NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 151
The wolf ran as fast as it could, carrying the poorly condition Anela, trying to put as much distance between them and the castle.
Has the Butterfly of Covenant already betrayed us? I could only speculate about the exact reasons behind Anela’s bondage. No, I want to believe she hasn’t betrayed us. But looking at the situation…
Given Anela’s state, it looks like she’s been left like this for quite a while. Maybe it happened just after I asked for help. One question lingers: why didn’t they just kill her?
If Anela had caught a whiff of something and was locked away to shut her up, killing her would have been the most straightforward solution. To them, concealing Anela’s existence would be a piece of cake.
If this was betrayal, there’s really no reason not to kill her, and if it wasn’t, what reason would there be to keep her locked up? The only possibility I could think of was coercion, but… really?
It’s true that Anela is an outstanding mage, but considering she’s the daughter of the Butterfly of Covenant… and since we’re in the Square, mages like Anela are a dime a dozen.
There’s really no need to coax her at all.
Then there must be some unknown reason I’m missing?
And what’s with that summoning circle written in blood? What kind of being were they trying to summon?
…Looks like Anela has lost consciousness from sheer exhaustion. The plaza is just a short distance away, yet the wolf frowned.
‘Already?’
No, it shouldn’t have been too difficult. Stealth can only be used by one person at a time. If they’d tracked Anela’s residue, it would indeed make sense. No matter how fast the wolf is, it couldn’t outpace a teleportation scroll.
The butterfly had already emerged from the castle, standing at the center of the plaza.
There were no more places to hide, and there was no point in trying.
Thousands of butterflies swarmed around. If I were alone in the city, I could manage, but I certainly can’t hide with Anela.
‘…There’s no choice.’
The wolf steeled itself. Otherwise, it could be swallowed by the illusion.
Letting down my guard is not an option. The opponent right now is the master of the illusions, at the pinnacle of all mages.
But—still, I can’t shake this strange premonition.
“……?”
When the wolf revealed itself, the Butterfly of Covenant frowned. Was it the shock of seeing something unexpected, or was there another reason?
“……Amelia Morest.”
As the wolf uttered her name, the Butterfly of Covenant’s expression sharpened. Then, as if something clicked, she coldly retorted.
“Right. You’re the Marang who killed Agail.”
There was no other possible monster speaking those words. The Butterfly waved her hands, and the swarm of butterflies converged, landing atop the city’s buildings and roofs, all keeping a watchful eye on the wolf.
In the midst of it, a red glow pierced through all the purple, locking eyes with the Butterfly herself.
“—Let me ask you. Have you betrayed us?”
As if the question didn’t deserve an answer, she flicked her finger, and dozens of butterflies surged toward the wolf. However, they didn’t get far before being swallowed up by something.
Intuitively, the Butterfly realized that the force must be what devoured the castle walls, and with a snap of her fingers, the wolf frowned.
As many butterflies as were just consumed by the void were now reborn, embellishing the city.
Purple butterflies—I know. Each one of them is like high-level magic. Therefore, I mustn’t let a single one approach.
As the black fog enveloped the area, a voice like ice pierced the wolf’s ears.
“――――――.”
According to the spell chant, a purple vortex spiraled. The magic wave originating from her spread throughout the city in an instant.
Yeah. Now that things have escalated to this point, resolving it through conversation is impossible. With the clear intent to kill behind her eyes, the moment they turned purple, the wolf’s gaze pierced beyond them.
The distance to the plaza is not far. Escaping isn’t entirely out of the question.
—But it can’t happen like that. It’s still the Purple Square, which means I haven’t been discovered yet. If another Square Master comes, it’s game over.
The wolf turned back again, clenching its jaw at the sight of the still unconscious Anela.
…It’s not good. The Purple Square itself is practically the personal domain of the Butterfly. Let alone, if I have to protect Anela while fighting, it’ll be even worse.
***
“…….”
I found it strange. I thought she would come, but in reality, it wasn’t her. What actually revealed itself was a monster shaped like the wolf. Right. I know. The Marang who killed Agail. Of course, I was aware of that.
Alpha, was it? The unknown power it summoned devoured all the butterflies. That meant the same result would repeat itself again and again.
I sensed it wouldn’t be easy to defeat this one. But even so, I need to finish this as quickly as possible.
With the summoning circle gone, I now had no way to contain her.
That realization made me bite my lip.
Everything is on the verge of collapse.
The sudden emergence of the wolf stirred everything up entirely.
Now, her island will not sink.
But still, it’s not over yet.
I can redraw it before she catches on. And this time, I’ll hide Anela properly.
To do that, I need to kill the wolf as fast as possible. The moment I took in the wolf’s essence and emotions, I caught a glimpse of something huge.
Countless unknown beings seemed to drag me down. Strange patterns covering Marang’s entire body gleamed faintly.
With the skills I have, I can’t possibly read this.
Under the oppressive sensation that threatened to distort my mind, I forced myself another step forward but bounced back, gaining nothing.
My eyes felt like they were on fire. Even amidst the pain, as if all the moisture was evaporating and burning me up, I stood my ground, my eyes wide open without a hint of haze.
This isn’t a physical issue, it’s mental. I just have to endure it. Gradually, my blurry vision began to return.
What I could recognize here was that the Marang is a devourer, a creature utterly unknown to me…and that countless wretched souls cling to its back.
As if Marang is some last hope.
Faced with the ominous Marang, the Butterfly of Covenant gritted her teeth.
Now, she could not be certain if she could win against Marang.
Simply put, she must kill Marang desperately before she comes.
With a harsh toxicity laced with a hint of madness, the Butterfly of Covenant summoned boundless magic.
***
“……!”
Hong Yu-ri wiped the sweat from her brow as she poured her magic. Normally, she would have collapsed from exhaustion by now, yet she still felt some energy left.
Has her magic power increased by accepting Dragon Blood? No, that’s not it. That might be part of it, but it’s a minor difference.
Something feels fundamentally different.
I want to use magic more, more…!
The magic addiction that anyone using magic experiences at least once; the strong impulse was suppressed by someone’s humming.
‘What kind of crazy person—’
Who’s humming a tune around here? With a twisted expression, Hong Yu-ri quickly turned her head to find the source of the humming, and as soon as she saw it, she had to swallow hard.
At a glance, it was just a girl who looked younger.
But the trembling of her body spoke volumes that this thought was absurd. The overwhelming difference made it impossible to even stare. Even though she still had magic left, merely looking at her felt as if my sanity was being gnawed away.
I know, I know.
Only once, but I’ve seen her from afar.
Incomprehensible—Master of All Things.
The progenitor of magic living at the highest point among the five Squares; without her, humanity would never have received the miracle of magic.
Did she notice my gaze? Her head turned, and our eyes met. As her pupils held me, Hong Yu-ri froze in place, unable to take a single step. In those seemingly innocent eyes, I couldn’t read anything.
Soon, she brought a finger to her lips as if to keep a secret, winking one eye while raising her index finger, making Hong Yu-ri nod faintly as a response.
As her gaze turned away, Hong Yu-ri sighed in relief, her pale complexion relaxing slightly. Sitting atop the highest roof, she rested her chin on her hands, swinging her legs as if cheerfully observing something she had been waiting for.
***
The shadow stretched relentlessly. Barbed branches tore apart far more butterflies than their count. The flapping butterflies danced along the purple wind, and the wolf carried Anela with ease.
—Surrounded by the void like a dome, the wolf quietly closed its eyes.
Trying to protect Anela while fighting is indeed difficult. If the time drags on, it would be her magic power that would drain first, but before that, another Square Master will inevitably arrive.
Both sides were fully aware of this fact.
But for some reason, she, too, seemed to be in a hurry, even appearing grateful for the opportunity to fight like this. Quick and clean. To safeguard Anela, the wolf willingly sacrificed the vastest weapon it had—the void. Instead, it would only bite at the Butterfly of Covenant.
To do this, the wolf used foresight to get a glance at her.
[Amelia Morest (Human)]
[Height 174.4 cm] [Weight 54.9 kg]
[Strength 316] [Agility 340] [Stamina 372] [Magic Power 793]
[Skills]
[Materialization (A)] [Illusion Control (B)] [Butterfly Eye (B)] [Great Magic (B)] [Fountain of Wisdom (B)] [Magic Armor (B)] [Magic Concentration (C)] [Magic Detection (C)] [Higher Emotion (C)] [Poison Resistance (D)]
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I could only say she reached the pinnacle as a mage.
Feeling the reality that I’m about to face the top of humanity, the last bastion, the master of the Square.
Moreover, I have to fight in this purple city without using the void. And I have to finish it as quickly as possible before another Square Master arrives.
There could be no more unfavorable conditions than this.
Despite this, I had some kind of premonition, no, a strong conviction.
Perhaps not against another Square Master, but I felt a powerful certainty I wouldn’t lose to her.