NOVEL NEXT chapter 57
Chapter 57
Crack!
One thousand five hundred sixty-five.
Crack!
One thousand five hundred sixty-six.
Crack!
One thousand five hundred sixty-seven… Huh?
While amplifying Caliculea’s nerve function with cursed magic and swinging the club, in the midst of it.
A feeling of the world brightening.
Suddenly feeling like a huge door that had been blocking the passage of knowledge was opening.
Clarity in the mind and a sense of expansion of the mysterious world known so far.
If it were Liam, perhaps a status window would pop up with such a sentence.
Ding!
The curse magic has reached the “Resolution” level!
A smile formed.
They recognized they were getting closer. So, when facing Caliculea this time, only cursed magic was used without employing the job skill. Constantly depleting the mana of the creature needing to be subdued ultimately proved to be beneficial.
“Kill…”
The enigmatic creature that was Caliculea just a few hours ago now contorted grotesquely, making one shudder just by looking at its repulsive mouth.
After surpassing a thousand, it no longer screamed. It had been losing consciousness and waking up repeatedly, facing a nightmarish moment.
Upon realizing a fact while bringing down the club, I hadn’t set a limit on the number of times in our bet. Up to a thousand, I had been merciful, allowing the creature to scream, so I had planned to show mercy until precisely two thousand.
Truly, the nobility’s conscience, isn’t it.
Caliculea, who doesn’t even know my deep intentions, chews on feeble words like “please kill me.”
Oh, the match isn’t over yet… Nothing to be done.
“Let’s call it a draw. I’m quite conflicted too. If you’re to be a hero to save the world, you should have a stronger heart. Being so kind.”
Caliculea’s mouth twitches, but no other words are heard. Even if you don’t flutter like a fish, it’s alright since you already know everything you’re curious about.
“You were curious about my total mana capacity. You must have reached the level of Resolution. I shall specially reveal the truth to you.”
Whether you understand is another matter.
To the refined truth.
I grabbed the guy by the hair and made him look into my eyes. It’s important now to speak, but the atmosphere won’t come alive if the other person just stares at the ground, lost in thought.
I see the bloodshot eyes of Calicoolia. My reflection in them seems to be somewhat pleased with the current situation.
“It’s a possession bonus.”
Why did Liam gain the deceptive weapon called a status window when he possessed a novel? The dimwit used that one thing to become the protagonist of the story and stood in front of the main characters.
So, even if I were to gain something similar, it wouldn’t be strange.
Not a status window, but something akin to it.
For instance, possessing a transcendent level of talent in terms of mana capacity. Although I haven’t reached that level yet as a mage, if I were to receive an infinite talent for mana that could achieve it.
Wouldn’t you understand the current situation?
“Do you understand?”
In response to my question, a faint voice escapes Calicoolia’s twisted lips. It’s so feeble that one must strain to hear, but it manages to slip through those lips.
『Ki…ll…』
The lifeless eyes lost their spark long ago. Whether he snapped out of it at that moment or not, he just keeps repeating the request to kill.
He seems quite broken.
“This is troublesome. In this state, it’s hard to get an answer to my question… Well, then, that’ll do.”
It was torture planned and executed from the start, but I said it for no reason. This is a stage. I thought a suitable performance was necessary. Like a habit from my current life.
I lifted most of the curses I had placed on Calicoolia. Now, a different curse requires high concentration and skill.
To hear the information I desire clearly, I need to ignore other distracting elements.
I shook a small vial in Calicoolia’s arms. A small bug with a pointed sting inside reacts. It seems irritated as it bumps its tiny body against the vial.
I asked Calicoolia.
He has the obligation to answer.
“Why target Erica in the Form Realm?”
Calicoolia heard from Borg, that stalker guy, that Erica had the goddess bug.
From that moment on, the hypothesis was confirmed.
In the original setting, Erica was being observed through Borg. Her magic and tendencies were not the focus of Borg, but they were being analyzed.
Meanwhile, ‘coincidentally,’ Erica, who was caught in the rain on her anniversary with Bargan, entered the theater alone and unsuspectingly encountered Calicoolia, who was preparing. She received the goddess bug injection.
The goddess bug, the divine insect, Altif’s seed.
Known by various names, it entered Erica’s body through the sting of Calicoolia. The bug was a creature that had fed on Calicoolia’s blood. It moved under his command, taking advantage of moments when Erica couldn’t resist to complete the task.
The task refers to the transformation process.
Intellectual beings like Altif cannot reproduce, but mindless beings are different. They use tentacles with stingers to induce various cell and DNA modifications in human bodies, calling this reproduction.
The intellect of the individual who undergoes reproduction is destroyed, turning into another priest-class Altif. They continue the lineage in this way.
With the sting of such an Altif, improved bugs were created – they are the divine insects.
…
It’s a gruesome affair.
Whenever Calicoolia commands, the bug is ready to transform Erica into an ‘Altif.’ He uses this as a threat to manipulate Erica.
No, he would have manipulated her.
Erica is the antagonist. Kind information to understand her inevitable tragic death was not provided.
Therefore, I speculated.
Knowing her true nature, Bargan, I.
I guessed the time when she started behaving erratically at the academy, officially adopting the role of the antagonist.
I have reached the current part of the story.
This is the reason why I had to propose a lunch date to Erika at least ten times before. At that time, I didn’t know about Calicula in the background.
“Erika… she…”
Calicula, who was lost in his subconscious, continues speaking.
Why did the shapeshifters target her?
There’s no need to know for sure, as one could guess.
They simply moved as written in the scriptures. In the end, they would have targeted her, following the instructions in the scriptures. The reason is just an additional detail.
Why?
For what reason?
How come?
“…Because she resembles… the goddess.”
No, it’s not that, Calicula.
You’re mistaken. The essence of why the shapeshifters approached Erika is not to depict the appearance of the goddess.
Even if the shapeshifters carved hundreds of images of the goddess, there was only one resembling Erika.
“Let me tell you. The reason you approached Erika was…”
To advance the story of the novel.
That’s all there is to it.
Crack?!
I shattered his head as it was. No matter how much of a monster Calicula may be, he no longer moves. He does not regenerate.
He welcomes complete death, exiting the stage in the play.
“….”
Blood splattered as I shattered his head.
I take out a handkerchief and wipe my face.
At times like this, I wish there was a convenient magic like Clean Magic, but unfortunately, such magic does not exist in this world.
I rethink.
No matter how noble the reasons given, the essence remains unchanged. Ultimately, all the characters in this novel exist and are created to follow the predetermined ending and development.
Borg’s infatuation and stalking of Erika.
Calicula meeting Erika as written in the scriptures.
Erika coincidentally entering the Goddess’ Sect.
And even Bargan’s death.
Every element is a track leading to the conclusion of the novel.
Kwaak.
The strength in the hand holding the cudgel increased.
I didn’t make a sound or show exaggerated movements, but my message was clear.
I think firmly so as not to miss anything.
Now, look.
Erika, who should have been enrolled in the Goddess’ Sect, lost that possibility.
Her sudden devotion to the goddess from that day onwards does not add up, and to follow the existing history, another revolution would be necessary.
It’s twisted.
To reach the goal, one must lose the advantage of knowing the future, so I will twist it as you wish.
Look.
Watch closely.
For the development after my change!
***
11:05 PM.
Academy professors entered the theater where Bargan and Erika were present.
“We’ve been waiting.”
It was Bargan who greeted Louisa.
He stood on the blood-stained stage under the yellow light. In the center lay a barely recognizable body, likely a Grade 1 Bishop.
The professors tried to understand the current situation, despite the severe damage. The Altiframe in human form was unmistakably a Grade 1 Bishop.
Unbelievable. A first-year student from the Academy killed a Bishop.
Louisa, who was at the forefront, quickly glanced at Bargan and the sleeping Erika in the audience. It seemed they were unharmed.
She stepped forward angrily. With a stern look, she faced Bargan.
“What do you think I will say, Senior?”
“Should I praise you for catching the Bishop?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
Her anger resonated through the theater with magic. The other professors who came with her were frozen, unable to react.
Bargan remained indifferent.
In his view, he had done nothing wrong.
Louisa’s anger intensified at Bargan’s nonchalant demeanor.
She knew this would happen. That’s why she had asked what would happen if she were late, clearly revealing her mana’s presence.
“Did you find it amusing when I told you to run if you see anything above a Bishop? Is that why you did something so reckless?!”
“You caught him unharmed, didn’t you?”
“A Bishop?! It’s not just about brute force!”
“…”
Bargan understood why she was so angry.
The death of anything above a Bishop is immediately known to all Altiframes. The murderer leaves traces visible only to them.
Those traces, like a tag, gather attention from Altiframes as they pile up.
Bargan sniffed that first scent.
“The higher beings in his group will start targeting you. Archbishops, Prelates! Do you think you’ll be safe even if they appear before you now?!”
Louisa grabbed Bargan by the collar and shook him.
She was worried about Bargan. Even among heroes, newcomers are particularly vulnerable because their faint scent makes them easy targets.
They kill before they grow stronger.
They cut before they mature.
Altiframes of intellectual beings are cunning and smart. Without strong defense, they will run after that faint scent like beasts.
“Academia acts as a barrier, so it’s fine.”
The reason Altiframes don’t ambush institutions that foster heroes is because their defenses are extremely solid.
Louisa tightened her grip on Bargan’s collar, countering even more firmly.
“From now on, no place you go will be safe. You won’t spend your whole life rotting away in Academia, nor will you utter a single word about X.”
“What can a hero do, fearing the enemy? It’s rather a moment to welcome them with open arms.”
“Even if this guy…!”
“Oh, hold on, hold on. Louisa. I understand you’re angry. But first, shouldn’t we check if there are any injuries! What are you waiting for, Doya… No, Bargan! I’ll hold this muscleman down. Hurry, go over there.”
Paula, who had intervened, grabs Louisa’s arms. It’s hard to handle Louisa’s strength, but she manages to block it by drawing out her magic.
Bargan, who slipped away from Louisa, tries to step back.
They will take care of the aftermath themselves.
“But, you really have to be careful from now on.”
Paula sends a worried message to Bargan. Her eyes, filled with light, tremble.
Even a bishop can handle any professor at Academia. But after that, it’s really…
“We can’t handle even the Second Hazard Group, starting from the Archbishops.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Bargan slightly nods his head. Then, he swiftly picks up the sleeping Erika and leaves his spot.
It was the first time he showed courtesy to Paula.
Paula watches him leave. She feels uneasy. Bargan, the third son of the illustrious Schuengartz. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was twisted about him.