Genius Prismatic Mage Chapter 122

#122. Flowers blooming in the mud (11)

Shoo───

Pouring rain.

Chulbuk! Chulbuk!

The sound of busy footsteps spreading out, sending ripples through the mud.

Todo─! Tododo──!

Gunshots ring out incessantly.

In that dark field of vision.

In the boy’s eyes, countless starlights were reflected as he chased after the fleeing enemy.

One, two, three, four… … .

A starry sky so vast that it was impossible to count on one’s fingers.

My heart was pounding.

It was the starlight I had been longing to see so much.

A star of exactly the same shape as his was illuminating the ground.

─Get… it! Don’t miss a single one!

─The end… is here! We… will win…!

As the starlight increased one by one, the memories related to ‘him’ stored in the boy’s mind also began to light up.

Sarak.

The pages of memory were turned one by one at first.

Sarak. Sarak.

Soon it will reach uncontrollable speed.

Sarak. Sarak. Sarak.

Countless scenes flashed through the boy’s mind.

The scene we arrived at at the end was a bridge.

“So if you leave here… .”

“I don’t think so.”

The boy and the man were having a conversation on the bridge.

Looking down at the scenery spread out below like now.

In a world almost as gray as clouds covering the sky.

The boy’s past and present began to become entangled.

“I hope you go to a better place.”

On the bridge.

The silhouette of the man sitting next to the boy continued to speak.

But at the moment, the boy couldn’t hear it very well.

Because my head was filled with only one thought and question.

now.

The splendid starlight spread out below.

Is it also contained in your eyes?

────.

Emotions of excitement and excitement rose up in a tumultuous manner.

The two emotions left vivid marks on the boy’s mind without him even realizing it.

The rotation of mana on the second ring sped up for a moment before slowly returning to its original speed.

“Go up. Don’t get swept away by the river.”

The boy who could no longer overcome his surging emotions.

“Niles.”

I turned to the seat next to me and said his name.

and.

Swaaa …

I found a dark space where only raindrops were pouring down.

“… … .”

The boy’s consciousness returned to reality.

Although it was unknown to others, the corners of his mouth, which had been rising significantly by the boy’s standards, slowly returned to their original position.

Soon the boy became expressionless again.

“… … .”

He is dead.

It does not exist in reality.

This is something I already know, so what did I mistake for?

Just because I think of him.

The boy did not shed tears or clutch his aching chest.

Because the sadness that had been buried deep in the subconscious had already been relieved once at the mansion.

“I guess I don’t need to go down… I guess.”

Colin came over and said.

All the members of the organization had their helmet lights turned on, and waves of light were shining into his eyes as well.

Ray nodded quietly.

After staring outside for a while, he turned around and said.

“song.”

Niles.

“Because I need to sort out the situation.”

This is my reward and gift to you.

Colin followed Ray, leaving only the sound of rain and darkness behind.

A railing made of bars.

Beyond that, countless starlights were spreading out in all directions.

────!

──────!

With a roar that felt like it was going to explode.

With the sound of clattering footsteps.

As if desperately trying to let the world know that he exists.

They had to.

Because I was born in a dirty and low place.

So, I have to struggle dozens of times harder than others.

Only then.

Because I could raise my head without being buried in wet and heavy things.

Swaaa …

They are flowers that bloom in the mud.

It was a mud sakura.

*

The boy who was walking while thinking of the starlight suddenly stopped.

It was in front of a large hole in the rooftop floor caused by lightning.

‘Something is coming up.’

I felt a strong presence.

Starting from the first floor, it ascended through a series of holes that ran through the ceiling and floor of each floor.

… I could tell.

Without even looking down the hole.

Because it was a substance that the boy sensed more delicately and sensitively than anyone else.

‘Mana.’

It was a lump of mana.

Maybe half the size of a fist.

However, the waves of mana it emitted were more intense and destructive than any magic or natural phenomenon I had ever experienced.

The electric sphere that had annihilated Murkred in one blow was nothing compared to this.

Several times? Dozens of times?

no.

Even the words “hundreds of times difference” felt inadequate.

… I couldn’t even guess how many elements were compressed.

Woooo …

The strange phenomenon continued.

All elements along the path of the mana lump were being destroyed.

‘It’s burning up and disappearing.’

It makes no sense for the elements to burn.

But I felt like there was no other expression more suitable to describe the feeling I was having at the moment.

“Ray, there is light from below right now….”

Colin’s panicked voice was heard from the side.

Ray didn’t answer.

I wanted to focus completely on the present moment.

And then, soon.

Woooo …

A presence rose above the hole in the rooftop floor, revealing its identity.

‘starlight…?’

At first the boy thought it was starlight.

But when I looked closely, I could see that it was a jewel.

A small jewel that radiates a brilliant yellow light towards the world.

Crackle! Crackle!

All around, sparks resembling stars were flying ceaselessly.

Wooooowoooo───!

At the center of the jewel, mana was constantly being generated.

Electricity, change, speed, fusion… … .

Elements of a certain series were gushing out like an infinite spring, overlapping within.

This is it.

The jewel that Murkred was searching for throughout the sector.

I could also sense it intuitively.

This jewel is said to be the external force that interfered with the magic circle and caused an error, and the medium that directed the lightning bolt of enormous destructive power to the rooftop.

‘and.’

It was the same kind of blue jewel that was embedded in Blue’s forehead.

The shapes of the two gems were distinctly different.

Unlike Blue, which had a complete form, the one in front of me was split in half.

As if I had lost my partner and was now alone.

The colors are different.

The size is also much smaller.

Still, I was very confident that the two gems were of the same type.

‘I feel like I’ve seen this before.’

It was because of the longing that was welling up in my heart.

It’s exactly the same feeling I had when I met Blue in the wilderness and came face to face with the blue gem.

Crackle! Crackle!

The high-pressure sparks flying around the yellow jewel were clearly threatening.

But for the boy.

That sight felt like a jewel waking up from a long sleep and stretching loudly.

He reached out to the jewel with a possessed movement.

Ray… Danger… … !

All the surrounding sounds had suddenly disappeared from the boy’s world.

There were only two people in the room.

The boy and the jewel.

The boy wanted to ask.

─Did I wake you up?

And if so,

─Did you have a good dream?

The corners of the boy’s mouth had already gone up.

*

“I would like to hold a meeting to decide how to deal with Brook’s captured subordinates.”

The sky after the rain stopped.

Sunlight streamed through the clouds.

“In the case of the neutral faction, we are putting them under surveillance and putting them to work. They say that they helped change their minds and win the war, but since they were once on the opposing side… .”

Ray looked down at the ground beyond the railing of the abandoned building as he listened to Colin’s report.

The hard ground was covered with dried footprints.

It was quiet.

It’s hard to believe that this is the place where such a fierce battle took place yesterday.

I pulled my gaze inward.

Just below the railing, I could see a bloodstain that was still relatively clear despite the heavy rain yesterday.

It was where Brooke had fallen.

“The, the captain is dead!”

“Hey, what the hell! What the hell are these guys doing! They’re suddenly attacking us!”

Brooke’s confession and death turned the tide of the war.

A large number of neutrals defected to the supporters and fought, while the opposition was either killed or captured.

The death of the captain and the destruction of Murkred.

Because the opposition, having realized these two facts, had no more will to fight.

「───────!」

The shouts of victory resonated through the raindrops.

“Huh…? You won…?”

Veronica woke up to the sound and looked up at Ray with dazed eyes.

“I won. It was thanks to the magic circle you drew. Philip, you worked hard too.”

Ray didn’t forget to compliment them both.

The supporters, who were still intoxicated by the afterglow, returned to their hideout after finishing the bare minimum of organizing the situation.

Rattling. Rattling.

In the car heading to the hideout, Veronica fell asleep again, leaning on Ray’s shoulder.

Instead, Philip looked out the window at the street with traces of war still visible, his eyes wide.

It was because of the aftertaste that lingered from head to toe.

“Still, I feel good because I think I helped a little. Since I don’t have magical powers like you guys, there were times when I thought I was just a burden.”

I don’t quite understand.

This was because Philip was doing his job well enough in many other situations, even outside of combat.

“You’re doing well enough.”

Philip looked at Ray with a moment of surprise on his face.

Soon the corners of his mouth went up.

“We’ve arrived!”

After laying Veronica down on the bed in the room above the hideout, Ray went up to the rooftop.

I held Walter’s ring in my hand and looked towards the center of the sector.

He held on, keeping an eye on the arrow of binding magic, and then handed the ring over to Philip.

“If the opponent moves even a little bit, don’t hesitate and wake me up.”

“Okay. Leave it to me. I’m still the one with the most stamina.”

And then he collapsed on his bed in his room as if he had fainted.

───.

────.

─────.

The boy fell asleep amidst the dull noises heard through the walls and floor.

And when I opened my eyes again.

The time was evening.

「… … .」

I think I had a dream, but I can’t remember it.

I went down to the first floor.

Veronica, who woke up first, was helping treat the injured.

In addition to simply using healing magic, he was also diligently learning about each injury and treatment method next to the person acting as the medical officer.

“… This way, Hobson’s life will not be in danger. It’s thanks to Veronica’s magic.”

There is no danger to life.

Every time those words came out of the officer’s mouth, Veronica’s worries subsided and joy took their place.

“Are you awake? How are you?”

Philip came over and handed me a ring.

The enemy cadres said they had not moved an inch from the building at the center of the sector.

“great job.”

“Thank you very much.”

Ray, who had been slowly looking around with his gaze turned, noticed someone and started walking.

「… … !」

It was the jeweler Jade and his mercenaries who acted as his bodyguards.

They saw Ray closing the distance with brisk strides and quickly covered their chests with the planks they had prepared.

In a gaze full of tension.

Ray took something out of his bosom.

“I couldn’t write it cleanly.”

What Ray held in his hand was a yellow sapphire covered in scratches.

Jade’s eyes filled with tears as if she was welcoming her child back from war with serious injuries.

“I will compensate for the damages.”

Jade said thoughtfully.

“No, that’s not true. You don’t have to pay compensation. Just ending the war is already a great reward.”

“No. But compensation─ uhm.”

Philip hastily covered Ray’s mouth.

“Ah! Ah! If you would do that, we would be so grateful! We are touched by Jade’s kind heart!”

“─Philip, your hands taste salty.”

It was the evening of the day the war ended.

“It looks like the cleanup at the scene will be completed soon. The three squads are divided and collecting the fallen firearms and equipment.”

Colin’s voice snapped Ray out of his thoughts.

In fact, the boy didn’t quite understand why the man had come to him to report such things.

‘The war is over.’

Yet the man still treated her like a superior.

Then the boy discovered something on the railing.

[Niles, Colin, Brooke.]

It was graffiti carved crookedly into the concrete with a knife.

The writing is blurry and fuzzy, as if it was carved a very long time ago.

I had a vague idea.

The reason why Colin hesitated for a long time to push Brooke away at the last moment.

Ray looked at the three names and said.

“Can you please call Veronica and Philip from downstairs here?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Knock knock knock─

With Colin gone, Ray looked away from the doodles and down at the palms of his hands.

“… … .”

There was something I had to tell the group.

Dismissed!

A bright yellow spark flew across the boy’s palm.