Chapter 389, Humanity’s Strongest

“You’re not supposed to kill me, dammit!”

“If you can’t survive this, you sure as hell ain’t beatin’ Gaspard, dammit!”

 

Tūs’ statement was heavy — and indeed, Asley understood it well, as had already gotten a taste of what Gaspard was capable of.

 

“C’mon, it’s just me at full power — shouldn’t be too hard to handle!”

“God damn, you’re unusually cooperative today.”

“It’s the least I could do in exchange for the hiding place… well, scratch that.
It’s just my responsibility as your mentor.”

“If you say so.
Whatever the case, I’ll say this one thing…”

“Yeah?”

“I appreciate it.”

 

Asley’s words caused Tūs’ face — and then whole body — to come to a stop.

 

“Gotcha!”

 

Asley did not let that moment go to waste.

 

“Hmph, not so fast! Inferno Lance!”

 

The zenith-level magic spell created a lance-shaped blast of fire and sent it flying toward Asley, burning the grass in its path.

Seeing Asley hop to the left to dodge it, Tūs cracked a grin.

 

“Magic Reflect & Remote Control!”

“What the hell!? You’re gonna try and reflect a zenith-level spell!?”

 

The reflection spell flew past the Inferno Lance that Asley had just dodged.
Tūs proceeded to adjust its angle of reflection, aiming precisely at Asley’s back.

 

“Speed Up!”

 

The Inferno Lance flew even faster.

 

“ORA! Title Lock! Code: Eternal Fool!”

“Ngh!”

“Another one! Inferno Lance! Magic Reflect & Remote Control!”

“GAHHHHHH!”

 

The number of Inferno Lances chasing Asley increased to two…

 

“Speed Up!”

 

…And the second one also got its speed boosted.

The two lances adjusted their flying speeds, and then, when they were at exactly the same distance from Asley, they were reflected both in front and behind him.

As the fierce blasts approached from both sides, Asley braced himself.

 

“Damn it! I have no choice but to guard! HAAAAAAHHHHHH!!”

 

He lowered his stance and swung the Drynium Rod in an arc, flicking up the Inferno Lance in front and knocking down the one behind him.

Smoke rose from his body, and his hands were blistered from burns.

 

“Inferno Lance.”

“–!?”

 

Considering just how ruthless Tūs’ pursuit was, Asley now understood that Tūs actually was trying to kill him.

It quite reminded him of the fights he had had with the Devilkin. 

Up until now, none of his allies had ever directed so much hostility at him — because those were all either friendly competitions or simple tests of ability.

But this fight was a graduation exam — one to prove his readiness to face Gaspard.
If Asley were to fail to overcome this, then he would most likely be defeated and killed by the Devilkin.

Tūs knew that, and that was exactly why he actually was going for the kill.

 

“Hell Stamp! Fullspark Rain! Sancta Boundary! Quad Dragon! Ice Barrage! Holy World! Grand Inferno! Beheading Vortex! Lightning Call! Venom Fire! Absolute Zero! Meteorain! Garnet Hell! Diamond Cutlass! Rock Blast! Sharp Wind Asteriskos! Gatling Lightning! Icicle Shot! Vortex Wing! And that’s not everything yet!!”

 

Tūs relentlessly cast his magic spells and magecraft, all of them at maximum power to aim for Asley’s life.

Asley, busy guarding, dodging, and deflecting the consecutive attacks, had not even a brief moment to rest his body — the body that suffered more cuts, burns, and frostbite with every passing second.

The people watching over Asley could not comprehend the speed and power he wielded while new attacks came at him immediately after the last.

And in Tūs, they saw seemingly unlimited arcane energy and sound judgment — the reasons he was known as a Philosopher.

 

“Ngh…!”

 

Even when Asley was down on his knees, Tūs did not stop attacking.

Lylia, unable to keep watching this, tried to step forward.

But then…

 

“Don’t do it, Lylia.”

 

…Pochi, the one who had spent the longest ever time with Asley as his Familiar, stopped her.

Pochi, who had been friends with Asley for over 800 years, looked at this situation differently from everyone else.

She was the only one looking at not only Asley’s back, but also his eyes.

 

“Just look at him — he’s having fun.”

 

Sure enough, Asley was laughing… even amidst the storm of magic and magecraft.

Even while covered in blood, burned, frozen, and electrified — all at once — he was still having fun taking on the Philosopher’s attacks.

 

“Unbelievable…!”

 

Warren blurted out, expressing his doubt.

 

“Don’t you remember, Warren? That’s my Master — the very identity of ‘Asley’.
He’s as straightforward as can be… It doesn’t matter if it’s in research or battle — if there’s something for him to gain, he’ll keep moving forward, straight towards it.
The only ones who can stop this fight are those two… Actually, no, only my Master himself.”

 

Pochi’s strong yet gentle gaze was fixed on Asley.

 

“He can’t heal himself.
He doesn’t have any strategy.
How can he keep laughing like this…!?”

 

Warren’s question was directed not only at Pochi, but also everyone else present.

The only one who had an answer to that was none other than Asley’s best ever partner.

 

“It’s all right.
In times like this, he won’t stop until he successfully achieves his goal!”

 

Pochi’s answer was by no means a clear one.
But it made Warren — and also everyone else — see the trust Pochi had.

 

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Now let’s start from the beginning again, Asley! Inferno Lance!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Bring it on, you stupid Philosopher!”

 

And so continued the common-sense defying Philosopher and Fool.

Countless spells and magecraft flew at Asley, again and again.
Everyone watching this expected Asley to lose…

…Except Pochi — only Pochi believed that Asley would come out on top.
Not hoping or wishing, but believing.

She believed in her best partner, friend, and Master.

 

“…No way.”

 

Someone blurted out — and it was none other than Irene, the leader of the Resistance and a former Archmage.

 

“What is the matter, Miss Irene…?”

 

Trace, standing next to her, turned to ask.

 

“Just now… I might have seen Asley… moving closer to Tūs.”

“That can’t be…”

 

Trace narrowed her eyes, focusing on Asley.

Everyone else did the same.

 

“Whoa, seriously…?”

“…He actually IS getting closer.”

 

Bruce and Betty blurted out that shocking fact.

Asley, despite not possessing any arcane energy, was moving forward — without a doubt, he was making progress despite everything.

In the midst of ceaseless attacks — an unavoidable rain of magic — Asley was moving closer and closer to Tūs.

 

“Is he… starting to understand the essence of the arcane arts…?”

 

Warren said, piquing Adolf’s curiosity.

 

“W-what does that… even mean?”

“Magic and magecraft all have their weaknesses — fire is weak against water, Fire Lance cannot fly straight, such and such.
Compatibility, directionality, invocation range, power… they all are weaknesses, even if it may be difficult to see the latter one as such.
Regardless, that’s exactly what Asley thought, and so he trained his body to withstand it without any additional action.
Not punching, not kicking, not dodging — and that’s what it means for him to understand the essence of the arcane arts.”

 

To a warrior like Adolf, this was something quite incomprehensible.

However, the following moment… Adolf, and everyone else as well, saw and understood.

 

“”–!?””

“That magic spell is most likely Quad Dragon, a more advanced form of Double Dragon.
He just… grabbed it.
Hmm…”

 

Even Warren could not hide his surprise.

 

“…And with that, Master Tūs has lost one usable move.”

“I see.
He can’t use it anymore because if he does, Asley will just grab it and throw it back at him — that’s effectively giving Asley more options and a chance to hit back with a long-ranged attack.”

 

Blazer showed his understanding of Warren’s statement.

 

“However, that won’t help the issue of excessive blood loss–“

 

Ryan pointed out, causing Pochi to lament Asley’s recklessness.

 

“That’s… because he’s a fool…”

“Ow! Hot hot hot!”

“Hmm!? He’s searing his wounds with Master Tūs’ fire spells!?”

“With this giving Asley a way to stop his bleeding, Master Tūs has lost the option of using fire-based attacks, limiting his variety yet again…”

 

Warren swallowed a lump in his throat.

 

“”HAAAAAHAHAHA!!””

 

Both Tūs and Asley were laughing.

 

“It’s like I’m in a gambling den…”

 

That was how Lylia saw the battle.

It was on a level very few could comprehend.
A fight between a human and Elf who had devoted their whole lives to the arcane arts, their pursuit ever ongoing — some of the strongest humanity ever had to offer.

Calling this a battle, in which both sides brought out everything they had, would be underselling it.
It was not only a gambling of the participants’ lives, but of humanity’s survival itself.

While Tūs was laughing, his intent to kill was real.
If Asley were to die here, humanity would have no chance at survival.

Tūs knew that, and of course, Asley was also aware.

Still, both of them aimed for the top, constantly walking, running, flying — anything to move themselves forward.

 

“OOOHHHHHH!!!!”

 

Asley roared.

Slowly, step by step, he was getting closer to Tūs, as if pulling them both together with a rope.

Closer and closer, in an attempt to surpass his mentor…

 

“DAHAHAHAHAHA!! I’M NOT DONE YET!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!! SAME HERE, YOU GIANT IDIOT!!”

 

In Asley’s advance, everyone saw a chance for him to win this.

But right when they thought that, whether it was due to Tūs’ stubbornness or Asley’s negligence, Asley’s advance stopped.

 

“Why!?”

 

Everyone felt the same as Irene. 

Though degrees of their doubts varied, and even Pochi tilted her head in confusion.

 

“Hmm, that’s strange… Ah, I see.
That’s it!”

 

And then Pochi’s confusion was quickly resolved.

Whether the answer that she arrived at was the right one for Asley or not, no one would know until this graduation exam was over.
And if Tūs were to emerge victorious, the answer would forever remain unknown.

Even so, Pochi’s eyes were bright and full of joy.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Lina, perhaps as a result of seeing Pochi’s expression, came to a realization.

And so did Hornel, Idéa, Midors, Anri, and Claris.

The other mages started catching on, and then the warriors as well.

Before long, everyone realized — this graduation exam was about taking on Tūs’ full power.

With that realization came another realization.
This point-blank fight of strength and magic between two of humanity’s strongest was soon to end.

 

…Indeed, the result was right before their eyes.

 

“Hah hah hah hah…… H-how’s that!?”

 

Asley pointed his Drynium Rod at Tūs’ neck.

 

“Hehehe… How am I supposed to answer that?”

 

Tūs’ arms hung limply by his sides.

At this point, he could barely even stand.

 

“D-damn it…”

 

And so he fell over backward.

The gigantic Elf, the Philosopher of the Far East…

 

“My energy…”

 

…Shook the earth with his fall, and then he closed his eyes as he gazed at the sky.

 

“It’s all run out now… you fool.”

 

Just as Tūs lost consciousness, the fool in question collapsed to his knees.

But the fool’s Familiar… the gigantified Pochi, prevented him from falling with a push of her nose.

She proceeded to scoop Asley’s body up and effortlessly rested him on her back.

 

“You really are too reckless, Master!”

“Huh…? Did I lose?”

 

The fool did not even realize that he had won.
But immediately after, voices of praise and footsteps echoed both in his ears and his soul.

All the warriors and mages rushed over to him.

Those who had fought alongside the Eternal Fool praised him, for he had defeated a Philosopher — a man who had devoted all his life and strength to the pursuit of the arcane arts — without even possessing any arcane capability himself.

This was something all the other mages and warriors could not do.

Helped by Pochi, Asley once again stood on the ground, and then he had an abundance of recovery magic cast on him — from Lina, Tifa, Fuyu, Irene, and many other mages.

Bruce let Asley lean on his shoulder, and countless hands reached out, saying with sparking eyes what they saw Asley as right now.

Hearing that, Asley was bewildered and overwhelmed, while Pochi happily looked on at her friend and Master.

As the one who had just defeated the strongest Philosopher, Asley was called…

 

…Humanity’s Strongest.

 

And in addition to that, he was called the thing humanity currently needed most.

Not a warrior, not a mage, not a Philosopher… but simply a concept…

 

…A symbol of hope.