"Wayland, I remember you mentioned that the spear you usually project is based on this very weapon--the Gae Bolg Alternative. Your technique is already impressive, but it's a shame Scathach didn't leave any of her direct teachings behind."
Elena watched Wayland's mesmerized expression, her voice tinged with a hint of admiration.
Magi who specialized in direct combat--particularly those who favored projection--often spent their lives obsessing over legendary weapons. She was starting to grow fond of this new addition to the team. His rank might be low, but his versatility and combat sense were undeniable. After all, he'd managed to defeat a guardian without taking a single hit.
Elena scanned the empty hall one last time, her thoughts turning to the fickle nature of the gods.
These ancient beings could be incredibly stingy. Morgan le Fay had at least left behind eight valuable cursed bodies, but Scathach hadn't left a single thing. Not even a shred of her legendary spear technique. It made sense that Wayland would be obsessed with her. He projected her spear and practiced her runes--he was practically a miniature, male version of Scathach herself. Even if their power levels were worlds apart.
She felt a persistent pang of disappointment. To find a ruin of the legendary Scathach and walk away with nothing felt like a missed opportunity of the highest order.
As the ambient magical energy in the modern world continued to fade, ruins from the Age of Gods were becoming more precious by the day. But for every valuable discovery, there were a dozen that had been scoured by time and were now nothing more than interesting curiosities. Aside from the massive excavations managed by the Spirit Tomb Investigation Bureau, finding even a few cursed bodies was considered a stroke of incredible luck.
Wayland didn't respond to Elena's words. Driven by an irresistible instinct, he reached out and touched the scarlet shaft of the Gae Bolg Alternative.
With a soft chime, the projection vanished.
But in that same instant, a message lanced through his consciousness with the force of a physical blow.
[Projection Magic: Thorned Divine Spear--Rank D+. A gift from the Queen of the Land of Shadows, Scathach, to her disciple. Your projection magic has been permanently enhanced, allowing you to manifest a version of the Gae Bolg Alternative with 50% of its original potency.]
Wayland stood frozen, his eyes wide. He could feel the new knowledge etching itself into his soul, a complex web of magical theory and muscle memory that he hadn't possessed seconds ago.
Suddenly, the temple began to shudder violently. Fissures erupted across the vault of the ceiling, spreading like a web of lightning across the walls.
Dust and debris rained down in a suffocating cloud.
Elena's expression shifted instantly. She didn't need a sensor to know the structure was on the verge of total collapse. "Everyone! Get to me, now!"
A brilliant blue light lanced from her palm.
Deep within the sea of Elena's consciousness, her magical energy surged forward like a gargantuan whale, navigating the trackless paths of the Void.
Found it.
The anchor point was the forward deck of the Ocean Phantom.
Elena pressed her palms together. A massive, shimmering magical circle expanded beneath her feet, its resonance cutting through the sound of the collapsing stone. Within the swirling wind of the magical discharge, a brilliant blue portal manifested in the air.
Short-range Imaginary Space Teleportation.
"Go! Move it!" she wheezed, her focus strained to the limit. She saw Wayland standing at the back of the group, his gaze lingering on the hall as if he were reluctant to leave. "Wayland! Don't just stand there! Move!"
"Right! Coming!"
Wayland turned and stepped into the portal. He felt as though he were walking through a long, shimmering blue tunnel that stretched into an infinite distance. He emerged onto the deck of the Ocean Phantom just as a thunderous roar echoed across the surface of the sea.
Wayland looked up. The aerial temple was crumbling like a building with a failed foundation, its structure tilting and breaking apart in the air. Massive plumes of dust and smoke billowed outward as the ruins plummeted toward the waves. The resulting impact sent a series of gargantuan ripples racing across the water.
The temple of Morgan le Fay--fragments and all--disappeared beneath the surface in a matter of seconds.
Wayland stared at the spot where it had been, a profound sense of loss washing over him.
"You all did excellent work today."
Hishiri Adashino's voice drew the team's attention. She walked toward them, her expression calm as she addressed the assembled magi. "I won't say much else for now. Get some rest. Once we return to London, the Department of Policies will ensure that every one of you is appropriately rewarded for your courage and contribution."
Wayland's mind was still reeling. He nodded along with the others and headed back to his cabin, his thoughts consumed by the notification he'd received.
As soon as he was alone and the door was locked, he called out to Irigal.
"Irigal, what just happened?"
["Master, what are you referring to?"] Irigal let out a long, sleepy yawn, looking as though she'd just woken up from a nap.
"The Gae Bolg Alternative." Wayland tapped his fingers rhythmically against the desk. "You told me that my 'training' with Scathach was just a set of memories. But the system just identified that spear as a gift from her to her disciple."
["Don't underestimate the gods, Master!"] Irigal's tone was suddenly full of a playful, arrogant pride. "Scathach possesses a high-level Clairvoyance. Do you really think she wouldn't have foreseen the path you were taking?"
Wayland was stunned. His heart gave a series of erratic thumps. He reached out and grabbed a glass of water, his hand trembling slightly. "So... I'm truly her disciple?"
["Oh? You mean you actually thought it was all an act?"]
'...'
'Any sane person would have assumed it was an act!'
To be the disciple of the legendary Queen of the Land of Shadows was something that should only happen in a dream. Wayland paced the small room for several minutes, then pulled back the curtains and looked out at the sea. He took a long, deep breath to steady himself before sitting back down.
This felt like finding out that the person you'd been chatting with on a forum was actually your favorite celebrity.
'So... Scathach knew I would find this ruin one day. She left that gift in the basement specifically for me. Even though she'd already given me a 'gift' by touching my forehead after my training... that was just the start?'
["The gods never go back on their word, Master."] Irigal's voice was uncharacteristically meaningful.
Wayland missed the subtle implication in her tone. He remained in a state of euphoric excitement for several hours, testing the weight of the new knowledge in his mind, before the exhaustion of the mission finally caught up with him. He drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
He had no idea how much time had passed before a sharp knock on his door woke him, pulling him back to the reality of the Ocean Phantom.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]