Chapter 196
The witch hunt originally planned to corner Kraush.
Taria's intervention in the middle completely disrupted the situation.
However, thanks to this, Rona realized one fact.
"Taria, you should have told me in advance that you're a servant of the World Erosion Beings."
Rona is a servant of the Black Witch.
Therefore, she had heard something from her in advance.
That there was a servant of the World Erosion Beings helping Kraush inside the academy.
Just as Crimson Garden couldn't recognize the servant of the Black Witch.
The Black Witch also couldn't immediately recognize Crimson Garden's servant.
Usually, Crimson Garden's servants deliberately show off their allegiance by wearing something on their necks.
Taria, however, was hiding the power of the World Erosion through a purposely crafted turtleneck T-shirt, just in case.
Rona touched the magical tool on her neck as if she regretted something.
If this magical tool could have revealed that Taria was a servant of the World Erosion Beings, it would have been better.
'Unfortunately, this magical tool I made is fake.'
Rona's magical tool crafting skills are certainly worthy of being called genius.
But even Rona wasn't omnipotent.
Because it was impossible to instantly create an extraordinary magical tool that could identify only the servants of the World Erosion Beings.
So, Rona just made a fake sword that reacts to Mirey.
Mirey, without even realizing it herself, was a servant planted by the Black Witch.
Anyway, those ignorant about magical tools would, the moment Mirey was revealed as a servant of the World Erosion Beings.
Blindly believe in the power of the magical tool.
The problem was that, because of this, her identity was exposed to Taria.
"What bad luck."
Just one thing.
The magical tool she was holding, which provoked the World Erosion and caused it to go berserk, was real.
This was a magical tool born from combining her magical tool crafting skills with the Black Witch's black magic.
[Black Witch, that woman. Did she copy my power?]
Crimson Garden belatedly realized the process by which Rona's sword was created.
In the past, Crimson Garden, who belonged to Ixion, gathered power by provoking the World Erosion and making it go berserk.
And the Black Witch adapted her ability to recreate black magic, producing such a magical tool.
At that moment, Rona's magical tools began to move all at once again.
As Taria dodged the flying magical tools, Rona deliberately raised her voice.
"Taria, could you not interfere between servants of the World Erosion Beings?"
Taria would also be in trouble if her identity as a servant of the World Erosion Beings was revealed.
At least at Rahelrn Academy, she wouldn't be able to lead a normal school life.
So, Rona deliberately drew attention and raised her voice.
However, she noticed that Denver, the associate professor of the Theology Department, who was desperately pouring her strength to stop Mirey, wasn't reacting at all.
Soon after, Rona, who touched her neck, frowned.
Taria had magically blocked the transmission of sound around her.
'Quick-witted.'
As expected of the First Year President of the Magic Studies Department, Taria's response was swift.
It was as if she could see through her thoughts.
Crackle!
But that didn't mean Taria had the advantage.
Because once again, her signature lightning magic was absorbed by Rona's lightning rod magical tool.
She couldn't use her specialty magic.
This was a critical issue for Taria as well.
However, Taria's expression only glared at Rona.
It wasn't a look of someone who had lost her will to fight.
Rona, controlling her magical tools freely, fell into thought.
'What to do.'
If she stayed here any longer, professors or other associate professors would swarm in, and Rona would have no options.
But even so, creating this mess and retreating without any gains didn't sit well with her.
The Black Witch wants the Ignis that Kraush possesses.
If so, she needed at least one thing that he could put on the negotiation table.
'Negotiation.'
A word used when exchanging something valuable.
Then, what would be valuable to Kraush here?
Rona's mind began to race quickly.
'In the end, a hostage is the best choice.'
The students gathered at Rahelrn Academy were all skilled individuals.
If she tried to kidnap them recklessly and wasted time, it would also be troublesome for her.
Then, she had to pick someone Kraush valued highly but wouldn't take much time to capture.
'There is.'
At that moment, a person crossed her mind.
The magical tools around her body began to spin.
She intended to escape from the Theology Hall as it was.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
It was at that moment.
The Storm of Lightning burst out from Taria's body in an instant.
The Storm of Lightning passed by Rona and touched the wall of the Theology Hall, causing blue currents to flow across the entire wall.
Within the space of those currents, Taria slowly adjusted her glasses.
"I can hear the sound of your scheming all the way here."
Her clothes and hair fluttered along with the currents flowing out of her body.
Chill!
That sight looked extremely dangerous, even to Rona.
"......How?"
Rona's eyes widened.
Because Taria was freely controlling lightning magic.
Clearly, the lightning rod magical tool should have absorbed all of her lightning magic.
She couldn't understand how Taria was unharmed.
"Do you really think you can suppress me with just one magical tool? Isn't that too naive?"
At that moment, Rona's eyes caught the lightning rod magical tool.
The lightning rod magical tool, charred black, was clearly non-functional at a glance.
Just how much lightning magic had to be poured into it for it to be destroyed like that?
'It's a magical tool that can absorb most lightning magic for at least a week.'
Rona realized anew what kind of person the First Year President of the Magic Studies Department at Rahelrn Academy was.
A place where those aiming for the pinnacle of magic gathered, yet she had reached the peak.
A human shaped by talent, she operated on a different level of common sense.
Crackle!
As Rona was flustered, her currents grew even more intense.
Her entire body was enveloped in lightning magic.
The lightning was so intense that even her hair color glowed white and blue.
Thunder King.
It was the appearance that best suited the nickname she would later be called by.
"I need to quickly deal with the rampaging Mirey, and I feel slightly ashamed for not noticing this sooner."
She raised her right hand.
Crackle-crackle!
Then, one of the magical tools flying secretly was struck by the lightning magic and burned black.
Without even giving the magical tool a chance to function, it was smashed to pieces.
At that moment, as Rona unconsciously gulped while watching the scene.
"Let's finish this quickly."
Taria's figure scattered.
By the time her figure came into view, it was already too late.
Crack!
"Kyaaah!"
A shock and a storm of electric currents from the solar plexus instantly engulfed Rona.
Her body bent into an L-shape and shot up into the air, and her consciousness briefly faded.
However, the impact didn't stop there.
The moment her body floated in the air, a fist came down from above and struck her back.
Boom!
Rona, who had been hit twice in an instant, crashed into the ground.
Additionally, the electric currents that followed caused her body to convulse.
The magical tools hurriedly moved to restrain Taria.
However, the spheres of electric charge that had formed around Taria's body blocked all the magical tools.
Strong.
Taria, who was truly overwhelming, showed exactly what it meant to be the First-Year Magic Studies President.
Rona, who had been struck by Taria's attack, swallowed her groans.
At this rate, she would be defeated.
She had to use whatever she had on hand immediately.
Determining this, she immediately bit down hard.
A small magical tool inside her clicked into place.
Rumble!
At that moment, Taria's descending fist was blocked by something.
Amidst the sparks flying, Taria's eyes narrowed slightly.
There, tiny black particles had gathered to form a sword.
The aura emanating from the sword was clearly the power of World Erosion.
In particular, the fact that it blocked Taria's electric magic-covered fist was proof of that.
Moreover, Rona's appearance also changed.
The tiny particles surrounding her body made her look as if she were wearing pitch-black armor.
A magical tool that Rona had researched and developed throughout her life, enhanced by the Black Witch's black magic.
Jebilairon.
Every one of the millions of tiny particles was a magical tool.
Rona, along with Jebilairon that even covered her face, managed a strained smile.
"See you next time."
The moment she left those words behind, a flash burst out from her all at once and swept the surroundings.
The unexpected flash was so intense that even Taria had to shut her eyes tightly and step back.
Even so, she hurriedly released her lightning magic.
Crackle-crackle!
Along with the sound of the lightning magic striking, Taria quickly regained her sight.
And soon, when she looked around, Rona was already nowhere to be found.
"Damn it!"
She cursed and quickly raised her head, only to see the entrance of the Theology Hall smashed.
She had deliberately used lightning magic to seal off the entire Theology Hall.
But Rona had recklessly broken through it.
She realized just how strong the performance of the Jebilairon Rona had created was.
'I lost her.'
As that thought crossed her mind, Taria clenched her teeth and prepared to run out.
Boom, boom, boom!
But just then, she heard the sound of Mirey rampaging from behind.
Beyond the Divine Shield, the Black Tentacle was wildly pounding against it.
Judging by the trembling shield, it seemed to be in a precarious state.
Below it, Denver, who was sweating coldly and bleeding from her nose, was desperately trying to stop Mirey's rampage.
The Black Tentacle of the Black Witch was even converting Mirey's divine power into the power of World Erosion and activating it.
Even though she was the youngest, Mirey had risen to the position of Cardinal.
Naturally, it was impossible for Denver, who was merely a High Priest, to stop her alone.
At this rate, Denver would be defeated before other professors or associate professors arrived.
Taria hesitated for a moment.
If she left Denver behind like this, he would be defeated by Mirey, leading to terrible consequences.
If that happened, Mirey would also become irrecoverable.
In that case, should she help him first?
Or should she chase after Rona?
[ Taria, stop the Cardinal child first. ]
As her mind raced, Crimson Garden's voice resounded.
[ It seems that guy has finally descended. ]
Hearing the reply, Taria let out a long sigh.
"Haah, what a shameful senior I am to my younger sibling."
She had boasted so confidently, only to let things end up like this.
Taria exhaled as if ashamed and turned her body around.
At the same time, electric currents burst out from her body once again.
In that case, she would do what she could.
"Mirey, this is going to hurt a bit."
She would subdue Mirey.
* * *
Amidst the commotion caused by the incident at the Theology Hall, Rahelrn Academy was in turmoil.
Rona was sprinting through Rahelrn Academy.
Her body creaked here and there.
This was because her entire body was in a mess after taking too many of Taria's attacks.
If she hadn't prepared the Jebilairon as a trump card, she would have been defeated on the spot.
"Hah, haah."
Rona leaned against a wall, panting heavily.
It was understandable, as associate professors were busily running around nearby.
Had the fact that she was a Servant of the World Erosion Beings already spread?
She couldn't tell, but she moved stealthily to avoid being caught as much as possible.
With things having turned out this way, it was now time for her last resort.
She decided to take someone suitable as a hostage and escape, just as she had initially planned.
With the Black Witch's help, she would be able to escape quickly.
Thinking this, she infiltrated none other than the Men's Dormitory.
Perhaps because it was still class time for the students, the dormitory was empty.
Instead, a few staff members and attendants, startled by the commotion, had gathered outside.
Avoiding their eyes, Rona opened a window and slipped inside.
Once inside, she placed her hand on the wall.
Then, part of the Jebilairon that had disappeared from her face flowed into the wall.
Holding her breath, she waited in place.
After a while, her pupils gleamed.
'Found it.'
She raised her hand immediately upon finding it.
Then, a dagger emerged from her grasp, glowing.
Without hesitation, Rona threw the dagger in one direction of the ceiling.
Thud!
Then the dagger passed straight through the ceiling without leaving a single mark.
At the moment she confirmed that, she closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in a room.
That room was none other than Kraush's room.
Beyond the closed door.
"Humming, hum♪"
The sound of someone humming and brewing tea could be heard.
It was Alicia's voice, enjoying a social gathering after tidying up the room as always.
Being an ordinary person, she appeared completely unaware of the intruder who had entered Kraush's room.
Rona moved her steps and placed her hand on the doorknob.
Alicia is Kraush's personal maid.
According to the gathered information, Kraush also seemed to cherish Alicia quite a bit.
Surely, if Alicia were kidnapped, he wouldn't just stand by.
So, just as Rona was about to open the door to kidnap Alicia—
"You'd better not open that door."
It was at that moment.
Rona felt a chilling sensation along with the voice coming from behind her.
As she remained frozen in place, she finally began to sense a presence belatedly.
There sat a boy.
Beneath dark blue hair.
His bandaged hands, wounded and raw, lightly brushed against his fingertips.
And the moment he slowly lowered his hand, his blue eyes shone vividly.
"If you open that, you won't be able to handle it."
A Balheim Direct Line and the Martial Arts Department's Second Year President.
Kraush Balheim.
The one who had left for training was there.