Invincible
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#145
🕑 Added 2024-11-07 12:33:41 +0000 UTCSkull of the Incubus (3)
Awareness in dreams is always vague.
Even if you dream of being attacked by a ghost, you don't know if you're dead or not. You just transition to the next dream without waking up.
Even if people you've never seen before become your family, as long as you don't realize it's strange, you don't pay much attention to it.
It's a hazy feeling, as if that's how your daily life has always been.
Leana must be in that state right now.
Leana swung her red hair towards the armored knight rushing at me.
Clang!
The way she shattered the knight's armor with her sword, as if refusing to let the enemy even approach, made her look every bit like a true knight.
Leana, having finished up, muttered softly.
"What a strange dream..."
It seemed she had realized it was a dream.
Even so, it didn’t seem like there was much to worry about.
If we only look at the results, I had been quietly concerned she might think something like, "Since it's a dream, I can kill anyone!" But that worry was unfounded.
I'm not exactly sure why, but if I had to guess, it's probably because someone like her, with such a strong sense of integrity, would find it against her knightly code to kill someone who showed her goodwill.
Even if everything were just a dream, doing so would mean betraying her own beliefs.
Which means my task is...
"Your father would be very pleased. He always liked strong women."
By making such remarks, which Hersel, her sworn enemy, would never say, I reminded her of the distance between dream and reality.
To keep her aware that it's all just a dream...
If she ever realized this was all real, that blade would surely turn towards my neck.
"Huh? Oh, that’s good news!"
Leana's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
It was a good reaction.
It seems her rejection was triggered by how different I was from the Hersel she knew, but that would soon lead to the conclusion, "Oh, it's because this is a dream."
Now, it’s time to move on with my task.
My goal is to safely reach the hidden room while under her protection.
"This place has been cleared out. Let's move to the next location."
"Next location?"
Leana asked, and I blinked as if puzzled.
"Have you already forgotten? We came here to retrieve the stolen treasure."
"Oh, right."
Leana nodded her head.
Since she thought it was a dream, she easily accepted the story I made up in three seconds, even though it lacked any real coherence.
As I pointed the way and we started moving, Donatan chided me.
‘You sly scammer...?’
Well, he’s not wrong.
Even I have to admit, this is like a romance scam.
***
At the outskirts of Frostheart, there's a fascinating place where the mana vortex endlessly churns.
A mana current so hard to grasp, and just as hard to control.
The former faculty believed it was ideal for training, and now it has been converted into a sealed magic chamber, available only to the chosen of the Adele Hall.
Rockefeller waved his staff like a conductor leading an orchestra, gradually slowing down the swirling mana.
Then, with a satisfied smile, he looked at the students gathered in the rather cramped space.
"Hmm, doing well."
The first-year students in the magic division of the Adele Hall were all burdened with uncomfortable restraints.
Those who had first awakened their sense of sight wore blindfolds, and those who awakened their sense of hearing had earplugs.
Those with an awakened sense of touch were restricted to breathing through a single straw and were sealed in a tank.
Rockefeller shifted his gaze from Bellman, who had his nose clamped shut with tongs.
"If only there had been one more student who awakened their sense of smell.."
'It’s a bit disappointing, but I should be satisfied with this much.'
Bellman, who showed exceptional talent in barrier magic, and Edina, who specialized in the unique field of elemental transformation magic—both of them had already entered the awakening stage, as expected of students coveted even by the prestigious Wisdom Magic Academy.
'With a bit more effort, they could reach the level of those two.'
The main reason for numbing their dominant senses was to aid in the awakening of their other senses.
The chaotic mana swirling around this place stimulated their nerves, and if it worked, they might succeed in awakening them this time.
Then, suddenly, Rockefeller realized there was another talent he hadn’t yet accounted for.
"Hmm, I need to make a spot for Ricks Don Orian soon, but which one of these guys should I fail...?"
"Professor, I think I heard your inner thoughts," a student timidly remarked.
"I said it so you would hear."
Rockefeller turned away from the nameless student.
Clang, clang.
At that moment, a strange sound of armor clattering could be heard from outside.
It sounded like the knights were passing by, but then the unexpected intruder started banging on the door of the sealed magic chamber.
"Who the hell...?"
With an irritated look, Rockefeller opened the door using telekinesis.
What appeared was not a student, but a suit of armor with a hollow face.
"...What on earth?"
The armored knight lunged forward.
Rockefeller instantly crushed the armor into a pile of scrap metal with telekinesis.
Crash!
Rockefeller gripped his staff tightly and approached the door.
"Keep up with your training."
He opened the door to check the situation outside.
The distance between the magic chamber and the fortress wasn’t too far.
Rockefeller used telekinesis to lift himself and landed at the top of a tree.
Then, using conjuration magic, he created a giant telescope to inspect the fortress.
Students wandered around as if in a daze, and the professors were aimlessly meandering as well, chatting and swaying.
The armored knights, like the one he saw earlier, were patrolling the area as if conducting a search.
"It seems something’s happening again."
Rockefeller quickly returned to the magic chamber.
Using telekinesis, he removed the uncomfortable restraints from the students and freed those trapped in the tanks.
"It’s an emergency. Something’s happening again at the academy. Arm yourselves immediately."
Bellman sighed lightly and asked, "Again?"
"Yes, again."
Though he spoke casually, Rockefeller was growing tired of the situation.
Whenever one major incident seemed to be over, another would erupt.
It was getting to the point where he felt on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"...Honestly, I just want to quit."
This year was undoubtedly cursed.
***
This scenario would be easily cleared under Rockefeller’s guidance.
They would dispel Ricks’s hypnosis in the Schlaphe Hall with purification magic, gradually increase their numbers, and destroy the core of the "Nightmare Incubus Irte."
Before they cleared the scenario, I had to hurry and find the hidden item.
Tap, tap, tap.
I arrived at the first-floor lobby of the fortress.
The grandfather clock here was the hidden location in the dungeon.
I quickly turned the hands of the clock to 12 o’clock.
Clang!
Leana was busy knocking down the approaching armored knights.
Click.
The chimes of the grandfather clock rang out crazily, and soon the entire face became blurry.
Then, a portal appeared, swirling with strange colors as if mixed with bizarre paints.
I hastily grabbed Leana by the wrist.
"This way."
"Ah..."
Leana's body stiffened for a moment, and then she threw herself into the portal with me.
The world beyond the portal was filled with pillars engraved with vertical stripes.
Weeds sprouted sparsely between the tiles of the stone floor.
And in the pastel-colored sky, giant birds soared through the heavens.
Leana gulped.
"Those are..."
"Don't worry. They won't attack us."
"Where are we?"
This was a place shaped by Irte's trauma.
But, of course, I couldn't tell her that.
"It's a hideout for thieves."
"I see."
I pointed to the far end of the stone floor, where a massive temple stood tall.
That was where the treasure was hidden.
But in order to get there, we had to deal with the knights of illusion.
Just like trauma is a memory one doesn't want to share, the knights of illusion, who protected it, were on a different level than ordinary armored knights.
Before facing them, I needed to check Leana's condition.
"Wait, stand still for a moment."
"...Alright."
Leana lowered her gaze as I carefully examined her body.
I rolled up her sleeve and saw the bruises.
They were marks from fighting enemies recklessly without armor.
"You're pretty badly hurt."
When I pointed it out, Leana nonchalantly pulled her arm back.
"But it doesn't hurt."
Those trapped in the world of illusions don't feel pain.
If they did, it would only be a matter of time before they realized this was reality.
I pulled out my staff and cast a healing spell.
"Still, it's not good to leave it untreated."
The bruises faded away as if they'd been washed clean.
Leana, startled, quickly pulled down her sleeve.
"I'll heal you again when this is over."
Even when the illusion world fades, injuries remain.
If there’s any trace left behind, it could become evidence, so it's better not to leave anything.
Leana suddenly turned her head sharply.
I thought for a moment that the knights of illusion had already appeared, so I hastily activated my inventory magic.
But no, there was nothing there—only her slightly trembling voice.
"Thank you..."
"So, you do know how to express gratitude. Ahem, it's only natural. It would be a bad memory if you wore a dress with bruises, after all."
...I almost spoke the way I usually do.
Thanks to my quick thinking, I managed to avoid the awkwardness, and with my inventory magic ready, I drew my cursed sword.
[Shadow Blade of Weakening]
- When imbued with magical energy, the blade's sharpness is amplified.
- Weakens the opponent's armor, dealing additional damage.
- One spell can be engraved on it.
Unlike the armored knights from outside, the knights of illusion weren’t as numerous.
When Leana draws their attention, using my 'Mana Blade' wrapped in Liquid Gold should be of great help.
In urgent situations, I could rely on basic body enhancement to deal with them.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
As we walked across the stone floor, a knight with a red-plumed helmet and a spear rushed at us.
Leana deflected the spear with her sword, but the knight quickly regained his stance, his red eyes glowing from inside the helmet.
Sensing that this was no ordinary opponent, Leana let out a faint sigh and steadied her breathing.
The first strike came from the knight of illusion.
He thrust his spear with lightning speed.
Leana gritted her teeth and parried the blow, sparks flying from the metal clash.
Clang, clang!
The spear trembled in the knight's hand as it reached the end of his thrust, the momentum making it shake.
Leana seized the opportunity, confidently closing the distance until she was within striking range.
The knight swung his spear horizontally in a wide arc, but Leana quickly ducked to avoid it.
Thud.
With another step forward, Leana unleashed a series of strikes at the knight’s armor.
The sound was like a machine gun firing.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
When the knight tried to swing his spear again, Leana struck his arm to stop him.
When he attempted a kick, she countered by slashing at his thigh with her sword.
As expected from someone with top-tier stamina, her attacks showed no signs of stopping.
Donatan marveled.
'Her wrist is flexible, allowing her to handle the recoil easily. Since she doesn't get tired, there's no end in sight.'
'Huh?'
'The end of a continuous strike usually depends on breathing, muscle overheating, and how much strain the wrist joints can take. With all three factors working together, the knight will fall before her attack ends.'
Her endurance was impressive enough to earn top marks.
Now that she had strengthened her only weakness—her wrists—she could pull off these relentless attacks.
Clang!
Finally, the knight's hand released the spear.
As Leana's eyes glinted with determination, the knight’s armor fell apart piece by piece.
Just like that, Leana single-handedly defeated the knights of illusion.
I considered stepping in to help occasionally, but the conditions were perfect for her growth.
She seemed to be enjoying it too, and I didn’t want to interfere with her getting stronger.
However, the last knight of illusion, the one guarding the treasure, would require my help for sure.
***
Silla, sitting in the Adele Hall café, looked around with a disinterested expression.
What she saw was still the ballroom, but no one came to ask her to dance.
"Is my popularity really this low?"
She was the eldest daughter of the Ryanhart family.
She always stood out in her group, and her appearance was more than enough to attract the attention of men.
Such a situation was unthinkable.
Realizing the strange dissonance between reality and her expectations, Silla pinched her cheek.
"Ouch!"
Her cheek stretched like soft dough, but it didn’t hurt.
"Sigh. Of course, this is a dream."
At that moment, the ballroom scene, which had seemed so real, burned away like a painting set aflame, scattering into ashy remnants, revealing a dim and eerie interior.
The carpet, the curtains, and the furniture all had an antique design, but the structure oddly resembled the Adele Hall café.
"What a bizarre dream."
Then, the sweet music from the orchestra turned into a horrible, screeching sound, like the squeals of a pig being slaughtered.
"Squeal! Squeeeal!!"
Silla grimaced and covered her ears.
Even in her dreamy state, the sound was unbearable.
Silla hurriedly left the café, as if escaping.
"Ugh, that off-key fool."
Outside, armored knights were wandering around, with students laughing and chatting as they followed them.
Though it was a strange sight, Silla didn’t feel too out of place.
She felt a pleasant warmth and wanted to enjoy the fresh air outside.
As she made her way downstairs, she heard a familiar voice.
"Waaah, Serta, why are you leaving me?"
"Shut up, you idiot. I only put up with your disgusting tone because of the money."
It was Limberton, clinging to a woman’s skirt, crying, while she, a girl from the Burger House, kicked him repeatedly with her shoes.
Silla smirked.
"Heh, I knew it would turn out like this."
She ignored them and continued down the stairs, but then the woman's angry voice rang out loudly.
"Know your place! Honestly, what are you even good at? You just leech off Hersel and follow him around. Without him, you're nothing. Got it?"
Recently, Limberton had gained some popularity.
But in reality, he was just like that—someone who followed around the successful ones, trying to pick up scraps.
"Pathetic. He’s deluded, and now he's getting what he deserves."
Silla thought to herself, knowing Limberton would always be a pitiful fool.
She turned her gaze away from the couple.
However, for some reason, her feet wouldn’t move.
Suddenly, the memory of that moment came back to her.
The time during the demon realm practice when she was captured by Luon’s gang, and that guy, who could have just left her, instead aimed his bow at the chained-up leader of the three-headed wolf and said—
"But unlike you guys, she has balls."
Her blood boiled at the thought.
With angry strides, Silla approached the woman and glared at her.
"Hey, you. He may be an idiot, but he's not that much of one."
After all, this was just a dream.
Like a breeze that would be forgotten as soon as she woke up, it wouldn’t matter.
For just this once, Silla decided to grudgingly acknowledge that, back then, that guy had been somewhat cool.
***
Leana was gasping for breath.
Even with her extraordinary stamina, taking down the knights of illusion all by herself seemed to have worn her out.
Still, those enemies were all nourishment for her growth.
Since she had taken them down on her own, by the time this battle was over, she would have grown even stronger.
"The temple... we’ve finally arrived."
Leana pointed to the entrance.
I took the lead and stepped over the threshold.
What awaited us inside was a mysterious man and the nightmare incubus Irte.
And something very different from the Dorosian I knew—Dorosian from the future.
