Outside the window. Termu Apocris let out a small sigh at the storm that showed no signs of breaking even after a full day had passed.
"...I never imagined the difference in power would be this vast..."
The storm was clearly abnormal. The wind was weak, and the rainfall wasn't particularly heavy, but the darkness simply refused to lift.
Maintaining magic was extremely difficult. Termu was a specialist in water magic.
His epithet, "Still Water," had been earned when he completely halted the flow of a massive waterfall with his sorcery. But even with Termu's abilities, he couldn't discern the true nature of the storm deployed outside.
This was the third time he'd been shown the gap in their abilities. And this time, it was with a young man who was far younger than him.
Termu stroked the treasure weapon bracelets on both arms—relics he'd once been fortunate enough to obtain from the Level 6 Treasure Hall, [Water God's Hideaway]—with a nostalgic touch.
These treasure weapons bestowed powerful water-attribute blessings upon their wielder. Sold to the right buyer, they would be enough to live comfortably for three generations.
Termu Apocris's current power far surpassed what it had been twenty years ago when he'd halted the waterfall. But even so, he couldn't see through the magical principles deployed before him.
No, more than that, he couldn't understand the spell that had transformed that frog in the slightest. One could say it was outside his specialty, but what was most puzzling was that there had been absolutely no premonition of magic activation from the caster who had accomplished it.
Termu was also proud of his magic activation speed, but that speed and concealment ability were overwhelmingly superior to his own.
"After Rosemary and the Great Sage, this makes three."
Termu Apocris, currently hailed as the most powerful water-attribute mage in the Imperial Capital, had once had two rivals.
No, to be precise, it might be better to say he was *thought* to be their rival.
From the perspective of a less talented mage, the three of them might have seemed similar.
But the two of them possessed undeniable, peerless talent, and from Termu's perspective, they were a full step ahead. Because Termu had some talent of his own, the gap was all the more apparent.
One had pursued the path of a Hunter, honing their power to become the greatest fire-attribute mage—"Abyssal Fire Annihilation"—while the other had remained in academic institutions, continuing research, and had been cast into the abyss of sorcery, resulting in exile.
He didn't consider it a tragedy. For those who sought power, the walls of the law were far too narrow.
But it was ironic that Rosemary Puropos, who had been the most ferocious and feared since those days, still reigned within human society without ever breaking the law.
Termu had only been able to gain this level of power because he had become a member of the Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox and had employed every means available. And the reason Thousand Transformations boasted such tremendous power was likewise because they had crossed that wall.
But to think that not even a hint of jealousy stirred in him... Perhaps he'd grown old. Wallowing in such sentiment, Termu nearly let a wry smile escape before steeling himself once more.
Kechachachka and Kirunight were also here. The possibility of the assault failing was virtually zero, but letting his guard down was forbidden.
The Zeroth Knight Order's proficiency was decent, but from Termu's perspective—someone who could deploy magic at overwhelming speed—they were hardly a threat.
He could slip in silently and eliminate the target with certainty. Besides, Termu's methods weren't the kind you could see at a glance. Disguising the attack as an accident caused by the storm wouldn't be difficult. That not a single escort had broken formation was unexpected, but that was merely a margin of error.
However, there was also the possibility of other powerful ambushers. The fact that a top executive had come personally to incorporate Termu's group into the escort detail was likely an expression of trust in Termu. And at the same time, it indicated the importance of this mission.
Everything had been laid out on a silver platter. He would strike with certainty.
Thirteen had said to leave the timing to him.
Now was the perfect opportunity. There could be no better timing for the assault.
"Kecha, let's go. The 'preparations' are ready, I trust?"
"Hehehe..."
When he went to Kechachachka's room, Kechachachka produced a jewel wrapped in black cloth from inside his robe.
His expression was his usual unreadable self, but only his eyes gleamed quietly. He seemed quite tired from being teased by Thousand Transformations, but judging by how he looked, it shouldn't be a problem.
The jewel, the "Anti-Dragon Seal," was a more rare treasure weapon than Termu's bracelets. It couldn't replace raw power, but it was precisely useful in situations like this.
This airship wasn't the kind that would fall easily even under a dragon attack, but if the ship actually did crash and there was a record of a dragon assault, those around them would naturally accept the explanation.
Just then, Termu noticed a strange object that Kechachachka had pulled out additionally.
"...Hm, what's that?"
"............uke...ukekeke"
It was a box fitted with levers and several small buttons. It looked something like some sort of controller.
Kechachachka stowed it carefully back in his robe with unusual reverence, then let out his usual incomprehensible laughter. Termu couldn't help but sigh.
It was a well-known fact that mages tended to be eccentric, but curse casters—who converted emotion into power—were especially so.
He was loyal, and he delivered results. Because he was outstanding, Termu couldn't complain—but he gave up on communication and jerked his chin toward the outside.
"Let's start with the engine room. Begin immediately. This is our work. We won't trouble Thousand Transformations with the details."
It was raining. Still Water was invincible when there was an abundance of water to draw upon.
He would demonstrate this power to the world, to Abyssal Fire Annihilation, and to Thirteen.
--- A corner of the airship.
The spacious room—something like a party space—had been called into use. The Emperor, his daughter, and numerous escorting knights had gathered. Through what must have been a large window originally designed to let in ample light, a swirling black sky was visible. From the small window of his own room, it hadn't seemed like much, but seen like this, it looked like the end of the world.
"We've been in contact with the ground via Resonance Stones, but it seems it isn't raining down there."
"I see, I see..."
For some reason, all eyes were focused this way. The Emperor was looking at him, and the Imperial Princess was gazing at him with anxious eyes.
Hearing Franz's words, Klye nodded as if in understanding. But his mind was completely blank.
Being told he couldn't escape the storm—there was nothing Klye could do about it. If it were something he could figure out by worrying about it, Franz and the others would have realized it too.
So all Klye could do was ease their anxiety.
"That's... really unfortunate luck."
"!? No way in hell! Something is obviously happening! Can you look at this sight and feel nothing!?"
"C-calm down, it's just a storm. They happen all the time."
"They do NOT happen!"
Franz's face turned crimson as he screamed, spitting as he did.
Being told that didn't help... What a pain. Things he didn't understand, he didn't understand, and common things were common. When they got back, he'd better prepare a carpet just in case...
Panicking wouldn't help anything, so he decided to play it cool.
If anything, the person they should be calling wasn't Klye but Termu, the water specialist.
If it were Termu, he might actually be able to dispel the storm with magic. Why was it that Franz and Gaark both called for Klye whenever something happened?
The personnel selection had been completely wrong. They had just as poor judgment as Luke and the others who had made him their leader.
"You can't be a Hunter if you whine over a little unusual storm. We're fine—the ship isn't going to fall, right?"
"..."
Franz clenched his teeth and fell silent for a moment. Klye could hear his ragged breathing.
He'd said he was a noble, but he was well-built and had an intimidating face. Looking at him now, he seemed far more like a Hunter than Klye.
After steadying his breathing, Franz spoke in a suppressed voice.
"I-I'll... apologize, Klye Andrich! For not... taking your warning to heart! But right now, His Majesty's safety... is the number one priority! What... what is happening? What should we do?"
At those words, a stir ran through the escorting knights. Of course, Klye's eyes went wide too.
Franz's expression was nothing like that of someone apologizing, but even so, a noble admitting fault was a rare occurrence indeed.
Unfortunately, Klye knew neither the cause nor the solution. Even if someone bowed to him or prostrated on the ground, he couldn't produce information he didn't have.
Incidentally, whether Franz was actually in the wrong was also highly questionable.
Completely at a loss, Klye scratched his cheek.
"I'm sorry. I don't know."
"You... You dare—after making me go this far—"
His collar was grabbed and he was lifted up, shaken back and forth. Franz was strong as well as big.
His vision rattled and he let out an involuntary scream. If it weren't so unpleasant, his eyes would have been spinning.
"Calm down! Just calm down! You have to ask the storm about the cause of the storm, because you won't know unless you—"
If you're going to call someone, call Termu.
Being shaken helplessly, an arm suddenly extended from the side. The shaking stopped.
It was Clysse, who until a moment ago had been sitting in stony silence. He spoke in an even more irritable voice than usual.
"Hey, that's enough, you know."
"What!?"
"This isn't the time for that, you know. Franz, you've been bottling up too much stress. In times like these, the escort leader should be acting calmly, you know."
"..."
He was released roughly and staggered, but managed to stay upright. Clysse casually positioned himself between Klye and Franz.
Spiritfolk were known not only as powerful mages but also as wise individuals. It was said that their rarity led to misconceptions, but Clysse's words strangely had a calming effect on people.
"Besides, it's not like the storm is the Weakling's fault, so blaming the Weakling for it is pretty cruel, you know."
"...Y-yes, that's exactly right. That's absolutely, completely right!"
It seemed he'd escaped the crisis. The other knights also looked relieved that their captain's frenzy had subsided.
Franz was simply too nervous. Klye sympathized with the heavy burden of guarding the Emperor, but fretting over even an extended storm wouldn't help things go smoothly.
As Klye nodded in agreement, Franz pointed sharply at him with his index finger and shouted.
"But that man definitely knows something! He understands the situation perfectly and is mocking us! You heard it too, didn't you! He said to be careful until we got through the storm, that if it was just a storm it'd be fine! He looked at this most advanced 'Black Star' covered in countless layers of powerful magic and said it would fall! How do you explain that!?"
"...Klye, you really don't know anything, do you?"
Clysse, who had switched sides in an instant, turned a suspicious gaze toward him.
But not knowing was simply not knowing. It wasn't as if he'd said it with some firm rationale behind it.
Clysse didn't seem to know either, and expecting anything from the carpet or Kirunight who had come along seemed pointless.
But Termu, with all his experience, would surely be able to provide a convincing explanation for this situation.
The Emperor was fixing him with an intense gaze, as if silently questioning him.
Just as Klye opened his mouth, trying to come up with some excuse to buy time, the door opened.
Every eye turned toward it. It was Termu and Kechachachka.
What perfect timing! You really are the best companions.
"!! Ah, Termu, I've been waiting for you. Perfect timing."
At Klye's exclamation, Termu's eyes widened slightly, and a smile crossed his face.
"Sorry I'm late. This ship is just too big."
There was no pause. Before Klye could even process the meaning of Termu's words, heavy thuds rang out in succession as bodies collapsed.
He turned toward the sound almost on reflex. The knights and servants who had been surrounding the Emperor had fallen without so much as a groan, crumpling to the floor.
Only Franz remained conscious, but he was on his knees, head swaying.
Strangely, Clysse was unharmed, his eyes wide as he frantically looked left and right. Franz's expression was blank—he clearly didn't understand what had just happened... Neither did Klye.
Everyone in the room had fallen. The servants, the knights.
The only ones still standing were the Emperor, the Imperial Princess, Clysse, Kirunight, and the two who had just entered.
??? What? What had happened? Why had they fallen? Huh?
There had been no sound. No advance signs. Above all, Klye was unharmed. There was no sign that the Barrier Ring had even activated.
Frozen with the same smile he'd worn when greeting Termu, Klye's mind had stopped processing. Termu let out a small sigh and spoke.
"Well, well—turns out the ending was almost too easy... That's anticlimactic. I didn't expect so little resistance. There were barely any escorting knights to speak of. I'm nothing but impressed by your methods, Thousand Transformations."