Chapter 376 - The Blighting Curse
The more sophisticated and malicious the enemy's preparations were, the more I felt they were worthy of being enemies of the Kikyokai.
It’s great. They have the skill for me to recognize them as foes.
Fighting easy opponents won't take us to the next level. I welcome difficult ones.
We’re the group expanding from Exembra to the port city of Rigahaim, and now looking to establish ourselves in this major power of Berleeza. If we don't keep leveling up, we’ll hit a wall somewhere.
Overcome difficulties, gain experience, expand our connections, and increase what we can do.
If we gain various powers, money and freedom will follow. There are so many things we want to do.
To live as we please with our heads held high, we need that 'power.'
A pinch is just high-quality fuel. That’s why I was happy about it.
"I’ll tear you apart!"
I’d thought curses were just annoying, boring spells.
The nasty feeling I’d felt before was now a vivid magical presence, undeniably a curse. The essence of this magic must be its ability to avoid detection and its power increasing in proportion to the opponent’s strength.
Plus, with such a setup involving magic items, it was difficult to prevent its activation and the power was exponentially increased. It was a strong spell.
The weak curses we’d faced until now must have just been harassment or a test.
"[Level Raise (True Shell Shattering)]!"
Even as blood sprayed from everywhere, I didn't lose my focus on my magic.
No matter the pain, no matter if I’m on the verge of death, I never give up a fight. That’s why I’m here now.
What I was facing was magic that drained and used a person's mana. I had already grasped its characteristics.
I sensed the amount of mana being drained from everyone. It was draining the most from me, then from Gradena. That likely meant the other members were having a slightly easier time.
If it drains mana preferentially from those with the most, then if one person has a vastly larger amount, it should give the other members some breathing room. In that case, I’ll give it a ridiculous amount of mana to swallow.
How much could this spell eat?
Infinite?
Impossible.
Let’s see who’s stronger, the meticulously prepared trap or me, standing my ground.
Of course, I’m the one who’s going to win.
"[Exterior (The Crimson Might)]!"
The burden on my body spiked the moment I triggered the [Exterior] spell. Not yet!
As I controlled the surging mana to keep it from going out of control, I raised my output even further to take the brunt of the curse.
The annoying skull mask was discarded at this point.
"Yu... Yukari..."
Gradena, who seemed to have found some relief from the pain, also took off her mask and looked at me with her face covered in blood. I must have been bleeding profusely at that moment.
My vision was stained red, my hearing was fading, and it was hard to breathe through the blood from my nose. My condition was the worst, even aside from the intense pain.
But it didn't matter. I smirked back at her. 'Leave it to me.'
Then Gradena gave a joyous smirk of her own. And then.
"[EXTERIOR]!"
Ha, as expected of the Kikyokai’s Third Seat. Excellent, just excellent.
"Oooooooh! I’m not losing to this!"
The abnormal, massive amount of mana, almost like an Evil Dragon’s, eventually overwhelmed the enemy’s trap.
With a sensation like something invisible shattering, the unpleasant enemy magic dispersed.
I felt a momentary joy in our victory, but I couldn't relax at all. Because I was so skilled at magic manipulation, I’d overdone it by pumping up so much rampaging mana that controlling it was now a bigger problem than the enemy’s magic.
Oh no, I had to do it to break through, but I went too far.
"This is Heidi, I sense a massive magical presence from a distance! It’s a large-scale spell!"
"Can't you stop it from there!"
"Impossible, impossible! It’s too far to make it in time!"
Tch, I have enough on my plate already!
I was in no position to even sense the enemy’s magic, and the worst was coming for me. I knew it, I was their target.
A sudden magical presence disrupted the mana I was desperately trying to control.
It wasn't just a magical attack; it was likely some nasty, indirect spell... interference with the flow of mana. So this is the true nature of the curse!
Interfering with the flow of mana in people, objects, or the environment, and changing its direction just a tiny bit. That was likely the essence of curse magic.
But realizing that didn't help me now. In a situation where I was already near my limit, I didn't have time for a detailed analysis or to think of a countermeasure. I couldn't repel the enemy's attack.
"Don't worry, Yukari. I have high-tier recovery potions. Just protect your head and heart."
Gradena’s voice reached my fading consciousness and ears slightly. She could see how bad my situation was from being so close. I didn't even have the leeway to look at her, let alone answer.
If I completely let go of the mana control, even my body, which was supposed to be tougher than most, would be blown to pieces.
While blood sprayed from every possible hole in my body, I used the last of my control to gather the dense, rampaging mana into a single point. This wasn't a choice either. The rampaging mana just happened to gather there, and I had to go with it.
I ground my teeth and groaned as I desperately created a path for the mana I couldn't suppress. All the magic skills and willpower I’d built up... I’m not losing.
And... how’s this!
While screaming in my heart, I looked up at the ceiling, and the mana overflowed from my body like a beam of light.
I couldn't see it myself, but the mana that burst from my sacrificed left eye likely formed a pillar that reached the heavens.
Even as the intense pain made me lightheaded, I didn't pass out. If I lost consciousness before the excess mana was spent, I would die.
How much time did I need for the torrent of mana to leave my left eye? I simply endured the pain and suffering that felt like it was killing me.
Eventually, the intense pain receded, and the moment I realized the mana in my body had significantly decreased, I felt myself go limp.
"Blegh!"
I vomited up a mass of blood and collapsed face-forward.
Oh man, I really thought I was dying...
"Hey, you alright?"
I was no longer able to use magic on my own, but just as my consciousness was about to fall into the darkness, my body felt easier.
"...I thought I was dead."
It was a struggle just to speak, but the immediate crisis was over. For now.
"Heh, looks like you’re okay."
"...Not exactly."
"What?"
Gradena had used a second-tier super-composite recovery potion. Normally, there was no abnormality it couldn't heal. However, I knew immediately that I wasn't fully recovered.
There was an abnormality in my left eye, the one I’d used as a path for the mana.
I could feel that the eye itself had been restored. But for some reason, it was painful, and when I tried to open the eyelid, an even more incredible pain struck me.
Even for me, someone who usually ignores pain during battle, it was a pain so intense I hesitated to even open it a crack.
Plus, there was an intense discomfort centered around my left eye, and my mana was severely disrupted. Because of that, I felt various ailments and felt sick to death.
"Yukari, what’s wrong?"
I tried to stand up, but first, a wave of intense dizziness hit me. I had a splitting headache and felt nauseous.
"Tch, I can barely use magic... It seems I’ve been cursed. My left eye won't open, and it’s a pain to use magic."
The mana flowing through my entire body was being forcibly disrupted. It was clearly the effect of the curse. It was only because I was an expert in mana control that I could even use magic at all in this state.
But it was an extremely difficult situation, and my combat power had definitely dropped. I hoped it was a temporary symptom, but I had a feeling it would last if I didn't do something.
"The effect of that large-scale spell Heidi mentioned? They got us."
"It’s infuriating, but they caught us good. Still... Heidi?"
"This is Heidi. I’ve already taken care of it, we’re tracking them."
Good. I wasn't going to let them get away with this.
I’d show them that tonight’s raid wasn't over yet.
The enemy hideout used as a trap wouldn't have anything of value anyway.
We withdrew quickly and moved to meet up with Heidi and the others. Moore and the Intelligence Department would likely handle the cleanup of that hideout.
"Are there any traces left of the enemy’s large-scale spell?"
"That’s the thing. Even though they used such a massive spell, there are no traces left at all. The mana residue is almost zero."
It’s normal for it to fade over time, but it should definitely be there immediately after use, and it takes magic to erase it. Even then, a tiny trace should remain.
But this time, there was nothing. This was a characteristic of the curse magic Badu-Lot used. It barely left any traces.
"Almost zero means there’s something, right?"
"It’s a strange magic reaction. If you didn't know it was unusual, you’d miss it. This time, the reaction left at the scene is a perfect match for what I’m feeling from Yukari-san’s left eye."
"Are the ones tracking them using that as a clue?"
"No, that’s impossible. It’s only left at the place where the magic was used. This time, they’re following a different clue. No matter who they are, humans can't escape their own metabolism."
Many of our members have slightly niche magic aptitudes or special skills. Even if they seemed useless, they could be very effective in the right situation.
"Metabolism? So they’re following the scent of sweat? I thought that was a limited ability because it only lasted a short time and couldn't identify individuals."
"We’re in a place where no one else is around. If they even showed themselves for a second, it becomes a certain clue."
If they could follow the scent of sweat, the enemy likely moved on foot rather than by vehicle.
I’m sure the opponent wouldn't even dream that sweat would be the clue that led us to them.
If they think they won just by catching us in a trap, they’re dead wrong. I’m striking back immediately.
As we headed in the direction the trackers had gone, we finally received a transmission. Apparently, they’d found the enemy’s real hideout.
It was a place I felt I knew. Anyway, let’s go there.
"It’s too dangerous to rush in alone. Wait around the perimeter until we arrive."
"Understood."
As I gave instructions over the transmission, I continued to analyze my own state. The curse’s effect was immense.
I was pretending to be fine for everyone’s sake, but... it was actually quite hard even when I wasn't doing anything. I wanted to crush the enemy quickly and focus on finding a way to deal with this.
After a short run, we arrived at a quiet, wide park. It was definitely a place I knew.
I couldn't see it from here, but there was an old church nearby that wasn't on the map, and I’d bought many talismans there, so I remembered it well.
We met up with the members who were waiting on alert.
"It’s here. There’s a secret passage in this shed."
In a grove of trees away from the public eye, there was a storage shed that looked like it was for park maintenance. The entrance to the basement was inside.
Apparently, there were no traps in the shed itself, and we got in easily once we removed a simple lock.
The secret passage was under a floor storage area. The traps and alarms were likely in the underground passage, not the shed.
"Hey, you okay?"
"...Tch, not really."
The pain in my left eye was so bad I couldn't stop sweating. Plus, the headache and nausea wouldn't go away; I just felt terrible. My physical condition was at its worst.
"The talismans are supposed to work against curses, right? What happened to them?"
"The ones we had when we entered the hideout broke when we got caught in the trap. Yukari’s too."
"In that case, try this. I hope it works."
Heidi handed over a talisman she’d kept for herself.
I took it without any real expectations and tried pressing it against my left eye.
"...It’s not just my imagination. It’s much easier now."
The pain had definitely receded. It was huge that the annoying headache was now less intense.
I was still far from my best, but with this, I could do much more than the bare minimum.
"The church’s talismans aren't just for show. If that works, maybe the church can heal your eye too?"
"I hope so. But that’s for later. This is enough for now. Heidi, I’m borrowing this."
"Yukari-san was the one who bought it for me, so please use it as much as you want."
I folded a large handkerchief, which could also be used as a wrap, into a strip and used it to fix the talisman over my left eye like an eyepatch. This would have to do for now.
"Can we... not sense the interior? Do you know how many people went in?"
"Probably three. However, we can't sense the magic reactions inside."
"I see, the basement is built to block mana. In a park storage shed, this is anything but normal."
"I’m sure they’ve got plenty of traps prepared too. Rushing in blindly would be bad."
I’d just nearly died in an enemy trap. Aside from me with my eye, Gradena and the others had almost died and were exhausted. Given this was likely the enemy's main base, we had no idea what kind of traps were laid out, and a reckless charge was out of the question.
Plus, if they realized someone was attacking, they were experts at sneaking around; they’d probably just abandon the exposed hideout and run away. They might even have a trap that would destroy the hideout along with their enemies.
There’s no way such meticulous people hadn't prepared an escape route. Even if we blocked this entrance, there had to be another exit. Since we didn't know where that was, any clumsy move could ruin our chance.
"We are capturing them here, no matter what. Understood?"
I didn't have the luxury of holding back now. I was only able to use a part of my total power. But no matter how exhausted I was, I was finishing them here. I reaffirmed my resolve.
This was the critical moment. If we let them get away, we’d have to admit we’d been defeated.
"That’s fine, but how are we doing it?"
"I’m going to turn this entire underground area into my domain, even if I run out of mana. If I hit any place that resists my mana interference or blocking, that’s their hideout and secret passage. If there’s a passage other than this one, I’ll smash the whole thing with my thorn magic."
"If we block the escape routes first, we’ve got them. Then we can take our time attacking."
Exactly. Just hit them before they hit us; charging in isn't the only way. There are plenty of ways to do this.
If they haven't noticed us yet, I could imagine they must think they’ve won.
They’re only human too. If they think they’ve won and got away, they’ll be careless.
We hadn't exactly been careless, but we’d been caught good tonight. But we’d survived, and now we were striking back.
What about them? Naturally, I wasn't going to let them survive.
Badu-Lot or the Kikyokai. We’d show them once and for all which organization was more vicious and dangerous.
Don't think you’ve won yet. I’m the one who wins in the end.