Surviving as a Villain at the Academy

186 – Turning the Tower Upside Down. (5)

At the sudden appearance of the small sun before me, I swallowed a hollow laugh. By the standards of Asti, the Tower Master’s realm was indeed distant.

Right away, the ashen faces of the others were proof of that.

But why?

Looking at that absurdly small sun, I felt, inexplicably, that I could block it.

No, rather, I felt a surprising confidence that I could try. Perhaps it was because I had fought against all sorts of astonishing humans when I acquired Salus. It seemed like my standard for strength had significantly risen within me.

I never intended to hide the existence of Salus forever. I had openly revealed it to my father for the same reason, so there was no reason I couldn’t use it here and now.

The small, blue sun flew towards us. The heat emanating from the blue-burning sun was beyond imagination, and even from afar, the heat was palpably transmitted to our skin.

Had it not been for Adrian’s barrier, our skin would have surely melted away.

Before the sun could reach us, I drew out Salus. A vast mana spread out, and the antique sword revealed itself. Holding Salus, I stepped forward without hesitation.

“Are you sure? I can handle it.”

That’s when I heard Asti’s voice, tinged with concern. But I shook my head. I felt that I could do it.

“I feel like I can do it.”

“…Understood. If it seems too dangerous, I’ll stop you immediately, so go ahead and try.”

“Alright.”

I can feel the magic coursing through my body. Following that, the power and experience of the spirits residing in Salus are transmitted to me.

And I was able to fully embrace that power. In other words, it wasn’t a force I couldn’t handle. I was already their master, the chosen one of Salus.

The power of the spirits I had subdued within Salus’s inner world is gradually conveyed to me.

The sword in my hand trembles, and I feel as one with the sword. It’s as if the entire strength of my being is boiling, just like when mental strength becomes power in the inner world of Salus.

At this moment, I’m confident I can cleave through the blue sun and shatter the barrier that covers the front of the sorcerer’s tower.

Before I know it, I’m moving beyond the barrier. In that state, I grasp the sword and take my stance—the one I haven’t missed a single day since I fell into this world.

“Senior, it’s dangerous…!”

The moment Adrian cries out the danger, I swing my sword. The sword technique that shattered Bellator’s sky-splitting move unfolds, just as it did within Salus’s inner world.

———!

As the sound ceases, Salus and the blazing blue sun collide.

The moment the sun and the sword meet, I realize my conviction was right. I can annihilate this sun. And that means…

I can overpower the sorcerer’s tower master.

Despite the overwhelming magical force of the blue sun swirling around, my sword advances straight and cleaves through the blue sun. The split sun disperses, leaving only the afterglow of magic.

“…What.”

The sorcerer’s tower master, unable to believe what I’ve done, widens his eyes. But it wasn’t a story limited to him alone.

Everyone in this space is looking at me.

…I knew this would happen, but it’s still not something I’m used to.

“Senior, what was that just now?”

Even Adrian, who knows how well I can fight, is staring at me with wide eyes, so imagine the shock the others must have felt.

But now is not the time to be concerned about the reactions of those around me. The goal is to quickly dispose of the sorcerer’s tower master.

After all, Aimee and Sloth will take care of it, so all I have to do is grab the sorcerer’s tower master by the hair, and it’s over.

The sorcerer’s tower master’s confusion lasts quite a while. Normally, he would have prepared another spell as soon as he saw his magic blocked, but he seems unable to comprehend that a young, green boy like me has blocked his magic.

And if a magician shows such an opening during battle, it’s as good as making a fatal mistake. An old man stuck in his ways. It seems his sense of battle has grown old from disuse.

Empowered by Salus, my body surges forward with explosive speed. The distance closes in an instant.

Having reached right in front of the sorcerer’s tower master, I swing my sword.

Kwaang!

However, my sword strike fails to inflict any harm on the sorcerer’s tower master. Indeed, no matter how outdated his senses may be, a great sorcerer is still a great sorcerer.

A magical barrier was cast in a moment’s notice.

Magic hastily cast usually falls short in efficacy, but it seems the Tower Master, unrestricted by the amount of magic, managed to form a barrier of brute strength even in haste.

But… it was only a matter of time before cracks began to appear in the barrier he had created.

“What in the world…!”

His expression contorted. It was a look of disbelief at the situation unfolding before him.

I didn’t answer his question. Why bother? Engaging in conversation during a battle with a sorcerer, giving them time, is a fool’s errand.

Silently, I poured the power residing within me into the Tower Master. The cracks in his magical barrier began to widen.

Several sorcerers were preparing spells to support the Tower Master, but their magic was already flowing into him. How effective could their spells be in such a situation?

The moment I realized their magic wasn’t particularly strong, the tide of battle dramatically shifted.

Adrian and the forces led by my father began to suppress the sorcerers.

The Tower Master probably thought he could overwhelm us with just one blue sun. But that wasn’t the case. Our strength was not to be underestimated, too much for the Tower’s regular sorcerers to handle.

I thought we had gained the upper hand.

“That was surprising.”

The Tower Master’s expression relaxed, the previous dismay gone.

“To think the magic I painstakingly prepared would crumble so easily. It’s disconcerting… but did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared for unexpected situations?”

That’s what he said until…

Indeed, he must have prepared something. It couldn’t end like this. Despite claims of being out of touch, this man was the head of the massive group known as the Tower.

The Empire’s Tower, a place dedicated to researching magic for slaughter. Especially the Tower Master, who had often played a significant role in battles of the past, wouldn’t have been unprepared for such a situation.

I silently infused power into the Tower Master’s longsword. The cracks accelerated, and finally, the Tower Master’s magical barrier shattered.

But.

As the magical barrier broke, the Tower Master, who should have been before me, vanished suddenly.

At the same time, the space around twisted, and the interior of the Tower began to change.

As the scenery changed abruptly, my companions looked around, bewildered.

“What is this…!”

“The sorcerers have disappeared!”

Especially the knights, who had been suppressing the sorcerers until just moments ago, couldn’t hide their deep confusion as the sorcerers vanished.

[Sorcerers are those who prepare. I knew such a situation would come someday.]

The Tower Master’s voice echoed in the void.

[Did His Majesty say to govern the Tower’s deviation as treason? His Majesty is indeed merciless. But… now that I’ve come this far, I have no intention of stopping. If I can move forward, if I can abandon this aged body and walk the path of magic forever… what does a mere charge of treason matter?]

-Astie. What has the Tower Master done?

I hurriedly asked Asti. Although my magical knowledge had increased considerably, I couldn’t fathom the bizarre magic performed by a wizard of the Tower Master’s caliber.

“It’s a kind of barrier. A barrier that deceives the target’s perception through illusions and hallucinations. Of course, since a Tower Master has used such magic, he must have drawn from the very depths of his mana, so you don’t have to worry about other spells suddenly flying at us. However…”

“However?”

“You said it shows illusions and hallucinations, right? But if someone’s perception itself is twisted and they encounter any illusion or hallucination, they will perceive it as reality in that moment.”

“Ah.”

“And right now, this place is teeming with people. As such, all sorts of bizarre things will appear, and if you’re affected by them, there’s a possibility your mind could die. The mind will accept these strange things as real entities. And if you die in that state… you’ll never wake up again. It’s a barrier that truly kills the mind. Definitely a high-level spell. It’s clear why he’s not called the Tower Master for nothing.”

“What’s the countermeasure?”

“Strong mental fortitude.”

“Strong mental fortitude… It feels like taking Salus’s test.”

“That’s right. This space is no different from one where the mind becomes strength. Didn’t I say? This space is where ‘perception’ gets twisted. That means… depending on your perception, you could become stronger.”

“But no matter how strong I become, it’ll be a problem if I can’t find the Tower Master. He’s in this space, isn’t he?”

“Yes. Right now, the Tower Master and his minions are all in the same space as us. It’s just that you and the others have been deceived, so you can’t see them.”

“…I see.”

I’m slowly getting the hang of it. How to counter the Tower Master’s magic.

“You don’t want to help me because you want me to handle it myself, right?”

“Yes. There’s a good chance we’ll face even worse situations than this… It’s necessary to gain experience. I’ll give it a try. In the meantime, you help the others.”

“I know that much without you saying… If you’re in danger, I’ll move immediately, so just be aware of that.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

“Thanks? Between us?”