Silence vs Time

Wanstein opened his eyes.

A desolate plain spread before his eyes.

“Where is this…?”

Certainly, he was fiercely fighting Ruin. A massive fortress suddenly appeared and he took a fatal blow…

“Is this your first time in the world of the dead?”

At the same time as he heard the familiar voice, Wanstein realized.

He was dead, and this place is the Netherworld.

And that woman before his eyes.

“Baude… laire…?”

The fact that she’s Ruin’s lover he killed with his own hands long ago.

“This is a place called the Middle. It’s a special space only absolute beings who accomplished great achievements can ascend. Originally, guys with low ‘status’ like you shouldn’t even set foot here, but I insisted.”

“Nonsense! Are you babbling that inferior you has higher status than me!”

“Probably. I don’t have mana like you, but I had knowledge.”

“Knowledge… that fortress!”

Wanstein glared at Baudelaire.

“It was your work!”

“Ah, His Majesty floated that fortress.”

“Even inciting Ruin to kill me? How dare you!”

Before the screaming Wanstein, Baudelaire grinned.

“That person seems to be doing well too.”

“Baudelaire!”

“When I first came here, I thought I couldn’t see that person. I blamed myself thinking that though I died and Ruin also followed, I who was unfamiliar with the Netherworld couldn’t watch his last moments. But thanks to you, I came to know many things. That Ruin is alive, the fortress soars, and finally alchemy continues on…”

Wanstein couldn’t say anything before her.

Because Baudelaire’s smile recalling Ruin was too clear.

“Thank goodness. That he’s alive.”

“Then will you now ascend the reincarnation path?”

When someone wearing black cloth appeared, Wanstein trembled.

That existence alone made his soul feel fear.

“No, Lord. A final person I must wait for arose.”

“You mean your husband?”

“Yes. I’ll be together with Ruin.”

“Then, what will you do with that one?”

Baudelaire looked at the brand stamped on Wanstein’s shoulder, smiled, and turned around.

“As His Majesty wills.”

Wanstein couldn’t know who the Majesty referred to.

The pressure of two other existences that gathered in an instant swallowed all thoughts.

“Kukukukuk, it’s been a while since someone branded by His Majesty.”

“Hmm, why did our lord command to specially toy with such a weak loach?”

The Lord of Calamity and Lord of Pride stood side by side beside the Lord of Despair.

“Can you use something called Magus Arts? Try it, I’ll personally decide your treatment.”

When the Lord of Despair cast fierce eyes, Wanstein jumped up.

Without knowing, he reached his hand and manipulated time.

Though mana didn’t flow in the Netherworld, Magus Arts engraved on the soul unfolded as is.

The Lord of Despair who silently watched the desolate Middle distort smirked and tried to take out something rippling darkly.

That moment.

Bang!

With a roar shaking the Middle, all time shattered.

The Lord of Pride lightly stomped with his foot and smashed Wanstein’s Magus Arts to pieces.

“Try again.”

Wanstein engulfed in terror made time repeatedly.

He tried somehow to reach it by rewinding or accelerating.

But when the Lord of Pride waved his hand like shooing flies, all time disappeared.

Had there been such a desperate situation since becoming a Magus?

When Wanstein knelt, the Lord of Pride crossed his arms and shouted with a displeased expression.

“It’s over?”

“Kukukukuk, seems there’s nothing more?”

“If he at least had status, I would’ve considered a little.”

The lords looked at Wanstein indifferently.

“He’d be just right to use as a toy.”

Subjects stamped with Pernok’s brand receive the Middle’s stern judgment until they ascend to the Netherworld.

The lords judged according to that soul’s status whether to utilize for training before extinguishing or whether it’s a toy to play with and break, and Wanstein was strictly close to the latter.

“I-I want to reincarnate…”

“Kukukukuk.”

Wanstein tried to back away but it was meaningless.

Before he knew it, his arms and legs were swallowed by disaster and disappeared.

When he began exuding disaster that melts even souls all over his body, the other lords retreated.

“Tsk, stop releasing that foul thing already.”

“If you’ll take charge, do as you wish. However, it must be enough to appease my confidant Baudelaire’s vengeful spirit.”

“Kuku, don’t worry. I’ll keep just the soul’s breath until His Majesty ascends.”

The lords each returned to their domains.

Wanstein diligently turned only his head with nowhere to go.

The Lord of Calamity licked his lips watching his only struggling.

“Ah, when will you resolve my lingering attachment…”

“D-don’t come!”

“Child, play with me. Since I’m extremely curious about your Magus Arts’ principles, stop useless struggling and quietly pay for your sins.”

The Lord of Calamity’s hand touched Wanstein’s crown.

“Those stamped with that brand cannot escape even in the Netherworld.”

Quietly becoming the Lord of Calamity’s test subject and suffering, then being extinguished after Pernok ascends to the Netherworld.

Writhing in despair until death was the only action permitted to Wanstein.

* * *

Ruin perched on a rock.

With a rather exhausted, deathly pale complexion, he looked around the quieted island center.

“It took much time to reach here.”

“There are more things to do ahead.”

“Of course. It must be so…”

Beyond the ripening corpses, a resonance that seemed to cover the sea burst from the loftily floating fortress.

[Flash cannons ready.]

50 more gun ports than during the Scale Tribe aimed from above at the island’s outskirts.

[All allies please immediately evacuate from that place.]

The Horn Tribe and Origin’s children threw themselves into seawater.

The Scale Tribe took them and quickly retreated from the position.

When mages made puzzled expressions, Pernok looked at Ruin.

“Will you embrace them?”

“Everything related to Wanstein must disappear.”

Pernok who saw Ruin’s chilling smile nodded and shouted.

“Fire!”

As soon as the fortress burst mana like emitting light, all gun ports spat fire.

Bang bang bang bang!

Mana shells scattering were like an inescapable downpour by themselves.

Though mages tried to block by mobilizing all means, even their screams were swallowed by the flash.

It didn’t take even 1 minute to clean up the mages.

“Even 7th level mages easily become dust when concentrated fire is received.”

The research director asserted he could improve the flash cannons more.

One problem is the amount of mana it devours is considerable, so charging alone doesn’t solve it.

[We’ll land!]

When Trident Force plus flash cannons are used, the fortress’s floating function begins degrading.

Though he thinks it’s a natural result for strong power, Pernok wasn’t satisfied with this situation.

“I want to raise the output more. Should I make one more core?”

“If we introduce the association’s amplification technology, we’ll be able to maintain the fortress’s floating function even while using tactical weapons.”

“I also support the idea of swallowing the association, but becoming association head requires qualifications.”

Things like prestigious families or proof of long-supporting the association.

No matter how vacant the position, the association head can’t seat a half-baked Magus.

Only those possessing both bloodline and ability gain qualification to challenge the next association head position.

“Your Highness, do you know Agnes’s meaning?”

When Pernok shook his head, Ruin smiled and said.

“100 years ago, Agnes is the name of the family involved in mana amplification technology’s birth.”

“Don’t tell me… you were association affiliated?”

“No. Our family was just a family of inquirers researching mana-related theories with the mage association. The association took our theories, and the family declined over generations. By my generation, it was no more than a shell with only the name left.”

Suddenly, Ruin’s method of introducing various mana-related technologies to the fortress came to mind.

“Was mana coating also the Agnes family’s?”

“I developed it, but the foundation was Agnes. I was always embarrassed to carry the family name. We gave so much but gained nothing—what sucker exists like this in the world? Hahahaha!”

Ruin burst into hearty laughter and rose from his seat.

“However, now it’s a situation to use even the forgotten family’s power. Don’t worry. The mana amplification technology the association claims contains Agnes’s knowledge. Though we’re not a pure-blood family the association recognizes, our merit is sufficient, so if I use the Agnes name, the association’s elders will definitely recognize it.”

“Can you even make a faction?”

“The association that lost Wanstein craves new Magi and hopes they’re related to themselves. Whether Agnes or whatever, they’ll favor Magi with ties to the association. If I release some of my knowledge, mages will naturally gather. And don’t I have shadows?”

The 5th and 6th level mages Ludmila handed over.

“If I nominate them for vacant branch head positions and I take the center, the picture will roughly be complete.”

“I don’t have time to wait long.”

“I know. Since Wanstein died, Porla’s power will also weaken, and Vans will move in earnest. Therefore, I’ll seize the association before Rakis points a blade at you, Your Highness.”

“If needed, take Rio and the heterogeneous races.”

“Yes.”

Ruin left the coldly cooling corpses behind and returned to the fortress.

Pernok headed to the island’s outskirts.

In places where everything burned pitch black, glowing souls filled it.

Allied damage was nonexistent.

When he absorbed hundreds of spiritual power and mana as perfect victory’s spoils, numerous magics and usage methods grazed his mind.

Pernok grinned and shouted to allies floating on the water surface.

“Reorganize and prepare for the next war!”

* * *

One week passed since Wanstein and his faction entered the island.

When no contact reached them, the association dispatched mages and witnessed a shocking sight.

“Ugh!”

The association’s mages had become pitch black corpses.

Unable to find Wanstein and Pedson’s appearances, they immediately reported to the association.

After elders directly led even remaining branch heads and searched the island, they found Pedson.

And they found a corpse presumed to be Wanstein nearby.

“…”

No one could continue speaking.

Who could have imagined an S2 Magus and world-renowned ability user handling time would die miserably?

The elders collected the corpse that seemed to crumble.

And conveyed this incident to Porla who was summoned to the capital.

“What are those words?”

“Association head Wanstein has passed.”

“…”

“The villain hasn’t been discovered yet. But we judge it’s the same force that drove a wedge between Tyr’s fleet and the mining site.”

“…Rakis.”

“Prince, it’s not certain.”

“Isn’t Tyr currently sharpening its blade sharply against Rakis!”

Porla roughly struck the desk.

“Damn it! While conducting the competition, why does the association head die and I’m here receiving investigations!”

Behind the screaming Porla, mages who returned to the association faced an urgent problem.

“Elder Fargal was appointed temporary association head. However…”

Fargal just temporarily took the position by respect, not ability.

When Rakis and Tyr tensely oppose and even Rezhen shows war.

To maintain the association’s power requires a strong Magus.

But no matter which family they searched, no appropriate Magus appeared.

Because Wanstein and his two disciples were the very power the association desired most, so their heads ached over who to select as replacement.

“Then we can’t support Prince Porla!”

“If we participate in Illumina’s competition, other kingdoms won’t leave us be!”

“Didn’t we already collide once with Tyr!”

“Whether misunderstanding or not, they’ll exert pressure on the weakened association!”

The meeting held while all branch heads and elders watched seemed to conclude toward crouching.

Because they must escape the ordeal the association will bear after Wanstein’s death is announced.

Then, an existence the association couldn’t even imagine appeared.

“My name is Ruin Agnes.”

An old gentleman wearing a fedora and holding a cane.

Exuding Magus capacity that overwhelmed the elders, he threw down a challenge to the new association head selection.

“With old family ties, I’d like to help the association’s difficulties—could you grant me association head qualifications?”

Agnes.

A small remote family that helped with the association’s mana-related technology theories.

One person among the elders recalled the musty past that now disappeared.

“Agnes! Do descendants of those who inquired into mana still live?”

“I formally inherited the Agnes surname. And now I’m also devoting effort to nurturing later scholars.”

The 5th and 6th level mages standing behind Ruin raised their heads.

“You absolutely can’t say Agnes’s help wasn’t in mana amplification technology.”

Sharply refined presence overwhelmed the audience.

“I’ll declare the Agnes faction’s founding in this place now.”

Someone appeared before their eyes who fulfilled all conditions the elders desired.

No one could say they refused the overwhelming Ruin.

And Wanstein’s death and Agnes’s founding shook the world.