Only My Magic Levels Up - Chapter 172



Only Noblemtl

Episode 172: The Strongest Spirit Master on Earth (7)

Let’s go back in time a little bit.

The midsummer sun has set behind the western mountains, but the sky has not yet completely darkened.

Michael, who had received Atma’s invitation, left Anton behind and headed to Spirius’ main mansion alone.

In fact, I was a bit questionable whether I should call this an ‘invitation’. When I asked to see her face, I got the typical response that I would meet her when I had time, and when there was no progress in the investigation, I shamelessly asked her directly when she would have time, and finally she finally said that she wanted to meet for a cup of tea.

Rather than offering me a meal, he invited me only after dinner, as if he really intended to just offer me tea. He invited only Michael and not Anton. It was really hurtful to see him being so obviously annoyed, but what can I do? I guess I just have to put up with it.

“Come this way.”

“hmm.”

After following the main gate for quite some time, we arrived at the deepest location.

After passing through the small forest fence, a spacious garden appeared, and in the middle of it was a separate house. It was a two-story house that was not at all cramped for living alone, but considering the size of the entire site of the main house, it felt modest.

The attendant who had guided him there withdrew completely outside the courtyard, and Atma himself came out from within.

“Are you here?”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

The two people who had a brief conversation at the doorway moved to the living room on the first floor.

The house was dark because Atma hadn’t turned on the light even though it was getting dark outside.

Michael suddenly asked while watching Atma take tea leaves out of the cupboard in the small kitchen attached to the living room.

“It seems you don’t have any servants?”

“I don’t like other people invading my space.”

“I feel sorry for coming to see you.”

“It’s okay. I don’t do all the little chores myself. I’ll just bring it in if I need to.”

I knew that all gem wizards were eccentric, but usually they wouldn’t say something like that, even in empty words, but this one was so filthy honest.

Whether Michael grumbled or not, Atma came with tea utensils.

Everything was good, but I was wondering where to get the hot water, but upon thinking about it, I realized that it wasn’t necessary.

Hurrruk!

A spark trickled down from Atma’s sleeve, coiling like a small snake and wrapping itself around the bottom of the teapot.

A flame that heats only the kettle without burning the table or the saucer.

For Atma, who had been famous as a fire spirit since he was young, handling fire would be a piece of cake.

“… … .”

There was a subtle silence in the living room until the tea was ready. Atma didn’t seem particularly in a hurry to talk, and Michael was also having a hard time figuring out what to say.

As the tea finally reached the point where it was filling the teacup, Michael took a sip and barely managed to speak.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

“It’s been a long time. I can’t even remember how many years it’s been since I last saw you.”

“It’s been a long time since we sat down and talked like this.”

Fortunately, Atma didn’t completely refuse to listen to conversations, so communication began somehow.

While the fire spirit remained, continuing to heat the teapot and illuminate the living room like a lantern.

As is often the case when old people meet, they briefly reminisce about their youth, and both of them forget about the present for a moment and become a little nostalgic.

The regrettable thing is that although today’s meeting was made possible by using a connection from their youth as an excuse, the two were not actually very close friends even back then.

In short, we couldn’t stay up all night talking about old times like real friends, because there wasn’t that much material to talk about.

When the topic was slowly running out, leaving only the meaning of having created an atmosphere for conversation, fortunately for Michael, Atma was the first to bring up the point.

“If you’re not planning on ending it now and turning back, I think it’s time you started talking. What do you really want to say?”

“What could it be? It’s because of the investigation currently underway.”

“I don’t think there’s any point in going around and around,” Michael said honestly.

“Even though Lord Atma has stepped down from the front lines, he still exerts great influence over the family.”

“But?”

“Honey, if you were a little more proactive, wouldn’t our investigation be able to end more quickly?”

“Isn’t it the opposite?”

Artma laughed bitterly.

“I heard that they robbed the Rias Trading Company but didn’t get much results, so now they’re trying to mess with our family.”

“Of course it’s unpleasant for you. So it’d be better to end it quickly.”

“No. We clearly said that we didn’t know anything, but the church that keeps trying to investigate is the problem.”

“Isn’t it more problematic to just step down after hearing that one word? If you have integrity, why don’t you faithfully cooperate with the investigation?”

“So you’re asking how I can be more sincere? Should I hand over my grandchildren? Or take them away and torture them?”

“Listen, Lord Atma.”

Michael shook his head.

“That’s not what I meant. It’s about the devil. You know how crazy the church is when it comes to things related to the devil.”

“… … .”

“Even the church, which normally tries to avoid friction with prestigious families as much as possible, will not let this incident go until the innocence is clearly proven.”

“… … .”

Atma, who had been silent, finally let out a heavy sigh and sat up.

He muttered as he walked to the window, which had become completely dark in the meantime.

“… Yes, that would be true. If it’s the church I know, it would definitely be like that.”

“If you are innocent, you will be able to get concessions from the church later on, and if there are any rotten roots, wouldn’t this be an opportunity to root them out?”

“I can’t help it… Since it has come to this… … .”

If there was one mistake Michael made.

It was a part where Atma’s monologue was mistaken as Michael’s own words being heard and reacted to.

Atma, who had been staring out the window at the garden where darkness had fallen for a while, turned to look at Michael and said:

“Very well, Sir Michael. I have heard good things about you, so I will return it to you.”

Michael, who was secretly expecting it to be a declaration of cooperation, heard something strange.

“Just as the church is mad against the devil, the devil is also mad because he wants to trample on the church in some way.”

Before he could finish speaking.

The darkness outside the window suddenly came to life and moved, covering Atma.

“Huh?!”

In that brief moment when Michael, shocked, suddenly woke up, Atma was completely covered in darkness.

Before Michael could even take a step, it disappeared as if it was evaporating.

Michael stopped in his tracks and muttered in a bewildered voice.

“What is this…?”

The sudden disappearance that occurred before Michael could even contemplate the meaning of Atma’s last meaningful words. Michael’s mind was in disarray.

But no time was given to think deeply.

Separately from the temporarily halted brain activity, the warrior’s senses sent out a fierce warning.

Michael reflexively turned his head towards the source of the danger.

The moment I discovered the fire spirit rising rapidly on the table.

Kwaaaaaaaah!

The condensed flames exploded all at once, blowing away everything around them.

The chair, the table, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the sword Michael had released, and even Michael himself.

* * *

Some time has passed since then.

Michael was struggling.

The difference between him, who had never imagined that they would force such an ignorant attack after inviting them, and the Spirius family, who had prepared a trap in advance, determined the situation.

Even though the entire annex was blown up, Michael showed amazing tenacity by holding on with his bare body.

Even though I protected my body with aerodynamics, I couldn’t completely prevent burns. I only had the stamina to fight even after being injured. The clothes I was wearing were naturally rags.

The beloved sword that I cherished was first hit by a powerful explosion and then engulfed in a terrible heat, becoming in a state where it could not be recovered. It was a situation that would make me shed tears of blood.

Of course, even if he was injured and bare-handed, the Gem Warrior’s monstrous physical abilities would not go away, so he could easily crush any attack.

The problem was that the offensive that followed was no small feat.

Whoaaaaah!

The wind spirit’s blast was strong enough to blow one or two adult men into the air.

No matter how monstrous Michael’s strength is, he has no way of holding on if he has no place to stand. His ability to jump is practically sealed.

Then you have to make sure your feet are firmly on the ground.

Ssssssssss!

The earth spirits were playing tricks on the ground. The footings that were supposed to be solid were slipping and sliding around like sand, making them unreliable.

Whoosh whoosh!

With all movement on the ground and in the air restricted, the fire spirit that inevitably strikes blocks your vision and takes away your air to breathe.

“These… cowards… … !”

The five spirits that Michael has identified are two wind spirits, one earth spirit, and two fire spirits. Each of them is at least golden in level.

The five golds owned by the Spirius family. All of them must have gathered here.

Even though they were using different spirits, they were too well matched. They were perfectly distributed to hold on to one absolute powerhouse and hang on. This kind of infuriating connection wouldn’t come out with just one or two days of practice.

Even so, Michael was confident that he could break through. Even though he was wounded and unarmed, he never once thought that he could not face the Golden Five.

Actually, I almost got through it once earlier.

The reason it was blocked in the end was because the golden power was not only in the spirit masters, but also in the cavalry, and they threw themselves into buying time.

If even a little bit of time was wasted, the real attack would not leave Michael alone.

Kwaaaaaaaah!

Taking advantage of the momentary gap in vision, a torrent of flames shot out from above.

Michael barely managed to avoid it by forcibly stepping on the muddy ground and jumping to the side. Despite the protection provided by the air force, his skin was suddenly hit by a heat that felt like it was burning it.

The spirit attacks of Atma, which were even more severe when the Golden Ones caught her ankles, and which continued to pour out regardless of whether she was caught or not, were truly terrifying.

“Ugh, ugh, ugh.”

If this condition continues, eventually you will just dry up and die.

But there was no sign of a way to break through.

The warrior’s method of honestly striking with force and breaking through was completely defeated, so the opponent was not even given a chance to strike with that force.

Whether it was a trick with the cavalry or something, the surrounding area was covered with a black curtain, blocking off the outside world, so Anton’s help was also far away.

The only way is… to wait for the golden spirits to run out of magic. If there were no such damn link, I could easily get out.

But will you be able to hold out until then?

Michael continued his desperate struggle, forcing himself to hold back his increasingly heavy body and mind.

Then at one moment.

Kwaaaaaaaah!

A loud explosion suddenly rang out from above.

Michael’s head rose reflexively.

It was because his senses, sharper than ever, captured the moonlight and starlight.

Michael instinctively realized that the loud noise just now was the sound of a black curtain bursting apart.

Because the spirits’ attacks were temporarily dulled. This meant that it wasn’t what the Spirius family had intended.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!

What followed was a spectacular display of fireworks and successive explosions that temporarily dispelled the darkness.

Two black shadows fell from the sky towards Michael.

A pair of extremely suspicious-looking men wearing black robes, black hoods, and black masks quickly descended, then at the last moment their speed slowed down and they landed on the ground.

“You said you were going out for a cup of tea, but you’re having a really loud time?”

“… … !”

Michael’s eyes widened as he heard the voice mixed with laughter and realized that it was Galen. Then he immediately knew who the person next to him was. Upon closer inspection, he could faintly see the stigmata in his pupils.

“I’ll start with treatment! Your burns are really bad.”

“Okay, wait a minute. Are you okay?”

Michael stopped Lilia, who was about to cross her arms.

Just a moment ago, he was being beaten up alone, but if Lilia leaves to get treatment and he leaves to get treatment, Galen will be alone again.

“It’s not an urgent wound. We can treat it later—”

“Hey, you should have that much time, right, brother?”

“Of course. It’ll be okay, since they’ll be out of their minds for a while.”

However, neither Lilia nor Galen seemed worried at all. It seemed as if the other party was momentarily confused by the piercing curtain of darkness, but it was clear that the confusion would not last long.

“Oh, Sir Michael. Are they all enemies?”

“They’re all in the same boat.”

“Then I guess there’s no need to worry. It hasn’t even been a few minutes since I said I wouldn’t use it for attack purposes.”

Galen shrugged and glanced back. It was the direction he had seen when he descended.

“Cough?!”

A scream erupted from there.

It was a scream from someone who was wearing robes, probably a wizard, as the shadow blade pierced their body.

“Okay, let’s do one first.”