Vol 1 Chapter 41 – Reason to Fight

In the Witch Cult’s long history, I think I might’ve become the existence that dealt them the most damage—or pretty close to it.

That said, even someone like me still knows very little about the Witch Cult.

I peeked at memories of various experiments they’d conducted in the past.

And what they’re doing now. Creating the Dragon in the Great Forest of Auroy. Creating the turtle-snake fusion statue in the northern wastelands. Creating monsters in two other locations.

I understand what the Witch Cult is doing. But their objective remains unclear. I can’t see any connection between the experiments they conducted in the past and what they’re doing now.

However, one thing I can say for certain is that they can’t succeed at what they’re doing now without killing me. What the Witch Cult is currently attempting involves creating four monsters and stealing the souls those monsters possessed. But because I accidentally killed the Dragon, their plan fell apart.

Apparently, the four monsters were designed to fuse with the souls of whoever defeated them, and even my Soul Extraction Arts couldn’t do anything about that.

“So? What do you say?”

“…”

“It’s not such a bad proposal, is it? Let’s call it even between us.”

This is exactly why I suddenly bared my fangs at the Witch Cult after confirming all this in the northern wastelands.

As long as I’m alive, the Witch Cult will keep coming after me… and I want absolutely nothing to do with that. Strike before being struck. That’s who I am. If they’ll give up on their plan and back off here, I’ll gladly go home.

I don’t want to fight the Witch.

But if they won’t back off, then to protect my peaceful life, I have no choice but to crush the Witch Cult.

“Sorry, but…”

“Ugh, I really don’t want to hear whatever follows those words.”

“Unfortunately… that’s impossibleeeeeeEEEEEEEEE! You must be killed by me, here and now!”

The Witch produced a staff from nowhere and swung it toward me.

Released from the staff came a magic bullet of highly concentrated mana—similar to my magic cannon.

“You won’t do it?”

Ah, so that’s how it’s going to be. Huh.

“Well, can’t be helped then.”

The spell aimed at me by the Witch.

After shooting it down with my magic cannon, I swung my staff around while flashing a fearless grin.

“Then I guess I have no choice but to crush you.”

“Don’t underestimate me, boy… I’m not so weak that I’d lose to a single man.”

And with that, I boldly declared war against the Witch—who now directed intense fighting spirit toward me. Against the Witch, the leader of the Witch Cult that had long operated as an unknown organization lurking in the shadows, plaguing humanity.

Vol 1 Chapter 42 – Plain

The Witch and I.

Both of us held our staves, continuously firing magic at each other.

I unleashed magic cannons, the Witch fired magic bullets. We both used simple magic that merely compressed and released mana.

Because of that—

“Pretty plain, huh?”

The battle was, well, ridiculously plain. Unbelievably plain.

“Don’t concern yourself with such things. Battles between those who’ve mastered magic are always like this.”

“…This isn’t what I started researching magic for, though.”

Visually plain, but what we’re doing is high-level.

We’re both firing spells that would end things in one hit if they connected. What we’re actually doing is pretty impressive. But it wouldn’t look good on screen.

“You seem awfully relaxed! Do you have time to be thinking about such things?!”

“I’ve got plenty of time, actually.”

While aiming my magic cannon at the Witch, who was running away at full speed, I replied leisurely.

In a one-on-one fight between the Witch and me, the most efficient conclusion was to clad yourself in rock-solid barriers while rapid-firing spells powerful enough to kill in one shot. Rather than converting mana into something else, it’s ultimately more energy-efficient to strike directly with high-purity mana—and beyond that.

My magic cannon is a line, not a point.

While piercing through multiple of the Witch’s point-attack magic bullets with a single shot, my magic cannon flies toward the Witch.

“In attack power and rapid-fire capability, I’m superior. Since I don’t need to run around like you, I’m far more comfortable.”

While watching the Witch roll across the ground to escape the light of my magic cannons filling this space, I puffed out my chest.

“Do you know whose stronghold this is…?!”

“Ah, yes. But I’m already corrupting it.”

“…!”

“Trying to distract me with conversation is useless. I’m pretty good at multitasking… by talking to me, you’ve only slowed down your own work. At this rate, I’ll finish my work much faster.”

This hideout is the Witch’s stronghold.

Just as I’ve set various traps in my shop, the Witch had cast various spells throughout this hideout’s interior.

“Just… a bit more, maybe?”

The Witch’s trump card is this hideout itself.

She’s scheming to kill me using the hideout, but… I’ve already significantly corroded the spells cast within this hideout. Just a bit more and I’ll completely dominate the magic inside this hideout.

Once that happens, my victory is assured.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

“Don’t waste your breath. Talk to me instead.”

“Hah… hah… hah…”

“Trying to prepare magic while burning through your own life like that won’t work. I’ve got plenty of spells that can exploit that.”

“…Guh.”

A plain exchange.

Even so, the end approaches.