Minefield -5
The onlookers watched in bewilderment.
A foreign mage floating within, facing off against a peculiar researcher from their own side.
Or perhaps it looked more like the researcher was challenging something unknown and indescribable.
"I must say, I've used up every human soul gem we installed in the underground chamber. There's nothing left but this."
Saying that, he raised his left arm.
Flames began spilling from the magical stones缠绕 Neumann's left arm, growing larger and larger.
There's no more special arrow ammo left. But I... I can still go on.
Compressing the air, increasing the pressure.
Even if another massive flame comes, I'll pierce through it. Increasing the pressure further.
A piercing high-frequency sound echoed through the air.
To those around him, it looked as if something was gathering around the floating right hand of a human in midair.
In reality, it was simply air density rapidly increasing due to compressed air, causing light to refract.
Neumann and Taro looked at each other's arms.
They turned their arms toward one another.
And at the same moment, flames and compressed air were released.
The two natural phenomena collided, sending strong winds and flames scattering around them.
Neumann was contemplating what to do from here.
There's no effective way forward from here. The man floating before me still looks calm and collected.
Magic is truly unfathomable...
Even after using countless citizens to create living magic stones, he exhausted them all in an instant.
Yet Taro managed to withstand all of it.
What on earth should I do now...
But no further move was made.
The magic stone clinging to his left arm shattered and broke apart.
Why!?
After countless experiments, he had finally brought this magic stone to practical usability...
Despite having conducted experiments using countless animals and humans...
Despite having perfected the synthesis of the magic stone...
He stared at the fragments of the shattered magic stone.
Eventually, one metallic object caught his eye.
The bolt from Taro's crossbow
That very bolt had been heated to a glowing red by Noiman's own flames.
That's right—metal expands greatly when heated.
His calm thoughts answered the situation, and at the same time, all strength drained from his body.
The straight jet of flame had dispersed in all directions, rapidly losing force.
The compressed air that had been clashing around him enveloped his lifeless body and flung him far away.
His consciousness remained clear. His body was growing cold.
No strength remained at all.
Even though he had once been able to feel the flow of magic particles coursing through his entire body after merging with the magic stone, now he could sense nothing at all.
He realizes.
This is the end...
The man who had been flying through the sky now stands before him.
Taro watched as the magic stone shattered and the flames vanished abruptly.
At first, he didn’t understand what had happened, but it became perfectly clear when he saw the compressed air blast send Neumann flying backward.
He descends to the ground and approaches.
He can see a large amount of magical energy dispersing from Neumann into the air.
The previously unfocused perspective regains clarity, and their gazes meet.
"I want you to carry on my research."
"I must decline. Regrettably, I will have to seal your research."
Neumann smirks.
"I expected you'd say that. Then take the books from my underground laboratory within the kingdom. That's where my quarters were. I was banished to such a place after getting involved in various affairs. Everything you need is there. And perhaps I can spare Bonaparte's life as well. He is a man who truly cares for the kingdom."
"Why are you saying such things to me?"
"Because the only person right in front of me is you, isn't it?"
Neumann's breathing grew ragged.
"I'm your enemy."
"I'm also a researcher—appealing to your curiosity. Yes, let me be your enemy properly, one last time."
The magic stone on his left arm remained cracked, but it still functioned. Flames began to spill out.
The uncontrolled flames began to spread toward Neumann.
He made no attempt to resist, even as he himself started to burn.
...Perhaps he couldn't.
Neumann steadied his ragged breath.
"Soldiers of the kingdom! Listen! This man is a sorcerer seeking to seize your kingdom. Soldiers of the kingdom! Rise up! Fight to the death! The enemy of the kingdom is this man!"
Neumann smiled contentedly, enveloped by flames.
"Is he the enemy?" "Now that you mention it, he did seem out of place." "Trying to take over the kingdom? Stealing our homeland?"
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by royal soldiers.
Their eyes burned with determination, fixed on me with fierce hostility.
Looking at Neumann, engulfed in flames.
The fire was intense, already devouring him—yet he was grinning, as if amused.
Whether by fortune or misfortune, the left arm stolen from William's father remained intact, protected by a gemstone, so it was recovered as is.
"We've taken the arm from Neumann!" "We defeated Neumann with unnatural power!" "Everyone saw it! He is our enemy! Kill him at all costs!"
The voices grew louder, echoing in unison.
Bring him down! Kill him! Protect the kingdom!
A wave of unspoken rage surged from the crowd.
Why do I have to hear this kind of thing?
One soldier drew his sword.
Following suit, many soldiers reached for their weapons.
"Charge! ——"
Obeying a command heard from somewhere, numerous soldiers advanced toward us.
Hovering in midair, I dodged the approaching soldiers.
Arrows wreathed in flames rained down.
Using wind magic, I deflected the arrows back.
The arrow that missed me struck a soldier near me.
"Stop! I'm not your enemy! Don't you see your allies are being hit!"
"No questions asked! We cannot hear the words of an enemy."
The wounded soldier rolled up his sleeve and channeled magic into the embedded gemstone.
You... you've already...
The gemstone embedded in the soldier erupted with flames, engulfing the soldiers around it in a roaring inferno.
Other soldiers also unleashed the gemstone's power, charging forward while summoning flames.
Why do you fight so fiercely?
Why do you burn yourselves alive?
I can't understand.
Darting through the air, fleeing from the advancing flames, striving ever higher.
This isn't the time for this. I have to go help Alex. Rising even more sharply, I catch a glimpse of the entrance to the mining site, barely still intact.