Surviving as a Villain at the Academy

188 – Flipping the Tower. (7)

The Tower Master had no doubt that a tidal wave of magic would engulf the inspection team. It was inevitable, as they were already facing illusions and suffering from them.

Trapped in inescapable illusions, they would be overwhelmed by the tidal wave of magic and meet a futile death. And then, he would be free to leave the empire and face the end of magic.

Dreaming of a not-so-distant rosy future, he felt a smile creeping over his lips. From the moment Delazio Talantis brought him Aym’s research, the empire had felt more like shackles to him.

Now, just a little more. Just a little more and he would gain immortality, able to explore magic forever.

But at that moment.

Swoosh!

The Tower magicians’ eyes widened as they saw a sudden slash cut through the magic tidal wave they had summoned.

Who could it be? Who could see through the illusion and cut through the tidal wave of magic?

They hurriedly turned their gaze to identify the one who had swung the slash, and they couldn’t help but widen their eyes.

“…Prah Lancel.”

The eighteen-year-old boy who had just shattered the Tower Master’s blue sun and pressured the Tower Master.

Why didn’t the illusionary barrier work on him? With eyes filled with questions, Prah stared them down fiercely and laughed.

“Why, are you perplexed because I won’t submit easily?”

“How did it not affect you?”

“Simple. My mind is stronger than yours.”

“What?”

“Don’t believe it? Well, that’s understandable. It’s hard to believe that an eighteen-year-old could claim to have stronger mental strength than a Grand Magician.”

“……”

The Tower Master narrowed his eyes. He didn’t want to admit it, but the only way to break his illusion barrier was that—stronger mental fortitude than the caster himself.

Yet, it was an unfathomable occurrence. The mind is supposed to grow with age.

So why was his mental strength so formidable? He was just an eighteen-year-old boy.

However, it was problematic to dwell on the incomprehensible. The boy before him, impervious to the illusion barrier, could very well be the most formidable adversary in the Tower Master’s life.

Praha adjusted his stance leisurely, yet his eyes, contrary to his relaxed demeanor, glared at the Tower Master with murderous intent.

“Thanks to you, I had a very, very unpleasant experience. Should I be grateful, Tower Master?”

“It seems you did see an illusion.”

“A very brief one, indeed. I saw the last thing I ever wanted to see in my life. I feel like tearing apart the person who dared show me such a sight right now.”

“Oh, is that so? Well then, try if you must.”

“That was exactly my intention, Tower Master.”

In an instant, Praha’s aura transformed.

An overwhelming presence suffocated the Tower Master and the magicians.

“Gasp…!”

The lower-ranked magicians fainted outright, the oppressive force emanating from Praha was terrifying. The strength he had shown earlier seemed merely a fragment of his true power.

How could such an overwhelming presence burst forth from a mere boy?

The Tower Master shook his head. There was no need to question the boy’s strength at this point. He thought coldly. Yes, what does age matter? There have always been prodigies beyond understanding.

Of course, his strength was too immense to merely call him a prodigy… But now was not the time to be dumbfounded by such facts. Instead, he had to eliminate the perilous being before him at all costs.

Once he shed the tinted glasses of arrogance, he realized the gravity of his current predicament. The oppressive force emanating from the boy, Praha, was even more intense than that of the Imperial Knights’ Captain he had once witnessed.

It was rare for someone to possess such a daunting presence without the power to match. A being capable of crushing the spirit and body of others always possessed corresponding strength.

He had to admit it. This eighteen-year-old boy might be stronger than himself. And he began to feel a creeping fear in his body.

The fear of possible death.

That’s why the Tower Master gave up on maintaining the barrier.

Crack-!

With the sound of something shattering, the barrier collapsed, revealing the interior of the Tower.

It seemed he had unwittingly realized that if he didn’t utilize all his magical power reserved for the barrier, he would most likely die at the hands of Praha.

He gathered his magic. His head throbbed as if it would split open. Ignoring even that, he drew his spell. It would have been impossible under normal circumstances, but the threat that loomed before him now awakened his survival instincts.

Like when he was young and had joined the war as part of the Tower. All his magical talent was mobilized for the sake of survival.

A force unlike any before surged through him. More intense than when he had crafted a blue sun, the magic now swirling inside the Tower was fierce.

Strange spells embroidered the air. Normally, such spells would take a considerable amount of time and leave one defenseless, but there was no time for that as the spell completed itself.

The spellcrafting ability of one who had reached the pinnacle of battle magic and ascended to a great sorcerer shone brightly. The completion of the spell and the manifestation of the magic were almost instantaneous.

The wizards watched in awe.

“Wow…”

“Indeed, the Archmage…”

However, Asti scoffed at the sight. It was now certain.

The Tower Master could never defeat Prah.

She was the only one who knew exactly how powerful Prah was with Salus. Even Prah himself didn’t know how strong he was with Salus, but she did.

Of course, his skills were indeed insufficient to deal with future threats, but that was only if Prah did not grow. For now, the threats facing him were something he could certainly overcome.

No, rather, if this event became an opportunity for him to better handle the power latent in Salus, she could worry a little less about him.

* * *

A terrifying magical power swirls. The Tower Master’s speed in manifesting the spell was too fast, making it impossible to approach rashly. If one approached carelessly, they would be immediately swept away by the magic.

And finally. The Tower Master’s magic was fully manifested.

What should I call this? Like a barrier, the surrounding space is dyed a dark crimson. But this is no simple barrier.

Reality itself was changing. It was a disaster that was literally implemented into reality itself, different from an illusionary barrier. The interior of the tower, stained in dark crimson, gradually corrodes and disappears.

And the color, it was slowly creeping towards me. It looks like chaos and disaster are gradually eroding something.

But, why?

There’s a sense of calm. An unfounded confidence rises that I can overcome this.

I take a stance. I recall the sensation I felt earlier. However, I feel that alone is not enough. The magic is gradually approaching me. In a few seconds, that dark crimson hue will envelop me.

Can I really cut through that magic in that fleeting moment and capture the Tower Master?

– I can capture it.

Then, a voice rings in my ear. It was Salus. She whispered in my ear like a mischievous child.

– As long as you’re with me, there’s nothing you can’t do, Prah. Focus your mind. And revive your senses. Remember the times you’ve defeated countless heroes within me.

I follow her guidance. It was clearly a momentary time, but it felt as if time had slowed down.

– Recall all the techniques you’ve seen, all the experiences you’ve had within me. Think about the will they harbored. In that moment, their power will become entirely yours.

I think of the heroes within Salus. Bellator and many other heroes. Those who survived between heaven and hell, in that maelstrom of chaos, I think about what values they held.

– We are all bound beings. To draw out the power of a bound being, a strong command is needed. You just need to command us. The moment you were recognized by me, you became the master of that bound being.

Command. Yes. I was their master. Having passed the rightful trial, I stood above them. Then, they must obey my command and lend me their strength.

“Lend me your power. Your will.”

I open my mouth and speak.

Language is power. Just as a name is a noble value that affirms existence, language itself becomes power and exerts influence on reality.

[Willingly.]

The voice of the phantom, asleep in Salus, resonates not only in my ears but manifests clearly in reality. As if in chorus, a multitude of voices intermingled in speech respond to my words.

Crackle!

Following that, as if resonating with my existence, numerous chains tear through the earth and rise up, sculpting a form.

An immense presence is felt behind me. This presence, it felt familiar.

Turning my head, I look back. A youthful appearance. Yet, an overwhelming presence that is anything but youthful.

“Salus.”

[Our master. Our everything. The moment you desire, all our power is solely yours.]

Salus, bound in chains, stands behind me like a guardian deity.