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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 225: The 7th Circle of Change
Wow...
Where on earth did Taylor find these guys?
The outcome was decided in a matter of seconds, but no one declared surrender.
The more they were beaten by the Crazy Mage Squad until dust flew, the more venom grew in the White Horse Knight's eyes.
Even as they were constantly pummeled, their pride wouldn't allow them to use unorthodox attacks.
"Where did he find all these clones of himself?"
Every single one of them was a spitting image of Taylor.
Dealing with one of him was annoying enough, but watching ten of them acting like Taylor's clones was beyond absurd.
The cycle of being beaten and getting back up to charge again repeated for a full three days. Only then did the White Horse Knight's surrender declaration finally erupt.
"Oh, you're not going to charge anymore? Why not? I told you to charge. Let's do more, huh?"
"...We won't."
It wasn't just because they realized they couldn't win.
The background of their surrender was largely due to the White Horse Knight noticing the Crazy Mage Squad's nature.
It wasn't fear that made them back down; it was more like disgust.
Once they fell and got back up, they were stomped on twice. If they fell twice and got back up, they were stomped on three times.
Amidst all that, the Crazy Mage Squad's insane laughter made even the White Horse members, who initially exuded ferocity, begin to avoid them one by one, as if they were repulsed.
But one was an exception.
Taylor, the core of all the White Horse members, didn't stop charging at me every day for over a week.
"Intensive Reflection Shield."
"Bullshit."
I disintegrated the reinforced bulletproof barrier that Taylor had erected with a simple wind pressure incantation, and then launched a forehead slingshot imbued with 6th circle mana.
With a paak— sound, Taylor fell backward, was knocked out for a few minutes, then jumped up and asked:
"What was that, Ruin?"
"Air Strike."
"...Another 6th circle incantation, was it."
"Aren't you improving at all, you dolt?"
I clicked my tongue and gave him a reproachful look, but in reality, Taylor's level had already surpassed the common category of beastman mages.
6th circle Air Strike.
6-star Intensive Reflection Shield.
Originally, beastman magic could be easily dispelled with a 1st stage lower incantation, but Taylor's beastman magic was difficult to dispel without using circle magic of the same stage.
[TL/N: I had to clear one confusion (I take the full blame that it took me this long to figure it out) that is Beastman Magic and Hand Sign magic are the same thing, and whenever Beastman magic is used it's basically ruin talking about Hand Sign magic in an insulting way. : )]
Was it because of Samael's insane talent? Or was it because of his own unwavering belief?
I didn't know the exact reason, but it was certain that Taylor's skills had advanced once again in the past week.
"Hoo."
As Taylor, drenched in sweat, sprawled out on the training ground as if he had fainted, I suddenly looked to the other side.
"Hey, aren't you going to train?"
One of the White Horse Knight rookies had been watching me and Taylor fight for hours without saying a word.
It had been several days since the other White Horse Knight members had appeared at this old training ground, but this one guy had shown his face every single day.
"Come here."
"Ah, Crazy Mage Commander."
I looked at the guy who approached me. Looking closely, he seemed quite young. An impressive young man with an innocent, youthful face, but a stubborn look in his eyes.
"Do you have something to say?"
"No. If I was bothering you, I apologize."
"Well, you were just watching, so it wasn't really a bother."
"I'm learning a lot."
Come to think of it, I remembered that this guy was the only one who fought by throwing rocks like the Crazy Mage Squad.
Taylor, who was lying in the training grounds, spoke up.
"He's a rookie. He hasn't been here long, but he's talented."
I looked at the sharply postured young man and said:
"Where are you from?"
"Shan Kris."
"Your parents?"
"They're gone."
"Impressive. What's your name?"
"Satin. No surname."
I nodded.
"I'll tell Jion, so spar whenever you have time."
"Yes!"
"Go on."
Satin, who had disappeared with quick steps, did not reappear. Another week or so passed, and Taylor, too, was nowhere to be seen, as if he'd secluded himself in the mountains.
As I continued my training alone in the desolate old training ground, a familiar voice suddenly echoed from the sky.
"Young Master!"
"Oh, it's you."
Lihan, riding the Azure Spirit Horse that he had taken from Urgon, was making a stylish descent to the ground.
"You're riding that?"
"Our main residence is quite large, you know. It's one of the vice-butler's privileges."
"Aren't you scared?"
"Of course."
Lihan, dismounting with a proud expression, suddenly held out his hand seriously.
"A letter has arrived from Ardehain."
"A letter?"
"Yes. For you, Young Master."
I snatched the letter from Lihan's hand.
The seal of Ardehain was clearly stamped on the front.
As soon as I opened the envelope, I saw a formal document along with Fichte's hastily scribbled handwriting.
[Postponement of the Vassal Clan Banquett]
— The scheduled date for the Vassal Clan Banquett has been postponed. We will contact you again as soon as it is decided.
"Young Master. Should I prepare a reply?"
"No need. It's nothing that needs a reply."
Usually, such large events are not simply postponed.
If they had to change the already set date, it must be due to circumstances involving other vassal clan heads or similar figures.
Perhaps it was a matter related to the demons, but even if I were curious, there was no way to know for now. If there was anything to tell, Fichte would have written it in the letter.
"Lihan."
"Yes, Young Master."
I got up and said:
"If anyone comes looking for me next time, tell them I went deep into the mountains."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to go further in."
"What if something urgent happens?"
"Then raise the alarm."
Since things had turned out this way, I decided to seclude myself in the mountains and do some unfinished training.
＊ ＊ ＊
I repeated days of meditating on an unnamed rock.
The surrounding situation was changing so rapidly that it was impossible to predict what would happen even an inch ahead, but in the end, I had to find my own center to avoid being swept away.
Fortunately, the 7th Circle's mental image was being absorbed at a rapid pace. However, I deliberately avoided even thinking about peeking into higher realms.
The 8th Circle wasn't just a matter of adding another circle.
8th Circle, Unique Mental Image
It wasn't a realm that could be reached by simply attaining the pinnacle of the 7th circle, and even the manifestation of the mental image was on a different level than the incantations up to the 7th circle and couldn't even be predicted. Even Pelleer's unique mental image, who was the only one to reach the 8th circle in the past, wasn't of the fire attribute.
Instead, I focused on the mana of the Yin dimension.
I could face Vassago with the 6th Circle of Change, but that wasn't enough.
7th Circle of Change.
I needed to reach a realm where I could completely break free from the constraints of physical force and control space.
'Hmm.'
The only downside was that, unlike in the past, Mount Khaoto was not ideal for practical training.
Even as I deliberately moved from place to place deep in the mountains to train, there were always occasional signs of people.
I heard the sound of rookie mages doing their runs, and the sound of the Crazy Mage Squad's incantations.
Occasionally, I even heard chilling laughter.
"Euhehehehehehe!"
"Hehehehehihihi."
The Crazy Mages...
The difference from the past was that now there wasn't just one Crazy Mage emitting strange laughter...
In any case, if I opened the Yin dimensional mana with all my strength, and someone got caught in it, I wouldn't have the face to see Pelleer in the afterlife.
In the end, my daily training was compressed into two things.
Runs and meditation.
Occasionally, I took out the crystal ball from my pocket to check the movements of the Myriad Demon Assembly guys, but there was no contact.
One day, after running through every corner of the mountain every day and continuing my meditation...
[Vassal Clan Banquett Date Confirmed.]
I received the long-awaited contact from Fichte.
The date was one week away.
After sending a reply, I deliberately only trained until sunset and went out to Khaoto City. Of course, my destination was...
"Oh, Ruin's here?"
With only a week left, I planned to eat Donkey's chicken dishes until my stomach burst.
"It's full again today, isn't it?"
"But there's always plenty of space. Sit anywhere."
As if it was natural, I went outside the restaurant and sat down on any street corner.
Donkey was smiling brightly. Come to think of it, Donkey's complexion, which had been dark until recently, had improved significantly.
"Ruin hyung! What can I get you?"
"Three kinds of appetizers and moonshine."
"Got it!"
Hote, who had darted in from somewhere, took the order and dashed back to the kitchen.
"He's fast, probably because he's young."
Hote had gone under Donkey's tutelage.
His title was quite grand: Head Chef.
The title didn't matter, but the two of them worked together in perfect harmony, to my surprise. Do craftsmen have something in common?
It's true that I had anticipated the two men would work well together, but I never expected them to change the pub's name so quickly.
While sitting on the ground, I gazed up at the pub's signboard.
[Donkey Hote Pub]
"Three appetizers are here!"
At that moment, Hote, who had placed the appetizers on a small table, disappeared again like a flash. His face also looked much happier than when he was in Keplan.
"Ahem, can I sit with you?"
Of course.
Just as the appetizers arrived, a familiar face would pop up from somewhere.
Most of them were Palge, One-Eye, Daisy, Makan, and Arin, in order of frequency...
But this time, it was an unexpected person.
"Uncle Wolf."
"I'll buy the moonshine."
"I'm at a disadvantage?"
"Are you going to be like this?"
"Just kidding. Let's eat together. This place has amazing three-part appetizers."
Uncle Wolf smiled and replied,
"I know it well."
The three appetizers that looked so appetizing were chicken stew, chicken stir-fry, and fried chicken.
After biting into the golden fried chicken and savoring the juicy meat, I would eat some spicy chicken stir-fry to neutralize the taste in my mouth, then take a swig of the spicy stew straight from the bowl, followed by a glass of moonshine.
"Kyah!"
"Kuh!"
This was the taste.
I sat there and shared moonshine glasses with Uncle Wolf, continuously eating the appetizers.
Moonshine is usually drunk without any sides, but this place was an exception.
After a few more rounds of drinks, just as Hote refilled the empty stew bowls with more spicy stew, I noticed two very unexpected men loitering in the alleyway.
"Blair, Cliff?"
"Ah, Ruin... you."
"Just call me Ruin. If you're here to eat, sit down."
I drank with the two men who joined us with awkward expressions.
The four of us, who seemed completely incompatible, emptied bottle after bottle of moonshine at Donkey Hote's pub without a word. I looked at Cliff and suddenly said:
"Is living here better than living in Urgon?"
"Much better."
"That's good."
I then asked Blair:
"And you?"
"I've never lived in Urgon."
"No, you idiot. Is it better now than before?"
"...Thank you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Thank you."
Now that I looked at him, Blair seemed to be quite weak against alcohol. He hadn't even finished a few bottles, but his face was already flushed.
I whispered something in his ear, and Blair's eyes turned serious as if nothing had happened, and he replied:
"I know."
"Good."
By then, the moonlight was fully illuminating the sky.
As always, the moonlight gently descended on the streets of Khaoto.
Blair and Cliff returned to the main residence first, and as the night deepened, people left the alley one by one, and the streets became deserted.
I emptied the last glass of moonshine and said:
"Let's go, too."
Wolf, who had been drinking without saying a word, got up and asked me for the first time:
"I heard you're leaving tomorrow. Daisy told me."
"That's right."
I looked into Wolf's eyes and suddenly said:
"So that's why you came to drink with me today."
Wolf nodded.
"Have a good trip."
I waved goodbye and replied,
"Of course."
"Cecilia."
"What?"
Looking at Wolf again, his eyes were fully alive.
"It's Cecilia."
[TL/N: He is not giving his name here :)]
I nodded.
"Got it."
With those words, Wolf returned to the barracks and disappeared into the moonlight, and I returned to the main residence as well.
The next day, Fichte of the Ardehain clan came to visit.
[TL/N: ‘Circle of Change’ for any circle is basically Ruin using the Yin Dimensional mana. I previously assumed the Circle of Change was what the higher circles (6 and up) are called but now in this chapter it is clear to me that Circle of Change is Circle of Reverse. Moving Forward the Circle Names would be consistent. : )]
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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