Chapter 81

Larabel was a space-time wizard.

Like any other space-time wizard, she became one at the encouragement of her peers, who called it 'fate,' and Larabel naturally accepted this destiny.

"You're going to do great things in the future. Won't you join me in creating a better tomorrow?"

"...Me?"

"Yes! You can become a great wizard!"

Larabel had a mentor who opened up the future to her.

But one day, her mentor was [eliminated] by another space-time wizard.

The reason was absurd.

It was because the mentor had opposed the opinions of other space-time wizards.

"Why! Why did you kill my mentor!"

"Having him alive didn't promise a bright future. It was a necessary act to change the timeline."

"Killing people to change the timeline? Are you f*cking kidding me?"

Although Larabel became a space-time wizard following her destiny, she was not happy about it.

They were too obsessed with fate, blinded by it.

Even gambling their necks on a future that might not even come to fruition.

Tired of the selfish actions of space-time wizards, Larabel left their council to forge her own path.

Naturally, the space-time wizards tried to kill her to prevent the future from changing.

But Larabel, being a space-time wizard herself, wasn't easily caught by her enemies.

"I need my own power."

To stand against the sinister plots of the space-time wizards, she needed a support base.

So, she began the groundwork to build her own force.

Taking over the Devosi Barony was part of the plan.

"Wizard Ian. It's a pity you didn't understand my warning. The night I sent you a summon was our last branching point to avoid our clash."

Ian was dumbfounded by Larabel's shameless words.

So when assassins crawled into my room, should he have thought, 'Oops! Someone's after me! I'm a dead man!' and just run away?

What's with the attitude that it was Ian's fault for not running away!?

"Why does a b*tch who sends assassins talk so much?"

From the moment he nearly got assassinated, Ian had no intention of backing down.

He was determined to get back at the culprit by any means necessary, and he was close to doing just that!

Larabel mocked him, saying,

"I peered through the veil of the future. There, I saw your death, Wizard Ian."

"Bullsh*t."

Future, branches, space-time... Ian knows nothing about these things.

But at least it was clear that Larabel wasn't a great space-time wizard.

If she truly were, she would've foreseen the failure of Ian's assassination.

Larabel couldn't even predict whether Ian would live or die.

Yet she claims to be a space-time wizard.

Even among fire wizards, there's a clear difference in skill between a level 1 and a level 9.

By the same logic, even if Larabel is a space-time wizard, if her skill (level) isn't high, the same would go for her overall magical ability.

Ian's speculation was accurate.

Indeed, Larabel hadn't trained deeply in space-time magic.

After all, she left the space-time wizard council on her own accord!

Yet, Larabel believed she was a space-time wizard, relying solely on her shallow foresight magic.

"Just one question. When you sent that monkey into my room, did you also see my corpse then?"

"..."

"You must have. You saw my death in the future and sent an assassin. But, f*ck, it failed, didn't it? So, you're trash, aren't you?"

"... Foresight isn't as simple a magic as you think it is..."

"Excuses of a loser, heard loud and clear."

As Ian mocked, Larabel's expression soured.

Larabel had a lot to say.

Originally, the future was fluid and unpredictable.

Even if one successfully observes a future, there's no guarantee the present will follow that path into that future... yada yada yada.

But all that is just excuses.

Yes. Next, please.

Larabel's space-time magic wasn't worth mentioning.

The real threat was her summoning magic.

"No matter what you say, your death won't change!"

As Larabel projected her will, the dire wolves leaped up all at once.

"[Tear him apart!]"

The strong will of the summoner was conveyed to the summons.

The dire wolves, to fulfill the summoner's wish, all charged at Ian simultaneously.

This could be seen as a magical attack on a wizard.

Ian had experienced such a situation before.

Yes, it was during his underground duel with Inglan.

A wizard's will can change everything...

That will can be blocked by another wizard's will!

Ian concentrated his mind, filled with firm will, and shouted.

"[Stop!]"

"!!!"

As the shout containing the essence of level 3 summoning magic echoed, the dire wolves panicked and stopped what they were doing.

Ian's will had blocked Larabel's will.

Gritting her teeth, Larabel shouted again.

"[What are you doing! Don't be afraid! He's just a scarecrow with a big mouth!]"

The dire wolves growled.

They gained a bit of courage from Larabel's will, but...

"[You dare bare your teeth at me, who has befriended the king of the mountain!]"

As Ian shouted once more forcefully, the dire wolves lost their morale again.

Larabel was both amazed and dumbfounded by Ian's ability.

'No...! What kind of image did he project?'

A dire wolf is a strong carnivore. Naturally strong wolves, but now imagine them bigger.

Moreover, dire wolves were not usually intimidated by mere killing intent.

Living in packs, they knew that there was no enemy they couldn't take down if they attacked together.

Yet, the dire wolves cowered before Ian.

The image mixed with Ian's will was truly formidable.

Larabel couldn't even guess what kind of image Ian had conjured.

And for good reason...

The image, or the vision, Ian had in mind was his interspecies friend, Drake Longtail.

Who was Longtail?

Longtail, the [Holder of Hannam The Hill].

In a tough post-apocalyptic era, he was a successful man who owned his own home.

No matter how brave a dire wolf might be, it can't match the courage of a man with his own house.

Ugh! The aura that only those with a home possess...!

... Well, it's actually just because a drake was an excessively high-level monster.

Anyway, Ian transmitted the image of Longtail he knew to the dire wolves.

The dire wolves thought Ian was part of the same 'pack' as Longtail and got scared.

Thinking that if they attacked Ian, Longtail would come for revenge.

"[Attack!]"

"[Back off!]"

"[I said attack!]"

"[Only those who want to die, come at me!]"

Larabel and Ian glared at each other, spewing crazy verbal attacks.

This was what a wizard's fight was like.

Both sides just running their mouths, that's all there was to it.

Poor dire wolves couldn't do anything, caught in the middle of the summoner's spat.

An irritated Larabel played her next card.

"Damn it...! Lewis! Zulatan! Come out and deal with that bastard!"

Two figures walked forward.

One was a werewolf. The other was a monkey.

"Screech! Screech!"

[I warned you! You are going to die!]

Excited, the monkey charged at Ian.

Despite the human woman standing in front, the monkey's plan was to ignore her and swiftly go straight for Ian's neck.

It was a clever plan.

...That was until it got caught by the tip of Belenka's sword.

Belenka, seeing the monkey trying to leap over her, mercilessly swung her sword and tore the monkey apart.

"Kaak!"

The monkey, ripped from head to toe by the longsword, rolled on the floor, covered in blood.

Belenka lightly swung her sword and muttered.

"What the hell? Is that thing insane?"

It seemed to underestimate her for standing still all this time.

But it knew nothing, absolutely nothing about Belenka.

Unlike the monkey, the werewolf approached cautiously, measuring the distance.

Having seen live the monkey turn into the ripped seam of a stuffed toy, it was a natural decision.

"You're not just any talent, miss!"

"Thanks for the compliment! Chihuahua!"

The werewolf was much stronger than the monkey.

It calmly dodged the longsword, looking for an opportunity to take down Belenka.

Belenka, not wanting to engage in a brute strength contest with the werewolf, focused on draining its stamina by keeping it at bay with the tip of her sword from a distance.

It was going to take time to decide the outcome.

For Ian, this was the perfect opportunity.

The chance to capture Larabel!

Now, there was nothing standing between Ian and Larabel.

Ian drew Anor-lsil and aimed it at Larabel.

By unleashing the power of the sun here, he could link it to fire magic with the resulting flames.

The situation was highly favorable for Ian.

But.

"As expected. The process to reach the last timeline is difficult, isn't it?"

"...?"

Larabel still hadn't lost her composure.

"Wizard Ian. You plan to overpower me with that magic sword, don't you?"

"Wow. How did you foresee that?"

"I already knew everything. That you wouldn't be assassinated. That you would draw me out. That the dire wolves wouldn't eat you, nor would Lewis kill you."

"..."

All that comes out of her mouth are lies, naturally.

Ian was astounded by Larabel's bluster.

She knew it all would fail?

And she didn't prepare any countermeasures?

After everything fails, 'Hmm. I knew I was going to fail.'

Ian could say that too.

"So, how are you going to deal with it?"

Yes, Ian thought Larabel was just bluffing again after another wrong foresight.

However, this time Ian was wrong.

Larabel really had foreseen her own failure and had a trump card hidden in preparation.

With all possibilities twisted and the future reshaped into the last timeline...!

A trump card to surely kill Ian!

"Of course."

Larabel pulled something out from her belongings.

It was something Ian was all too familiar with.

A magic scroll...!

"I didn't want to use this precious item, but I have no choice."

"This f*cking-"

Before Ian could react, Larabel tore the magic scroll, activating the magic stored within it.

Flames swirled around Larabel.

"According to my foresight, Ian. You die in flames."

That was undoubtedly a scroll containing very powerful magic created by an ancient archwizard.

Waves of blazing flames rose up like serpents.

The tables had turned.

"..."

Overwhelmed by the sight, Ian momentarily lost his words.

"Wizard Ian. Still doubting your death?"

Larabel said, mocking Ian.

"In my eyes, all I see is your death."

The wave of flames rushed towards Ian.

The breathtaking flames captivated the attention of everyone on the battlefield.

"Ian!"

Even Belenka and the werewolf paused their fight.

'... It's hot.'

Watching the wave of burning flames, Ian recalled a memory from the past.

The memory of when he was learning fire magic from Fire Wizard Eredith.

'Listen to the voice of the fire, Ian!'

Air hot enough to cook his face.

Fire white enough to burn out his eyes.

Ian was afraid of the fire before him.

Who wouldn't be afraid of fire, being born of life?

But the fire dislikes cowards.

The mystery of fire was a being that ceaselessly burns everything.

Its only identity is arson, born to incinerate and turn everything to ashes, returning to the void once the combustion of all is complete.

To be with the mystery of fire, one needs the resolve and madness to turn even themselves to ashes.

'...Damn it!'

Don't be afraid, Ian. You're a wizard.

Didn't Eredith teach you?

Haven't you walked into a pit of fire and emerged unscathed?

Listen to the voice of the fire.

You will not burn to death.

To survive, he had to somehow listen to the voice of fire.

Ian reminded himself over and over again.

However, the inherent fear that comes with being a living being was hard to shake off.

...

Ian had to admit it.

He wasn't a great fire wizard.

He was a novice wizard who had entered the mystery of fire not by aptitude, but with the help of his status window.

"Ian!"

Facing the oncoming heat, Ian felt intense pain.

The heat seemed to explode his entire body, searing his nerves.

Ian's clothes caught fire.

'Focus... concentrate...!'

If he couldn't meet with the mystery of fire, Ian would burn to death right here.

That damned space-time wizard's prophecy would come true.

Ian gritted his teeth, trying to confront the approaching flames.

"Ian!!!"

That's when it happened.

Something heavy and soft gently pushed Ian aside.

'... Huh?'

Ian didn't understand what was happening.

It was too confusing.

In Ian's place...

Surrounded by fire.

Was Kira.

Kira had pushed Ian aside and was standing against the wave of fire.

Ian stared blankly at Kira.

Her entire body blazed like a torch.