Volume 2: Chapter 037: Makia Watched the Battle Between Ulysses and Eska
Author: かっぱ同盟／友麻碧
Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3862be/
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
Gumihou: I… massaged certain text into place so that the overall chapter flowed more naturally.
This is Makia.
Right now, I am witnessing the start of a battle (?) between two men over one woman.
By the way, Percelis, Tooru and I somehow ended up watching the coming battle on some rocks by the beach.
Rumble…
Amidst the tension, my stomach remained honest. It would be great if I had a lemon soda and roast chicken sandwich here.
I haven’t eaten since that bit of soup at Midgard. Also, [1] I have technically travelled a long way with Yuri in that dream place too. So, it made sense for me to be hungry.
[1] So, there’s really no reason for Tooru to give me that look.“You… At a time like this…”
“Sorry about that,” I said.
As for Percelis, she was too busy looking worriedly at Ulysses’s direction, so only Tooru noticed my stomach’s cry. [1]
“If the White Sage’s Hundred Spirits are some super famous ordinary king of whatever spirits, mine are the super amazing, Ultra-rare Great Four Legendary Divine Spirits!” [2]
“Just what are you trying to say? I don’t quite get it.”
Eska, who had pointed a challenging finger at Ulysses [2] faltered at Ulysses’s passive-aggressive reaction. [1] Which is like, super savage, because Ulysses had always been the first person to laugh at whatever joke that was being made, even at his expense.
[1] I think this is Yuri’s way of goading his opponent. What a rare sight.Eska tsked and stomped his foot.
The sandy beach swelled and exploded into many black sea turtles.
“I shall begin my judgment! Attention, Ultra-rare Great Four Legendary Divine Spirits! I choose you, Black Sea Turtle Bracktahta! Go, Tahta!”
“Aye aye, sir!!”
[1] It was an incredibly long and cringey spirit summoning. The summon’s answer was also super cringe. Still, it looked like his powers were legit at least, as 9 magic circles started forming on the sand. They looked kind of blurry like someone had just hastily scribbled them into existence. The patterns look different from the ones Ulysses uses.Then, with a sharp crackling sound, a black bazooka appeared.
“9th Summoning Stage! Noble Spirit Phantasm!! Die, White Sage!!!”
The bazooka fired at the word ‘die’ and with a loud roar, a huge bit of the sandy beach was gouged out. [2] What’s more, sand flew everywhere and we were directly hit by the falling debris. At least, our area did, but none of the sand got on us thanks to Tooru’s protective shield.
It was the signal to the start of an epic battle. [2]
From here on, white light and magic circles covered the sky and it was the time to settle down and enjoy the fireworks.
Eska’s bazooka attack didn’t hit Yuri, who was flying in the air on the back of Wind Spirit Fan. Yuri was busily constructing magic circles in the air.
Right now, Ulysses only has 14 spirits with him. However, the key was how to properly make use of all the spirits’ special characteristics. Fan was able to fly through the air, avoiding attacks, allowing Ulysses the leisure to focus his attention on constructing magic circles.
“Hmph… So you want an aerial battle?”
Esca hoisted a bazooka on his shoulder and ran out to the sea, six magic circles formed around him.
“Great Four Legendary Divine Spirits! Come forth Red Phoenix!! 6th Summoning Stage!!”
A bright red firebird came through the magic circles with a crackle.
[1] It was incredibly beautiful, as expected of a legendary spirit. There was something strangely divine about it.Eska chased after Fan on Red Phoenix’s back.
He had exchanged his bazooka for a large rifle and a magic circle formed at its muzzle.
“Additional armament! Tahta!!”
“Aye aye, sir!”
I had no idea from where Tahta the weapon replied, but magic circles suddenly rained down on Ulysses like rifle bullets.
“3rd Summoning Stage… Spirit Wall.”
Ulysses calmly used the 3rd Summoning Stage magic circle to construct two Spirit Walls in one go. He placed the walls closed together at a certain distance.
“I wonder why Ulysses made two Spirit Walls. Surely the 8th Summoning Stage’s Treasure Wall is more powerful than two of those.” [1]
“He must be planning to conserve his magic as much as possible. He probably thinks that this would become a battle of attrition.”
“But surely Ulysses has more than enough power to fight someone like that?” [1]
“I wonder… I’d fought that guy once but to be honest, Eska’s powers are hard to get a read. He doesn’t use a lot of magic circles, probably because he doesn’t have many spirits and limited skills. Instead, he poured his powers into the magic circles for greater impact.” [2]
Tooru and I continue to study the battle on the side. Tooru was touching his chin as he observed the fight interestedly.
“Eska has quite a lot of power, or a lot of daring to spawn so many magic circles. If you know his real name, we can check out his MP levels.”
[1a] “Well, unless he’s Demon King Class, it should be around six to seven thousand. How many magic circles can a White Mage of that level make?”“Modern White Mage at 6000 MP could create around 50, maybe 60 if they push it.” [3]
“At that rate of consumption, it’ll run out soon.”
However, Eska’s momentum knew no bounds.
I have already lost count at this point. [1] He was still cackling energetically all over the place, so I guess he had plenty of energy and magic to spare.
Thus far, all Ulysses had been playing defence with his Spirit Wall. I guess he must have some plans up his sleeves, so I’m not worried at all.
“In fact, it’s possible that Eska is also Demon King Class. I don’t really want to think about that, but… from the look of things…” [3] Tooru muttered.
“Eh…?”
“Just think about it, that number of magic circles is abnormal. Moreover, the Great Four Spirits contract isn’t one of our magic systems.”
“Well, that’s true…”
The much-used modern White Magic is an extension of the magic used in our time. However, Eska’s Four Great Spirits were a line of ancient spirits that even the White Sage were not able to track down.
Even though they both use White Magic, it could still fall outside of our lineage.
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“If you keep running away, your title as the Great Father of White Magic will cry!!”
“… …”
Eska caught on to Fan’s [2] flight pattern, grabbed a grenade from somewhere, ripped the safety pin off with his teeth and launched the thing with deadly accuracy. Yuri reacted by cancelling Fan’s summoning and plummeting to the sea, thus avoiding the direct impact of the explosion.
However, Eska was already aiming his rifle at Ulysses.
Three magic circles flared around Ulysses, slowing down his descent. He looked up where Eska was flying and held up his hand. Celiade’s power flared up and formed a foothold for him. I saw the corners of his lips turn up.
“It’s ready.”
“?!”
Four magic circles appeared and a silver knife appeared in his hand.
It was the physical manifestation through the 4th Summoning Stage in the form of a ‘spirit tool’.
It was the same knife created through one of Ulysses’s Light Spirit, Silvie. I used this knife to cut my hand to fight against the Giant Soldiers back when I needed a continuous amount of blood.
Ulysses inexplicable kept the knife in his right hand while thrusting the pinky finger from his left hand to the sky.
Then, with the tip of that little finger, he [4] ‘cut’ something.
“What the heck?!”
[4] A white thread shimmered slightly at the end of Ulysses’s little finger.A spinning wheel reeling in white thread could be seen next to Ulysses.
It was the appearance of the Cotton Spirit, Reela Cotton’s 9th Summoning Stage. Of all the plant spirits under Yuri’s command, this spirit was the one has the deepest connection with him. I see that fellow has also returned, eh?
“Cotton Spirit Reela Cotton is a magic support spirit that connects magic circles together and their activations. You will now understand why I have been playing defence until now.”
“Ah? What are you…?!”
Eska sensed Yuri’s magic activating behind him and he quickly turned around. It was only natural for his eyes to widen in shock at the glow of the formation of a huge magic circle floating in the night sky.
We, the spectators, were stunned too.
The huge magic circle was made up of a hundred magic circles connected through Reela Cotton’s threads. It glowed with power, waiting to be activated.
Then, like some kind of Pythagorean mechanism, the magic circles all started activating.
While Eska was staring dumbfounded at the magic circles flashing in the sky a defensive spell caught him in the face.
“Oof!”
The impact was enough to cause him to fall off the Red Phoenix. The Phoenix was caught in a 7th Summoning Stage wall that was activated on its side, stopping it from going to Eska’s side. Before Eska could cancel the Red Phoenix’s summoning or summon more spirits to his aid, Pino Dora was summoned right below him. His 10th Summoning Stage form burst through the magic circle as a flaming dragon.
“WHAAAAAAAAAaaaaaa!!!!???”
Although his usual appearance was that of a little lizard with an Edo-era accent, his true form was that of a majestic fire dragon.
Pino Dora’s cheeks inflated as he breathed in deeply, before snapping forward to shoot a jet of fire at the falling Eska.
We could feel the suffocating heat all the way here.
“Uwaah~ the White Sage is merciless~” I cried. [1]
“It’s a real overkill,” said Tooru. [3]
Engulfed in a pillar of fire, Eska looked like a speck of black inside the orange flames.
Moreover, the magic circles surrounding Eska prevented him from escaping. Also, the magic circles were rigged so that Yuri’s remaining spirits were not occupied with the current strategy to bombard Eska with attacks in their 6th Summoning form.
It was like being killed by multiple explosions. How pitiful.
“… …”
“That should kill him for sure,” I said.
[2a] From our vantage point on the rocks above the beach, we sat around like a bunch of people watching a particularly exciting firework show. It was pretty fun, if a bit inappropriate given that we were actually watching two people fighting to the death.Percelis clutched at her clothes nervously.
“It’s fine Percelis,” I said, trying to comfort her. [1] “Ulysses just won that one.”
“Makia…”
Just then, Tooru raised his voice, “Oi!! It’s not over yet! Behind you, Yuri!!”
Eska appeared from behind a literal smoke screen. He looked slightly scorched but was otherwise intact. He flashed behind Ulysses in an instant.
A combat knife slashed at Yuri’s neck, just barely grazing his cheek. The knife switches direction for a second slash.
Yuri quickly deflected the attack with Silvie’s small silver knife and tried to brace against it.
“… …”
It’s now a close combat battle.
Ulysses and Eska glared at each other.
“How did you escape the explosion? There was no time for you to summon a spirit.”
“Hyahahah… I was really shocked by that trap, but it’s not like I don’t have any defensive measures…whoop!”
Eska’s narrow sanpaku eyes widened and his knife swiped down, slashing at Ulysses’s torse. Celiade’s water flared up defensively and in that brief moment, he summoned Silvie in her 9th Summoning Stage form and a long slender sword blocked Eska’s combat knife.
Oh my, now that I have a better look at them, Eska’s bulletproof vest is gone.
“Could that tacky-looking bulletproof vest be the foundation of your defence?”
“Yup! It’s one of Bracktahta’s defensive features. Also, it’s not tacky, it’s cool!”
“I have been considering this for a while, but your spirit appears to have several features for each level. Is that one of the characteristics of a Four Great Spirit?”
“Hah!! You only realise this now?! The Four Great Spirits possess multiple elements and could be used many times at once They can create heavy weapon armaments exactly as I imagined it! The sky’s the limit! Also, its defence power is superior to those used by your measly common spirits!”
He’s pretty talkative for someone in a knife fight.
I guess he doesn’t really have anywhere else to brag about this.
Still, having multiple elements per one spirit is a great advantage. Ulysses’s Hundred Spirits only have power over one element each.
“Yuri is in a tight spot since he’s not good at close combat. Eska looks like he’s very good at it,” Tooru said as he continued to study the fight between those two.
Well, as expected of that Chuuni bastard. That’s what happens when crazy kids like these have Demon King Class level power behind them.
“If only I know his real name…” I muttered as I chewed on a nail.
The battle was so intense that I dared not blink. Ulysses was using Celiad’s barrier as a standing platform, but since Eska was also floating freely in the air, I can only assume that he’s doing the same somehow.
“Blue Dragon, Clue Wingham!! Take that you little fish!!”
Eska shouted another unfamiliar spirit’s name and Ulysses’s footing suddenly disappeared. In fact, both of them were shaking.
Ulysses managed to stay upright and adjusted the grip on his sword.
“Too slow!!”
Eska did not miss this moment to strike and slashed his knife at Ulysses’s throat.
“Ulysses!!!”
Percelis screamed as she nearly tipped forward onto the rocks.
Wow, that’s quite the scream. I wonder if Ulysses heard it?
Probably.
A single magic circle appeared on the tip of the combat knife, deflecting its impact and narrowly dodging Eska’s blade.
Then, he stepped past Eska’s attack, his right hand flashed open, releasing the sword and thus dismissing Silvie, the same hand clenched and pulled back exaggeratedly, as though he was pulling a bunch of long threads.
That’s right, his link with Reela Cotton was still active. The thread holding all these magic circles was in his hand.
“5th Summoning Stage, Spirit Multiplication.”
[2b] Reela Cotton’s 5th Summoning Stage, ‘Multiplication’ could stack up the power of an attack through the addition of more spirits onto the weapon. This method disregards the quality of the spirits, which means that a White Mage’s power would multiply accordingly depending on the number of spirits one is contracted with. Thus, the power of the rest of Ulysses’s 13 other spirits connected through Reela Cotton’s threads coursed through Ulysses’s fist.“Wha-”
Eska’s eyes widened as he overextended and could only watch as Ulysses’s overpowered right fist struck him in the solar plexus.
Just like that, Ulysses’s ‘simple punch’ which was now many times stronger thanks to the multiplied powers of the spirits, sent Eska flying into the ocean. The force split the seas as he disappeared from sight.
What an amazing ‘Gimme your sis!’ right punch, eh?
Under the cold moonlight, the ocean which had roiled and crushed under the impact of the spic fight eventually settled back into place.
When only sounds were the waves lapping against the beach filled the air, I finally got the sense that the battle was truly over.
“Is it even possible for a White Mage to win with a straight right punch to the gut?” I said.
“Didn’t he win the fight thanks to that element of surprise? That’s pretty manly, right?” commented Tooru.
“Ulysses!!!”
Perselis cried as she scrambled down the rocks and began wading into the sea. We quickly followed her, stopping her from going too deep.
“Ulysses!! Ulysses!!!”
Her screams echoed amidst the relentless sound of waves.
All the while, the moon continues to float indifferently over us, illuminating the sea with its unchanging light.
Eventually, a man slowly emerged from the sea, the lingering power from the magical battle still clung to him
His white hair was wet and dishevelled, with bits stuck to his cheek, and his clothes were ragged and unkempt. However, his expression was unwavering, he was staring straight at Percelis.
“Ulysses…”
Tooru and I made ourselves scarce.
The waves from the shallow water played with the hem of her long robe and sash, adding to the mystery of her existence.
Ulysses waded through the water towards her.
They stood facing each other, both having reached this moment after a long and complicated history and shared memories. Tooru and I watched from a short distance away, holding our breaths.
Then, a tiny white monkey emerged from Ulysses’s breast pocket with a rustle. It held up a flower to Ulysses. It was a white bellflower.
The Monkey Spirit, Kukuru had been guarding this little flower throughout that fierce battle.
Ulysses accepted the flower and presented it to Percelis.
His eyebrows scrunched together and with a laugh that was more like a sob, he said, “Percelis… marry me…?”
“… …”
There was nothing else, even though I’m sure he must have a lot more to say. [2] It looked like his proposal skills had not improved with age or practice. Even so, it made me tear up a little. The little flower in his hand said it all, ‘I will love you forever’.
Percelis, with her hair waving in the sea breeze, reached out and wrapped her hands around Ulysses’s outstretched hand as if embracing him.
As if she was embracing everything. All of the beautiful and ugly things that happened in the long, long memories between them. [5] She reached up to touch his cheek and gently brush back his hair.
Her large eyes appeared to tremble.
“Will you accept this flower?”
“Of course… If you’ll forgive me for what I said this morning.”
“Will you allow me to make you happy… again?”
“Yes…”
Somehow, Ulysses still managed to be shocked by that reply.
Because I had traversed with him through his memories, I thought I understood the question. She had experienced happiness in her previous life.
[5] It did not negate the sadness and pain and suffering she had gone through either. Ulysses must have dwelt so long on pain and suffering that this simple yes surprised him the most. The simple yes was his salvation.For Percelis, her answer was the truth. Her face looked fresh and lively, as though she had woken up from a deep sleep.
Their faces drew closer and they gently kissed each other. The tender feelings they shared from over 2000 years ago appeared steady and unchanging, even as such beautiful moments exist.
Perhaps, that would be how they experience their love. In an eternity of such precious tender moments.
That was my take anyway, as someone who had only viewed their relationship through Ulysses’s memories.
The smell of the sea, the sound of lapping waves, the brightening night sky as it gave way to dawn, the brilliant moon… everything was part of this beautiful and perfect moment of eternity.
[Gumihou: Worked very hard to make the tender moments actually tender.] [1] Adjusted text to fit Makia’s flippant personality [1a] The build-up for ‘Gasp! Demon King Class!’ is unnecessary here since we the readers all know it [2] I think the author is trying to make things exciting. Helped to adjust the below text so that it’s actually exciting.
Eska pointed his finger at me and said that, but the joke didn’t get through to the current Ulysses. Eska usually has the image of a battle maniac who can’t help but want to fight, but I think Ulysses is the one who can’t help but want to fight now. You know, whether it’s a bloodlust or a fighting spirit, it’s swaying in and out of sight. You don’t see Yuri like this very often.
[2a] More of these…We are on the sidelines on the sandy beach. The waves were rough and dangerous, so I climbed on top of the rocks. It’s really just like we’re spectators, like we’re watching fireworks. While unscrupulous, the dazzling brilliance and loud noises will keep you excited. Only Percelis felt nervous, clutching the clothes around her chest.
[2b] What the-There were five magic circles on his fist, and they were even more stacked now. The Fifth Stage is the summoning of power “Addition” and “Multiplication”. Regardless of the quality of the contracted spirits, it’s a summoning method in which the power of the number of spirits is added to some other weapon or attack. If you contract with many spirits at once, the power will be multiplied accordingly. He added to his fist the power of the spirits he had tethered to him.
Dude, no, what?
[3] Adjust the text to fit Tooru’s characteristics [4] In the original, it was: He cut ‘something’; like, isn’t it more strange to ‘cut’ something with your little finger?I know the purpose was to emphasise the importance of the ‘something’, but that could be done in a more logical way.
[5] Adjusted for a more tearful reunionHe seems to embrace everything. It’s like accepting everything, whether it’s the beautiful things or the ugly things that exist in the long, long memories of theirs. Looking up at Ulysses, who couldn’t bear to shed tears, he reached out his hand to her cheek and gently stroked her sticking hair.
Da faq
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