Chapter 455 – Mado Convergence
Verden thoroughly blocked Grand Duke Rivandale's advance, and when he shifted to a stance of magical offense based on infinite magic power, the balance between them naturally reversed.
The Empire's Transcendent was being pushed back.
Of course, he hadn't sustained any fatal wounds, or even noteworthy injuries... but apart from his skillful responses, he was forced into pure defense and evasion.
Far away, the battlefield between the two Transcendents stretched kilometers apart, and just witnessing it from afar was overwhelming. Among them, the sorcerer, Merisa, turned pale.
"…That amount of magic power…."
According to the information obtainable through the Fesfield family and the Imperial Ministry of Magic, even if one had crossed the wall of Transcendence, casting a 7th-tier spell would be an immense burden.
As befitted such an elevated existence, fatigue would naturally build within the mana circuits, though unless it was pushed to extremes, that alone might not be an issue.
But the vast consumption of magic power could not be ignored.
After all, 7th-tier magic was, without exception, something that past Transcendents of magic had condensed from their study of Mado, created and reshaped to fit within the framework of tiers.
In other words, the ultimate.
Because of that meaning, the magic world classified the realm of 7th-tier magic as the supreme domain belonging only to Transcendents.
'That's how it should be.'
Yet the nameless Transcendent who had suddenly appeared in the volcanic zone──cast
Insanity.
The forcible expansion of mana circuits, the overheating of the brain from multiple calculations, the backlash delivered to the heart from reckless overconsumption of magic power in a short time...
At the very least, one of these consequences should apply, leaving him unable to move or at least impaired for several minutes.
Even by the standards of a Transcendent.
And yet, rather than collapsing, he was chaining spells together, even employing dreadful Mado, to pressure Grand Duke Rivandale.
'It's like infinity.'
Endless magic power.
That was an imaginary force no individual could possess, a concept held only by the ten, no──the nine power sources of the magic tower.
Merisa, before being a Lord, was a Mage.
Alongside an indescribable pounding in her chest, she felt an intense curiosity and thirst for knowledge she could not tear her eyes away from.
It was an instinctive exhilaration.
Suddenly, Merisa's eyes shifted.
'If I were to bind them here... I might be able to learn who that Transcendent really is.'
For a brief moment she looked toward Gharun's party with such an impulse, but quickly looked away.
That would be overstepping.
To recklessly intrude on the duel would not only dishonor the Arnak Empire, but also trample on the Grand Duke's dignity.
The worst choice possible.
Gharun, catching sight of Merisa's naked desire as it faded, snorted.
"Hmph, looks like you aren't about to try any foolish tricks."
He loosened his grip slightly on Marquab, then turned his gaze forward again.
The two Transcendents were moving faster than even Gharun's extraordinary sight could follow, but he could still glimpse intermittent flashes of Interis's light.
'It's performing its role well.'
Interis had become more than a mere weapon, it had become part of its Transcendent wielder.
It was displaying performance far beyond its initial design.
'But that's not its limit.'
As its very designer and creator, no one knew this better than him.
Even if the wager was lost, he was certain its master would not be defeated here.
At that moment.
"Gharun...!"
Startled by the voice behind him, Gharun turned his head.
"Arkul?"
There stood the chieftain of the Red Volcano Clan.
***
Though the Red Volcano Clan had detected signs that Gharun and the fortress intruder had gone toward the Black Volcano, there was nothing they could do.
Wasn't it the cursed land?
Even the Red Volcano's elite dwarves under the chieftain's command would never meekly obey an order to enter the Black Volcano. They'd sooner throw punches or quit altogether.
'To think, Gharun's disciples, who constantly shouted about tradition and demanded to unleash the Hammer of Integrity, would even betray their own master.'
But Arkul could not abandon the pursuit.
So with Imperial cooperation, he tricked his clan into thinking he was leaving Red Volcano on other business, then secretly boarded the sword saint's airship.
As chieftain, he could not overlook Gharun's misdeeds any longer.
Hearing the brief circumstances, Gharun grimaced.
"No, but still, I never thought you'd chase me all the way into the Black Volcano... Tch. Arkul, you're as mad as I am."
"Not as much as you."
Arkul sighed.
Originally, he'd planned to punch Gharun the moment he found him, but upon realizing that the intruder with him was a Transcendent, well, his rage cooled. Almost as if resigned.
"Hrmm, so all that ruckus about forging a weapon to leave your name in history turned out a success. Whatever the case, as a dwarf I must offer congratulations. You've toiled much. Thanks to you, I'm suffering greatly myself."
"Heh."
"Even here in the Black Volcano, your shameless attitude hasn't changed. But let me ask you something."
Arkul raised an eyebrow.
The one-armed man with Gharun was clearly his disciple. The other dwarf, however, was unfamiliar, though his features were strikingly similar to Gharun's despite his gaunt frame.
"I know that one-armed fellow is your disciple, but who is this other? He doesn't look like he's from Red Volcano Clan."
"He is, though it's been a very long time. So you're the current chieftain of Red Volcano Clan? Hm, the bloodline must've carried on. You look a lot like the dwarf who was clan chief three hundred years ago."
"…Three hundred years?"
"Throwing out numbers with no basis probably won't make sense to you. This half-starved dwarf's name is Geradin. My older brother."
Brother?
Arkul blinked.
His eyes said, What nonsense are you spouting?
Gharun only shrugged.
"He joined the second expedition into the Black Volcano long ago and went missing. I thought he'd died, but he survived. We only met again recently."
"Then his age must be... Wait, did you just say there were survivors in the Black Volcano??"
"They built a village deep underground and have lived there for generations. For over two hundred years. And not just a few—there are well over a hundred of them."
Arkul was dumbstruck.
Dwarves living in the cursed land?
He shook his head violently to clear his mind.
"If there are survivors, shouldn't we move to rescue them immediately? We must inform the other clans, no, Red Volcano should be the first to send aid…!"
"Don't be a fool. Do you think they'll rejoice to hear of survivors in the Black Volcano? Absolutely not. You know this."
Arkul flinched.
Thinking as a dwarf rather than a chieftain, he realized it was true.
Indeed, no one would welcome it.
"…But we can't just abandon them."
"Of course not."
Gharun stroked his beard.
"Arkul, I still don't accept your policies. Your ideals, your close ties with humans, once twisted, cannot be undone."
"..."
"But when I was locked in that prison, you said this. That a senile old man could never understand the burden of being chieftain."
"I didn't put it like that."
"Shut up. In any case, I've decided to shoulder responsibility for my people this time."
...!
Arkul's eyes widened.
"You mean you'll take responsibility for all those survivors…?"
"They have a place to rely on now. More accurately, I was given a home as payment. Payment for forging Interis."
The Hammer of Integrity, agreeing to play the role of a chieftain?
Arkul found it hard to believe, yet the conviction in Gharun's words was unmistakably genuine.
For better or worse, he had known him too long not to tell.
"…I understand what you mean. But look around. The Arnak Empire has sealed this place off completely. Over there is even Arnak's Sword himself... How do you plan to escape? It's impossible for that one Transcendent alone."
"Would I know?"
Gharun pointed ahead.
"He will."
From that direction came a massive explosion, a towering column of flame rising to the sky.
***
A magical bombardment that had surpassed all reason, become a disaster in itself, shattered and incinerated the Black Volcano's landscape.
It easily overwhelmed Verden, a power even the fragment of the Demon King who had imparted
'I have already surpassed the Administrator.'
Even if, unlike before, the Administrator had no limit on his magic power, it was the same.
In pure magical capacity, apart from higher-tier spells and close-combat techniques, Verden held superiority.
Yet the foe before him was not one to be crushed by raw strength.
He possessed insight to read even abnormal magical trajectories, a knack for finding the optimal path, and at times, striking by taking the long way around.
Sword aura that could not be stopped by anything short of Interis or the magic of Destruction, a body with strength and speed, balanced in every respect, without weakness...
'And Grand Duke Rivandale has faced Transcendents of magic before.'
Truly formidable.
As a Transcendent, his experience and skill left Verden with no clear advantage.
He was the most troublesome opponent Verden had ever faced.
But, he had already found the answer.
Destructive magic power surged from the orb, enveloping the tip of Interis to form a dark blade of light.
A torrent of ominous, overflowing magic power.
At the same time, crossing space, Verden closed in on Grand Duke Rivandale.
"It seems your magic power hasn't run out yet, coming into the jaws of death of your own accord."
"You'll see soon enough."
With their clash, the ground beneath their feet sank.
Whoooong───Kagagak! Chooong! Kagagagagak!
Verden spun again and again, unleashing dazzling consecutive strikes, while compressing space and adding sudden shifts to his momentum.
The blade of Destruction's lance tore through sword aura as it collided with Ethes, and each time, crimson waves rippled out, passing straight through Grand Duke Rivandale.
A sensation that resonated beyond the flesh, striking the very soul.
Even without direct contact with Interis, the energy within his body roared.
Naturally, the Grand Duke clenched his teeth, and in that instant widened the distance, placing extreme weight onto his toes and imbuing his blade's edge with power.
Rending Wave裂波.
The sword art used by the Sword Saint.
And as expected, the difference in level was stark.
A massive wave of sword aura surged forth.
In response, Verden leapt, spinning vertically as he swung Interis.
The 7th-tier space magic severed the sword art, then aimed directly at the Grand Duke's upper body.
"Hm."
Supreme finesse.
Focusing his mind, the Grand Duke sensed the texture of
The cutting force inherent in space magic was such that even artifacts could not avoid damage, but Ethes would never break so long as the Grand Duke's will remained unshaken.
Instead, Verden's magic failed to endure, its form collapsing.
Thud.
The Grand Duke thrust forward, his sword piercing toward Verden's right flank.
A decisive strike.
If dodged, his legs would be cut and he'd lose balance, if parried, the exposed left shoulder would be pierced.
The Grand Duke planned to exploit that opening, press the assault, and wrest away the Sword Saint's blade.
For in the end, this was a wager.
But contrary to the Grand Duke's expectations, Verden neither blocked nor evaded.
Instead, he stretched out his right hand.
Just before his palm was to be skewered by Ethes, an immense pressure surged forth.
A technique Verden had never shown the Empire.
"…!"
A destructive shockwave struck, smashing through space itself.
Grand Duke Rivandale was hurled back, driving Ethes into the ground to stop himself.
It wasn't over yet.
From Interis, which had inherited Orient's function, light erupted.
Verden chose the attribute of gravity.
Becoming for a moment the sovereign of the element, he unleashed his magic eyes at maximum output.
Quintuple Casting.
Altering his calculations mid-cast, he reversed gravitational pull into horizontal repulsion, an overwhelming physical force like a tidal wave crashing down upon the Grand Duke.
Defense over counterattack was the only option.
The Grand Duke gripped Ethes with both hands, surrounding himself with a mantle of waves to absorb the shock... yet he could not stop the very ground of the Black Volcano beneath him from being shoved aside.
Then the Grand Duke furrowed his brow.
'Wait, this isn't aimed at me....'
He was simply being pushed away.
Likely to secure distance. Realizing this, the Grand Duke raised his head.
Interis stood upright.
Verden gripped it with both hands and calmly closed his eyes.
Superlative magic.
He had long conceived of his own unique spell as a Transcendent, but only through this battle with the Grand Duke did he glimpse its possibility.
And he made it real.
Change came immediately.
Mado Convergence.
Infinity and Destruction.
Two opposing paths overlapped, creating a new one.
At the same time, a backlash erupted that no Transcendent's body could possibly suppress... but Verden stood unscathed, as if to prove otherwise.
'Because I have Interis.'
He connected the two Mados, not merely linking them but fusing them into one, distributing the recoil not only through himself but also Interis.
Kugugugugugu...!
On his left swirled pure, azure magic power, on his right, destructive, crimson-black magic power, then converging upon the orb of blue at the center, merging into one.
That force flowed down Interis, piercing into every mana circuit in his body.
Whoooong.
Behind Verden, a 'single gray satellite' rose.
It was a form of magic inspired by imitating Unia's Mado.
Ashen magic flared, akin to the gray power when wielding stellar attributes.
Both in appearance, and in essence.
Instead of closing the distance, the Grand Duke remained where he stood and asked.
His voice carried upon the waves.
"What is that?"
"Who knows."
Verden opened his eyes.
"I don't either."
The power created from converging Mados was something born almost improvisationally, even Verden did not yet know how to mold it into the framework of superlative magic.
'But I do know what to do right now.'
He lowered Interis diagonally, aiming at the Grand Duke. The sharp ends of three pillars pointed at him.
The satellite gradually dissolved.
Though this act was not strictly speaking magic, Verden nonetheless named it.
Imagining the spectacle this power would manifest.
A gray light.
Quite literally, a flash.
The Grand Duke drew in his breath.
'Unavoidable.'
Even a graze would be perilous.
Instantly, the Grand Duke's sword rang with a force never seen before.
A power that could interfere with the fabric of the world.
Transcendent Technique.
Worldstream世流.
Following the trace of his sword, the nature of the surrounding waves was altered, their density scattered.
Where density reached near zero, nothing could intrude, forming an inviolable space, while where density grew heavy, phenomena concentrated, dragging in the light of Nullity.
The trajectory of the unknown magic twisted, veering wide to the side, flashing away.
Ashen energy coiled across the surroundings.
Witnessing the aftermath, the Grand Duke did not relax, waiting until the shockwaves subsided.
The world regained its form moments later.
"…Hoo."
At last the Grand Duke, breathing quietly, slowly loosened his grip.
His sword, Ethes, vanished.
"Fribalt's sword could not be taken by anyone, but this wager must end in a draw. No──in truth, it ends as my defeat."
"Your Excellency, what do you mean...!"
"Look beside you."
Fribalt turned, eyes widening.
The spatial prison encasing the area was collapsing, its form dissipating.
The warped coordinates of space were reverting.
The artifact
"There is no longer any justification to confine that Transcendent."
The promise was clear: if the Grand Duke won, Verden would accept the invitation to the Empire, if Verden won, he would depart without Imperial interference.
Yet since his opponent had already gained the ability to break free of the Imperial blockade, could the wager still stand?
No.
Before they knew it, Verden was standing by Gharun's side.
He hadn't gotten the chance to use Interis's 'activation phrase'...
'But this much testing of its performance is enough.'
The gazes of the two Transcendents crossed.
The Grand Duke asked.
"When will you show yourself to the world?"
Verden answered.
"When the time comes."
The Grand Duke clasped his hands behind his back and nodded.
"I shall await that day."
At the same time, Verden's magic enveloped Gharun, Geradin, and Linus.
Surging Mado.
Together, they
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