The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

At this time, the Duodecad remained ensnared in the arcane energy aura of Devil King Lucifer.

Even if they were freed, none among them would be able to move.

One reason for this was undoubtedly the disappearance of Asley, the Eternal Fool — No, rather, that was the only reason.

“Hehehe… Your will to fight vanished in an instant. It seems Asley’s presence was that significant among you.”

No one spoke. This silence was the Duodecad’s final resistance.

The silence, however, was shattered by the landing sound of a visitor.

The impact shattered a pile of debris. Everyone, except Lucifer, looked at him.

Only Lucifer understood why the individual in question was here — And he alone could move within Lucifer’s high-density arcane energy aura.

“Billy…”

Konoha, seemingly on the verge of being crushed by Lucifer’s arcane energy pressure, spoke while glaring at Billy.

Then, the Philosopher of the Far East, Tūs, noticed Billy’s abnormal appearance and his extraordinary arcane energy.

“Wow, that’s a BIG downgrade in your fashion sense!”

Even if Tūs were to be in optimal condition, he realized he could not match the Devil Chimaera that Billy had become. Lylia, Irene, and Warren shared the same thought.

Billy walked calmly in front of the Duodecad and knelt before Lucifer.

“Your Majesty, Devil King, it seems you’ve defeated your archenemy and achieved your goal… I offer my congratulations.”

“Oh? You think it’s a good idea to approach me so casually after devouring two of my associates, Billy?”

The Devil King’s intuition enabled him to easily see through Billy’s every action.

“And the way I saw it, you also deliberately held back the Hell Emperor’s training… If you have any excuses, I’m willing to hear them. Well?”

Billy’s expression remained unchanged.

He listened to Lucifer’s words with a composed face.

Finally, Billy spoke,

“As expected of Devil King Lucifer. I am truly in awe of your insight.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all.”

“Then why did you eat Idïa and Cleath?”

Billy stood up.

While his head hung down, his arcane energy was comparable to Asley, who had been fighting just moments ago.

It seemed as if Billy was showcasing his strength.

“Oh-ho… Impressive.”

However, Lucifer showed no surprise.

The only ones in awe were the Duodecad — Tūs, Lylia, Irene, and Warren realized that, with Billy’s enhancement, humanity’s chances of victory had all but disappeared.

“Hehehe… my apologies. I’m not quite accustomed to this arcane energy yet.”

“Enough with the excuses.”

“You inquired about devouring Idïa and Cleath, yes? Now, what should I say… Well, if I must put it bluntly, it was for efficiency’s sake, perhaps?”

“Oh, efficiency, hmm?”

“By gaining their arcane energy, I’ve become this powerful. Even my familiar, Eye-Dorr, the very one you had granted me, has thoroughly been incorporated into my body, enabling me to effectively utilize its capabilities.”

“You sure love to talk.”

“Let me be concise, then. It’s more efficient to have an ambitious right-hand man than a bunch of mediocre subordinates. And I have the strength to match that. Isn’t that right, Devil King?”

Billy’s response was truly devilish.

A faint smile played on Billy’s lips as Lucifer stared back.

“You little shit…!”

Irene spoke, glaring at the back of Billy — once a friend but now a sworn enemy.

However, Billy showed no reaction. After all, the Devil King had yet to permit that action.

Then, when Lucifer averted his gaze from Billy, that issue between them was immediately resolved.

“Heh, look at you, ready to pounce at any moment. I don’t dislike that attitude of yours.”

“Your magnanimous words are deeply appreciated, Your Majesty.”

“So… you said it was for efficiency’s sake, hmm?”

“Yes…”

“Well then, here’s a command for the new, more efficient you — End this ridiculous war by yourself. Surely you would not say it’s an impossible feat now, would you?”

“Well, well… I wouldn’t dare…! Hehe… hehehe!”

Billy, with a devilish grin, turned to the Duodecad.

Right after, Devil King Lucifer released the arcane energy restraints in this space.

At this very moment, the signal for the battle between the Duodecad and Billy had begun.

“Gah…! Get into formation!!”

Following Irene’s command, everyone except Lina, Pochi, and Konoha moved behind Tūs and Lylia. Tūs’ robust guard was deflected by Billy’s powerful blow, lifting his massive body.

“GWOH–!?”

Tūs flew through the sky. Seeing the enemy’s incredible strength, Lylia, who knew his physical power, raised her swords. However, a kick from Billy’s right leg blocked Lylia’s sword, knocking it upward, and then he followed up with a kick from his left leg to her exposed abdomen.

In the next moment, Lylia, like a gigantic cannonball, swept up Irene and the others.

The tightly formed ranks disintegrated instantly, and Billy laughed joyously as he landed.

“Hahaha! I didn’t expect to achieve this much power! What a delightful turn of events!”

In the midst of Billy’s laughter echoing through the area, another discordant sound crept in.

The elite members of the Magic and Warrior Guardians Brigade, led by Haiko and Egd, arrived at this location.

“”Billy!””

Egd, Haiko, Viola, and Jeanne shouted, but the one who responded to their voices was not Billy.

It was a scream, a shout akin to the rallying cry of Konoha, the understanding comrade of the Magic and Warrior Guardians Brigade, and the respected leader among them.

“Stay away!!”

Even though Konoha tried to stop everyone, the situation did not allow for compliance.

The elite soldiers were aware — aware that Asley had lost, that Billy’s arcane energy had surged, and that humanity had lost its chance.

But they could not be stopped. The opponent was their arch-enemy, Billy.

Even if they were ordered by Gaston’s former familiar, they were unstoppable.

They were prepared for a desperate struggle — futile from the start. Even in their determination to lose while charging forward, like dead men, no one could stop them.

“”OOOHHHHHH!!””

It was no longer a march — everyone was running toward hell.

In this battlefield devoid of discipline, strategy, and hope, each one rose to give their all, to assert their selfishness, and charged with all their might against the Devil King’s right-hand man.

“How noisy.”

Billy, unconcerned by their determination, casually swept everyone aside with a wave of his right arm. One creature, enduring the pressure of his arcane energy, continued to advance — the Heavenly Beast, Haiko the Ashen Tiger.

“Air Claw!”

The fierce wind blades were blocked by the pressure of Billy’s arcane energy aura.

Nevertheless, Haiko closed the distance with Billy.

The reason lay in what he had just seen moments ago — the near-death Pochi.

Unable to allow Pochi to be killed here, Haiko’s movement was also a resolve to sacrifice itself, like the other elites.

“KAAAHHHH!”

Sharp claws struck down.

Billy effortlessly caught them.

Immediately, behind Billy, approached Lylia and Tūs — However, Billy lifted Haiko up, using him as a weapon to parry their attacks.

“GWOH–!?”

Under the tremendous impact, Haiko’s foreleg shattered into pieces, and Lylia and Tūs, who bore the brunt of Ashen Tiger’s massive body, suffered significant damage.

“H-heal and provide support!”

The one who could make the calmest decision in this situation was Warren, the Black Emperor.

Following his instructions, Viola and Jeanne attempted to provide support.

However, even that was halted by the waves of Billy’s arcane energy.

Billy’s movements were flawless. He could have defeated anyone in this place. He was an insurmountable wall against collective strength in numbers.

Everyone was on the brink of death. In such a state, an attack was unleashed to agitate Billy.

“…!?”

Where Billy glared was where Konoha stood.

However, the attack aimed at Billy was, of course, not from Konoha.

“You… Little girl…!”

Konoha spoke in a barely audible voice as she stood on the head of the girl in question.

Trembling on four legs, covered in blood-soaked fur, and with wounds sealed by recovery magic far from fully healed, it was the Fool’s familiar – Pochi – who had risen and attacked.

“My… Master…”

Pochi’s voice trembled, but her tail still wagged.

The initially weak voice from Pochi gradually gained intensity.

“…My Master said to wait!! SO I’LL WAIT!!!!”

Those were the words of Asley that Pochi had heard while she was unconscious.

–Pochi… you just wait here, all right? I’mma go… kick his ass…

The Duodecad and Konoha had heard that, too.

Right there, right then, Asley’s words were impossible to overlook.

However, everyone — except Pochi — also realized it was Asley’s bluff.

“…My Master said to wait!! SO I’LL WAIT!!!! I know he’ll pull through! All we have to do is buy time!! I mean…! I mean, he’s a mage!!”

Since ancient times, it was the duty of warriors to buy time for mages.

Warriors would buy time to assist mages in casting spells and performing magecraft.

It was a constant in fights and on the battlefield.

Pochi shouted to convey this to everyone. However, there were hardly any here who could believe it.

But there was one — someone who could believe in the continued existence of Asley.

In this place, there was a person who did not lose hope in him.

“Hah… hah… hah…!”

The one who stood up was Asley’s first student. With her remaining arcane energy, she had healed herself — a strong woman resurrected from the murky depths of consciousness. Her ragged breath yearned for life, her determined eyes inherited from her master’s conviction. Though her powerless arm swung, the words she uttered were powerful.

“Fa… Fire… Lance…!”

The flaming lance she released was easily deflected by Billy and dispersed into a mist of sparks.

However, Lina’s action spurred the other Duodecad members.

“”OOOHHHHHH!!””

With newfound resolve, the Duodecad joined Konoha and Pochi.

Their basic combat tactic, centered around Tūs, remained unchanged. It was a simple and effective procedure derived from numerous battles.

“Hmph, how annoying!”

With Pochi added to the mix, Billy’s attacks did slow down somewhat.

The arcane energy barrier emitted by Billy was defended against by all elite members of the Magic Guardians, and his tackles were blocked by the elite members of the Warrior Guardians Brigade. Pochi and Lylia provided diversions, while Tūs took on the main offensive role.

“Ngh…!”

Billy, frustrated by the lack of progress, finally transitioned into the Ultimate Limit state.

In this state, all attacks dissipated into nothingness, and Billy’s attacks became the embodiment of power.

The formation split into two as everyone was blown away by the arcane energy waves — on one side were the Duodecad members, Pochi, and on the other, the Magic and Warrior Guardians.

“CHAOS PRESS!”

A powerful gravitational field, surpassing Asley’s Gravity Stamp, was unleashed at the Duodecad.

In this situation, it was without a doubt that the Duodecad side was having the most trouble. This was Billy’s judgment, and indeed, it was not incorrect.

“Ngh…!”

Pinned down and feeling as if they were being crushed, everyone sunk into the ground. Tūs, Pochi, and Lylia glared at Billy with determination.

“Not bad at all.”

Devil King Lucifer observed from higher ground, and Billy flashed a final smile before delivering the finishing touch.

He incapacitated the Duodecad side. As mentioned earlier, this was Billy’s judgment, and indeed, it was not incorrect.

Billy’s only miscalculation was the prowess of the Magic Guardians Brigade.

“Attack formation one! Ready!”

At that command, Jeanne, Viola, and the members of the Magic Guardians Brigade instantly responded.

“NOW!!”

“”RISE, FIRE LANCE!!””

With just one word of instruction, everyone invoked the same Fire Lance spell almost subconsciously, the single lance flying straight for the Devil Billy.

“GAH!?”

The concentrated Fire Lance hindered Billy’s movement.

Although no damage was dealt, it was clear that Billy’s actions had turned into panic.

Watching this attack, the power of which surpassed Fire Lance Convergence, Lina, suffering in the gravitational field, recalled the events of a certain day.

She could never forget the day of the mountain stroll — the day she had spent precious time with Asley who had just returned from the past.

Lina remembered every word of the conversation with Asley from that time.

–…Huh, and that’s what makes a magic spell cast as a group more powerful than the sum of its parts?

–Yes, that’s right. Sir Gaston taught us that quite early on, but it still was quite surprising how much more powerful they are when seen in action.

–That means… rather than using Deca Spell to cast separate magic spells or magecraft, maybe it’s more effective to fortify a single spell using Split Invocation. That’s interesting.

–Shouldn’t you consider between them based on the situation?

–Hmm, I guess you have a point there. Maybe Deca Spell is still better for exploiting quick openings. And then a big fortification when it’s time to go all in. Something like that?

–That’s the idea, yes.

This Fire Lance’s effect on Billy was a formidable display, even by the standards of the Magic Guardians Brigade.

Sure enough, after witnessing it, Billy heightened his caution.

However, there was something even more perplexing. The Magic Guardians Brigade did move, indeed… 

But neither Viola nor Jeanne… nor anyone else had given them any command.

Subconscious movements — their bodies had acted on a level of precision etched into their very being. Truly a mastery of coordination.

But who was it that had conducted that?

Everyone, including Billy, pondered this, and the following voice led their gaze to the source.

“Oh dear… I go away for a little while, and you all start timing your rhythm to that weird chant?”

The man spoke boldly, crossing through the ranks of the Magic Guardians Brigade.

Both the Magic and Warrior Guardians looked down at him — at the unimposing physique he possessed.

“You…! How are you still–!?”

Billy trembled and glared at the man.

“What are you doing on the ground, you old bat?”

The man swept his right arm, dispelling Billy’s Chaos Press with an arcane energy wave.

Irene, Viola, Jeanne, Lina, Hornel, Konoha, and all who were freed from the spell, remained motionless, shocked by what — who — they were seeing.

“All units, the battle is not yet over.”

The calm and resolute voice of the man brought streams of tears to the eyes of every member of the Magic Guardians Brigade, especially Konoha’s.

His was an unimposing physique, yet he was an admired and revered figure.

In lieu of his missing left arm, he raised his right hand and declared,

“Get ready, Billy.”

The man, addressed with admiration and trust…

“We’re finishing what we started.”

…The Great Mage of Flame.