The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

“High Cure Adjust. Hehehe… Now, let me ask you: Do you think just the two of you will be enough to restrain me?”

Irene had unleashed a Pochi Pad Bomb with Swift Magic, dealing undeniable damage to Idïa. However, Idïa had quickly retreated and cast a recovery spell on herself.

With her wounds healed, a sense of calmness settled within her mind.

Barun and his allies, who had repelled Cleath, had succeeded only thanks to their combined strength.

Yet, facing the formidable Ishtar of the Black — Idïa, there were only Warren and Irene.

To protect the mages and warriors fighting behind them, the two found themselves obligated to confront Idïa alone. Smirking at the current situation, Idïa spoke,

“Can’t expect any support, can you?”

Looking around and reading arcane energy signals in her surroundings, Idïa found no additional adversaries. Warren and Irene were well aware of this too.

Nevertheless, retreating was not an option. Warren and Irene prepared for a deadly struggle against Idïa, fully aware that they must not falter in their efforts to successfully pull off the Lucifer Break. The success of their plan depended on the sacrifices they were willing to make.

Warren and Irene gripped their staves, bracing for Idïa’s relentless assault.

“Pesky insects…”

As Idïa charged, Warren had already been blown backward.

“…! She hits… VERY hard!”

Doing a flip in mid-air, Warren planted his staff into the ground to slow his flight.

But then, immediately after, Irene was also sent flying.

Despite attempting to endure the attack, her body could not keep up with Idïa’s fortified strength. Using a Magic Table as a foothold, Irene came to a sudden stop in mid-air. She proceeded to explain,

“Here we go!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Irene and Warren released their arcane energy, entering the Ultimate Limit state.

Idïa, as if to synchronize with them, also released her arcane energy, her raging aura enveloping Warren and Irene’s.

Despite the serious expressions on their faces, their fighting spirit remained unwavering. After all, their loved ones, their friends, were still facing the world’s strongest force of darkness, fighting without an end in sight.

“Lend us your wisdom, Warren.”

“Of course, Miss Irene. But you’ll also have to lend us your… brute force.”

This exchange served as a signal between the two.

The fact that Idïa’s onslaught was anticipated in Warren’s mind was understood by Irene as well. As such, both of them had decided to come here and take down Idïa together. What was necessary for this decision was a plan that actually worked.

Having obtained information about Idïa directly from Asley, Warren and Irene foresaw this battle and their chances of winning. To increase the almost zero probability even slightly, Warren and Irene devised a desperate strategy — another magic spell they had learned from Asley.

“”Instant Transmission!””

“What–!? GAH!?”

Disappearing and reappearing in Idïa’s blind spots, they accurately struck her with their staves, inflicting significant damage. Then their attacks momentarily halted, disengaging their Ultimate Limit states and proceeding to invoke a normal large-scale magic spell.

“”Pochi Pad Bomb!””

Though Idïa managed to dodge their Swift Magic, Irene and Warren, as if they had calculated this, also retreated. While perplexed by the fact that the two did not launch further attacks, Idïa could not help but be more concerned by the Instant Transmission spell, making her hesitant to attack.

In the meantime, the two attempted to replenish the arcane energy consumed by Ultimate Limit and Instant Transmission using Giving Magic on a Magic Table.

“Ngh…!”

Idïa, attempting to intervene, was momentarily deterred by their unusually sharp gazes.

“I will not be fooled by your petty tricks!”

“So why did you stop, then?”

“Come on, bring it! Come and get beaten!”

The duo’s provoking words seemed to successfully stroke Idïa’s anger once again.

The overflowing aura of rage and arcane energy exerted intense pressure on Irene and Warren.

“If a mudslinging contest is what you desire, then I shall oblige!! But know that the cost will be your lives!!”

Idïa’s words carried an intensified sense of threat.

It held no deeper mining — Idïa was straightforwardly challenging the two, fully prepared to take damage herself. The ground shattered as Idïa rushed forward and struck Irene’s abdomen.

“Oof…!?”

Even though she managed to jump backward and dampen the impact, Irene’s face turned momentarily pale.

Warren promptly cast a healing spell for her.

“High Cure Adjust!”

In mid-air, Irene flipped and closed the distance to Idïa by kicking off a Magic Table.

However, Idïa’s speed was too much for Irene’s eyes.

Idïa, who had circled behind Irene, proceeded to unleash a magecraft.

“Beheading Vortex!”

“Gah! Unyielding Bulwark!”

Irene swiftly invoked her Ultimate Limit, facing a myriad of slashing attacks aimed at her back with a defensive magecraft.

Warren, having used Instant Transmission to position himself behind Idïa, swung his staff from above, smashing Idïa down into the earth.

“”Pochi Pad Bomb!””

Irene and Warren once again threw their destructive magic at Idïa.

The explosions broke the ground and struck their target, but despite sustaining injuries, Idïa managed to distance herself and initiate her healing process.

“Heh… Hehehe! Your arcane energy will surely be depleted before mine! Victory will be mine in the end!”

On one side, humans — and the other, a Devil. The stark difference in arcane energy reserves was only natural.

Nevertheless, the two displayed no concern on their faces as they continued to engage in a fierce battle with Idïa.

Irene would assist Warren if he was injured, and Warren would return the favor if Irene was hurt.

While there was a difference in physical abilities between Idïa and the two, their access to Instant Transmission and their teamwork allowed them to continuously evade and counter Idïa’s fierce attacks.

And while Idïa had become a Devil, she still was human in nature. Warren’s tactical combat knowledge, informed by an understanding of said human nature, complemented Irene’s talent. As members of the Resistance, and having known each other’s fighting styles since their time at the Magic University, they skillfully navigated their way through Idïa’s onslaught.

Even with efficient use of Giving Magic and attempts to drain Idïa’s magic with Magic Drain, however, the two had limits to their arcane energy. Despite the optimization by Asley, the usage of Instant Transmission was limited to less than twenty times. They conserved arcane energy, relying on temporary invocations of Ultimate Limit and Swift Magic to deal with their adversary.

However, as Idïa predicted, the limits of the duo’s arcane energy would eventually arrive.

Gasping for breath and spitting blood, Warren and Irene glared at Idïa.

Idïa, grinning with triumph, also breathed heavily, but a hint of vitality lingered on her face.

Here, the decisive difference in arcane energy became apparent.

Warren and Irene’s arcane energy was now dwindling. Their remaining energy was nearly nonexistent, as evidenced by the auras enveloping their bodies being on the verge of fading.

Idïa, exuding confidence, prepared to launch a decisive assault, convinced of her imminent victory.

It was the first instance of complacency on this battlefield — and that overconfidence was Idïa’s undoing.

Idïa had underestimated them. She had gauged only the quantity of their arcane energy, concluding there was no other strategy left.

The aim of Warren the Black Emperor and Irene the Invincible Sprout Irene lay precisely there.

“…All right… Now is a good time…”

“Barely made it…”

“What? …Hmm!?”

Beneath Idïa’s unsuspecting steps lay a Craft Circle, neither invoked nor supplied with arcane energy. Idïa, while aware of the intricacy of this potent magecraft, did not perceive a threat from its inactive Circle. 

However, her surprise surged when, against all expectations, arcane energy began to flow through the Craft Circle, invoking its effect.

“”LIGHTNING BOUNDARY!!””

In an instant, lightning emanated from the Craft Circle, enveloping Idïa.

“GAAAAAAHHHHHH!?”

Idïa writhed in pain as if her body was being contorted.

Perplexity reflected in her eyes, directed toward Warren and Irene.

Unable to voice her questions, she understood the power of the formidable Boundary magecraft.

The two remained silent, not due to fatigue but because they had no intention of sharing information with Idïa.

“”Magic Drain.””

The two absorbed Idïa’s arcane energy while she was trapped within the Boundary, restoring their own.

With their energy back, they cast Magic Point Reduction and Demonic Acceleration, then once again used Magic Drain to absorb more of Idïa’s arcane energy. When Idïa’s Ultimate Limit wore off, her eyes showed no perplexity, only sheer terror.

With methodical efficiency, the two drained arcane energy as if it were a routine task, utilizing their enemy like a tool. Idïa, shivering before them, witnessed the complete restoration of their arcane energy. 

Warren and Irene pointed their staves at Idïa, whose eyes, contorted in fear, were fixated on their mouths.

“”Pochi Pad Bomb!””

In the next moment, Idïa vanished into thin air.

“”…!?””

Indeed, it was an odd turn of events for them.

“What in the…!? How’d she teleport away!?”

“…! A high-density arcane energy signal is rapidly moving away from this location!”

Warren tracked Idïa’s signal with his arcane energy sensing ability, but the enemy’s arcane energy already had nearly vanished.

Warren, noticing something from this information, pushed up his glasses and spoke,

“I suppose… someone has taken Idïa away.”

“Ugh, great! Just when we managed to conceal Tūs’ arcane energy, too!”

“Ah, yes… Sending Master Tūs’ Magic Shift with Ground Spell Delivery… I thought it was a clever move.”

“It IS. In that there’s no better alternative, at least.”

“Well, I suppose it won’t work next time, unfortunately…”

“Right, the enemy isn’t someone we can underestimate…”

Warren and Irene watched the intense battle unfolding behind them.

They had to return to their posts — was what they would think, but before they could, Spell Circles suddenly appeared before them.

“”…!!””

“Asley is doing it!”

“All right, here we go!”

Before them materialized the Spell Circle of Lucifer Break.

Despite their worn-out state, the two began to move their fingers in acknowledgment of Asley’s achievement.