Chapter 414: The Battlefield (8)

Eugene had felt this while they were fighting. Molon was the only one who could fight like an equal with the current Eugene. He was someone that Eugene didn't feel guaranteed to defeat even if he gave it his all. In fact, Molon might be the only person in this whole world who could actually overpower Eugene.

There were a lot of talented warriors in Eugene's vicinity, like Carmen, Gilead, and Alchester. However, it was impossible even for Carmen, the strongest of the three, to fight Eugene as Molon had.

In that sense, it made Molon Eugene's best opponent for a spar. He was strong enough to deal with most of Eugene's attacks, and even if an attack did manage to sneak past Molon's guard, there was no need to worry about Molon losing his life.

"I knew you would say that," Molon said as he got up from his seat with a big smile.

He then grabbed his axe, which had been leaning against one of the walls.

Boom!

With the handle of his axe planted on the floor, Molon thrust his chest out, "Hamel, I know exactly why you're saying that you want to live here. That coincidence or feeling that you mentioned, you're staying here to get complete control over it, right?"

Eugene hesitated, "Uh... that's true, but—"

"Fine then! I, Molon Ruhr, will give it my all to help you with this training," Molon let out a passionate cry.

Once all of his old comrades departed, Molon would be left all alone on this mountain once more. Now that he had shaken off his madness, Molon might no longer be tormented by the loneliness like he was before... but even so, when he thought about being left here on his own, a sense of loneliness seemed to slowly rise up from the depths of his heart.

Eugene had come to this decision without seeking any advice. He did feel like this was an absolutely necessary course of action for him to take, but considering that he did have traveling companions with him, he now realized that he could have been more tactful. It wasn't like he didn't have a reason for reaching this decision, so there shouldn't be any serious opposition, but worried that Sienna or Anise might smack him in the back of the head for his carelessness, Eugene turned to look at them.

But the pair's expressions were so accepting that all of his worries seemed laughable. This was because they both knew that Eugene wouldn't just decide to stay in this cave for absolutely no reason.

Also, even if he didn't have any particular reason for staying in this cave, Sienna and Anise wouldn't have blamed him for a lack of a reason.

After all, Molon was the one who originally lived in this cave. If there was nothing urgent they needed to do, both Sienna and Anise were willing to spend as long as they could in this damp cave if it was for Molon's sake.

"I'm fine with staying in this cave, but we first need to make a few more rooms," Anise insisted as she got to her feet.

This condition was something that she refused to back down on.

"Rooms? What kinds of rooms?" Molon asked, blinking his eyes in confusion as he turned to look at Anise.

Anise frowned, "What do you mean, 'what kind of rooms'? Does the word room have any other kind of meaning? Molon, did you really think we would all stay in this one room together?"

This question left Molon blinking his eyes even faster.

His eyes still blinking in rapid confusion, Molon tilted his head to the side and asked, "Is there... a problem with that? In the old days, we all used to sleep together—"

Anise yelled, "Why on earth are you bringing up something from so long ago?! Back then, we weren't even properly supplied and had to hunt demonic beasts for food! Also, strictly speaking, the places we slept in during those times couldn't even be called rooms! Because we used to sleep in the middle of whatever wide open space we could find in the Devildom!"

Molon stuttered, "I-in any case, we did all sleep together back th—"

Anise spoke over him once more, "I know that it's too late to bring this up now, but I always hated sleeping in the same place as you two. Just why did the two of you have to snore so loudly...!"

"I... I didn't snore," Eugene quickly spoke up to defend himself, but even he had no choice but to admit that Molon's snoring had always been thunderous.

So much so that they had even had to put up a soundproof barrier because they were worried that the sound of his snoring might attract demonic beasts.

"Yes, Hamel, I'll admit that you're right," Anise conceded. "It's true that you don't snore all that much. However, haven't you realized yet that you have terrible sleeping habits? It's lucky that Molon was always the one sleeping next to you. If it had been anyone else, their whole body would have been shattered into pieces by all the kicking that you do in your sleep."

"That... that couldn't be helped," Eugene insisted feebly. "I needed to stay on guard, even in my sleep, and that led me to fight in my dreams, so—"

Anise waved him off, "Please just stop with the ridiculous excuses, Hamel. I'm also more than willing to stay with Molon in this cave, but I won't back down on getting my own room."

If she tried to pitch a tent outside, she would just end up being disturbed by the loud and windy blizzards.

Anise sighed, "Destroy the wall over there to create another room and connect it to the hot springs. I'll be satisfied with that much...."

"Don't you need a bathroom?" Molon asked, still blinking his eyes.

The moment those words left his mouth, Anise shot up from her seat. She strode over to Molon and came to a halt right in front of him, staring up into Molon's chin that loomed some distance above her own.

With a thin smile, Anise snapped her fingers at Molon, to which Molon simply bowed his head towards her in bewilderment.

Pow!

Her slap struck Molon's cheek.

Although he had allowed himself to be struck like this, Molon still didn't have any idea of what he had done wrong to deserve such a slap. That said, he also didn't intend on asking Anise for the reason. This was because Molon believed that there had to be a good reason for why she had hit him.

"Sienna, why aren't you saying anything?" Anise turned to look at Sienna as she returned to her seat, shaking the stinging palm of her hand.

It was true that Sienna had yet to say anything in the face of Eugene's sudden decision and was just sitting there with a grave expression on her face.

"I...," Sienna slowly began to speak while rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "I'm thinking of going to Aroth."

Who would have expected Sienna, of all people, to actually say something like that? Anise, in particular, went beyond being surprised and right into being astonished. Sienna Merdein, that Sienna Merdein, was actually considering leaving Hamel behind and going off on her own?

"Why Aroth?" Eugene asked, also confused by this.

Sienna crossed her arms and said with a pout, "I feel like I'm too weak."

Eugene scoffed, "What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that...?"

This was Sienna Merdein, the creator of the Circle Magic Formula and the first and only Ninth Circle Archwizard in the entire continent. Of all the wizards who were alive in this era, there was no wizard as strong or talented as Sienna.

"As the Wise Lady Sienna, no one knows better than I do how wonderful I truly am. However, Eugene, just like you, I have no intention of remaining satisfied with my current level of strength," Sienna explained.

During their battle against Iris, who had transformed into a Demon King, Sienna had managed to play a major role, but she hadn't possessed the decisive strength needed to determine the course of the battle. Even taking into account the fact that her Eternal Hole was damaged, Sienna was still annoyed that, for all her magic, she hadn't even been able to overwhelm someone like Iris.

She knew this was only natural and couldn't be helped. It was close to impossible for a human wizard, who possessed limited reserves of mana, to gain the upper hand against a Demon King, who possessed near-infinite reserves of dark power.

Sienna was the only wizard who had ever managed to overcome such an impossibility. Sienna's chosen method for doing so was to bolster her limited reserves of mana with the Eternal Hole and then proceed to drive the Demon King into a corner by piling on her elaborately constructed spells.

That would have been enough if they were just facing low-level Demon Kings.

But from now on, the Demon Kings that Sienna would have to face would be nothing like those low-level Demon Kings. There was the Demon King of Incarceration, who had been around since the Mythical Era and had survived up to the present day. Then there was also the Demon King of Destruction, the one who had ended that Mythical Era.

Sienna honestly felt inadequate. After all, Hamel, or rather Eugene, just kept getting stronger. And even though he had already become so strong, it still felt like he had room to grow even stronger.

On the other hand, what about Sienna? She was at the Ninth Circle. According to the Circle Magic Formula that Sienna herself had personally developed, there was no higher level after the Ninth Circle. All of the spells that humanity had ever managed to grasp and control only went up to that same Ninth Circle. In fact, over the course of the past three hundred years, although almost all of the wizards in the entire continent had practiced the Circle Magic Formula, Sienna was the only one who had ever managed to reach the Ninth Circle. Even those recognized as the Archwizards of their era had only ever managed to reach the Eighth Circle.

However, that didn't mean that the Ninth Circle was the end of the line when it came to magic. The Ninth Circle was just as far as the Circle Magic Formula stretched, which was the handiwork of Sienna. If even the Ninth Circle wouldn't be enough in the battles to come, Sienna had no choice but to go beyond that level and challenge the deeper mysteries of magic.

"I got this feeling after seeing you and Molon fight today," Sienna said with a serious expression still adorning her face.

Among these comrades from three hundred years ago, there was not a single one of them who didn't have a strong sense of self-esteem. This was because they had all managed to reach the peak of their respective fields, and they couldn't have reached the levels that they had without possessing such self-esteem.

"At the moment, it might still be close, but if you do get even stronger, Eugene, it will be difficult for me to keep up with you. Like what happened just now, I... I still don't understand how you were able to send part of Molon's axe flying," Sienna admitted.

It made sense that Molon wasn't able to see what had happened, as Eugene's sword had flashed right past him, but even Sienna, who was looking down on them from far above, hadn't been able to see through Eugene's last move.

Regardless of the fact that Sienna had spent much of her life stuck helplessly within a seal or that she was a wizard rather than a warrior, Sienna refused to acknowledge or accept that there was that much of a difference in strength between herself and Eugene.

"The wizards of Aroth might just be children by my standards, but, well, the level of those Archwizards is better than I thought it would be. If I go to Aroth, then even the Archwizards from other countries — one-trick ponies though they may be[1] — and other Archwizards who have gone into seclusion might come looking to join in our discourse, right? So that's why, while you're staying here, I'll be in Aroth," Sienna firmly decided.

Among the wizards of this era, there might be none with more talent than Sienna, but that said, Sienna had no intention of looking down on the magic of this era.

In the end, since the spells that Sienna usually used were all from three hundred years ago, she needed to take in some of the more modern styles of magic if she wanted to advance to a higher level.

"If you say it like that, don't we seem strange for deciding to stay here?" Anise said suspiciously as she glanced over at Sienna with narrowed eyes. "But we still aren't going back to Yuras. After all, unlike you, who might be able to find a way to advance your magic through Aroth, Kristina and I don't have anything to gain from Yuras."

The most that Anise and Kristina would be able to do by returning to Yuras would be to train the Silver Light Priests.

But honestly speaking, Anise and Kristina weren't very skilled when it came to teaching or training anyone. To best reinforce the Silver Light Priests' characteristics as a suicide squad, it would be better to allow Raphael, the unrivaled fanatic, to take full control of their training.

Apart from that... she might also be able to make a pilgrimage to the various holy sites around Yuras? It wasn't like such a pilgrimage couldn't be helpful in developing one's divine power and faith, but it would still be of little use to her as a Saint. If she really wanted to practice her divine power and miracles, it would be of greater use for her to stay in this cave and heal up Eugene, who was in for a lot of beating.

[I also share the same opinion, Sister,] Kristina agreed.

'Yes, this is also a huge opportunity for us as well. While Sienna, with all her inhibitions, is away, we and Hamel will be alone together in this cave,' Anise thought back with a grin.

Kristina stammered, [W-won't Sir Molon be with us as well?]

Anise dismissed her concerns, 'Molon has other priorities, doesn't he? Whenever that monster, Nur, appears, Molon will have no choice but to leave the cave. So, what do you think Hamel will be doing in the meantime? Allow me to answer that question for you. He won't be doing anything. He'll just be staying in this cave with us.'

[O-oh,] Kristina gasped in realization.

Anise schemed, 'We need to make clever use of such moments. For example, while Molon is away... what if we take a dip in the hot spring bath inside our room? Then we ask Hamel, who'll be waiting outside, to bring over one of our towels. Hamel shouldn't refuse such a request.'

[How... how shameless!] Kristina cried out from inside their head.

Ever since Anise had regained awareness, Kristina had gradually come to realize what a fearsome monster the Saint truly was, but she still couldn't have imagined that Anise would have such lustful fantasies.

'I know what you're really feeling, Kristina, so don't pretend that you don't like the sound of my idea,' Anise teased.

Kristina denied it immediately, [That's not true at all, Sister. The thought that is causing me to feel so joyful is my hope that my skill in holy magic will grow while treating Sir Eugene.... I'm also happy because I think that, in that way, I will be of help to Sir Eugene.]

While in the Southern Seas, Kristina had received a Stigmata on her palm. However, the stigmata wasn't fully developed yet, as it seemed to be growing alongside Kristina's own growth.

'Aha, so that's the case. Kristina, you really do enjoy treating Hamel while he's covered in blood, don't you?' Anise thought with a mischievous laugh.

Although it sounded like a joke, her words were completely serious, and instead of retorting, Kristina could only offer up a prayer.

"If you go off to Aroth on your own, won't that be too lonely?" Eugene asked.

"Not really," Sienna shrugged. "I'll leave Mer with you when I go, so I'll be able to talk to you anytime. You also said that you don't plan on going to the desert until Nahama makes the first move, right?"

Swish.

Sienna turned her head to look over at one corner of the cave. There lay a bed that Eugene had pulled out of his cloak, and both Mer and Raimiria were lying down on top of that bed, sleeping side by side.

Though as a familiar, Mer couldn't actually sleep. If she really felt the need to do so, she could switch herself off for a while, but that was it.

Currently, Mer was lying down next to a soundly sleeping Raimira with her eyes wide open, listening to the ongoing conversation.

Sienna continued, "If anything happens, you can ask Mer to contact me, and I can meet you in Nahama."

As she said this, Sienna secretly exchanged glances with Mer.

Sienna also had her own worries about the twin-personality Saints. If those two intended to try and make further progress while Sienna was away... just imagining it caused her body to tremble in fear. At the same time, it felt like a black flame was rising up from the darkest corners of her heart, but Sienna absolutely refused to acknowledge such feelings.

'...You know what to do, right?' Sienna communicated with Mer.

[Yes, Lady Sienna. I will definitely stop their plans,] Mer replied while mustering her resolve.

"Hamel," Molon, who had been sitting down, rubbing the cheek that Anise had struck, suddenly spoke up. "About the Mythical Era that you recalled, weren't there any traces of us?"

Molon seemed to be looking forward to a positive response.

In that distant past, his comrade, Hamel, managed to ascend to the rank of the God of War and left his mark on the world. If it was possible for souls to reincarnate from that era, couldn't Molon have also once been alive in that Mythical Era?

Eugene hesitated, "There might have been... but I can't quite remember."

It wasn't like Eugene didn't have any guesses about specific individuals. There had been a God of Giants whose impression still lingered in one corner of Agaroth's memory. The impression that Agaroth had of the God of Giants bore many similarities to the impression that Eugene had of Molon.

However, he still couldn't be sure. Because Agaroth's memories were so completely fragmented, there wasn't much information about what kind of person the God of Giants had truly been.

The same went for the Sage. If you had to compare it to the current era... then the God of Giants resembled Molon, and the Sage was reminiscent of Sienna. However, Eugene still couldn't be absolutely certain that those two had reincarnated into Molon and Sienna.

If that did turn out to be the case, Eugene didn't feel like it would sit right with him. Because — if there really did exist such a parallel between them — it felt like fate might just be repeating itself.

'...As for the Saint,' Eugene mused.

In the end, Agaroth had personally taken the life of the Twilight Witch. Eugene unconsciously glanced over to Kristina and Anise.

Although their role as the Saint was the same, Eugene felt those two were completely different from the Twilight Witch. Of course, it would be strange if the reincarnated person was exactly the same as they had been in the mythical era, but....

'...And the same goes for Vermouth,' Eugene frowned.

Eugene couldn't think of anyone who shared any parallels with Vermouth. If he managed to recall all of Agaroth's memories, would he be able to find someone with a few more corresponding points?

Eugene didn't necessarily want to risk something like that.

He didn't want to spend too much time remembering the destroyed era.

He was already tied up with more than enough of the past as it was. He didn't want to get weighed down by even more baggage from history.

1. The Korean text uses a musical term that translates to something like, 'people who only know how to play one tune', so I felt that the closest English equivalent would be one-trick ponies. ☜