Season 2 Chapter 6
Ian thought of the past when he had first entered Zero Dimension to fight Reseese Radenju. The difference was that the fight had become incomparably intense and both fighters incomparably stronger.
The same thing was that while Ian had been the weaker one at the beginning, he had won at the end. Ian saw Fran kneel on one knee and the hole he had made on Fran’s chest.
“You’re a monster.”
“You said I was an idiot.”
“Monsters are usually idiots.”
Fran healed his wound with a smile, as Zero Dimension made it possible.
“You’ve become better, enough to put up a fight against that giant.”
Fran swiped a glass of wine in the air.
“You want a glass?”
“No.”
“Fathers usually teach sons how to drink. How about learning how to do this?”
“Just answer my question.”
Ian growled as he now was finished here and needed to get out.
“What do you want?”
“I said, I wanted you to kill that ugly giant first.”
Fran had said he wanted only one thing from the beginning: to read the giant’s memories and search for the roots of his special powers. In other words, he wanted to satisfy his curiosity.
“Really, only that?”
“What else?”
“Just say what you want.”
“I said, nothing. I’m already dead, you know.”
“How about taking over my body?”
“I want that badly. But, I’m only an illusion. Did you hear me? An illusion!”
“How can I trust you?”
“Wouldn’t I have taken over your body when you had fallen asleep?”
“That may be a plot…”
“Trust a bit.”
“Ha…”
Ian had to laugh at Fran saying the word trust. Fran had only spoken lies anytime he opened his mouth.
“Just trust me, or become strong enough that you won’t care what my ploys are.”
Fran spoke as he opened the door that led out of Zero Dimension.
“That will satisfy my curiosity, and it will become easier to protect my wife, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.”
“…What?”
Their conversation ended there as Fran pushed Ian across the gate.
“Let’s meet again.”
Fran waved his hand, and the light gesture suited him.
**
“……”
When Ian opened his eyes, the world was red.
‘How long has it been?’
The spell he had used made him fall asleep according to the damage he had absorbed, and now, the world had turned crimson. Something was wrong.
Ian had been near the North castle walls when facing the gate, which meant he should be able to see the city. However, he saw nothing except the masses of ice he had made using his spell.
‘There is no life here, even where the Palace…had been.’
The land was burning, the empire had disappeared, and no one was alive…
“……!”
However, Ian now felt someone’s presence nearby. It had appeared suddenly, which meant that the individual may have used a teleport spell. However, that spell was an 8th class, which only Ian could use among humans.
‘Is there a battle?’
Right after Ian felt the presence, a massive amount of mana burst out and continued to do so. Ian would need to confirm, as he could go there easily.
Ian did not use a teleport spell, as he would need to assess the situation first before approaching. He quickly flew there, and his speed had increased during his training with Fran. He moved to the south and saw only flame pillars on the ground. The world he had known was nowhere, and Ian swallowed his grief as he moved towards the mana. He was almost there.
Ian saw the familiar giant and a woman with a familiar cape and staff fighting to the death against it. He momentarily thought of her as Hailey, as she was similar in shape and had her cape and staff.
However, her hair color, face, and magic levels were different. Haily had blond hair and golden eyes, but this one had brown hair and blue eyes. Also, she was an 8th class mage like Ian.
It was then Ian sensed the woman’s identity. There were hints, and Ian may have slept longer than expected. That meant she may be Yohana, who had been an infant the last time he had seen her.
The giant grabbed the woman and spoke something in its language at that moment.
“What are you saying? Say it in a language I can understand, or just kill me.”
However, Ian understood the giant’s language, unlike the woman, and he was now certain who she was. The giant had said that it was going to remove ‘Yohana Page,’ the last being left except for the Variant.
Something swiped the giant’s wrist, and both Yohana and the monster did not know what it was. However, it cut off the giant’s wrist, and Yohana was freed. Then, after another swipe, both the giant’s legs were cut off.
The giant fell down. A sharp wind blade Ian had made in the shape of a gear had taken care of the monster.
“Father…?”
Yohana reacted first, as she knew who Ian was after seeing him a few times sleeping inside the ice. He had to be Ian Page.
“Are…you really Father?”
“…If you’re Yohana Page, yes. I named you myself.”
It had been twenty years. If this was a normal reunion, they would have talked things over.
“…Then, there’s a chance of winning.”
“What?”
However, Yohana Page’s life had been a sequence of survival and fighting. A reunion was a luxury.
“I heard you were above an 8th class. Is that true?”
“…Yes.”
“While I thought things would end here… if you came… it may be possible.”
Yohana pointed to the giant, who had finished healing with a shaking finger.
“To punish that giant for taking away everything from me.”
Friends, family, comrades, home. Ian heard the anguish in his daughter’s voice.
“……”
How could he answer as a late father and a failed protector? Ian gently patted her hair.
“I am sorry for being late, Yohana. I will do what you want, so let’s talk later.”
Yohana flinched at the sudden contact but nodded.
“Then…”
Ian moved towards the giant.
[Variant, now I cannot let you be…”
“Hey, you.”
The Spear of Ice, which Ian had only been able to make one of in the past, now appeared in tens.
“Let’s fight first.”