NOVPUBThwack!
Iona’s fist slammed cleanly into her opponent’s jaw.
The Third Order member of the Black Dawn crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut, eyes unfocused.
A beastkin blessed with immense physical strength by birth.
And Iona, who hailed from a noble beastkin lineage, could overwhelm most enemies with sheer physical ability alone.
“You filthy half-breed!”
Another opponent, enraged by the sight of their fallen comrade, rushed in with bloodlust gleaming in their eyes.
The blade swinging toward her radiated clear killing intent.
But Iona calmly raised both arms in a defensive stance.
Clang!
From her fists to her elbows, solid earth gathered and condensed into gauntlets.
2nd-circle earth-element spell: [Mud Armor]
Normally meant to cover the whole body, Iona had modified the spell to selectively reinforce her limbs. She caught the enemy’s blade in her bare hand.
“Wh-What?”
The opponent clearly hadn’t expected the blade to be caught and froze.
Iona immediately clenched her other hand into a fist.
“W-Wait—!”
Before he could finish, her punch struck him square in the face.
Behind Iona, a Second Order member silently aimed a staff at her, preparing a sneak attack.
“You let your guard down!”
The moment he began to cast—
A gust of wind from another direction blasted him off his feet.
He slammed into a thick tree trunk with a crunch and passed out foaming at the mouth.
Iona turned toward the source of the wind.
There stood Leo, clicking his tongue as he glanced at the man he’d just taken down.
“You’re the one who let your guard down.”
Iona deactivated her Mud Armor and walked toward him.
“Thanks for the help.”
“No big deal.”
Around them, five members of the Black Dawn lay unconscious.
Quite some time had passed since the battle began against the suspicious infiltrators at Seorn.
Perhaps because their ambush had worked so well at the start, despite being outnumbered, it was the Black Dawn members who lay scattered across the ground.
And the one who had contributed the most was Aidan with his [Anti-Magic].
Every spell the enemy tried to retaliate with had been cleaved in two and dissipated the moment they were cast.
A surreal sight—multiple spells disintegrating mid-air.
Even though they’d seen it before, it never stopped feeling strange.
“Where’s Aidan?”
“Over there.”
Aidan was currently locked in a standoff with the last remaining opponent.
“Just give up already.”
Unlike the others who had snuck in posing as staff or guests, the final enemy was a Seorn student.
Joanna Lovett.
More accurately—Second Order of the Black Dawn, Joanna.
She glared at Aidan with trembling eyes, unable to accept the reality of their defeat.
“H-How...”
Even with a surprise attack, their side had ten people.
Some of them were close-combat specialists who’d trained with the goal of becoming knights.
And yet Aidan had subdued them—with nothing more than a wand shaped like a sword.
A mage, no less.
What the hell is he?
He might’ve been just a Third Order, but he was skilled.
Not quite a knight, but strong with a blade—stronger than most other Orders.
He has that absurd Anti-Magic ability... and he’s this good in close combat too?
Where did such an impossibly unfair person even come from?
That wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was: why was someone like that interfering with her mission?
Aidan pointed his wand at Joanna.
“You’re a first-year too, right? Why are you doing this?”
“What? You think I’ll tell you and you’ll just let it slide?”
“No. I couldn’t do that.”
Aidan shook his head firmly.
He didn’t know Joanna’s motive.
But he could clearly tell—it wasn’t anything good.
Still, he asked out of genuine curiosity.
“The festival is in full swing right now. So why would you all try to ruin it for others?”
It was a pure question.
Why choose to do something so cruel?
Joanna scoffed in disbelief.
“Ha! Why? Isn’t it obvious? Because I hate everything. I want this world to just burn down and disappear.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, filled with resentment.
“Why do they all laugh and enjoy themselves like life’s so easy? Why am I the only one suffering like this? That’s not fair.”
“You...”
Aidan saw the sorrow of a child etched on her face.
Taking a deep breath, he fixed her with a determined gaze.
He remembered what Professor Ludger had once told him:
—Remember this, Aidan. It’s always half.
Both selfishness and selflessness.
An extreme imbalance in either leads nowhere good.
So it’s okay to be a little selfish sometimes.
Why that memory came to him now, he didn’t know.
But for some reason, his mind felt calm.
Aidan, who once might have tried to understand her... now pointed his wand directly at Joanna.
“Then I’ll stop you here.”
Leo, who had been nervously watching, finally let out a relieved sigh.
Good eyes you've got now, Aidan.
Seeing Aidan cast off his weakness and face her with resolve, Leo couldn’t help but wonder:
If you ever find out who I really am one day... would you still act like this?
Of course, it was all meaningless speculation.
Worrying about things that haven’t happened is for fools.
Joanna slowly took a step back.
She was the only one left.
And the enemy stood strong with not a single injury.
They took down Black Dawn members with just four of them... Even if they’re Seorn students, this is...
Aidan alone was a problem.
And there were three more on his level.
Joanna had to make a choice.
Resist, or flee to the bitter end.
Then it happened.
A scorching surge of mana was felt not far away.
Joanna’s head snapped toward the source.
“Esmeralda... unnie?”
Before Aidan could ask what she meant, Joanna moved.
She summoned the spirit of wind, kicking up a violent gale.
The dust storm that followed made it nearly impossible to see.
And in that moment of chaos—Joanna fled.
Toward the source of the distant surge of power.
“Aidan! Joanna’s escaping!”
“After her!”
Aidan and the others immediately gave chase.
* * *
Like air bubbles rising from the deep sea—
Esmeralda’s soaked, heavy mind surfaced at last.
She opened her eyes.
Where...?
Above her was the ceiling of the warehouse.
As she tried to sit up, she noticed black shadows writhing around her.
The warehouse was still ablaze.
And with a jolt, she realized what must have happened.
I did it again...
She had killed.
A single tear ran down her cheek.
The worst part was knowing—this nightmare wasn’t over.
The fire demon would soon seize her mind and body once more.
And then it would burn and slaughter as it pleased.
As the Witch of Flame.
But then—
BOOM!
A burst of dazzling light exploded to one side, and the giant of fire was hurled into a wall.
“Qua... Quasimodo?”
The incarnation of madness and hatred, Quasimodo, had power comparable to a top-tier spirit.
And yet he was knocked back that easily?
By who?
Quasimodo roared and pushed himself upright.
His long, glowing eyes locked onto his attacker.
[RAAAH!! LUDGER CHERISH!!!]
Esmeralda’s eyes naturally followed his gaze.
There he was.
Ludger Cherish... no. John Doe.
A fellow First Order of the Black Dawn.
But unlike the others, he worked solo—concealing his identity.
And now, he was fighting Quasimodo.
“Why...?”
Why are you fighting?
[Just a human!]
Quasimodo began to transform.
Shrinking to 2 meters tall—slimmer now, a stark contrast to his previous bloated form.
The horns atop his head grew longer and more monstrous. His arms stretched to the ground.
He looked like a demon risen straight from hellfire.
Twin swords of flame formed in his hands.
No. It’s too dangerous.
Quasimodo might have controlled Esmeralda—
But the reverse was also true. She suppressed him too.
And now, with their link weakened—
Quasimodo was stronger than ever.
Even for a First Order, fighting him meant certain death.
You’d be melted into nothing before you could resist.
“Run! Just run away!!”
Esmeralda screamed.
But Ludger didn’t run.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard.
He heard everything—and still stayed.
“...Why won’t you run?”
You don’t need to fight.
Esmeralda lowered her head.
As if she didn’t want to witness what came next.
Tap, tap.
Something lightly touched her shoulder.
Esmeralda lifted her head and saw the shadowy tendril that had been protecting her.
“You...”
The tendril pointed toward Ludger.
Esmeralda, as if entranced, locked her gaze on his back—
Or more precisely, on the magic he was casting.
But could that truly be called magic?
There was no spell formation.
No incantation.
No wand in hand.
And yet, it manifested.
Mysterious and strange beyond words.
The twin swords of fire slashed down toward Ludger’s neck—
But in that instant, a white pagoda materialized around him, deflecting the blazing strikes.
[What is that? What did you just do?!]
Quasimodo’s shock was clear—he had never seen a structure like that block his attacks.
“It’s just a simple spell. Magic based on the Five Elements.”
[Five Elements? I’ve never heard of such a thing. That kind of magic can’t exist.]
“Of course not. I made it myself.”
[You’re spouting nonsense.]
To Quasimodo, Ludger’s words sounded like mockery.
[There’s no spell formation, no incantation, no hand signs—how can you call that magic?]
“That’s exactly why it is magic.”
The crimson light in Ludger’s eyes unraveled like thin threads into the air.
“No calculations. No words. No theatrical gestures. Just the law of transformation that manifests when I believe, devote, and pray—this is true magic.”
Behind Ludger, a ripple of blue light surged and took the form of a massive sword, which came crashing down toward Quasimodo’s crown.
Quasimodo frantically raised his flaming swords to block.
“And another name for it is—”
BOOM.
Unable to withstand the force, Quasimodo dropped to one knee.
“—a <miracle>.”
[KRAAAAGH!!]
Crack!
With a furious roar, Quasimodo shattered the blue sword with sheer brute force.
But instead of going berserk, he composed himself and locked eyes with Ludger.
“You’re not coming?”
[I admit it. You’re not like other humans, Ludger Cherish. You’re the best among them. A superhuman.]
“You’re talking a lot all of a sudden. Weren’t you just trying to kill me a moment ago?”
[Because I didn’t know then.]
Quasimodo answered shamelessly.
He didn’t feel embarrassed—he didn’t think there was any shame in it.
He was serious.
If the opponent was weak—he killed.
But if the opponent was strong, someone who had to be defeated with full resolve, that changed things.
It was a rational judgment.
But Ludger couldn’t help but sneer at it.
A monster who burned people like insects, who relished their despair—now attempting conversation just because his opponent was strong?
It was the very embodiment of might over right.
Ludger had heard enough.
He began gathering mana again.
[So you intend to fight after all.]
“Of course. After trying to kill me a second ago, you think we’ll just talk it out now?”
[Then I’ll fight with everything I’ve got. You’d risk all this just to save a puppet? A being like you, who’s already surpassed human limits?]
“I’m not a superhuman.”
Ludger shook his head and firmly rejected the label.
“I’ve never been one. I don’t want to be one either.”
[What nonsense are you—?]
“I’m fighting you simply because you’re filthy. Because you’re disgusting.”
You control people like puppets, laugh as they suffer, and burn others alive like they’re nothing.
Ludger couldn’t stand the sight of it.
[Then DIE!]
Quasimodo lunged.
Ludger activated the magic he had been preparing.
“In the Five Elements, fire and water are opposed. Water suppresses fire. This is called 'Water overcomes fire'.”
A surge of blue energy crashed down like waves, aiming to engulf Quasimodo.
Quasimodo tried slashing through the tide, but his flames were driven back.
[It’s useless!]
If he couldn’t cut through—he’d dodge.
Now smaller and faster than before, Quasimodo used agile movements to dodge the waves and close in on Ludger.
But instead of backing away, Ludger clashed head-on.
His blue sword met Quasimodo’s blades in mid-air.
As they locked weapons, a swirling pool of blue energy condensed beneath Quasimodo’s feet.
BOOM!
A sudden pillar of vapor erupted from the floor, launching Quasimodo skyward.
KA-CRASH!
A portion of the warehouse ceiling was cleanly blasted open.
Ludger shot his wire launcher with his left hand and pierced Quasimodo’s solar plexus.
[Fool! Burn in my fire!]
Quasimodo grabbed the wire and sent flames racing through it—but the wire didn’t burn.
Ludger had already infused it with water energy.
The wire retracted, yanking Ludger upward right to Quasimodo’s chest.
As they collided mid-air—
FWOOOOSH!—BOOM!
Fireworks exploded high above, bathing the sky in brilliant light.
It was only the beginning.
The black night sky was instantly painted with vibrant, dazzling colors.
“Ah...”
Esmeralda stared blankly at their battle.
Everyone gathered at Seorn looked up and smiled at the display.
A beautiful flower blooming in the night sky.
The vivid hues masked the ferocity of their battle.
No one knew.
That behind this beauty, a man was desperately fighting for his life.
And no one ever would.
Only Esmeralda never took her eyes off Ludger.
Even as others laughed and chattered—
She could not look away from the noble fight of the man who battled a monster.
How could she?
Ludger and Quasimodo collided repeatedly in the air before crashing back down.
Trails of red and blue light lingered in the air, following the arcs of their blows—
Like fireworks themselves.
Quasimodo landed on the ground and looked up as Ludger descended slowly.
[Don’t think you can defeat me with that pitiful strength! My fire won’t be snuffed out by mere water!]
“So, the Five Element counter doesn’t work after all.”
[Heh... That ‘true magic’ of yours—it’s already reached its limit—]
“Then I’ll show you something stronger.”
[What?]
Even before Quasimodo could finish his sentence, white frost began forming atop the rolling waves of blue energy.
[W-What is this?!]
“When water surpasses fire’s heat, it no longer suppresses—it destroys. That’s ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the ‘Water ascends over fire’ principle. Water overcoming fire through amplification—until it freezes.”
Crack, crack...
The chilling frost dulled Quasimodo’s movements.
Still, he didn’t die. He flared with heat, resisting the cold.
And then, behind Ludger—a form appeared.
It was a radiant tree of light.
Made of complex patterns, lines, currents, and circuits—a divine tree.
[There’s... more?!]
“The Ninth Path is pure intellect. The foundation of the Pillar of Balance. The release of purification. And above all—living omnipotence.”
At the tip of a perfect triangle—
A massive energy condensed, shimmered, and pulsed.
For the first time—
Quasimodo felt fear.
And still, Ludger’s spell continued.
He drew out all remaining mana from the potion he had consumed.
An ultimate spell—crafted from everything he had left.
“The Ninth Sephira on the Tree of Sephirot.”
The domain of Gabriel, archangel of water.
“Yesod.”
A blinding pillar of light shot forward—
And swallowed Quasimodo whole.
