Chaptah 24: The Wonders of Solar Arts

"Then... at least, tell me who threw that canteen."

Richie said he was planning to make friends with them, just like what Toriel said.

The referee pointed down the stage.

"Oh, It's him.'

Rolly looked at where he was pointing, he saw Insig looking at him worriedly.

'Its.... him?'

Rolly looked at him in shock, he didn't think that he would actually save him.

'It really worked?'

Insig was surprised that his plan worked. It was unconventional that a level 10 attack could actually be negated by a level 1 material.

'I guess that's just how light is. I have to say though, I'm quite glad that even though this is a different world, nature is still the same.'

Insig was delighted, but not for too long. He suddenly discovered that Zowie's aura seemed to change. It transformed from a sacred dawn that disperses all evil, to a comfortable, dreamy, and warm light.

"[Solar Arts : Forgetful Daylight]."

Zowie said in a majestic and indifferent voice, like he was above all life. It was like the person who said it was not Zowie.

Insig can't look at Zowie because of too much brightness, but he felt that his murderous intent was directed at him.

'F*ck!'

Insig immediately felt danger signs and tried to run, but Zowie was too fast. Just a swing of his hand and Insig was already attacked.

Insig suddenly felt that he was basking in the morning sun, ignoring all of his problems. It was as if he's lying in a comfortable cloud, facing the warm sunlight, caressing his face.

He immediately felt relaxed and sleepy. His thought process slowed down considerably and his eyes were as heavy as led.

Suddenly, his necklace lit up and the mana crystal moved. The mental energy protected him from being beguiled.

At the same time, at the [Library].

"Hmm?"

'The necklace activated? What happened?'

The Librarian was reading a book when he felt that the mental energy he hid in the necklace activated. He closed his eyes and tried to sense where Insig was.

'The...east of the camp.... the [Public Field]? I remember there was going to be a show there... hmm... Whatever, let's just go in-case there's danger.'

Back at the [Field].

Insig opened his eyes in shock and he was sweating bullets. He looked around and saw that almost all of the soldiers were in a deep slumber.

'This... its... bewitching magic?'

Insig's jaw was wide-open, he didn't think that light magic could actually make thousands of people sleep.

His heartbeat accelerated and he was breathing heavily, not because of nervousness, but because of amazement.

'A— Awesome! He used light to make people sleep! That's ingenious!

'Wait— What am I doing? Insig! There's no time to be amazed. Get yourself together!'

Realizing his inappropriate reaction, Insig hurriedly collected his wandering thoughts and thought about his plans.

'What do I do now? Should I wake them up? Can I wake them up?'

Insig nervously thought due to panic. He tried to wake Rolly up by shaking his body and screaming at his ears.

"Hey! Wake up! Idiot! Ugly! Stupid! Horny Bastard! Hey!"

Insig kept calling out to him, but it was no use.

'Is it because of the light? That's why they can't wake up? What should I do? Damn it! I'm so weak!'

Insig was panicking and he felt helpless at his weakness. He felt his eyes were slightly hot and tears were about to fall.

He has always been weak emotionally, he remembers getting scared by a pup in the past. He also remembers getting mad just because he was thrash talked.

'No! I need to grow up! If I can't find a method, then I have to make my own method.'

Insig takes a deep breath to calm down. He  reviews his weakness and strength, as well as the problem.

'I can only heal and ATTACK living beings, I can BLOCK his attacks, and I CAN attack him. EVERYONE at this point is asleep already, I'm only by MYSELF. The problem is that dreamy morning LIGHT.'

The missing resolution of Insig was back, there was no longer any hint of panic in his eyes.

Insig magics a spear of life energy, but inside it was death energy. He carefully aimed at the Zowie who was still casting his spell.

Insig takes a deep breath. He raises up his hand that was tightly holding the spear. He went into stance with one of his feet behind, parallel to his raised hand.

Insig calms his emotions and aims carefully. The morning sunlight blurred his vision, it looked like the space and air was twisting in heat. But he still focused with all he had.

He looked at the bright Zowie with bloodshot eyes, he looked fierce as he removed any fear in his heart and replaced it with resolution.'

'I have to do this! Go!'

Insig raises his front feet, and moves his center of gravity towards his standing feet.

After that, he stomped his raised feet and twisted his body to move his center of gravity towards his raised hand, transferring all of the force and weight into it.

Insig throws the spear with all his might. He slightly tripped because he was too focused on attacking.

'D— Did I do it?'

Insig looked forward expectantly. He saw the spear was slowly moving towards Zowie.

'Hmm? That ant didn't fall asleep? And what is this? A spear made of life magic?  How skeptical.'

Zowie was frowning at suspicion.

'There must be a catch... but almost all of the ants are asleep, there's no one who can ambush me.... What's with this?'

Zowie felt a foreboding feeling, but he didn't dodge.

'Damn it! If my spell is disrupted, that ant might just take the opportunity to wake them up! I have to take a risk!'

'He's not dodging it...? That's a relief.'

Insig breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered that the enemy didn't dodge his attack.

'If he didn't dodge it, that means that it's not worth dodging it. He must be doing something more.... important.'

'Here it comes.'

Zowie braces himself. When the spear made contact with his body, it automatically entered it like entering a bubble, bypassing all of his defenses.

Zowie suddenly felt rejuvenated, he felt like energy was coursing throughout his body. His cells were shaking in excitement, blood stream faster, and his mind was relaxed.

*Seconds later*

After the life energy was depleted, the death energy was released. It wreaked havoc everywhere, like an insatiable beast eating everything that moves.

'Wait a minute.... I won't accidentally kill him, right? What if I accidentally killed the squad leader? Won't I be punished then?'

Insig's heart pounded faster in nervousness. But he was worrying for the wrong person.

Zowie felt danger but he couldn't focus his mind because of too much ecstasy. His mana heart moved subconsciously to negate the magic. Since it was only a level 5 attack, it was eliminated within minutes.

*Huff*²

Zowie was breathing heavily while sweating bullets.

'THAT DAMN RAT! HE'S F*CKING DEAD!'

Zowie smirked fiercely while looking at Insig's shocked face.

"Hahaha! You damn rat! You have successfully irritated me, because of that, I'll grant you the honor of dying at my hands!"

(AN: Did I say it right? It's really hard constructing English.)

"Ummh... can I decline the honor?"

Insig said nervously but Zowie ignored him.

"[Solar Arts: Invigorating Light]."

'Oh no! It's here!'

Insig braces himself for any attack, he transfers his life energy to his body.

The runes surrounding Zowie transformed. From a dreamy and comforting sunlight, to a refreshing and rejuvenating sun.

Zowie's body seemed to flush in red as he basked in the vitality of the sun. All of his internal wounds immediately healed.

Insig suddenly felt like a plant basking in the sun, although it is hot, it is also his source of food. Insig saw that wherever the light touches, vitality would flow through it.

The ground was full of sprouting grass and flowers, they were rising towards the sky, reaching for the sunlight.

A hint of floral scent was carried by the breeze, waking Insig up.

'Huh?..... Oh....  Ummh... Where's the attack? Oh, Wait.... Ahh, that's right! I have to wake up everyone!'

Insig panicked slightly and intensely shook Rolly.

"Bastard! You better wake up! It's embarrassing waking people up, you know!"

'Do you know what would happen if I wake up sleeping people? They would punch me in the face! That's why you gotta be my shield!'

Insig once experienced waking people up, only to get punched. It traumatized him back then.

*In the dreamland*

Rolly was lying on the beach, there were 10 beautiful girls around him, serving him. One was feeding him food, while the others were massaging his feet, head, muscles, and down there.

The rising sun dyed the horizon a beautiful color of golden orange. The blue sea surged and blended with the color of the sunrise. The seagulls squawked as they dove towards the sea, hunting for fishes.

'Ahh~. This is life.'

Rolly closed his eyes in ecstasy. This was his dream life! To enjoy the beauty of the world with no worries! Look at all around him! Beauty, beauty, beauty, and beauty!

But all of this ended when suddenly, an earthquake of magnitude 15 shook the world.

'Wha— What is this?'

Rolly panicked slightly, he saw that the girls screamed in fright and ducked their heads. He saw that the sea level lowered by a large margin.

The space in the horizon cracked, showing the void behind. Behind it was all black, and it seemed to suck all of the air towards it.

'Wha— What is this?'

Rolly felt his heart breaking, his dream life was ruined, his girls died, and he felt angry.

Suddenly, Rolly seems to hear a faint voice calling out to him.

".....Rolly.... .... up!.... -stars!...."

Rolly seems to see a faint silhouette of a young man beside him, shaking with all he has.

"WHAT IS IT?"

Rolly said in an irritated voice, yet the person seemed like he didn't hear him. The voice grew louder and the shaking intensified.

"HEY! STOP!"

Rolly screamed in irritation, but it didn't stop. He was breathing heavily and his eyes had a hint of red.

"BASTARD! IF YOU WON'T STOP, THEN I'LL MAKE YOU!"

Rolly punched the silhouette with all his might, he suddenly seems to hear a sound.

*Thud*

*In Reality*

Rolly woke up and saw Seiki on the floor, he was smashed so hard in the face that it was slightly crooked.

'Huh.... What happened?'

Rolly was confused, he suddenly saw his fist was stretched and Insig was reproachfully looking at him with watery eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Rolly immediately asked and helped him up.

Hearing his question, Insig snapped.

"WHAT "Are you okay?"? DO I LOOK LIKE I'M OKAY? AND YOU'RE THE ONE WHO PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE AND YOU'RE GONNA ASK ME IF I'M OKAY???"

Insig was breathing heavily while touching his aching jaw. He looked like he was going to cry any minute.

'You bastard! I'm only trying to help, yet you even punched me! Bastard Rolly, from this day forth, I curse you till my last breath. May your d*ck stop rising and growing. May your face scare all the girls in the universe. And may you not find your one true love!'

Insig glared at Rolly hatefully. Rolly suddenly felt cold in his spine, his hair stood on all its ends.

'Wait... punch him in the face? Don't tell me...'

Rolly remembered his dream and suddenly felt awkward.

"I— I'm sorry okay?"

Rolly tried to comfort Insig, when Insig said to him.

"If you're really sorry, then wake up all of them."

"Sure."

Insig pointed at all of the soldiers. Rolly subconsciously answered and apologized again.

After a second, he immediately stood up and approached the surrounding soldiers. Rolly seemed to hear a faint whisper behind him.

'I hope you get punched too.'

"What was that?"

Rolly turned around and looked at Insig. Insig immediately smiled and looked at him perplexingly.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Oh... it's nothing."

'Wasn't he was crying just seconds ago? Why is he smiling now?'

Rolly looked at him weirdly and immediately woke the soldiers.

Unfortunately for Insig, he took the easy way to wake the soldiers, he breathed in deeply and screamed in a low voice.

"ATTENTION SOLDIERS!"

Hearing that, the soldiers subconsciously woke up. They immediately stood upright and put their hands behind.

This was because they were traumatized. When they were trainees, they had to suffer from being forcibly woken up. It was already embedded in their souls and bones.

The soldiers looked around in confusion and suddenly remembered all the things that happened.

Insig looked despairingly at Rolly.

'What? You can actually do that? Then what did I get punched for?!'

Insig looked like he was about to cry any second.