I Became the Servant of the Blind Wicked Woman

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Red flames, dark and acrid smoke, and the blaring noise of fire alarms. All elements that disrupt human senses are concentrated here.

However, Nardanit has another sensory organ: biotic fiber hair. The biotic fibers spread throughout the entire engine room like a creeping vine.

The function of these biotic fibers extends beyond merely detecting the enemy.

When attempting to cast a self-destructive spell, the biotic fibers intertwined to draw a magic circle, revealing their true purpose as spell construction devices.

Replacing the hand signs used by mages to assist in spellcasting with the manipulation of biotic fibers.

Mana supplied from the magic core filled each strand of hair. The hair, glowing red, was loaded with deadly magic.

The reason Nardanit chose to prepare an attack instead of using water magic to suppress the fire was simple.

The fire was a more favorable variable for Nardanit.

At first glance, this situation seemed fatal for Nardanit, who was immobile due to being connected to the power lines.

However, the reality was different. Constantly supplied with mana from the magic core, Nardanit could use magic to protect himself from the fire indefinitely.

He formed a layer of air to block the heat and purified the toxins mixed with the smoke while bracing himself. This was a luxury his opponent could not afford.

If Orthes could not withstand the heat and moved first, Nardanit could simply eliminate him with the prepared magic.

The same applied if the biotic fibers detected Orthes first. The moment of execution would only arrive sooner.

The movements of the hair covering the entire engine room were both swift and precise.

Clank!

A sound distinctly different from the remnants of the explosion. Lightning and flames struck the source of the noise. The hair, hardened to be sharper than steel, pierced the surroundings like spears.

About 20% of the hair was used in this attack. Nardanit knew his opponent was a seasoned combat mage.

The first noise was likely a feint to lure out an attack.

Distraction with the first noise, delivering a fatal blow with the second.

This was a common tactic in battles between mages.

Nardanit conserved his strength to intercept the ambush. The attack just unleashed was more flashy than powerful, with minimal mana expenditure.

One second passed.

Orthes' movements were not detected.

Two seconds passed.

Re-examining the attacked area revealed nothing.

Three seconds passed.

Still no movement? What on earth…

Rumble─!

A tremendous noise shook the entire magic engine train.

The fierce shaking made the entire engine room creak as if an earthquake had struck.

'He plans to attack the battlefield since he's at a disadvantage in a magic vs. magic output duel.'

Damn it. As expected of a secret inspector, his quick thinking was impressive.

Nardanit considered disconnecting from the magic core. Without the near-unlimited mana supply from the core, he would be at a disadvantage in a full confrontation.

However, being connected to the power lines meant a lack of mobility. Although somewhat compensable with the biotic fiber hair—

Nardanit froze while checking the state of the power lines.

Mana was not being supplied.

"Impossible?"

Nardanit forcibly tore himself away from the power lines. Despite the pain of tearing flesh, his thoughts remained clear.

Slash!

The sharpened hair tore through the top of the train car. Normally, he wouldn't have chosen this action to pressure Orthes using the fire situation.

Smoke filled the engine room and poured into the sky.

Beyond the torn roof, a barren plain rushed past.

The cars that should have been connected appeared as mere distant, abstract shapes.

Only the front engine, the engine room, was speeding along.

'Orthes disconnected the train!'

While his victory condition was to kill Orthes, Orthes' condition was to inform the Ten Commandments. He had mistakenly assumed they would face off directly.

It was natural that mana was no longer supplied from the power lines. The connection to the magic core in the rear cars had been severed.

'The fire was to mask the warning sound of the power line disconnection!'

In a situation where the fire alarm was already sounding, it was easy to overlook another alarm. The large mana draw turned out to be a blunder.

If there hadn't been mana pre-stored in the engine room, the train would have stopped soon after the separation. It had been at least 30 seconds since the separation.

There was no more time to hesitate. Nardanit jumped out of the train. As the wind supported his body, the top plate of the train, where he was attached, came with him.

Refinement magic swept over the train's top. Handholds sprouted and the edges of the metal plate were sharpened like blades. Standing on the handhold, Nardanit infused both sides of the rails with lightning magic.

The cut-off top plate, now resembling a missile, sat between the crackling lightning along the rails.

Biotic fiber hair anchored deep into the ground. Despite the lightning shaking the plate, the hair rooted in the earth was steadfast.

The crackling noise now rumbled like thunder.

When the two streams of lightning Nardanit held reached their critical point, he retracted all the biotic fibers.

A massive blade shot out along the line drawn by the lightning at an incredible speed.

***

'That crazy bastard. He's using magic as a railgun?'

I've only seen the word railgun in novels or occasionally on the news, but I've heard about the principle. A weapon that launches projectiles using electromagnetism between two rails.

That corrupt branch leader created a makeshift railgun with the detached train roof and lightning magic on the rails to approach me.

No, approach is too weak a word.

He's colliding with me!

"Damn!"

'Wasn't the speed of the railgun developed in America over 3 km per second? Judging by the incoming speed, it's not that fast.'

But it had already surpassed the speed of any regular train. More than enough to crush a person.

Although the train's front car had been detached, inertia remained. This train was still slowly moving along the tracks.

And unfortunately, the track was a straight line. Automatically getting closer to the magic railgun.

If I stay here, I'll be split in half by that metal plate.

Then. What should I do?

***

Accelerated by the current. Hurtling along the rails at several hundred meters per second, Nardanit spotted Orthes.

Orthes boldly revealed himself right in front of the car. Was he planning to take the hit with a force field?

No. He aimed his right hand like a gun.

Orthes was targeting his head. Was it a bullet-type spell?

Controlling the plate's path aside, casting additional magic was difficult. Only a few seconds until collision. With all auxiliary brain processing maxed out for preparing a defensive spell to deflect the impact.

Using the defensive spell now would block Orthes' magic.

But the unfinished warning message was troubling. He had to deliver the news to his comrades, so mutual destruction was not an option.

The only means available were the biotic fiber hairs.

Nardanit gathered the hairs to form a barrier.

At this point, less than three seconds remained until the collision. The sharpened steel bullet aimed at Orthes.

However, the hunter's eyes aiming the barrel were blinded by himself.

Boom!

The plate Nardanit clung to split an entire car in half and crushed about half of the second car before coming to a stop.

As the vibrations ceased, Nardanit dispelled the barrier. He had to confirm Orthes' body—

Turning, Nardanit faced two blue-glowing lines staring back. They were Orthes' seemingly closed eyes.

A bundle of biotic fiber hair, hardened into a blade, surged toward Orthes. A reflexive attack.

Orthes' left hand deflected one bundle. The deflected hair blade cut its ally. At the collision point of the two bundles, a gap appeared.

Orthes, who had slipped through the gap, grabbed the severed bundle. The biotic fiber, still retaining its blade form due to residual mana, thrust forward.

Nardanit's blade, hardened to the limit, pierced its owner with ease. The blow aimed at the heart struck true.

"How…"

The question spat out with the last breath.

"I jumped. The plate you used as a bullet was long horizontally but not tall vertically. If you had clear sight, you would've blocked me with magic, but you blinded yourself."

He had jumped over Nardanit, clinging to the rear of the plate. Nardanit realized the defensive spell he cast had also protected Orthes behind him.

"Damn it…"

Nardanit's head slumped as his body ceased moving.

***

They really fight to the death. This is why I hate dealing with Blasphemia.

As I caught my breath, I heard hurried footsteps approaching.

Ah, damn.

"B-Branch leader!?"

A startled kid looking at the corpse. It was Niobe.

To read over 200 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02