Chapter 583
Chapter 583: Yeah, Just One of Me. (3)
In a daze, Jerome recalled his childhood. He had once asked his master.
“Why does our Mage Tower hide its identity and name?”
Living under the guise of a single-person inheritance, they used the false name Tower of Dawn.
The master replied while stroking his beard.
“Well, I’ve just been told to do it that way for a long time?”
“No, it’s a Mage Tower, yet there are no proper records?”
“I don’t know either. It’s just been passed down through word of mouth. But…”
“But what?”
“They say the founder of the Mage Tower made some mistake or something during a war long ago? Or was it a blunder? I can’t quite remember. Anyway, something happened.”
“What sort of mistake? What blunder?”
“I don’t really know. That’s just what I heard.”
“What do you even know, Master?”
Thwack!
“Ow!”
After giving Jerome a playful thwack on the head, the master continued.
“Hmph, since we’re on the subject, want to hear a fun story? You’re old enough to know now.”
“Yeah!”
“So, a long time ago, there was a great war in the world. Terrifying monsters appeared in this world.”
The story the master told was a common legend.
Long ago, darkness enveloped the world, and a hero fought against that darkness.
Naturally, the story concluded with the hero defeating the darkness. Hearing this felt no different from a tale floating around.
The difference was that the Mage Tower was related to that story.
“The founder of the Mage Tower was a companion of that hero.”
“Wow.”
The master spoke proudly, and little Jerome listened in admiration.
Driving away the darkness was said to be truly difficult. Many sacrifices were made, but the founder of the Mage Tower thought the battle was not over yet.
“The one leading that darkness was called the ‘Adversary of the Goddess.’ The founder believed that the adversary would return.”
“How do you know that? You said they defeated it.”
“Who knows? According to what’s passed down, they say the founder could see the future.”
“The future?”
“Yes, um… So…”
The master tilted his head for a moment. Surely some details had been mixed up over time.
He pondered whether to pass it down as is.
However, one cannot arbitrarily change what has been passed down. So, he spoke frankly.
“To be honest, the founder was said to be a bit odd. They went around claiming they could suddenly see the future, or that someone from the future had possessed them… They even said that the result changes the cause?”
“Eh, there has to be a cause for a result. How does a result change the cause? There has to be a past for there to be a future, right? Can the future change the past? Does that even make sense?”
“Cough, cough, I did say they were strange. Anyway, since it’s a story from long ago, it might not be accurate. Various tales must have gotten attached to it.”
“I guess so. It must be an incredibly old story.”
“Right, mages are likely to have some madness about them… No, anyway, it’s said that the founder was anxious, so they started researching new magic all alone from that point.”
“What kind of magic?”
The master grinned and said.
“Magic to combat the adversary when they reappear. It’s said they dedicated their whole life to creating that magic. And secretly passed it down to a disciple; that’s how our Mage Tower began.”
“Wow! That must be some amazing magic! What’s its name?”
“It doesn’t have one.”
“Huh?”
“It has no name. It was simply referred to as the Mage Tower’s ultimate magic. Since no one from past generations named it, I got bored and named it myself.”
“What did you name it?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Tsk. Why hold onto a name so tightly?”
The master enjoyed Jerome’s reaction, laughing as he continued.
“Looking at the incantation, it seems to be an incredibly powerful magic. I haven’t used it yet, though.”
To little Jerome, it sounded just fascinating. He wanted to know that magic soon.
As he eagerly pleaded for his master to tell him, the master said with a serious face.
“Of course, once your level rises a little more, you’ll learn it. But this magic is dangerous. It must only be used when the adversary appears. That’s the reason our Mage Tower exists, and our mission.”
“What if the adversary doesn’t show up?”
“Then just pass it down to the next disciple, and you can live like me, fooling around.”
“I hope it doesn’t show up.”
“Hahaha! It’s just a legend. When the world gets chaotic, you just need to go out sometimes, lend a hand, and come back.”
Part of the Mage Tower’s duty was to help those in need. Jerome’s master had also helped many people on various battlefields during his youth.
In that way, he lived protecting his own sense of justice in the dark.
That’s why the selection of disciples was done very carefully. Looking at both talent and character.
“Anyway, in the distant future, the world will fall into chaos, and the adversary will reappear, they say. I can’t say it’s believable, but if that happens… then you must stand against the adversary, helping people and fulfilling our duty. So don’t forget that. I don’t know if it’s real or not.”
“Hmmm… I don’t want to fight…”
“You’ll have to if it truly shows up. When the adversary appears, you should use the ultimate magic. Then they say you can find true light…”
“I don’t understand what that means.”
“I don’t really know either. Anyway, when that time comes, it’ll be okay to tell our true name.”
Jerome nodded. It all seemed messy, and even his master didn’t know the details well.
Still, seeing that there was indeed magic hinted it wasn’t just a flight of fancy.
Suddenly curious, Jerome asked.
“How powerful is that ultimate magic?”
The master smirked and answered immediately.
“At the moment that magic is cast… there will be no existence stronger than you in the world.”
That meant it was an extraordinarily powerful magic. Therefore, the master emphasized to Jerome that he must never use it carelessly before reaching the 9th circle.
Even upon reaching the 9th circle, it was a magic powerful enough to cost one their life.
It was only to be used to face the adversary, and he repeated this several times.
Reaching the 9th circle isn’t easy. So Jerome sulked and asked back.
“What if the adversary appears before I reach the 9th circle?”
After a moment of thought, the master hardened his face and said.
“If such a thing really happens… then use it. Even if it means you will die.”
“You want me to use it?”
“Yes, that’s how we can avoid the extinction of humanity.”
*
‘Master…’
The ultimate magic prepared against the adversary.
Thus, it was the magic that must not be used under any circumstances before encountering the adversary.
At first, he had thought that Gathros, leading the Salvation Society, might be the adversary.
Looking at that god-like form, it seemed all the more reasonable.
But soon he dropped that thought.
Gathros was certainly powerful, but there was something lacking to be the legendary adversary.
Even so, Jerome cast the ultimate magic.
‘I’m sorry, Master.’
Jerome closed his eyes tightly. A single tear fell from his eye.
He couldn’t just let all those people die before his eyes. And he believed in his friends.
‘Ghislaine, Yulien.’
Besides those two, there were numerous superhumans in the Allied Forces.
Even if a being like the adversary appeared, they would be able to stop it if they joined forces. That was the faith he held.
So for himself…
He would save the people here.
And thus, end the war and die.
Flash!
As Jerome opened his eyes again, the final light burst forth from them.
Gooooo……
As a comet of light appeared, the light began to spread all around, brightening the area.
Dawn, the light faintly breaking into the day.
Waiting for the time, they called themselves dawn with hope.
That light transformed into bright, beautiful, dazzling radiance, shining through Jerome.
The name that could be reclaimed upon casting this magic and obliterating the adversary.
The Tower of Radiance.
This indeed was the true name of the tower to which Jerome belonged.
KWA-CHAAA!!!
The comet of light descended slowly and heavily. Yet Gathros could not evade it.
“O-ohhh, ohhhhhh!!!”
Before even touching the comet, Gathros’s energy was dissipating merely from the light spreading around.
That was not divine power. Even so, the principle contained within it would not allow his energy.
“How can such magic exist!”
It was magic beyond common sense. Even Gathros, who knew many legacies and secrets, could not comprehend it at all.
Kwah-koo-koo-koo-koo-koo!!
An enormous pressure surged. No energy could move. Gathros’s energy was rapidly dissipating.
That wasn’t all.
“My, my soul…”
That light was burning even the soul. No, even saying it was burning was inaccurate.
An unknown force was intervening. It was slowly stripping away the thick, deep energy embedded in his soul.
What kind of magic could show such bizarre effects!
“No, no!”
If his soul was cleansed, he would cease to be himself. He would forget his mission. Everything he had done up to this point would become a futile effort.
Thus, his soul would rise to the heavens and forget everything.
Salvation.
This was a different form of salvation.
Absolutely not the method he wished for.
“Gyaaaahhhh!!”
Gathros screamed and desperately tried to gather his strength. He absorbed all the surrounding black energy.
Even so, the black energy did not resist the light at all. It simply kept burning and disappearing.
And within that energy was another existence that screamed.
“Damn it! Crazy! What the heck is this! I’m dying…”
Dark, who had been hiding in the mist, perished before even reaching the light.
He had escaped into the mist mid-battle. Even Gathros had not noticed Dark.
Though he was small, he had bizarrely blended in with the energy.
To Dark, that was a terrifying magic. If he hadn’t kept his awareness separated, he would have been erased in an instant.
Kuhuhuhuhuhuh!!
The comet of light finally reached the massive form of Gathros.
The black energy flared up crazily as it was sucked into the comet. The same went for the areas where the light touched.
In that way, Gathros was slowly dying.
Without even being able to resist.
“Is this power really what death feels like… what on earth is that magic…”
As he found himself in a terror that strangled his soul and gave up everything.
The bracelet worn by Gathros suddenly emitted a brilliant light.
Pwaaaah!!
The Bracelet of the Saint.
It began to exude tremendous divine power, pushing back the comet of light.
Jerome, who was already near death, gazed at it with a despairing expression.
“Why?”
Why does divine power stop this light!
Why is it protecting that demon!
Rumble!
The comet of light split apart. The magic circles drawn in mid-air began to crack as well.
If Jerome had ascended to the 9th circle, he would have succeeded in casting the magic despite such interference.
But even now, he merely maintained the magic with difficulty.
With divine power getting in the way, it became harder to sustain the magic.
“Ugh…”
Jerome gritted his teeth, trying to maintain the magic. He was trying to wipe out Gathros and the Army of Atrode in one go.
KWA-CHAAA!!!
The more he did, the more fiercely divine power surged out, spreading everywhere.
A part of that surging divine power touched Jerome.
At that moment, Jerome felt something. No voice reached him, but he received the will contained within the divine power.
“Is that so…”
Without any basis, Jerome felt he understood.
That he should not use this magic yet.
And that if he stopped now, there might be a chance for him to live.
“After all… I can’t hold out any longer…”
Jerome gave a self-deprecating smile and decided to give up maintaining the magic.
Pshhhh!
The comet of light and the magic were now completely torn apart and collapsed.
Countless sparks scattered in all directions like stars. That scene resembled a galaxy in the night sky.
The brilliant golden threads that had once decorated the air with light soon vanished as well.
At the same time, Jerome began to plummet from the sky.
