CH 180.2

Translator: Jiro Editor: Ryunakama

Time Manipulate was a spell which could speed up or slow down a person’s time.

I had used it in the fight against Grain to speed up my own time, forcing my body to grow.

However, its drawback had been great, leaving me in a three-year coma.

Since then I had decided not to use it again.

Even though I had grown a lot since then it was still way too risky to use it.

As I was pondering on what to do, Ain looked at me and nodded.

「It’s gonna be fine. Just trust me! I’m your partner aren’t I? We’ve been together for how many years now?」 Ain said, winking at me.

Hearing her say that I could only let out a sigh.

She’s right. She really is my trustworthy partner. I guess I have no choice but to trust her.

「Okay. I don’t know what you’re planning, but I’ll trust you.」

「YEAH! Okay then, come on now. Come on!」

I placed my hand on Ain’s back, as she jumped up and down in excitement and cast Time Manipulate.

The time and space around Ain began to twist as I struggled to squeeze out the last of my magic power.

Time Manipulate!

「I don’t know what you’re planning but I won’t let you…!」

Bertram began casting spells in order to try and stop me.

The light burst forth in front of me, who had no spells to defend myself with.

Suddenly I noticed white feather fluttering inside the torrent of dazzling light.

The winged girl standing in the centre of those white feathers smiled softly.

「I won’t let you lay a hand on my gramps!」 Ain said as she swung her right hand down.

Along with that, a slew of explosions erupted.

Wind, water, and fire… My vision was assailed by explosions of all seven colors, and I spotted Bertram standing with his jaw dropped as well.

「Y-You destroyed my spell barrier…?」

Bertram, who usually always kept his poker face, was now completely dumbstruck.

To clarify, a spell barrier was a strategy in which a magician would set up numerous spells in a certain region.

Those spells, however, would remain in a stasis-like state until activated.

To think that she actually destroyed them…

「Gramps, you’re quite exhausted I presume… Let me help ya with that.」 Ain said and raised her hand.

As she did, her hand started to glow and I could feel my magic power returning.

True, a magician and his familiar were connected by something akin to a channel, which the magician used to transfer magic power to the familiar, but that channel normally only went one way.

She just shattered Bertram’s spell barrier, and is now even funnelling magic power back to me. It just goes to show the level of control she has over her magic power. And that’s not all… It feels like my magic power lines are awakening as well…!

Power that I hadn’t felt before was surging through my body.

In addition, Ain’s accumulated EXP was being transferred to me.

As such, my level suddenly rose.

Zeph Einstein

Level 99

Magic Level:

Red: 99 / 99

Blue: 92 / 92

Green: 99 / 99

Sky: 93 / 93

Soul: 97 / 97

Magic Power: 6759 / 6759

「Gramps, I’m giving back everything I’ve received from you up until now. You’d like to finish this yourself, isn’t that right?」 Ain said, winking at me.

Her body immediately disintegrated into light particles, and she began to vanish.

「Ain! Y-You…!」 　

「Shh, it’s all right. You don’t have to say anything. … Just make sure you win.」

「… Thank you.」

「Fufu. Well then, see ya gramps.」 Ain said, completely disappearing after that.

Because Ain was composed entirely of magic power, it was only natural for her to vanish in the Isolated Space, where damage was turned into magic power loss.

Nonetheless, the power she left behind was still raging inside my body.

「… You bastard…」

「Hmph? Was that your familiar’s last trump card?」

Ain was undoubtedly gone.

However, her presence was still here.

She was still alive inside of me.

She had turned into a fire that was burning bright inside my heart.

I gave Bertram a disgusted look.

「That’s right. And now it’s my turn.」

I cast Time Square.

While time was stopped I cast Red Sphere five times.

Penta Fusion: Red Sphere Circle.

It was as simple as casting a Penta Fusion of primary spells.

Even the burden that was normally placed on my magic power lines when performing Penta Fusion had almost completely vanished.

This is amazing.

Without any repercussions whatsoever, an enormous flame appeared and launched itself at Bertram.

Bertram was taken aback by the spell’s speed and was struck head-on without being able to react.

The feeling I got from the spell was unmatched by any of my prior spells.

「I’M NOT DONE YET!」

I immediately followed it up with a Black Sphere Circle.

Blades of black wind took shape and launched themselves at Bertram.

However, I wasn’t finished just yet.

Pyro Crash Double, Gravity Sphere Triple, Marble Crash Double. I cast numerous spells in rapid succession.

To think that I’d be able to do this so easily. Even I’m shocked by myself. This is more than I ever imagined.

When Ain transferred her magic power to me, she also transferred her knowledge and skills.

In other words, the power that I was exhibiting right now was the combined power of Ain and I.

「Hmph…?!」

After successfully escaping from the magic storm, Bertram immediately took some steps back.

I guess that’s to be expected. He managed to offset that many spells and has hardly taken any damage. However, I suspect he doesn’t expect my next move.

I promptly increased my speed and circled around Bertram’s back, placing my hand on him.

After which I cast Green Crash Circle.

Bertram’s body contorted and he was blown away.

He flew until he collided with the walls, which caved in and cracks began to form.

「A CLEAN HIT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! BERTRAM IS SENT FLYING!!! WAS EVERYTHING AN ACT UP UNTIL NOW?! HE’S NOT ABLE TO REACT TO ZEPH’s ATTACKS AT ALL! WHAT’S WRONG FLAME OF FLAME?!!」 the announcer shouted out.

Bertram scowled at her as he slowly rose to his feet.

However, it was clear that he had taken a considerable amount of damage. He leaned against the boulders to help him maintain his balance.

I finally did some damage.

「Good grief… Your movements are quite different compared to the start.」

「Kuku. You seem like you’re just about to get serious as well.」

「Hmph.」

Bertram only snorted and brushed his hair up, his magical power rising inside his feeble body.

Tsch. I thought that it would have caused more damage than that… It seems like he still has a lot left in the tank.

「… You’re the first. The first opponent that has made me go all out.」 Bertram said.

As the words left his mouth the ground shook and the air began to twist as well.

The quality of the magic power surrounding Bertram changed once more.

That bastard, he’s raring to go, isn’t he?

「It doesn’t seem like you’re putting on airs…」

「What’s the point of me doing that?」

「Tsch, you sure are creepy.」

It felt like it was just Bertram and I.

The flames surrounding both of us roared up into the sky, showing their might. Flames burst forth everywhere.

Each time the flames collided sparks flew everywhere and the crowd cheered.

「Hmph, to think that there’d be someone capable of matching my full strength. The world sure is huge.」

「You took the words out of my mouth.」

The way I was now I could definitely say that I was more powerful than anyone I had ever met.

And even so, Bertram was still able to go toe to toe with me.

Bertram managed to counterattack after consistently dodging, repelling, and offsetting my spells.

And that was even after I had almost completely covered up the opening that appeared when I used Spell Fusion.

He’s most likely reading subtle changes in magic power in space and reacting to them by dodging and counter attacking.

He was performing superhuman reactions that wouldn’t normally be possible.

I can only describe it as crazy. So this is his real power. However, Bertram, you must be quite panicked, to go all out in this manner… Still, it seems like he’s enjoying himself quite a bit.

Bertram’s poker face was usually unwavering, but he had a huge smile on his face right now.

And how could I know it? That was because it was the same for me.

「… Kuku.」

「… What are you laughing at?」

「Don’t play dumb. You’re also having a lot of fun aren’t you? Having finally met an opponent that you could go all out against, and all?」

「… Hmph.」

Even though he tried to act disappointed, the corners of his mouth showed otherwise.

Before I could notice I was completely sucked in his pace as well.

As time passed, our laughter grew louder and louder.

「Kukuku.」

「Fufufu.」

「「HAHAHAHAHA!!!」」

In the midst of our laughter, our battle continued.

As Bertram and I danced, a plethora of fire flowers blossomed in the surrounding area.

「Bertram! Isn’t this fun?!」

「… I cannot disagree.」

Our flames intersected, creating an enormous flower of flames.

The petals of the flower began to fall to the ground, causing smoke to rise.

Both Bertram and I didn’t want this to end. However, the end was drawing near.

That feeling crept up into my heart as our fires became stronger.

All of the spells we cast had been intended to foretell it. Behind our charade, our last attack was beginning to unveil itself.

Both Bertram and I knew it.

「Hmph….!」

Bertram swung his arm, casting a Red Bullet.

As the bullets made their way towards me I cast Blue Sphere Triple in order to offset them, and immediately after that I launched the Red Crash Square that I had set up inside my prosthetic arm.

「… Naive.」

Bertram, on the other hand, stopped it with his fiercely blazing fist.

Suddenly, many cracks appeared on my prosthetic arm, shattering it into pieces.

After absorbing innumerable spells during all of the battles up until now, the metal it was composed of finally reached its breaking point and shattered.

However, that was all within my calculations.

Immediately after my arm shattered I cast Double Fusion: Burst Crash.

A booming sound echoed in the area, followed by a burst of light.

「What?!」

The fragments of my arm burst out, stabbing my and Bertram’s bodies.

Unlike I, who was anticipating this, Bertram completely froze.

Despite this, he was able to remain conscious. Regardless, I didn’t let the opportunity pass me by and cast Time Square right away.

While time was stopped I cast…