Chapter 50: Eyelids (22)

Chapter 50: Eyelids (22)

.Professor?

Even after saying his name, Rakshasha could sense a strange difference with this person. The person who wrapped up and hid the man in the cocoon was herself, so there was no way it could be someone else. What was it? Why did the same person in front of her feel so foreign?

No, one thing did change.

Eyes. His eyes, which always had a certain playful glint, no matter how serious the situation, were now similar to those of an insect.

The first one to break this odd standoff was Isaac, who had been watching this situation with great interest.

Professor. Did you just call that monster Professor?

.Darn it.

She got caught off guard and made a mistake. There must have been a reason why Professor was hiding his name.

On the still mask of a face Isaac had on, a small slit spread across his face as if cut with a knife. With his eyes still trained on the situation and only his lips making a curl, his expression truly looked like that of a madman.

Professor Professor, you say. Right. I had a test subject with that name. That one especially left an impression on me. I remember it now. That thing. That was how he looked like when he was first captured.

Grumble! Krg-grumble!

Isaacs hands were shaking from excitement. The mage clasped his hands together as if praying. The mana core floating behind him started to boil up as if it were reflecting the current condition of its user.

You mutes.. always exceed my expectations. So that monster was not produced by the Queen but created by me? What exactly changed it? Its still using the name Professor, so did it retain its memories from when it was human? Is it still following the commands of the Queen? Or does it have its own will? Then, whats actually inside it right now? Is it you, Professor? Answer me!

Vwoooom

From his clasped hands, he extended his middle and pinky fingers and folded his thumb at the first joint. The meanings he engraved on each finger solidified Isaacs image. The magic he gained through his sixth awakening. Isaac saw it. In his dream, he saw the waves of fate sweeping away the future of humanity into oblivion. Through the repetitive nightmares, Isaac finally decided. Since no one else was awakened, he, who had been awakened, needed to save humanity. Even if most of the people died and lost their original form, it would be better than what he saw in his dreams!

I will lead humanity to a new stage through your body!

When Isaac opened his clasped hands, the water from the mana core came crashing out like an endless waterfall.

Level 6 Origin Spell[Isaac Mandaliuss Sinking Wave]

Cough!

M-Master.! Gaargh!

The mages that were acting as Isaacs vessel for the mana within the void stones field were now collapsing to the ground, coughing up blood, unable to handle the immense amount of mana.

In return for that blood, Isaac now had free reign over the large mass of mana, which was now spreading across the entire laboratory as a sentient hazard.

Wow. Thats water? It isnt as pretty as I heard it was.

Level 6 magic. I. might actually die here.

Rakshasha conflicted internally. If she used all of her power here, then she would be able to hold it off to an extent, but she would collapse from exhaustion right away. Is the thing in front of her really the Professor she knew? Can she consider the being in front of her an ally?

Water.. should I try touching it? It looks dangerous

With a string in one hand and a dagger in another, Rakshasha faced Professor and took a deep breath before asking

Who are you?

W-Woah! F-Female human!

Professor, no, the thing that looked like Professor jumped back in surprise, as if it had just now seen Rakshasha there.

D-Do not misunderstand this. Its not that I dont like you, its just. Vessels sleeping right now.

We dont have time! Answer me!

Craaaaash!

There was no more time to spare. She didnt know exactly what magic it was, but that water was able to cut even the strong Elder Spiders string into pieces by just touching it.

Give me a second. Im trying to think. Everyones been asking me exactly what I am, but thats a really philosophical question. You saved the vessel, so Ill save you. So just stay calm and wait for a moment. Theres no need to rush.

Gahhhh!

Isaacs thoughts vanished in the face of excruciating pain at that moment.

The Water Bind was still activated, so where, where did that come.?

Once he saw where the source of pain was, Isaac knew that he could no longer calm down.

Hand. An arm was growing out of the small wound on his palm, twisting his ankle, and in between each finger were small teeth that ripped through his arm, and the eyeballs that were on the back of the palm on the arm stared at him mockingly.

W-What what is this?! The the thing is growing from my arm!

Fear finally started to spread into the old mages eyes.

Try using the information you have. You knew that mutes can still move even without a brain, which means that the infective agents can move on their own by sharing their senses with one another.

Well, of course, you arent an infective agent, so you probably cant do that. Hyde snickered to itself as it whispered to the vessel that was asleep within the body.

Grahhh! Ahh, aaaaaaah!

Holding his arm with his other hand, Isaac was rolling on the floor in a frenzy. The pain wasnt the problem. This was the first time he felt terror. His fear of something that had invaded his body and was attacking him paralyzed the mages ability to think.

Hyde, who was grinning at the interesting scene, slowly walked back to where Rakshasha was standing.

Female human.

.Yes?

Rakshasha raised her dagger as a warning. She didnt know what exactly was happening, but that thing wasnt Professor, and it was a highly dangerous being.

Hyde reacted with a hurtful face to her action.

Hmph. This is unfair. Youre so nice to the vessel, but youre being cold to me.

..Well, you arent him.

I mean, that was true. Hyde grumbled something under his breath at her response, then sat down on the floor.

Finish that guy off.

Youre not doing it yourself?

I cant even if I want to.

As Rakshasha stared at him with a puzzled look, Hyde raised his palm to show her. His hand was completely sucked of life and breaking off into dust at the tips.

I used up the blood I absorbed to the limit. The vessel cant control this stuff, so hell actually die if I use any more. And there isnt much time left for me to be awake now.

An infinite yet finite body, Hyde used up every last bit of knowledge and imagination he gained from Professors past battles.

-When the water is contaminated, the mages image becomes unstable.-

So he used most of the resources he had to pierce the magic. The more his spear entered the waves, the more his flesh weakened the pressure, leading him to his final target.

-Magic originates from the image of a mage.-

So he squeezed out every last resource he could to create the most horrifying thing he could think of so that the enemy could be tricked. To make the enemy build up on the attack and grow his fear so that he could no longer think properly. Even if he could move the infective agents that were detached from the original body, it didnt mean he could move them as freely as his own body. The arm holding on to the wrist stopped moving a long time ago. The teeth were only strong enough to leave a small mark on the flesh, and the eyeballs were just rolling around on their own.

But, the enemy was a mage that could change the world through an image within his own self. The fear inside the mages mind was already growing and expanding through his mind. What Isaac was seeing was no longer what Hyde had made. It was a visual form of the fear that the mage had made within himself.

It was the tactic the vessel constantly used against enemies.

It was called bluffing.

Ahh, what fun! Its so nice to have a body!

As he felt his consciousness slowly fading away, Hyde smiled with satisfaction as he tried to remember every feeling he was sensing. The cold feeling of water, Rakshashas face, which was staring down at him with suspicion, the thirst of the body asking for blood, and the pain of the body breaking down. Every single feeling and sense was precious to Hyde.

Female human, I hope that plan of yours works out well, and say hi to the vessel for me.

After sending a final wink to Rakshasha, Hyde finally sank down into the deep unconsciousness of the mind.