Genius Swordsman of the Mage Empire Chapter 37 : Chapter 37

Chapter 37. Deputy Commander of Nesis (1)

Dim dawn.

The Elsyde Fortress, draped in dark blue twilight.

A tense silence lingered there.

A completely different scene from the usual bustling fortress.

The sun hadn't even risen yet, but nurous mages, including outsiders to the family, had gathered in the Main House's massive fortress hall.

Because the rumor had arrived even before the dawn.

Enoch Elsyde.

Current 9th Circle of the Elsyde Main House.

An incompetent who couldn't even manage a single Follower Family, a non-mage unsuited for the Magic Empire.

-The rumor that such a person had succeeded in the ‘Exemption Mission’, hitherto synonymous with impossibility.

Naturally, it was news hard for anyone to believe.

News about the bloodlines holding the Main House's succession rights, the ‘direct descendants’, was significant gossip material in the Empire.

Therefore, the fact that Enoch was undertaking the Exemption Mission had already spread widely through newspapers and various dia outlets in a short ti.

However, among those who heard the news at the ti, no one had expected this outco.

It was natural.

The Exemption Mission, after all, was the final resort for a direct descendant, decided for disownnt, to prove themselves.

As such, it was a set course for them to be given a harsh trial far exceeding their own capabilities.

So much so that in the Empire's long history, not a single person had ever completed it until now.

In other words, it was no exaggeration to call it practically the family's execution ground.

And ‘that’ Enoch Elsyde succeeded in such a mission?

What sane person in the Magic Empire would believe that fact?

Swish.

“Hey, over there…”

Just then, at the far end of the fortress hall.

Soone walked in.

The gazes upon him stiffened slightly.

Even within the Main House, where only the Empire’s best combat mages gathered, a mage wearing the black uniform and formal cap symbolizing the absolute elite.

The best among Elsyde’s elite organizations.

A knight of the 「Nesis Knight Order」.

All eyes in the room focused on him.

Thud.

He approached the Lord, paid his respects, and then opened his mouth in a low voice.

“As commanded. Confirmation of the site where the current 9th Circle was dispatched for the Exemption Mission has been completed.”

He reported briefly.

“Confird the annihilation of the mission target, Vendetta Rank 10 dark mage Persona, and her subordinates.”

A slight stir went through the crowd.

Because it was a fact confird by none other than the Nesis Magic Knight Order, symbolizing ‘absolute neutrality’ within the Elsyde Main House.

Step.

And at that mont.

Beyond the dawn darkness draping the hall.

A silhouette carrying a cloth bag appeared.

Enoch Elsyde.

The black-haired boy, carrying the cloth bag, was slowly walking towards the center of the hall.

The fortress hall instantly beca quiet, as if filled with invisible blocks of ice.

The gazes of the mages standing like rows on both sides of the hall’s long passage poured onto him all at once.

Only the sound of Enoch’s footsteps echoed in the hall.

It was a starkly different attitude from when they used to gossip behind his back loud enough for him to hear, back when he first beca Enoch.

Enoch calmly walked through them.

Finally, having crossed through the crowd and reached the front of the Lord, he slowly knelt on one knee.

“Current 9th Circle, Enoch Elsyde. Reporting completion of the Exemption Mission and return.”

He declared so.

The light of the just-rising dawn erased the shadows of night around Enoch.

The Lord, who had been watching him for a mont, broke the heavy silence settling over the hall and slowly opened his mouth.

“You have finally proven yourself.”

At that mont, a ripple of small commotion spread through the audience.

Sothing everyone thought could never happen.

It had happened right before their eyes.

The boy secluded for 17 years.

The non-mage treated as the family’s failure.

That Enoch had now proven his own worth, publicly announced by the Lord himself.

In fact, from the ti Enoch first undertook the Exemption Mission, the rumor had been spreading here and there.

The Main House, being a pillar of the Empire, was a group receiving the undivided attention and interest of the Empire's citizens.

Thus, the issue of Enoch, who was suddenly set to be disowned for being a non-mage, undertaking the Exemption Mission was hot enough gossip to capture the interest of all Imperial citizens who heard the news.

But even so, everyone had rely thought it was the final struggle of the family’s failure.

How many had actually predicted the current success? There was no need to even say it amongst themselves.

As expected, perhaps.

The expressions of Enoch’s siblings lined up beside the Lord were each different.

From those with faint smiles to those clicking their tongues in open displeasure.

But this was only the beginning.

Swish.

Enoch slowly raised his head while still kneeling on one knee.

His dark blue eyes t the Lord’s gaze directly.

He had to prepare for the next incident, soon to arrive.

Judging by the future official history he already knew, the start of the next incident would reveal itself before him before long.

For that ti, he had to make sufficient preparations.

Returning to his room, Enoch opened the door.

The interior was still filled with an empty silence.

Like Enoch’s past situation, the large room, sparsely furnished, looked desolate and hollow.

However, it wasn't entirely a bad thing.

It was also a good environnt to calmly think about future matters.

“I will prepare a al.”

Lien, as usual, left only those words and closed the door behind her.

Her voice still faint, devoid of emotion, Enoch briefly watched her retreating back.

She was the one who had strongly voiced her opposition last ti, saying undertaking the mission would expose Enoch’s body to danger.

But this ti, even though his life had been threatened by a formidable foe like Persona, her silence was sowhat unsettling.

‘…Shouldn’t matter for now, I guess.’

It was just a feeling. Not sothing to worry about right now. Enoch casually shifted his gaze. Above all, the first thing he needed to do now was…….

‘I must prepare for what’s to co.’

For a mont, Enoch gripped the black cloth bag. The hard feel of the sword was sensed within.

Now, the curtain of the main stage was rising.

The first objective, the Exemption Mission, was achieved.

But in reality, this was just the beginning of .

Enoch knew. The future events to co would by no ans be easy.

‘Above all, Tantalus is still alive.’

As long as he hid in the shadows continuing his experints, Enoch Elsyde’s death flag could likely still be considered active.

Including such threats, the tasks he needed to resolve and prepare for were still piled mountain-high.

Enoch sat up straight.

‘Perfect timing, I have so ti after a long while.’

With Lien temporarily gone, it was a golden opportunity to enter the World of Impermanence.

“Hooo.”

Enoch slowly closed his eyes and focused his mind.

He murmured inwardly, feeling the sensation of the World of Impermanence he was already beginning to enter.

Woong.

Along with the swirling flow of dark blue mana, Enoch opened his eyes.

Before long, the infinite space was reflected in his pupils.

Shadows beautifully flickering and constantly changing.

An inner world that could truly only be described by the na 「World of Impermanence」.

Enoch briefly reflected on himself.

‘First, even the process of entering the World of Impermanence shows definite growth.’

Was it because he obtained Persona’s magic gear?

The process of entering the World of Impermanence had beco much faster and easier than before.

Compared to before, the entry ti was significantly shorter, and the fatigue was noticeably reduced.

This alone was certainly trendous progress.

Previously, if fatigue had accumulated in his body, or if injuries prevented him from focusing his mind, entering the World of Impermanence itself was impossible.

But despite the considerable fatigue accumulated from the battle with Persona, he could enter the World of Impermanence without issue.

Significant growth indeed.

Just then.

Sothing floated up before Enoch’s eyes.

A ssage from the inner world, seen after quite a while.

But this ti, the content was sowhat puzzling.

? 「Magic Resistance」 Level 1 → 2

‘Magic Resistance, huh.’

What was this again?

Pondering for a mont, a mory from not long ago, along with a strong scent, surfaced in his mind.

‘Right, the mint chocolate flavored potion!’

The potion he drank in the underground laboratory in Leopold previously.

Enoch, inwardly shuddering once at the terrible taste he felt then, finally realized.

‘I was so preoccupied with frantically carrying out the Exemption Mission until now that I forgot about the effect of the potion I drank!’

「Growth-Type Magic Resistance Reagent」

Both in the original work and now, its effect was to grow stronger the more one was exposed to enemy magic.

To put it more simply, the more magic attacks one took, the stronger their magic resistance beca.

‘I didn’t notice because there were no major outwardly noticeable results, but to think the level had already risen.’

Besides, while it was sowhat sudden news because he had forgotten, thinking about it, he could roughly guess the cause of this sudden increase in magic resistance as well.

‘It must be because of the Unique Magic I was exposed to during the confrontation with Persona.’

During that battle, he had been pulled into the inner world constructed by her Unique Magic.

Ultimately, that place was also a domain ford by magic.

The magic he was exposed to then likely acted as a factor raising his resistance.

‘Anyway, Level 2.’

Since this was an item that existed in the original work, he already had a grasp of its performance by level.

‘This potion’s growth is divided into 10 levels in total.’

Reaching the maximum level of 10 conferred ‘strong resistance even against the Unique Magic of Rank 10 or higher mages’—a reagent with incredible potential.

‘Level 2… still a long way to go.’

According to the original work, at best, it currently provided so resistance against weak, quick-cast magic used by a Rank 16 mage for harassnt.

Naturally, the effect was still too weak to be satisfying.

The mages he might have to face in future missions were overflowing with much stronger ones.

‘To cultivate magic resistance further, I’ll need to take a lot of magic hits whenever the opportunity arises.’

Persona’s Unique Magic was powerful, but luckily, it wasn't for direct strikes but ntal manipulation, so it didn't leave significant physical damage.

But that was just her rare Unique Magic.

Mages who casually tossed house-sized fireballs or ice spears would likely be encountered more often as enemies during regular missions.

Then?

Naturally, there was only one thing to do.

‘Starting with Rank 16 magic, which I now have resistance to, I need to go find and take hits from every single one I see!’

Enoch stroked his chin with a remarkably grim expression and concluded.

The thought process of a seasoned player and extre performance enthusiast had already conveniently excluded his own pain from consideration.

‘First, raising this value makes Enoch stronger → Exposure to magic attacks raises the level → Then, I’ll raise it by taking as many non-lethal magic hits to the body as possible!’

Applying this very, very common-sense and simple logic, Enoch nodded with satisfaction.

‘That aside, the growth thod is quite blatant.’

Not only did he inherit swordsmanship specialized in 'cutting down mages' and 'blocking magic preemptively' with the Last Sword Saint's techniques.

On top of that, he was gradually building magic resistance with the reagent.

At this point……

‘Literally, an Anti-Mage concept?’

A growth pattern entirely focused on countering mages.

Enoch smiled slyly, discovering himself building specs specialized against mages.

This was the nation of mages, the Magic Empire Atlas.

Growing in a way that countered mages here ant, in other words….

‘Isn’t this character truly brokenly overpowered?’

The [Enoch OP Character] theory he had vaguely suspected from before. Now that its growth direction was clearly revealed, it ca as complete conviction.

A faint smile touched Enoch’s lips.

His potential, including swordsmanship, had already been sufficiently proven, so he just needed to keep riding the flow and continue growing.

Enoch, having finished the brief check and deactivated his inner world, opened his eyes.

The decision was made. All that remained was to continue growing in his own way.

The missions he would face in the future would beco more diverse and difficult.

Even the very next task he had to overco wouldn't be easy.

‘The ti when the incident that will beco the next mission occurs must be approaching even now.’

According to the official history, a 'considerable incident' would befall the family very soon.

‘That mission is my next objective.’

Of course, while waiting for the right ti, what needed to be done was also obvious.

Enoch glanced back at the black cloth bag leaning beside him.

‘Until the incident that becos the next mission occurs, I’ll have to hole up in the training ground.’

Swish.

Thinking so, Enoch casually looked down at the large window filling one wall of the room.

Right at that mont.

He felt soone’s gaze.

‘……?’

Enoch turned his eyes that way.

Opposite the window.

The balcony next to the Elsyde fortress wall.

Soone was standing there, watching him.

A beauty with a neat and proud atmosphere.

Violet hair cascading long down to her waist.

Indigo eyes, upright and clear, slightly hidden in the shadow of a deeply worn formal cap.

Her uniform, fitting her mature body line, clearly revealed her chest and slender waist.

An appearance unforgettable after seeing it just once.

Thus, Enoch recalled her identity without difficulty.

‘Nesis Knight Order.’

She was silently gazing this way.

Confirming that, Enoch’s eyes narrowed.

‘Teano… was it.’

An absolutely unforgettable person.

Back when he first possessed Enoch.

She was the one who arrested him for the staged theft he committed to get into the Underground Prison.

“…….”

She watched Enoch for a mont, then slowly turned her head and walked away beyond the fortress wall.

Following Teano’s retreating back, Enoch knew instinctively.

‘…What was bound to co has arrived.’