Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 403

Episode 403 Fun

The sound of cold metal clashing against metal pierces your ears, and the explosive sound of magic hitting your eardrums vibrates.

Bolts, arrows, and, in rare cases, daggers flew indiscriminately from all directions, damaging armor and tearing flesh and muscles, causing bleeding.

Even if you seal away your original power, you can't do anything about the years you've lived and the experiences you've gained.

Experience and skill.

They were continuously raining down with the weapons they had obtained from the labyrinth.

<Fire Spear>

<Ice Spear>

Kwaaaaang!

The wizards of Lobelin and the Zentir Tower clashed. Steam rose and settled everywhere.

Obscured view.

Taking advantage of the moment of blindness, Suin ran out on all fours and grabbed a large bone lying there in his hand.

At that moment, a chill ran down my spine.

As soon as he bent down, the bastard sword swung horizontally and struck the keel, blowing it away.

The imperial man raised his eyebrows.

“You have bad hand habits.”

“Hey, if you touch it, where does it hurt?”

The man and the woman twisted their waists.

The claw and blade continued to strike at each other, repeatedly advancing and retreating.

As soon as the dragon's material hit the ground, everyone's eyes rolled back.

The alliance has long since been broken.

It was extremely chaotic, with 10% of all participants fighting in one space, and 8 different forces fighting at the same time.

It was a total mess.

“Haa, haa…….”

Robelin and her party, catching their breath with their backs against the wall, surveyed the situation.

Hezen clicked his tongue.

“Oh, there’s no way out…….”

The pinkish transparent curtains I had seen before were blocking off each passageway one by one. Soon, the space was closed off until the last remaining passage was blocked.

It was a precautionary measure put in place by some participants in case someone ran off with the prize.

“The road is completely blocked and I can’t escape. What should I do, Lady Robelin?”

“Just keep your distance and don’t let anyone approach you. Don’t worry about the material.”

Safety first, product first.

Robelin reminded her subordinates of their priorities and unleashed a wave of flames, deterring the majority who were looking in this direction.

At that moment, Verden turned his gaze to the side and kicked the floor with all his might.

“Alan!”

Robelin called out to me from behind, but I ignored her.

It would be better to face the biggest threat than to stay still.

He charged forward with full force and swung his spear at the woman holding the sword. Sparks flew in an instant and the steel screamed.

Verden whispered softly.

“Is it okay for the organizer to intervene in this way?”

“Oh my, intervention? I also did my duty as a participant. Look. The crossbow and this sword are exactly the same as the ones you use. I personally hunted them in the labyrinth and obtained them. I’m just an ant here.”

Ignacia chuckled.

“But if ants die while chasing food, whose fault is it?”

“It depends on your perspective.”

Verden uses his enhanced physical abilities to launch a one-sided attack.

Then he shifted his weight forward and pushed Ignacia with his shoulder, crashing her into the wall, extending the spear and crushing her thin neck with the curved blade.

“Ugh… You’re so merciless. I’m a wizard of the same level as you, but aren’t you being too wary of me?”

“Isn’t that natural, since you never know what they might do?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s not me who creates variables. It’s you guys and this labyrinth.”

───Thud!

Suddenly a loud noise was heard.

Slow, repetitive, and approaching… … much like the sound of footsteps.

“Like now.”

Ignacia turned her head to the side as much as possible and bent her upper body to escape the pressure.

Left hand touching the ground.

Immediately afterwards, he stretched his right leg into the air and kicked him near the neck.

'Martial arts is no joke.'

Verden stepped back in shock.

I wiped my chin with the back of my hand. A bit of black dust came out.

Ignacia shook her hand lightly.

“Hey, that kid… Ah, what should I call you now?”

“This is Alan.”

“My name is Sia. Anyway, Alan, have you ever heard of something called the ‘Ancient Bell’?”

Ancient bell?

“I haven’t heard of it.”

“Right? I heard it in passing, but in the distant past, there were various races other than humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves. Someone classified them as ancient races.”

She shrugged.

“And they say there’s a big human among them… Honestly, there’s no data, and there’s no plausible story. As a wizard, I can’t help but think of it as a made-up story, right?”

“What’s the main point?”

“But even though it’s fiction, I thought it was perfect as an idea. I tried to recreate it, at least partially, with my imagination.”

Ignacia nodded.

As I reflexively turned my gaze in that direction, a shadow rippled outside the transparent curtain.

Kwaaaaaaaah!

The barrier was shattered in one blow.

A 'giant' barged in through the entrance into the battlefield that had been paused for a moment.

Suin took a step back.

“What the heck, what is that!”

Long, outstretched arms and legs.

Although the overall appearance was similar to that of a human, the details, such as the corners of the mouth being torn all the way down to the ears, and the absence of pupils or genitals, were completely different.

Verden had a hunch.

On the third day of the labyrinth, it was that giant human that blew up and killed two contestants.

'It's dangerous.'

Given the restrictions, even if all the participants here join forces, facing the giant would be tantamount to suicide.

Feeling an instinctive threat, the participants hurriedly distanced themselves.

Ignacia spoke very quietly.

“Wow, this is my first time seeing it in a labyrinth. It looks really scary.”

“…….”

“Would you stop looking at me like that? I swear on my existence that I have no secret intentions here. It’s all natural.”

“I don’t doubt it. I just want to know how things will go from here.”

“Since they blocked the escape route with a barrier, wouldn’t at least half of them die? Of course, that is, if no one gets their hands on the item…….”

Ignacia rolled her eyes and saw something, then smiled.

“Yeah, that would be fun.”

I turned my head to follow her gaze.

A man from the Arnak Empire was holding an hourglass.

As soon as he made up his mind and bent his finger to destroy the container in one breath─── the entire labyrinth began to pulse.

“That’s…….”

“Fun is stimulation. And stimulation comes from change, and tension, which can be called seasoning, comes from impatience.”

Ignacia took up her sword.

“I prepared just one for that reason, but I didn’t know you had it?”

Kuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

The labyrinth splits.

No, it would be more appropriate to say that the structure is being rearranged.

Verden, who witnessed the space splitting apart in an instant as if through <terrain manipulation>, hurried to Robelin.

And then the vision went black.

* * *

“……!”

Verden opened his eyes and immediately got up to look around.

There is no one.

Only a dark, winding, empty passageway awaited him.

'It's a reversed labyrinth.'

The 'change' and 'impatience' that Isabella mentioned.

The former would refer to this new labyrinth itself, while the latter would probably refer to… … .

'Does this mean that the collapse of the labyrinth is accelerating?'

The front and back are more or less correct.

Verden assumed that and immediately increased his movement speed.

Because finding Robelin was the top priority.

And luckily, I was able to find it faster than I thought, perhaps because we were in the same space.

“Alan.”

However, there was one casualty that had not been reported before.

Aril, wearing a sling on his side, is groaning while sweating like rain.

“After the labyrinth became like this, we were attacked. It seems they were trying to steal the escape scroll. Of course, they annihilated us all…….”

Robelin bit her lip to suppress her anger.

Hezen said.

“I’ve gotten through the dangerous part, but I don’t think I can move any further. The wounded area is not in good condition. This potion has its limits.”

“I’m okay……!”

“It’s noisy.”

Robelin, who had silenced Arril, rubbed her forehead and became lost in thought.

A few seconds.

She made a quick decision and declared.

“Use the escape scroll.”

There are two means of escape available.

Nevertheless, Hezen did not question it and immediately followed the order.

Phew.

The scroll was activated in succession.

A wide-spreading wave of magical power.

While the arrangement of the ritual was being completed, we kept a close watch on the surroundings, but fortunately there were no surprises.

5 minutes and 7 minutes.

The blue entrance was completed as planned.

It seems that the activation times of the scrolls were individually different. Random? This is truly vicious.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble……”

“I told you it was noisy.”

He helped the injured Aril escape the labyrinth first.

And next.

“Lady Robelin, go ahead and rest. I’ll follow right after─── Huh?!”

Robelin kicked Hezen.

He was pushed out and swallowed up by the blue light. Darkness descended where the entrance had disappeared.

Robelyn exhaled.

“I can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to find the escape scroll after this. If you stay in the labyrinth like this, the chance of death will increase.”

“But why didn’t you go out?”

“Because they’re more important. At least to me… Then, Alan, why didn’t you just stay still? If you wanted to, you could have escaped instead of Hezen.”

“Your safety is my top priority, Lady Robelin.”

They were both stubborn.

It was a stubbornness that would not bend no matter what was said.

“……I won’t apologize. We’ll both return alive anyway.”

Robelin, who spoke softly, wore a jeweled ring.

It was a labyrinth item left behind by Arril.

The light of the jewel pointed to the west.

“It looks like the dragon is still in the labyrinth. If we chase it, we’ll be able to meet the other participants.”

She took the lead.

“Let’s move quickly. Before all the escape scrolls disappear.”

* * *

Kukukukukuku… … !

The labyrinth shakes intermittently.

A vibration similar to the one I felt when the collapse first began.

As the epicenter gradually drew closer, the end of the auction was drawing near.

Verden, who had hidden behind the wall, cautiously cast his gaze outside.

“……I found it.”

The corpses of the participants are strewn everywhere.

The magician of the magic tower, who said that confirming the dragon's whereabouts was the priority, is now cold.

The three surviving contestants are now rummaging through the corpses.

“With this, I’ve secured all the escape scrolls. By the way, I wonder when the guys who went to track down the materials will return.”

“It would be better to open up the space and wait. No matter what, securing an escape route comes first.”

“Haa, this stuffy labyrinth is finally coming to an end.”

They took turns activating their scrolls, covered in blood all over their bodies.

A unique spell flickers.

Verden and Robelin, who were watching the scene, prepared their weapons.

“I’ll take the initiative.”

"yes."

If the first surprise attack is successful, the escape is easy.

However, it wasn't just the two of them who were targeting them. Magic and arrows flew from one side of the passageway and attacked the participants.

“Get the scroll!”

“These little rats……!”

In an instant, a melee broke out.

Those guarding the escape route and those trying to take it away are entangled.

The timing was stolen.

If I watched any longer, the opportunity would have disappeared altogether.

Robelin activated her magical circuit and aimed it at the combat area.

The participants reacted to the magic belatedly, but before they could respond, Robelin completed the magic.

<Inferno>

A staff that can use 4th-tier magic twice.

A bright red flame burns the passage.

Verden and Lobelin raced into the hell filled with screams and shouts.

As the space opened up, an escape route was revealed.

<Rock Strike>

<Fire Stream>

I poured all my labyrinth items and magic power into the suppression. The flames of <Inferno> rippled under the directional elemental bombardment.

While Verden was distracted, Lobelin secured the entrance.

<Flame Curtain>

He engulfed himself in flames with the last 4th tier magic.

Now no one can approach.

Just as I was thinking that, someone broke through the wall of flames.

“Ghhhhhhhhhh!”

A man rushes forward in pain from a burn.

As he held the glaive and swung it, a red light flashed.

It's not just magicians who can use some of their original powers through labyrinth items.

Cut and cut

The artist cut through the curtain of flames.

The man was not safe from the boiling heat from the front, but he still pulled out his weapon.

“Ugh……!”

Because he had cast 4th level magic in succession with his weakened body, Robelin was unable to dodge.

Before they could even reach each other, Verden held out his spear and got in between them.

Kaang───Kwajijijik!

The glaive broke the spearhead and pierced Verden's abdomen.

Blood is gurgling in my throat.

However, when he extended his arm, calculating the magic, the man staggered and hurriedly retreated.

But Verden was targeting someone else.

<Glitch>

“……?!”

A strong wind swept across Robelin.

She was lifted into the air for a moment and collided with the entrance created by the scroll.

Round, red eyes.

With that, Robelin disappeared from the labyrinth.

The goal was achieved.

thud.

Verden knelt down.

It's an injury that's hard to endure mentally. There's no need to endure it, if you just cut the connection, the plan will be finished.

“Ugh!”

At that moment, a blade emerged from the mouth of the man holding the glaive.

As he fell with a small scream, Ignacia appeared behind him.

“I was wondering why you were hanging out with Bohemian Tower. It was because of that woman.”

Ignacia was just as badly wounded as Verden.

His left wrist was tattered, his side and thigh were cut wide, and there were three arrows lodged in his body.

Verden asked.

“What happened?”

“Hahaha, I almost died because I ran into a lot of people while passing by. By the way, what’s your relationship with that guy from earlier?”

“I won’t say anything.”

“Okay, then. Even if it’s mental, it’s still painful, but someone who can endure that much pain instead… Does he know your true identity? Doesn’t he? Oh my, how romantic.”

Ignacia walked over and plopped down next to Verden.

There was nothing around.

Everyone was either dead or had escaped the labyrinth. The only remaining escape route broke apart from the impact.

There were only two people sitting side by side.

“I heard there was a commotion in Gargant recently. An entire building disappeared due to space travel. Is that you?”

“It’s not that there is no relationship.”

“I think I clearly issued a cease-and-desist order. How bold of you?”

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a dispute…

Since there was no direct combat, it was kind of an accident.

But in the end, it was just a play on words, and it was up to Ignacia to decide, so Verden didn't try hard to make excuses.

"sorry."

“Do you think I’ll let this go if you apologize? Well, it’s not like I can’t do it, but… Okay. I’ll let it slide this time. But you owe me one thing instead. What do you think?”

I don't know what the price for being indebted to the Transcendent One will be, but I have no choice.

If Ignacia wants to punish, Isabella, who caused the teleportation, will be in danger.

“I will accept it.”

“It’s hot! Knock, knock!”

Ignacia, coughing up bloody phlegm, lay down and grabbed the back of Verden's neck.

Verden, who did not have the stamina to endure it, collapsed next to Ignacia.

A dark ceiling appeared in my field of vision.

“Haa, lying down is more comfortable. My body is tired too. But it seems a bit boring to end it like this… Do you want to have a fist fight to commemorate the occasion? Even if it’s a spiritual body, it’s a golden opportunity to defeat a Transcendent Being.”

“Okay. I can’t stand up anyway.”

“Hehehe, really? Actually, me too!”

When the words stop, a quiet silence falls.

It felt like I was in a dream. Soon, Ignacia whispered softly from between the corpses.

“It is a peaceful time.”

“……?”

“Of course not to you, but to a transcendent being like me, it is. Even if we realize the reason and ideal for our existence as we are, we cannot live as we please. If all transcendent beings start to run wild according to their own madness, the world will be engulfed in war. Just like in the distant past. It may be fun, but the very intention of doing so is not what I want.”

She sighed.

“Anyway, for that reason, the transcendent must maintain a minimum of discipline. And it is very difficult to pursue fun within that framework.”

Verden asked.

“So you’re opening a special auction house called Ignacia’s Scales?”

“Yeah, that would relieve some of the boredom. In that sense, I really like this labyrinth. That’s because when and where have I ever been hurt like this? Of course, this is just an illusion, but it will be etched clearly in my memory.”

Ignacia looked at Verden.

“Remember what I said? That a transcendent being is a being that transcends its species and is mentally ill.”

“I remember.”

“That’s why the transcendent is lonely. You have to stand still when the things you cherish cannot endure the passage of time and disappear. The woman you were trying to protect just now, you have to stay when everything around you falls apart. You become alone in this boring world. Until the end of your existence.”

That's the price of awakening.

“And yet, do you want to become a transcendent being?”

“…….”

A repetition of a question asked previously.

This time, Verden answered silently.

“Hee, of course, it’s impossible to not become a Transcendent even if you don’t want to. As I said last time, a Transcendent is a ‘chosen’ being. It’s not something you choose.”

Ignacia hugged Verden.

The spirit's blood flowed from her abdomen and soaked her arms.

“……But maybe you are different. Really maybe. I have this feeling that you would make this world more interesting.”

thud.

A heavy roar approaches.

The epicenter of the shaking in the passageway had arrived. The shadows cast by the magic stone lanterns scattered on the floor covered Verden and Ignacia.

“This is my first time dying with someone. I think this memory will last a particularly long time.”

Who wouldn't do that?

Verden answered in his head, as his voice was not working.

“It was fun, Asher.”

With Ignacia's last laugh, the giant clenched his fist and swung his arm downward with all his might.

Oh my god.

Finally, the labyrinth ended.