Chapter 311

“…This is troublesome. I didn’t expect to be interfered with to this extent.”

As Polar Night finished speaking, his entire body grew hazy and began transforming into a faint purple mist.

Simultaneously, multiple forms of Polar Night began emerging from within the mist, but Golden Radiance beside him merely smirked and uttered a strangely shaped incantation.

Zzzzzzzzzz—!

“If you’re thinking of running, I won’t stop you. It seems my descendant doesn’t have much time to spare.”

Though it was clearly a technique where he had hidden far more power than what was visible, Golden Radiance, without a hint of hesitation, instantly drew out Polar Night’s true body.

I didn’t know what it was, but it was undoubtedly a high-level Art Formula. The weight of the title, being one of the founders of the Three Great Noble Families, instilled immense confidence in me.

“…Hmph.”

“Wondering how I could counter it? It’s not difficult. My specialty, Golden Radiance’s, is a Cursed Technique that penetrates the domains of distortion and reversal. You, who have been eroded by my descendant’s Curse, cannot escape my sight.”

Perhaps not expecting such a level of skill, Polar Night visibly flustered and hastily sank into contemplation.

And that gap was, for me, an opportunity.

“Death Transcending Wheel.”

A massive wave of death’s curse, augmented by the Phantom Body Trait, instantly surged forth to engulf Polar Night’s body.

“Ugh!”

Zzzzzzzzzz—!

Polar Night created a giant fan and swung it, stealing a portion of the shadow-space to block the curse, but the strain was evident on her face.

I can win.

That conviction began filling my heart.

Perhaps sensing the same thing, Polar Night, who had bowed her head deeply, trembled and muttered words of resentment steeped in rage.

“Why are you obstructing me to this extent? I have a duty… to erase all the world’s negativity and return it to its origin…”

“Because that premise itself is fundamentally flawed.”

“What…?”

Towards Polar Night, whose expression contorted, I continued speaking as if making a calm declaration.

“The world you and Toyo should have lived in no longer exists. The world now belongs to all of us living in reality.”

It was never theirs to begin with; what right do they have to discuss its rise and fall?

Hearing those words, Polar Night raised her head in fury, and Golden Radiance also laughed cheerfully, gripping my shoulder.

“Well said. Those who cannot understand that are no different from ghosts of the past.”

“……”

“Enough grumbling. I’ll send you back to where you belong.”

Golden Radiance clapped his hands loudly, reciting an incantation imbued with spiritual power, and I too began gathering my strength, observing the entire space from the spirit’s perspective.

‘The power possessed by humans and the power possessed by Specters are not fundamentally different.’

Rather, it was a fact I could only realize now, having entered this strange state.

I gazed at the Shikigami waiting for their chance, drawing out their life force and Spectral Energy, converting it into my own Spiritual Power.

The energy created this way was truly immense. With this much power, I became convinced that things I couldn’t achieve before were no longer impossible.

‘Within the Mindscape, Soul Enchantress could split the boundaries of the Mindscape using power flowing in from many people and trap her opponent in that gap.’

I still vividly remember that transcendent sorcery.

A Secret Art only she, with her unique Trait, could use. However, there was no reason I, placed in a similar situation, couldn’t use it either.

‘Within the space of shadows, create another world.’

That was the essence of the supreme Barrier Technique and Binding Art that Soul Enchantress had been confident in.

And having gathered the power of all the Shikigami, I barely managed to reproduce something similar.

“Epoch-Spanning Curse Binding.”

Sssssssssss—!

The widely spread shadows instantly turned transparent, encircling Polar Night, and simultaneously isolated her existence once more, further weakening her power.

“…Now.”

“Perfect timing!”

Golden Radiance, who had separated his clapped hands, drew a Taiji symbol with both hands and, at the final moment, clapped them together again in reverse.

“Now, my final Cursed Technique.”

Karmic Chain Shatter.

Whoooooosh!

For an instant, an indescribable energy filled the shadow-space, then it condensed around Polar Night, who couldn’t move a finger.

Crsssssssh—!

When it all vanished, Polar Night was kneeling on the ground with an inexplicable expression of disbelief and despair.

As if no purpose remained for her. As if she could no longer fulfill her function.

“From this moment, I have completely severed your Strong Desire, separated here, from the outside. Inside or out, Polar Night can no longer exist.”

As it was a kind of Cursed phenomenon originating from a Strong Desire, Polar Night, with that connection gone, was now nothing more than a fleeting aggregation of wind and power.

“Can you feel it? That everything about you has vanished, leaving nothing behind.”

“……”

Polar Night said nothing, merely lifting her resentful eyes once.

Crsssssh!

Sssssssss…

Then, with a wind from nowhere, her body gradually began turning to smoke.

It wasn’t employing a technique like before, nor hiding her body to prepare for the next exchange.

The existence that was her, originating from Toyo, was slowly disappearing.

“…I feel no emotion.”

Surely, it was because she had been liberated from the Strong Desire that was her essence, leaving only an empty shell.

“But somehow, it’s frustrating.”

Crssssk!

Leaving only those words, Polar Night vanished without form, completely disappearing from this world.

I don’t know about the remaining parts of Polar Night outside, but they probably can no longer perform the same role as before either.

And as all tension eased, the shadow-space, which had been maintained until now solely by my power and will, also began gradually collapsing.

Kugugung!

Kuguguguguu—!

In a sense, this was not just Polar Night’s end, but also my own.

In fact, earlier, when I denied Polar Night’s Strong Desire head-on, I too felt a sense of emptiness somewhere in my heart.

Also, a forgotten fragment of memory from sometime ago began slowly encroaching upon my mind, as if commemorating my end.

‘…Right, so that’s how it was.’

I spent a day like any other, thought I fell asleep and woke up in this world, but that wasn’t the truth.

The past me died. I don’t know the detailed reason or circumstances, but somehow, I could accept that much.

‘……’

The world I should have lived in no longer exists. This world now belongs to all of them living in reality.

And as Golden Radiance said, those who cannot understand that are no different from ghosts of the past.

‘Everything… was already over.’

Then, the journey up to this point must be my final remaining role.

It was a miserable thing, but since I had already prepared myself, I didn’t feel such sad emotions.

Rather, to the point of thinking this was the correct answer, I deeply accepted this current conclusion from the depths of my heart.

Towards me, lost in solemn feelings, Golden Radiance, who was scratching his head, spoke.

“…You’ve worked hard. You accomplished what only you could do.”

“Thank you for saying that. As for my comrades outside… I’ll leave the explanations to you.”

“Yes, of course. Go without worry.”

Kwarururung!

The space collapses, crumbles. The end was now approaching.

And so, I slowly sank somewhere into my own consciousness, preparing to meet the end.

Bits and pieces, memories until now rise to the surface.

Though three years flew by like an arrow, there were still quite a few things that remained in memory.

Joyful things, troublesome things, crises that sometimes seemed insurmountable.

Thinking about it now, I really did quite well, didn’t I?

While that was supremely satisfying, somehow, deep in a corner of my heart, something unfulfilled remained, bothering me.

Is this the feeling corresponding to the frustration Polar Night felt at the final moment?

But then again, perhaps having that degree of regret is fitting for the final moment.

And so, closing my eyes, I finally sank all lingering thoughts beneath the surface.

And then, I felt someone’s hand grabbing the back of my neck and pulling.

“Ah, it worked after all. You just go back over there.”

“Huh?”

“Why did I get dragged in by this strange fellow… Well, I guess that’s my fate too.”

Golden Radiance, who sighed with the same expression as me, then drew a Taiji symbol in reverse and clapped his hands together once more like before.

Clap!

“I have already accepted it. You don’t have to do this…”

“I haven’t accepted it, so that’s that. Hitching onto a descendant with a bright future ahead isn’t to my taste either. Don’t blame me if we both perish instead.”

Having just resolved myself for the end, I tried to properly express my refusal again, but Golden Radiance ignored it and continued performing some kind of ritual.

“Actually, it’s not such a favorable story either. This is… so to speak, a ritual that swaps the destinies each holds going forward. Meaning, the numerous responsibilities I bore are now transferred to you.”

Come to think of it, Golden Radiance had left somewhat meaningful remarks, like this not being the promised battlefield.

Just as I finally understood what that meant, Golden Radiance gave a cheerful smile, clapped his hands together one last time, and then thrust them into my chest area.

“I’ll watch from the heavens just how far this descendant of Golden Radiance goes.”

And so, I was seized by a strange agony as if my spirit was being shattered and reformed countless times, feeling my body and soul being pulled somewhere.

At the edge of my vision, the endlessly collapsing shadow-space was visible.

Zzzzzzzzzz—!

When I regained consciousness amidst such dizzying feelings, I could already sense the presence of numerous people rushing towards me from all directions.

Revealing a faint smile and a small sigh, I barely managed to support myself, stood up, and greeted them.

[Well, this is troublesome. Could this outcome have been possible? It wasn’t my intention though…]

Startled for a moment by Golden Radiance’s voice coming from somewhere in my mind, I looked at everyone’s faces and thought about the future.

Certainly, the next stages of the series I was aware of, and also the future hardships Golden Radiance had told me about, existed in countless numbers.

But even so, what I must do will never change.

Because I decided to live that way myself.

Thinking that far and looking up at the sky, all ominous energy had vanished, revealing a twilight so brilliant it hurt the eyes.

The final sunset, which originally shouldn’t have been witnessed, was quietly setting, as if commemorating a new tomorrow.

I Became the Academy’s Genius Shikigami Sorcerer (End)

^G^o^l^d^