༺ ■■■■ (4) – Fictional Hell ༻

I almost had a heart attack.

Of course, I knew there would be a full moon, but my heart still skipped a beat at the realization.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

I guess I’m weak against things like this…

On top of that, the Berserker’s cry escaped my lips without me realizing it. It didn’t match my voice at all; it was as if it felt my emotions and spat them out like an AI.

Anyway, if I had been a second too late, it could have been an irreversible situation.

Looking at Professor Fernando, he was on the verge of collapsing!

He looked like he would pass out at any moment, but he was doing his best to hold on to his consciousness. Poor thing.

I should probably reassure him and let him pass out in peace.

[…Who are you?]

The moon’s voice echoed softly.

That thing doesn’t look very pleasant. Look at that nice-looking set of teeth. I really want to give it a light uppercut and knock ‘em out.

This was [Fictional Hell] and that repulsive looking full moon was ‘Leafa the Illusive’.

The creator of this world, and this was his domain.

“You can’t tell what I’m saying anyway.” (Grrrr─)

I was currently unable to communicate. I was a Berserker with zero language skills.

In this state, it would be difficult to communicate with words, I would instead communicate with my fists.

[Ah, it’s you—]

Only then did Leafa, in the form of the moon, seem to realize I was the demon hunter.

“Huh?” (Greung?)

Before long, the Night Sky Monsters began to rise out of the sea.

Dozens, thousands, tens of thousands of monsters—countless monsters with different shapes and sizes appeared.

-Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

It was then that an earthquake occurred, and a massive arm stretched out from the ground to beyond the horizon.

[Wheeeeeeeeew────!!]

A gigantic monster rose from the sea, it was a Giant wearing a skull mask on its face, its whole body covered with the night sky where the Milky Way flowed.

Seeing it from this far away, it appeared to be of a size that went beyond imagination. Even then, it was much smaller than the octopus in the sky.

[The troublemaker. You’re the one who’s been a nuisance to us demons, aren’t you?]

Of course.

You will also be dealt with soon enough.

The [Fictional Hell] would soon grow in size and engulf Duke Hall. I had to defeat him before that to prevent any victims other than Professor Fernando.

[Ah, I wanted to meet you! I’ve been wondering what that crazy guy was like! Heh heh heh! I’m so happy right now!]

“Is that so?” (Grrr—)

[Troublemaker, troublemaker—! Let me play with you—!]

The full moon cried out, laughing like a child, as the monsters began to pounce on me, their huge mouths grotesquely laughing.

[Kyahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Hahahahahahahahahahaha—! Kyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha————!]

[Fictional Creature] Lv: 80

Race: Demon

Elements: Darkness, Fire

Danger: High

Psychology: [Wants to bite you.]

If I get killed by these monsters, I would lose my mind and become a vegetable.

The strength of each individual couldn’t be ignored and with an infinite number of them spawning, no matter how hard I fought, it would only be a long-term battle that I was bound to lose.

I didn’t know if they even gave a lot of experience points because in the game they wouldn’t give any at all to prevent abuse from easy power leveling.

It was a part of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, 「Act 6, Chapter 3, Fictional Hell, the Subjugation of Leafa the Illusive.

The player must protect the students by defeating the fictional creatures. That was because Leafa held a defense game against Ian and his colleagues while imprisoning the students.

If even one student died, it was game over, so I remembered swearing a lot and retrying.

After surviving for a certain amount of time, a story cutscene would appear. This was the scene where Ian Fairytale learned how to attack this world.

The main character, Ian Fairytale, struggled with his supporters, but somehow endured with the determination to protect the students…

As he swung his sword, he repeated to himself, ‘I can do it’.

Eventually, he started self-hypnosis while saying ‘I am strong’ or ‘I can be stronger’.

And then he became surprised by how strong he really was. That was how the full-scale subjugation against Leafa began in earnest.

‘Yes, the [Fictional Hell] strategy is…’

‘Self-hypnosis’.

I have to be like a delusional person.

It was to confront the world of illusion with delusion. If I hadn’t learned this strategy, even a level 180 Dorothy Heartnova would have no choice but to struggle.

However, if one learned how to play around it, even a normal level 51 Isaac, could defeat him with [Hunter] inactive.

The key was that I had to visualize myself getting stronger. The more I know what would happen if I became stronger, the more effective it would be.

If I couldn’t visualize myself becoming stronger, there was no point in learning this strategy.

As a veteran of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, I had a clear understanding of what it was like to master the ice element.

In other words, I was Leafa’s natural enemy.

“…”

Everything in this world was against me.

Firstly, I put an [Ice Barrier] around Professor Fernando.

「Ice Barrier (Ice Element, ★6)」

Let’s visualize.

‘Myself becoming a Munchkin1Korean word for Over Powered.’

For just a moment, I shut out the world; a skill I had acquired while studying when confined to my desk during my exam life, disconnecting myself from the world.

I colored myself, and my own life, into nothingness.

The world became silent as I redefined myself in it.

I am strong.

I am strong.

I am the strongest in the world.

Strong.

[The unique trait [Hunter] is activated!] [The level and stats are temporarily greatly enhanced!] [The skill tree temporarily becomes +10!] [The unique trait [Hunter] is activated!] [The level and stats are temporarily greatly enhanced!] [The skill tree temporarily becomes +10!] [The unique trait [Hunter] is activated!] [The level and stats are temporarily greatly enhanced!] [The skill tree temporarily becomes +10!] [※ It’s already maxed out!] [The skill tree temporarily becomes +10!] [※ It’s already maxed out!] [Status] Name: Isaac

Lv: (200)

Gender: Male

Year: 1st

Title: Freshman

Mana: 999929/999999

– Mana Recovery Speed (EX)

– Stamina (EX)

– Strength (EX)

– Intelligence (C-)

– Willpower (EX) [Combat Skills] Elemental Series 1: Ice

– Elemental Firepower (EX)

– Elemental Efficiency (EX)

– Elemental Synergy (EX)

Elemental Series 2 (Locked) [You have realized the full extent of the ice element, reaching the level of a Sovereign!] [You have learned the passive skill [Ice Sovereign]!] 「Ice Sovereign (Ice Element, ★9)」

Every cell in my body felt unfamiliar. I gently lowered my head and took a brief moment to get used to this unfamiliar sensation.

My skin was more saturated, and my body seemed brighter. The hair on the inside of my hood felt like it stood on its ends, and my nerves were alert.

Light blue cold air flowed gently from my whole body, and I felt as if I was capable of using the most powerful magic in the world.

My body, everything in me, felt so dense and heavy, but at the same time, I became light.

Passive skill, [Ice Sovereign].

Its effects were simple and clear.

It maximized the output of the ice magic I was about to use.

“Hah.”

My eyes took in the world rushing toward me.

A light blue chill escaped from my breath.

It’s time for you to sleep.

Since from now on, I’m a Super Saiyan.

* * *

Dorothy entered [Fictional Hell].

It was easy to enter that magical space. It was as if she were crossing another dimension. She was swimming in the black hole-like darkness, and a beautiful landscape opened up in her field of vision.

An open sea that mirrored the night sky and abandoned buildings dotted the landscape.

The night sky was filled with stars and The Milky Way, a giant octopus watching her from beyond the universe, rings of planets streaking across the sky, and a full moon with a mouth large enough to cover half of its body.

And.

An army of monsters rushing at Professor Fernando and a hulking figure in an ultramarine blue hooded coat.

Dorothy watched the spectacle from the sky, frozen in place.

◆◆◆◆◆────

With the activation of her unique trait [All in the World], Dorothy confirmed the unknown existence hidden in the giant’s essence; a near-infinite mass of mana. An overwhelming power that could swallow everything in this world.

She would never forget where she had seen it.

“Isaac?”

It was Isaac, a silver-blue haired first-year student.

But it was definitely not him; the hulking man was a hooded, muscular monster.

‘…A magic disguise?’

Dorothy got the answer. Other than a Magic Cloak of Disguise, nothing could explain Isaac’s drastic change in appearance.

But why?

The being in Isaac’s essence was staring elsewhere, its countless eyes all bright red. As if Dorothy didn’t matter.

The place all those eyes were focused was the full moon. Dorothy realized that the true identity of the full moon was a demon, with the power of [All in the World].

Only then did she know.

The unknown being in Isaac’s essence was hostile to the demons.

[ ■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■. ]

It was a very harsh life.

The being in Isaac’s essence began to chant.

As soon as the introduction rang out, a chill ran down Dorothy’s spine.

“This is dangerous…”

Dorothy channeled her mana to its maximum output, covering herself with a powerful shield of starlight.

Isaac intended to use powerful magic that could destroy this world. He was so focused on casting the spell that he didn’t even sense Dorothy’s mana.

In other words, Dorothy would have to defend herself against Isaac’s magic.

Fernando didn’t have to defend, since Isaac had already prepared the safest means of protection, the [Ice Barrier].

[ ■■■ ■ ■■■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■. ]

Not a single thing remained by my side.

[ ■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■. ]

Nothing had meaning in my life.

In ancient times, there was someone said to have fully mastered the ice element.

A woman whose name had been lost to time, and was now referred to by ‘Ice Sovereign’ or ‘Witch with a Scythe’, had created magic with her own life.

The miserable words of an Archwizard who found no meaning in continuing to exist in this world.

A chant filled with grief and resentment.

At the end of her life, a calamity plunged the world into a hundred year ice age.

Soon, behind the Berserker-shaped Isaac, a series of light blue magic circles began to materialize in quick succession, like cogs in a wheel.

[ ■■■■■■■■■■. ]

Loneliness.

[ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■■. ]

Only you were by my side.

[ ■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■. ]

I did not revel in the glory of endless victories alone.

[ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■. ]

Fame and fortune had no meaning.

[ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■■■■■. ]

Only when the owl of dusk spread its wings did I realize.

The giant octopus floating in space sensed the danger and began to strike down with its feet.

The air vibrated. The giant octopus, which could easily subdue an army of monsters with a single arm, fell with a violent crash.

The scenery of the beautiful night sky disappeared, and the surroundings were colored with shadows—

[ ■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■. ]

This world with only you.

In the darkness, clusters of magic circles carved out the thin air at irregular intervals, even as the octopus’ arms descended upon the world.

Behind all those magic circles, a huge magic circle drew a trajectory that seemed to touch the sky.

It glowed brilliantly.

Isaac stretched his right arm upward.

Massive amounts of ice mana coalesced like a whirlpool and became a cold sun that cast a pale blue light.

The cold sun grew larger and larger in an instant, even surpassing the sky itself.

[ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■. ]

Is like hell.

When the unknown monster’s essence finished those words, Isaac lowered his arm.

The cold sun began to fall on the hordes of monsters that began to look like ants.

And it was only for a moment.

「Cocytus (Ice Element, ★9)」

Kwaaaaaaaaaahhh━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━!!!!

Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaah━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━!!!!

The cold sun’s rays pierced through the clouds.

It drove away the darkness and brought blue light to the sky.

In the blink of an eye, the sea froze over, and an icy cold wave raged violently, ravaging the world.

A rampaging freeze of death.

Cold winds and heavy snow.

Numerous ice spikes rose from the ground, penetrating the already-frozen monsters.

A beam of light spread out in all directions, engulfing everything in its path.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Snap.

The night sky turned white and this world became a frozen hell, as its name suggested.

Cold gusts of wind and frozen ice prevailed, transforming the land into a hellhole of extreme cold that would kill anyone who entered.

The army of monsters and abandoned buildings were obliterated by the beam of light.

Outside the sky, the giant octopus was frozen solid and time seemed to stand still.

Dorothy and Fernando were speechless.

“I just… What did I just see…?”

It was far beyond their imagination.

Dorothy’s starlight shield was a wreck. Despite the distance between herself and Isaac, despite the fact that it was a shield made by using the maximum output of her mana, and despite the fact that she controlled and blocked the surrounding natural forces…

It was not difficult to imagine the scene where she would have been annihilated if she ran at Isaac like a certain army of monsters and was hit by [Cocytus].

“Huh…”

Fernando burst into laughter as if it were absurd.

The overwhelming strength of the man standing in front of him evoked a sense of emptiness rather than admiration.

For whatever reason, it was a relief to know that a monster among monsters was on his side.

He could no longer hold onto his consciousness. In relief, Fernando laid down and collapsed.

[Uh, how…?]

Compared to others, Leafa was less affected by [Cocytus]. He must have been watching over this world from farther away than anyone else. Even so, his full moon body was frozen in various places. Because of its gigantic form, its condition was reflected even in the eyes of Isaac and Dorothy.

Then, Isaac bent his knees and kicked off the ice…

Kuuung─!

…And started running toward the full moon.

Kuuung─!

Kuuung─!

Kuuung─!

Isaac ran across the ice, his body soaring through the sky with every step.

To Leafa, it was the sound of approaching death.

Isaac took one step after another, and then he propelled himself like a rocket toward the full moon.

Kwaaaang—!

[Oh, no…! G-get away…! Do not come—!]

A deep sense of dread washed over Leafa. His survival instincts were screaming at him.

He’s dangerous. He’s dangerous. He can’t be defeated. The possibility of winning doesn’t even exist.

How can such a being exist in this academy? How can there be such an abnormal monster!?

The only one who could deal with someone like this was the Evil God Nephid.

Isaac conjured [Frostfire] from both hands behind his body, and propelled himself across [Cocytus]. The [Frostfire] vastly increased his momentum as he traveled across the frozen sea.

The speed was incredible. He couldn’t follow Isaac’s movement with his eyes.

[Do not come———!!]

As soon as the distance closed a little, Isaac’s magic would be able to reach Leafa.

Leafa screamed in terror and released [Fictional Hell]. He wanted to escape as quickly as possible.

Clink—————

Chararararara—————

The world shattered into pieces like a broken pane of glass.

In an instant, light engulfed everything, [Fictional Hell] was released, and bizarre purple mana dispersed into the air.

All those who were inside returned to the outside world.

The familiar and ordinary scenery of Duke Hall’s rooftop was reflected in their eyes.

Rooooooarrrrr─!

As soon as [Fictional Hell] was released, a wall of black flame rose up and split the center of the rooftop.

「Flame Wall (Fire Element, ★4)」 +「Black Flame (Fire Element, ★5)」

= 「Black Flame Wall (Fire Element)」

[Ah… AHH!]

In the meantime, Leafa tried to quickly run away.

「Ice Wall (Ice Element, ★4)」

Drrrrrrrr─!

Walls of ice rose from all sides, creating a ceiling and blocking any means of escape.

And then.

Snap─

“Gotcha.”

Isaac’s hand cut through the flames and grabbed Leafa’s head.

Before he knew it, his mask was off and his hood was down, and Isaac had regained his original appearance and voice.

「Ice Generation (Ice Element, ★1)」

The ice lightly created by Isaac ignored its elemental disadvantage and extinguished the flames.

Die. Die.

Leafa trembled and examined the overwhelming monster with his [Second Eye].

[…Huh?]

For a moment, Leafa doubted his own eyes.

Wavy silver hair with a bluish tint, and cold red eyes.

The weakest of Märchen Academy’s freshmen in the Magic Department, with a Grade E in mana.

He was a candidate who could not even be considered a hindrance, more than anyone else. Because of that, he didn’t even watch his duel.

[Grade E…? How could you…?]

His mind started to jumble with confusion. Leafa couldn’t understand this situation at all.

[…!]

Isaac, without answering, began condensing ice mana into his other hand and a magic circle of [Frost Explosion] materialized in front of him.

Leafa was startled.

[S-save me…! Spare me, please…!]

A pitiful voice.

However, Leafa’s desperate cry only echoed helplessly in the small space made by [Ice Wall].

Footnotes: