Chapter 80
A Word Mage's magic was very simple.
They twist the laws of the world simply by imbuing their words with intention and mana.
Gods and Devils.
Divine Magic and Devil Magic borrowed power from beings that existed in other worlds even before mysteries properly emerged.
If there was a mystery born after these, it would undoubtedly be Word Magic.
Words carried power.
This belief had existed throughout history, across all cultures.
In fact, this foundation of mystery became the basis for mages chanting incantations and martial artists shouting technique names.
Because doing so actually amplifies their power.
However, as simple as its structure was, countering it wasn't difficult either.
For low-level Word Mages, simply covering one's ears was enough to neutralize them.
That was why such Word Mages didn't directly issue commands to their targets but rather applied their magic to third objects for indirect attacks.
Like saying, "Wind, become a blade."
Then what about high-level Word Mages?
Take the only Word Mage I knew, Training Center Director Skyler Martin.
During the training center attack, he fought against Lindsay the alchemist, who was a traitor from within.
And he simply said,
— Alchemy will no longer manifest.
That was it.
Alchemy really didn't manifest.
Though the problem was Lindsay had other options, this alone showed how absurd a skilled Word Mage's magic could be.
So what about a Word Mage threatening enough to make Viola serious?
If he commanded death through Word Magic, could we resist?
[How impudent.]
[Who's he telling to die, that bastard.]
Hmm... maybe we can resist.
I've learned something new—my Pact Seals didn't just open and close with rational thought.
It responds to instinct too.
My survival instinct reflexively opened my Pact Seals, and mana flooded out like a tsunami, enveloping my entire body to block the Word Magic's compulsion.
However, that insane gentleman's Word Magic pressed down even against that, forcing death upon me.
My vision alternated between distorting and returning to normal.
The phenomenon of Word Magic and defensive magic antagonizing each other.
Then suddenly, like being cut by something, it stopped with a snap.
"...Kuhup! Kek, kuuuh..."
The choking sound from behind came from none other than Arthur.
Looking back to check on the others, I saw Rei and Leaf standing relatively normally.
"This is nasty..."
"To think Word Magic could do something like this..."
Just like how I blocked it with brute force using my vast mana reserves.
Rei seemed to have resisted with Argentooth's magic-breaking power, while Leaf relied on pure constitution.
The World Tree's seedling must be like thick armor against these spiritual attacks.
The problem wasn't us four.
"P-Pelletier!"
"I know."
Despite Hernan's urgent cry, Viola answered coldly without looking back.
"She's not dead, just take care of her."
Deina had collapsed silently.
Is she really not dead?
"M-Master... I..."
Arthur, somehow maintaining consciousness, tended to Deina.
Since Arthur was practically combat-ineffective too, it would be better for them to withdraw.
In contrast, we three still had strength to spare.
This fact seemed quite unexpected to that madman.
Staring at us, he spoke, "Hmm, I expected some resistance. Though that was too light."
Speaking as if his Power Word Kill just now was a mere greeting.
This is his normal attack?
I thought I was overpowered.
No cooldown, no risk Blink.
Long-range infinite stacking Exhaustion.
Smite with theoretically unlimited power potential.
Even my arsenal casually ignored common sense for typical mages.
However, the opponent before us was beyond that.
A being who could kill with a single word.
And Viola, who could not only block it but protect those around her.
How could those who made the Abyss depths their stage be so unrealistic?
She told us to cover our ears because if we could just resist a little, she could protect us...
I finally understood Viola's earlier words.
"But this is unexpected. Four of you intact. My disciple's dying, yet unknowns like you? A beast-folk and Half-Elf. Plus an ordinary human. Strange, truly strange."
I felt a hallucination of my body disintegrating under his gaze.
This killing intent was on a completely different dimension from what I'd experienced before.
The crude killing intent openly displayed during the training center attack.
That base killing intent without even direction or proper control.
It felt almost disrespectful to compare those with this—so quiet yet unfathomably deep.
"Don't meet his eyes for too long."
"Viola."
As Viola stood like a fortress before me, blocking his gaze, my fading consciousness quickly returned.
[Get it together.]
[Use your sixth sense rather than your five senses. There is some power that deceives the senses.]
If Seir said that, it must be separate from the killing intent.
Either some relic's power or a multi-class?
"Chatterbox. You're alive after all. Thought you'd burned to death."
"Chatterbox? Call me Professor."
"Ugh. Disgusting. You still think you're a Nippur professor? Such an ego."
Ching-click.
With Arms Changer's activation sound, a pair of straight swords appeared in Viola's hands.
"This time, I'll kill you for sure."
"Can you? With that baggage?"
"Can you escape me while worrying about them?"
That brief exchange suggested why they were only exchanging verbal jabs.
Though this self-proclaimed professor is a monster, Viola has superior combat power. But she can't act rashly while worrying about us.
So if we just got out of the way, Viola could slice up this self-proclaimed professor.
"Viola. Don't worry about us."
This self-proclaimed professor was an Abyss Worshiper.
Moreover, from the same Cult of the End as that undead Jegan.
Then, he'd eventually hear about what happened during the training center attack.
So there was nothing to hold back.
"We can withdraw."
"...Good."
Arthur and Deina had already retreated with Hernan.
We just needed to get away too.
"Think I'll allow that? You may move."
The first part was directed at us.
Then the Word Magic command—
"Hey, Roman! Here it comes!"
Must have been for that Keeper-ranked Sentinel that had been waiting like an obedient dog until now.
What is he, a Tamer instead of a Word Mage?
This is seriously broken!
"Everyone, stick to me!"
The Keeper-ranked Sentinel Keeper accelerated to a charge in an instant.
The breakthrough force emanating from its huge body was like a tank.
Magic bullets, spirit magic.
The charge that couldn't possibly be stopped even by our team's full firepower surprisingly ended in a flash.
TUKWAAANG!!
What just happened?
In a situation I couldn't comprehend, only two things had changed.
The Keeper-ranked Sentinel lying on the ground split in half, and Viola with her arm raised.
"Go."
Wow... my legs almost gave out.
"...Yes."
I started moving toward our entry corridor with Rei and Leaf.
Then, the other side showed his skill too.
"No, The corridor is blocked. There is no way out."
The professor rapid-fired Word Magic with mere lip movements.
As he said, walls appeared in our corridor, and everything beyond vanished from view.
Viola could probably break through it like it was nothing, but that would give the professor an opening to attack her.
But there was no need to worry.
He said,
The corridor was blocked.
There was no “way” out.
Well then.
We just won't use the corridor.
"Axis, deploy."
Axis scanned the space and transmitted it to my brain.
The blocking wall?
Not my problem.
We just need to cross space itself.
No need for a round trip.
One time was enough.
My Blink, which had grown stronger from closing shortcuts, could now transport three people simultaneously.
§
Pat—!
"Hmm?"
Immediately after Roman's Blink activated, the professor deployed Word Magic.
“Show me the enemy.”
But nothing appeared.
It’s not illusion magic?
It couldn't have been illusion magic to begin with.
Illusion magic cast by a mage of that level couldn't possibly deceive the professor's mana detection.
Even a master of illusions couldn't achieve that.
He wasn't called professor due to an inflated ego as Viola suggested, but because he had actually served as one and was versed enough in magic to deserve the title.
There was no mistake.
The professor had definitely blocked all escape routes.
Yet the three who were practically hostages had vanished.
What did this mean?
A conclusion difficult to accept even for one who had mastered all magical theory and reached the pinnacle of Word Magic, able to control life and death with a single word.
They crossed space itself?
That barely half-baked mage can do that?
Is that possible?
Though they might have used a relic to move, the professor quickly discarded that hypothesis.
Relics emit distinctive Abyss mana when used.
He couldn't have failed to detect those wavelengths.
Then there was only one answer.
"Khah!"
That one used spatial magic.
"An unexpected big catch."
The moment he muttered that.
Viola's blade filled his field of vision.