Limits of Training (4)
Shirone found courage.
"Thank you."
Because she no longer had to watch her parents' reactions, the bar for training climbed sharply.
"Not yet. More."
Lingering in the six-thousand-per-second range Shirone had demonstrated was a psychological barrier.
"Don't try to control your mind. You must become the mind itself. Don't analyze—throw yourself into the unknown."
"Uuuugh!"
The Wizard's expression changed again and the rhythm of her heartbeat shot up.
A buzzer popped from the speaker and an error message blinked on the recorder.
The teachers stood frozen, mouths agape.
"The Image Zone's capacity has been exceeded."
Very few people knew how far the Wizard's ability had risen.
Bartok murmured, "Seven thousand two hundred per second."
He hadn't literally counted. Like savoring the number of leaves with synesthesia, he had taken in the Wizard's mental beats as a whole.
Her synesthesia was the keenest.
"Precisely seven thousand two hundred eighty-seven per second."
When the Wizard's eyes rolled back, the teachers monitoring the Image Zone rushed over.
"Master O Dae-seong, shouldn't we stop? It could be dangerous without precise numbers—"
"She's gone in."
Shirone's eyes flashed, and every face at the Ten Mage Council flushed.
"Gone in? What do you mean?"
Amy asked.
"It means she's hit the flow. Breaking a limit isn't easy. If you don't ride the wall when you break through, you'll lose the advantage later."
Bartok admitted it. "Now even I don't know. How far has the Wizard's ability gone?"
Shirone savored the moment. "Nine thousand two hundred seventy-three per second."
The students and teachers were stunned, but Shirone felt uneasy stopping there.
'The target is double what I demonstrated—twelve thousand per second.'
At that rate, if she unleashed a rampage, the power would be enough to wipe out a small city.
'I can't move to the next stage unless it's that much. There's a mountain of instruction to give, and time is tight.'
"Haa, haa."
The Wizard's body trembled and a harsh groan slipped from her lips.
Amy frowned. "Shirone, she's in shock."
"Fear is unavoidable. It's an unknown world she's never encountered."
The groan turned into a scream.
"Argh! Aaaah!" Seeing the parents' faces blanch, Shirone stepped into the Image Zone.
"It's okay, Wizard."
The scream cut off.
"I was like that too. Everything you were certain of collapses, and you can't know anything."
"Is this right? Is something wrong? If I fail now, will I lose the chance forever?"
Shirone spoke into her trance.
"But that means you're still fighting. Don't try to find the answer just to feel safe. Embrace the uncertainty that's tormenting you and move forward with it."
There was no compass.
"Fight."
That was all Shirone could say.
"See it through."
"Waaaaaaah!"
Her focus returned and her heartbeat surged with fierce speed.
Shirone clenched his fist.
'Done.'
Holding a relentless twelve thousand per second, the Wizard looked around.
"Waaah, what is this?" Fear still showed, but excitement flushed her face more than it did fear.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Bartok applauded first, then the Ten Mage Council, Amy, the teachers, and the students joined in.
"My God…"
Even the Wizard's parents—utterly unfamiliar with magic—could sense the magnitude of what had happened.
When the Wizard, her pulse finally steadying, stepped down from the Image Zone, everyone crowded around.
"You were incredible, Wizard! That was amazing!"
Pale from blood loss, the child nevertheless wore a look of pure joy.
"Hehe! If I hadn't ignored my brother at the end, I'd have failed. I was so scared then…"
Amid the congratulations, only Shirone's eyes looked sad.
'It's proven.'
That this child was the only one capable of eliminating Havitz.
'Go ahead and enjoy yourself. Do whatever you want. The world will give you boundless freedom. No one will blame you for what you do.'
That thought made him sadder still.
'But there's a price you must carry. One thing you can never put down is—
Hope.
'You must never say something is impossible. Even if everyone else gives up, even if everyone else waits in despair, you must stand and say—'
You can do it.
'That is your fate. The future given to you.'
Shirone could not smile at the burden of hope on a seven-year-old girl's shoulders.
'Still, now there's someone who can fight. Someone who can be the demon's natural enemy.'
Resolute, Shirone asked Bartok, "Have you heard from Rampa? What's happening in Kashan?"
"No word yet. Havitz vanished after entering Aganos—gone off the map."
'What are they planning?'
Shirone could have gone to Kashan himself, but there was the formidable Woorin.
'Do not take special measures until the Holy War Council. Her future sight will change the balance.'
All decisions would be settled at the Holy War.
'There's no time. Finish the Wizard's training and succeed in purifying the Demon Realm.'
The result of that day, determined by Shirone's simultaneity, would decide humanity's fate.
'Twenty-three days left.'
That was the time until the Holy War Council.
"You rotten brats. How could you do this to me? How did I raise you?!"
Rete stormed out of the duke's high castle, cheeks flushed and furious.
"This is the last time. Never again—huh?"
An explosion ahead made her look up; an entire district was being blown apart.
"What is that?"
Even Rete's experience of hellish shocks couldn't account for the force of that impact.
"Huh?"
Two figures fought fiercely, barely visible as dots in the distance.
'Who are they? Demons?'
One was clearly a demon, but the other was of a species not seen in Hell.
Kraaaaaang!
A flash from the demon struck the other, and a thunderous roar erupted—like the cry of a celestial phoenix.
It wasn't the kind of shock or sound that came from striking a single creature's body.
"What the—"
Rete launched herself.
"Kuuugh!"
Son Yoojung's face contorted as she skidded along the ground.
'What a man—'
They always said a young, vigorous body couldn't beat a master of martial arts.
'He neutralizes all my attacks.'
That was exactly what the demon facing her did.
"Huup!"
Driving her feet into the ground, the sliding soles plunged into the earth and a mound of dirt rose.
"Who are you?"
When Son Yoojung lifted her eyes, a red-skinned demon stood there, golden heat wavering off him.
"What does that matter?"
Shirone was irritated.
What set this opponent apart was a single thing: he cared about nothing but combat.
'A reckless hothead.'
Whether the world perished or humanity was wiped out, only the urge to fight filled his mind.
'What a pain, Nane.'
As Shirone's emblem grew colder, the cluster of light gathering on his body grew sharper.
'That's the problem.'
Son Yoojung tensed.
For reasons she couldn't explain, the depth felt like Nane's preaching.
"You're not a demon, are you? Why are you interfering? Just do what you're supposed to do."
"What?"
Shirone sneered. "Don't be mistaken. You're the one interfering with my work. Whatever your purpose—
When he cupped his hands, the brilliant cluster of light compressed into a terrifying pressure.
"You're beneath me."
Shirone opened his hands and a flash true to the Law stitched the space ahead with blinding light.
'This brat—'
Glaring at the Shirone who hurled himself forward faster than that light, Son Yoojung gritted her teeth.
'Hwa An Geumjeong.'
She usually felt contempt for those who put on airs, but not now.
'What?'
Through eyes that pierced truth she saw a brutally pure heart of love.
'Yahweh?'
A chill ran down her spine.
'Talk about the worst luck!'
Who could have imagined that where one truth had struck and fallen, another truth would be waiting.
"Go."
Shirone slapped his palm upward and a sphere of light smashed into the demon's abdomen.
"Shit…!"
There was no longer any doubt.
But knowing the truth did nothing to lessen the impact on the body.
"Argh!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Son Yoojung blasted through building after building and vanished; Shirone watched it all, unruffled.
The most irritating part was that she wasn't finished yet.
"Hoo."
For that reason, Nane drew a deep breath and hurled Son Yoojung into Hell.
"Just wait, Nane."
Her laughing face lingered in his mind.
Rian asked, "Two methods?"
"Yes. You know why the chains of Gehenna break. There are two ways to fix this error immediately. One: fix the system. Two: fix you."
"Hmm."
Rian hesitated to choose.
"Each has pros and cons. If we tweak the system, you won't be bound by karma anymore. Since you've already transcended the system, it's best to place you outside the standard spec."
It meant he wouldn't have to endure the burning pain any longer.
"What do you mean by fixing me?"
"We'll bypass the karma set on you. In other words, we'll make the system mistake itself. That's possible because of your weapon—the Idea."
Rian drew out the Great Sword.
"This thing?"
"That blade has an unbreakable code applied to it. It requires a master code, so something like it can't be forged in Hell. We can use it to route around the karma."
"I don't understand technical jargon."
Magritte explained at Rian's level. "We'll link Gehenna's chains to the Idea. The suffering of fire will persist, but the world will no longer demand your karma."
"I see."
Magritte spread his index and middle fingers. "The first option takes a long time but favors you. The second finishes quickly but you'll have to endure the pain. Frankly, I'd like to analyze everything about you and restore the system properly, but—"
Rete isn't likely to give that much time.
"So it's your decision. The former or the latter?"
Rian didn't hesitate. "Do the second."
"…Are you sure? It'll be nothing like the pain you've felt so far. If Gehenna's chains are linked to the Idea, the pain will cycle. Of course, your sword's capacity to purify demons would become unlimited."
"That doesn't matter."
Rian slung the Great Sword across his back. "I'm worried about Shirone. He'll at least try to talk to a demon."
"And you won't?"
Magritte saw Rian as human too.
"Yes," Rian said. "I know demons can have hearts. But…nothing can take precedence over Shirone."
Magritte, who had been glaring at Rian with a sharp look, sighed and raised his sword.
"Come this way."
The operation began.