A Different Kind of Fireworks

Edward was already airborne, soaring over the mountains north of White Eagle City and racing farther north with a roar.

His blue formal suit had turned white. He was definitely cosplaying the Silverwing Magician, but the Flying Wings on his back weren't the kind of hang-glider wings the character used. Instead, he was cosplaying another famous animated character from his Previous Life—Buzz Lightyear!

He hadn't chosen such a flashy look himself. Back then, to change outfits quickly, he'd combined the Flying Backpack on his back with the array that changed his clothes' color, giving himself the ability to equip everything with a single button.

After returning to the New Continent, he'd been more relaxed and hadn't made any more modifications. Fortunately, he'd always made a habit of carrying his life-saving gear. Otherwise, escaping today would have been difficult.

The wind howled past his ears as he carefully controlled the Flying Wings. He used his monocle to survey the terrain below. He'd already crossed the broad waters of the Har River, and to the north stretched a tidal flat wetland.

The cold northern climate had left the area frozen solid. It would make a good battlefield, but it was too close to White Eagle City.

A vast forest stretched across the north, with deciduous trees mixed among evergreen pines and cypresses. Patches of snow still clung to the shady treetops.

Given the "insect's" nature, fighting in the forest wouldn't be a good choice. Besides, outside the cities of the New Continent, magical beasts roamed freely. Who knew if any would interfere?

So he turned northeast and flew a short distance over the frozen ground along the Har River. Then, where the river met the sea, a dark mass of islands appeared.

It was the delta at the Har River's mouth, long and narrow, and not small—at least a kilometer or two in length. It was covered in dry, low shrubs and weeds, with no significant rises in the terrain. From here, he could still just make out the lighthouse in White Eagle City.

Under Edward's control, the overheated Flying Backpack on his back shut off and switched to a different means of propulsion. A gale blasted from its nozzle, and the noise died down considerably. He glided toward the islands...

When Edward left Fountain Square, no one noticed, thanks to the unobtrusive influence of Mr. Insect's strange force field.

Only after Edward had flown into the air did a few people notice. But after the fireworks show, they assumed it was just another failed firework.

The ground Edward had leveled lay silent. A full three minutes passed before it began to bulge slightly, then a hole opened up. Mr. Insect silently emerged from beneath the ground.

Mr. Insect's appearance had changed dramatically. He retained only a vaguely human shape. His lower limbs had become thick and bent backward, while his forearms had turned into mantis forelegs. Another pair of limbs had sprouted from his abdomen, each covered in sharp, backward-pointing spines. A pair of cockroach-like wing cases had grown on his back.

His face was covered in long black hairs, and his eyes had become a pair of enormous compound eyes. A pair of long, pincer-like mouthparts extended from his mouth. Anyone who saw him in this state would have been scared out of their wits.

Unfortunately, his strange force field kept ordinary people far away, so no one noticed him.

He turned his head and neck mechanically, then murmured to himself:

"You think you can escape like you did in Ailande? I'm not one of those two fools who let you get away."

As he spoke, the wing cases on his back spread open, revealing a pair of transparent wings. Following the bright Heat Trace in the sky that appeared in his compound eyes, he flew off with a buzz.

The howling north wind over the Har River made Mr. Insect uncomfortable. He thought the Heat Trace in the sky would soon be carried away by the wind.

His own thin wings couldn't possibly catch up before the Heat Trace dispersed. So a Red Light glimmered around him, and he shot forward like lightning.

When he reached the sky above the Har River delta, the Heat Trace vanished. The Red Light around him faded, and his wings buzzed as he hovered above the delta.

"So you ran here? Mr. Smith, you've picked yourself a nice grave!"

Mr. Insect slowly descended. Flying wasn't one of his strong suits. He looked around, scanning the area with his enormous compound eyes. Other than the howling wind and the dry grass and branches rustling in it, there was nothing.

"Don't hide, Mr. Smith. I've already seen you!" he shouted. His voice sounded like the hoarse, rasping cry of someone with consumption.

Just then, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. A cloud of Blood Mist burst into the air, and his right arm was blown off at the root. Only then did a thunderous crack reach his ears.

He didn't bother picking up his fallen arm. Red Light flashed across his body as he charged toward the sound. He chased all the way to the water's edge, but found nothing.

"That guy's in the water." He'd already figured it out. His strength would suffer no harm from going underwater, but as an "insect," he was instinctively repelled by the river's bone-chilling cold.

"Then let's see who has more patience! I'd like to see how long a Junior Mage can stay in that freezing water."

Mr. Insect, a born hunter, flattened himself to the ground and quickly scuttled back on all five limbs to his fallen arm. He gently picked it up, then, glowing with Red Light, reattached it.

He figured the shot he'd just taken had only hit by chance. If they met face-to-face, he was confident he could dodge the next shot the instant it came.

Hidden in the water, Edward was filled with regret. He'd used his monocle in tandem with the Barrett Sniper Rifle in his hands, aiming for his opponent's chest.

Years of practice had given him a steady hand, and the modified bullet had made him confident he could hit his opponent's torso. With its tremendous force, the shot might even have torn his torso apart.

But the sudden change in wind direction had only taken off one of his arms.

"Looks like I really can't cut corners. I can't underestimate anyone at the peak of Sky Knight."

Thinking this, he shook his head underwater. If only his opponent's head had been separated from his limbs for a moment, then even with his extraordinary regenerative abilities, Edward would have found a way to get close and kill the talking insect.

At that thought, Edward grumbled to himself. That bug was disgusting. Cell, before absorbing No. 18 and No. 19, had been much better-looking!

His opponent had flattened himself to the ground, so Edward no longer had a clear shot. Fortunately, he still had a backup plan. He only had to wait for the bug to lose patience and take the bait.

Now it was a test of patience. Before his opponent arrived, he'd already stowed away his conspicuous white formal suit and hat and changed into a Combat Suit he'd made himself. The Flying Backpack was still on his back.

The Combat Suit was matte gray and close-fitting, with black Armor Plates covering only the chest and back. His helmet resembled the one from the game Crysis. It lacked electronic equipment such as a rangefinder, but it could supply him with oxygen to breathe underwater.

The Magic Crystals embedded in it could also power his waterproof Combat Suit, keeping it warm. Staying underwater for a long time wouldn't be a problem.

He dove a little deeper, preparing to use his backup plan.

Lying on the ground, Mr. Insect sensed a faint tremor coming from beneath him. The arthropod limbs covered in bristles like steel needles could serve as "ears."

He thought, Is he trying that move again? The same trick won't work on me! Guessing that Edward was beneath him, he suddenly kicked off with his hind legs and leaped into the air. The sickle on his forearm flashed down in a streak of light.

His slash carved a deep trench into the ground, more than ten meters long and four or five meters deep. This was the strength of someone comparable to a Fourth-Rank professional.

That was why Edward preferred to "ambush" his opponents from afar rather than fight them up close. His opponent's reaction speed, attack speed, and destructive power were all beyond Edward's reach. He could only keep his distance and rely on tools.

What Mr. Insect hadn't expected was that Edward wasn't in the trench he'd carved. A flash of light appeared instead, followed by a deafening explosion and shock wave that sent him flying. Flames and a blast of hot air shot into the sky, forming a towering Mushroom Cloud above the island.

Edward had invested heavily this time, planting a full cubic meter of TNT—about 1.6 tons. The blast was already on par with a Magician's full-power strike. If Mr. Insect hadn't leaped away in time, he'd probably have been blown to pieces.

The carapace covering Mr. Insect's body shattered and flew everywhere. His short abdominal limbs and one leg were blasted off, tumbling toward the sea.

Before he could fall into the water, Edward shot straight up out of it. The Flying Backpack on his back roared to life again, lifting him into the air.

Edward hadn't brought many weapons in his Spatial Ring when he came to the gathering. He had to deal with the monster in front of him as quickly as possible to eliminate the threat for good.

Two Metal Boxes, resembling bracelets, were strapped to the wrists of his Combat Suit. The Magic Gems he'd obtained from the two vampires last time were set into their sides.

A small window had been opened on the back of each box. Inside, what looked like stacks of Metal Playing Cards began to flip as tiny gears turned.

At last, the cards on both hands stopped on the same pattern.

Edward pointed both hands at Mr. Insect. Dozens of official-level spells—Wind Blade Techniques—slashed toward his battered body, crossing one another.

An Alchemist couldn't cast official-level magic directly, but could use scrolls or magic arrays of the same level.

These cards were First-Level Spell magic arrays he'd made after advancing in rank. The boxes were fast-casting tools Edward had invented after drawing inspiration from novels and anime in his Previous Life.

The Wind Blades struck Mr. Insect's body one after another. With his carapace gone and his body badly injured, each hit made a wet, thudding sound and carved out a cloud of Blood Mist.

Edward kept firing Wind Blades with both hands, casting more spells than a Junior Mage should have been able to. Gradually, he batted Mr. Insect back toward the delta's shore like a ping-pong ball.

By now, Mr. Insect had been sliced into a mangled lump of flesh. He crashed heavily to the ground.

Edward didn't pause. The cards on his wrists flipped around, and two streams of fire shot out, continuing to burn the "lump of flesh."

Just as he thought victory was within reach, a sudden, inexplicable sense of dread washed over him. He stopped the fire and hurriedly piloted the Flying Backpack far away...