Chapter 117 : Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Outside the Barrier where the prisoner exchange between Cornelia and Romero was taking place.

“Has it begun?”

Hegel Cornelia murmured, observing the Barrier mixed with black and violet.

From the outside, there was no change, but as the one who had cast the Barrier, he could tell.

Inside the Barrier, at least three Superhumans had used their mana.

“……”

He seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“I apologize.”

His nephew, Aldric Cornelia, who had approached at some point, was bowing his head.

Due to his time as a prisoner, he was in a sorry state.

The mages behind him were in the same condition.

Among them, some did not have all their limbs intact.

Although not to the extent of a knight, maintaining their rank would surely be hindered, and they would no longer be able to live as they had before.

‘War is such a cruel thing…….’

Despite having reached 8-star, he could not act as decisively as Simon Eurasia.

Far from ending the war, he couldn’t even scale it down, and because of that, only needless sacrifices were increasing.

It was something he had been prepared for since before the Declaration of the Kingdom, but it was not a situation he could easily accept.

Yet, the very people who had volunteered to sacrifice themselves for the kingdom were now bowing their heads to him.

“I am the one who sent you into a deadly situation. It is enough that you have returned alive, so there is no need to look like sinners. Raise your heads.”

At the king’s command, Aldric and the mages raised their heads with heavy expressions.

“A gate is prepared. Return to the main castle and recover your bodies first. This is a royal command.”

Cornelia Style. Warp Gate.

A secret magic that only Cornelia's mages could use.

At the solemn command, the mages with hardened faces headed towards the gate one by one.

The only one remaining was Aldric.

“You should return as well. Kiel is waiting for you.”

“They would not have agreed to negotiations so easily.”

“……”

“As I am also a direct descendant of the royal family, my ransom would have to be at least a direct descendant of the Romero royal family or a Superhuman.”

However, Cornelia had merely exchanged them for several times the number of prisoners.

No matter how he thought about it, it was a deal that didn't add up for Romero.

“Your Majesty, may I ask what you have given them?”

From Aldric’s eyes, which were fixed on Hegel, one could feel his determination not to return until he heard an answer.

It was a steadfast gaze, hard to believe from someone who had just been released from captivity.

“Now I see why Kiel has high hopes for you.”

“Uncle.”

“I have given them nothing.”

“What does that…….”

“The prisoner exchange with Romero is merely a formality. The real negotiations have yet to begin.”

The Barrier being maintained was not just a symbol that an 8-star mage was witnessing it.

Hegel continued, his eyes not leaving the Barrier before him.

“Sharle is negotiating with the prince.”

“……!!”

Aldric’s eyes widened.

The Second Prince was openly targeting Sharle.

Moreover, the fact that the prince was a 7-star was now known to everyone.

“We must stop them. That man might… to Lady Sharle.”

“It was Sharle’s proposal.”

Hegel cut him off calmly.

A week ago, Killian Eurasia had come with Sharle and told them what had happened in the Flask Mountain Range.

The prince, who seemed to be aiming for the Violet Magic Tower, was searching for the Piece of the Grotesquery, and that he had taken it first.

And in the process, he had killed four of the Empire’s Superhumans.

Even with Orchid Owl’s help, it was a tremendous military achievement.

But he had not come to demand a reward or to discuss the future of the kingdom.

“I have a brilliant plan to end the war.”

The Piece of the Grotesquery and Sharle Cornelia.

He said that if they presented the two conditions the prince desired, he would take the bait.

That the prince, having taken the bait, would not want to let go of what was in his hands.

He had asserted that by using that point well, they could change the course of the war.

It was a difficult decision, both as a king and as a father.

If the one assisting Sharle had not been Killian Eurasia.

‘I would never have allowed it.’

What decision would Simon Eurasia have made?

As he was thinking that.

“We must bring them back, even now.”

Aldric, his face pale, continued.

“Before the Black Duke intervenes……”

“The Black Duke cannot intervene.”

The current plan was only possible because they, the 8-star mages of each camp, had made a contract.

In other words, if someone were to forcibly enter the Barrier, they would have to directly endure the mana of two Arch Mages.

It was not an easy task, even for a mage who had mastered 8-star.

The promised time to maintain the Barrier was two hours.

If either of them broke the contract within that time, their rank would suffer a severe blow.

“Until then, no one must enter.”

“In that case……”

His nephew’s face went beyond pale to an ashen color.

“Do not worry. I have placed the best knight by Sharle’s side.”

“The best knight……. Are you referring to a knight of Eurasia? Could it be that Sir Escardo has stepped forward……”

“A mercenary.”

“……!!”

“A very capable mercenary.”

Just then.

He felt four mana responses from the Barrier he had cast.

‘About 20 minutes until the Barrier dissipates. Just hold on until then.’

Hegel detected two violet mana responses, trying his best to hide his parched heart.

***

Creatio.

Among the creation magics Sharle had obtained from the Secret Repository, it was a Shik she could only attempt after reaching 6-star.

Creation magic has a different formula from common elemental or attack magic.

Unlike transforming a shape from something that exists, creating something from nothing requires both computational power and imagination.

‘Creatio is the first step to deploying a domain. Fortunately, it seems to have unfolded properly.’

Secret magic, one and all, possessed a level of difficulty one step higher than common magic.

Without the Violet Magic Tower, she too would not have succeeded.

Sareureureu.

The pendant around her neck emitted violet mana.

The real pendant worn by Killian Eurasia was resonating, filling in the missing parts.

Letters appeared in her eyes.

[Name Search Magic is activated.]

[Confirming marital relationship between Sharle Cornelia and Killian Eurasia.]

[Bloodline authentication complete. Synchronizing with the Magic Tower’s mana.]

An incomplete Violet Magic Tower materialized behind her.

It seemed the procedure had changed somehow.

‘This should be enough to buy some time for now.’

“Not even an Arch Mage. You perform some interesting tricks.”

She faced the knight before her.

Mainz Kimbel.

The man who killed Eurasia's previous Annihilation Squad Leader, a Sword Master who came back to life after being killed by Killian Eurasia.

She knew that the Evil Energy he used was the result of researching and combining monsters and the Grotesquery.

‘Even if he used black magic, he’s a 7-star master.’

He would not be an easy opponent.

“I always wanted to stomp on that arrogant face of yours.”

“Your mouth is as foul as you look.”

“Aren’t you the same, mimicking a Superhuman with your own black magic?”

As he said that, Mainz Kimbel recalled the green-haired woman.

Serena Constantine, a 6-star knight who used Haki.

His body must have been reconstructed when he was revived, yet the wound she had inflicted on him still seemed to throb.

That was probably why he felt displeasure looking at Sharle Cornelia.

He did not like the way she arrogantly confronted him, despite the insurmountable gap between 6-star and 7-star.

So, he planned to show her.

‘The fate of one who foolishly confronts a Superhuman. I will carve an indelible disgrace upon that fair skin.’

As he raised the sword materialized from mana, the surrounding space vibrated.

This place was a space within a Barrier created by the contract of two 8-star mages.

There, the Mind Image materialized by Mainz revealed itself.

“The Sinner's Guillotine.”

Chwareureureu.

The iron chains attached to the guillotine moved as if they had a will of their own.

“To bind and behead. It’s a simpler Mind Image than it looks.”

Sharle sneered.

Contrary to her words, she did not let down her guard and used detection magic.

What she felt from the guillotine was mana.

But the domain it formed was mixed with Evil Energy.

‘I must not touch the chains. Let’s start lightly.’

Lightning Bolt.

Chijijik. Chijik.

Two spheres of lightning struck the guillotine.

Despite being imbued with 6-star mana, the guillotine seemed to take no damage.

“The simpler the Mind Image, the more certain its power.”

Mainz Kimbel, smirking, rushed forward.

Sharle warped and shot two spells.

‘Flame Ball’ and ‘Ice Ball’.

And then.

“Song of Fire and Ice.”

Mainz kicked off the heaving ground and nonchalantly cut through the third spell.

Jjireureureu.

“……”

He felt the sensation in the hand holding the sword grow dull. It also seemed to throb as if burned.

‘The power is not ordinary. Is this the secret magic used by the direct descendants……. No, is it also because of that thing’s influence?’

The Magic Tower standing behind her was enhancing her magic.

She materialized images without a proper incantation, wordlessly.

“Kiss of Earth and Lightning.”

Kwareureureung.

The ground shook and lightning struck down.

Mana, magic.

It endlessly raged.

The more he cut, the farther the distance between them grew.

“Well, I’ll be!”

In what could be called a simultaneous moment, ten to twelve spells increased and bombarded him.

Kugugugu.

The dispelled magic exploded around him as he released his Haki.

Seureureuk.

Sharle’s eyes turned violet.

Seeing the Haki approach, she transformed her pendant into a staff.

“The Bear that Blocks Everything.”

Kung.

She slammed it on the ground.

A bear doll with violet fur appeared.

The bear doll, with its arms crossed.

[Ponyo~]

It roared and deflected the Haki.

Seogeok.

The bear doll’s body was torn to shreds by the ensuing sword ki, but Sharle had already escaped with warp magic.

Every time Haki and sword ki were used, the bear doll was summoned, and the barrage of magic continued.

A knight trying to close the distance and a mage trying to widen it.

After a repeated exchange, Mainz finally succeeded in closing the distance.

A strike that tore the bear apart and split the violet barrier.

Kwang!

Sharle’s body, which had blocked the sword with her staff, rolled on the ground.

And at some point.

Chwareureureuk.

The chains of the guillotine broke through the floor and grabbed her ankle.

“Caught you, you bitch.”

“……!!”

Warp magic did not activate.

‘The chains are interfering with the formula.’

The chains of the guillotine were wrapped around the Magic Tower.

“The guillotine never lets go of those it catches.”

A mage was his polar opposite.

Laughing loudly, Mainz grabbed her shoulder.

“I’ll leave a scar on that face.”

Kkwaak.

Mainz Kimbel tightened his grip on her shoulder.

“Keuk……”

The moment the sword, which had come right before Sharle’s nose, was about to scratch her face.

Kwaaaaa.

The incompletely materialized Magic Tower, entangled in the guillotine's chains, began to become clearer.

[Two towers are resonating.]

[Detecting Killian Eurasia’s mana.]

[The domains are synchronized.]

Resonance and Synchronization.

It was a union she had not expected.

“How ironic.”

Sharle’s eyes curved like inverted crescent moons.

The mana composing the guillotine and the Violet Magic Tower became equal, and the unabsorbed mana leaked from her body.

“Deformatio”

She transformed the tattered staff into the shape of a sword.

The symbol of the Annihilation Squad, called Aether.

Eurasia Style. Carpe Illusion.

“Total Solar Eclipse.”

Four spheres floated above her head.

“Mainz Kimbel.”

The four floating spheres positioned themselves above the guillotine.

Admiring the distorted face of the knight.

She raised the output of the Shik to its maximum.

“How many times can you be brought back to life?”

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