Chapter 330, Analysis of War Potential

“Aww mah Gawddd……”

 

Asley’s voice turned weird as he collapsed on the spot.

Pochi, having woken up during the battle between Tūs and Asley, ran up to where Asley was and poked him.

 

“Are you all right, Master?”

“Nope… definitely not…”

“You know, Master, you’ve been getting into nothing but embarrassing situations lately.”

“Sh-shaddup! I was up against Tūs — you know, THE Tūs! How about you try fighting him as well, huh!?”

“Uh, I’ll pass, sir.”

 

Pochi replied with a straight face.

 

“GAAAHHH!”

 

Asley groaned and pushed himself up, and saw that Tūs — wounded all over, but nowhere fatal — was walking toward him.

 

“Now I get it.”

“G-get what?”

 

Asley looked at Tūs in frustration, sat up, and readied to defend himself.

Tūs proceeded to grab Asley by his neck and lift him up.

 

“You being able to use Ultimate Limit is… something I’d expect from a Holy Warrior, I guess.
But you’re still missing something important.
Just look how badly you managed to hurt me — you should’ve been capable of much more, catching up with me through other ways.”

“Oof… of all the things you pay attention to…!”

 

Asley struggled to get himself moving again.

 

“You gotta think of ways to make use of your strong points when you fight.”

“H-how the hell am I supposed to do that?”

“I hate to say it, but the AMOUNT of arcane energy you and I can use is about the same.”

“Wait, really? But your level is still quite a bit higher than mine, right?”

 

When Asley raised his doubt, Tūs tossed him aside.

 

“Whoa–!?”

 

Asley managed to land on his feet.

 

“Right, I’m about twenty levels higher than you right now.
But our arcane energy pools are just about the same size.
Which means when we’re on the same level, you’ll have way more energy than me — that’s the advantage you have.”

 

Tūs pointed at Asley and continued,

 

“If you’d just whip all your power out on your enemies, there’s almost nothing and no one that can beat you — at least right now.”

“That’s….
true.”

 

Asley’s body trembled as he looked at his own hands.

 

“Almost.
I said almost.”

 

Tūs turned around and pointed at Asley again.

 

“I know! I mean, I still can’t beat YOU yet… Ah, now wait a second! Did you even go all out just now!?”

“…Don’t know, don’t care.”

“What the hell!? That’s the most important part! As far as I know, you’re the most powerful guy in this era! How about you be helpful so I can actually be confident in how strong you are, huh!?”

“Don’t be so naive, you fool!! You wanna be confident in me, then YOU start being confident! It’s not my business to make you believe anything! …Hey, that’s so damn quotable! Whip out your book and write it down! And add something like ‘a real Philosopher is on a whole ‘nother level’ or whatever!”

“Ugh…”

 

With tears in his eyes, Asley took out the Principles of a Philosopher and a fountain pen.

Seeing that, Tūs nodded his head in satisfaction.

Pochi looked over Asley’s shoulder, examining the contents of the book’s open page.

What she saw were a drawing of Tūs’ face and a bunch of immature insults.

 

“‘Ooohhh, Asley, I surrender! I’m so sorry! Idiot! Poopyhead! Monster Elf!’ Heh heh heh, how’s that….”

“Master, you know that even kids these days don’t do this anymore, right?”

“Who cares!? It’s fun for me, and that’s all that matters!”

 

Asley interrupted Pochi’s words with tears and gritted teeth.

Pochi heaved a sigh of exasperation and turned her attention to Tūs.

 

“So, where were we on the discussion, again?”

“What? You’ve been listening in?”

“Well, yes, I was awake… for most of it.
Me, my Master, you, Bull, Lylia, and Weldhun — do you think that will be enough power to win against those in Regalia Castle?”

 

Faced with the same question Asley had posed to him just now, Tūs scratched his head and looked up at the sky.

 

“…If we’re only up against Ishtar of the Black and Lloyd of the White, I guess?”

 

Just that was the answer Tūs could get out.

But it was enough for Asley and Pochi’s faces to be frozen in horror — enough to convey the sheer depth of Gaspard’s capabilities.

 

“So he’s the one that makes all the difference? Damn, your old student is one hell of a badass…”

“He’s not my student anymore.
I might’ve been able to beat him back when he first left, but if he’s turned into a Devil since then… well, no shot.
Pretty dangerous stuff, y’know, but Melchi did report that they’re trying to do that, yeah?”

“M-Master…!”

“Yeah.
I’ve been told that Billy actually managed to do it — you know, turning himself into a Devil.
Chances are, Gaspard also did that already…”

“HAHAHA! Great, just great.
How about let him and the Devil King duke it out, then swoop in and kill whoever survives it?”

 

Tūs asked while picking his nose with his pinky.

 

“The longer it drags on, the more innocent people are gonna die, you know!”

“No one is innocent.
No one.
People swat down mosquitoes and flies, trample over ants, eat animal meat, and kill monsters to make a living.
They’re not innocent.
It’s just that some sins don’t concern them.
But it’s all so they could stay alive, and maybe work out a good life.
Nothing about that is bad.
But it’s no surprise that the Devilkin want the same — y’know, to have a good life.
And they’re naturally gonna get rid of everything and everyone in their way to achieve that.”

“Gah! Stop being so reasonable, damn it!”

 

Tūs lived away from civilization, so his attitude was perfectly understandable.
He had no side in this conflict — he was with neither humanity nor the Devilkin.

As such, Asley raised up no opposing points… and only bit down on an edge of his mantle as he stomped on the ground.

 

“Well, like I just said, you’re good enough to go in, get what you want, and run away.
We’ll be getting Lylia outta this seal when you get your energy back.
Be ready.”

 

Tūs shrugged his shoulders and turned away from Asley.

Asley tucked his book and fountain pen into his chestpocket, folded his arms, and groaned.

Then he kept his eyes on Tūs while invoking a Giving Magic Circle under his feet.

 

　◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

 

“You ready?”

“Y-yeah!”

“I’ll destroy the arcane energy seal on the top — you take the bottom.
If we don’t get the timing right, well, Lylia’s gonna die.”

“Master! Sir Tūs! I’m cheering both of you on!”

“So what kind of signal should we use?”

 

Asley turned to ask Tūs.

 

“How ’bout the thing you usually shout? Pretty nice rhythm, that one.”

 

Asley was quite visibly elated to be told so by Tūs.

 

“Heh, I know, right? Let’s divide it into a three-count, yeah?”

“Yeah, whatever you say!”

 

Tūs groaned in exasperation and raised his right hand, and Asley followed suit.

And then, both of them directed a stream of arcane energy at Lylia’s sealing Crystal.

 

“ONE, TWO…!”

 

As Pochi started the count, Asley and Tūs opened their eyes wide.

 

“”RISE!””

 

Their hands moved in perfect unison.

 

“”A-RISE!””

 

Their arcane energy control, also in perfect unison.

 

“”A-RISE!!””

 

Like reflections in a mirror, they wrapped the belt-shaped energy constrictions with their own arcane energy at the exact same time and in equal amounts.

 

“”OOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!””

“MY EYESSSSSS!!”

 

The following moment, a dazzling light enveloped the area, and Pochi screamed out in pain.

 

“GYAAAHHHHHH!?”

 

Then she rolled around on the ground.

Asley and Tūs watched as cracks appeared on the Crystal in front of them, gradually breaking it apart.

Before long, the Crystal shattered with a high-pitched explosion, and Lylia appeared from inside it, levitating toward Asley as if she was being held up by an invisible force.
Eventually, her face landed on Asley’s shoulder.

 

“AAAHHHHHH!! I THINK MY EYES JUST GOT BURNED!!”

 

Perhaps because of Pochi’s screaming, Lylia slowly opened her eyes as she was being held in Asley’s arms.

 

“……? P-Poer…?”

“H-hello, Lylia.
And I’m Asley now, remember… Hahaha…”

 

Energy sparked in Lylia’s eyes as her consciousness gradually returned.

 

“Ah…! Oh, Asley… We finally meet again!”

 

Lylia smiled happily, and then closed her eyes again.

Asley chuckled quietly as he held her in his arms… as if to not disturb her sleep.

 

“MY EYESSSSSS!!”

 

And of course, he refrained from reprimanding Pochi.