If a person has the same body, the same soul, but with different memories, are they still the same person?
This question, if asked to everyone on Earth, would likely result in a wide range of answers. But for Rattanfanger, the answer was straightforward—"no."
In front of Oz stood a woman named Ophelia, but at the same time, she was also someone else. The real Ophelia died the moment the Pied Piper's memories were forced into her, rewriting her mind and her thoughts.
"Oh? I'm surprised. You managed to figure out that I'm a Rat King."
Ophelia grinned, her smile wide and full of excitement, a look that Oz had never seen her wear before.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
She clapped her hands, almost mocking him, but with genuine amusement.
From the very beginning, she wasn't the girl everyone believed her to be. The image they had of her was a mere illusion.
"You should have paid more attention before you started the ritual," Oz said, his tone biting.
"Professor Glyde really followed your words during that ritual."
His words were a direct provocation.
He had heard from Pino about the ritual for summoning the morrowghast, one that Ophelia and Professor Glyde had carried out in the midnight.
The ritual had cost the lives of twelve young female students, a sacrifice that had fueled cursed red flies known as morrowghast.
Ophelia's response came with a mocking smirk.
"Oh, I'll be more careful next time. Thank you for the tip."
Her gratitude was as hollow as it was sarcastic.
Her words might have been polite, but the mocking tone was impossible to miss.
*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*
Slowly, Ophelia deliberately approached Oz, who was still sitting on the floor.
His mind was tired from the previous fight, the battle with the morrowghast still fresh in his mind.
*Bzzzz*
The faint hum of the creature's wings filled the room as the the morrowghast circled her, ready to attack at her command.
Oz wiped the dust from his robes and got to his feet. He couldn't afford to show weakness, not now.
"The wound on your hand," Oz said, glancing at her left hand.
"It's from the morrowghast ritual, isn't it?"
Ophelia paused and then slowly unwrapped the bandage on her left hand, revealing a deep wound that glowed with a crimson light.
The wound pulsed brighter every time she command the morrowghast.
"Yes, it's a side effect," Ophelia said calmly.
"This wound won't heal, no matter how much I spend on elixirs. Even the most expensive ones are useless."
She flexed her hand, watching the glow intensify for a moment before covering it again.
The wound was a symbol of her connection to the morrowghast, a mark left by the dark ritual she had performed.
"So, why are you trying to kill me?"
Oz asked, his tone confused but cautious.
He wasn't a threat to her, at least not directly. He had stayed out of Rattanfanger's business for the most part, yet Ophelia seemed determined to drag him into his death.
"Would you believe me if I said it's just curiosity?"
Ophelia smiled again, but this time, it was softer, more innocent.
She looked, for a moment, like an ordinary girl excited about something she never seen.
"Hahaha," Oz laughed dryly.
"Sorry, but every girl who's gotten close to me says I'm boring. You don't need to go through all this trouble."
—I'm not lying. Really.
Despite the slight jab to his pride, Oz didn't care. All that mattered now was surviving.
"We, Rattanfanger, are the masters of manipulation," Ophelia said, her tone shifting back to a more serious one.
"But every once in a while, we find someone whose memories we can't touch."
She was talking about the power of the Rattanfanger as a whole, a group known for their ability to control minds, bend memories, and twist the truth. Most people couldn't resist their powers. But there were exceptions.
"Dark Lords, Grand Wizards, Saints, and a few other major figures," Ophelia continued.
"They're difficult to manipulate. But you... who are you?"
Her suspicion was clear now.
Oz wasn't just an ordinary student at Mistheaven. She had tried again and again to manipulate him, to twist his memories, but had failed every time. That fact had made her curious, but now it had turned into something dangerous.
—Should I use that spell? It seems like I don't have a choice.
Oz shifted his weight, taking a defensive stance. His feet were ready to move, his body tensed for action. If Ophelia made a move, he needed to be quick. He couldn't afford to hesitate.
"From the very first time we met," Ophelia said, her voice low.
"I've been trying to manipulate your memory. But no matter what I do, it never works."
*Bzzz*
The morrowghast circling Ophelia grew more agitated, their movements becoming faster, wilder. They were ready to attack, waiting only for her command.
"That's why," Ophelia said, her voice cold now.
"You have to die."
*Bzzz!*
With a shout, Ophelia directed the morrowghast toward Oz. The creatures flew at him, their red forms slicing through the air.
"Humph!"
Oz dodged the attack, his movements sharp and precise. But this time, it wasn't just the morrowghast he had to worry about. Ophelia herself was the real threat.
"Vociferus Stagna!"
*AAAAAAAAAA!*
A shockwave erupted from Ophelia's wand, slamming into Oz and sending him flying backward into the wall of the lecture hall.
The force of the impact left him momentarily stunned, his body pinned as the residual vibrations in the air made it impossible for him to move.
The noise was overwhelming. Oz's ears rang violently, the screech so loud it felt like nails being driven into his skull.
With his heightened senses, it was agonizing, far worse than it would have been for a normal person. Blood began to drip from his ears as his enhanced hearing intensified the already unbearable sound.
"Aaagh!" he groaned, realizing too late that his weakened state had left him vulnerable.
The morrowghast that hovered around Ophelia slowly latched onto his arm, its teeth biting into his flesh. A cold, gnawing sensation crept up his arm, and he could feel each of their jaws.
"Ver-verinomus Dominus: Johan Faust!"
He managed to shout, summoning all his willpower.
A faint blue glow engulfed his body as the spell took effect. To the untrained eye, nothing about Oz had visibly changed, but his verinomus was no longer the same.
The configuration of the stars within his verinomus had shifted, aligning with the configuration of Johan Faust's verinomus. His starlights shone brightly once again, as his verinomus was no longer Oliver's.
"Incendia Spherea Superbia!"
A massive vortex of flames erupted from Oz's hand, far larger than anything he had conjured before.
The fire roared, consuming the room in a swirling inferno. The morrowghasts screeched in pain, their forms incinerated in the blaze.
The heat was intense, warping the air around them as the fire devoured the wooden furniture, turning the lecture hall into a blazing furnace.
"Aaagh!" Ophelia screamed, caught in the fire's path.
Her skin blistered under the intense heat, but the pain was not just from the flames. The death of the morrowghasts brought a powerful backlash from the summoning ritual.
"Sanuvulnera!" she gasped, quickly casting a healing spell on herself.
The burns on her skin began to fade, but something else happened, her left hand, the one marked by the morrowghast ritual, was suddenly free of the crimson wound she had been carrying. The ritual had been undone.
"Sanuvulnera!" Oz muttered as well, using the same spell to heal his injuries.
Slowly, the skin on his arm regrew over the raw flesh, the pain subsiding as his body returned to its normal state.
The two stood in silence for a moment, the roaring flames still raging around them, casting shadows across the room.
"I can sense dark, evil magic from you," Ophelia said, her voice sharp.
"Are you a dark wizard?"
Oz's mind raced. He had tried to avoid drawing attention to his sorcery, especially around people who were sensitive to magic.
But now, there was no way to hide it. Verinomus Dominus was known as one of the signature spells of the Transmutation Dark Lord.
—That's why I hate using sorcery near people like her.
Verinomus Dominus allowed its user to swap their verinomus with another, essentially altering the configuration to one stored within a philosopher's stone.
While creating such a stone was the dream of every alchemist, only the Transmutation Dark Lord had ever succeeded in crafting one.
Oz's philosopher's stone contained a hundred different verinomus configurations. He often used Oliver Twist's, but this time, he had chosen Johan Faust's.
Faust was a legendary figure, a powerful wizard who had gained his abilities through a pact with Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles was the 88th Dark Lord from the early 1500s.
Though Faust had outwitted Mephistopheles, he was eventually slain by the Transmutation Dark Lord, who claimed his verinomus.
Faust was infamous not only for his dark pact, but for his role as an Inquisitor and Saint, having slain thousands of dark wizards.
"Luxgladius Sanctum!"
Oz chanted, summoning a sword of pure light. The blade, glowing with holy magic, stretched a meter in length.
Ophelia's face paled as she saw the weapon in his hand.
"How can a dark wizard use a light sword!?"
Her voice full of disbelief.
The light sword was a signature spell of the saints, and it was particularly effective against those with high bad karma.
Ophelia, as the Rat King, had accumulated enough bad karma that a single strike from the blade could cause deadly wound.
"Heh, maybe because you're the Rat King, you think holy magic is evil?"
Oz taunted, a smirk forming on his face. Though Verinomus Dominus was undeniably an evil magic.
Ophelia's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her wand. She was furious, both at Oz and at herself for underestimating him.
"Vociferus Stagna!"
She shouted again, sending another shockwave of sound hurtling toward him.
*AAAAAAAA!*
But this time, Oz was ready. He swung the light sword, cutting through the shockwave as though slicing through air itself. The spell disintegrated upon contact with the blade, leaving Oz standing unharmed.
—Wow, this is awesome! Every kid dreams of using a light sword like this!
He unable to suppress his excitement.
The sword wasn't just for show, though. It was deadly, but only against those with bad karma. Against ordinary people, it would be as harmless as a flashlight.
"Are you from the Magisterium?"
Ophelia asked, her voice wavering slightly as panic seeped into her expression.
The Magisterium was one of the most feared and respected organizations of inquisitors in the magical world, and encountering one of their saints was a death sentence for dark wizards like her.
"Hah, Magisterium? No way."
Oz snorted, waving his left hand in dismissal, his tone casual.
There was no way he was going to let her think he was part of that group.
If he confirmed her suspicion, he'd immediately become a target, not only for every dark wizard in the region but also for the Magisterium itself.
They'd hunt him down, eager to either recruit or eliminate him. He was technically a dark wizard, and stepping into their headquarter would expose him.
"So, you're an unaffiliated Saint?"
Ophelia frowned, her eyes narrowing in thought.
"But unfortunately, I still have to kill you."
She reached into her pocket, pulling out a talisman woven from what looked like the roots of a tree, but embedded within were several dried human fingers, their knuckles knotted and twisted grotesquely. It was a cursed item, clearly something dark wizards like her used to summon a dark creature.
"Digitus Invocare!"
She chanted, and the talisman began to twitch and move in her hand as though it were alive.
She flung it toward the floor near Oz, and from the talisman, a dark form began to rise. The figure grew, taking the shape of a towering humanoid monster, easily three meters tall.
Its entire body was made from the gnarled, dried fingers of countless individuals, like a grotesque sculpture pieced together.
*Roarrr!*
The creature let out a deep, bone-rattling roar, its head swiveling to face Oz.
Its eyes, or rather, the hollow spaces where eyes should have been, focused on him as it prepared to attack.
"Sanctuarium Sanctum!"
Oz called out, quickly casting one of the most powerful defensive spells used by saints.
A dome of light expanded around the lecture hall, shimmering with holy energy. Any being with bad karma would be crippled within its bounds.
"Gyaaaah!"
Ophelia cried out in pain as the holy magic attacking her.
Clutching her head, she stumbled backward, her entire body wracked with the effects of the spell. Her karma as Rat King was undeniably high, and the sanctified area was causing her immense discomfort.
*Roaaaar!*
The summoned monster also felt the sting of the spell, but its rage drove it forward regardless. It leaped toward Oz, claws outstretched, aiming to crush him in a single blow.
*Boom!*
Oz sidestepped the attack with ease, letting the monster crash into the floor, its weight leaving a crater where it landed.
*Swhoosh*
Without wasting a second, Oz swung his light sword toward the monster's leg.
The blade passed through as if cutting through air, but the effect was immediate. The creature's leg was severed, and the severed limb disintegrated into ash before it even hit the ground.
*Roooaaar!*
The creature let out another roar, this time in frustration and pain.
It attempted to regenerate its lost leg, but something was stopping it. The power of the light sword, imbued with holy magic, prevented any kind of healing or regeneration.
—Holy moly! This sword is ridiculously overpowered! Now I get why all the dark wizards are terrified of saints.
*Roooaaar!*
The monster adapted, sprouting several spider-like appendages from its back to balance itself as it clung to the walls.
It was learning fast, and now it avoided close combat, crawling swiftly along the walls of the lecture hall, staying out of reach of the sword.
*Bam* *Bam* *Bam*
With every movement, the creature launched dried fingers like projectiles, each one flying toward Oz with deadly precision.
—It's not just brute force, this thing is smart, too. It knows it can't fight me up close, so it's trying to keep its distance.
*Whoosh* *Whoosh*
Oz deflected the flying fingers with ease, each one sliced in half by the light sword and turning to ash before it could hit the ground.
*Boom!*
But one of the fingers exploded upon impact, releasing a cloud of thick, black dust of Poison. The cloud spread quickly, enveloping the area where Oz stood.
"Damn it! Its Poison!"
Oz muttered under his breath, quickly jumping back to avoid inhaling the toxic fumes.
His body could detoxify most poisons, but it wasn't an instant process. If he inhaled too much, it would leave him vulnerable for a some amount of time.
"Annoying creature!"
Oz growled, preparing for his next move.
"Let's see you deal with this!"
He crouched down, taking the stance of a javelin thrower, his muscles tensing as he prepared to throw his sword like a spear.
With a burst of speed, he sprinted forward and hurled the light sword with all his strength.
The blade flew through the air like a lightning bolt.
The creature barely had time to react before the sword impaled it straight through the chest.
*Roaaarr!*
The monster let out a final, agonizing roar as it fell from the ceiling, its body writhing in pain.
White flames erupted from the point of impact, spreading across its entire form, consuming it rapidly. Within moments, the creature's body was reduced to nothing but ash, scattered across the floor.
"Ugh!"
Blood poured from Ophelia's mouth as she suffered the backlash after her summoned creature died.
Her hands clutched at her stomach, her body shaking slightly from the pain coursing through her.
"Musca Vorax! Musca Vorax! Musca Vorax!"
Ophelia, now desperate, chanted in quick succession, summoning a swarm of black flies that buzzed violently in the air around her.
Unlike the morrowghasts, these flies were much smaller and black in color.
"Incendia Orbis! Ventus Telum!"
Oz acted swiftly, summoning a fireball in one hand and a wind bullet in the other.
He hurled the wind at the flames, causing the fireball to grow larger and more intense as the gust fueled it. The flies stood no chance, crisping in an instant as the fireball roared through them.
The swirling fireball slammed into Ophelia, who had little time to react, sending her crashing into the wall.
She fell hard to the ground, coughing violently, her body convulsing from the combined shock of the attack and the lingering effects of the backlash from her canceled summoning.
Seeing Ophelia temporarily defenseless, Oz didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward her and snatched up a wooden chair from the floor, then brought it crashing down on her head.
*Smack!*
The blow landed hard, and Ophelia stumbled back, slamming against the wall once more.
Her eyes momentarily dazed, she barely see the next move as Oz used all his strength to drive the leg of the chair into her stomach, pinning her to the wooden paneling of the wall.
Ophelia's body jerked in response, the force of the impact leaving her impaled, suspended awkwardly like some twisted form of crucifixion.
She grimaced in pain, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
"Blegh!"
More blood poured out as she coughed, her strength fading.
After a few moments of futile struggling, her arms fell limp, and she slumped against the wall, defeated.
Oz stood over her, his expression cold and his breathing steady. There was no emotion in his eyes, no anger, no satisfaction. Just a quiet stare.
"Luxgladius Sanctum!"
With a flick of his wrist, Oz summoned the glowing sword of light once again.
The bright blade shimmered as he pointed it toward her throat, holding it mere inches from her skin.
"Hahaha. So, this is how it ends, huh?"
Ophelia muttered through gritted teeth, a weak chuckle escaping her lips.
"Go ahead, then. Do it. End it already. Don't make me wait."
Her voice was bitter, but there was no fear in her eyes.
Despite everything, she was calm, almost as if she had accepted her fate. There was no hint of regret or sadness.
"Hmm, who said I wanted to kill you?"
Oz's tone was flat as he tilted his head slightly.
"If I wanted you dead, I would've thrown the sword at you earlier. Not at that fingers monster."
Ophelia's eyes flickered with confusion for a moment as she processed his words.
"I don't want to get involved with Rattanfanger," Oz continued.
"Leave me alone, and I'll let you go."
—If I kill her, Rattanfanger will hunt me down for sure.
The thought lingered in his mind.
Killing Ophelia would only invite more trouble. More dark wizards would come after him if they knew he had taken out someone of her rank. It wasn't worth the risk.
Ophelia blinked, clearly surprised. She struggled to focus through the pain.
Saints and inquisitors never let dark wizards walk away.
"Cough! Heh? Am I hearing this right?"
Even in her weakened state, Ophelia couldn't help but mock him.
"Sigh. I swear on my verinomus," Oz said firmly, stepping closer.
"I won't interfere with Rattanfanger if Rattanfanger doesn't interfere with me."
The oath echoed in the room. A Verinomus Oath was a binding promise, one that couldn't be broken without destroying a person's starlight. But Oz had no verinomus, and breaking the oath had no effect on him
"Is that enough for you?" Oz asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Your turn."
Ophelia chuckled weakly again, her voice trembling.
"Hahaha. You're quite the cunning saint, aren't you? Fine… I don't want to die here. I swear on my verinomus. We won't bother you if you don't mess with Rattanfanger."
With that, Ophelia had no choice but to agree.
Oz nodded, then pulled the chair out of her stomach with a hard yank. Blood immediately poured from the deep wound, causing Ophelia to gasp sharply.
"Ouch! Be more careful, will you!"
She snapped, wincing in pain as she clutched her stomach.
"Sanuvulnera!"
A faint blue light glowed from Oz's hand as he cast a healing spell, guiding the energy toward her wound.
The spell began to close the gaping injury, but it wasn't healing as quickly as it should have.
"Hmm, it looks like you're going to need something else," Oz remarked, watching the sluggish recovery.
"Maybe a healing elixir?"
Ophelia gritted her teeth.
"Thanks, but regular elixirs won't work. The backlash from that summoning ritual took too much out of me."
If she wasn't trying to kill Oz, Opheila would have appeared like an ordinary, fragile girl, vulnerable even.
—But she's a Rat King. That's the part I need to keep in mind.
Oz recalled how different her expression was just five minutes ago, filled with determination to end his life. He didn't let his guard down.
Suddenly, a voice called out from the entrance.
"Musca Vorax!"
Oz barely had time to react as a swarm of black flies surged toward him.
His instincts kicked in. He quickly sidestepped, avoiding the flies. The buzzing was loud, and their movements made them difficult to track.
*Hmph*
Oz maintained his stance, adjusting his grip on his light sword, ready to strike.
"Sister, stop!" Opheila yelled.
From the entrance, light footsteps echoed through the hall.
*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*
A girl appeared. She was young, possibly even younger than Opheila, and she wore the robes from House of Pluto.
In her arms, she carried a large book with no cover. Her eyes were focused directly on Oz, and the expression on her face was full of hate.
"Sister Opheila, why did you stop me?"
The girl walked, her glare sharp as she approached Opheila.
Oz shifted his stance slightly, keeping his sword raised. His eyes gazed between the two of them, trying to assess the situation.
"Just look at my memory," Opheila said quietly, extending her hand.
The younger girl raised an eyebrow.
She took Opheila's hand, and for a few seconds, they both stood still, eyes closed. It was a technique used by the Rat Kings. Its a way for them to transfer memories directly between each other.
—Damn, so they really can share memory like that?
A few moments passed before the younger girl opened her eyes, her expression shifting from one of hatred to curiosity.
She released Opheila's hand and then looked back at Oz, who was still ready for any attack.
"Oh, this is interesting."
The girl placed a hand on her chin, clearly piecing everything together.
"I see what's going on now."
Her glare softened into something more neutral, almost as if the hostility had been drained from her.
She took a deep breath, her tone now calm.
"A shrewd saint, huh? Well, I suppose we'll respect your decision this time."
Oz's grip on his sword loosened slightly, though he didn't fully drop his guard.
He watched closely as the younger girl pulled out a small bottle from her pocket. Inside was a dark red liquid.
She uncorked the bottle and carefully poured some of the liquid onto Opheila's wound.
Immediately, red smoke began to rise from the injury. Oz recognized that reaction immediately.
"Dragon blood..."
The red liquid not only healed the wound but also seemed to burn away the black marks that had formed on Opheila's face and arms. Her skin returned to a normal shade, and her breathing became more steady.
Oz knew this was a powerful substance, rare and valuable. He had used dragon blood before to craft a high-tier elixir, so he understood its worth.
Opheila's transformation was striking. Her face, now free of the curse, appeared even more beautiful than before. She could probably be compared to Estella.
—Whoa, I didn't expect this. Turns out she is a hot babe without those black marks… No! Focus, Oz! My heart belongs to Professor Goldilock.
"We'll be taking our leave," the younger girl said, her voice interrupting his thoughts.
She chanted something under her breath, a spell too quiet for Oz to hear over the crackling sound of burning wood.
In an instant, a swarm of black flies emerged, enveloping both Opheila and the girl. The cloud of insects swirled around them, obscuring their figures before they vanished completely. The flies buzzed loudly as they exited the room, leaving through the broken windows.
The hall became quiet again, save for the crackling of the fire.
"Ah, I'm exhausted. Mentally exhausted, to be precise."
Oz slumped down, letting his body relaxed. Physically, he wasn't tired, but the sheer amount of tension and unexpected situations had pushed his mind to the limit.
*Thud*
He let himself collapse near the entrance, still holding his sword loosely in one hand.
He turned his head to glance at the aftermath of his battle with Opheila. The lecture hall was in chaos with charred furniture, walls blackened by fire, and the lingering stench of burned wood.
*Crackling* *Crackling*
The sound of the fire gradually consuming the wood filled the room, creating a sort of background noise as Oz stared up at the ceiling.
"Now I'm craving some fast food."
*Boom*
The sound of an explosion startled Oz. He quickly sat up. His heart racing.
"Now what?"
He muttered under his breath, still feeling the vibrations beneath him. The floor shook again, stronger this time, as if dozens of bombs were exploded outside the castle.
Oz got to his feet and made his way toward the entrance of the castle.
As he walked, he noticed a brilliant golden light spilling through the windows. It flickered and pulsed, almost as if lightning was striking repeatedly outside.
*Boom* *Boom*
With each explosion, golden flames leaped into the air, filling the fifth floor with a blinding glow.
It looked as though the entire floor was ablaze with a sea of golden fire, the heat radiating even from this distance.
"Ah, lucky me, I'm only fighting the Rat King," Oz thought to himself, watching the spectacle unfold.
As he gazed out the window, he couldn't help but think about what it would be like to face the original Pied Piper.
He imagined that such a battle would rival the chaos happening right now. A Dark Lord is a Dark Lord for a reason, after all.
**********
*Screech!*
*Burn*
Everyone on the fifth floor witnessed something far more terrifying than the giant morrowghasts. A sea of golden flames engulfing that massive creatures that had run amok on the fifth floor.
The fire blazed fiercely, consuming every inch of the floor without damaging anything else. It was as if the flames were deliberately targeting the morrowghasts alone.
*Screech*
"Aaaaaa!"
Professor Glyde shouted, clearly panicked as he felt the heat from the flames.
The fire was beginning to burn through the thick layers of layers of the morrowghasts.
In his panic state, Professor Glyde stumbled, unable to control his movements. The chaos was disorienting, and he couldn't hear any communications from the Rat King. Still, he instinctively knew where the golden flames were originating from.
Looking up, he saw a small sun hovering ominously above Kuiper Town, casting down its fiery flame upon the morrowghasts. Within that sun was someone he knew all too well.
*Boom*
"Goldilooock! Aaaaaagh!" he yelled, his voice filled with desperation.
Though he screamed with all his might, the sound was swallowed by the roaring flames. The fire surged, completely consuming the morrowghasts, along with Professor Glyde inside.
With the death of the caster who had summoned them, the remaining morrowghasts disintegrated into fine sand, scattering harmlessly to the ground.
*Snap*
With a casual snap of her fingers, all the golden fire on the fifth floor vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.
Professor Goldilock, still hovering high above Kuiper Town, looked down at the devastation with a grim expression.
Her eyes narrowed, and her face twisted with anger as she surveyed the destruction they had caused.
"It seems it's time for me to request repair funds from the Stellarkeep Council."