Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 178

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 178   Variant

We stood there in astonishment.

Alsphere, once radiant and beautiful with magical brilliance, had undergone a drastic transformation.

Now, it overflowed with a sinister demon magical power, and the gentle glow of magic had vanished.

As if being consumed by a deep crimson magical force, the trees had lost their vitality, and nature exuded an ominous aura.

Amidst the oppressive atmosphere, we continued to move forward.

The surroundings were clearly altered.

Is this also the influence of Scarlet night?

Marie uttered a small groan, and instinctively, I turned back.

“…This is the worst feeling. My body feels heavy, and I’m nauseous.”

“A-Are you okay, Lady Marie!?”

“I have no particular issues… but I do feel a bit lethargic.”

“Perhaps it’s the influence of magical perception. I’m experiencing similar symptoms as my sister.”

“W-What!? So having a keen magical perception results in such things…”

There was a slight, piercing pain throughout my entire body, accompanied by a clinging discomfort.

Perhaps it was due to the overly acute sensitivity of magical perception.

But it wasn’t unbearable.

We gritted our teeth and continued walking relentlessly.

And then, suddenly, we came to a halt.

“What is this?”

The voice that escaped me was strained.

In front of us, towering rocks formed a colossal structure, resembling a mountain.

It was inconceivable. While Alsphere had trees and a lake, there was no such mountain.

Moreover, a massive hole yawned wide open.

This was a cave.

“W-What in the world is going on?”

“There was nothing like this until yesterday, right!?”

“It seems like this isn’t an ordinary hill.”

Amidst the astonishment of the three, they turned their gaze towards me.

As expected.

“This mountain… this cave is imbued with demon magical power, in other words, Demon Magic.

It’s likely created by Scarlet night.”

“…So, is it the work of the Demons?”

“I think so, probably.”

The crimson magical power still swirled in the sky above.

The magic seemed to pour down on this forest, contaminating it.

This cave, born at the center of the forest.

This phenomenon did not occur during the Einzwerf incident.

I have no idea what’s happening.

However, I understand that it’s a critical situation.

It’s unlikely that nothing will happen if we leave things as they are.

“I’ll go over there for a bit.”

I said it and activated a jump.

The wind gathering at my feet pushed my body upwards into the sky.

A jump of several meters.

It wasn’t enough, so I kept jumping repeatedly.

Eventually, I reached an altitude of about 50 meters.

Since the Einzwerf battle, the interval for using magic release has become shorter, and by continuously using jumps like this, I can reach a certain height.

The higher I fly, the stronger the wind becomes, making control difficult, so I can’t overuse it.

I looked up into the sky and jumped even higher.

Reaching about 100 meters, I looked down on the forest.

“…Th-This is…”

I inadvertently let out my voice at the overwhelming scene.

More than half of the forest had been engulfed by the cave.

There was no trace left of the beautiful forest.

It had transformed into an eerie forest tainted by Demon Magic.

Signs of the fairy forest remained on the surface of the cave, with trees and rocks protruding.

Perhaps the cave had risen from the ground.

I gritted my teeth.

The forest that was once so beautiful had turned into this.

“The fairy village…”

I surveyed the surroundings and pinpointed the location where the fairy village was.

It was buried in the cave.

It was in the central part of the cave.

In other words, the fairy village inside the cave had been swallowed up.

While intermittently using jumps to offset gravity, I landed near Marie and the others again.

Count Goltba looked surprised, but Winona and Marie showed no signs of agitation.

Come to think of it, I had never used jumps in front of the count.

“How was it?”

“The fairy village was swallowed by the cave too.

More than half of the forest has turned into a cave.”

Everyone’s expressions grew somber.

My heart felt like it was being crushed by anxiety.

Are Melfi and the others safe?

Could it be that they were swallowed by the cave…?

No, I can’t think negatively.

The fairies must be alive.

The presence of Demon Magic is too overpowering, making it impossible to sense other magic.

Perhaps if I get closer, I might feel their presence, but I couldn’t tell from here.

“Shion, what should we do?”

Marie looked at me with anxiety.

I desperately pondered my thoughts.

I needed to quickly assess the situation, but it seemed there was no time to leisurely think.

“Let’s just check the entrance of the cave. We won’t go inside.”

“Not go inside? I think it should be okay near the entrance.”

“This cave appeared suddenly. There might be a chance that the entrance disappears.”

It’s knowledge from anime, manga, and games, but it’s not necessarily a misplaced idea.

Since this cave didn’t exist yesterday, there’s a possibility it might move.

It’s better to be cautious.

At least for now, it’s not the time to act recklessly.

“That might be true. Then let’s take a look from the entrance. Winona and the count should stay back.”

“Yes, understood!”

With that, Marie and I headed towards the entrance of the cave.

It looked like an ordinary cave.

However, the hole at the entrance seemed somewhat well-formed.

It appeared unnatural for a natural cave.

It felt like human hands were involved.

Looking inside from the entrance, it was covered in darkness.

“I’ll release a flare. Keep some distance just in case. I’ll suppress my magic as much as possible.”

Marie looked worried but nodded slowly, distancing herself from me.

There was a possibility that Demon Magic could cause an explosion if it came into contact with the flare.

I created a small flare and released it to touch the Demon Magic.

Fortunately, there was no explosion.

The flare floated and gradually disappeared.

Next, I observed the Demon Magic and tried to analyze it with my magic perception.

It was red, but it didn’t have the sensation of oral magic, and it felt different from the normal magic we use.

It felt like magic but not quite.

An intuition that it was incompatible with the magic I possessed.

I tried several spells, but it neither inhibited nor amplified them, showing no interference.

This Demon Magic might be different from the magic humans use.

However, during the battle with Einzwerf, I remember using atmospheric magic to clash with his fire magic, causing an explosion.

In other words, the magic—Einzwerf referred to it as sorcery—that demons use has a similar nature to magic.

So, perhaps this Demon Magic has a different nature from the magic or sorcery used by demons.

If Einzwerf absorbed the Demon Magic when he appeared, then this magic might just be lingering around for demons to replenish their supply.

Like a backup battery.

“And at least for now, Demon Magic seems to have a nature different from the magic normally released by people. The reason for this is unclear, but at least there doesn’t seem to be any adverse effects when using magic. Anyway, it seems like we can ignore this Demon Magic for now. Just to be sure, I released a flare towards the back of the cave. No abnormalities here either. It seems that using a flare inside the cave won’t cause an explosion.”

“It looks okay.”

Upon my words, Marie approached, looking relieved. It seemed more like she was worried about my well-being than whether there would be an explosion. She came close and touched my arm to check my safety. I reassured her with a smile, patting her hand, and she let go, showing a relieved expression. As if coordinated, we both used flares to illuminate the inside of the cave. Red crystals were embedded everywhere, reflecting light eerily. Think of it like a crystal cave. However, these crystals were red like blood, far from anything fantastical.

“It’s far from normal, but it is a cave.”

“It seems quite deep. It’s dangerous to go in without proper equipment.”

“Should we go back to the town first?”

“That seems like a good idea. It’s not good for just us to go. Let’s report to the king, go back, prepare our equipment, and ask for support.”

“More people will be a hindrance…”

“Some manpower is necessary. Besides, in a confined space, it’s better to avoid small groups. It’s risky because of the dangers.”

If we only considered strength, it would be better for just me and Marie to enter the cave. However, in a confined space, we couldn’t predict what might happen. Moreover, caves have limited visibility and many blind spots. Even with magic perception, we couldn’t handle everything. It would be better to avoid entering with just the two of us. Suddenly, we leaped away from our original position. Multiple spears were thrust into the place we were standing. Marie and I landed next to Winona and the others.

“Are you alright!? Wha- What’s happening?”

Winona, looking frightened, shifted her gaze to the entrance of the cave, sensing a presence.

“Ah, that… is…”

Winona involuntarily took a step back. Emerging from the darkness was a red orc, with a different appearance from a normal orc. It wasn’t just the color of the skin; its eyes were bloodshot, muscles bulging, and it excitedly stomped the ground. It swung its log-like arms wildly, seemingly losing control. However, its magic power surpassed that of a typical orc. A regular orc had a magic power of a thousand, a grey orc had ten thousand, and the red orc had…

“Magic power fifty thousand. It’s quite powerful, that one.”

“But magic power isn’t everything.”

“As my sister says. But it serves as an indicator of strength. Both of you, stay back. Absolutely do not step forward.”

“U-Understood.”

“Well, even if you want to come out, you can’t.”

Leaving Winona and the count behind, my sister and I propelled ourselves forward. Marie unsheathed her sword as she accelerated. I readied Raika while closing the distance with the monster.

“Uguruaaaah!”

The red orc swung its spear around as if it had gone mad. It seemed to be attacking randomly, cutting through the soil on the ground. The scattered dirt impeded our movements. However, Marie effortlessly avoided all of it, displaying incredible agility. I couldn’t replicate that. I temporarily distanced myself from the red orc, releasing bolts to avoid involving Marie. The electrical currents exploded at the orc’s feet.

“Gyiiiiruuu!”

The red orc emitted an inhuman scream, but there was no sign of it stopping its movements. It was hit by a spell that carried around ten thousand units of magical power—a bolt, the maximum magical power I could currently use without chanting. But something was off. When struck by electricity, the nervous system should experience abnormalities, resulting in spasms and paralysis. Regardless of will, one shouldn’t be able to move properly. However, the red orc, displaying its fury, continued to swing its spear even more vigorously. The scale of the bolt seemed larger than usual. Perhaps it was just my imagination. The red orc was no longer paying attention to its surroundings; it was simply rampaging. That’s what made it troublesome. Marie struggled to attack. Dealing with attacks without a will behind them was challenging. Moreover, debris and gravel caught in the spear’s motion were flying around. Creating an opening with magic was still the best option.

“Sister, step back a bit more.”

“Understood!”

If Marie’s attacks couldn’t reach, it was better for her to step back. If non-chant bolts were ineffective…

“Roaring thunder that shakes heaven and earth, become the divine thunder filled with radiant light, pierce through my enemies!”

Simultaneously with the incantation, countless yellow oral magical powers were released. They gathered at my fingertips, fused, and transformed into a massive magical power. Bringing both hands closer and thrusting them forward…

“Mega Bolt!”

A red lightning bolt discharged from both hands. It was a spear of lightning that far surpassed mere electric currents. It had the thickness reminiscent of lasers or beams—an energy mass. It swallowed the red orc’s colossal body. A satisfying crackling sound echoed, and electric currents running through the air originated from various points. The giant lightning spear passed through the orc, engulfing the trees in the rear as well. It traveled far into the distance, disappearing in a few seconds. The red orc turned into charred remains.

“Huh?”

The one who involuntarily let out a surprised voice was me. The power exceeded my expectations, leaving me dumbfounded. It was ten times the power of the 10,000-volt bolt—no, it might have been even more powerful and on a larger scale. Something was off. This was abnormal. I looked down at my trembling hands. Then, I remembered. Yes. Recall the previous Scarlet Night. Back then, I felt an abnormally immense amount of magical power. The quantity and strength of magic were incomparable to the usual. Was that still happening now? Nevertheless, it was incredible. Does this mean that I can use such powerful magic when I’m serious? If this was the result with combined elemental magic, then maybe, just maybe, if I used fusion magic…

“Amaz…ing.”

Marie muttered in astonishment.

“S-Something like Scarlet Night or Crimson Day allows us to unleash more power than usual.”

“Y-Yeah. Anyway, I’m glad we defeated it.”

Marie’s bewilderment was palpable. For some reason, I felt a strange barrier. Normally, she would be quick to praise, but now it felt different.

“Anyway, let’s head back to the town. There’s no guarantee that more monsters won’t appear.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. Let’s do that.”

“Are you both okay?”

“Huh? Y-Yes! W-We’re fine… That was amazing, Shion-sama! The thunder earlier!”

“Oh my, Goltba. is impressed! However, magic is truly incredible, isn’t it…”

It seemed that Winona and the Count were both safe. They were impressed, delighted, and perhaps a little frightened. It was understandable. Anyone would be scared witnessing such powerful magic up close, even myself. However, strangely, there was no fear; only a sense of exhilaration filled my chest. I hadn’t expected to be able to use such magic. It was a stroke of unexpected luck. I was trembling with joy, but I didn’t show it on my face. Seeing the expressions of the three, I couldn’t openly express my joy. I understood their emotions. They had witnessed immense power right before their eyes, and it was wielded by someone close to them. It was only natural not to feel indifferent about it.

If it were just creating slightly larger fire, lightning, or water spheres, one might find it magical and beautiful. Perhaps one would think it was convenient and had potential uses. But the Mega Bolt from earlier was undoubtedly a weapon. It was more natural to feel fear. However, my joy outweighed the fear. I recalled the first time I used magic. The first spell I cast was Flare, and back then, I could only produce a small flame. But now, I could cast magic on such a grand scale. Of course, I had used moderately-sized magic like Flare Storm before, but reaching the next stage, using a Mega Bolt, gave me a sense of accomplishment. Marie’s attitude remained somewhat distant. She must have closely observed my magic all along. Therefore, she shouldn’t be feeling fear. Was it still influenced by the recent incident? I unintentionally considered mentioning it but decided against it. For now, let’s prioritize information about Melfi and the others.

“Let’s head back to town. We’ll prepare and come back again.”

Each of them nodded in agreement. I felt a small distance between myself and the others.