Chapter 32

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 32: Magic Power Plant (2)

The moment the two of them sprinted down the hallway and reached the power room, what greeted them was a massive cocoon emanating a soft green glow.

Its surface was smooth like silk yet appeared incredibly sturdy, pulsing rhythmically like a beating heart.

Veronica, staring at it in a trance, murmured under her breath.

“...What is that?”

“It’s the cocoon of a white Jam, also known as the Heavenly Silkworm—a type of moth.”

“A moth?”

She asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the cocoon.

“Just to clarify, it’s not hatched yet, right?”

“Well, it’s not so much unhatched as it is in the middle of its metamorphosis.”

Unlike ordinary silkworms that feed on mulberry leaves, the White Jam consumes mana.

Even now, strands of silk extending from the cocoon were connected to mana cores all over the power plant.

“It seems we’ve found the reason why the city has been experiencing frequent mana outages lately.”

“Alright. So, do you have any other useful information?”

“There’s one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.”

“...Let’s hear the good news first.”

Oscar shrugged.

“The good news is that the Heavenly Silkworm during metamorphosis isn’t particularly dangerous. If we bring Elder Maxim here, this situation could be wrapped up in five seconds flat.”

“What? Then why were you trying to scare me... No, why did I freak out? What’s the bad news?”

“The bad news is, once it completes its transformation, it’ll be starving and will devour all living creatures around it.”

“Then we just need to bring the Elder here before that happens. Doesn’t sound all that bad to me.”

“Well,”

Oscar said, beginning to take off his white robe,

“I wasn’t done talking.”

“If the slimes were so desperate to escape, it means the metamorphosis is almost complete.”

Rip!

At that moment, a foreboding sound came from the direction of the cocoon.

Veronica tensed up.

“...I just heard something really unsettling. What was that?”

“It’s the sound of it forcibly tearing through its silk from the inside, looks like it’s losing its mind over the scent of fresh prey.”

The fresh prey himself, now calmly folding his robe and placing it on the ground, muttered,

“Prepare for battle.”

Rip! Rip! Screech!

The cocoon, known for its incredible durability, was shredding like paper.

Suddenly, two pairs of enormous wings unfolded.

“...What the hell? It’s way too big!”

Veronica screamed, then asked,

“But it’s still a silkworm moth, right? That means it can’t fly, right? Silkworm moths can’t fly!”

“Well,”

Oscar said, casually recalling his knowledge,

“Normal silkworm moths can’t fly.”

And then, with an infuriatingly indifferent tone, he added,

“But that one? Oh, it flies just fine.”

KWHOOOOOSH!

In an instant, the Heavenly Silkworm burst out of the cocoon, flapping its four massive wings and soaring up to the towering ceiling.

“Let’s run!”

Veronica shouted as she watched the scene, but Oscar shook his head, standing firm.

“No.”

“What? Why not?!”

“If we run, that thing will head for the nearest city to look for food.”

And it would devour the citizens there indiscriminately.

The number of casualties would be impossible to predict.

No matter what, they had to prevent it from escaping.

“Ah... damn it!”

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Veronica bit her lip hard.

Then, glaring at the Heavenly Silkworm above, she took a few steps forward.

“Lucky me, huh? You stay back,”

She said, as if to shield Oscar.

Oscar raised an eyebrow at the unexpected gesture.

‘Impressive.’

For an ordinary fourth-level mage, freezing in terror at the sight of a Heavenly Silkworm would have been the normal reaction.

But Veronica was different.

Her sharp, intense eyes showed no trace of fear, only an overflowing determination.

A faint smile crept onto Oscar’s lips.

‘Look at her. She reminds me of myself when I was young.’

As someone who had also been an orphan, he understood.

The defiance, the deliberate toughness meant to ward off any dismissal or disregard from others.

And because he understood, he couldn’t help but feel concerned.

‘When I was young, I could only see what was right in front of me.’

Hoping she wouldn’t make the same mistakes he did, he moved his lips and cast a spell.

『Message』

A streak of mana shot through the corridor they had come down, carrying his voice.

The spell would reach the coachman outside, delivering a request for reinforcements.

“For now,”

Veronica said coldly, having just completed a massive magic circle.

“Let’s start by bringing it down to our level.”

『Wind Press』

Compressed air plummeted from the ceiling of the power plant, slamming into the Heavenly Silkworm and pinning it down.

KREEEEEEE!

Completely unprepared for such pressure, the creature couldn’t resist and crashed to the ground.

BOOOOM!

Veronica's next spell was already prepared as a cloud of dust rose from the impact.

『Air Burst』

Her sharp eyes locked onto a single point.

The air around that spot began to compress at a terrifying rate, then released its energy in an instant.

BOOOOM!

KIIIIIIIEEE!

The Heavenly Silkworm’s agonized screams echoed throughout the room.

It writhed in pain, struggling to rise again.

“What? This isn’t as bad as I thought!”

Veronica grinned, lifting one corner of her mouth as she dashed forward.

『Jet Booster』

With the spell, her body visibly lightened and her speed drastically increased.

It was a mid-level spell of the White Tower, two tiers above the basic 『Acceleration』 spell.

‘Once you’ve got the momentum, you have to finish it in one go.’

She knew nothing about the Heavenly Silkworm, but instinctively, she could feel it.

If she didn’t deal with it now, right after its metamorphosis, the one in danger would be them.

『Gust Hand』

Crunch! Crackle!

Hands made of wind rose from the ground, forming a staircase-like structure to greet her.

As Veronica stepped on them one by one, they lifted her into the air, allowing her to ascend toward the Heavenly Silkworm.

But just as she was about to take off—

Oscar suddenly appeared behind her and yanked her hood.

Thud!

“Gah! Agh!”

Veronica, unceremoniously thrown to the ground, blinked in dazed confusion.

Once she regained her senses, her expression twisted into a grimace as she spat out a stream of curses.

“You crazy bastard! What the hell are you—”

“Wind.”

Whoosh!

A strong wind conjured by Oscar swept up invisible dust particles and drove them against one of the walls.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sizzle.

The wall, covered in that dust, began melting away almost instantly.

“The transparent scales of the Heavenly Silkworm dissolve anything they touch,”

Oscar declared as he glanced back at her with a reproachful look.

“In other words, if I hadn’t stopped you, you’d be dead right now.”

“……”

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Veronica’s pupils trembled violently as if struck by an earthquake.

Fixing his gaze on the Heavenly Silkworm, Oscar continued.

“I deliberately kept my distance. That creature is intelligent and cunning.”

-Keeeeeeet.

The Heavenly Silkworm let out a high-pitched screech of frustration, its tone almost regretful.

Then, as if it had never fallen, it effortlessly soared back toward the ceiling, circling high above with no intention of descending again.

Watching its movements, Veronica bit her lip and asked,

“...How did you notice those invisible scales?”

“I focused my magic into my eyes and observed every particle in the air.”

“What kind of insane nonsense is that…”

Halfway through her incredulous remark, she trailed off.

Seeing the seriousness on Oscar’s face, she realized he wasn’t joking.

“…Is that really something you can do in the middle of a fight?”

“It’s possible. But if you want to do it, you’ll need a lot of training.”

“You’re mocking me, saying I don’t have the talent for it, right?”

“The opposite, actually.”

Oscar shook his head and continued,

“I’m saying you can do it because you have the talent.”

Perceiving the world on a particle level was no easy feat.

It required not only exceptional control over magic but also the mental fortitude to avoid succumbing to the overwhelming influx of information.

In other words, it was a technique only achievable by those with extraordinary talent.

‘But with her… She didn’t falter when facing the Heavenly Silkworm, and her understanding of magic is advanced enough to wield intermediate spells freely at just Level 4.’

That’s more than enough to start knocking on that door.

-Screech!

Just then, the Heavenly Silkworm, having fully healed its wounds, let out an enraged cry.

Its wings began to glow with a resplendent light.

“Damn it! Get down!”

Oscar lunged forward, shielding Veronica with his body as he cast a wind shield.

BOOM!

A green beam fired from the Heavenly Silkworm’s wings engulfed the two of them.

“Guh!”

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]

The wind shield deflected the beam in all directions, scattering its destructive force.

By the time the violent attack subsided, Oscar was drenched in sweat and covered in dust.

‘This isn’t good.’

Blocking just one attack had drained 70% of his mana.

The only silver lining was that the Heavenly Silkworm needed about five minutes to recharge before it could fire another beam.

‘With the magic I have left, I can’t block a second attack.’

In other words, he had to settle this within the next five minutes.

Rising to his feet, Oscar extended his hand.

“Get up. We don’t have much time.”

“…Kill me.”

“What?”

Thump! Thump!

Veronica repeatedly smacked her thighs with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.

“These damn legs… won’t move!”

“……”

After narrowly escaping death twice in such a short span, her legs had given out from the strain.

She was, after all, only a 20-year-old mage.

No matter how much she pretended to be strong in front of others, overcoming the fear of death was another matter entirely.

“...Go.”

Her voice trembled as she spoke, biting her lip so hard it bled.

“I’ll try to hold it off and distract it as much as I can. You go ahead.”

“……”

Oscar silently stared down at her.

Uncomfortable with his gaze, Veronica snapped.

“What are you staring at? You don’t even like me! So if you don’t want to die with me, then just go already!”

“……”

Oscar wordlessly read the air around her.

The unsteady currents, trembling like a frightened kitten, betrayed her true feelings—so different from her words.

‘I’m scared.’

Her stubbornness reminded him of his younger self.

Perhaps that’s why.

“It’s okay.”

Pat, pat.

Oscar gently patted her head, just like his master had once done for him.

“…What?”

“There’s no need to be afraid. I’m not going to leave you behind.”

Veronica’s wavering eyes fixated on the hand patting her head.

‘It’s okay?’

What a joke.

That’s nothing more than baseless bravado wrapped in arrogance.

Even she couldn’t imagine defeating that thing, so what could a mere Level 2 Mage possibly accomplish?

But then…

Even though it’s logical, and there’s no room for argument against such reasoning…

Why did she feel so reassured by that single word—‘fine’?

Every time his hand patted her head, it was as if some button inside her was pressed, and she felt like she could cry.

Smack!

Barely managing to knock his hand away, she asked,

“…So, what are you planning to do about it?”

“Fight,”

Oscar replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Even if your body can’t muster the strength, you can at least provide magical support, right?”

“…You’re seriously going to fight that thing? Even as a Level 2 Mage?”

“Even if I weren’t a Level 2 Mage but a mere Level 1, it wouldn’t change anything.”

What was it about him?

The deep, indifferent gaze looking down at her seemed sturdier than any stone she had ever seen in her life.

And yet, at the same time, it was warm.

Like the breeze of a spring day.

“Don’t forget. A mage of the White Tower never abandons their allies.”

“…”

At that moment, a gust of wind passed by, gently stirring her hair.

She had never known such warmth in her life, but if being in her mother’s arms felt anything like this, it might come close.

『Haste』

Wrapping himself in that wind, Oscar dashed forward in an instant.

Tat-tat-tat!

The Venomous Silkmoth instinctively unleashed a volley of poison-tipped needles at him.

“…I told you to run away. I even gave you the chance to leave me behind,”

Veronica muttered through clenched teeth as she extended her hand.

“So if you complain after this, I swear I’ll kill you myself!”

Fwoooosh!

Oscar’s figure gracefully weaved through the storm of needles.

The Jet Booster, a mid-level haste spell that would normally be used by a Level 5 Mage of the White Tower, was now imbued upon him.

‘This one’s something else.’

Oscar shot a surprised glance back at her.

It was as if the spell fit him as perfectly as a tailored shoe.

To bestow such a precisely calibrated spell upon someone else required exceptional control over one’s mana.

‘Veronica Fricks, you deserve a gold star.’

Oscar raced across the power plant with explosive speed and reached the abandoned cocoon.

From there, he carefully pulled out a single strand of silk.

Heavenly Silkworm Thread.

Aside from its beautiful appearance, it was highly prized for its incredible durability, making it very valuable.

Oscar imbued the thread with mana and hurled it at the silkmoth.

Hisssssss

The silkmoth hissed mockingly at the thread now wrapped around its body, as if to say, What could something like you possibly do?

Oscar answered the taunt.

“Veronica! Pull it down!”

As soon as he called for assistance, two spells were cast in tandem.

『Gust Hand』 and 『Wind Press』

A pair of hands rose from the ground, grabbing the thread alongside Oscar, and pulled with all their might.

Simultaneously, compressed air pressed down from above.

-…!

The silkmoth flapped its wings desperately, trying to resist.

But it couldn’t withstand the combined force, and it crashed to the ground again.

‘That leaves about 28% of my mana.’

Oscar confirmed the location where it had fallen, then reached into his coat as he ran.

A weighty object rested in his grip.

What he pulled out was a sleek black sawed-off shotgun.

It was no ordinary weapon—it had been modified with three spells: 『Haste』, 『Pierce』, and 『Enhance』, a trophy from the herbalist’s field.

‘This gun’s engraved name is… Trinity.’

Now that the distance was closed, he could use this monstrous weapon to penetrate the silkmoth’s tough shell.

Oscar emerged through the swirling dust in a flash, aiming the barrel at the silkmoth’s head.

-Screech?

“Goodbye.”

Click.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

Bang!

“Guh!”

The recoil alone was enough to shatter and dislocate his right shoulder, nearly making him drop the gun.

He wondered how its previous wielder managed to fire it so recklessly, almost wanting to bring them back just to ask.

But the cost was worth it.

Boom!

-Screeeeeeeeech!

Dozens of holes were blasted into the silkmoth’s torso.

Still, Oscar clicked his tongue in frustration.

If the thing hadn’t twisted its body at the last moment, its head would’ve been blown clean off.

“Hm?”

Then, the silkmoth, spewing green fluid from every direction, suddenly shot upward.

At the same time, its wings began to emit a radiant glow once more.

“…Its beam attack is already recharged?”

No way.

There were still 3 minutes and 42 seconds left until the cooldown should’ve ended.

As expected, this was a desperate move on its part.

The glowing wings only managed to emit a faint, narrow beam.

-…!

The problem was that this attack wasn’t aimed at Oscar or Veronica.

Crash!

The ceiling.

Sensing mortal danger, the silkmoth destroyed the power plant’s roof and flew toward the opening.

‘It’s trying to escape!’

Oscar’s lips tightened as alarm bells rang in his mind.

If that thing left the power plant, the resulting catastrophe would be unimaginable.

He stared at the silk thread rapidly trailing upward, then grabbed it with his uninjured left hand.

“Hey! Are you insane? Why are you grabbing that—!”

Veronica’s shocked voice faded into the distance.

A terrifying speed enveloped his entire body.

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Gun]