Chapter 46: Chapter 46
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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Final Blow
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The Tenth Apostle.
The Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird possesses three unique characteristics.
[Miniaturization][Fortitude][High-Speed Movement]
It moves at high speed with a small, tough body.
Its speed is so immense that it resembles the striking of thunder.
This is the definition of the Thunderbird.
As soon as the Thunderbird appeared, Sharin sacrificed her staff and activated a spell.
Sharin had also seen the Thunderbird when Iris's team fought it.
That's why she unleashed a large-scale spell, intending to finish it then and there.
Kwagagagagagagak!
White flames engulfed everything around them, just as they were about to incinerate the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird vanished.
Kugung!
With a thunderous roar echoing in their ears, the Thunderbird reappeared before Sharin.
It spun its body violently, aiming to pierce right through Sharin.
Kagagagagagang!
But before it could even reach her, a surging shadow blocked the Thunderbird's attack.
The Thunderbird stretched the shadow long, stopping precariously just before it touched Sharin's nose.
It was Card's shadow magic that blocked the Thunderbird.
"Hup!"
Card spun the staffs he held in each hand simultaneously, as if dancing.
At that moment, the Thunderbird was flung back by the shadow's elasticity.
Sharin's eyes widened in realization.
She realized the Thunderbird was faster than she could have imagined, even as she tried to aim her magic.
The Thunderbird evaded the moment Sharin showed any sign of activating a spell.
No matter how powerful Sharin's magic was, she couldn't hit it if it dodged upon seeing the spell activation.
Furthermore, the Thunderbird's Fortitude characteristic granted it absurd defensive capabilities.
The Thunderbird had endured dozens of Iris's fierce assaults.
Even Sharin's magic couldn't defeat it in a single blow unless it was a direct hit.
Tick-tock—
Time continued to flow.
The mere three minutes they had dwindled to nearly two.
"It's too fast!"
Seron, who had been chasing the Thunderbird, let out a pained groan.
No matter how furiously she swung her axe, she couldn't land a single hit on the Thunderbird.
"Gah!"
Instead, Seron was struck by the Thunderbird and tumbled across the floor.
If Grantony hadn't created bone armor for her defense in time, she would have been knocked out cold by a single blow.
Everyone began to feel a sense of urgency.
The Thunderbird was an opponent our party could definitely defeat if given enough time.
However, the time constraint made everyone anxious.
Card raised shadows.
Grantony activated his Spirit Art.
Seron's axe crackled with explosive energy.
Sharin began to weave another spell.
However.
It wasn't enough to defeat the Thunderbird within three minutes.
That's why.
I had prepared for this day.
I lifted my head to the sky.
"Sharin, cast a defensive spell with everyone."
My warning echoed quietly.
Card, sensing something, swung his shadow.
"Kyaak?!"
Seron was wrapped in shadow and pulled towards Card, Sharin, and Grantony.
Simultaneously, Sharin's defensive magic activated.
The Thunderbird, sensing something amiss, flew in a zigzag pattern with a thunderous roar.
The Thunderbird moved so quickly it was almost invisible.
Amidst that battlefield.
I raised my hand above my head.
A single ring was worn on that hand.
Tick-tock—
In the quietness that descended as time flowed.
Dark clouds suddenly began to gather in the sky.
One by one, people who sensed something strange looked up at the sky.
The sky began to turn pitch black, as if a storm were brewing.
The Thunderbird was certainly fast enough that even I couldn't keep up.
But no matter how fast it was.
The Thunderbird was an illusion created through the arena's magic.
Its wings were confined within the cage of the arena.
That meant it couldn't go outside the arena.
Kugung!
And this meant.
Kugugugugung!
It couldn't escape if this entire battlefield was swept clean.
This was my last move, prepared for this very moment.
"Come."
Divine Technique: Lightning Caller
Flash—
A blue flash of light swallowed everything on the arena.
Amidst the flash.
People were seen briefly, their horrified faces passing as even the defensive magic that blocked the outside view shattered.
But even amidst that horror.
There were also those who watched this spectacle with wide, unblinking eyes.
A storm of blue electrical charge swept through the arena.
―――――――――――!
Everything around me appeared entirely blue.
The pressure of the current flowing over my steel skin crushed my body.
I felt as though my mind would be blown away by the pressure.
Tick-tock—
But the time that still flowed, ceaselessly, forcibly held my consciousness.
In a world dyed blue.
The Thunderbird, caught in the lightning strike's charge, was visible.
Electrocuted, the Thunderbird was fixed in the sky, unable to move.
Unlike its name, the Thunderbird had no lightning-related abilities.
Instead, it moved like thunder, meaning to catch it, one had to exert power of similar speed.
Iris had solved this with physical force.
But I borrowed the power of a Divine Technique.
Even so, thanks to its Fortitude characteristic, the Thunderbird survived the lightning strike.
Thud!
My foot shot forward amidst the storm of electrical charge.
Upon my steel skin.
Letters began to appear, emitting light.
I stretched my hand above my head.
The current flowing over my steel skin was forcibly drawn into my grasp.
Accordingly, a spear of blue electrical charge formed.
Magic Engraving: Thunderbolt Grip
The goddess's blue lightning was gripped in my hand.
Two things were needed to pierce Fortitude.
A powerful attack capable of ignoring Fortitude.
Or penetration power that could pierce through Fortitude itself.
That's why I prepared this.
The ultimate spear, capable of piercing through anything.
My steel skin fiercely pulled the current.
My Arcanum and Magic Engraving activated simultaneously, further amplifying the power of the Magic Engraving.
Thump—
With a stomp of my foot, power gathered in my waist.
Udeudeuk!
The act of swinging lightning twisted my shoulder.
If that's the case, then I'll put even more power into it.
The Magic Engraving etched on my elbow activated once more.
KWAANG!
With an explosion from my elbow, my arm swung with all its might.
The blue flash of light left my grasp, streaked across the sky, and struck the Thunderbird.
Kwagagagagagagagagagagagagak!
The spear of electrical charge impaled the Thunderbird, sending it flying to the far end of the arena.
But at that moment, my eyes widened significantly.
The lightning spear had certainly impaled the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird would surely not overcome the lightning spear and would eventually perish.
Tick!
However, the time I saw in my eyes had dwindled to mere five seconds.
Lightning spread, and the Thunderbird was slowly shattering into pieces.
But there wasn't quite enough time to finish it completely.
There was no strength left in my body.
Naturally, there were no more moves either.
It was simply a moment where I had to wish for the Thunderbird to die quickly.
Right in front of the Thunderbird.
There was someone holding an axe.
A red tied-back ponytail fluttered in the blue flash.
The forehead revealed beneath her hair shone clearly.
Seron Parmia.
She was there.
When had she even gotten there?
Seron, who had burst out of Sharin's defensive magic, was covered in shadows and bones.
Seron had reached that spot with the support of Card and Grantony.
At this moment, I realized.
It wasn't just me who wanted to be first, but everyone.
An explosion enveloped the axe she brought down.
'Smash it!'
Seeing this, everyone, myself included, cried out in their hearts.
And as if in response, Seron's axe finally reached the Thunderbird, which was already shattering.
KWA-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-ANG!
With an explosion, the lightning flash faded, and smoke billowed up.
I collapsed in the stance I had swung the spear, gasping for breath.
Having been struck by lightning and even gripping it in my hand, black smoke billowed from my mouth and entire body.
Due to the magic being dispelled by the lightning, the external dignitaries and students became visible.
However, not a single person among them uttered a sound.
Only silence filled the arena.
Amidst my hazy consciousness.
I focused solely on one spot.
Slowly, the surrounding smoke began to clear.
Through the smoke, Seron, having thrown her axe aside, ran towards me.
"Hanun!"
She called my name properly for the first time, rushing to embrace me.
She hugged me tightly, jumping up and down.
Realizing this, the moment I raised my head.
31 minutes, 20 seconds.
I saw the time, stopped with barely one second remaining, before my eyes.
My eyes widened.
Seron's final axe blow, delivered with everyone's support, had finished off the dying Thunderbird.
"Ha, haha."
Laughter escaped my lips, ceaselessly.
We had defeated Iris's team.
"Khahak, Hanun!"
"Hahahaha, we actually did it."
"Phew, I hate being anxious."
Card rushed over and ruffled my hair wildly, while Grantony and Sharin trudged towards us.
It was a victory we could only seize because everyone was there.
I felt something within my heart swell with fulfillment.
"Heheheheh, my allowance is going up."
But seeing Seron grin widely, my enthusiasm cooled again.
In the distance, I saw familiar faces.
Ban, the lazy genius, nodded, his expression suggesting it was exactly as he expected.
Isabelle, perhaps spurred by competitive spirit, clenched both her fists tightly.
First-years Aisha and Poara were celebrating our achievement.
And then my eyes fell on Iris.
Iris's team members looked at us with disbelief, but Iris herself looked at me with eyes whose emotions I couldn't read.
Finally.
Grand Duke Baekmok, the living history of the Empire, was visible, standing abruptly from her chair.
I had shown them everything I had.
Now, it was up to them how they would react.
"Hanun's team, 31 minutes, 20 seconds."
At that moment, Veganon's voice, announcing the results, echoed through the arena.
"Currently, 1st place in the second year."
It was the moment our victory was confirmed.
***
Immediately after our team match ended.
I collapsed right there.
I hadn't lost consciousness.
Rather, I was forcibly taken to the infirmary because I no longer had the strength to move.
Having pushed myself relentlessly until reaching the Seventh Apostle, and then enduring a lightning strike with my body.
It was a miracle I could even move at all.
After that, Isabelle's team put up a good fight.
But they ended up in 3rd place, after Iris's team.
No one else managed to overturn our score after that.
And so, our team safely secured 1st place.
Lying on the infirmary bed, I quietly looked up at the ceiling.
A little while ago, Professor Veganon had scolded me a bit.
Even for an exam, she said I was overworking myself excessively, both this time and last.
For me, each attempt was my best, so there was no other way.
'Besides, even with all my preparations, the time was dangerously close.'
I had meticulously planned everything, mobilizing all the knowledge I had, fully intending to win.
But even then, I only managed to finish with barely a second to spare.
This was due to the differences between the game and reality.
And because of those differences, there was unexpected help from everyone.
'I have no choice but to prepare even more.'
The scenario had only just reached its midpoint.
As there was still a long way to go.
I had no choice but to achieve more than what Lucas's absence implied.
I pushed myself up from the bed.
Because I thought it was about time for someone to arrive.
Knock-knock—
Sure enough, a knock sounded.
"Come in."
With my reply, the door creaked open.
A large man wearing an eyepatch stood there.
And in front of him, a woman with flowing white hair walked in.
With a voluptuous figure that drew the eye, she looked young enough to be mistaken for being in her early twenties.
However, her true nature was that of an ancient crone who had lived her entire life with the Empire.
Thump!
She stood tall in the infirmary, her cloak swirling.
"Greetings, boy."
Grand Duke Baekmok.
Laxid Anbesia.
"I'll tell you this upfront."
Then, the corner of Grand Duke Baekmok's mouth lifted chillingly.
Following that, a swirling pressure began to fill the space.
Just facing her, my shoulders felt crushed.
It felt as though my knees were being forced to the ground.
"Possessing an Arcanum is punishable by death under Article 253 of the Hysirion Imperial Penal Code."
"Huh?"