Wizard of the Abyss - Chapter 42

WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 42 - Declaration of War (5)

If ordinary magic was painting phenomena from one's inner world onto reality, then ‘Form’ imbued one's body with a created experience.

It felt similar yet vastly different from ‘Purge,’ which resisted things one had experienced.

"Normally you’d use it to imbue painful experiences into your body and then resist them using ‘Purge.’ So how would you use it in combat?”

"I think I understand what you mean.”

As I listened to Dercia’s advice, I took a slow breath, while the sound of footsteps walking down the filthy alley reached my ears.

"They definitely went down this way.”

"Then why can’t we see them?”

"How the hell should I know…? Found them!”

Three grown men.

They carried blunt weapons at their waists. They carried themselves like thugs, the sort of people who liked to cause trouble for others.

They grinned when they saw us and took a step closer.

The bald, muscular-looking one who seemed more like a bandit approached us even further in an attempt to intimidate us.

"Hey—”

"If you’re going to ask for money, we don’t have any.”

"...What?"

"Master literally brought nothing but books, so we’re basically empty-handed. You seem like the sort who rob and murder others for a living. Do you also run a lending business?”

"What are you talking about?”

"I just wanted to ask if we could borrow some money from you.”

The bandit started muttering in confusion, faced with my calm eyes.

"What nerve for a kid to be so bold.”

"...Whatever. Hey, kid. Your guardian’s back there, right?”

"Yes."

"She’s an elf, right? So don’t worry about money. Elven slaves can fetch quite the price."

"I don’t think you can just take my guardian with you like that though.”

"Ah, don’t worry. Orphanages are actually pretty nice places these days. Wahaha…”

Staring at the thieves laughing among themselves, I asked Dercia, feeling quite incredulous.

"What’s wrong with this city’s security? It hasn’t even been an hour since we arrived.”

"There’s always a slum in every city, but the underworld here is indeed unusually powerful and influential in this place. If we were to wipe them out outright, a civil war might break out.”

"So that’s why we came here.”

As she nodded, the smiles drained from the thieves’ dumb faces.

"...Wait, what the hell are these guys?”

"They’re so calm…”

They were quick to pick up on things.

Maybe because they had lived their lives harassing innocent people up to this point, they had gained some keen sense for people who fall out of the ordinary.

Still, they didn’t seem to have any intention of abandoning their seemingly easy marks. An elf and a kid. They tightened the encirclement around us while keeping their guard up.

Well, I’d say it was a sensible decision. Fleeing would have been pointless anyway.

I stepped forward and activated ‘Form.’

"You brought this on yourself, you brat!”

The bandit, without a shred of hesitation, drew his club and swung it, aiming for my head.

I frowned and clenched my fist.

"Come on, don’t you think it’s a bit much to do this to a ten-year-old?”

"Kgh...!"

The club stopped about twenty centimeters above my head.

Its wielder was also frozen in place. He stayed locked in the middle of his swinging motion, his face turning purple, veins bulging as he was unable to breathe.

If it weren’t for the occasional tremors of pain, one could have mistaken him for a mime pretending to be frozen.

At that level of pressure, I wasn’t completely unscathed either. Even with the robe dampening the side effects, my body still stiffened, unable to move much.

But—there was something I needed to check first before anything else.

I didn’t feel any pain.

Because ‘Form’ had perfectly overwritten that sensation. Simply put, I had painted over the feeling of pain with the experience of feeling normal.

"Jus…t…kill…me!”

"Tsk!"

The other thieves reacted swiftly. The moment their comrade was struck by some unknown force, they drew their weapons and charged at me.

-Boom!!

"Kuh—”

I used the currents to slam those guys headfirst into the wall.

Normally, that would have been impossible for me. Keeping my mind clear enough to focus it on something else while affected by this level of pressure shouldn’t have been possible.

Only after I confirmed that they were unconscious did I release the pressure and muttered,

"Not bad. Actually, isn’t this pretty amazing?”

Not feeling pain had opened up so many possibilities for me.

For example, I could use the currents while simultaneously applying pressure to my opponent or use Tide Sense to assess the situation mid-battle.

Normally this would require some intense concentration on my part, making it impossible to do while being crushed by pressure.

Dercia, though, answered with a subtle mix of various emotions on her face.

"It seems a bit dangerous.”

"What…Huh?”

Just when I was about to protest, I looked down to examine my hand, then blinked. My skin had gone dark blue.

"...What’s this?”

"Release it.”

The moment I dispelled ‘Form’ as instructed, crushing agony spread through my whole body.

"Kgh..."

I scrunched up my face as I leaned against the wall, trying to somehow ease the pain. It felt like every bone in my body was being compacted.

Dercia calmly explained as I let out labored gasps.

"You only removed the perception of pain. The burden on your body stayed the same, which is, quite frankly, counterproductive. Using it that way is unwise, in my opinion.”

"You told me to try it…”

"I didn’t expect it to be that severe. At this rate, you could die while using it without knowing. It’s probably best to only use ‘Form’ as a training tool unless it’s an absolute emergency.”

She shrugged lightly, then snapped her fingers. One of the unconscious thieves immediately woke up from their unconscious state.

"Wake up.”

"Kuwaaaaargh!!”

... Apparently, her method of waking him up involved twisting his muscles to their limit.

I felt goosebumps rising all over my body as I watched the man’s calf contract and knot in grotesque ways.

She seemed to be using a variation of ‘Form: Rupture.’ Having experienced it myself, I felt some form of sympathy for the guy. This definitely was nothing but torture.

The thief clutched his calf, writhing in pain. Then, when he looked at Dercia, who had pulled back her robe’s hood, a puzzled expression appeared on his face.

"Wh-wh-who are you?”

"You’re slow at reading the situation. Answer my questions, and I will spare your life.”

"…An elven, wizard… D-Dercia! Dercia Aspandil! A 9-star wizard!”

The thief’s face was filled with horror as his thoughts finally carried him to this conclusion.

It seemed Dercia’s name was even known among the inhabitants of this rotten city.

I hadn’t known, though.

"Just why are you here—!”

"I don’t quite understand why you think you are the one asking the questions here…”

Dercia sighed, and the thief’s calf began to twist again.

"Kuaaaaaaaaaargh!!”

"I only have three things to ask you. Are you a member of Rips?”

"No! No, no, no, no!!”

"Do you know anyone who is a member?”

"Yes! O-our boss, he’s a member!!”

"Guide us.”

That last line wasn’t a question, but the thief didn’t seem to have the guts to say anything against it.

We handed the guy’s unconscious companions over to the guards, then forcibly dragged that trembling thief, who was trying to follow them, along. He led us to an expensive-looking mansion where his so-called boss was said to be.

Only then did I ask.

"What’s Rips?”

"An organization that Scarlet Abyss most certainly contacted. They aren’t only present in this city. They are these disgusting kinds of rats that hide in nearly every city’s underworld. If they wanted to expand their numbers, they’d be among the first they’d get in touch with.”

"I see. So what will you do?”

"Extract information.”

Dercia blinked—her face changed slightly.

To be precise, her ears shrunk, her skin had regained some color, and the dark circles under her eyes faded. However, that alone transformed her from a moody elf into an aloof, peerless beauty.

I was completely dumbfounded.

"That should be enough to avoid revealing my true identity.”

"Put on your hood as well.”

"I already changed my face."

"...You’ll only attract more attention like that.”

"...?"

Dercia, puzzled by my words, pulled on her hood and walked to the gate.

Of course, the guards standing before it approached us.

"Halt, this area—"

The guy couldn’t even finish his sentence when he collapsed, his head hitting the ground.

Dercia nonchalantly threw the gate open as if nothing had happened, went up to the fifth floor, and smashed through a door.

"...Huh, wh-what?”

Inside was a fat, middle-aged man diligently polishing a golden calf on his desk.

He gaped at the sight of a ten-year-old boy and a tall, hooded woman, then flushed with rage.

"Who the hell are you guys? Guards, guards!!”

"They are all currently resting."

"...Tsk. Whoever you are, you’ve picked the wrong place to break in. Black Hounds, it’s time to work!”

The man pulled a rope hanging close to him. Then, as a curtain parted, a group of masked assassins wearing black clothes leaped out.

Unconscious.

"...? Black Hounds?”

The assassins rolling on the floor were all foaming at the mouth.

The man’s face slowly turned pale with fear as he saw that.

"Wh-who are you?”

"Let me ask you first. Do you know Scarlet Abyss?”

At those words, he seemed to ponder first, then he pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"I don’t, I swear, I really don’t know anything!”

"Hmm, it seems this is going to be rather annoying.”

The moment Dercia raised her finger, I stepped forward.

"Smart choice. If you’d said you did know, we’d have killed you on the spot.”

"...What?"

Before he could recover from his confusion, I slammed him into the wall using the currents.

-Thud!

"Gah…!”

"But you’d better choose your next words very carefully. Why did you betray us?”

"W-wait… Hold on…”

I released the currents. The man, who was now staring at me, seemed to have realized something and nodded.

"At that age, using that kind of magic… Y-you’re with Scarlet Abyss, right? But what are you talking about? I haven't betrayed you! Not even slightly!”

"..."

Dercia and I exchanged a brief glance.

Understanding that she wanted me to continue, I stepped closer to the guy, lowered my voice, and threatened him.

"You didn’t betray us? How strange. Then why was our plan exposed?”

"Y-you mean the matter in Azellin?”

"...Yes, that’s right. The Knights moved in. That couldn’t have happened unless your people let something slip.”

"Wait, just what are you talking about?”

The man wildly shook his head, dumbfounded.

"You were the ones boasting you could handle a thousand Knights without breaking a sweat! W-we did everything you asked for. We even brought you all the seawater and ice you wanted!”

"Master."

"Yes. That should be enough. Close your eyes or step outside.”

"Are you going to kill him?”

"If someone of the underworld keeps a mansion this out in the open, it means they have already bribed everyone that needs bribing. Unless they are a low-ranking grunt, guys like this will get released the very next day if they get arrested. Do you disapprove?”

"No. I was thinking the same thing.”

"Then wait outside.”

"I don’t really mind staying, though—”

"You’re still young enough to take things into your inner world. I doubt you’d enjoy seeing corpses floating in your Abyssal Sea.”

"R-right.”

I left the bewildered man and Dercia alone.

She joined me less than ten seconds later, looking quite pleased.

"That was some good improvisation. He wouldn’t have opened that heavy mouth of his unless I made him want to die. Thanks to you, we saved a lot of time.”

"...The situation isn’t exactly great, though.”

"Why is that?”

I glanced uneasily toward the room where the man’s corpse probably lay before answering.

"Well, my student, Elisia, chose Azellin as her vacation spot. I’m not sure where that is, though.”

"It’s widely considered to be a beautiful place. They say a pretty river runs through it, and rare flowers that grow nowhere else can be seen there.”

"Have you been there yourself?”

"Yes. But I can’t tell you anything about that river or the flowers, but the library there only had about 500 books, all of which I had already read. Personally, I’d rather avoid visiting that place again.”

Well, that assessment seemed quite typical of her.

I felt a faint urgency well up in me as I asked,

"We’re not too late, are we?”

"It’s only been two days. I don’t think they could occupy an entire city in that time span. If we hurry up a bit, there shouldn’t be any major problems. Don’t worry.”

"...Right."

I forcibly suppressed my anxiety, hearing her words.

Dercia, watching me intently, let out a soft chuckle.

"How curious.”

"Pardon?"

"You worrying about someone else is quite a strange sight. Who’s worrying about whom here? No matter what situation that child is in right now, even if she’s dead, she would still be better off than you.”

"Sometimes I wonder if you’re fundamentally incapable of empathy, Master.”

"It’s an undeniable fact. However, I thought you and I shared a rather similar temperament.”

"...You’re mistaken. I’m a normal person who can feel anxious and sad when someone I know is in danger.”

"Don’t you consider that part of you as a weakness?”

"Knowing that those who think like that end up living in misery, not at all.”

"Hmm."

Dercia gave me an amused look, then opened a door.

Beyond it spread a hillside covered in beautiful red and white flowers. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the scene was breathtaking yet surreal, like a moving painting.

"Then, while we’re at it, we may as well rescue your student as well.”

There was nothing but boredom filling her tone.

As if the outcome was already a given.

Following her through the door, looking at her reliable back, we emerged in a small cabin. Ahead lay hills filled with flowers, and beyond them, small wisps of smoke were rising into the air.

"Looks like it’s dinner time.”

"Do you have a plan?”

"I’ll use the authority of the Dark Magic Tower to issue a citywide danger alert, evacuate all the nobles, and then face Scarlet Abyss. Once we are prepared, no matter what they try, we’ll be ready.”

"That sure sounds reassuring. But—”

As we climbed the flower-covered hills, I began to understand why this place was such a popular vacation spot among the nobles.

The sight of the large selection of flowers in bloom was, at least, the most beautiful sight I had seen in this world.

"...This is..."

However, something felt off about all this.

Footprints, neither from humans nor animals, were strewn about the soil.

And if one took a closer look, pieces of blood-stained armor lay hidden among the flowers.

—Finally, I saw the smoke was getting a bit thicker. A whole lot thicker, actually.

"...Master.”

"I see it too. If this is part of some sort of festival… that would be ideal.”

Dercia, who was the first to climb the hill before us, looked down and spoke in a calm, almost indifferent tone.

"Jern."