The black magic I had just constructed pierced through Gaudium.
To kill just one Gaudium, magic of that complexity wasn't necessary.
It was for complete subjugation.
I had poured in astronomical calculations and massive magic power to the point of burning up his brain.
The result was a Gaudium sealed off from all magical and physical means.
Even if he had any artifacts or tools for emergency escape, those too would be sealed.
My expectations weren't off - he frantically tried to activate something from his clothes continuously, but it was useless.
"What are you..."
I approached him.
The smell of bitter blood could be sensed.
Since I had intentionally left him mostly unharmed, the blood smell was naturally from my own hand.
Gripping my stinging left hand, I sat before Gaudium.
What am I?
An undying immortal, a transcendent dark wizard, a specter returned from the past.
Among my various identities, I chose just one.
"An avenger."
To get revenge on the Demon Lord, and to get revenge on you.
"...Have we met in the past?"
"We have."
"My sins are great, but... Aren't I a dark wizard like you? Even if I don't know what happened in the past, please forgive me. I haven't fulfilled my wish yet. Just one more month...!"
"That wish has already been fulfilled."
I didn't feel the need to explain in a way he could understand.
There was no need to gratuitously tell him that because of you I became immortal, committed countless sins, and was returned by the hero.
Our relationship isn't that great after all.
"I thought I had shaken off all emotions."
I had thought killing him once would be enough.
But seeing that old face again, my anger and hatred endlessly welled up.
I manipulate the dark magic.
I form it into circling blades.
Until his heart stops, these blades will spin infinitely.
I poured all the remaining magic power into this one dark spell.
He's not someone who should die easily.
So in order to leave not a single speck of obsession,
I will bestow upon him a death only for himself.
"....Stop."
Even Gaudium realized the meaning of this dark magic.
One doesn't simply attain the position of elder.
Just by looking at the process of the magic, one needed a brain that could instantly calculate what the result and meaning would be.
That's why before despair, Gaudium showed a writhing like that of a lowly insect.
He seemed determined to go wild with his magic power, to the point of blowing up his own brain.
"...Stop, stop! Just kill me, Kuuueeeek!"
Rather than taste that agony, watching his death throes pleading to just die now, I calmly completed the magic.
The blades slowly turned.
Until all the poured magic power was depleted.
When the magic activated, Gaudium collapsed as if he had lost consciousness.
Haha.
Seeing that, a smile naturally flowed out.
It really has been a while since I last laughed.
"Farewell, Gaudium."
While he looked peaceful externally, he would be slowly dying in the hell I had created.
With time acceleration added here, calculating it... During just one day, he would suffer for a period of 100 years.
Since I had never used a concept like this in dark magic before, I didn't know what would happen, but it should go well.
Leaving Gaudium behind, I decided to handle the rest of the cleanup.
While it wasn't organized, these were still treasures gathered by Gaudium the elder of the Dark Tower.
Meaning any one of them would be worth coveting.
After picking up several, I approached Besia.
The girl was fast asleep, having collapsed.
I shook her several times to wake her up, but what returned was just muttering.
"Bishop Rave... let me sleep a little more..."
A bishop waking up a sleeping priest?
I did wonder what position she held to say such a thing, but in any case, she had to wake up.
*Thud!*
"Ow! I'm awake, I said!"
"I'll remove the shackles."
*Click*
I drew a line on my fingertip with the dagger, gathering just a tiny bit of magic power.
When I directed that magic power at the shackles Besia was wearing, they naturally sprang open with a clank.
"Oh, really? They really opened?"
"Would they be fake?"
*Thud!*
Additionally, I remove my own shackles.
Regaining her sealed divine power, she looked to have regained her vitality as well.
Despite her outer appearance being that of a genuinely moving corpse, she overflowed with liveliness.
How contradictory.
"I endured for too long in this filthy magic power. How could this be called living?"
"I suppose so."
"I can finally feel the grace of God. Ah, your hand is hurt, let me heal it!"
Besia promptly poured divine power into my left hand.
Seeing the bright light, it was divine power beyond that of a normal priest.
At the same time, Besia recalled a forgotten fact.
"Oh right! Magic power and divine power are incompatible...!"
Dark wizards and demons who carried magic power in their bodies were fatal weaknesses to divine power.
And my body had just been using dark magic.
If handled poorly, I could have been harmed by the divine power.
"....It healed?"
My hand started regrowing flesh properly.
...It really was a strange reason.
The typical users of dark magic had to, of course, contain magic power in their bodies, and had to do so to become proficient in dark magic.
However, I was already a dark wizard who had mastered dark magic to its pinnacle.
I had no need to contain magic power in my body in order to handle it.
At the same time, by obtaining a body without any magic power, I was able to utilize the method of storing magic power in a specific artifact, becoming the one and only existence able to receive healing through divine power while being a dark wizard.
Then, wouldn't the clergy notice I'm a dark wizard?
Since a priest happened to be here, I test it out.
"Can you sense the traces of a dark wizard on me?"
"Um... I don't really know, but maybe if I examined you directly I could tell to some degree?"
That much was sufficient.
I nodded and gestured to leave this place.
Besia glanced at Gaudium collapsed behind us like he was sleeping, then followed behind me.
The attitude of a clergyman - it's better that the dark wizard dies after all.
"Besia."
"What?"
If I was alone it would be one thing, but having one person with me meant some variability was inevitable.
On top of that, she was in an extremely weak state.
She had regained vigor after getting back her divine power, but that was temporary.
She could collapse and stop at any time - that was her condition.
I asked about her will.
"Can you endure?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
Extremely hopeful.
The smile of one who had gained hope of escaping hell.
"I'll endure even if I die."
"Good."
*Swish*
The dagger cuts my hand again.
A tremendous amount of magic power gathered in the dagger once more.
Seeing that, Besia's expression worsened, but she seemed to steel her will even further, tightly biting her lips.
"Should I heal it?"
"Save it. Right now, you're only standing thanks to divine power."
What help could be expected from a half-baked priest?
While gathering magic power, I started ascending the stairs.
From the deepest underground.
To the towering surface.
**
Harajim, an apprentice dark wizard, was spending another boring day as usual.
The hamster wheel-like life of going to his master for lessons, researching dark magic, then returning to his private room to study dark magic again.
But compared to the lifestyles of dark wizards not affiliated with the Dark Tower, he was living a relatively comfortable life.
Since he didn't have to worry about attacks from the church, he could focus on studying leisurely.
He recalled the lesson from just earlier.
'Dark magic is a discipline solely for gathering magic power. The reason for using malicious methods like human sacrifice, contracts with devils, and slaughtering people is because that is the best way for gathering magic power.'
'Then, isn't magic power itself enough?'
'Theoretically, if there was an endless supply of magic power, even a novice like you could annihilate a country and have some left over. However, since that's impossible, you must become a powerful dark wizard through efficient usage and efficient methods of securing magic power.'
That was why dark wizards split into various factions.
As long as you have abundant magic power, you're omnipotent!
Thus the faction that used all kinds of heinous human sacrifice.
The utilization of magic power is similar to the utilization of mana!
Thus the faction that sought knowledge to use complex yet efficient dark magic.
'If having magic power alone is enough to become stronger, wouldn't the faction good at securing magic power be the strongest?'
'That may be so if the only beings in this world with powerful strength were dark wizards. However, there is the church, knights, and magicians as well.'
His master's reply was simple theory.
"The strong are those who survive."
No matter how outstanding the talent, quickly dying is meaningless.
By quietly researching and gathering magic power, eventually one naturally becomes a powerful dark wizard.
Harajim deeply engraved his master's intent in his heart.
It was the same when he noticed the storm of magic power rising from the very bottom earlier.
He crouched low and peered ahead.
"Did one of the seniors lose control...?"
He thought that, but the ones passing through that path were two slaves.
They were wearing typical experimental clothes. One could tell with a glance.
However, there was one irregularity - the concentration of magic power even most dark wizards would have trouble handling.
On top of that...
"What are you guys doing?"
A fearless dark wizard approached the slaves.
They don't have shackles around their necks, one has a dagger in his hand.
There were many irregular points, so it was natural to point them out.
However, it was the ultimate misfortune for that dark wizard.
*Slash!*
"Kuhiiik...!"
Harajim bowed his head even lower.
In an instant, one person's neck was severed.
The dagger had moved at an invisible speed, simply cutting off the neck.
W-What is that monster?
He remains in hiding and waits for them to pass by.
*Thud thud* - the sounds of their steps made his hairs stand on end.
Fortunately, it seemed they hadn't noticed Harajim and either had no interest, as they passed him and continued up the Dark Tower.
Having repeatedly caught his breath, Harajim tried to move his steps in the opposite direction of where the slaves had gone.
And there he discovered it.
Dozens of beheaded corpses.
"Hek, hurgh."
It was hard to breathe.
He recalled the joking words of his classmates.
That no matter how enormous the Dark Tower, if the church seriously invaded, they should be prepared to escape right from the start.
But it wasn't the church.
It was just two people.
Two who appeared to be slaves.
"Could they be transcendents...?"
To annihilate the Dark Tower, had a Swordmaster or Archmage disguised themselves as slaves and entered?
While the magic power they emitted was strange, that's what it seemed like.
At that moment, he sensed the surging magic power of a massive group in response.
When he turned his gaze, dozens of dark wizards had gathered.
That slave didn't fall short at all against the tremendous pressure.
Only then did Harajim breathe a sigh of relief.
"Right, no matter how strong the slaves are, there's no way they can defeat those people."
Dark wizards casually conversing with their masters.
Among them, he even saw some elders.
The ruling class of the Dark Tower in black robes engraved with gold.
They had strength, so they grasped immense authority and power.
They were Harajim's goal and object of admiration.
While praying they would drive away the invaders disturbing the peace of the Dark Tower, at that time,
An earth-shattering explosion rang out.
- To Be Continued