Chapter 86 - Entry

On the bright side, they probably wouldn’t need anyone else’s help.

That was Aiden’s conclusion after examining the skill Noel had gained right after he acquired Origin.

-Skill Info

■ Origin

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-Noel Astria Seamus

◇ Twisted Rage

Emotions can sometimes serve as an extraordinarily powerful source of energy. Especially possessiveness toward someone you harbor romantic feelings for. When the target becomes angry over matters involving that person, she gains substantial additional power. The multiplier scales with the intensity of her anger.

※ Once the skill takes effect, these emotions will not subside easily. If the target is angry, make sure you also think of a way to soothe her!

... Having something like this fall into his lap would certainly be a tremendous help in resolving the situation.

The supplementary explanation was dizzying, but if it went so far as to call the increase “substantial,” he could reasonably expect results.

Which made his immediate objective simple.

He needed to piss Noel off.

As that thought crossed his mind, clubs of flesh slammed down beside him. Both Flesh Tearers had attacked at once.

Their destructive power was terrifying. The ground shattered beneath the impact, and the shock alone rocked every building nearby. They weren’t called Colossal Magical Beasts for nothing.

All beasts classified as Colossal shared those traits, even if they fell short of Top-Tier. They lacked special abilities like Reaver’s, but they were tough and powerful. Those simple advantages had been pushed to the extreme.

‘At least they’re slow.’

Aiden hurled himself out of the way.

Thankfully, sluggish movement wasn’t listed as their weakness for nothing. Even he, who had no particular advantage in a battle like this, could handle the situation without much difficulty.

The problem was that, while dodging several rounds of these repetitive attacks hadn’t been difficult, they had yet to land anything that qualified as a proper blow.

“If we at least knew where to hit, this would be easier!”

Aiden answered Noel matter-of-factly.

“The middle of each arm.”

“What?”

“That’s where their cores are. Hitting those should do some real damage.”

“... How can you tell that with a single glance?! Even knights struggle to identify a magical beast’s weak points!”

“...”

Well, this was Grand Duke Aslan’s skill. It let him borrow the exact eye of one of the continent’s foremost authorities on magical beasts, so it wasn’t difficult.

“Although knowing that won’t make it easy to kill them in one hit.”

Their slow movements made it easy to exploit openings, and both Noel and Aiden had already landed a few counterattacks.

The problem was that the beasts hadn’t reacted at all.

They weren’t hard like Reaver, nor did they simply regenerate like Katya. It felt utterly pointless to fight them at all. Like raging at a lump of mud.

Unfortunately, sluggish as they were, they completely blocked the spire’s entrance.

“The imperial prince must be in there, Aiden.”

Noel narrowed her eyes.

“We need to find some way to kill—”

“I never intended to kill them. We don’t have the time.”

Aiden sighed.

Making a huge fuss over killing creatures stationed here specifically to delay them would be foolish.

“Disabling them is our best option. Even a single blow will do, as long as it’s powerful enough to leave them unable to move.”

And there was only one person here capable of doing that.

Katya was still holding off the airborne horde trying to attack them.

“You’re the only one I can ask, Dame Noel.”

“...”

“Buy me enough time to get inside.”

He was somewhat aware that he was asking too much.

Throwing a single human at two Colossal Magical Beasts was outrageously reckless, no matter how exceptional a knight that person might be.

Anyone with an ounce of reason would recoil and ask whether he was out of his mind.

He’d made an absurdly reckless request of Katya earlier, too, but hadn’t he ended up having to soothe her after she grew sulky?

Perhaps Noel was just as angry...

“... Are you angry right now, by any chance?”

He asked with that hopeful prediction in mind.

“Doesn’t that mean you’re placing your trust in me, not just Her Highness?”

“...”

“Thank you, Aiden. I’m perfectly capable of that much...!”

Seeing her eyes light up rather than grow angry left him speechless.

... Seriously.

Why did these people get competitive over such pointless things?

“... I’ll be honest with you, Dame Noel.”

Aiden squeezed his eyes shut.

Time was ticking away even now, and only God knew what the imperial prince was plotting inside this spire.

Given that, perhaps he would be better off telling her the truth and asking for help.

“I need you to get angry with me.”

“... What?”

“It’s difficult to explain why, but if you do, we’ll definitely have a way forward.”

“...”

Noel blinked in bewilderment, but after a moment’s thought, she nodded.

“... You wouldn’t joke at a time like this, so all right. But there is a problem.”

“What is it?”

“It’s difficult for me to get angry with you.”

“...”

“... No, I’m not joking. What am I supposed to do? I just don’t get angry with you easily.”

Thanks. He appreciated that she had such boundless patience for him.

But that wasn’t very helpful right now...!

“L-let’s at least try something!”

Noel had been thinking hard even as she darted about to dodge attacks. Seeing Aiden’s expression darken, she hurriedly continued.

“Could you say something nasty to me? That might make me angry!”

... Hmm.

Insults certainly were the most straightforward way to make someone angry.

Aiden quickly spoke.

“Dame Noel.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Honestly, sometimes you’re so bland and boring that—”

-System Message

▶ Target ‘Noel Astria Seamus’ falls into despair!

“...”

Why was the emotion he’d provoked despair rather than anger?

That was his first thought when Noel immediately turned to him with shock in her eyes...

“... W-was I r-really that boring?”

Noel trembled as she spoke. Tears even glimmered at the corners of her eyes...

“... I haven’t even started insulting you yet.”

“This, um, feels a little different from what I expected. It’s less like getting angry and more like having my feelings hurt...”

“...”

Apparently there was a subtle distinction.

“I-isn’t there another way? S-something other than a direct attack on me...”

“... An insult is still an insult, however I phrase it, isn’t it?”

“Anything else is fine, but that’s off-limits! Just find something appropriate to say!”

“...”

Deep concern settled over Aiden’s face at Noel’s almost petulant demand.

Insulting someone without saying anything directly hurtful. Even for Aiden, who had essentially made a living with words, that required some serious mental effort.

‘... Wait.’

Come to think of it, there was a way.

A way to make someone angry without insulting them directly.

“Let’s give up on this approach, Dame Noel.”

“... Huh? All of a sudden?”

“Yes. I don’t want to hurt you unnecessarily, either.”

“... R-really?”

Forgetting their situation, Noel broke into a radiant smile.

Only for it to fracture the instant she heard his next words.

“Thinking about it, I should just ask Her Highness Katya instead of you—”

-System Message

▶ Target ‘Noel Astria Seamus’ flies into an extreme rage!

▶ ‘Skill: Twisted Rage’ activates.

▶ The target’s ability amplification multiplier is set to 200%!

“...”

That worked spectacularly.

Aiden inwardly broke into a cold sweat as he watched the pure-white energy billowing around Noel grow far more powerful than before.

He’d achieved his immediate objective, but somehow, he was afraid of the consequences...

“... Well, it seems you were right.”

Noel gave a cold snort and raised her sword.

“Now that I’m actually pissed off, I suddenly feel like I couldn’t lose to anything.”

“...”

“... Since we’re in a hurry, let’s make use of this for now. Stand back for a moment, Aiden.”

Yes.

Thank you.

Repeating his thanks inwardly, Aiden pulled back.

“Now, then.”

Elnor turned slightly to face the giant as it prepared to charge them again.

And then...

—...

Amazingly, it flinched.

Even a magical beast with nothing left but instinct could apparently sense it.

Just how powerful the “target” standing before it had become.

ROOOAR!

ROOOOAR!

It shrieked again and moved to attack. It was even more ferocious than before, as though trying to deny that it had just been frightened.

“Honestly.”

Her sword traced a clean arc.

“You’ve been far too loud this whole time!”

And with that single motion, she sliced through the entire landscape.

SLAAASH!

The club of flesh was severed in one stroke, and the arm holding it scattered in pieces as though fed through a grinder.

Even if she had struck the weak point Aiden had identified, this was a Colossal Magical Beast. An arm that thick, harder than steel, destroyed in a single blow.

And the slash didn’t stop there. It sliced away part of the building behind it, too.

She had quite literally changed the landscape with one swing of her sword.

“...”

Aiden stared blankly at the sight.

Was an attack like that even within human limits?

He’d seen her cut through buildings before, but this was far, far beyond that...

“... Aiden.”

Having subdued her opponent, Noel sighed and continued.

“Now’s your chance. Go in, and I’ll follow shortly.”

Aiden nodded and straightened up. Meanwhile, Noel turned to face the other Colossal Magical Beast.

Sounding positively grateful that there had been two rather than one, she spoke in a chilling voice.

“I’ll be taking out some frustration on that one.”

“...”

▣

As Aiden climbed the spire’s stairs, he could hear the Flesh Tearer suffering outside.

A glance through a stairway window revealed Noel swinging the giant about by its hair.

Even the nearby exorcists stared in open-mouthed horror as its enormous body flew about, demolishing every building around it.

Somehow, the sight made him feel that a major ordeal would remain even after he cleared the Main Quest...

“... Good grief.”

Still, that was a separate matter.

He really ought to focus on dealing with the person causing his immediate headache first.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden addressed the man he encountered as soon as he entered the spire’s interior.

“You’ve really made a mess on a grand scale, Your Highness.”

“...”

The imperial prince, who had been sitting motionless in the center of the room with his eyes closed, slowly turned his head toward Aiden.

“Aiden. It’s been a while. Impressive that you made it this—”

Before the prince could finish, Aiden’s fist smashed mercilessly into his face.

Still trying to speak, the prince went flying and slammed into the wall.

“...”

Pinned there by the impact, he stared blankly at Aiden.

“Actually, I’m not particularly interested in what you have to say.”

Aiden glared at him as he spoke.

In truth, he still had no idea what had possessed the prince to do all this.

And frankly, he didn’t want to know.

Whatever else might be going on, one thing was clear.

This bastard needed some sense knocked into him.

“First, let’s give you a beating.”

Truly.

He meant every word with one hundred percent sincerity.