Magician in Type-Moon

Page 485

correct!

How exactly did Matou Ike know that his offspring was willing to die?

Logically speaking, there should be no communication between them.

This is a questionable point.

Kiz squinted, pondering this seemingly insignificant yet profound detail.

There must be some common ground between Just and Matouike. Even if we don't know what kind of interaction they had in the past, judging from the current situation, their actions are undoubtedly coordinated.

—They are completing a plan.

This uneasy premonition made Kiz's mind race.

.........

"I don't know what the situation is like inside."

Van Fem stood on the deck of the ship of joy on the dead line, looked up at the distorted space not far away, and sighed softly.

Once thrown out by the inherent barrier, they could no longer detect the battle situation inside.

"Who knows?"

Medea kept her eyes closed, seemingly uninterested in answering, her tone as indifferent as that of an outsider. Yet, subtle magical fluctuations emanated from her body, and layers of invisible spells flowed from her fingertips, clearly indicating that she was manipulating some kind of complex magic.

"Is it really that bland?"

Van Fem raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on Medea, and asked with a hint of mockery:

"You don't seem worried about your little lover at all?"

"Why should I worry?" Medea opened her eyes and answered calmly.

Her tone was so calm that it didn't seem like she was discussing a battle with a life-or-death situation; not even her eyes showed any emotion.

"Shouldn't you be worried?"

Van Fem frowned, looking at her with a hint of confusion, then shook his head, his tone laced with sarcasm:

"He threw us all out of the Reality Marble, and now there's no one to help him share the effects of 'stagnation.' Judging by Kiz's standards, Matou Ike is probably already unable to move an inch, right?"

He was not optimistic.

Kiz's Inherent Marble—a domain of domination centered on "stagnation"—is a conceptual construct, but it still operates through magic.

This means that the more people affected, the more the pressure on an individual is diluted.

However, Matouchi did the exact opposite – he voluntarily gave up all aid, making himself and Juste the only pawns on the battlefield.

This is practically suicide.

“In my opinion, he’s making things more difficult for himself.” Van Fim’s tone was slightly somber as he looked at the still chaotic spatial fluctuations in the distance.

"What if this difficulty was deliberately increased?" Medea suddenly laughed, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

"……deliberately?"

Luvia frowned, somewhat unable to follow the two great magicians' train of thought. She could barely understand the previous discussion, but now—would anyone really intentionally increase the difficulty of their own challenge?

But when Van Fem, who was standing opposite her, heard Medea's words, his gaze sharpened slightly, and he instantly caught the key point.

What if it was intentional?

Therefore, the magic associated with the concept of "stagnation" will undoubtedly converge on Matou Ike.

Theoretically speaking, this means that Matou Ike will be the person most deeply affected by "stagnation" within the entire Reality Marble. Every movement of his will be slowed down, suppressed, and he will even find it difficult to perform magic—in other words, he is putting himself in the most extreme disadvantageous state.

but--

What if we think about it from a different perspective?

If the singularity of the "stagnation" effect is concentrated on a single person, does that mean that the intensity of the "stagnation" in other areas will be weakened accordingly, or even that a controllable rift will appear?

But was that man's plan really that simple?

Van Fem's thoughts paused slightly.

If Matouike's goal is to manipulate the Reality Marble, concentrating the effects of "stagnation" on herself, thereby creating an opportunity for some kind of arrangement... then there is absolutely no need for Just to stay.

However, the truth is that Just is still inside the inherent barrier.

—This is what puzzled Van Fem.

The Origin Bullet in Juste's hands is undoubtedly the trump card to break the deadlock.

He had seen the effects of that thing—it could completely kill Kiz once at the conceptual level, which meant that it could do it a second, or even a third, given the right conditions.

If the ultimate goal of this battle is to completely eliminate Kiz, then the optimal solution is undoubtedly to maximize the use of Just's power.

Even if we can't completely force Kiz out of the game, we can at least make him pay a heavy price and pave the way for future actions.

However, Matouchi kept Juste instead of transferring him away from the battlefield for a more meticulous arrangement.

This is unreasonable.

What exactly is Matou Ike planning?

Chapter 542 Initiative

I can't quite figure it out...

This was the first time Kiz had faced such an elusive magician.

Since the Age of Gods, as a magician from the Sea of ​​the Gods, every opponent he has faced has been a person of exceptional talent. Whether in terms of wisdom, strategy, or understanding of magic, those who have fought against him can all be described as having extraordinary genius.

However, no matter how cunning and unpredictable the enemies he had encountered in the past, Kiz could always deduce their intentions from the slightest clues.

Even if you can't see through everything, you can still roughly figure out the pattern.

But now, he has absolutely no idea how things are going.

Matou Ike's choice and Juste's actions were clearly laid out before him, yet it seemed as if a crucial clue to the solution was missing, making the whole game obscure and unclear.

This was the first time in his life that he was completely baffled by a magician's scheme.

However, the most intuitive speculation at present is—

Matou Ike intended to use Just's Origin Bullet to kill himself.

Even at the cost of Juste's life, he acted decisively without the slightest hesitation.

But is this really the case?

Isn't this too simple?

Kiz frowned slightly, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and doubt. He couldn't ascertain Matou Ike's true intentions, and even more so, he couldn't understand why his own offspring, Just, would be willing to sacrifice his life to cooperate in this seemingly hopeless gamble.

Is it trust? Is it obsession? Or is there something else going on?

He doesn't understand, and he can't comprehend.

But the pressure is constantly increasing.

Even if it was only for a moment, in Kiz's perception, this brief pause felt like an endless period of time, leaving him deeply immersed and unable to find the answer.

But the time has come to make a decision.

because--

The reclusive alchemist Just has pulled the trigger once again!

"boom--!"

A muffled gunshot rang out within the enigmatic barrier, shaking every inch of the stagnant air like a thunderclap before dawn.

The Origin Bullet, a Noble Phantasm-level attack, once again tore apart the shackles of "stagnation".

The flashes of gunfire illuminated Just's defeated figure; his body resembled a broken sculpture, riddled with cracks and teetering on the verge of collapse.

However, the Origin Missile remained incredibly accurate, hurtling straight toward Kiz, piercing through the air with unparalleled penetrating power, like the ultimate gamble cast by fate.

No matter how many times, it makes no difference.

The trajectory of the battle remained unchanged, and the logic of death still held true.

But at this moment, Kiz didn't even give the order.

His Light Swordsman clones, as if by instinct, leaped out the moment the Origin Bullet broke through the shackles, guarding Kiz with their sharp blades intersecting to form an impenetrable defensive line.

Without hesitation, without instructions, it seemed to be just a simple survival instinct.

"—Stop it!"

The next instant, the Origin Bullet struck the swordsman's clone.

Golden spiritual light burst forth, dazzling like the embers of a burning sun, instantly engulfing the entire barrier.

The particles of light fell like a torrential rain, engulfing everything and illuminating this once stagnant world.

There is only one remaining clone of the Swordsman of Light.

This means that Kiz can at most delay one more shot.

Juste, who fired the shot, appeared even more ethereal in his already battered state, as if a gentle breeze would dissipate him completely.

He has reached his limit.

The translucent flesh was slowly peeling away, the magical support was teetering on the brink of collapse, and the body was twisted as if it would turn into dust and drift away into the world at any moment.

But even so——

His finger remained firmly on the trigger.

Kiz took a deep breath, a clear decision forming in his mind. He knew he couldn't gamble anymore.

Certainly, gambling was a wonderful game for him.

The abyss and challenges of each game give him unparalleled pleasure, allowing him to immerse himself in them and treat all uncertainty as enjoyment.

But at this moment, he was different.

The current situation is very much like "Russian Roulette"—full of unpredictable dangers, almost making one's heart race.

Normally, he might not hesitate to pull the trigger, to fight against fate and enjoy the thrill of being close to death.