Volume 9 Chapter 67 Spiritual Penetration Art
Time rewound to before Tsukiko and the others opened the door.
I, who had attacked Julius, immediately felt a sense of discomfort.
Seven slashes.
The "Seven-Colored Linked Sword" that had even captured Galeo, sliced through the air.
"'You're still good at dodging, huh?'."
"My martial arts skills are only at a hobby level, though."
Julius was laughing from a short distance away.
A magic that couldn't be forgotten, no matter how hard I tried.
"'Even after reincarnation, your magic remains unchanged, huh? That's resonance.'."
"I'm glad. You remembered, didn't you?"
"'It's a magic that's worn out my body. Can I really forget it?'."
"Resonance."
The magic used by Julius Roderest, the strongest magic.
Its power allowed him to harmonize his existence with all things.
If he harmonized with the air, Julius's body would turn into wind, and if he harmonized with the sea, he would cause a tsunami.
It was a magic that could manipulate all things in the world, treating them as his own.
He could cause a catastrophe on his own, so his power had already surpassed that of a magician.
Furthermore, Julius had lived on this earth for 6,000 years.
Shikin, who had continued to train for a thousand years, was that strong. Julius was someone who knew that. Rather, it was something that could be predicted, and it was lovely.
My current sword would also turn his body into wind to dodge. If I were to attack, I would have to use Stella (Star Sword) to break down the magic first.
"'Fuuh――'."
Although the power of magic increased with emotional arousal, excessive tension would become a burden.
I exhaled, releasing my breath, and relaxed.
I attacked.
Focusing on a single point, I readied my Bastard Sword and longsword.
The "Flame Linker (Infinity Light)" that I had been using since the battle with Galeo wouldn't last much longer.
Julius didn't know the power of "Flame Linker". If there was a way to win, it was there.
As if pouring water on my determination, Julius suddenly said...
"So, Yuusuke, I never gave you a detailed explanation of how I started this Second God-Demon War, did I?"
"'...What are you talking about?'"
"The God-Demon War's magic circle isn't something that can be controlled by humans. It's a collective unconscious, after all. The scale and abstractness of the system are beyond dimensional."
"'What are you trying to say?'"
Julius's words, which lacked substance, were getting on my nerves.
Was this also part of his strategy? No, Julius wouldn't resort to such petty tricks.
There must be a reason why he had to say this.
"It all started when I met a girl named Shurka, who drifted from Asteris. She had the blood of Saint Lyla and possessed a special magic aptitude."
"'Special magic?'"
"It's called 'Brilliant Eye.' It's a magic that Saint Lyla discovered in Asteris. Depending on the magician's imagination, it allows them to see the scenery of any place, transcending space."
"So you were observing the situation on Asteris from Earth?"
"That's right. If you can see it, you can interfere. However, even if you can interfere, it's impossible to rewrite the God-Demon War."
So, Julius paused, and with a flick of his hand, a single crow appeared.
It had 2 pairs of wings, and it is the crow that delivered us an invitation to 'Kakehashi (Bridge to the Universe)'.
At the same time, everyone who came to this world was saying...
'I was called by God's messenger.'
No one doubted the God-Demon War.
That's because there was an aura of a god that transcended human knowledge.
The God-Demon War was a magic circle created by people's collective unconscious. The power to interfere with it had already surpassed human limits.
Julius's words echoed loudly.
"It's impossible for an individual to gain the power to rewrite the God-Demon War. No matter how much time you spend training, there's a limit to how far you can go. That's why I created the 'New World (Try Order)'."
――Wait, didn't Tsuchimikado say that?
"'Try Order' has existed since ancient times, organizing magicians in the shadows of history."
I was only looking at the grimoire, but the scale of that organization is enormous.
How many magicians are there on this earth?
"Originally, we wanted to save the persecuted magicians and create an environment where they could live. That was also the wish of Saint Lyla and Lord Glen. At the same time, we decided to give them a certain role."
"'No way...you...'."
The scattered predictions connected, forming a shape. It was like finding constellations in the starry sky.
Julius raised the crow, releasing it into the air.
The 2 pairs of wings dissolved in the air, and in the next instant, they struck the castle.
The whirlwind that was blown away hit the floor, filling the castle in an instant, and seeking an escape, it blew away the ceiling and walls.
"'――!?'."
It was just blown away. That's all it took to be blown away.
If I didn't release my magic power to counter it, I would have been thrown out of the castle along with the walls.
The space that spread outside the demon king's castle was a dark, infinite expanse like the universe, with scattered light.
"God did not exist from the beginning. The wishes of people, their prayers, accumulated and became a vessel, and their thoughts were poured into it, making it move."
The crow on Julius's head had changed its form.
The emerald wind became 2 giant wings, spreading out like a dome.
This is the answer.
Julius Roderest had reached Spiritual Penetration Art.
"I decided to create this magic to change the world. It's arrogant, impudent, and selfish ―― the worst kind of magic. So, if I want to give it a name, then..."
Saint Lyla and Lord Glen were enshrined on their seats.
Julius, though human, chose to abandon his humanity because he was human.
"'The God of Selection (Deus Ex Machina)'."
People's unconscious minds create God.
Julius must have taken an unimaginable 6,000 years to instill this idea in the magicians.
"The master of 'Try Order' is a god," it was said.
Even in modern religions, there are examples of humans being treated as gods.
Julius's followers were magicians who never showed themselves in public. In secret, they had rooted their thoughts deep within society, making it a normal thing.
Julius Roderest was a god.
He was spoken of as a myth.
Not an illusion.
Living in the present.
The oldest of all.
The magicians' god.
Just like Saint Lyla and Lord Glen Roderest, Julius had obtained divine authority.
The only difference was whether he had sought it or not.
Even "The Chosen Hero (Brave Face)" had pushed a mere middle school student to become a hero.
So, the pressure that "The Selected God (Deus Ex Machina)" possessed, which surpassed that, was telling a story that shook the armor with a loud rattling sound.
In the magic activated by Sakaki Tsuzuri, I had fought against an enemy with divine authority.
But that was just a limited, artificial creation in that space.
Even at that level, it was unclear whether I could win again, but I couldn't help but laugh.
This guy was the real deal.
――There was no doubt, he was a real god.
"Yuusuke, I feel sorry for you. I wanted to fight with my own power, but I've already stopped being myself. I can't stop being myself anymore."
It was that much.
This was something completely different.
The sensation of existence was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
My sword trembled.
I knew better than anyone that it wasn't a warrior's tremble.
"From now on, I'll use this. I can't call it magic. The spirit within me had noticed and hidden its form. Without any conversation or logic, this is something that should exist, and it's not magic."
The turquoise bird flapped its wings, and a strong gust of wind blew, striking the armor with a frozen blade-like sound.
In the wind, Julius's voice was heard.
"This is 'magic'..."
"'The Seat of Great Bird (Altair)'."
The wings struck the air, and a stormy wind twisted and turned.
――Sword and technique――!!
That's as far as I thought.
My feet left the ground, and in the next instant, I was sent flying into the air. My entire body was wracked with intense pain, and my armor was etched with claw-like scars.
Wait, was that the wind? It's too strong to be just a storm.
My thoughts are a jumble. What's going on right now?
I realized I was slammed into the ground with a "GGG!"-like impact.
Get up. Get up and ready your sword. Circulate your magic power, you can still move!
"'GAAAAAAAHHHH‼'."
I reinforced my armor with magic power and forced my body to move, standing up.
I can still fight. First, let's see Julius's magic. If it's magic, I can cut it down with "Stella".
"Amazing. This wind can blow away islands and level continents. There's no one who can withstand it, not even with a grimoire."
"'Don't underestimate me...'."
My crimson magic power surged, and my sword hummed.
The distance between us isn't as far as I thought. At this range, I can cut him down before the crow can even flap its wings――.
"'Uggghhh!?'."
My knees buckled under the impact from above, and I crashed to the ground.
I immediately thrust my sword into the ground to withstand the force, but it was too heavy, and I couldn't stand up.
What is this? Something's pressing down on me from above.
I heard Julius's voice above my drooping head.
"Yuusuke, the origin of my magic is 'Resonance'. But its scale is incomparable to when I was a demon king. Now that I've obtained godly power, what I'm resonating with is this planet itself."
"'Pla...net...?'."
"I can create storms with my breath, shake the earth with my footsteps, and summon tidal waves with a scoop of my hand. My gaze can bring down lightning."
"'...You're not joking, are you...?'."
"It's the truth. You might be able to cut down mountains. You might be able to create holes in the ocean. But can you split a continent in 2? Can you dry up the seas? That's the dimension I'm in."
"'Don't worry...I'm not going to cut down the planet. It's you I'm going to cut down...!'."
As I said that, I felt a chill run down my spine.
If Julius's words were true, it would be terrible. Humans can't win against nature. While humans can utilize nature, they can't defeat it.
It's a huge difference in scale, a fundamental principle of this planet.
"Let's end this, Yuusuke. I'm glad I could talk to you."
"'You can't just end it like that!'."
――Whoosh.
I draw out an enormous amount of magic power from 'My True Name', filling my entire body. From the top of my head to my toes, I circulate magic power like water.
The amount of magic power I'm using is beyond my individual limits.
Even so, if I compress my magic power this much, I'll become stronger against external influences.
I plant my feet firmly on the ground, straightening my upper body.
This weight is gravity, a chain that binds all life to the planet. It's not light at all.
But I can stand. If I face forward, I can wield my sword.
"'Let's go, Julius!'."
I can only maintain this state for a few more minutes.
That's when I'll decide the outcome.
I sharpen my consciousness to the limit, unleashing my skills.
Whether it's magic or elese, it's all about moving with magic power. And the one moving it is Julius himself.
Just like how I crushed Vice Ornette's composite magic, even if the output is enormous, it's not invincible.
"'I like that about you'."
Julius smiled faintly, lightly tapping the ground.
Immediately after, a beast emerged from behind Julius.
A wolf that's too big to look up at.
Every time the wolf takes a step, the floor cracks, and space trembles.
Among its transparent fur, sparkling particles shone brightly.
"'The Seat of the Gluttonous Wolf (Therion)'."
――It's coming!
I thought, and kicked the ground.
I escaped the restraint of gravity and ran.
The gravity's force field was created, reading my movements, but I dodged it all at the last second.
Just as I was about to reach Julius, it arrived.
The wolf slammed its front paws down.
"'Ugh!?'."
I tried to disintegrate it with "Stella," but its magic power density was too high. The blade only grazed its dark fur, failing to land a critical hit.
Even so, the recoil from the attack forced me to stumble back.
I don't have the luxury to fight this thing right now. I'll slip away and head towards Julius.
"――."
My jaw almost got crushed right next to me.
That one hit that shouldn't have landed took my left arm, sword and all.
The iron wall armor made a loud cracking sound as it was crushed, and I felt like I was being squished by an incredible force.
"'Gaaaaaaaahhhhh!!'."
I used my right hand to unleash Mikatia, the Storm Sword, and slashed the wolf's throat. It was a shallow wound, but I took advantage of the momentary distraction to pull out my left hand and create some distance.
Damn it, that wolf is like a gravity bomb or something...!?
I got pulled towards its fangs. And what was shining brightly inside the wolf's body was a diamond.
The crow's scattered debris got compressed inside the wolf's body and transformed into a diamond.
This is crazy.
My left arm is deformed and useless. The armor can regenerate, but I'm no longer in a state to use delicate techniques.
The pain echoing in my head is making me feel like I'm about to pass out.
Julius hasn't moved an inch.
It's just a little further, but it feels incredibly far away.
"'The Seat of the Blazing Lion (Regulus)'."
The moment I heard Julius's voice, I retreated from the scene.
At the same time, the stone floor ignited. It wasn't just a normal flame. It was a deadly blast of gas and ash, carrying destruction.
――Now it's fire, too!!
The black and red, chaotic aura enveloped my entire body.
"'Guaaaaahhhhh――‼'."
No matter how hard I swung my sword, I couldn't shake it off. The flames were evaporating the water in my body, burning my lungs, and carbonizing my skin.
I rolled around on the ground, desperately searching for a safe spot.
When I thought I hit the wall behind me, I realized it was the door I had entered through. It was the only thing that remained intact amidst this abnormal weather.
My thin, ragged breathing echoed in my throat. I had almost no sensation in my hands and feet, and my body felt cold to the core.
――Come to think of it, how are the others doing?
If they're still alive, they shouldn't come here.
In the depths of the flames, the crow, wolf, lion, great serpent, monkey, and goat were staring at me.
Hahaha.
I can only laugh.
"'...!'."
I placed my hand on my knee, which was bleeding profusely, and stood up using my last bit of strength.
Sorry, everyone. It seems I'm not going to be of any use.
But if I don't do something, taking up the sword would be pointless.
The promise I made to protect Lisha that day would become a lie.
The weak sword I held was almost broken, and I couldn't even control my magic power.
With a desperate cry, I swung my sword and screamed as if I was pouring out my soul.
"Uooooo!"
――Please, everyone.
――――Please, survive.
The roar of the disaster crushed my tiny courage, and it thundered down on me.
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