Chapter 65: Hio Pavlenko’s Return

Thick forearms and fists reminiscent of heavy logs.

The monster’s two fists threatened to come crashing down on Claire and her group at any moment.

“I can’t hold them off for long, so run quickly, alright?”

A streak of crimson light flashed past, and the monster froze in place as if time itself had stopped.

“…Let’s go.”

In that moment, Claire, Ravena, and Roland dashed forward quickly, with Airlights following behind.

The situation was so dire it made one wonder if this was what hell must be like.

Even while running, screams echoed from all directions.

The sound of something breaking and tearing was horrifying.

Enemies could emerge from the black mist at any moment, making it impossible to predict when or where they’d strike.

Something brushed against Claire’s toes; glancing back, she saw a torn-off arm lying there.

An unknown person’s severed arm—meat drenched in blood.

Such gruesome remnants were scattered endlessly around them.

Despite waves of nausea, Claire forced herself to keep running.

Even in such a mentally breaking situation, she bit her lip and pushed forward.

She hadn’t been bewitched by Airlights or lost her mind.

She had simply decided that without Airlights’ help, survival in this hell was impossible.

Though she didn’t know the enemy’s true intentions or when they might strike from behind, she refused to let Ravena and Roland end up like this.

Even if the enemy was a demon, she had no choice but to cooperate.

“Are we far yet?”

Airlights urged them on.

Claire was heading for the hidden basement beneath the combat practice arena where she had last parted with Hio.

There was nothing there anyway.

Which meant the giant monsters and the Heuka that surged like ghosts were probably not there either, so Airlights would likely come up empty-handed.

And if by some rare chance Hio really was there… if he could appear…

Then maybe, just maybe, they could end this nightmare right here, just like Airlights hoped.

‘…No. Stop hoping.’

If she kept waiting for Hio to save her, she’d only grow weak.

At crucial moments, when she needed to move forward, she would remain stuck.

So for now, she had to focus on escaping and then figuring out what to do next.

“That way, go in there!”

Despite the disorienting fog, they found the way and crawled near the practice arena.

Three monsters loitering at the entrance were quickly brainwashed by Airlights’ skill, and they hurried inside the building.

No sign of life at all.

Claire and Ravena crossed the corridor and stood before the basement entrance.

The entrance was roughly blocked with wooden boards.

“That’s the place that strange woman was looking for?”

Roland, who came in a bit later, glanced toward the basement.

“Yeah, that’s it. The haunted basement.”

Without hesitation, Roland lifted the wooden board and descended the stairs.

“What the hell could be down here…”

Ravena and Claire followed him down the dark stairs, unwilling but unable to suppress a flicker of hope.

The basement they reached was empty.

“What? There’s nothing here?”

Just as expected—desolate.

Only the chill of the cold air filled the empty basement.

“Hio Pavlenko and I parted ways here.”

Airlights, who came down last, looked around.

“Hm, it’s a pretty convincingly secret place though…”

Muttering, Airlights ran his fingers along the basement walls.

***

After carefully inspecting every corner, he turned back to Claire.

“You’re not lying, right?”

“Why would I lie now?”

“So Hio Pavlenko really came down here?”

“I told you, yes.”

Airlights pressed his crimson eyes close to Claire, putting pressure on her.

Claire’s gaze caught Roland slowly approaching from behind.

“He just disappeared suddenly, right?”

“Yeah… do you know anything?”

“Hmm…”

Airlights stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Roland’s purple hair crept closer.

Claire deliberately ignored him and kept talking to Airlights.

“What are you planning to do when you meet Hio?”

“You don’t need to know, kid.”

“I’m not a kid. So just tell me.”

Airlights frowned as if annoyed.

Suddenly, Roland’s hand shot up, gripping a fist-sized stone.

“Hah… Listen up, kid. I’m the Supreme Celestial Demon!”

Thunk!

A satisfying crack echoed as Airlights—no, Assistant Professor Hoppen—collapsed.

Replacing him was Roland’s smirking face.

“I’m Roland Bernstein!”

Throwing the stone to the side as if he’d sneaked it in unnoticed, Roland brushed his hair back.

Approaching the fallen Airlights, he turned toward Claire and Ravena.

“What are you waiting for? Step on it!”

“Huh? Oh, right!”

“…If the illusionists had seen this, they’d all have rolled their eyes and rushed in.”

Illusion magic, registered as a skill, was quite special.

“Come to think of it, my trait itself is a kind of illusion magic, isn’t it?”

“There’s nothing better at deceiving the eyes than your trait.”

High-level illusion magic traps opponents inside an illusion that eventually becomes reality…

‘Isn’t that almost identical to Hio’s trait?’

So illusion magic ‘Illusion’ combines with Hio’s trait to multiply its effect several times over.

Having learned all the targeted spells and confirmed all skill effects… now it was finally time to go out again.

“Your turn.”

Furnel grinned brazenly.

“Enjoy the trip.”

“Why say that when you’re coming with me?”

After all, half of his soul was traveling together anyway.

“Ha ha ha. I plan to carefully explore the newly opened floors this time. That way, when your Circle grows, I can fulfill my role as your master.”

Many of the newly opened floors contained attractive but ambiguous magic that was hard to master through engravings.

Or magic too difficult and demanding for Hio to learn just yet.

Furnel’s main body remaining in the Tower of Mages would be researching such magic.

“Alright. Thanks in advance.”

“It’s because I want to, no need to thank me. Heh heh heh.”

Mimicking Hio’s tone, Furnel teased him.

Hio chuckled and picked up his hat.

Not the beginner’s Magic Hat for Mage’s Tower Initiate anymore, but the official mage’s hat.

Upon reaching the 3rd Circle, he had replaced his mage set with official 3rd Circle gear.

That didn’t mean much of an improvement, though.

The previous hat, robe, and staff had already been quite effective; the new set was just a slight upgrade with a bit more flair.

“The feeling’s different, though. Wearing new equipment.”

Now truly a mage he could be proud of.

From a mage barely able to spark a fist-sized flame, he had become a legitimate magic user casting quite decent spells.

With his newly flashier hat on his head and still holding his large staff, he headed toward the portal.

“I’ll be back.”

[Confirmed Magic Power: 3rd Circle]

[Total accessible areas: twenty-one]

Furnel rolled his eyes sideways in place of a farewell.

The only farewell only Furnel could give.

***

“Next time we meet, you’ll be even stronger.”

[Selected: Imperial Academy of Imenia (1) – ‘House of the Mage’]

[Portal activating]

That familiar bright light wrapped around his body, closing his eyes.

Furnel’s grinning face slowly faded away.

A fleeting moment passed before the light disappeared, and Hio opened his eyes.

The portal had vanished, revealing the familiar desolate space of Basement Level 4.

And faintly felt…

Death energy.

For death energy to be so strong even on the 4th basement floor was unusual.

The faint smile quickly faded.

“…What about the magic barrier?”

Furnel quickly answered, understanding the meaning.

“You saw it when you came. The Illusion Barrier’s been broken. You can become a Spirit Body.”

That meant he could become ethereal without clumsily bumping into anything.

[Skill – Summon Phantom Steed activated]

A crack tore open the void as the Phantom Steed appeared in a flash of pure white light.

It looked less like a ghost horse and more like a divine beast.

This was only possible because it was skill summoned.

[Innate Trait – Spirit Form activated]

Hio mounted the Phantom Steed and sent out his will: move swiftly upward toward the surface.

The steed raised its front hooves and began running through the air.

Pure white wings spread wide from its sides, radiating a gentle light.

It pierced through the basement 4th floor’s ceiling, passing the 3rd and 2nd basements in an instant,

then reached the 1st basement and was just about to break through to the surface…

“Hmm?”

Just before leaving, it stopped abruptly.

There was a familiar flash of red hair.

“Claire?”

Claire and several others were stomping something underfoot.

At Hio’s voice, they all simultaneously looked up.

“…Hio?”

They gazed at Hio as he slowly descended, riding the winged white horse.

[Innate Trait – Spirit Form deactivated]

Once he dismounted and landed, their faces came into focus.

Claire, Ravena, Roland, and a swollen-faced man.

The strange man smiled brightly when their eyes met Hio’s.

“Hio… Pavlenko!”

Hio tilted his head.

“…You know me? No, more importantly…”

Ignoring the man’s strangely elated gaze, Hio looked at Claire.

“What’s going on? What are those energies outside…?”

Claire, still shaking off the shock, quickly spoke in a panic.

“Heuka. The Heuka attacked.”

“Heuka.”

Hio’s eyes darkened deeply.

The reason or scale of the attack was a question for later.

Right now, they had to deal with this crisis.

The death energy was so thick it felt like being in the middle of a battlefield.

“Understood.”

Saying so, Hio was about to remount the Phantom Steed when a voice stopped him.

“Supreme Celestial Demon.”

A strange voice and a familiar title.

“Who… are you?”

Turning, Hio saw a strange man grinning.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day, Supreme Celestial Demon.”

The answer to the question came from Claire.

“I heard from Professor Sirbert… it’s Airlights.”

Airlights.

Hio stared intently at the man’s face.

He was vaguely familiar—wasn’t he Sirbert’s assistant professor?

“…I see. So you’re hiding in this body, Airlights.”

The unfamiliar magic controlling his head.

The thin, long thread of magical energy was the cause.

And above all, those ill-fitting crimson eyes.

“Heh heh heh… I knew you’d recognize me at once, Supreme Celestial Demon.”

The casual laugh ignited sudden anger.

Grabbing the man’s collar, Hio pressed his forehead to his, staring deeply into those crimson eyes.

“The Heuka’s sudden attack, and you appearing just in time… Is this your doing, Airlights?”

“No, no! Don’t say such hurtful things! I don’t want you to hate me! It’s just…”

A sly smirk.

“I gave you a little information. About Sirbert’s skills? This and that.”

“…Not worth discussing further.”

Airlights was completely off the rails.

Just as Hio was about to swing his staff with his right hand,

“By the way, don’t you wonder why the Heuka attacked so suddenly?”

The question made him pause.

And as Airlights continued, Hio was left frozen.

“Me too. I don’t know all the details, but they came to kill you. The Heuka.”

“…What?”

The creatures planted by Atawolf were wiped out overnight?

“So the thing at the Imperial Palace… was your doing, Supreme Celestial Demon?”

The palace incident… Hio hadn’t touched it at all.

It had been entirely Sylvia’s doing.

Manipulating souls and filtering out even the Heuka’s influence in the process.

“What about the last war? Of course, there were some misunderstandings… heh.”

“…It was you all along, Airlights. The one who extracted information and controlled Allenbert’s legion.”

“Yup! That’s right! But I needed to verify if you were really the Supreme Celestial Demon, see? Understand what I’m saying? You get me, right?”

His mind was in a jumble.

So a series of misunderstandings led Atawolf to plot his removal…

“Uh? Sorry. But you get it, right? Atawolf’s top priority target is you. But if it’s you, then Ron won’t mind, right? So… me…”

“Enough.”

Cutting off Airlights’ frantic babbling, Hio looked again into those eyes.

“How long do you think you can keep hiding like this, Airlights?”

He lightly lifted his staff, spinning his Circle.

“I’ll find you soon enough.”

Then he lightly stamped the staff on the ground with a “thud.”

“Yeah! I like that! Love…”

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Airlights collapsed.

No, Assistant Professor Hoppen.

Using Cancellation, Hio severed his magical connection.

He glanced down briefly, then moved toward the Phantom Steed.

A storm of conflicting emotions surged, but the priority was clear.

To end this mess.

So he suppressed the tangled feelings tightly.

[Innate Trait – Spirit Form activated]

Once again mounting the Phantom Steed, Claire finally came into view.

Her tangled red hair and clothes splattered with blood told their own story.

She must have been desperate. Scared.

Yet she found Airlights and waited here for him.

He was grateful.

“…Thank you, Claire.”

Saying that, Claire seemed about to speak, then bowed her head deeply.

He caught a glimpse of her ears, bright red.

He felt sorry.

He hadn’t been able to care for her enough.

Just as Sirbert said, he’d left her alone at the academy and hadn’t even properly greeted her after their reunion.

But there were still urgent matters to attend to.

“This will be fine now. Don’t worry.”

All he could do was leave those words.

Then, riding the Phantom Steed, he pierced the basement ceiling and vanished.

Hio Pavlenko had come suddenly and disappeared just as quickly.

As always.

Silence settled over the basement.

Claire bowed her head, Ravena gently holding her shoulder.

Roland stared blankly at the ceiling the Phantom Steed had broken through.

Before anyone could make sense of anything, he had flashed by and disappeared.

This was really… strange.

The last time they saw him, he was just a crazy pervert who liked to be insulted.

But today, he was utterly bizarre.

There were so many strange things to point out, yet no one here said a word. That itself was strange.

What was with the hat and staff? How did he break through walls? What about the winged horse?

What was that conversation about the Imperial Palace?

And the staff moving on its own, causing Airlights to collapse—what kind of magic was that?

And among all the oddities, the strangest was this:

“Surely…”

He was a complete idiot.

“But he looks kinda cool?”

Oddly enough, he looked cool.

So ambiguous.

Anyway, one thing was clear.

“Let’s go!”

Roland ran toward the basement entrance.

Calling out to Claire and Ravena behind him,

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get out of here!”

***

Riding the Phantom Steed, Hio soared high into the sky.

Below, the scene was utterly grim.

He didn’t need to see it with his eyes.

He didn’t need to activate his ghostly sight.

The souls and death energy swirling around him were unmistakable.

So tragic, so pitiful—souls still too scared to leave, trapped and wandering.

His teeth clenched unknowingly.

‘Why hadn’t he thought this through more carefully?’

‘Why hadn’t he been more cautious?’

“…Focus.”

Shaking his head, he stared fiercely downward.

Through the dark black mist, bodies crushed by monsters.

Students barely holding on, screaming in agony.

Those dragging themselves in tears.

Those blankly awaiting death.

All this could have been prevented if he’d done better.

[Hidden Trait: Violence is Forbidden! (Patience: 245 / 1000)]

He stared unflinchingly at the massacre.

There would be time later for regret and lamentation; now, he had to act.

What they wanted was Hio Pavlenko—his life.

There might be other reasons, but eliminating him was their top priority.

No, he had made it so.

So, pouring out his rage unfiltered, he poured his will into a roar.

[Skill – Shout activated]

A golden radiance burst forth.

Below the Phantom Steed, a golden giant took shape.

Looking down, it slowly opened its mouth toward the black mist below.

“I am the great mage.”

His voice thundered heavily across the entire academy grounds.

Hio Pavlenko.

For a brief moment, the battle’s chaos ceased.

All eyes turned to the sky.

At the sound of his name, all the black mist stopped moving and looked up.

“Yes. Keep looking up.”

“Stop the meaningless killing and focus only on me.”

[Skill – Illusion activated]

I will deceive your eyes and hearts.

You shall charge only toward me.

“You worthless phantoms of Atawolf.”

[Choose skill]

[Skill – Illusion: God’s Judge]

[Skill – Illusion: Lord of Death]

The voice echoed.

Tension surged.

Thousands, tens of thousands of eyes gathered.

In the deep darkness of the vast space.

[Skill – Illusion: God’s Judge activated]

The sky split open.

***

I am here.

At once, all the black mist surged toward a single person.