Venting

Rex Gardner:

Cold is what I felt the moment the warping was complete, as the frigid tundra assaulted all of my senses. To cope with the abrupt change in environment, I promptly shrouded my body in mana skin.

Afterward, I surveyed the surroundings. To label it as devastation would be an understatement; wherever I was, it no longer mattered, as it was gone. The town had been utterly reduced to rubble, and my expression darkened at every turn, glimpsing lifeless bodies concealed beneath the debris, while some nearby civilians frantically sought to erase their presence, gripped by the fear of being discovered.

By whom? You may ask. Well, it could only be described as some unholy offspring and a long-lost elder brother of Tempest. A gargantuan dark blue demonic scaly beast, adorned with a lion's mane and two massive horns, along with various other avian-like features.

In the immediate vicinity, I discerned the presence of three individuals. They were undoubtedly mages, with the woman, despite her injuries, emanating magical power that could rival my grandfather's. The other two appeared to be youngsters, likely my age. One of them was peculiarly encased in ice, but I could sense that he was still alive.

And then it happened. A familiar sound echoed inside my mind. 

DING! "Early Completion Mission for Vetto. Titled: 'Free the North' Description: For years the Etherious Demon Deliora, has wandered around the continent leaving devastation in its wake. Slay the evil creation of the black wizard, and free those who live under its tyranny. Status: Optional Failure: No progress Reward: Template Completion and ?"

Well, that's all I needed to hear. Fortunately, it wasn't some cliché where the demon turned out to be the good guy, provoked by humans, and the woman was the evil one, resulting in me mistakenly killing the wrong entity.

On the subject of the woman, I couldn't determine if it was a recent development, but it appeared she had lost her leg, replacing it with an ice limb, akin to Mereleona's and Fuegoleon's Flame arm.

I sauntered nonchalantly in front of the woman, a clear intention to halt me evident in her eyes, but I brushed past her without affording her the chance to intervene. Time was of the essence, and I had pressing matters at hand that required my immediate attention.

Before deciding whether to commit a valuable ticket, I aimed to gauge the beast's capabilities. With a brazen gesture, I raised my hand and, with a casual tone, uttered, "S'up, motherfucker."

This simple provocation triggered a visceral response from the creature, provoking an enraged roar. From its monstrous maw, a vivid lime-colored beam rapidly coalesced, launching itself in my direction.

"Get out of the way!!!" The woman urgently exclaimed, springing towards me in an attempt to shield me from the impending blast. Her selfless act struck me, and in that moment, I couldn't help but appreciate her courage and kindness. She'd undoubtedly make an exceptional wife.

She seized me, attempting to shield us from the brunt of the blast with her back, but I couldn't let her take the fall for me. "Beast Magic: Rhinoceros Armor," I chanted quietly, summoning an orange magical aura that coalesced into the form of a rhinoceros construct, enveloping us.

As the beam struck, colossal flames erupted from every direction. After the onslaught subsided, she cautiously opened her eyes, widening at the realization that she was still alive. Her gaze lingered on my spell, which, though heavily cracked, stood defiantly. Having witnessed numerous extraordinary events in her lifetime, a child blocking Deliora's strike wasn't the most shocking occurrence for her.

Meanwhile, Deliora scratched its head, looking down at me in confusion, seemingly questioning why the ants before it were still alive. The woman grabbed my hand as my protective spell unraveled and issued a command.

"Kid, you need to step back," she urged, gesturing towards the location of the two youngsters behind us. "I have a way to deal with that thing."

No way, I thought. This is my quest, and there's no way I'm squandering a legendary item. Gently moving her to the side, I asserted, "It's alright, miss. I got this."

"You don't understand," she began.

But I cut her off, "I do. Just let me handle this."

As she prepared to voice her objection, I continued, "Look at the state you're in," gesturing to her tattered appearance. "It's obvious you don't got this," causing her to pause. "I've seen mages like you before, who, when pushed to their limits, resort to some forbidden trump card. I'm guessing it's probably of the life-sacrificing kind," her pupils constricted just a tad at that. "I don't know your connection to those two boys, but I don't think they'd want you to die. So live a little, at least for them, and let me handle this." She then glanced behind her, locking eyes with a black-haired boy in a white jacket, tears streaming down like a river. Water welled up in her own eyes, and she relented, nodding her head to me and stepping back.

"Now, how will I deal with you?" I rhetorically pondered aloud, locking eyes with Deliora. Assessing the situation, I could discern that the strike it had just delivered was casual, implying that even if my template were at 99%, blocking it would be a formidable challenge. The emanating magic signaled a strength surpassing that of Tempest, or more precisely, the Tempest that Adonis could summon.

It left me no choice but to expend a ticket. Ordinarily, I might have been upset about this, but not now. Firstly, I preferred using a heroic ticket over a legendary item, and secondly, I was just infuriated. Five years of enduring hardship – from almost losing my life to Tempest, relentless beatings at the hands of Gamgee, the sluggish progress in my training, to the ongoing chaos with the cult – had built up a considerable amount of stress. I needed an outlet, and as if the universe had heard my pleas, it delivered a perfect punching bag. Or did it deliver me to one? Well, whatever the case, I intended to release my pent-up frustration, taking my sweet time in dispatching this beast.

"Light, cash in my temporary bond ticket", I mentally ordered my companion.

DING! "Redeeming Temporary Bond Ticket (Heroic) x1 in 3..2..1".

I could sense my mana surging in powerful waves, eliciting visible reactions from everyone present. Gasps of shock echoed from the duo behind me, and even the beast's demeanor shifted. Similar to Tempest's reaction years ago when confronted by Luck, it roared at me not as though I were mere prey but rather recognizing me as a genuine threat.

I reveled in that sensation, a smile playing on my lips as I examined my template for the next ten minutes. "How befitting," I remarked aloud to no one in particular.

As Deliora unleashed another beam in my direction, I casually raised my right arm forward and pointed with my open hand while uttering, "Mana Zone." The magic power and Ethernano in the vicinity responded to my command, swirling around me. The ice encasing the child also unraveled, floating around me and converging to form an oval-like shield of ice with an ice cross protruding from it.

Deliora's beam once again collided with me, slamming against my ice shield. However, this time, it wasn't a casual shot. It seemed to be nearly at full power, as colossal waves of flames erupted from the impact, creating a dense fog of steam and mist as it attempted to obliterate my icy defense. Much to the beast's fury, the mist dissipated, revealing my shield to be utterly undamaged.

Adding insult to injury, I taunted the beast, "Why are you surprised? This ice can freeze even lava; do you think mere flames can harm it?" Such is the power of a Wizard King, you oaf.

Edward Avalanché stood as a titan even among wizard kings, possessing a talent so extraordinary that he harbored no aspirations of becoming a Magic Knight, despite his monstrous abilities. In an alternate timeline untouched by unfortunate incidents, he would have devoted his entire life as a man of the cloth, dedicated to serving and assisting the less fortunate in the forsaken realm. His strength was formidable, a force beyond the capacity of a mere lowly lab experiment to contend with.

In an unbridled fit of rage, Deliora instinctively altered its tactics and charged at me, intent on delivering a physical blow. Yet, it was my turn to seize the offensive. Jagged ice erupted from the ground beneath it, resembling large, sharp thorns that pierced its colossal body and effectively immobilized it. With my right arm raised overhead, my hand opened, conjuring a disk of sharp-edged ice akin to Krillin's Destructo Disc. Swiftly, I launched the spell at the beast, the icy disk piercing through its chest and emerging on the other side before dematerializing.

"Keeeehhhh!!!!" Deliora emitted a piercing screech of pain, which swiftly transformed into frustration as it forced its way out of my binding spell, cracking the ice and shattering its restraints. The beast lunged once more, and my eyes widened as the bleeding wounds that had previously littered its body closed rapidly, leaving no evidence of the prior damage.

Utilizing my mana zone, I ascended into the sky, evading its powerful punch that sent shockwaves through the ground, forming a substantial crater where I once stood.

In the distance, I heard the lady's voice calling out, "Kid! Deliora has high magical resistance; physical attacks and sealing spells are much more effective."

Fantastic. The system did warn me that this would be tougher than a standard completion mission though. Even though the beast is weaker than Dante, the challenge lies in its suitability. Vetto knows a sealing spell, but the predicament is that it requires three people to perform, and I don't have the luxury of time to teach it to the others. Moreover, can it even work on a formidable opponent like Deliora? As for physical blows, there's no way Vetto could contend with that colossal creature, not even at 100%, let alone 45%. It could be said that Deliora is the worst kind of opponent for a brawler like Vetto. However, Edward might possess a solution that could prove effective.

As I soared high above the beast in the sky, skillfully dodging the successive beams of light it launched in my direction, I pointed my outstretched arm downward. With a powerful shout that resonated throughout the town, capturing the attention of many, I declared, "Mana Zone, Ice Wedge Magic: World End Martyr!"

Once again, the magic of the world obediently swirled in response to my command, converging to shape an enormous creature made of razor-sharp ice. The magical construct boasted wings resembling those of an angel, robust talons, and two halo-like rings hovering above its head. Instead of a conventional face, it featured a cross, with another one adorning its chest.

If the quadricep stood upright on its hind legs, it would utterly dwarf Deliora.

"S-so big!!!" I turned to hear the shaky voice of the boy, and I noticed his silver-haired companion, now awake, looking at me with equal shock and a hint of something else.

Deliora's attention shifted from me to my colossal creation as it roared and unleashed another devastating beam. Much to its surprise and the amazement of the three ice mages, my icy companion retaliated with a frosty beam of its own, colliding with Deliora's fiery blast. 

As expected, the icy beam froze Deliora's frame and continued unabated towards the beast, crashing into it and sending it tumbling backward, eventually crushing a nearby, thankfully unoccupied building.

Deliora weakly and slowly rose in pain as its new scar once again began to close, its regeneration working at a considerably slower pace.

But we wouldn't let it. Four large, jagged claws of ice floated around me before soaring towards the beast and firmly seizing it by its wrists and ankles. Effectively hoisting and immobilizing Deliora in place, the beast struggled to break free, but this time I continuously channeled a substantial amount of mana into my spells, rendering it unable to escape. Simultaneously, my 'World End Martyr' charged at Deliora like a bull, an icy unicorn horn taking shape on its forehead.

Deliora's eyes widened in realization as it attempted to unleash a beam from its jaw. The initial lime-colored beam did nothing to hinder my Marty's charge; it simply raised its horn, splitting the fiery blast in two, and continued its unstoppable approach toward Deliora. Once more, Deliora tried to unleash another stronger beam, but this time I sealed its jaw shut with a sharp-edged muzzle of ice.

Like a repeat of how Luck ended Tempest, my Martyr charged right through Deliora's chest, leaving it with a gaping gash before coming to a rough stop on the other side. My Martyr then turned back around to face Deliora's lifeless form, assessing if it needed to make another move.

However, it was unnecessary, as the light died out from Deliora's eyes. I then undid the restraints, allowing the beast to fall face forward onto the ground, its once fearsome form now lifeless and devoid of any signs of healing. My Martyr, with a final icy beam, shredded the creature's corpse just in case, before gracefully dematerializing.

"Aww...." I sighed, "I wanted to savor this and have a bit more fun."

Amidst my disappointment, a familiar noise interrupted the moment.

DING! "Congratulations on completing the early completion mission for Vetto, entitled 'Free the North.' Commencing teleportation in 3.."

"Wait, wait! Give me a few seconds!"

"Very well, commencing teleportation in 10..."

"Argh, you cheeky system!" I hastily descended to the trio of mages who stared at me in astonishment.

The lady's voice trembled as she spoke, "T-that was incredible. Do you realize w-what you just did..."

"No time, miss!" I interrupted her. "Can you give me your leg?!"

"H-huh?" She understandably replied.

Without waiting for further explanation, I grabbed her makeshift ice leg, prompting her to yelp and her students to try to come to her aid.

"Excuse me," I apologized as they stopped, realizing I had no malicious intent. I then cast a spell, encasing the leg in a gray cloud of magic, "Magic Convert: Ice -> Flesh."

They watched in amazement as the cloud dissipated, revealing her leg, miraculously restored.

She cautiously touched her leg, half-expecting it to be an illusion, but her shock turned to disbelief as she realized she could move it and manipulate her toes. "But h-how?" She incredulously asked.

"A story for another time, miss. Now, have you guys ever thought about joining a guild? How about-" but before I could finish my sentence, I was enveloped in a brilliant glow of light, my presence disappearing. The last thing I could do was let out a defiant roar, "Damn you, Light!"

------

The master and student trio gazed in stupefaction as our unfortunate protagonist vanished, leaving them bewildered.

Lyon turned to Gray, his expression incredulous. "What the heck just happened? And who the hell was that?"

Gray, equally dumbfounded, shook his head. "I got no idea, man."

Lyon clenched his fist, his nails digging into his flesh and drawing blood. 'So, they're mages stronger than master?' he thought inwardly.

While this unfolded, Ur observed her students, lost in thought. 'A guild, huh? Maybe it's time we leave the North; it's a place of bad memories for all of us.' If Rex heard the next thing she said, he would likely cough up blood. "Gildarts once said something about Fairy Tail, didn't he?" Ur mused aloud.

She then clapped her hands together, drawing her students' attention. "Alright, Gray, Lyon, let's go home. Tomorrow we're gonna pack up and leave."

"Where are we going, master?" Lyon inquired.

"Magnolia," was Ur's simple reply as she walked away from the ruins of Brago, with her students trailing behind her.

"Magnolia? Where's that?" Gray questioned, catching up to her.

The trio walked off into the distance, lost in their little conversation.

------

While all of this unfolded, murmurs resounded around the town as those still alive began to discuss what they had just witnessed. No one paid attention to two nearby people dressed normally, one holding a glass-like ball.

Person #1 and #2 turned to one another with their jaws wide open.

"D-did you g-get all that, mate?" #1 pointed and shakily asked #2.

"Yeah, I did, recorded it all with my lacrima over here," #2 responded.

"H-how much do you think the Magic Council is gonna pay for that?" #1 shakily questioned his companion.

#2 turned to #1, a gleeful and excited smile tugging at his lips. "W-we're gonna be rich!"

"Yes!" they both exclaimed, giving one another a tight homiesexual hug.

------

As for Rex, he had no idea what kind of waves he set around, not just in Ishgar but throughout Earthland today. Whether this would make it easier for him to start a guild or have the opposite effect remains to be seen.

------

Roughly 5 minutes Ago:

In a cave nestled in the far reaches of Ishgar, a formidable figure, now calling it his abode, lounged carefreely. This enigmatic individual's name alone evoked fear across the expanse of Earthland.

He was a robust young man with flowing, dark blue hair, a dark complexion, and an imposing presence highlighted by a keen, intense gaze. His eyes were encircled by black markings, and intricate light blue patterns adorned his powerful frame. Draped in a collared, black cloak etched with draconic symbols, he bore sharp claws around his neck, a sash securing his waist, a gold arm ring clasped on his right upper arm, and wore baggy, weathered pants.

Stepping out of the cave into the sunlight, the beast-like man wrinkled his nose, inhaling deeply. He then turned to face a specific direction, coincidentally or perhaps intentionally aligned with Brago. "I smell something," he declared with a rough, commanding voice, "something potent, something worthy of being crushed." However, his furrowed brows revealed confusion as quickly as the scent appeared, it vanished. "Well, whatever. I'll remember this scent," he mused, turning away and reentering the cave.