The Continental Magic Association's Decision
I don't know how much time passed.
At dawn, the once bustling Fortress City Weise, gleaming with a golden luster, lay silent.
Macht sat in the fountain in the center of the city.
The fountain's water had stopped gushing out; instead, it shimmered with a golden luster, just like the surrounding buildings, and even the water itself had turned golden, clinging to the air.
"... It's dawn."
"How much time has passed exactly?"
"I'm alive."
He touched the "Dominating Stone Ring" he was wearing on his hand.
He glanced at the "Dominating Stone Ring" he was wearing.
He shook the "Dominating Stone Ring" he was wearing.
"Tsk."
In the end, I wasn't able to feel any emotional response.
"Staying here indefinitely isn't a solution."
"--However, at the moment of Goldification, I did sense something."
It's like I've lost something.
What exactly is it?
"Really."
"Next time."
"You'll do better next time."
He stood up, intending to leave.
A slender hand braced against his back, but did not immediately launch an attack.
There won't be a next time.
Her long, golden hair was naturally draped over her shoulders. She wore a short-sleeved robe with an open collar, shorts, and leggings that looked like slouch socks around her ankles, along with cloth shoes.
The elf's voice rang out coldly. "Restore Weise immediately, or I'll kill you."
"... Who is it?" Macht replied.
... By the time I sensed her magical reaction, she was already behind me. A terrifying woman.
The elf did not answer his question.
"Hurry up," she urged, "For Demons, nothing is more important than life."
"..." Macht remained silent.
The elf understood what he meant.
Normally, the threat of losing one's life is effective against any Demons.
Therefore, there is only one answer.
"Interesting. As expected, the Goldification of objects is irreversible." A smile played on the elf's lips. "Magic is a world based on imagination."
"Goldification an object and restoring it are two completely different concepts; turning humans into gold and restoring them are not equivalent."
"It seems that you, a monster incapable of understanding humanity, are no match for the people of Weise."
Macht turned around instantly, placing his right hand on the elf's shoulder. "You rascal..."
The elf unconsciously widened his eyes, revealing a wicked smile that was a mixture of excitement, anticipation, exhilaration, and arrogance.
Macht knelt down, looking at his shoulder that had been Goldification: "... What did you do?"
He saw the black magic emanating from the elf.
"Oh, I see. You deflected my magic."
"Curse Reversal Magic..." The elf didn't attack, but simply stood and looked at Macht. "If you had been more focused just now, you'd probably be turned to gold by your own magic by now."
"Why can you deflect my magic? I don't believe that human magical technology can break the principles behind my 'Diagoldze' magic."
"There's no need to break it," Serie said. "This magic automatically reflects all magical effects recognized as 'curses'."
"This is the Crystallize of human wisdom from the mythological era, and also the most primitive form of magic that cannot be explained by magical theories."
"Although I don't really like this kind of magic."
"But it's perfect for eliminating you."
"Macht of Golden Land, you've gone a bit too far."
Macht didn't respond, but instead asked himself, "I'll ask again, who are you?"
The elf's lips curled into a smile.
"I am the Great Mage, Serie."
"Great Mage born in the mythical era, from a time when even the Demons had long forgotten its terrifying existence."
"I see. It seems you're different from the others who have come here to die so far."
Macht's left hand emitted light, restoring his Goldification right shoulder and arm. Then, his right hand grasped the golden coat that had been draped over his left shoulder, and the coat instantly transformed into that familiar broadsword.
Macht stabbed Serie with his knife.
The blade was supposed to pierce Serie's chest, but Serie held her hands horizontally in front of her chest, her hands pointing towards the blade in the void. It was as if the blade had been pierced into another dimension. Macht drew his sword, and the sword was pulled out from that other dimension.
"You can restore your body to its Goldification."
As Serie spoke, she casually unleashed a massive explosion with her left hand.
The explosion's power was perfectly contained within a few dozen meters, without damaging the distant golden statue.
The smoke cleared.
"And that piece of clothing too."
Macht was wrapped in a semi-circular overcoat, like an Absolute Defense, completely unharmed.
"Despite possessing such advanced magical skills, I cannot imagine what I would look like as a human."
Even if one's mastery of magic has reached its pinnacle, a level unattainable by ordinary humans, a monster is still a monster.
"Shut up." Macht flew into the sky, unleashing six "Killing Magic" at Serie.
"Oh... 'Killing Magic'." Serie gracefully fell backward, six honeycomb-shaped Defensive Magic lighting up around her, perfectly protecting her. At the same time, she condensed a halo-shaped energy ball in her hands, cast a spell with her left hand, and shot it towards Macht.
As the smoke cleared, Macht was enveloped in a perfect honeycomb-shaped Defensive Magic.
"You even know Defensive Magic? You're really interesting."
This is magic that humans have developed.
Even for ordinary Demons, such as the Seven Sages of Destruction, the chances of survival are slim.
Macht silently held up his broadsword.
"So, what kind of magic will you use next?" Serie asked with a wicked, expectant smile.
The next moment, a man with short black hair, his right eye half-covered, and wearing a black mage's robe appeared in front of Serie, facing Macht.
He gently raised his left hand, and a brown, transparent cube-shaped magic circle Macht in mid-air.
"Looks like someone's in the way," Macht said nonchalantly.
"Is that so?" Serie's upturned lips instantly fell, and her expression turned dull.
"Lairen, I can't hold on much longer," the dark-haired man said.
"Yes, you've done a very good job." A clean-cut young man with the same neat and short haircut as the Continental Magic Association Lairen.
"You stupid disciples, don't get in my way. I told you to stay put," Serie, somewhat displeased.
"Master," Lairen said respectfully, "If you kill Macht, the magic of Diagoldze will be lost."
So what?
"This means..." Lairen sensed the slight increase in his master's tone and lowered his head gently, "... that we will forever lose the opportunity to liberate the Fortress City Weise from the Golden Land."
"Lairen. If I don't deal with Macht here, it won't just be Weise who suffers next."
"If this guy really has that intention, it wouldn't be surprising if the entire Northern Plateau turned into gold."
"I cannot stand idly by."
Macht gently placed his left hand against the barrier, and the barrier silently cracked, but was not completely destroyed.
It's only a matter of time.
The black-haired mage broke out in a cold sweat.
"Macht will be sealed away by First-Class Mages." Lairen gently raised her head. "Whether it lasts for decades or centuries, the seal will continue until we find a way to restore the Golden Land."
"The possibility is too small," Serie rejected, knowing that the magical systems of humans and Demons were vastly different. "This place can no longer be restored to its original state."
"Master..." Lairen repeated.
"..." Serie remained silent. "What a spoilsport. Do whatever you want."
She turned and left, ignoring the Demons who was breaking the barrier.
"Thank you very much." Lairen bowed.
Serie had already disappeared from Lairen's sight, but Lairen still didn't raise her head.
Six First-Class Mages, four men, one woman, and one androgynous, each wielding a staff of a different style.
They are all First-Class Mages.
The brown, transparent barrier was broken.
But a new barrier slowly appeared above the Demons' heads.
The magicians put down their staffs.
A new barrier enveloped the entire territory of Weise.