Clearing the Game at the End of the World

“Mage Ottman, is your mana situation… alright?”

“There’s no problem. The ‘wave’ I created now uses almost none of my mana. I just added my formula to the frame my students already created.”

Using formulas with the mana that his students provided. Thinking back on it, Isaac also used a similar method to use magic within the void stone’s effective range. It is where the students extracted the mana from the tower’s mana source and passed it over to him to use his formulas.

“Is it common in water-type magic to create combinations like this?”

“Hm… It is definitely easier compared to other types. Since water is an easy medium to handle, honestly, we were not planning to use something fancy like that at the opening, but those young’uns must have felt pressured and pushed themselves too far. You did scare them a lot, so they were under pressure to prove they were useful.”

As Professor and Ottoman continued brightly with their mage talk, Aldrich crumpled his nose and budged into the conversation.

“Hey, you two. Sorry for the interruption, but you didn’t forget that we are in the middle of enemy territory right now, right? Looking at how the aura of corruption is flowing densely around this area, you’ll lose your mind in a second if you’re not paying attention.”

To Aldrich’s worried nagging, Professor replied while scanning their surroundings.

“I’m well aware of that. You don’t have to worry too much. I won’t lose my mind to this much.”

“That goes for me as well. Although I do not specialize in combat, I am still a mage with the fifth awakening. Even if my body dies, I will not lose my mind.”

“…I hope so. It’ll be a pain for someone standing nearby to go crazy during battle.”

“I guarantee that will not happen.”

[No! I can’t guarantee that! All sorts of things are crawling in here!]

Professor grinned at the irritated response that came from his head.

[It’s gross! Disgusting! Vessel, we have to leave this place or break that tower as soon as possible! I don’t like this!]

‘Alright. Thanks.’

[Come in here and help me for a moment! Like that thing you did when I was terrorizing yo—]

‘Have fun in there.’

He could imagine Hyde in his head with a janitor’s outfit scrubbing away the dark magic’s effects, crawling into his brain with a mop.

‘Hyde is technically a lifeform with just a consciousness, after all. It’s only natural for him to dislike the effects of dark magic, which tend to affect consciousness.’

One of the most annoying parts of dealing with a dark mage in a territory like this was that even though they didn’t get hit with dark magic, just being inside their territory built up the dark magic inside them.

Dark mages could imbue their aura into the area to cast a curse that could not be avoided, but thanks to Hyde, he was unintentionally able to gain somewhat of a resistance to its effects.

Very shortly, in front of the individuals who were strolling toward the village, there appeared a tower enveloped by a dense fog.

“….I’m glad I didn’t bring my students.”

“Grrrrr… I agree. If those children, who can’t even look at corpses, saw this, they would have fainted.”

Even for Professor, who boasted a history in which he experienced an incredibly vast amount of horrible things in both reality and in GG, the scene that unfolded before him left his mouth agape.

What they thought was a tower was actually a massive tree.

A sort of tree that would grow if a land of bones held malice for the world.

On top of a thick, solid trunk consisting of countless vertebrae were blood vessels that crawled around the entire tree, pulsing. From that trunk were branches made from femurs and ribcages, ending with hundreds of flesh-colored leaves.

Every time the vessels on the branches pulsated, the capillaries inside the human flesh leaves, like leaf veins, also moved together. Thanks to that, the tree made of bones continuously moved and shook its branches as if it were placed on top of a windy hill. The black ash surrounding it had been coming out of the shaking tree itself.

Its size was so large that they had to tilt their heads nearly ninety degrees to see the end. Exactly how many corpses were needed to create a structure like this?

“This…”

“Is my greatest masterpiece. Do you, warrior blinded by the light and child who follows the path of darkness, still think my territory is a 6? Genuinely?”

Within the group, which was at a loss for words at the unbelievable sight, a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard shot into their ears. The man appeared silently, as if they had been there the entire time. The thing that was floating around in the air a slight distance away from the group was something that looked like a youthful child with sickly pale skin.

Professor looked at the dark mage and responded with a voice laced with disgust.

“Looking at how you speak, you weren’t born yesterday. That’s a pretty nasty hobby you’ve got there. Perhaps you like children? Do you get aroused when you look at kids that just started walking?”

“Hm. You are fitter to be a mercenary in the streets than a warrior of the church. A mage defines the world with its own image. Is the outer appearance nothing more than just a shell? I merely believed a youthful exterior would appeal more to the eye.”

Whisper, whisper

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“He’s a mage. Let him be.”

While Professor and Borka were whispering among themselves, the boy turned to look at the large tree as if uninterested in the intruders.

“Is it not astounding? The world gives only one for receiving one. Yet this human tree has transformed the most insignificant beings into something great. I have succeeded in making something that reaches beyond that spectrum. You, child, who follow the same path, why don’t you answer me? You should know how beautiful this lifeform is.”

To the boy’s voice that sounded like he was talking directly into their ears, Alrdich’s aged voice responded with venomous anger.

“It’s a zero, necromancer. This is the peak of inefficiency. The burnt ashes of the soul built up so much that they’re visible to the naked eye. It’s incredibly sloppy for a piece that was made by someone who supposedly studies dark magic. You know less about the flow of spirits than even normal humans.”

To Aldrich’s curses, the necromancer in a child’s body just laughed out loud.

“Only the destitute see the little things as a lifetime treasure. Those who work with souls need a fearless heart, child. Little souls are as plentiful as sand grains on a seashore. Those who would have wasted their worthless lives to till the soil and care for animals are now burning their useless lives to attain greater success.”

A green glow emitted from the empty eyes of the boy that the necromancer embodied, and with a single movement of his hand, the entire village started to shake.

“Grief that sinks into one’s heart is this thing that creates life. Rise. Grudges who could not become mares.”

[Life of Despair]

Mmmmmnnng—

The dark mage’s chant rang out, and the dense black ash shivered. Simultaneously, the tree made of bones and flesh opened its mouth as if answering his call.

“Wuuuuuuuuuoooaaaahhhh—”

Plop.

“Uuuuu—”

P-p-plop.

“Ahhhhhhhh—”

White and red fruit grew from the tree: the aged face of an elderly man, the face of a youthful girl, and the face of a toned young man. The countless faces that grew from the trees were all painted with an expression of creepy pleasure.

From the faces filled with pain and glee came out screeches that rang out into the air.

Amid the screams that shredded through all thoughts and vibrated through their bodies, Aldrich yelled out words to deliver to the others.

“A Level 5! That one is a mage that has reached at least the tip of Level 5! And he specializes in home-ground battles like this!”

“…So this won’t just be a walk through the park. I see.”

Craack, ckkrg!

Professor looked at Borka turning into his werewolf form and Ottoman drifting on top of a curtain of water, taking no hesitation to start stepping forward.

“I’m glad we had a chance to practice.”

“Captain, do that monster, and those gnats look the same to you?”

“Then, Borka, does the person I am right now resemble the person I was before?”

To Professor’s response, Borka revealed his sharp fangs and long claws.

Shiiing!

“Not at all.”

P-p-p-p-plop!

“Now then, struggle all you want, children. A strong will to live is the best catalyst for ripening despair, and I will cherish the souls I reap from you all! [Undead Rise]!”

As the dark mage spread open his hand and sprayed his blood on the ground, undead monsters shot out from where the blood landed on the ground. From Dullahans carrying their heads to bloated ghasts and wailing ones that grow from children’s corpses, etc. A vast army of undead higher in quality and size than those from the previous battle emerged out of the ground.

‘They’re a traditional dark mage. They’re using a creation at the center of their territory that emits curse waves that decrease the opponent’s abilities, then blocks their way with summoned mobs, then pours in other curses and dark magic to add onto it. I see a few banshees and specters, and there’s quite a bit of undead related to curses, like the wailing one. Does this dark mage mainly use curses?’

Opponents like these cannot be defeated just by fighting them head-on. Since this was their entire environment, they spent time and effort creating a realistic version of their image to an extent. Dragging on the fight longer meant that they would become a part of this mage’s world and make it easier to be affected by their spells.

‘The main body. We have to capture the main body. A dark mage at this level can probably summon an infinite amount of monsters like these.’

Looking at the dark mage in the sky controlling the black ash, Professor approached Borka, who was preparing to charge in.

“Hey, take the initiative, you know what I mean?”

“I haven’t faced a mage before, but I do know that we need to buy time for the friends behind us.”

As Borka looked at the two mages, who each started their chant surrounded by water and darkness, respectively, he quickly turned around and said to him.

“I’ll—”

“I will take the bottom.”

“Damn it. I should have said it first.”

“Didn’t you say you’re a mage, Captain? Fly around like the ones up there.”

“Like I said, I—!”

Bamm!

Professor spoke as he threw a rock at the head of the wailing one crawling towards them.

“I don’t know how to do things like that!”

“Then do what you can! At this rate, we might die if you can’t!”

Borka pointed at the dark mage, absorbing a significant amount of black ash, then ran forward.

“Darn it! You just pushed off the hard work to me!”

Following behind Borka, who was slicing away left and right, Professor jumped into the middle of the cold battlefield.

Slash!

Shhhhksh!

The Borka that jumped into the undead was what you could call a wolf within a herd of lambs. His sharp claws could cut away even the Dullahan’s hard body, and his silver pelt with a slight holy power flowing through it protected him from the cries of the bone-flesh tree.

Crashhh!

Compared to that, Professor was struggling a bit more. While Borka was cutting through five undead at a time, Professor was punching down one to two at a time.

“Can’t you get more serious?!”

“About what?!”

“Fighting! Like when you were fighting with me! Send them flying with one blow!”

“I can’t! I need to use up an arm for that, and then how am I supposed to get that dark mage? That’s a one-time use thing!”

“What? That’s a trash—”

“Shut it!”

Clench!

Grabbing the head of a Dullahan charging towards him, Professor threw the head at the dark mage in the air.

Dingggggg—!

The head that shot up as a cannon collided with the black ash that clustered together instantly and broke down with a loud metallic sound.

“Damn it. There isn’t any opening…”

It was a shame their opponent wasn’t a mute. If he could use the bloodlust mode, he would have thrown himself at him without hesitation, but because he was currently limited with the attacks he could use, it wasn’t easy approaching him.

‘If I use both legs to jump up, then it’s one hit with the right and one with the left. Can I positively take him down with two hits?’

He considered charging in for a moment but shook his head in the end. Looking back at the fight with Isaac, mages always made sure to create a means to protect their bodies first in battle. That black ash that looked incredibly important was all used to surround his body and use the undead for an attack. Just by looking, he invested over seventy percent of his power in defense.

Gmmmmmmnnnnngg—

“Wooouuuuuuuuu!!!!!”

“Uuuaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh—!”

As time passed, the heads started to cry out again.

“Life is a journey towards death, so let the destination be under your path. [Last Word]”

The dark mage’s curse used the crying sounds as a catalyst to create large waves that rang out.

Both Borka and Professor, who had been pushing through the battle with difficulty, crouched down and covered their ears.

Their heads pulsed like they were about to explode, and their bodies became heavy like metal. And the ground was physically moving, trying to bury them.

Staggering around, Borka threw himself toward Professor and shouted at him.

“Grrrrrrrr, Captain! I can’t… take this much longer!”

“Damn it! There’s no other choice. Borka! Protect the mages! Plans have chan—”

— May all listen —

Halt—

Just as Professor prepared to jump into the air before more curses added on, a low voice boomed through the plaza, stopping the undead in their tracks and making their heads turn towards the source of the voice.

It wasn’t just the undead. Professor, Borka, and the dark mage were all looking in that direction.

It was a small voice that sounded like it was speaking to the soul itself.

— As the path forward is long, halting does not mean turning back —

The source of the sound was Aldrich, who had been preparing his spell. Every time a spell left his lips, a waterfall of shadows poured out of the soul jar hanging around Professor’s neck and flowed down to the ground.

At that moment, Professor and Borka’s heads turned to the sky. The pale child’s finger was pointing toward Aldrich.

“Borka!”

“I know!”

Spt!

“[Hatred Thorns]!“

The two blocked the thorns with their bodies in front of Aldrich, whose eyes were closed. When Aldrich opened his eyes, which turned black, he put his hands into the thin layer of mana that flowed throughout the entire plaza.

— O’ lost souls, you contain the final destination within yourselves, so go —

“[Homeward]“

Psssssk—

At the end of the spell cast across the entire area, there was neither a loud bang nor a flashing light. All that happened was that a small white light came out of the soul jar, emitting dark mana, and merely seeped in.

However, Aldrich stood up, slightly staggering…

Thump.

Thump. Thump.

Thump thump thump thump—

And on the other hand, all the undead in the square collapsed like puppets without strings.