City ​​of Witches 1230

Chapter 1230 – #288_Fable(4)

#1224

1.
Time stopped.
It was a scene that looked like it had captured the most intense moment of the most intense battlefield with a camera.

The red line that Siwoo shot is cutting across the sky.
Blanche Erelim, with eight wings of the night sky engraved on her, is the target.

This is a real powerful blow.
It’s the first blow he’s demonstrating since throwing off his shackles and gaining freedom.

“Wow, that’s awesome.”

On the other hand, Erelim is casting something like an orbital laser bombardment.
Dozens of holes have been punched into the dark green sky.

They look like generic beams of light, the ultimate secret technique used by a priest-type class in a game, but they are terrifying magic nonetheless.

To realize the caster’s wishes in reality, there aren’t many such witch-friendly magics in this wide world.

“Ah, is time not stopped?”

Looking closely, everything is moving very slowly.

The red spear is slowly breaking down the space itself as it moves forward.
The beams of light falling straight down are also gradually increasing in intensity.

There are also signs of ‘spatial randomization,’ a bizarre phenomenon that randomly occurs when powerful magic collides.

It’s doubtful that randomization would be a big problem for two people of their level.

“Hmm.”

But there’s another problem.

At this rate, it will take forever before their attacks intersect.
In reality, time is flowing very slowly, and it’s impossible to take any action.

I haven’t even been able to blink properly for a long, long time.

Only thoughts are happening in real time.

Still, it was a relief.
Just a moment ago, I thought my head was going to explode and kill me…

Now, I don’t feel anything in particular.
Is it because I’ve gained power at the level of the 25th stratum?

Siwoo quietly contemplated his inner self.

Those who try to transcend their limits face the demon sleeping deep within their hearts, the inner demon.

Siwoo defined it as ‘the process of throwing off shackles.’

So, he tried to throw off the shackles that the enemies he had faced so far had emphasized.

Once he threw them off, he understood.
The moment he affirmed his inner desires, the moment he crossed the shackles, the moment he decided to cross the line in his heart. He felt unparalleled freedom.

It’s like a canary that has been trapped in a stuffy cage its whole life finally getting to fly in the sky.

If I hadn’t pretended to be so noble and had done this sooner, I could have found a much better path.
What was it that I cherished so much?

The belatedly discovered answer leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Is it still going?”

There’s still time before the two attacks intersect.

Now that I have some time, let’s leisurely contemplate the treatment of the traitor Erelim.

From the beginning, it wasn’t a friendship but rather a one-sided hatred, and I’ve only been given the middle finger.
She’s a duchess, so I couldn’t even properly argue with her.

I don’t like anything about her, from head to toe.

“Oh, should I put her in a box?”

That’s a great idea.

If I put Erelim in a box, I should torment her until her noble expression is covered in tears and snot.
Very cruelly and humiliatingly.
I felt like I wouldn’t be satisfied until I saw her groveling at my feet like Orseria.

“The box… well, let’s leave it as it is.”

Actually, I don’t really need the box anymore.

Now that I’ve thrown away everything I’ve built up and created a new ‘rule,’ the old-fashioned algorithm cluster ‘Box – Arca’ is of no help.
The support specifications are different.

In fact, the link hasn’t been properly connected since the battle started, has it?
I promised to take it out because I thought it might be useful if I took it before Erelim, but things have turned out this way…

“I don’t have to keep my word.”

But that doesn’t mean the box itself has no value.

It can be summarized in one line.
Wow! 56 people + 1 person. A total of 57 delicious snacks in a forbidden picnic box!

Even if you cum inside them, there’s no magic amplification…

“Ah. I can cum inside now.”

This is why contemplation is important. I’ve realized another new fact.

After all, Black Siwoo is dead, right? There’s no magic amplification or imprint replication.
Variant succession… unfortunately, I have to give up on that, but it’s not a very important issue.

By the way, I’m terribly hungry.
Because I’m hungry, I really wanted something spicy, salty, greasy, and stimulating.

“After the fight is over… I should go home and ask Mom to make kimchi stew.”

Now I’m officially the Count of Gehenna, no, if I lead this war to victory, the title of Duke is no problem.
It’s time for my parents and that matchbox-like apartment to be left behind.

It’s time for my son to show filial piety.
Now I have to help with the housework and raise the family.

“Oops. I almost forgot.”

Speaking of housework, it reminds me of cleaning, doesn’t it?

Once I become a duke, let’s start with a clean sweep of humans.
Honestly, it seems like a hassle… I might feel a little guilty, though.

“Humans are going to die anyway.”

Who was it that said that?

Ah, right. Bianca Bellili.
Looking back, she was absolutely right.

After seeing the absurd fantasy city where mere vermin-like mortals threaten a great witch, I think it’s okay to be that diligent.

That way, I can live comfortably with my lovers and family, right?

Lovers.
Yes. My beloved lovers.
The lovers I wanted to protect even if it meant sacrificing my life.
The lovers I haven’t introduced to my parents yet.

“Hmm?”

It’s a strange thing.

I can’t remember their faces.

I can recall their silhouettes, but their features are blurry, like a manipulated old black-and-white photo, like a spirit photograph.

I can’t remember their names either.
I’m sure there are precious memories, but I can’t remember them.

I’m sure I had a daughter, too.

“Mal… Mal… Marlboro? Was it? How can someone’s name be Marlboro?”

I chuckled to myself for a moment.
It’s a tragedy that no one can hear this funny joke.

Well, if I can’t remember, it must not be that important.

“Yay! Finally!”

Finally, the red line and the pure white light collided.

The collision of magic, scattering beautiful sparks as they clash.
The spatial randomization spreading like a fast-forwarded scene of mold blooming.

“…This is going to be a bit dangerous?”

Even if it’s dangerous, there’s nothing I can do.
In this terribly slow space, Siwoo still hasn’t blinked once.

Let me say it again, only my thoughts are at 1x speed.
The rest is at about 0.000000000000001x speed.

The shockwave spreads faster than sound.
And faster than the shockwave, a pure white light bursts like a magnificent Big Bang, engulfing the entire battlefield.

Both Siwoo and Erelim.

2.
The fight was over.

After squeezing out everything and colliding with each other, the winner was Erelim, and the loser was Shin Siwoo.
It was a match where the phrase ‘a hair’s breadth difference’ was truly fitting.

The war returned to Gehenna’s victory.
The one who took the lion’s share of that glory was, of course, Blanche Erelim, but it didn’t matter.

“I have no intention of killing you. Nor do I have any reason to. I am content with fulfilling the mission left to me.”

She had no personal grievances against Shin Siwoo, so she didn’t bother to take his life.
He was a shadow of Keter.
The battle with him was merely an act of testing Shin Siwoo and herself.

Instead, she took his daughter.
Leaving behind Shin Siwoo and his lovers, who showed anger and hatred, Erelim left Gehenna and went into seclusion.

Of course, she also gave up her title as a duchess and her position as the head of the Truth and True Name Academic Conference.

Erelim set out to find a breakthrough in the ‘system’ through Malika Hesed’s research.
She believed that Malika Hesed, the ‘first witch’ who was not bound by the ‘system’s’ limitations, would be the key to the breakthrough.

Of course, it was not an easy task.

An existence that even Keter had only observed and named, but had not grasped its exact identity.
A law that underlies the entire universe, and perhaps an existence that deserves to be called ‘God.’

It was never easy to deceive its surveillance and eyes.

To make matters worse, Erelim had briefly stepped into the threshold of the 26th stratum in the battle with Shin Siwoo in exchange for ‘giving up succession.’

A stratum is not something that can be easily overcome.
The unreasonable use of magic and the flaws left in the imprint slowly gnawed at her body, even without the ‘system’ intervening.

Slowly, over a long period of time.
Blanche Erelim’s body and soul crumbled.

But Erelim did not stop.

To prove that the witches who entrusted their noble intentions to future generations were not wrong.
To prove that Keter, who had branded such witches as ‘failures,’ was wrong.

That was the answer Erelim had found.

After much trial and error and patient effort, Erelim achieved her goal.
She had finally placed a pedestal on the rainbow, a staircase that bypassed the ‘system’s limitations’ that Keter had despaired of.

Ironically.
Even though she had given up so much to get to this place, there was no joy or elation.

No matter how great her achievement was, the sin of inciting the slaughter of thousands of her own kind by starting a war and using apprentice witches as materials would not change.

She did not regret it.
She only had a lingering regret, wondering if there might have been a better way.

Without anyone watching, Erelim closed her eyes in solitude. She took her last breath.

The place where her scattered consciousness passed through just before death was the ‘Spirit Mausoleum.’
It was not the lonely and eerily silent Spirit Mausoleum it had always been.

It was filled with witches waiting for Erelim.

“You’ve worked hard. This won’t erase your sins, but… you can close your eyes in peace. On behalf of everyone, I express my selfish gratitude.”

Tiferet.

“Hmm, have you seen my successor? What do you think? Isn’t she really cute?”

Nukelavi.

“Ugh… I don’t know whether to be happy or annoyed, sister. I mean, you messed with our Jemernai family.”
“But it was for the sake of the witches.”

Jemernai. And also Yesod, Adonai, Ophirie, Kohav. My missed colleagues.
And…

“Blanche.”
“Keter.”
“Isn’t that too much? Even if someone’s mind is going back and forth, you broke my neck.”

Keter, pretending to be angry, but quite embarrassed.

As Erelim approached quickly, Keter closed her eyes tightly.
As if she expected to be slapped hard on the cheek.

Erelim did not slap her cheek. Instead, she hugged Keter tightly, as if she would break her.
Now that everything was over, there was no need to save face or force herself to be strong.

It was enough to honestly show her emotions and actions.

Ugly tears stained Keter’s front.

“You… were wrong… Why do you… always, leave me with these things… You’re a coward… You’re always a coward…”

Her stiff shoulders relaxed softly.
Gentle hands stroked the back of her head and back.

“I’m sorry. Blanche. I’m sorry… But I still believed in you. I believed that you would surely open a path for everyone.”
“No, I’m not someone who can do that. I’m…”
“Yes, yes, you’re a crybaby, a coward, and you’re just nosy. But you succeeded, didn’t you? Cough!”

Erelim’s knee kick, which had wrapped around Keter’s neck and created a cheek clinch, perfectly struck her solar plexus.

“Wait, wait… Even so, this is… Bl, Blanche! You hit my bone! No, my solar plexus!”
“……”
“Huh? Did you just laugh? Did you snicker? If you laugh while crying… I guess that’s not something to say to a lady who has lived for a thousand years?”
“You’re… really annoying…”

Erelim couldn’t help but laugh at Keter’s exaggerated fuss, who was pretending to be in pain.
The colleagues around them also smiled wryly and watched their farce as if they were used to it.

That was.
Even though they knew it was fake.
It was salvation.

“Mother.”
“Hmm? Are you calling me?”
“I will definitely. Prove that you were wrong.”

Because God is cruel and does not allow miracles.
There’s no way that a story that flows so conveniently is the truth.

Erelim had faced too much despair and tragedy to have vague optimism.

Keter, who had a cold side, would certainly not have expected anything from Erelim.
In reality, she would have treated Erelim as one of the best among the failures.

“And when I come back. I’ll give you a blow like today. So, wait for me.”

The moment she made that resolution, the space shattered into pieces.
The mind, which had only reflected hopeful fantasies due to the all-out clash, returned to reality.

Spatial randomization.
A collapsed world.

Floating, drifting, lying down.
The two people who had lost consciousness at the same time after exchanging a powerful cross-counter opened their eyes simultaneously.