Chapter 42
“‘What, you’ll block for me?’ Lian Qi jumped in fright, even that small tuft of ahoge1 on her head bounced.”
Before I could explain, she frowned and said in a scolding tone: “There’s a limit to how reckless you can be, you know?”
“‘But, this is the best solution I can think of right now,’ I said with a smile, scratching my cheek with one finger.”
She stared at me, pursing her lips anxiously, a look of complete worry on her face.
“‘How did you become even more reckless than me?‘”
“‘I’m not! Stop hesitating. Hurry up, don’t drag this out. Every second, people are being hit by the Heaven’s Judgment System.‘”
I pushed her toward the magic tower.
Lian Qi definitely couldn’t win this argument against me. After all, she had seen with her own eyes that I could block the Heaven’s Judgment System’s beams!
When we reached the base of the tower, Lian Qi placed her hand on the magic matrix. Before using magic, she turned her head to look at me—“Be careful.”
I gave her an OK sign with the hammer in hand.
“‘I will protect you.‘”
“‘I’m telling you to be careful.‘”
“‘Ah…‘”
I nodded repeatedly.
Next, she stood right under the nose of the Heaven’s Judgment System and used magic without hesitation.
I stood beside her, staring intently at the magic crystal prism that was still firing beams toward the royal capital, waiting with bated breath!—
One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.
Remember how Lian Qi destroyed that timed-collapse magic array in under five minutes under high pressure?
This time, no matter how long it took her, I would stand here and protect her until the Heaven’s Judgment System stopped operating.
At that moment, the magic crystal prism on top of the tower suddenly changed direction and locked onto Lian Qi.
What, it detected Lian Qi using magic that quickly!?
The magic crystal prism flashed, firing a beam! I moved in front ofLian Qi and raised the hammer to block.
With a loud BANG! The impact numbed both my arms. I staggered back a few steps until I was right in front of Lian Qi, having barely withstood the attack.
“‘Are you okay??’ Lian Qi glanced at me, asking with a nervous face.”
“‘I’m fine. Don’t get distracted. Concentrate on destroying the magic matrix. Don’t worry about me.‘”
I held the hissing, smoking hammer, watching for the Heaven’s Judgment System’s next attack.
It’d be impossible to say I wasn’t nervous. My palms were sweaty gripping the hammer.
“‘I won’t let you get your way!‘”
I snapped my head around. Einstein, bursting with deep purple magic power, was lunging at me!
Why is he interfering at this exact moment????
As he lunged, he simultaneously cast magic, pulling a stream of ethereal darkness from the rippling air and striking at me!
I instinctively raised the hammer to block, and it collided! The hook at the end of that thing caught the hammer’s long handle, scraping out sparks!
My first reaction—so heavy!
Even heavier than when the Dragoon’s claw smashed down!
While parrying, I took a closer look—it was a long, thin rod with a hook at the end, like a crowbar.
I was stunned—
“‘Transmutation-type magic…‘”
“‘This is the crystallization of my life’s study of magic!‘”
Hmph, forced to reveal his magic. He must be at his wit’s end, right?
“‘Fei’er!’ Lian Qi stopped and looked at me.”
“‘Don’t worry about me.‘”
After speaking to Lian Qi, I spun the hammer, using my shoulder as a pivot to swing it from my right shoulder to my left.
This swing didn’t hit Einstein, but it forced him to jump back, creating distance between us.
I glanced at Lian Qi and the magic crystal prism. Even though Lian Qi had interrupted her magic, the Heaven’s Judgment System still locked onto her at this very moment!?
It’s truly one wave after another!
I quickly rushed forward, blocking the beam with my hammer the instant it fired at Lian Qi!
Ugh—! The impact nearly made me lose my footing and fall. Both my arms felt like they’d been broken, it hurt so much—but I still sighed in relief.
Good thing I made it in time!
Before my shock had settled, Einstein’s voice suddenly came from my side—“Looking around during a fight?”
That brief moment of distraction was all Einstein needed to seize the opening. The instant he landed from his back jump, he dived toward me again.
I tilted my head slightly. The rod’s crowbar hook grazed past my ear. So close!
This guy…
He’s clearly old, and he’s a magic scholar, so why is he so good at fighting?
I have to watch out for Lian Qi, to prevent her from being hit by the Heaven’s Judgment System, so I’m a bit distracted. This Einstein guy is—so annoying!!!
I swung the hammer with both hands, making it spin like a windmill in front of my chest. Einstein had to retract his crowbar, and I used the opportunity to create distance.
Thank goodness I learned more than just Whac-A-Mole from that person back then; I also learned techniques for dealing with gophers that get too close. Otherwise, it would be a huge problem once he got in close!
“‘Give up the struggle. You’ve already lost!’ I said.”
Einstein was noncommittal, continuing to attack me frantically with the crowbar!
Hmph, still so stubborn. I deflected left, parried right, knocking away the rain-like attacks!
“‘You’re a magician too. You also know that magic is a miracle born from hope, right? Why must you suppress magic!‘”
“‘The day my sister died, I lost all hope!’ Einstein’s voice was almost a roar. He switched to his right hand, raised it high, and smashed at me!
Filled with anger, I spun the hammer in my left palm, then…
At the same time, he also swung his crowbar and smashed at me!
The instant the hammer and crowbar collided, the ground beneath our feet burst open. Spiderweb-like cracks exploded, and the pillars of the corridor also collapsed from the shock.
Rubble poured down.
After the exchange, I stood my ground, while Einstein retreated nearly ten meters. At that moment, the Heaven’s Judgment System locked onto him.
However, he didn’t give up. He picked up his crowbar and was about to rush me, just as…
The magic tower’s magic crystal prism aimed at its inventor and fired a fatal beam.
“‘Hey, watch out—’”
I had just shouted, but I saw this scene—Einstein, facing the beam shooting toward him, actually closed his eyes.
In an instant, the beam pierced his chest. He staggered back a few steps and collapsed to the ground.
He clutched the gushing, unfillable wound in his chest…
I stood frozen, staring blankly at Einstein in the pool of blood, my heart unable to calm down for a long time. I didn’t even know when Lian Qi had come to my side.
She gently patted my shoulder, comforting me: “He knew his time was up,2 so he calmly chose self-destruction. Death at the hands of his own invention… He probably felt it was the best ending.‘”
“‘You’re saying he used magic on purpose?‘”