Chapter 418: “Extract.”

When Oliver spoke, a massive hand made of Ptah’s Assistant for bones and Black Suit for flesh replaced his own hand. He started extracting Deziher Durance’s emotions, life force, and mana all at once.

The enormous black hand extracted an overwhelming amount of energy in one go, far surpassing anything Oliver had done before, like a raging river’s current.

Three large and powerful streams of light formed.

The black hand, the destination for the energy streams, absorbed them and became a part of itself. Oliver took back this energy and wrapped it around himself like a cloak.

Just like when he met Seamus in the past.

The difference was that the amount and aggressiveness of the material now were much greater, making the cloak more distinct and rougher.

“Arrogant—!!”

Deziher Durance, who had been getting extracted, swung her arms widely in rage, confusion, and urgency.

Although her resistance broke the energy streams, it didn’t matter much.

It wasn’t just Deziher who had been extracted.

Oliver’s black hand was simultaneously extracting emotions from not only Deziher but also nearby werewolves, ogres, and wizards, even from the anger, fear, and madness spreading throughout the entire CITY.

The purpose was to test the hand he created, and it performed beyond his expectations.

Deziher’s shocked expression, to the point of her eyes quivering, and her subordinates also served as proof.

She urgently clenched her fist, focusing her mana and emotions on one hand.

Crackle!

As she clenched her fist, a sharp sound echoed, and a whip emerged.

A whip made of bones and flesh.

It was clearly a dangerous weapon, but it looked even more sinister under the Warlock’s Eye.

That was because various magic and black magic spells were layered on the whip.

To prove this, when Deziher swung her arm, the whip moved faster than the speed of sound, leaving deep wounds on the ground and buildings, and instantly cutting off Oliver’s extraction.

Shatter!

The extraction was split in half in an instant.

The massive energy, reminiscent of a river’s current, dispersed into the air, and Deziher immediately swung the whip towards Oliver and Yareli.

“Hmm…”

Oliver made a humming noise and flicked his fingers.

Deziher’s whip, which had cut through concrete walls and pavement, stopped in mid-air without making a sound.

It was caught by the huge emotional particles that Oliver had wrapped around his body. It was too easy.

Deziher’s eyes shook again.

It was understandable. That whip was made from her own body, reinforced with multiple enhancement spells and disease black magic.

Its power was undeniable. Even the otherworldly creatures summoned by the Flesh Cook with human sacrifices had been subdued by this whip.

Yet, this young man in his early twenties blocked it. All he did was flick his fingers…

This wasn’t right. No matter how prodigious he was, as Gretel had noted, defeating Theodore was still unreasonable.

Especially when Deziher herself was one of the former deans representing Loculi University.

Unlike the other old pigs who were content once they reached their limits, she was a pioneer who had forsaken her career and honor to challenge new territory.

That was how she had come this far.

But now, all her efforts were being denied.

By a young brat just over twenty years old… She couldn’t accept it.

“Hmph!”

Casting aside her morals and pride to regain youth and power, Deziher imbued the whip she had made with her own body with the emotion of fury.

The whip, which had stopped in mid-air, moved like a living snake, attempting to wrap around the arrogant man and Yareli.

Even though it was blocked by the high-density emotional particles exuding from the robe, it didn’t matter.

[Steel Bone]

[Acromegaly]

[Target of Hate]

Deziher cast black magic using her body and emotions as materials. Bones sprouted like thorns and hardened beyond steel, the whip expanded to overwhelm, and hatred was added to constrict its target.

It was like a giant’s grip.

Taking this as a signal, Deziher’s subordinates, who had been holding back, poured even more mana into suppressing Oliver and Yareli.

They intended to wrap them in earth from head to toe and explode it.

Unfortunately, their plan ended in failure, thwarted by spear-like stones that erupted from the ground beneath them.

Crash!!

The massive, sharp stone spears literally burst out from all directions, tearing apart the wizards holding Oliver.

It was a reverse counterattack during spell casting, a maneuver any experienced wizard would recognize.

However, the wizard who had been hit by the attack was in shock.

In a real battle, to reverse and counter a spell during casting, your power must be several steps ahead, and on top of that, they had over ten people casting defensive techniques against it.

Despite that, they still got countered , meaning the skill gap was just that overwhelming.

More than a professor and student.

[Grind]

Before Deziher could even organize her thoughts, Oliver activated black magic, grinding the whip to dust.

The whip, which she had strengthened to its limit with magic and black magic, was easily ground away, and its encirclement was broken, leaving Deziher feeling overwhelmed, absurd, and angry.

Wasn’t it? After all the effort, this was the outcome…

“Kyaaa!!”

Deziher screamed and unleashed a large amount of mana from her body, forming dozens of magic circles in the air.

She planned to obliterate everything in the range, using military bombardment magic combining space magic and pure mana magic.

She also channeled mana through her legs into the ground, preparing for an explosion from below.

She planned to bombard from above and below simultaneously.

Of course, she didn’t think this would kill the man in front of her, but she wanted to deceive him. In the moment when he focused on the bombardment, she planned to throw her spear, made from her own bones, to deal damage.

Although his strength and skills were superior, victory wasn’t always decided by that.

A single moment of carelessness or an unexpected blow could turn the tide of the battle.

Having lived for 64 years, Deziher knew this from experience.

[Shadow Spike]

However, that experience was shattered to pieces by Oliver’s chanting.

The Shadow Spikes, abnormally enlarged by consuming a large amount of emotions, destroyed not only the dozens of magic circles Deziher had created but also the explosion magic advancing under the ground.

Thanks to this, the shadow spikes that sprouted everywhere opened up like a huge flower, protecting their master and, at the same time, crushing the opponent’s fighting spirit.

It demonstrated the overwhelming difference in power.

As evidence, Deziher’s face paled, and she dropped the spear made from her bones and emotions.

It was just like that time.

When she realized she was no longer young and couldn’t improve her skills any further.

The overwhelming powerlessness and absurdity she had felt back then were now standing before her in human form.

As soon as she realized this, Deziher fled without a moment’s hesitation, just like when she betrayed Loculi University.

“Stop them!”

She reshaped her body and fled while ordering the werewolves and ogres to attack Oliver.

She needed to buy just one more second. That would be enough time to escape from here.

As she intended, the werewolves and ogres, controlled by torture and manipulation black magic, charged at Oliver.

The werewolves rushed with speed equal to or greater than that of a Druid or Holy Knight, destroying the shadow spikes Oliver had raised and opening a path, and the ogres followed that opened path.

The plan was for the agile, fierce werewolves to create an opening for the powerful ogres to finish him off.

[Nail]

Oliver raised his finger and lightly flicked it into the air towards the werewolves, and even though the werewolves were ready to evade, they couldn’t react in time before their bodies were impaled by nails the size of arms.

Emotional particles condensed from close range, ignoring the opponent’s speed and reflexes, and pierced through.

The werewolf, once fierce, now crumpled helplessly in pain from the nail.

Oliver didn’t waste any time, creating a shadow spike that pierced through the werewolf’s ribs and into its heart in one swift motion.

“Urrrrgh!!”

Meanwhile, the fast-moving ogre closed the distance just like the first time they met, lifting up a pillar from a building.

Slam—!

Oliver countered by sending forth the black hand.

Amazingly, the black hand slammed the five-meter-tall ogre into the building in an instant, and as if that wasn’t enough, it began extracting its emotions, life force, and mana all at once.

Yareli shouted.

“We need to chase after Deziher!”

“Yes, I know.”

Oliver, who was extracting energy from the ogre, responded. Then he chanted, facing the now-speck-like Deziher.

[Targeting]

[Strengthen]

[Heavily]

[Acceleration]

All four chants swirled together.

At that moment, Yareli saw something descending from the sky. It was so fast that it was hard to make out, but she instinctively knew what it was.

It was a Quarterstaff. The same one Xenon had thrown earlier to destroy the blood stakes.

Astonishingly, the Quarterstaff that had flown up high and disappeared was now falling back down, directly above Deziher’s head.

Boomーーー!!!

From far away, the loud boom could be heard, accompanied by a cloud of dust that spread out in a hemispherical shape, reaching even where they stood.

Yareli silently watched the scene, while Oliver pulled out the neatly folded Big Mouth from the leather case strapped to his back.

“Big Mouth. Would you help me with this?”

***

“…”

Yareli was quietly, calmly, and coldly horrified.

She stared in shock at Deziher Durance, split in half by the Quarterstaff impaled in the middle of a large crater.

Once the dean of the School of Alchemy of Life, she had died like a bug, trying to flee.

The sight was so wretched that she didn’t even feel any pity.

It was hard to understand. Deziher’s skill was at least on par with a master of the Tower of Magic… Yet, it made sense.

The man in the black robe standing beside her seemed to make it all plausible by his mere presence.

Despite having killed werewolves, ogres, dozens of wizards, and even a representative of Loculi University, he just stood there so nonchalantly. So nonchalantly.

“Big Mouth, have you finished eating?”

At Oliver’s call, a large gluttonous pouch waddled over.

Though its limbs were relatively short compared to its massive body, making its movement somewhat comical, Yareli cautiously watched this bizarre artificial lifeform.

For one, its appearance was repulsive, and she had seen it swallow the dead werewolves, chopped-up ogre, and numerous wizard corpses whole.

“Guruluk.”

Big Mouth, the gluttonous pouch, croaked like a toad. Oliver responded as if he understood.

“Sorry for making you work after such a long time. The materials were just too valuable to discard.”

Materials. Yareli wondered if he meant the werewolves and ogres or even the wizards. She couldn’t bring herself to ask.

“Would you swallow this too?”

Using the emotional particles from his robe, Oliver brought the two halves of Deziher Durance’s body and placed them before the gluttonous pouch.

Though Big Mouth grumbled, it obeyed and swallowed Deziher.

Upper body first, then the lower body.

It was an unfamiliar and alien sight. As Yareli hesitated over what to say, Oliver took out his wallet and handed the thick wad of cash to Big Mouth.

Though it had been grumbling earlier, Big Mouth happily accepted the money and inserted each bill into the mouth on its head, savoring them one by one.

“…Why are you giving it money?”

Yareli asked.

“Big Mouth, that is the gluttonous pouch, likes money. Or gold or jewels. I feel bad if I just make it work, so I give it a bill or two as a reward. I gave it more this time because I thought I’d be asking for a lot.”

Yareli looked around at the city ruined by the Flesh Cook.

“Can I ask what happened? Why did you come out here? Did the University decide something?”

“We came to rescue people at the request of the police and military. Leaving it unattended would be morally and politically wrong.”

Oliver nodded, understanding. Large institutions were expected to give back to society, considering the benefits they received.

That was true for both Randa City and the Tower of Magic.

“Though we were ambushed, hence this situation.”

Yareli pointed to the wizards and police from Loculi University who Big Mouth hadn’t devoured yet. They were lying in heaps, a testament to how well the ambush had been executed.

As she looked at the bodies, Yareli felt a bitter mix of sadness and responsibility, while Oliver, unsure of how to console her, remained silent.

“…Did you save your friend? Miss Jane.”

“Ah, yes. Thanks to you, Miss Yareli. I’ve already taken her to a safe place.”

“That quickly?”

“Yes, I took her to Loculi University,”

Yareli tilted her head.

“Is that possible? Given the distance and time?”

“I planted a few sheets of Paper in Loculi University, like the one I gave you. That’s how I moved her.”

Hearing Oliver so casually say something so dangerous, Yareli sighed. She was too dumbfounded to even be angry, her strength sapped to the point where she couldn’t even muster the energy to argue.

“…It’s a relief. At least Loculi University decided to rescue the city’s residents; they won’t be kicked out.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Hah… Then, I’m sorry, but could you help me?”

Oliver shook his head. The unexpected reply caught Yareli off guard again, and Oliver provided a belated explanation.

“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I have something more urgent, and I need to take care of that first.”

“Something more urgent?”

Yareli asked what it was, and Oliver explained right away.

He concisely explained the reason why the Flesh Cook had caused such large-scale chaos.

Though it didn’t take long, it didn’t lessen the impact on the listener.

Of course, it wouldn’t. The plan was to open the gates of hell, which could potentially endanger all of Ravely depending on the situation.

That’s when Oliver had a sudden, obvious question.

“Where are the Holy Knights? This seems like the moment they’re needed the most.”

“Most of them went to protect the temples, the nobles, and the king. Only a few were sent to support this side.”

“Ah…”

“But how did you find out? About the Flesh Cook’s plan. It doesn’t seem like easy information to learn.”

It was a reasonable question. As Oliver pondered how to avoid answering, he eventually decided to tell the truth.

“Puppet told me.”

“Puppet…?”

“Yes, Immortal Puppet, a Finger of the Black Hand. He’s in this city, and we happened to meet.”

“And he told you? A fellow Finger’s plan?”

“Yes.”

Oliver answered naturally, but Yareli looked genuinely astonished, shocked to her core, her usually composed expression shattered.

“Why…?”

“Why? … I’m not exactly sure. He seemed like he wanted to see something more interesting, but I can’t be certain.”

“…Should you be telling me this so easily?”

Yareli asked sincerely, already having informed him that she was observing him to report back to her grandmother.

Oliver just shrugged.

“You helped me… You helped me save Miss Jane.”

“…”

Yareli was at a loss for words. Oliver’s attitude was so incomprehensible, transcending common sense and logic, that she couldn’t begin to think of a response.

All she felt was confusion.

It was like her entire life and relationships until now had been invalidated.

No, they had indeed been invalidated.

Whether Oliver knew what was going on inside Yareli or not, he continued speaking.

“Anyway, I have to stop the Flesh Cook’s plan quickly, so I need to head directly to District 1 instead of rejoining Professor Kevin. I apologize again for not being able to help you.”

Oliver asked for understanding as he decided to go alone to stop the Finger.

The more they talked, the more it felt like the logic of reality was being twisted.

“…Wouldn’t it be safer if you rejoined your party? You gave the same sheets of Paper to Professor Kevin and Lieutenant Colonel Terence as well, right?”

“But that would take time to explain again. I was hoping Miss Yareli could explain it on my behalf. You’re better at persuasion than I am. I’ll go ahead and buy us some time.”

It made sense. In such a dire situation, every second counted. Convincing the people from Loculi University might slow them down.

But strangely, Yareli only became more curious.

In this urgent situation, she was doing something she would never have done in the past. It felt as though the man in front of her had taken over her mind.

“Do you think you can face the Flesh Cook alone?”

“No. I’m not confident in fighting. All I can do is try.”

“Why… Why are you going so far?”

“Because it’s my job.”

Oliver remembered his status. He was Xenon Bright, an employee of the Tower of Magic.

“Also, there are some people in this City I don’t want to see hurt. Miss Jane and Mr. Murphy. One is a friend, the other an acquaintance. Lucian also helped me.”

“…I don’t know how to respond to that.”

“Oh, and Professor Kevin, Sir Terence, and you, Yareli.”

Yareli didn’t respond. She could only look at Oliver with confusion and doubt.

Reading her emotions, Oliver answered her unasked question.

“Uh… You’re a colleague assigned to the same task, and, well, I like you. Professor Kevin, Sir Terence, and you, Yareli.”

“…Why?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

Oliver spoke, recalling their emotions.

Yareli, after hearing his words, became even more emotionally agitated, her voice trembling as she finally spoke.

“Who are you, really?”

“I’m just myself.”

Oliver spoke the truth he’d already realized. Somehow, Yareli found comfort and even joy in his words.

“…That’s pretty amazing.”

“Thank you for the compliment. You’re amazing too, Yareli. If you don’t mind, I’ll be-”

“-People eat people.”

Yareli said suddenly, stopping him as he began to move, as if she had made a firm decision.

“That’s my answer… People eat people, just like the Flesh Cook said. Through war, slavery, colonization, child labor, in many ways.”

“I see.”

“Yes… Once, my family was the prey too, because of these eyes. That’s why we fled here.”

Yareli pointed to her eyes hidden behind her glasses.

“Fortunately, we managed to settle here and even climbed to the top, becoming the hunters.”

“Congratulations.”

“It’s not something to be congratulated on. It’s just the natural order of things. Resources are limited, but human greed is endless, so people can’t help but devour each other. A tragic law… But Xenon.”

“Yes.”

“People are slow, but they are improving little by little.”

“…”

“At least, in this land, slavery is gone, and there are voices trying to improve child labor… People still eat people, but they’re striving to do better. The problems with the Tower of Magic… They won’t be fixed all at once, but little by little, they’ll improve.”

“You’re sure of that.”

“Yes, because I’ll make sure of it.”

Real sincerity. Oliver asked again.

“May I ask why?”

“People don’t need a reason to save someone drowning in a river. It’s the same with people.”

Yareli’s determination shone. It was quite beautiful.

“Thank you sincerely for the answer. It was worth the wait… I’d like to continue our conversation, but may we postpone it for now?”

Oliver pointed in the direction of District 1. Yareli nodded.

“Can I ask one favor?”

“Favor?”

“Yes, please don’t get hurt. At least until the reinforcements arrive. Please.”

A strange sense of déjà vu. Oliver answered.

“I’ll do my best.”