◆ Wizard Kingdom Castle, Dungeon ◆
“The specific punishment will be decided later. Until then, stay quiet. Also, this cell is specially secured; it has been coded with a magical barrier, so attempting to escape would be futile.”
Just moments ago, the soldier who had been intimidated by Lord Hast was now roughly shoving us into the cell. He quickly locked the door and hurried away. I wondered if this magical barrier was the same as what Rash had mentioned. The old, rusty iron door had a small barred window, just enough for a face to peek through. The walls around us seemed to be made of some metallic substance, giving off an inorganic feel. A filthy bed and a meager toilet were the only furnishings in this grim prison.
This place, devoid of light, reminded me of my time in the Abyss Cave. I had felt despondent during the endless darkness, but there had been floors with light from time to time. Being confined in such a place was all Lord Hast’s doing. He had told me to surrender without resistance, and I had complied, but was that truly the right choice? I didn’t know what this punishment entailed, but what if it meant death? No, I couldn’t allow myself to be killed.
In this cramped cell, it was just Roel and me. Roel was scanning the room, unable to hide her anxiety.
“What does Lord Hast intend to do? Hey, Roel.”
“Well, I think even if we had resisted back there, it wouldn’t have ended well.”
“Ugh! That old man makes no sense!”
Fire Rain had been unleashed, we were locked up in this dreadful place, and we had no leads on the One-Winged Demon. I felt utterly frustrated. If I became A-Rank, I might have a chance to go to Ikana Village, but the exam seemed far off, and at this rate, it felt like I would never reach my goal. I had no desire to chat happily in this situation, so I sat down on the bed. It was dirty, but far better than lying on the ground like I had in the Abyss Cave.
“…Is someone coming?”
I muttered without thinking. The sound of footsteps echoed from the dark corridor, gradually approaching us.
“Is it a soldier?”
“No, it isn’t.”
I heard Lord Hast’s voice through the iron door. That little old man couldn’t possibly reach the bars, but I knew he was standing right there. Instead of questioning why he was here, I felt an overwhelming urge to voice my frustration at this unreasonable treatment. His usual laid-back tone only fueled my irritation.
“Lord Hast! What is the meaning of this?”
“Well now, what shall we do? Shall we sit here in silence and wait?”
“Don’t mess with me!”
I was sure Lord Hast was unfazed by my loud outburst. Even through the door, I could picture him stroking his white beard in his usual manner.
“How will you wield such power?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard about you from my grandson. I was skeptical, but to survive Fire Rain unscathed is quite the feat. Such immeasurable power, a force that overwhelms many. It is something everyone wishes to possess. Of course, this world is vast, filled with various strong beings. But they often say there are always stronger ones above, don’t they? A stronger being that surpasses you turns you into a weakling from that moment on. Unable to resist, unable to protect, devoid of justice. There are many instances where one is devoured. Even now, there are those somewhere in this world who are suffering from such absurdity, far beyond what a child like you can imagine.”
As I listened to Lord Hast’s unexpected words, I was initially taken aback, but gradually, I began to understand what he was trying to convey.
“You possess the power to break through the absurdity. There will be many situations ahead where you might find yourself in a similar predicament. I want to see that power now.”
Was it really just for that reason that we were locked up in this place? They called him Sage Hast, but perhaps he was actually quite simple-minded. What I could do now was clear, and without needing to think, I knew there was only one option. But if I did that, we would only be seen as the villains.
“If we force our way out of here, it will cause a huge commotion. I don’t want to do anything bad. I don’t want to kill anyone either.”
“Then what will you do when faced with a situation where you can’t say that? If you can’t protect the important person beside you, it defeats the purpose. Let me be clear; I have no intention of letting you escape.”
While Lord Hast continued speaking, he allowed me time to think. His tone remained relaxed, but now it was deeper, a stark contrast to when we had spoken at home.
“I have lived for a long time. I have witnessed horrific events that would make one want to cover their eyes. There are those who have had to swallow bitter tears. I’ve had enough of that; if it comes to that, then it should be destroyed. If it means someone won’t have to cry, then that’s a victory. I may have put on a brave face earlier, but my body has weakened considerably. If I push myself now, I might end up in the afterlife immediately. So, I lack the strength to defeat a Golem at this point.”
I sensed a hint of sadness in his voice toward the end. I had felt an overwhelming power at that time, but it was merely Lord Hast showcasing his true strength to everyone. A man who had lived for a hundred years and was called a sage, yet he could not escape the passage of time. It was a strong reminder of the absurdity he had spoken of. I couldn’t fathom what Lord Hast had witnessed throughout his life, but just hearing his words was enough. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. It felt as if he was pleading with me to understand that he had had enough.
Still, I thought that unleashing Fire Rain was excessive, but that was a trivial matter. What I needed to do now was clear.
“Understood. Lord Hast, stay back.”
I wanted to break through this magical barrier first and reassure him. The King and the soldiers were likely feeling secure after disarming us, but that didn’t matter. I slowly clenched my fists.
◆ Wizard Kingdom, Eastern Gate ◆
Once, a white town had spread out here, but now it was a mountain of rubble. The area around the Eastern Gate of the Wizard Kingdom was in a state of near destruction. When the Eastern Gate had been attacked before, the Lightning Brigade couldn’t handle it alone, resulting in over twenty deaths. I had been called in, but by the time I arrived, they had managed to repel the attack.
The walls surrounding this kingdom, meant to protect it, were coded with barrier magic. The Reflect spell was not perfect. If it received too strong an impact, it could be destroyed. It was an ideal magic against beings like Golems that charged in without any tricks, but their destructive power had been beyond expectations. A single punch had been enough to shatter the wall, demoralizing the soldiers. If the A-Rank mages from the Wizard Kingdom hadn’t arrived as reinforcements, the damage would have been much worse.
“Reflect deployment complete!”
A soldier from the Lightning Brigade reported to Captain Tekka. The last attack had occurred right here at the Eastern Gate. The wall had been breached, leaving us in a vulnerable state where we could see the rubble-strewn town from outside. If they attacked again, there would be no second chance.
Three A-Rank mages, one hundred B-Rank mages, and three hundred C-Rank mages. In addition, there were about four thousand soldiers from the Lightning Brigade. We had deployed this much force just at the Eastern Gate. In terms of numbers, it was several dozen times more than before. The twenty casualties from the Lightning Brigade might have been due to our underestimating the Golem’s strength.
Of course, I was one of the C-Rank mages. Shortly after Rua and the others were imprisoned, the order for security was issued. We adventurers were technically contracted for the job, but in reality, we were being used by the kingdom. It made sense for someone like Sage Hast, who was S-Rank, to be called in, but why did I, an ordinary adventurer, have to be dragged into this?
I supported the idea of protecting the kingdom, but I didn’t like being used. Rash, who had been knocked out by the King, was now beside me. Even though he knew his illusion magic wouldn’t work on the Golems, he was still being treated this way. I figured they must be desperate.
“Everyone, form your squads! Stay alert! We don’t know when they might attack!”
Under Captain Tekka’s command, we stood ready for the Golems. They might not attack today; it could be tomorrow. We would have to camp out on this rubble and remain here indefinitely. If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have returned. I had enjoyed my adventures with Rua and the others.
“I am not a soldier of the kingdom. I am an Adventurer, Truppo.”
Rash, knowing that his proud Illusion Magic wouldn’t work, had been staring down at the ground for a while now.
“Truppo, what should I do?”
“Rash, just stay back. I’ll handle this…”
I knew it wasn’t even a comforting thought. To be honest, as a C-rank, I was hardly a force to be reckoned with. Yet, for some reason, Lord Hast was concerned about me. Perhaps it was because I was his granddaughter.
“Golem incoming!”
As the front line erupted in chaos, a warning signal shot into the sky, announcing the danger of the approaching foes. The sheer magnitude of the ground tremors made it clear just how massive and numerous they were. Towering figures lined up in a row, trampling the trees of the forest as they advanced. Golems with square bodies and thin limbs, and others resembling rock giants. They varied in size and shape, some looking as if beautiful gemstones had come to life. It was a grotesque assembly of beings that could only be described as monstrous.
“Lightning Bolt, fire!”
The 4,000-strong Lightning Magic squad unleashed their mid-tier lightning spells at the first wave of Golems. The Adventurers also attacked with their respective specialties. The exchange was so intense that even a normal person would likely faint from the blinding flashes and deafening sounds. The Golems’ surfaces were gradually eroded, eventually crumbling away. Even for a B-rank Wizard, mid-tier spells like this couldn’t be cast repeatedly. The Lightning Magic squad had thoroughly researched and trained in reducing mana consumption and enhancing destructive power regarding lightning spells. The Fire and Water Magic squads were no different. By specializing in a single element, they could generate destruction more efficiently. In a world where many Wizards spread themselves too thin across multiple elements, this country had been meticulous in its approach. It was impressive. I thought so without reservation.
It hadn’t even been a minute since the Lightning Bolts were unleashed, but if the enemy wasn’t a Golem, they would have been obliterated by now. In the face of that power, there were hardly any enemy forces left unscathed.
“Hey, we might actually win this! Right, Truppo?”
“Yeah, it’s amazing… but something feels off.”
Not all the Golems were falling. In fact, many continued to advance despite taking hits. But what struck me as odd wasn’t those Golems. It was the figure striding confidently at the forefront of the massive army, like a teacher leading a class. It was impossible to think of them as anything but the leader of the Golems. The destruction of the forest by the Lightning Bolts only made this figure stand out even more.
That person thrust out an arm like stone, absorbing the incoming spells. No, it wasn’t just absorbing; it was as if the Lightning Bolts were drawn to that rocky arm and vanished upon contact. Aside from the right arm being made of rock, they appeared to be an ordinary human, yet that imbalance exuded an unsettling aura.
“Wow, what a baptism of fire! Last time felt like a walk in the park, so I thought this would be manageable, but I was completely taken aback!”
Before an army of over 4,000, a man laughed nonchalantly. Even as the storm of Lightning Bolts continued, the amount that was absorbed and vanished increased as he drew closer. Now, he was approaching the crumbled castle walls alongside the Golems. Finally, when all the Lightning Bolts had been absorbed, the attacks from the Lightning Magic squad ceased. I imagined some had lost their fighting spirit. In response, Captain Tekka deemed it a waste of mana and ordered a halt to the assault. Above all, the Golems and that man had stopped advancing, halting before the castle walls.
“Hmm! Overwhelming!”
From within the horde, a Golem emerged, roughly the size of an adult man. Its square body had long limbs with spheres attached, and its diamond-shaped head spun around, as if taunting us.
“Hmm! I am Bolan, the vice-captain of the Golem squad! I shall witness the final performance of these insignificant beings!”
“What is that thing…? It doesn’t seem like much compared to the other Golems.”
Bolan, having overheard someone say that, quickly demonstrated his power. His arms stretched out as if they were elastic, swiftly encircling a small squad from both sides. The panicked squad members retaliated with Lightning Bolts, but their attacks were effortlessly deflected, and they were crushed between Bolan’s arms. The soldiers who perished within those blood-stained, rounded arms piled up, their silent cries for vengeance echoing in the air. As soon as the arms released their grip, the corpses crumpled to the ground.
“Hmm! Weak! At this rate, the Golem Master will grow bored!”
More than the overwhelming strength that crushed the soldiers, it was the arms that had completely absorbed the Lightning Bolts that instilled fear in me. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that among the Golems lined up behind Bolan, there were some that remained unscathed. Even the Lightning Magic squad, which could claim to kill monsters imbued with lightning, was utterly helpless against this group. Perhaps finally grasping the reality of the situation, a wave of unease swept through the thousands-strong army.
“Everyone, chant! Unleash high-tier lightning magic on that ridiculous toy Golem! Adventurers, strike with your highest spells as well!”
Even someone other than Tekka would have issued that command. The explosive sounds and flames erupted as high-tier spells were unleashed upon the small Golem. Thousands of attack spells, which could easily topple a nation under normal circumstances, rained down. Amidst this chaos, I too cast my magic at that toy Golem, Bolan. But the difference in power was painfully clear. Having witnessed Rua, a being of an entirely different dimension, I understood.
It was futile.
That one Golem was far more terrifying than the massive group standing behind it. It merely waved its long arms around like a petulant child. Yet, that simple action caused spells to scatter like raindrops, deflected and crushed one after another, turning the Wizards into mere meat piles. Even as more and more people began to flee rather than stand and fight, the relentless assault continued. The rounded arms pierced through fleeing backs, extending further to impale yet another person. The arms, now elongated like snakes, strung together the corpses like a necklace of jewels, relentlessly pursuing their targets.
“Wahhh! I don’t want to die!”
Seeing a Wizard before me choke on their blood and meet their end without even a chance to scream, I shielded Rash. I would protect this small child, trembling with fear, at all costs.
“Rash, run!”
“But, Truppo, what about you…?”
“I’ll manage somehow.”
With tears welling in his eyes, Rash looked at me.
“Hmm, overwhelming. There’s hardly any challenge here. The so-called Wizard Kingdom, known for its magic prowess, is this weak? I heard there was at least one decent human called a sage, but…”
That question was directed not at the Wizards surrounding Bolan, who were paralyzed with fear and had lost their fighting spirit. It was aimed at me, who was still holding Rash tightly, not yet ready to abandon hope. I understood that clearly.
“Hmm. Well, either way, I will destroy this country, and eventually, they will show themselves. In that case, there’s no need to force them to reveal their location.”
Throwing aside the corpse dangling from his arm, Bolan wiped the blood off while looking at me.