Chapter 124 – Meaning and Mission

Immediately after the fight began, Luke activated magic that he had optimized just for this match.

‘Blast Rising.’

Flashes of lightning were unleashed.

Multicast without chanting in order to activate nine spells at once.

Special magic that he had refined and refined.

In an instant, the spectators who were magicians understood.

Luke Waldstein really was a genius, and had thoroughly prepared for this day.

“Brilliant. However, that is not enough to catch me.”

The lightning attacks raced towards her.

And so Evangeline activated her spirit magic.

‘Air Grace.’

In an instant, Evangeline was floating behind Luke.

It was space magic.

Magic that did not exist in the realm of modern magic, and affected the rules of this world.

It ignored any idea of reason and allowed speed that was unfair.

“Indeed. You would teleport to that position.”

(He predicted that I would move here…)

She had activated it quickly.

Just barely dodging the lightning attacks.

However, Luke had known that they wouldn’t hit her in the first place.

(These are the real attacks…)

The lightning strikes from all four directions.

She didn’t even have time to cast a magic barrier.

‘Return Stroke.’

The field was bathed in light that was brighter than the sun.

Thirty-nine shots of lightning magic per second.

No one could follow what was going on.

They could not see or understand.

However, one thing was certain.

Luke Waldstein was currently dominating the arena completely.

The currents of electricity.

Smoke rose from the stone slabs of the floor.

The chain of attacks were as powerful as those of the thunder dragons that lived in the northern mountain.

Dust filled the air.

Then the wind blew, revealing a crater, as if a meteor had just crashed.

“Wonderful. If one did not have the protection of the four great spirits, like I do, it would be unbearable.”

Evangeline smiled as she brushed off the dust.

“Are you disappointed?”

“Hardly. I expected as much.”

“Good. That’s how I want it.”

She said as she looked up at Luke from the bottom of the hole.

“Now, continue to entertain me.”

The Fairy Queen, the strongest magician in the empire.

But Luke Waldstein fought in a way that seemed to overwhelm the champion.

It was as if he could see the future, and he poked at her weaknesses with precision.

His strategy was thorough. He would crush her strengths.

And what made this possible, was the maddening amount of research he had done for this fight.

“He is too strong…”

“Ah, can this be real…”

The audience watched with bated breath.

Even Luke felt that things were going well.

(I feel light. I can do it. I can see victory.)

He didn’t feel any pain on his back.

The painkillers were probably working.

‘Air Blaze.’

The attacks she was unleashing would result in a lethal wound if they hit you.

The destructive power was so strong that a magic barrier would mean nothing.

However, he knew that they wouldn’t hit him.

What supported him now, during this fight, was all the pride he had given up.

As a child, he trained for sixteen hours a day.

He was never allowed to play or rest.

‘Do you know what your grandfather did to me?’

‘It was not as easy as what you are doing. You are blessed.’

‘I did not ask for your opinion. Just do your duty as the Waldstein heir.’

It seemed like he was struck and had his hair pulled every day.

No amount of bleeding or crying would earn any sympathy.

And so in order to survive, he had to shut off his heart.

Emotion and will were not necessary.

‘Results are everything. There is no meaning if you do not win.’

He became a machine in order to obey his father’s wishes.

‘A loser has no value.’

Insults and violence.

He didn’t have a single good memory.

He was always anxious and in pain.

‘In spite of always putting on a cool expression, you are actually a hard worker.’

That’s when he met her.

‘I approve of that. After all, if I have to compete with someone, I would rather it be with someone who is actually trying. It motivates me to work harder as well.’

The first time he made a friend with an equal relationship.

‘While life can be hard, cheer up. Let’s do our best together, Luke Waldstein.’

It will be fine. He felt like he was being told that.

You can be the way that you are.

That made him happy.

It saved him.

She didn’t even know.

And he liked her.

He couldn’t help it.

He wanted to be next to her as she laughed.

God, please.

I don’t need anything else.

I won’t be greedy and ask that she turns to look at me.

Just let me be near her…

He predicted where she would teleport, and then a flash.

The exploding attack hit the Fairy Queen’s shoulder.

(I can do this. I can win.)

With such feelings, he activated the magic.

It was rare chance.

If this magic hit her directly, it would have changed the outcome of the tournament.

The magic that Luke had prepared as the finishing blow, exceeded what Evangeline had been anticipating.

However, the magic that she immediately activated also exceeded what Luke had anticipated.

‘Air Fleugel.’

In the next instant, Luke was in a forest.

A cluster of trees had filled up the field.

“Spirit magic that embodies and materializes the spirit world. While it uses up a lot of my mana, the forest replenishes it immediately again. The space that creates unlimited magic support. As long as I’m in the forest, I will not run out of mana. And with this mana, I summon high level spirits.”

It had appeared around Evangeline as if to protect her. A high ranking spirit of the sixteen pillars.

So she could summon great spirits that had more power than most magicians.

“And you think that will be enough to stop me?”

“I knew you would say that. Indeed, you may be able to deal with it.”

Said Evangeline.

“However, what can you do when there are over a thousand of them?”

The spirits then appeared as if to create a wall that blocked his vision.

There was so much mana that the air warmed around them.

“You did well.”

The cool voice echoed.

“Goodbye.”

The spirit magic shot towards him.

And that was the last thing Luke remembered.

Was there any meaning in dreams that didn’t come true?

He thought at the bottom of a world of darkness.

He had done everything that he could.

Gathering information and planning, at the expense of rest and sleep.

And yet, he had nothing but regret now.

Surely there had to be a way.

Maybe he could have changed the results.

He knew that there was no point in dwelling on it.

However, he could not help but think.

He had been so close.

And it would have made him someone who could be with her.

The future that could have been his.

The hope he was unable to achieve turned into an obsession that ate away at his heart.

He lost.

All of those days were meaningless.

And worth nothing.

He supposed it was because of his father that he thought that way.

He hated them.

And yet, he ended up thinking the same thing.

A curse.

Twisted.

He blamed himself for the results.

‘A loser had no worth at all.’

He would be branded as a loser now.

But even in his disappointment, Luke felt something warm envelop his hand.

What was this?

Someone was holding his hand.

But who?

He opened his eyes.

And he saw someone who had great tears welling up in their eyes.

“Thank god, thank god…Luke…!”

Her voice was shaking.

“They said that there wouldn’t be any after effects. Though, you’ll have to sleep for at least two weeks due to the powerful healing magic. But as long as you rest and take it easy, you’ll be able to continue as a Royal Magician. You’ll be fine…!”

And then he noticed it.

That she must have been much more worried than he thought, when sending him out.

She believed in him more than he realized.

He was important to her.

(Ah, I see.)

So there was meaning in his unfulfilled dream after all.

She had been so worried for him that she cried.

That was more than enough for him.

And so he also needed to tell something to her.

He would support her as a friend.

That was probably the mission that he had to complete.

“Noelle, you can surpass me. You can surpass the Fairy Queen. You can become the greatest magician in this world.”

Luke tried to stay awake as his consciousness faded.

“Listen. I am going to tell you how to do it…”