Chapter 313
My nose bridge was aching.
To tell the truth, sothing happened to too. The patient, even after taking a direct hit to the face, didn't lose his strength and instead put his weight on my neck to knock down. A makeshift bed that looked like an operating table toppled over, scattering dical scalpels around us.
'How are you still sane after that?'
My throat hurt from being pressed. Since he fell down too, things did go partially as expected... but I didn't think I would end up being taken down with him.
At this point, my deduction was this: If this patient is indeed the one who was chasing Narce, he approached Narce because he wanted Divine Power. I don't know where the side door of the treatnt room leads, but there must have been a path the patient knew, and he intended to go find Narce through it. However, he ran into another Mage coming to catch him, and luckily felt the Divine Power when he got close to .
'How on earth did a Non-Mage Old Human...?'
Confusion dominated my mind, but the answer is actually simple.
The most rational conjecture, and likely the truth, is that because this person was contaminated, a Vitriol core capable of sensing Magic Power is forming. Although it's not apparent yet, he will soon go berserk, and the fact that he's enduring with superhuman strength is probably also due to the Vitriol that hasn't co out of his body yet.
'Two Berserkers on the first high-risk field deploynt?'
While even Mages couldn't feel my Divine Power, I have an idea why this person noticed it. The summarized fact that Vitriol and the berserk phenonon are 'extre manifestations of emotions' serves as the basis for my deduction.
Let's set that aside for now. There's no room to think further.
In the process of falling, my personal communication artifact must have broken, as I can see a dark grey glass shard with its invisibility dispelled. I can't receive personal ssages sent to , but fortunately, the one for general communication is still working.
"Ah... Aaaah...."
The patient gritted his teeth and pressed his twisted nose with one hand. Feeling the weight of the new Berserker pressing down on my neck bones, I barely managed to secure my breath and spoke calmly.
"Co out."
I have no intention of having a leisurely conversation. If I let the new Berserker change targets and bounce around, it would be quite troubleso for us, so I had to make the patient focus solely on . At the sa ti, I also needed preparation ti to restore my Magic Power.
A supporter will co up soon. The sound of the shutter opening and closing began to co from below. Just endure for a mont. Just a mont. Repeating that to myself, I focused on the sounds of my friends' special spells coming through the artifact. Listening to the sounds, the 7th floor is already in chaos just from being out of the combat force. If I inform them that a new Berserker has appeared and I'm currently under attack, the balance barely being maintained might break in that instant. Especially psychologically.
"Ugh...."
Sweat-drenched hands began searching for my core on my back. A bizarre expression whose aning I couldn't decipher appeared on the patient's face, which I checked out of the corner of my eye. He seed on the verge of tears as if he felt the Divine Power but didn't know what to do next, and at the sa ti, he looked out of it, so there's no way to express it other than truly bizarre.
And....
Although I didn't make such an expression, I couldn't maintain my previous expression either. In an instant, the Magic Power in my limbs and head drained out and gathered near my heart. In other words, the Magic Power of my core is currently being sucked into his body, and if my Magic Power runs low like this....
Wait. Wait, wait, wait!
Thwack―!
"Ugh...!"
"...That won't do."
I have no intention of begging for soone else's blood again. Especially in such a public place.
My head throbs from headbutting the patient's face. My vision is spinning, but is this the ti to wait for it to adjust? I turned my body, slamd the patient's head into the floor, and pinned down his limbs. Since the patient is an Old Human male and on the verge of going berserk, I thought it wouldn't be very easy, but anyway, he was an Old Human so his bones were light, and decisively, he was a head shorter than . Even so, perhaps because he lost his reason and was in a frenzy, it wasn't easy to pin him down even with New Human strength.
"Grrck, kraaaack!"
'No, what is this....'
Foam ford at the corners of the patient's mouth along with the sound of teeth clashing. He's trying to bite now; is this really okay?
I gritted my teeth, lifting my head as much as possible to get away. Unlike all the Berserkers I've dealt with after receiving reports so far, seeing that Vitriol hasn't co out yet, it ans it's maturing inside the body. If I use Magic Power on his blood vessels instead of destroying the core, there's a possibility he'll absorb it and beco stronger. Regardless of the cause of the rampage, a Berserker feels thirst for Magic Power and goes crazy to absorb external Magic Power. In that process, even if they get hurt by forcibly absorbing Magic Power, eating soone else's Magic Power is their top priority—survival—goal.
However, to destroy the core, if I take my hands off, I'll be bitten by those snapping teeth.
I could consider a plan to take the risk and flow maximum Magic Power through my arms to destroy the Vitriol core, but that risk bothers . If I fail, I'm making one more victim like that Grade 3 Berserker.
'If I could use Divine Power right now, I could buy so ti.'
Even without entering the labyrinth, I can buy a few seconds with purification magic. Even if not that, it would be good to attack using a special formula with just Magic Power....
As soon as I had that thought, the sound of the shutter going up began to be heard nearby. Now, really, if I just endure a little longer, support will co. Just as I thought I should save the imdiate attack for the supporter's safety, soone kicked the door.
Bang―!
"Found him. I'll take Lukas."
It's Narce.
Narce, who was speaking with his hand on his artifact, smiled when our eyes t.
'Not a supporter....'
The tension released all at once.
Narce sat facing and placed his hand on the forehead of the snapping patient. The light of Divine Power flashed.
—Unless Yahweh keeps the city, the watchman's wakefulness is in vain.
For a mont, the patient's movent stopped. As he fell asleep, the veins standing out on his neck gradually subsided. As I caught my breath with a slight sense of despondency and let out a hollow laugh, Narce smiled gently.
"Maybe because he's an Old Human and hasn't gone fully berserk yet, he doesn't know how to defend. That's a relief."
"...Yeah, that's a relief."
"Grab on."
Narce helped up and took out an elixir.
"I was surprised because I envisioned a future where one more person went berserk... but you changed it. This one can return to normal if just treated."
"That's good news."
I answered like that and examined Narce. Unlike before, he is purifying the space. Even now, Divine Power is continuously draining out through the Staff Narce is holding. Narce explained the situation to the supporter who arrived just in ti, and anwhile, I drank the elixir. While the supporter restrained the sleeping patient with Magic Power, I looked at the upper floor and opened my mouth.
"I've been thinking."
"You've been thinking. While going through that just now?"
Narce looked back at with a laugh. He seed too distracted to have read my thoughts yet.
"There are five up there. Heike is maintaining the barrier, and four are draining the Berserker's energy."
"Right. I returned both escapees. Now you and I just need to go up."
Not only that, but he's casting purification magic even stronger than before to prevent further rampages. I can see white light flooding into the wards, perhaps to reassure the patients. I swallowed those words and looked at the light of Magic Power bursting on the upper floor.
I need to call Ulrike a bit. Unable to make a personal call, I inevitably asked so everyone could hear.
"Uli... no. Luise, how is the Berserker's pattern?"
[Uh, first... it's wary of all of us. It's spraying Vitriol indiscriminately.]
"It seems it's not focusing only on the person attacking in close range right now?"
"With six more people present, it thought attacking you wasn't advantageous."
Connecting it with what Ulrike told us earlier makes sense.
[Uh-huh, that's it! It's observing all directions. Although it's dull even doing that... the Vitriol is so strong that it's hard to withstand even with that level of calculation. Where are you right now? I heard strange sounds earlier...!]
"Just a mont. Thanks."
I looked at Narce again and said.
"This patient wanted your Divine Power."
"Quick to grasp the situation~"
"And that Berserker upstairs received treatnt close to torture multiple tis, and although you might not have felt it, that patient probably wasn't treated well usually either. The nurse also said he probably went berserk because he wanted to go outside."
"...So?"
"If the illness is cured, they can escape this hell called a ntal hospital, so there's no reason not to seek Divine Power. If you help, I'll go."
"Ah."
[...Are you crazy?! Lukas!]
[...That's how you can be called the Imperial Academy's number one.]
[You stay out of it!]
[O, okay. Lukas. I don't know what it is, but for Leo to say that much....]
Ulrike intervened in Leo and Elias's conversation. Ulrike, who thinks Leo and I are awkward, might say 'that much', but Leo was originally like that, and also perceptive as usual. I don't know when the 3rd test's number one changed to the school corporation's number one, but Elias also understood what I was saying. Even though he didn't even see what I went through.
Narce smiled regretfully and replied.
"Lukas, think one more ti. Although I was continuously purifying this place, that Berserker didn't chase ."
"It ans it has at least a little intelligence."
"Hmm... That Berserker knew it would be caught if it ca to ?"
"Yes."
Narce pulled out all the artifacts from his ears and also pulled out the artifact hanging on my ear. He prevented the sound from going over to the headquarters and said.
"That's the sa even if you beco the bait. Besides, only that patient on the verge of going berserk luckily noticed your, ..., there's no guarantee that side will notice too."
"What about your Foresight?"
"...Haha."
It ans it seems likely to notice. If I just approach close enough.
I pointed to the artifact in his hand and said.
"You wrap in Divine Power."
That will be a smokescreen for the headquarters. A montary delight flashed through Narce's eyes, which held light. When I looked at him again thinking I was mistaken, his expression had returned to its usual neatness.
"......."
Bang―!
As Narce stomped his foot, Divine Power burst out. He hung the artifact on my ear and swept his hand down my shoulder from there. Divine Power wrapped over my clothes like a barrier.
"Will covering this much be enough?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
I smiled as gently as possible to say goodbye and called Leo.
"Leo. I'm going to dig in with a sword. You five support according to the situation."
[.......]
"If we exceed the recomnded ti, the survival rate drops drastically. You know we can't drag this out any longer. Don't be swayed by personal feelings and make a judgnt."
[...No, guys! What are you doing right now!]
Ulrike's voice filled with despair was heard. Tsheringen and Heike had no reaction. To the three, it would sound like 'Even if you hate , listen to what I ask'... so they must be thinking teamwork is totally shattered at this point. It was indeed said to sound negative at least to the three.
Soon, an answer ca from Leo. As if binding a core with thread, Leo's Magic Power began to wind tightly. He is signaling about the future strategy.
[Do it.]
"Counting down. Heike, remove the barrier."
[...Got it.]
I grabbed the 6th-floor railing and ran so that the Berserker firing Vitriol in all directions could see . Since the Berserker was on the floor right above where I stood, I had to go to the opposite side.
Why?
"3, 2...."
Because I won't use the stairs.
I aid my Wand at the iron bridge heading to the 7th-floor surveillance room and said.
"1."
Bang―!
Applying Magic Power to my legs and running, I used the barrier ford under my feet as a stepping stone, took a running jump, and grabbed the bridge. Thanks to being trained to death by Leo, it didn't take long to climb onto the bridge after hanging in the air. I stepped on the crude rebar bridge where one person could barely pass and landed on the corridor floor in front of the ward. Only after I passed did the bolts of the bridge, which had corroded and weakened, co loose and fall vertically.
Screech― Crash, Clang―!
I rolled my Wand, changed it into a sword, and charged. Tsheringen and Leo were attacking after retreating about two steps from their previous positions, and the Berserker's gaze turned to .
Slice―
The Berserker's Vitriol flies toward . I cut through that mud, threw it to the floor, and closed in right in front of the Berserker's nose. I feel the Vitriol poking intensely at my Body Veil. Aggression that couldn't be felt from ordinary Magic Power pressed on my lungs. I see the Berserker's mouth opening. Unusually, Narce didn't co up, probably because he read my plan just now.
"Aaaaaaaack!"
The Berserker scread and stomped its foot hard. The black sli covering the floor soared in all directions.
'As expected.'
It doesn't bite imdiately just because I threw bait, but is wary of everyone. I covered my front with both arms and retreated.
Sizzle―....
"...!"
When Vitriol touched the place where the Body Veil was thinnest, the fabric in that spot changed as if scorched by fire. When I applied force, it fell off as if truly burnt. If this touches the skin, what will happen.... Since it's clear I'd need to go to the ergency room before the bone lts, it's better not to imagine further. The reason this person is a high-risk Berserker is due to intelligence, but the aggression of this Vitriol must have also played a part. Even Elias, who would have joked not to ruin expensive clothes, was more serious than ever now, and everyone continued to confront the Berserker as they did earlier. Still, I am the only one who needs to create a variable.
'It would be good if I could confer with my friends.'
In this situation, there is no ti to make everyone understand. At least the rest, excluding Ulrike and Heike, must have roughly guessed the plan from the mont I ca upstairs wrapped in Narce's Divine Power. I have no choice but to rely on the fact that Leo fortunately rated the success probability of my plan highly.
Bang―!
Backing into the ward door while blocking attacks, I cut away the attacks of the Berserker shooting Vitriol in all directions with my sword and ran toward him again. I see the Berserker's mouth opening again.
"Aaaaaaaack!"
Striking down with the sword toward the Berserker's head, I relaxed the strength in my hand.
Bang―! Splat―
"...?!"
I see Ulrike's widened eyes in the distance.
The mont I relaxed my hand, naturally, I was hit by the Berserker's attack and fell, and the Berserker didn't miss the opening created by my fall. A barrage of Vitriol incomparable to before poured toward the side where my friends, including Leo, were. Perhaps sensing sothing ominous, screams of people in the ward are heard. While pouring attacks on my friends, he lifted a lump of sli that was his foot and stomped down on my calf.
Crunch―
"...!"
It feels like the bone will break. Since I reinforced the Body Veil at least, I probably don't have to worry about dying from contamination. I tried to reassure myself.
Rumble― Bang―!
Changing strategy against the friends' attacks continuing to co in, the Berserker trapped and himself in Vitriol. A blunt hand covered in pitch-black mud, no, a lump that used to be a hand, began searching for the place where the core would be on top of the Body Veil.
This person is also trying to suck Divine Power just like that patient earlier. The emotional pain and resentnt accumulated from inhumane 'treatnt' acts caused him to go berserk, and if viewed from a slightly different angle, that rampage is the result of a strong desire to eliminate his illness and escape the prison-like hospital. How rational the rumor is, is not important to those who are suffering.
And cleverly, it is true that Divine Power is a tool to cure certain kinds of diseases.
My vision turns black due to the do-shaped Vitriol curtain. There is no ti to think further. If I stay a little longer, I die.
"Lukas! Why aren't you using the Magic Formula!"
Ulrike, who hadn't noticed my plan yet, shouted urgently. She must have shouted so loudly that Ulrike's voice pierced through the artifact and was heard with just my ears.
I'm about to use it anyway. Although it will be used in a different direction than Ulrike's expectation. I quietly muttered the spell.
[If you remain in and my words remain in you.]
Crack― Bang―!
[Ask whatever you wish.]
Before the words even finished, sothing broke, and red Magic Power sparked on the Berserker's wrist in the darkness. The mont the binding Magic Power, amplified by Amplification Magic, firmly fixed the Berserker's and my hands, I distributed Magic Power with my still-free other hand and extended my arm.
'To where the 6th-floor railing would be.'
Please.
Quickly!
Thud―
The Vitriol do on the side I extended my hand to was pierced by red Magic Power. The Berserker's head turned that way. It happened in an instant. Feeling the Magic Power hook firmly onto sothing, I pulled hard. I feel the center of gravity disappearing.
Success. The Berserker's body fell into the air with .
"Uh, uh-uh-uh-uh!"
"W, wait! Lukas!"
Following Ulrike, even Heike, who was reinforcing the barrier at the rear gate stairs far away, shouted loudly.
***
'Th...!'
Leo grabbed the ward handle behind him and stomped his foot. Several plant stems caught the friend falling into the air. Trying not to break his bones gives a headache.
His heart beat like crazy, so nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat was heard in his ears. It must be due to fear. To prevent emotions from ruining the job, one must always face one's condition clearly. Leo raised his hand sharply upward. At the sa ti, a sound not made by him burst out from sowhere on the 6th floor.
Boooom―!
Divine Power exploded on the 6th floor, blinding the view. That single blow that purified ten thousand square ters could now be used. Narce snatched the falling Berserker, and Yulia and Elias imdiately drove the Berserker to one side as if they had planned it. Ulrike Kleist and Heike Ainsidel followed belatedly. Thus, Narce was finally able to burst his core. Leo closed his eyes, relying on other senses for balance, and pulled his arm back sharply.
Thud―
A human covered in Vitriol fell to the floor. Even though he thought he calculated it, the sound of coughing is heard, perhaps because he pulled wrongly.
Leo briefly checked his friend's condition and imdiately swung his Wand in all directions to prevent the Berserker's Vitriol from bursting out for the last ti. The Berserker's scream was louder than ever. It was natural since he himself must know now that his ti has co.
Isolating him on the 6th floor to seize victory. This must have been Lukas's plan.
If only a mont of respite is created, if we can suppress the Berserker like that, we can attack while keeping a distance. The reason we didn't attack with a floor's difference until now is clear enough for anyone to know. It is madness for everyone to attempt ranged attacks in a state where the Berserker is not subdued. Do you think the Berserker won't jump up?
Furthermore, the Berserker was on the top floor from the start, didn't fall obediently to the lower floor, and even if he actually fell, it was difficult to prevent the risk that a counterattack would return imdiately as long as the Berserker's interest was focused on all of us. Wasn't that what I thought from the mont I rejected Yulia's proposal?
The reason we were able to subdue the first high-risk Berserker....
Is because Lukas grasped the victim's essence and beca bait, giving us an opening. While we focused on the Berserker's aggression, he thought about the process until the victim went berserk. It was a trivial difference, but at least to , who knows he is Nicolaus Ernst, it didn't co across as trivial. He clearly didn't forget the fact that the Berserker wasn't a monster from the beginning but was once our citizen, and still is.
The Berserker's voice diminished and cut off completely. Leo completely withdrew and eliminated the plant stems used to pull Lukas up to the 7th floor and muttered.
"Crazy."
"......."
Lukas, sprawled on the floor perhaps from fatigue, only laughed with an expression asking if I had the mind to act out a bad relationship even in this situation. Then, staggering up to sit, he shook off the Body Veil to drop all the Vitriol and asked quietly.
"It's all over, right? Did it take exactly about 15 minutes?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Now we just need to send him to the hospital."
Leo took out the signal device for final reporting to headquarters from his jacket pocket and threw it. Even though the aning was obvious, Lukas only looked up expressionlessly. Leo gestured and explained briefly.
"You report."
"......."
If it were Elias, he probably would have fooled around asking where is the guy who makes soone take credit for sothing like this at this mont. Perhaps understanding the aning behind the words, Lukas smirked and pressed the button three tis. He exhaled a long breath and spoke calmly.
"Terminated. We are returning."
User Comments
0 comments from readers