's special mana sensitivity. In that regard, Blue Breath could certainly be called Moria's specialty. However, was it just her imagination? The intention behind Risir's question felt quite different. Moria spoke without concern. "But why do you ask?" "But you left your sword behind?" "?" Why would I bring that? 'Surely he doesn't mean I should use both magic and sword together just because I can use Blue Breath?' Switching between a mage's breathing and a swordsman's breathing. Even pouring complete concentration while standing still required enduring mana backflow and overload. And he wanted her to utilize that during combat? 'Is he mocking me right now?' In the end, Moria judged Risir's actions as such. Belatedly, the sword hanging at his waist came into view. "So I'm asking, is this duel purely about competing in magical ability? Where only the use of magic is allowed-" Going so far as to carefully prepare props just to mock her. Moria decided not to be fooled by his gentle atmosphere and cute appearance anymore. That lowly brat. Sharp, chilling hostility transformed into icy spikes. Multiple ice spikes that rose around Moria aimed toward Risir. "If I say no, you're probably thinking of using that sword, aren't you? There's no way you would have bothered to bring a sword you wouldn't use to a duel!" Moria shouted. It was directed at the spectators around them, not at Risir. The High Priest knew well how to handle arrogant noble brats. "That's right, why did he bring a sword to a magic duel?" "Surely he's not thinking of showing off something with the sword?" "Oh, now that you mention it- I think I've heard something! He was using that sword in the back alleys too-" "Something's strange about this story? Isn't he a mage?" "What does it matter if he's a mage or swordsman! As long as he handles both well-" "No, it's not that simple a matter-" By focusing everyone's attention on that guy's sword like this, he would be bound by his own petty pride and dignity. That's how nobles were. "As your duel opponent, I'll allow it! Use that sword! Prove the significance of bringing that sword!" The ice spikes rushed toward Risir. With a whooshing sound, Risir didn't use his sword. He created a gale and lightly deflected the trajectory of the spikes. The ice spikes that lost their target crashed into the floor and walls everywhere, making explosive sounds. Instead of launching the remaining ice spikes, Moria dropped them to the floor. The ice spikes broke weakly, creating sound. It was a sound as if reproaching Risir for spoiling the mood. "What happened!? That would have been a perfect opportunity for your precious sword to shine?" Moria set the stage for the audience to mock Risir. Most of the spectators, being nobles, didn't miss the opportunity to tear someone down. "Somehow, it seems like this Risir fellow is being overwhelmed in momentum. Are we watching this right? I'm quite ignorant about magic-" "I'm not sure, but it seems like Risir tried to tease Moria with that sword and is getting it back instead." "I thought something was strange when a mage came to a duel wearing a sword, so that's what it was?" "Wearing a sword he won't even use like that would only be a hindrance, what an unserious fellow." Moria held back a smile at the stories she heard from around her. It seemed like he had looked down on 'Moria' as a country bumpkin from a rural village, but he had chosen the wrong opponent. For a High Priest, toying with a noble brat was nothing at all. Whether through words, actions, or magic. "No. Not now. This fellow will have its moment at a more important time. You could call it a trump card, so to speak." Risir said this with a cheeky smile. Moria scoffed at it as pathetic bravado. "Of course. I'm sure you would. But what should we do? I can't stand waiting to see you use that sword. Ah, this should work." Sharp crackling sounds filled the air as Moria created ice spikes once again. More of them. Larger ones. As if showing off their number and size, the creation of the more threatening bundle of ice spikes was done very slowly. "How about this? Would this qualify as that 'important moment' you mentioned?" "It's certainly becoming more important." Moria held a mocking smile, and Risir responded with a cheeky grin. A moment of silence. Then the sound of cutting through the air. A sharp whistling sound pierced the air. Among the many ice spikes, only one ice spike moved. That smallest spike among them rushed forward with momentum incomparable to the ice spikes that Risir had deflected with his gale. It was an alien speed created as the ice spike was wrapped in wind energy. Every element Moria had shown Risir was all for this one move. The preceding attacks were to dull Risir's senses. Creating more and larger ice spikes ostentatiously slowly was to make him focus on aspects other than speed. Multiple Elements. A power nearly impossible for a 5th Rank mage to handle skillfully in actual combat. Therefore, a power that Risir, facing a 5th Rank mage, wouldn't have considered. Thus, Moria widened the existing gap further, then struck through that gap with a decisive blow. There was no way he could react. The moment Moria fired the ice spike, she was already preparing to meet the predetermined result. That Risir would fail to cope with Multiple Elements, and the defensive magic for dueling that Palag had placed on his body would be destroyed. Just as the ice spike reached Risir's immediate vicinity in an instant and was about to strike him. In that split second, Moria's pupils dilated somewhat. Risir's mana had moved half a beat faster than she had expected. It was speed born from anticipation, not reaction. The mana that was already concentrated responded to Risir's will, and a gale whirled. Unlike before, that gale contained flame energy. With a roar, steam exploded before Risir's eyes. The ice spike swallowed by the flame storm disappeared without a trace in an instant. 'How-' Moria couldn't hide her bewilderment at Risir's response. Setting aside the fact that the flame that melted the ice spike instantly was extraordinary. Even setting aside the fact that perfectly handling Multiple Elements, even for a 6th Rank, was remarkable. 'How did he anticipate it?' Risir had been prepared specifically for 'acceleration'. However, acceleration is not within the domain of ice magic. Moria had been able to use acceleration as her trump card only because she used the power of wind through Multiple Elements. In other words, Risir had accurately anticipated that Moria would use Multiple Elements. Considering various dangers in combat is prudence. However, when that goes too far, it becomes foolishness. To allocate concentration and mana specifically anticipating Multiple Elements in a duel against a 5th Rank. Moria tried to consider it a coincidence born of foolishness, but ultimately failed. "Did you anticipate that I would use Multiple Elements?" Moria couldn't contain her curiosity and spoke. "I thought about it from your perspective." "My perspective?" "With your first attack, you confirmed that ordinary projectile magic is inefficient against my wind magic. Yet you tried to use the same method in your second attack." "The same? The number increased and they got bigger, didn't they?" "Ostentatiously, at that. That's where I felt something was off. When you should have been secretly preparing an attack so I wouldn't notice, you were showing off like that? I sensed an intention to distract me. I thought this way: if all of this was for one trump card, what would that trump card be? Speed came to mind first. If you were to directly enhance an ice spike at your level, that would be the most common method." "..." At first glance, it was remarkably sharp and logical reasoning. However, there was a fatal leap in logic. "Multiple Elements is the most common method at my level?" He was taking it as a basic premise that a 5th Rank mage could skillfully handle Multiple Elements in actual combat. Multiple Elements, which at the 5th level was overwhelming just to manifest. "Have I made another mistake?" "...You could call it fortune born of ignorance. Multiple Elements is not a common power at all for 5th Rank. What 5th Rank mage handles Multiple Elements skillfully in actual combat?" "Is that so? As you say, it could be seen as fortune born of ignorance. I also learned Multiple Elements when I was at 5th Rank like you, so I didn't know that much." Risir readily accepted what Moria had said sarcastically. In a very matter-of-fact tone. It clearly revealed how natural it was for him that 5th Rank mages would skillfully handle Multiple Elements. "..." Moria was dumbfounded. He could notice her trump card because he took it for granted that 5th Rank mages would handle Multiple Elements? And even that such twisted thinking came from his own 'ordinary' experience? "...Kyahahaha!!!" Finally, Moria burst into laughter. "He didn't know Arcane Magic was a product of 6th Rank. He thought everyone handled Multiple Elements perfectly at 5th Rank like me! How amusing. Terribly amusing indeed." Genius-nim. Moria sneered at Risir like that. She judged Risir's actions that deviated from normal standards that way. That he was now pretending to be a genius. And that he was mocking her, who had spoken of 'true genius'. The High Priest's pride was wounded. In such an emotional state, the High Priest reached an irrational conclusion that might adversely affect her grand plan. Specifically, the conclusion that she would show true genius so that he could no longer put on his pathetic genius act. A transcendent power that even a 6th Rank like him couldn't take for granted, even as an act. Specifically, 'Idealization', the mystery of 7th Rank. Then, Moria's reason spoke to her. -How do you plan to handle the consequences? Unwarranted talent naturally brings suspicion to match. Even when she had merely handled Multiple Elements, she had struggled to make Palag accept it. But what would happen if she used the mystery of Idealization in front of him? What would happen if she revealed fragments of the High Priest hidden behind genius? Would Palag purely admire her? Or would he wield suspicion until his greedy curiosity, which had put him in the position of former Tower Master, was satisfied? It was foolish. Moria's reason understood this perfectly. Nevertheless, she couldn't listen to the voice of reason. The genius she had obtained by sacrificing even her own life was being mocked and toyed with. By such a pathetic little brat. How could she stand by and watch? Moria silently fired ice spikes at Risir continuously. Outwardly calm and composed. However, inside, her thoughts were swirling chaotically. Calm down. You must endure. There must be another solution. "No." Finally, she muttered bleakly and swung her arm. The ice spikes that had risen around her plummeted to the ground. With a sharp shattering sound, the ice spikes scattered into fragments. Then, those scattered fragments gathered together again to form a single ice spike. It was certainly ordinary elemental magic. However, what was contained within that elemental magic was the thoroughly deconstructed mystery of Idealization. It was a power not fully permitted to Moria in her current state. A sharp pain! The magical power that constituted Moria's existence weakened. The youth and genius obtained at the cost of tremendous power dimmed. Very fine wrinkles appeared on Moria's previously smooth skin. Now, her body had undergone aging equivalent to several years. Still within the realm of youth. Though that change wasn't clearly visible on the surface- "Now then, Genius-nim! Let's see you handle this too!" The power obtained in exchange was clearly visible on the surface. *** ────────── ■Moria Level: 33(61) > 40(61) ────────── *** A massive ice spike forged by will rushed toward Risir. Its speed was clearly slower compared to the ice spike that had contained wind energy. Before the ice spike could fully approach, a flame gale that bloomed forth came to meet it. With a roaring blaze, the flame storm swallowed the ice spike and produced steam. The ice forged in the shape of a weapon melted away, gradually losing its form. Just when it seemed Moria's attack would be thwarted. "...Huh?" Risir's eyebrows shot up. The scattered steam gathered toward the flame gale again. No. It rushed toward the flame gale. "This is-" Risir felt his own mana forming the flame gale gradually fading. It wasn't loss but erosion. Moria's will that formed her magic was eroding Risir's magic. Eventually, the ice spike disappeared without a trace. What remained there was only the flame gale. The flames flickered and danced. It was Moria's flame gale. "Kyahahaha!!!" Moria burst into mad laughter seeing Risir's flustered appearance. She swung her arm with all her might. The flame gale that had originally been Risir's struck him. Through that flame gale, Moria could clearly feel it. The power of the defensive magic for dueling that surrounded Risir was gradually weakening. 'It's done.' She had put an end to that brat's pathetic genius act. That fact brought Moria considerable pleasure. "..." However, that pleasure didn't last long. The exhaustion that comes after ecstasy. Moria's blood, which had been heated to the extreme, cooled rapidly and eventually became cold. She felt the piercing gazes of Palag and Dray directed at her. They would know. How absurd what she had just done was. It was an ability that far exceeded what could simply be defined as genius. Would they really be able to accept this ability? And could she make them understand this ability? Moria turned her head with difficulty. Thus, she faced the reactions of Palag and Dray. "..." "..." Palag and Dray. They were smiling. Their expressions clearly showed rapture and thrill they couldn't fully control. Following that, cheers erupted from among the spectators. "Ah." Moria felt as if the atmosphere that filled the place was seeping into her body. She realized. That she had been misunderstanding genius all this time. True genius doesn't basely demand understanding. In the first place, if it can be understood, it isn't genius. A talent that can never be made to be understood, no matter how much one tries to explain it. That was true genius. Just like what she was showing right now. "Ah..." At this very moment. Moria truly understood what genius was. She was no longer a manufactured, false genius. Moria. She looked at the flame gale that was still fiercely burning after swallowing Risir. The outcome was already decided. Moria smiled with the composure of a victor and gestured. Thus, she withdrew the flame gale that had become hers. "...?" It was then that Moria's expression contorted. She waved her hand several more times, then looked down at her hand in bewilderment. She thought it was just her imagination, but it wasn't. The mana contained in the flame gale. She could no longer feel it. "You really are an incredible genius." It was then that Risir's elevated voice was heard. With a roar, the flame gale scattered. Within the scattering sparks, he was smiling. "When I was at 5th Rank, I couldn't even imagine this kind of mana manipulation method." The emotion contained in that smile was pure admiration. "..." It was the same this time too. He still knew nothing. Risir was taking it for granted that Moria, who was acting as a 5th Rank mage, was handling fragments of 7th Rank. "I've learned something." And he, being 6th Rank, was also handling those 7th Rank fragments as if it were natural. More skillfully than Moria. The scattered sparks gathered together to form a flame gale again. "..." Moria stared blankly at the swirling flame gale. She had believed without doubt that Risir's attitude was to mock and toy with her. But now, she couldn't understand what was what. "How..." The events that had occurred right before her eyes disrupted her standards. They began to collapse her world. That confusion affected her inner world. The magic that had formed 'genius Moria'. The collapse of that cracked magic was accelerated. Wrinkles formed on skin that had lost its elasticity. Her hair lost its strength and faded, and her eyes gradually lost their light. It was as if only the place where she stood had a distorted flow of time. The young genius mage Moria from a rural village. She was aging moment by moment. No, she was regaining her true form. Though greatly damaged, vast power was slowly returning. "...Ha, hahaha... I get it, I get it!!!" Moria shouted with unfocused eyes. She was currently not in a state where she could view herself objectively. She saw the collapse of magic and the breaking of 'Moria' not as a crisis but as an opportunity. That's right. With this magical power, I can defeat him. The reason I was toyed with by him was only because I was acting as a 5th Rank. He's not a genius or anything. He's not some incomprehensible being I can't understand. Moria felt power boiling up within her. Just as she was about to unleash her power with all her might- "...Huh?" Risir disappeared from Moria's sight. It was the moment when Risir, who had been walking toward Moria, crouched down. A low but clear footstep echoed in Moria's ears. Before she knew it, Risir had already swung his arm right in front of her. In the stretched flow of time, Moria and Risir's gazes met. An important moment. Risir's eyes, serious yet strangely mischievous, seemed to be saying just that. In Risir's swung arm was a sword still in its sheath. It was the sword that had been hanging at Risir's waist. With a dull thud, Moria's jaw shook. Her body collapsed in place like a puppet with cut strings. With a thud, a piercing silence flowed through the place. """Waaahhh!!!""" The belated cheers of the spectators broke that silence. Applause poured forth. A brilliant and fierce duel. A dramatic finish befitting it. Everyone expressed unstinting admiration. "..." "..." A brilliant and fierce duel. A dramatic finish befitting it. Except for those who fully understood the detailed contents. Palag and Dray. They who had just been unable to hide their rapture and thrill while watching Moria were now looking at Risir with horrified expressions.