Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 328

Episode 328 Wanted Order (2)

A few days ago, a ship anchored in the Hein River exploded.

The streets were abuzz with the deafening noise of dawn, and at around the same time, a commotion broke out at Riverrun's city hall.

Something creepy.

The knights, sensing an inexplicable ominousness, immediately began searching and soon succeeded in finding the hidden secret space.

There they found the body of the Guardian, Sandorn.

He was beheaded in a horribly deformed state, as if he were an undead… … I tried to urgently report to my superiors, but Mayor Troven had completely disappeared.

This is not a simple disappearance.

They concluded that the market had been kidnapped by whoever killed the Guardian.

Bishop Lena is also aware of the inside story.

Because she was the one who personally checked Sandorn's body upon receiving the request.

There, he discovered traces of a curse and reported them to the knights.

Of course, that fact did not spread among the citizens.

If you already have a headache because of the Ainz races that appear outside the city, and then hear a rumor about an evil warlock roaming the streets, your anxiety will reach its peak… … .

How long has it been since the new year arrived?

“But you guys are the culprits of this case! Surely… you’re not trying to arrest me and silence me right now, are you?! All I did was check the body! Please let me go!”

Bishop Lena cringed and covered her face with both hands.

I was shaking with fear, tears welling up between my fingers… … but Verden and Leila were indifferent.

Well, there was no sign of fear in his voice.

“…….”

When there was no response, she rolled her eyes and raised her head.

“Ugh, I guess they’re all really tough people, so my acting just doesn’t work. If it were the citizens outside, it would have worked more than enough… Ahem, enough joking.”

Bishop Lena took the remaining seat.

“So, what’s going on in Riverrun right now?”

“……You don’t suspect us?”

“Of course, there is no reason to doubt that. I don’t know much about those two since I only saw them once, but Lady Leila has a lot of connections with our Luas Church, right? I know full well that she is not a bad person. And……”

The eyes filled with divine power shone sharply.

“You’re not the type of person to put a lot of curses on Mayor Troven.”

* * *

It was Leila's turn to explain the whole story.

Bishop Lena, who had been listening to the story while nodding her head several times, bit her lower lip slightly.

“Transporting the body of a dead adventurer… It’s a bit shocking.”

Over the past few months, many adventurers have died in Riverrun.

It was a natural result of risking one's life fighting monsters that were hostile to humans. Even adventurers with a lot of experience in subjugation could lose their heads in the blink of an eye if they were unlucky…

It is the role of the priest to appease the dead.

Bishop Lena prayed sincerely.

I hope their souls rest in peace with Luas.

'But the trade of corpses is taking place openly in the city.'

The sacred death was being profaned.

No one else, but the Adventurer's Guild Master, the mayor, and the upper echelons… … Even though it hadn't been long since I had been assigned to Riverrun, I felt a great sense of guilt.

Because ignorance is no excuse.

“I understand what the situation was. As a bishop, it is embarrassing that I did not notice such a terrible thing… but fortunately, it seems that the church was aware of it in advance. Even if you are Lady Leila, it is rare for you to entrust a request to an outsider.”

“……I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you who it is.”

“It’s okay. It’s a problem that the school values confidentiality. I’m just doing what I have to do. So, how can I help you?”

Verden answered.

“We must lift the curse on the market.”

Adrian damaged the curse with his magic sword, but it was only a temporary measure.

The remains of the curse are eating away at the Troven Market.

After the bastard recovers his body before he dies, you must hand him over to the priest who made the request to Leila.

That would be the end of Verden's party's role.

After that, you can go to the Republic of Beldirn as planned and use Leila's adventurer authority to move through space to the central continent.

“I’m not very familiar with curses… but I’ll check to see what it is.”

Bishop Lena approached quickly.

He concentrated a faint divine power on his fingertips and looked around the sagging Troven Market.

The mayor's body shook violently with each contact.

“……<Life Absorption> that forcibly sucks the life force from those around you, including yourself. <Infection of Madness> that temporarily makes you lose your wits and increases your aggression, and <Ghoul’s Curse> that suppresses certain actions… and even <Grave Fog> that conceals the curse.”

There are as many as four curses.

This was the first time Bishop Lena had personally witnessed such a case.

“Ha, I don’t know who you are, but your skills are no ordinary skill. To be able to perfectly place curses of the 4th and 5th levels like this… But how did you know that the mayor was cursed? It was hidden so perfectly by the <Grave Fog> that it wouldn’t have been visible at all.”

Thanks to Adrian's senses.

Because that too is beyond the ordinary.

“Is it possible to get rid of it?”

“Oh, yes. It’s not my area of expertise, but I think it’s possible!”

Of the four curses, two are intact. The rest are just remnants.

Curses are a type of black magic.

Even though it is different from the general type, it is ultimately magic.

It was impossible to completely eliminate it, but it could not be excluded from the unique effect of the Demon Sword Cedence.

“What other preparations are needed?”

“Nothing in particular. Just wipe out the remnants with divine power and purify the two remaining curses one by one. You can be cured right away without having to go back to the church.”

Then there is no need to waste time.

Hooooooooo.

Verden immediately created a magic circle.

The lines of magic drawn in the air harmonize and form a law. A total of three magic circles created in this way landed on the inner wall of the carriage.

Now this is a secret room.

Whatever you do inside, you can't feel it from the outside.

'And I even rented a particularly expensive carriage.'

Adrian is currently a coachman and pulling a carriage.

I can assure you that soldiers won't come out of nowhere to investigate.

Because it is very burdensome to touch the upper class, no matter how much money or power you have.

If there is no solid evidence, I won't even look at it.

“Wow, you’re rich and you can even use magic circles? You’re about the same age as me, but you’re so talented! You’re really cool! But what’s your relationship with Lady Layla? By any chance…?”

“……I don’t have time for small talk. Please.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

At Leila's urging, Bishop Lena took a step forward.

“Phew.”

Take two deep breaths.

Calm your mind and gather divine power.

Against the backdrop of warm light illuminating the carriage interior, Bishop Lena placed both hands on Mayor Troven's forehead.

* * *

There is life in the air, mystery in magic, and faith in divine power.

There is no compatibility between them.

To begin with, it is the type of thing where the concepts of up and down do not apply.

So how can divine power be the natural enemy of black magic?

It is clear that it too, like other magic, was implemented and composed of magical power.

The reason is clear.

The essence of magic is diversity.

Magic power, which is not limited to any specific nature, has the power to transform into various forms and cause countless phenomena.

That's why it's a mystery.

And black magic is the mystery of magical power born from the dark concept of death.

Therefore, it is the opposite of the divine power that contains the concept of light.

Just because you know how to command undead that simply refuse to die, or because it feels ominous, doesn't mean that you have a compatibility relationship.

Everything happens for a reason.

Paaaaah!

A warm divinity dwells in the market.

The curses that were eating away at the flesh all reacted and bared their teeth. In particular, the <Infection of Madness>, classified as a high-level curse of the 5th rank or higher, reacted strongly.

“Ugh……!”

The pause was brief.

The balance that had been maintained tightly tilted in an instant.

The purification begins.

Even if she is not skilled in lifting curses, and even if she is more specialized in healing, it is the divine power of a high-ranking bishop.

If you lack the skills, just press down with force.

The unconscious Mayor Troven groaned.

“Ughh …

The veins that were close to black slowly subsided.

The ominous aura that had been flowing out also became fainter… … It was proof that the curse was fading away.

The section of the secondarily amputated right arm was also treated.

Swish… … .

The remnants of <Life Breath> and <Grave Fog> destroyed by Adrian disappear.

Eventually, the <Infection of Madness> was purified and disappeared. The last remaining <Curse of the Ghoul> put up a good fight, but it was only a matter of time.

'now!'

Divine power enveloped the vision.

The market's color, trapped behind a curtain of light, has completely returned.

There is no more curse.

“Whew, it’s over safely! Now you don’t have to worry about the mayor’s life anymore.”

Bishop Lena looked back and raised her chin.

He succeeded in eradicating many curses using only divine power without using any special miracles.

This could be called an achievement in its own right.

“Oh, don’t look at me with such great eyes. What is this… Is this something that is quite natural for a genius priest who became a high-ranking bishop at a young age? But I will still accept your thanks. Hehe, I did a great job───”

That was the moment.

“Eww!”

Suddenly the market roared.

The energy that was clearly purified becomes polluted in the blink of an eye.

"……uh?"

Bishop Lena hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

The mayor rushed forward with his eyes wide open and bloodshot. I tried to push him away with my divine power, but it didn't work.

No, on the contrary, the curse has consumed the divinity.

“T, why is this……?!”

“Kaaaaaaaaaah!”

The market went crazy.

He stretched out his left hand as if to break Bishop Lena's neck, but it did not reach him.

In the meantime, Verden, who had come in, grabbed the mayor's arm.

He strengthened his body with the magic of the gift and at the same time, he created the power of gravity. He pressed hard on the untrained wrist of the mayor.

“Kueu …

It's the same even though it caused pain.

I'm completely out of my mind.

however.

“Bishop!”

“Gyaaaah……!!”

Bishop Lena's expression darkened as she grabbed his wrist.

Just like the Troven market.

Still the curse remains attached to the divine power.

'Is the pain contagious?'

As you have seen, that is exactly what happened.

As for Leila and Verden, who each control the power of tiles and magic, there is no way to lift the curse.

It seems that even Bishop Lena's divine power does not work on this curse.

'Then I have no choice but to use the artifact.'

Phew.

Verden released the magic circle.

Adrian sensed something and immediately stormed in, destroying the carriage.

“My lord.”

“Hang up.”

Just one word was enough.

Adrian, who had grasped the situation, took action.

The Demon Sword Cedence cut off the unknown curse with one blow. Bishop Lena, who had been suffering in pain, regained her composure.

Phew.

The body of the market begins to swell at that moment.

I felt an intense magical power from the body that had expanded to the point where it seemed like it would burst.

Leila ran up and kicked the market hard.

The impact sent the mayor flying through the roof of the carriage. Soon, a dark light poured out outside.

Phew! Phew!

A crashing sound that hits the eardrums.

The windows of the surrounding buildings are all shattered, and blood and pieces of meat are scattered everywhere.

Verden used his magical power to block the debris.

The immediate threat has passed.

But there was another problem. Three of them.

first.

'That explosion just now. Someone intervened.'

The identity is unknown.

I just secretly felt a magical power connected to somewhere.

Since the location cannot be determined, it seems likely that black magic was artificially cast through the medium of a curse.

In other words, the mastermind behind the incident was caught.

And the second one.

“Huh?! Why is the curse on me…?!”

Bishop Lena's right hand turned black.

I can feel a strong ominous magic. Above all, if it ignores the divine power of the superior bishop and leaves behind a curse… … it is not something to be underestimated.

'If it's that level of black magic───'

A hypothesis comes to mind that is nothing more than a guess.

But there was no time to sit idle and think.

Third and finally.

It was so noisy.

The place where Verden and his party are currently located is a street in broad daylight.

Although the surrounding area was relatively quiet, the loud noise just now attracted people's attention.

Eyes are drawn from all directions.

The cruel debris that soaked the road was captured in the eyes of dozens of people. Something slowly rolled in front of the knights and soldiers who happened to be patrolling nearby.

“……!!”

… … Mayor Troven’s head, with a horribly distorted expression.

The knight's eyes widened.

He shouted at the top of his lungs as he looked back and forth between the Verden group and the mayor.

“The city, the mayor is a murderer!!!”

It's a mess.