Screams. More screams.

Screams. More screams.

Just as everyone’s laughter sounds different, so too do their screams.

‘After hearing so many screams, I can now distinguish the differences. For example, that shrill “Kyaaaak!” is from someone who doesn’t want to die. It’s a denial of reality. And that gasping “Huh, huuk…” is from someone already gripped by fear before they even die. Oh, and that “Ah, aaaah!” means they have regrets… but wait, that’s the scream of that woman Roa? The lady who was talking with Jun-woo earlier. Azure Magic School’s Sprout Class teacher, wasn’t she? She seemed like a good person… farewell.’

Yuria just grinned.

People dying wasn’t anything new, and if she had to show a reaction, laughing was better than crying. It consumed less energy that way.

‘Many will die… but did we really need to gather everyone for a full-scale battle like this?’

When Yuria had asked that, Baek Jun-woo had answered,

‘If we don’t want to be held back at every turn, it’s better to demonstrate overwhelming power now. The reason a third world war never happened on Earth was because of nuclear weapons.’

Though terms like “Earth” and “nuclear weapons” were unfamiliar, Yuria vaguely understood what Jun-woo was trying to say.

We need to ascend the Tower,

We need to be acknowledged…

But others have no intention of clearing the path for us or showing us any respect. Instead, they try to block our way at every turn.

What an unrecognized force needs isn’t excellent negotiation skills.

What’s needed is a show of force to forcibly squeeze a seat at a table with only seven chairs. After all, negotiations can only happen between those already seated at the table.

So…

‘We have to win.’

Yuria reaffirmed to herself.

‘And not just win, but win overwhelmingly.’

Blood-soaked red robes came into view. Right after Jun-woo intercepted the Saint, the senior inquisitors had begun their charge. Despite taking casualties, they’d successfully penetrated into our formation. Although their numbers had fallen from fifty to twenty-seven, their momentum remained terrifying.

Each time the senior inquisitors waved their hands and chanted spells, the water that had been supporting their feet suddenly exploded upward like towers. Even mages who had managed to avoid the initial attack were eventually crushed by the falling water.

It wasn’t drowning, but burial.

The impossibly heavy water was like soil, and those caught beneath neither sank further nor rose, dying with their eyes wide open. Looking down at the rippling water, you could clearly see the open-eyed corpses buried below. A transparent grave.

Their numbers grew steadily.

But Yuria tore her gaze away. Fighting the senior inquisitors wasn’t her task right now.

‘Mage of Refinement will handle that well enough.’

True, the enemy was stronger than expected. But Jun-woo hadn’t relied solely on his own abilities.

Jun-woo had faith in the Mage of Domestication and the Mage of Refinement.

He trusted the field researchers of the Academy, tempered by actual combat, and the academic mages who, despite lacking combat power, were quick to learn anything with their thorough theoretical knowledge.

And above all…

He believed in the growth achieved by his companions in the Baek Jun-woo Research Nomad.

The enemy was stronger than expected. That was a variable. Therefore…

‘Who else should handle that variable but me, Yuria? The second-in-command of the Baek Jun-woo Research Nomad!’

Thinking thoughts that would have made Lytol jump in rage if he heard them, Yuria fixed her gaze on Hedric and the vampire woman Kaisel.

The Mage of Illusion, Hedric, was struggling.

He was a master of mental magic. But mental magic was largely ineffective against Kaisel, the vampire lord estimated to be at least an A+ grade Night Calamity. The Saint’s decision to assign Kaisel to Hedric had been a sound one.

At this rate, Hedric’s head would hit the ground before three minutes passed. He didn’t even seem to have the chance to use his trump card, <Sowing>.

‘Such a Mage, and so weak… Fine. I’ll take care of that variable.’

Yuria drew her bow. A strange metal bow that reflected both silver and black light.

That day in Mezika Street, when all the mages were frantically searching for the Mage of Refinement, the winner had been Yuria, the user of [Magic Eye]. Though Mage of Refinement had hidden quite cleverly, Yuria had found him. Once his location was revealed, Mage of Refinement had willingly crafted a bow for Yuria. Apparently, it was his hobby to sell magical devices to those who passed his tests…

Being a cherished companion of Baek Jun-woo, she was able to buy this treasure at the special discount price of 10,000 Morning. Of course, she’d passed the bill to Baek Jun-woo. Though Jun-woo had thrown a fit, asking what kind of bow could possibly cost 10,000 Morning and accusing her of scamming him… Yuria sincerely believed it was a special discounted price.

She had to believe it.

Yuria nocked one of the ten special arrows that Refinement had crafted for her and drew the string.

Twaap!

The sound was different from the start. No twisting feeling of kiirik! All force concentrated to a single point, making a sound like twaap! It was as chewy as freshly baked rice cake.

‘Ah, my hand feels ecstatic.’

When the string was finally fully drawn and that ecstasy was ending, the power of [Magic Eye] amplified with a whooosh! Her perception expanded endlessly. She could clearly see not just the thousands of people tangled in battle, but even a pebble on the distant horizon, as if she were examining the lines on her palm.

‘Is this what they call an orgasm?’

Remembering the late-night stories she’d overheard from the adults in the nomad, Yuria shuddered.

It was still amazing to think about. A magical device that amplified the power of a Gift! Even Mage of Refinement himself had been surprised by the result. A weapon only Yuria could use. A bow that Mage of Refinement declared he couldn’t recreate.

That’s why Yuria had named it “Gunggung(窮弓)” meaning “Ultimate Bow.”

‘Such a cute name.’

Feeling proud once again, Yuria slowly aimed her bow.

Bullet

Yuria’s growth wasn’t just due to her new bow. Through diligent training and actual combat, Yuria had finally reached 3rd Circle, 3-star. Considering just magical attainment, she had caught up with Jun-woo.

The 3-star Ki-blood was completely different from when it was 1-star.

Creating new magical vessels by pounding ki into the blood vessels of one arm was typically known as the 1-star level. At 2-star, one could open magical vessels in both arms, and at 3-star, in all four limbs—both arms and both legs.

And with good application skills, one could create new structures beyond magical vessels. Jun-woo had created <Bolt> modeled after a crossbow, and Yuria had created Bullet modeled after a bow.

From her firmly planted feet up through her straight left arm and right hand drawing the string, tense elasticity was concentrated. The remaining ki seeped into the Ultimate Bow and special arrow.

This alone already had destructive power surpassing a 4th Circle spell. But it wasn’t yet enough to damage a Mage-class calamity.

Yuria’s lips moved.

Simultaneously, Yuria’s Circle opened its mouth.

“I am Yuria Lin. By the authority granted to me by the Divine Mage, I command. I wish for the one arrow that can defeat an insurmountable enemy. Though it falls far short of the miracle of ancient times… still, to put it in metaphor, <I shall shoot the sun.>”

A subtle breeze blew.

Yuria could see and feel her magical power trembling. Now she could vaguely see magical power that she couldn’t see before. This was thanks to her 2nd grade magical sight ability, which had opened up as she reached 3rd Circle.

Yuria used the transcendent perception provided by [Magic Eye] to gauge how this subtle trembling differed from when Jun-woo used <Saíl>.

‘Error margin… about 60 percent?’

Although Yuria herself couldn’t hear it, her Circle spoke like this:

[ChiaaaaaaLLL!!]

Terrible pronunciation. Normally, such pronunciation would never activate <Saíl>. But because she borrowed Jun-woo’s name, the power of <Saíl> successfully descended upon the earth.

An arrow glowing silver on the taut bowstring.

Yuria gathered all the power condensed by Bullet and “threw” it. She herself became another bow.

Pwoong-!

The arrow, accelerated by the double rebound, flew toward the vampire lord Kaisel, trailing brilliant silver light. It broke the sound barrier, leaving an intense explosive sound in its wake.

<Spatial Distortion>

<Spell Penetration>

<Physical Defense Ignore>

<Intense Impact>

These four spells were engraved on the Ultimate Bow itself, and

<Unhealable Wound>

<Pierced Soul>

These two were engraved on the special arrow. Mage of Refinement had said that when this arrow struck, even a dragon couldn’t avoid a miserable injury.

These terrible spells were layered on top of the already powerful <Saíl>.

Sensing the ominous energy, Kaisel belatedly tried to dodge, but

[Magic Eye-<Interference>!]

The power of Magic Eye, enhanced thanks to the Ultimate Bow, reached across hundreds of meters to seize Kaisel. For just 0.5 seconds, Kaisel’s movements froze with a thud! That was enough time.

Thud!

The silver arrow seemed to sprout from the left arm of the Mage-class calamity, vampire lord Kaisel.

“Ah…?”

Just as a gasp escaped Kaisel’s lips,

Crack-crack! Her left arm split apart. Bang! It exploded, transforming into silver dust that poured down like sand.

Tumbling across the water with splashes, the soaked Kaisel belatedly looked down at her now-empty left arm. Then she noticed the silver cracks spreading from her left arm to her chest.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

Her scream pierced through the battlefield. It was so intense that everyone fighting flinched.

‘Yes, I know that scream.’

Yuria thought, twisting her lips.

‘It’s the scream of someone denying reality.’

* * *

The little Saint Beatrice’s manner of speech changed in quite an amusing way.

“Sinner. If thou repent even now, I shall mercifully spare thee with just one right arm.”

“Urgh?! Sinner. Thou art capable! However, a blind one like thee cannot defeat true magic!”

“Ah! No! My teddy bear!”

“Eek?! You, what kind of sinner are you? How did you…!”

“…This is absolutely ridiculous! Hey!? What are you?”

I was as surprised by her as she was by me.

But what separated her and me was that I had grasped her secret, while she had not grasped mine.

So,

This girl can’t see mana. She can’t hear the sounds of magical power either.

How could someone who produces such accurate pronunciation not hear the sounds? It was incomprehensible, but from my observations, that was the fact.

Why did such a contradiction exist? What was the secret of her ability?

I decided to ask directly.

“Hey, what’s that thing in the center of your Circle?”

My question must have hit the mark, as Beatrice’s shoulders flinched.

“Wh-what?”

Is it because she’s young? Her reactions are so obvious it’s almost embarrassing for me.

“You’ve mixed something into your Circle, right? What is it? Since it has magical power… is it a dragon heart after all?”

“H-how did you know that!”

Haah… really?

It’s actually a dragon heart?

I moistened my dry lips with my tongue.