Chapter 71

"Alright, this is where it gets serious."

"Indeed, Shu."

Ruto Reiven, the Awakened Mage Armorer, appeared before them. She was likely one of the strongest mage armorers in the Great Subarokia Empire. The magic power emanating from her was overwhelming.

Ruto was the first to speak.

"It's been a while. I was well taken care of at that shop. Thanks to your memo, my subordinates are full of energy."

"Ah, that's good to hear."

"Would you mind dying for me as well?"

"That depends on you. Let's see what you can do."

Ruto's gravitational control field expanded, attempting to capture Shu and Iris. In response, the two of them deployed a magic circle and used a teleportation spell to escape downward.

However, a luminous bird approached them.

A bolt of lightning that seemed to tear through space. It was a servant-type mage armor, 'Thunder Emperor' Ryouk, who controlled the thunderbird and possessed numerous long-range attacks. The single thunderbird split into multiple forms, launching an all-encompassing attack that left no room for evasion.

"Shu!"

"It's fine."

Shu didn't need to dodge. Mage armor attacks could be easily absorbed by death magic. He converted the mage armor into mana and absorbed it, using the law of energy disappearance to eliminate the thunderbird's mage armor.

Death magic was ineffective against the Demon King Arklight.

Shu Arklight was the king's monster, a primordial spirit.

"There are too many of them. Go, Iris."

Shu nullified all magical and mage armor attacks.

As long as they were in the air, physical attacks couldn't reach them.

This gave Iris enough time and opportunity to cast her spell.

"I'll do it!"

As she began her incantation, a blue-white magic circle unfolded. The circle expanded and became more complex as the incantation progressed. Seeing this, the imperial mage armorers and mages started targeting Iris.

Those who could fly were few, and their attacks were limited. In the three-dimensional space of the air, the same amount of attacks had a lower density. As long as Shu defended, no one could get close to Iris.

The only concern was Ruto, the Awakened Mage Armorer.

"I won't let you!"

Ruto was about to activate a black hole, a mage armor technique that crushed and eliminated everything with a micro-black hole.

The power of awakened mage armor was ultimate.

However, the magic wielded by the king's monster was also supreme.

"Eliminate gravity... with my magic power."

The magic power condensed the concept of death.

This was death magic, a conceptual power that could bring death to anything, even phenomena that lacked death, such as gravity.

When Shu released his dark magic, the compressed space returned to its original state.

Iris then completed her spell.

"It's complete!"

Iris targeted the imperial soldiers on the ground using coordinate designation. The spell she was about to cast was the Eighth Tier of Wind, "Great Discharge." The Eighth Tier of Magic, also known as the Ultimate Magic, could kill dozens of people with a single activation.

A weapon that could kill so many people with one activation was rare, even in war.

For a single person to activate such a powerful spell was terrifying, even to the imperial court mages. The power of 'Shinigami' Shu and Iris, who could handle forbidden spells, was already revered, but comparing their power to the Ultimate Magic, which every court mage had challenged, made it easier to understand. They realized anew the power of Iris.

Electricity crackled, and a massive current swept through a wide area.

However, this was where 'Thunder Emperor' Ryouk shone.

The thunderbird absorbed the current from "Great Discharge." The thunderbird, now energized, grew larger and headed towards Iris.

"Hey, Iris!"

"I'm sorry!"

However, the absorption of the current was unexpected.

Shu absorbed the thunderbird with death magic.

The imperial army began to regain their composure, and the mages and mage armorers who could fly reorganized their formations. The imperial soldiers who couldn't fly were also ready to support with magical devices.

First, the S-rank mage armorer, 'Deep Sea' Veil, deployed his mage armor.

He had been accumulating magic power for this moment.

Veil's mage armor was a field-type, submerging the designated space in water. This was true even at high altitudes, and Shu and Iris were covered by an enormous mass of water. If he wanted, he could submerge an entire city. This was 'Deep Sea' Veil.

(We can't escape easily.)

(It's suffocating...)

(Use magic to handle it. You're immortal, after all.)

(It's still suffocating!)

Shu, being a spirit-type monster, could survive without air. However, Iris, though immortal, was still human and found it difficult to breathe.

(But why did he use it now? Why submerge his allies as well?)

The massive mass of water that could submerge a city had also engulfed Ruto and the other mage armorers. The mages who were flying had also sunk into the sea.

It was unclear what he intended to do.

However, Shu sensed a massive amount of magic power. It was coming from the ground and emitting white light. The frequent flashes indicated it was lightning. This was 'Thunder Emperor' Ryouk's mage armor.

(Iris!)

(Yes.)

Iris also sensed it and called out to Shu.

The mage armorer Veil of 'Deep Sea' summoned and controlled a vast amount of water. The water he created was seawater, which contained salt and various metal ions.

Water is an insulator, but the ions dissolved in it allow it to conduct electricity. Seawater, with its high ion content, is much more conductive than pure water, about 80,000 times more.

The plan was to capture 'Shinigami' and his allies in the water and kill them with a massive current.

This was the empire's strategy.

The mages and Raito's team were merely decoys.

(Well, it's not a problem. Stay calm, Iris.)

Shu deployed a small magic circle.

At that moment, a bird of lightning plunged into the massive mass of water.

◆◆◆

"I hope this ends it..."

"Hah. I didn't even get to do anything."

The 'Thunder Emperor' Ryouk, relieved, was met with dissatisfaction from the 'Beast King' Azuka, who hadn't had a chance to shine. They hadn't expected 'Shinigami' to initiate an aerial battle.

The plan was to surround 'Shinigami' on the ground, trap him in the sea, and deliver the final blow with lightning.

Azuka was supposed to hold 'Shinigami' back on the front lines. However, since Azuka couldn't fly, he didn't get a chance to act.

"Looks like he didn't get a chance either."

Azuka showed Ryouk a small ring. It was a magical device developed by the Great Subarokia Empire that granted resistance to electricity. While it couldn't completely nullify it, a mage armorer or mage could withstand it with the ring's resistance and their own magic power.

They couldn't afford to sacrifice S-rank mage armorers or court mages in this plan.

That's why they even brought such a magical device.

They were fully prepared.

"I thought this would finish him off..."

"I still feel his magic power. He's not dead. Did you hold back, Ryouk?"

"Of course not. You should know that."

As they sensed, there were two powerful magic powers mixed in the massive mass of water.

Veil also appeared beside Ryouk and Azuka.

"What's this? It's 'Deep Sea' himself."

"It seems we couldn't defeat him. I still feel his magic power."

Ryouk's mage armor was a thunderbird.

This bird received Ryouk's magic power remotely and released a massive current. The voltage and current were so intense that a rock would melt from the heat if struck. In seawater, which has a high electrical conductivity, such a current would undoubtedly turn a human into charcoal. Even with magic power for defense, there were limits.

They suspected 'Shinigami' had done something.

Meanwhile, Sadina and Ike, who were trapped underwater by Veil's mage armor, were also surprised.

They looked at each other and decided to escape the seawater prison first.

Sadina took Ike's arm and swam through the seawater with her wings. With a splash, they successfully escaped.

"It's not working. What's going on? Did he have a magical device that resists lightning, like us?"

"...He must have nullified my mage armor. He might have that ability."

"But I heard 'Shinigami's' power is to kill people. He can also handle ice... and now nullify mage armor?"

An attack that could kill a hundred people with ease.

However, even Ike was confused by this situation. Ike had been reluctant about the plan because he wanted to kill 'Shinigami' himself. When Ruto told him, "If you want to, stop him before the plan is executed," Ike had launched reckless attacks to kill 'Shinigami' before the plan began.

For Ike, 'Shinigami's' survival was both a relief and a frustration.

"...The plan has failed. I can do as I please now, right?"

"Ike..."

Sadina had no reason to stop him.

However, she couldn't ignore Ike's continued reckless attacks.

"With Veil's mage armor, how can we attack?"

"Boil the water."

"...But the court mages are still there. And the captain..."

"I know! I was just saying!"

While he didn't mean it seriously, Ike's skills made it possible.

However, while Ruto might be able to withstand the mage armor's power, the mages couldn't. Ryouk could use his thunderbird mage armor again, but he didn't expect it to work a second time.

Ruto, still underwater, was also observing 'Shinigami' with caution.

Ruto and her team were using magical devices for underwater breathing, allowing them to remain active for long periods.

(I saw the lightning concentrate on 'Shinigami.' And I saw it being absorbed.)

The magic Shu activated manipulated electrical resistance. He increased Iris's resistance and decreased his own.

This caused the current to concentrate on Shu.

It was an application of a lightning rod.

Some current still flowed to Iris, but she could defend against it with her magic power.

Shu could absorb any amount of current with death magic.

This allowed for complete defense.

At the same time, Shu had control over the massive mass of water.

(Completed.)

Shu extended his right hand and slowly closed it.

(I'm taking the mass-energy of the water. 'Death.')

Mass could be converted into energy.

And energy could be recovered by Shu's death magic. Although it took time to grasp the massive amount of water, Shu had control over it.

The mass-energy was converted into mana and absorbed by Shu.

"The finishing touch!"

Shu raised his right hand.

A massive magic circle spread, covering the sky. It was the forbidden spell, "Earth Annihilation Wind Pressure," activated using the water's mass-energy.

A second forbidden spell activation.

A swirling gale descended to destroy the land.

The Glen Rock Formation was reduced to a wasteland.