Chapter 12
The boar circled a few steps around Rebilton, as if testing him.
"There are quite a few giant boars in the North too, you know. The hunters of Ruure hunt fellows like that with just a single sword, without any magic whatsoever."
"In this state, all the Magical Power in your body must be drawn to your lower abdomen."
"It won't be easy at first."
"It's very dangerous, so when practicing, you should only gather a very small amount."
"If you mishandle this pooled Magical Power and it goes to your heart, head, or other organs, it will cause serious damage."
Soon, seeing that Rebilton had no openings, the boar pawed at the ground with its forelegs and prepared to charge. Even with Rebilton's large build, he looked precarious compared to the giant boar, which reached a shoulder height of 4 meters.
"Once you've gathered enough Magical Power, operate it according to the next movement."
"The exploding Magical Power flows sequentially through the muscles, allowing you to swing your sword with power you couldn't normally achieve."
"Now, like this...!"
The boar charged, and Rebilton also sprang forward to meet it.
Ethan saw Rebilton swing his sword with a large motion, narrowly dodging the boar's side, but he couldn't understand the exact movement.
The moment he blinked, Rebilton had already returned to a standing posture.
The boar turned as if it didn't know what had happened, and then saw its tusk drop to the ground with a thud.
Then, blood poured out profusely from the boar's mouth and the cut at the front of its skull, and it knelt and collapsed.
The blade seemed to have reached the brain.
The boar, unable to use one leg, repeatedly tried to get up, struggled sideways, and then stopped moving.
"This technique is called 'Tusk Shatter'. It's one of the Hunter's Swords."
Even the Mazok, seeing Rebilton cut down the giant boar in a single stroke, hesitated to approach.
Rebilton said.
"Let's go quickly. There should be horses left."
"Ah, yes!"
The moment Rebilton was about to enter the stable, a huge teal beam covering his body was shot from the shadows of the stable.
-Bang!
The beam shattered several trees and sent Rebilton flying into the forest beyond.
"Professor!"
Ethan was grabbed by the collar by a long, thin red tentacle that appeared from the shadows.
"Kuh."
What appeared from the shadows was Assistant Investigator Shirund Zen.
As Ethan reached into his coat, a second tentacle that sprang from Shirund's shadow quickly grabbed Ethan's hand.
And a third and fourth tentacle gripped Ethan's remaining limbs as if they would break.
Shirund walked over and grabbed the Glock 45 that Ethan was holding.
"Just as I thought."
"What do you mean, 'just as I thought'?"
"I know it. It's an object called a 'Handgun'."
"It's Terra's magic."
"And according to my memory... it seems to be a type called 'Glock'."
Ethan said to Demi.
<This is unexpected.>
<It seems like information obtained from Terrans remaining in the Empire.>
Shirund said.
"You don't need to bother thinking about whether to say something or not. Your will isn't important."
"→Maraina Masara."
Shirund's hand touched Ethan's head.
And nothing happened.
"Hmm."
"Huh?"
"That's right. 'The One Who Doesn't Dream', is it."
Ethan was about to ask what that was, but it wasn't the time, and Shirund didn't give him the chance.
"Well, I take back what I just said. It would be better if you speak with your will if possible."
"...Move this guy quickly. Before the other professors make things troublesome."
Ethan's mouth was soon gagged and he was bound.
Demi said.
<You must not let them discover that you are under contract with me through interrogation and torture.>
<I know that.>
Ethan's Black Magic, especially the most important part, the 'power to return to the past even upon death', is maintained through the contract with Demi.
If the contract with Demi disappears, Ethan's life will be fixed.
He will die without returning.
Ethan said.
<In that case, it would be better to commit suicide.>
Demi said.
<You can't use your hands or feet right now.>
<But I can breathe.>
The Mazok were hurriedly preparing a carriage, and Shirund was reporting to other Mazok from a distance.
Thanks to the euphoria of completing the objective, the atmosphere was somewhat chaotic.
The soldiers holding Ethan bound didn't seem to fully understand what Ethan was capable of.
Ethan squeezed out as much Magical Power as he could from various parts of his body.
And he condensed that Magical Power in his lower abdomen.
The Magical Power became so massive that the circuits (回路) passing through Ethan's body couldn't endure it.
Ethan slowly drew that Magical Power upwards.
As the circuits burst and snapped, immense sharp pain surged up.
Ethan endured that pain, preventing it from showing, and drew it up to his heart.
Instead of from Ethan's gagged mouth, blood began to seep from his nose, and then from his eyes and ears.
"Sirund!"
One Mazok noticed Ethan's anomaly and called out to Shirund, but Ethan's vision was already blacking out.
The Magical Power swirling inside Ethan broke blood vessels and tore his heart into pieces.
Ethan saw a window appear at the last moment of his vision.
[Achievement Achieved!]
[Achievement: Skill Creation]
[Reward: Skill - Heart Burst (D)]
[Reward: Experience Points 12]
[Reward: D-rank Lottery Coupon]
This was the first magic Ethan had created by himself.
∞
"...What's an achievement?"
<You can think of it as a hidden Quest.>
"What are the conditions for a skill?"
<It can be described as a useful technique that many people cannot easily follow.>
"Is suicide useful?"
<It wouldn't be for other people, but it is for User.>
That was true.
Three more Quests appeared for Ethan.
[Quest Activated!]
[Quest: Survive for 90 days (C)]
[Reward: Experience Points 60]
[Reward: C-rank Lottery Coupon]
If Ethan's calculations were correct, he had exceeded 90 days in a previous life.
Perhaps the Quest was proposing to survive for a similar number of days 'one more time'.
The next two were concerning.
[Quest Activated!]
[Quest: Defeat Shirund Zen (B)]
[Reward: 480]
[Reward: B-rank Lottery Coupon]
Ethan thought.
'I don't particularly want to see Shirund Zen again.'
And a Quest of the same rank.
[Quest Activated!]
[Quest: Why is the Empire trying to kill Terra's Black Mages? (B)]
[Reward: 480]
[Reward: B-rank Lottery Coupon]
Although it was a publicly known fact, after experiencing it directly, it was clear that the treatment of Terra's Black Mages by the Empire was different.
However, in Ethan's opinion, while it was understandable that the treatment of Black Mages themselves was bad, there was no particular reason to treat Terra's Black Mages differently from other Black Mages.
This was a strange part.
<Although the thought that Machine God Demi is better than other invaders because it is relatively moderate might be due to mental contamination...>
<I don't do such things.>
Demi said.
<User, I don't know if you remember, but you must leave Limbo quickly after death.>
"Yeah, yeah."
As Ethan was about to pass Demi and leave Limbo, Demi said.
<But what do you plan to do for the next course of action?>
He had to find out information about the Imperial Inquisition and the Empire.
However, expecting Bien to be a friend or colleague seemed like the wrong choice after all.
Ethan opened the door and looked back at Demi.
"Should I go a different way after all?"
∞
After passing the test with fireworks and hearing Arka's grumbling and belated congratulations, Ethan headed to Bien's room.
In his coat was the Glock 45 wrapped in cloth.
When Ethan knocked on the door, Bien looked at Ethan with a frown.
"Who is this... Ethan?"
"Is this the first time we're greeting each other? Did you know about me?"
"You can't help but know about the existence of a notorious ruffian, even if you don't want to."
"Oh, really?"
As Ethan took a step into the room, Bien blocked him with his body.
"What is it?"
"I need to talk to you."
"Do it here."
Ethan looked around. He already knew no one was there, so he was doing it for Bien to see.
"Let me properly introduce myself again. I am Ethan, under Sirund Zen of the Madowon."
"Black Magic has been discovered at the school."
"...Yes?"
Ethan put the Glock 45 into Bien's arms.
Bien looked at the handgun and was surprised, letting Ethan into the room.
Bien said.
"What happened?"
"I should ask you first. What happened? Isn't your mission to monitor the existence of Black Mages?"
"That's right, but... an object like this is..."
Ethan pushed Bien's shoulder, seating him in a chair.
"You have significant suspicion points against you."
"You'll have to tell me everything you know."