The man slowly raised his hand and pulled back the hood of his black robe. As the cool moonlight poured down, a majestic, middle-aged face was revealed to everyone.
Wesley Xavier.
The current head of the Xavier family and a Senior Arbiter of the Titan Prosecution Office.
Not only that, but he was also a mage at Peak Tier 5.
“He's... the one from the Dean's office earlier!”
Lillian recalled his identity.
Looking at the black robe representing the Nightingale Secret Order on him, Ain couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
“An Arbiter of the Titan Prosecution Office and a member of the Nightingale Secret Order at the same time. This really is...”
Whose side was this guy actually on?
This was a plot point that had never been mentioned in the original game.
In the early stages of the game, players couldn't cross the Echo Forest, which was filled with manic monsters, to find Lillian. Thus, they could never discover the full truth.
【Scale of Astral Judgment is converting mana values】
【Current Progress: 7%】
【Note: Before the progress reaches 100%, the target 【Lillian Knight】 will enter a "Mana Sealed" state and cannot channel any of her own mana.】
【Note: Once progress reaches 100%, 【Heart's Echo】 will be permanently unlocked. The target can use "negative emotions" as a medium to convert them into usable mana.】
“Ain.”
Wesley suddenly spoke.
“Ain Aldric, the third member of your family. You suffer from a congenital mana disorder and have always remained in the realm of a Tier 1 Mage.”
“You have an aloof personality, dislike interacting with others, hold extreme views, and even have a history of using forbidden magic.”
“Just recently, you were even facing expulsion.”
“However...”
Wesley adjusted his heavy gloves and pulled out a peculiarly shaped wand from his coat.
“You've hidden yourself well. In terms of understanding the essence of magic alone, you are already comparable to a Tier 6 Grand Archmage. What a pity...”
He shifted the topic, his tone laced with an unmistakable hint of regret. “Your mana pool has ultimately become an insurmountable chasm. You should have stood above the clouds, looking down upon all living things, but now you are trapped in the mire of low-class spells.”
“That meager amount of mana of yours cannot bear the weight of high-tier incantations at all.”
Ain couldn't help but click his tongue.
The current situation was highly problematic.
Even with Mordred by his side, it couldn't absorb the mana of a Tier 5 Mage.
The Scale of Astral Judgment was still converting Lillian's mana. He had to stall for more time!
A Tier 5 Mage...
In the original game's power rankings, if the difference between Tier 2 and Tier 3 was tenfold, then the difference between Tier 3 and Tier 4 was a hundredfold, and the difference between Tier 4 and Tier 5 was a thousandfold!
Not to mention, the opponent was currently at Peak Tier 5!
The magic he could currently use was limited to elemental, judgment, mental, healing, necromancy, and divination magic.
Offense-type magic generally fell under elemental magic, which was what most mages typically used for combat. Looking at the current situation, other types of magic wouldn't be of any help.
As for space and astral magic, those were spells that could only be used at Tier 5 and above.
Even if he got incredibly lucky and drew the number-one God Card from his divination magic—the Creator God...
With his current amount of mana, he probably wouldn't be able to sustain it for very long.
Not to mention the backlash that would follow once the effect ended.
Therefore, he definitely couldn't defeat his opponent right now.
He had no choice but to proceed with the original plan.
“Heh, is this how the Titan Prosecution Office operates? Doing nothing but underhanded deeds?”
“Do you actually think you can kill me here?”
Wesley exhaled a breath of turbid air. Closing his fingers, he adjusted his grip on his wand with almost fastidious precision.
“You are right.”
“I am indeed here to kill you.”
“But to outsiders, you will merely have wandered into this place by mistake and been killed by monsters.”
The moment their eyes met, an unmasked wave of hostility and pressure bore down on him. Ain felt as if his heart were being squeezed tightly by an invisible, icy hand, making it hard to breathe.
This guy wasn't joking!
“I won't allow it!”
A melodious voice suddenly rang out beside Ain. At some point, Lillian had already gripped her wand tightly, and her mana coat fluttered into the air.
The girl's eyes were filled with determination, having already made up her mind.
No matter who it was, they would not harm Ain in front of her!
She did not want to experience that despair of being abandoned again, nor did she want to see the people she loved get hurt because of her existence.
Wesley also noticed the change in Lillian.
“Witches are creatures that shouldn't exist in this world in the first place.”
“A race abandoned by the world actually dares to dream of finding a sanctuary here?”
Wesley's expression remained calm, but his tangible pressure had already locked down the entire area.
“Allow me to carry out the final redemption on behalf of the Goddess of Light!”
As if he had prepared everything, Wesley's voice suddenly rose a bit higher.
“Ain! Do you really believe everything you've done up to this point has any meaning?!”
“Defeating Sevis in front of everyone was nothing more than an attempt to change the prejudice others hold against you!”
“Becoming his Swordbearer was merely to satisfy your distorted desire to be needed!”
“As for saving those students? Overturning what you think are evil schemes?”
“You are merely standing up to play the fake hero when others need one!”
“Everything you do is just for that pitiful vanity! To satisfy the self-righteous illusions in your mind!”
“Ain, if you truly want to save everything you believe in, let me ask you! If sacrificing this single witch could save everyone else in the world, what choice would you make?!”
Unconcealed disgust and disdain surged in the depths of Wesley's eyes, as if he were looking at a disgusting piece of trash.
“Is the ending you desire one that must be built upon the slaughter of all living things in the world?”
Lillian was stunned. Her left hand tightly gripped the hem of Ain's clothes. Seeing him remain silent, she also found herself speechless.
“Ending?”
Ain suddenly spoke up.
“Heh.”
“What right do you people have to talk about endings in front of me?!”
Ain't eyes were filled with rage.
This time, he was genuinely angry.
He didn't care about what others thought of him, nor did he care about the voices slandering him.
But if someone dared to claim in front of him that all the endings in the original game had meaning...
He wouldn't mind grabbing a keyboard and flaming them for three days and three nights.
“Say whatever you want about me, but to call me self-righteous?”
Ain suddenly burst out laughing.
“Then what on earth are you people?!”
“You are nothing more than using the Goddess's name to control the minds of the common people!”
“You just want to exploit the people's faith in the Goddess to satisfy your own selfish desires!”
“Where were you when you were truly needed?!”
“Sitting in your offices drinking tea? Or plotting grand affairs with a bunch of fools who only know how to run their mouths?”
“All you've ever done is offer someone an umbrella on a sunny day, only to take it back when it starts to rain!”
“Do you have any idea how much of a mental breakdown I had when playing the game?!”
“Every single time, I had to run back and forth across the map repeatedly, terrified of missing even a tiny shred of information! Every single time, I had to stuff trash items into my inventory without even knowing what they were for! Every single time, I had to carefully choose dialogue options! Every single time, I had to save my game before key events!
“And yet, every single time, I could only see the information to change the ending after beating the game!
“Every single time, I could only obtain those key items after beating the game!
“Every single time, my head was held down and I was force-fed those disgusting, bizarre CGs!
“Every single time, I had to watch so many kind-hearted people die just like that!”
Ain panted heavily, venting the frustration built up in his heart.
He was just an ordinary guy who liked happy endings.
Having been drenched in the rain himself, how could he not hold up an umbrella for others?
“Sure, I'm no saint. I can't save everyone, nor do I have the obligation to save them.”
“But if you're going to try and corner me with that stupid trolley problem, let me tell you this!”
Fire blazed in Ain't eyes, and a magic circle materialized in the palm of his right hand.
“You people, who disregard the lives of others, actually think you deserve to praise yourselves as saviors?”
“Do you think you are even worthy of sitting at the same table as me?”
“Fajr...”
Before he could chant the spell, his status panel suddenly flashed in front of him.
【The God of Light has shown favor to you!】
Ain was stunned.
The God... of Light?
The one ranked third among the God Cards!
【You will permanently receive the Blessing of the God of Light!】
【Positive Effect: Divine Clarity】
【Description: Your soul will forever remain the purest existence in the world. You will be immune to all negative states, including mental pollution, soul erosion, and charm.】
【Positive Effect: God-Favored Body】
【Description: All physical functions are increased by 25%. If 【Blessing of the God of Light】 is active, this effect increases to 50%.】
【Positive Effect: Word Spirit: Prayer】
【Description: All of your words will be filled with light and hope. If 【Blessing of the God of Light】 is active, all verbal output will automatically carry the "Mental Soothing" and "Positive Suggestion" attributes, forcibly increasing the target's hope value by 30%.】
【Blessing of the God of Light】
【Effect: Mana remains consistently at its maximum limit】
【Damage dealt to you by all monsters is reduced by 50%!】
【Damage dealt to you by all impurities is reduced by 50%!】
【Damage dealt to you by all judgment magic is reduced by 50%!】
【Mana consumption of all magic is reduced by 50%!】
【Actual effectiveness of all magic is increased by 50%!】
【Duration: 10 minutes】
【Cooldown: 24 hours】
【Current Status: Inactive】
【Please save the last witch in the world, and make up for the happiness this race has never known.】
【Please defeat the person before you and shatter those filthy prejudices.】
【Please walk the mortal realm in my stead, and engrave my will upon the world.】
【Please, save the world.】
Rate on N.U.
