The God of Jesters
Chapter 115 - 2.30.3 The Hero

Chapter 115: 2.30.3 The Hero

Among the five major disciplines of magic, consisting of Arcana, Contracts, Illusions, Transmutation, and Occult.

The study of Transmutation was considered not too great for the battlefield. It was the study of alchemy, using magic to change the formation of matter, making it more of a utility during war. Their ability to change matter was highly limited and the requirement for mana was immense in cases where they succeeded.

It was mostly why most Transmutation mages go on the path of creation. From formations to tools to weapons. They were capable of making everything cheaply and at a fast rate. Making them mostly relegated to labs where they can work in peace.

But Faust was different, much different than any other transmutation mage. He was the exception.

He was considered an enigma among the military, a man who would test his weapons and creations on his own, to accurately assess their capabilities and weaknesses, just so he could fix it later on. And considering it was the military, his creations most of the time were lethal.

It was why he came to develop a simple spell for his own use.

No, a series of spells was made after studying some body modification techniques that the transmutation magicians were famous for. A series of spells he named the Martial Strengthening.

Beginning with the Carbonized skin, which was an upgraded version of the Iron skin spell. And even though it was weaker than the original Iron skin, it was also lighter and provided much more flexibility. Not to mention this Carbonized skin, which turned the body of Faust completely black, also ended up making him immune to the lightning attacks.

Then starting with Carbonized skin, he activated the rest of the spells, completely ignoring the mana usage in the process, which was followed by greater spells that transformed his muscles, mind, and even bones.

When the lightning struck him when he entered the dome, Faust used the remaining of his mana and transmuted the lightning into a usable source of electricity, then Using his acute control, he carefully stored it back into his back battery, which was originally being used to run the armor in order to reach this place.

However, there was still some loss, causing the lightning to heat up the metallic exterior of the armor, which would have cooked a normal person alive. But Faust, who had developed powerful spells to survive the brunt of his own weapons, this was nothing.

"Good." It was surprising and much different than what Holforaz had expected. But this was to happen when his enemy was a Transmutation mage that is a master at alchemy. It was his fault for looking down on his enemy based on his age and lack of experience. And since the attack of thunder seemed useless, it was time to show his enemy something else.

So the moment the word "Good" Left Holforaz’s mouth, it started to rain.

But there was not much time to think on Faust’s side as well, finding the opportunity when the rain hadn’t hit the ground yet, he fired his missiles and a series of artillery wantonly along the lines of people that were hiding in the buildings close by.

Then when the Missiles were intercepted by the "rain" and lost their direction, he drove towards the destroyed side of the building which used to be a mess hall, and then before the men hiding inside could react. He massacred them all at once with a single bomb, destroying them in the process.

Along with some innocents who were sleeping in the mess hall after going for a quick bite at night.

But collateral damage is common in a battle. Even if these young men were to die, it wouldn’t matter as long as they stopped the terrorist actions of their own headmasters.

And it’s not like Faust even thought such things. He was young and barely ever considered such things since his youth, because if he did, he would not have left his loving teacher to pursue his dreams.

And it was the most he could do, for it was time for the rain to reach Faust who couldn’t fly due to the heavy weight of his armor.

*ding *ding *ding

The water droplets were heavy. So heavy in fact that Faust felt them through the shockwaves produced by their collision with the armor. But that was not all of it.

With a switch of his hand, Holforaz added something else into the rain. Which turned the clouds above yellow and the rain started, carrying the same color, and started to smoke.

"Acid?" Faust was not the only one using weapons in this fight, a mage’s weapons were their magical artifacts and catalysts. Meaning, this was just the start of their fight.

*****

When the clouds gathered and the thunder fell, a sigh came out in the darkness.

A sigh, that was a sign that something unexpected had happened. Someone had come who was never meant to be here. And how they came here, only Maisel knew. Who was glad that his little trick seemed fruitful?

On his face, he showed none of such emotion, he just tried to sense the darkness, readying himself for another attack.

But the sound that came belonged to a man he was familiar with. "So choose now Miss, release that beast of a girl and I will help in facing the ordeal that might come your way." Kairut was never lucky when facing his enemies recently. Every enemy he met had hold of his weakness. He was a man that could never fully utilize his powers.

In front of Old Vanessa, he had no such weakness. His fingers made a creaking sound that somehow spread through the darkness, while a buzzing sound of cicadas started to echo loudly. Drowning was the only sound that Maisel could hear, which was none other than his heartbeat.

"Kairut, is this your choice?"

"Sorry Miss, but I am forced to do such things by my master."

"Then I accept your choice."

With those words, there was a sharp sound and a loud scream pierced the darkness. Followed by complete silence.

"You really are forcing my hand now." Kairut regretted coming forward now.

He could see the corpse of Remira clearly from the darkness, he was a master of the occult and understood the principle behind this domain of silence. So it was easy for him to break it as well. But he didn’t help Remira or Maisel as there was no need for him to do so.

He won’t involve himself as long as Remira doesn’t fall here. But it seems, his laziness had ended up making the situation worse.

Now Remira’s body lay there, divided in half from chest below, with her organs spilling out wildly along the ground, which too were pierced by multiple earthen spears.

She looked closer to an art piece than a living being.

"Guess Maisel, you just got a friend."

*****

Remira didn’t know what was going on, the enemy she faced now was too strong. Before, there was always a chance for her to fight back, a chance of success even out of the most desperate situation.

Something she became assured of after awakening to her true bloodline. She was tortured brutally when she came here, stabbed to the bone, and saw no chance of survival. But Maisel’s early arrival had given her some hope back. A hope to fight back, after seeing that Maisel seemed to be able to keep up with the enemy.

A simple conclusion to come to, considering how Maisel had teleported next to her and then broken the spears.

But that was it, that was the only time she saw hope, as after another attack by the enemy, She was again captured in the dome of spears. And somehow none of these spears ever stabbed her head. Whether it was fate playing a game with her or the woman she was fighting. Both seemed cruel to her.

Though, through all this, she felt an anger in her heart. Anger at her powerlessness.

A heart that now laid bare on the ground.

"Tch, the new generation is getting weaker with time." Remira for some reason saw a corpse standing next to her. A man who smiled when she noticed his presence. "Don’t worry child, this is not the end for you."

"??" She was a beast that was unable to speak, but for some reason, seeing this mummified corpse that had a hole in his chest, Remira had some idea of who it was.

It was programmed in her blood.

"Do you know the true nature of the blood that you carry?"

"Stop suppressing it, that blood of mine. It’s the greatest gift I have given to this world."

’No... I feel like I would lose myself.’ Remira cried. She didn’t even eat Dantalian as Maisel had assumed. She just killed her with a bite on her head and left her as is. A feat done under extreme control and suppression of her basic instinct.

But now, "He" asked for her to let go?

No, she can’t. She understood what kind of hunger it was.

"If you don’t, you will die before the others of my children come."

"So let go."

"N.." She barely opened her wolf-like mouth, a sound that couldn’t even be made due to her dissected body.

"There are no innocents around, none deserves to live here. Including that man, who saved you not long before."

"So... let go."

"..."

No one knew at this time. What a great mistake Vanessa had made.