City of Witches Chapter 260

Siwoo's training schedule had become slightly more intense than before.

It wasn't due to any specific reason, but rather because he felt the need to do something in a situation where he didn't know what danger might come.

Originally, he would train intensely for about two hours around noon. He increased this to one session in the morning and one in the evening.

Of course, it was excruciatingly difficult.

There was no way the strict and rigid Teacher Eloa would go easy on sparring just because the schedule had become tighter. In the end, he had to get beaten up again in the evening, already covered in bruises from the morning.

-Vroooom

The sound of a luxurious sports car engine.

"So, I was given about half a day of rest time per week. With the help of a friend named Takasho, whom I mentioned before, I bought daily necessities in Taro Town. Well, they were almost Magic Artifacts rather than daily necessities."

"……"

While Siwoo was sharing various stories from Gehenna as Eloa had requested.

Eloa was comfortably reclined in her seat, her eyes firmly closed.

Siwoo, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, asked.

"Are you very tired?"

Her tightly closed eyelids fluttered slightly as Eloa opened her eyes.

"No, I'm listening to everything. My apologies, I was the one who asked you to talk..."

In truth, this training regimen, pushed through at Siwoo's request, was also a burden for Eloa.

If she had a chronic weakness, it was stamina.

In the process of recklessly modifying her innate magic in pursuit of strength, the optimization she had previously achieved was broken.

She could unleash tremendous power in an instant, but conversely, her exhaustion was also swift.

To put it simply, think of her as a race car that doesn't consider fuel efficiency.

Moreover, compared to Eloa, Siwoo was infinitely frail. To face him, it required more 'power to control power' to ensure Siwoo wasn't seriously injured than the 'power to swing a fist'.

If one had to make a comparison, it was similar to gripping soft tofu without crushing it.

Additionally, having a higher Hierarchy doesn't automatically mean one can handle a greater quantity of magic power.

Depending on the form of the Brand or the lineage of Magic, the amount of magic power a Witch can utilize or store varies entirely.

If that weren't the case, Siwoo, who could generate immense magic power through repeated amplification, would have already reached around the 25th Hierarchy.

Eloa's magic power storage capacity wasn't particularly outstanding.

Therefore, it was frequent for her to close her eyes and rest quietly like this after the second training session.

"I wonder if I asked for too much, pushing you too hard."

"Isn't the effect quite good? You must be feeling it too."

"Your teachings, Master, are beyond question, of course."

"You're being mischievous again."

As Siwoo spoke playfully, Eloa also chuckled softly.

"But it seems you don't only have bad memories from there."

"I can't go that far. But I do think about it sometimes. I miss my friends too."

"You were Baron Marigold's exclusive, weren't you? Did he treat you well?"

Siwoo hesitated before answering.

"...Yes, well, once I became his exclusive, he provided a lot of conveniences for various things."

It was a very slight delay, but Eloa quickly noticed that Siwoo's demeanor had ambiguously changed.

Since before, he would quite animatedly talk about various things when discussing his slave days, but he would clam up specifically when Baron Marigold's name came up.

He never brought up her story first either.

"If you meet her again later, you should at least convey your thanks."

"Have you met Lady Amelia before?"

"When I first heard the news that Ea Sadalmelik had died. Through Deneb's arrangement. That wicked woman met her end by the Baron's hand, you see."

"Ah..."

Thinking about it, there was another connection like that.

He glanced at the passenger seat to see if she wasn't feeling gloomy, but it was the usual Eloa.

Although she had sleepy eyes that looked like she might nod off at any moment.

"How was it?"

"How was what?"

"Lady Amelia, her condition back then, or..."

"Well, I was also in a state of shock at the time... I didn't examine her closely, but she was an incredibly beautiful Witch, just as the rumors said."

A brief, awkward silence followed.

Siwoo was the first to break the atmosphere that had started to become slightly heavy.

"You're kind too, Master."

"Enough with the empty flattery. I told you not to, and yet you're joking again."

"I mean it."

"Enough!"

Although Tiferet always tries to maintain her dignity, when Siwoo occasionally praises her, even the solemn Master shows signs of embarrassment.

Yet, a subtly pleased expression is visible, so he often does it as a sort of service.

"So, today..."

"Siwoo! Ahead!"

When they had turned onto a national highway adjacent to an alleyway after leaving the quiet main road.

Eloa urgently called out Siwoo's name.

At that call, laden with vigilance, he checked ahead and saw a shadow cast in the headlights.

Siwoo immediately slammed on the brakes.

-Screeeech!

As he hit the brakes hard, the sound of tires grinding into the asphalt accompanied the sensation of his body lurching forward.

However, no matter how fast his reaction was, the distance was too short.

Because the other party had been hiding in a perfect blind spot and suddenly rushed out.

-Thud!

And an impact, unbelievable for having hit just one person, shook the car body.

Along with the clattering shock, the sound of an object tumbling over the front windshield and rolling across the car roof was heard.

"Damn it...!"

As Siwoo immediately tried to open the door and get out, Eloa grabbed his wrist firmly.

"I'll get out first."

"Master, this isn't the time..."

"Siwoo, stay calm. It's not human."

Eloa, who had somehow already summoned her Contract Sword, held it at an angle and pointed towards the car's bumper.

Siwoo held his breath.

It wasn't even that fast.

At most, around 60 km/h.

He had slammed on the brakes before the collision, and considering the supercar's excellent braking performance, the speed had likely decreased significantly.

And yet, the car was almost half-destroyed.

If it had just hit a human body, it wouldn't have ended up like this.

Eloa opened the door and aimed her sword at whatever had flown to the back of the car.

"……."

Siwoo also got out after her, took a look at the mangled bumper, and approached Eloa.

A woman was sprawled on the asphalt.

Her clothes were torn in places, and terrible wounds and burn marks covered her entire body.

They didn't look like they were caused by the car collision.

Amidst it all, that fox-like face and red hair were familiar.

"A Witch."

"She's a Witch I know. It's Della Redcliffe."

Siwoo realized why the steed Periwinkle had given him was shattered by just that level of impact.It was likely that the Autonomous Defense activated at the moment of impact.

Though it stung that the car he had recently grown fond of was smashed beyond repair, it was still a hundred times better than having hit a person, so he let out a sigh of relief.

"Redcliffe, you say? This guy?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

Redcliffe is a close friend of Sochtl.

They were classmates at Trinity Academy, and there are testimonies that he was close to the Cowardly Witch for a long time when she was still the Witch of a Thousand Hands.

Wasn't that why Teacher Sua pointed to Redcliffe, whose whereabouts became obscure after the Dagon's Flute incident, as an accomplice?

"Step back, would you."

Della, seemingly knocked unconscious from the shock of the accident.

If she had been in perfect condition, the Autonomous Defense wouldn't have ended with this level of force.

It would have absorbed all the impact and then burned the car in reverse, and if that had happened, she wouldn't be lying here so pathetically.

But the injuries Della appeared to have sustained beforehand were no ordinary level.

Even for a Witch, if left untreated any longer, her life would be in danger.

However, he couldn't let Siwoo get close to a Witch suspected of being an accomplice.

Just as he was trying to grasp the exact situation.

A faint dome-shaped barrier began to envelop the entire street.

"This is…"

-Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Five White Knights appearing simultaneously with the Hidden Boundary covering the night streets.

The White Knights, perfectly identical as if stamped from a decalcomania, held long, white spears.

They were the ones who had been pursuing the fleeing Della.

Each of them flashed their four eyes, glaring at Siwoo, Tiferet, and the fallen Della.

They didn't engage in conversation, nor did they seem to communicate among themselves.

While behaving as if driven by crude artificial intelligence, they were strategically positioning themselves to effectively surround their targets.

It was a formation for hunting.

Each lacked individuality, and only a sense of unity as a group was felt.

"Siwoo."

Eloa, after observing them, spoke to Siwoo.

While helping Siwoo with his training until now, there had always been one regret.

Namely, that Siwoo's actual combat experience was far too lacking.

No matter how closely sparring simulated real combat, it inevitably differed from fighting with one's life on the line.

Della didn't seem to be on the verge of death immediately, and right now, even if Siwoo were to fall into danger, it would be possible to help him instantly.

"Give it a try. I'll keep an eye on Redcliffe."

"Understood."

Siwoo nodded and, without further ado, summoned his shadow.

In truth, since the White Knights appeared, tension and trembling, and behind them, fighting spirit and curiosity, had blossomed.

It was clear he had grown from being thoroughly beaten by Eloa.

He had perfectly mastered the method of strengthening his body with magic power, learned Foot Technique, and undergone countless repetitive training to proficiently internalize the Contract of the King of All Maladies.

But with Eloa as his sparring partner, it was impossible to truly gauge his progress.

Eloa was always holding back her power, seeing him to his limits, and that remained unchanged even after Siwoo had grown.

How much could it show to learn boxing and spar with a boxing world champion who had swept about eight weight classes?

It was like beating up street punks and thinking, 'Ah, I've gotten a bit stronger.'

When he faced a White Knight on the rooftop of the shopping mall last time, it was all he could do to defeat just one using all his strength.

Even that was a result achieved only after narrowly escaping death several times in a one-on-one state.

So, what about now?

After the special training received from Eloa, who prided herself on being the strongest in close combat, had much changed?

"Bloom."

The shadow that had billowed up like black smoke now enveloped Siwoo's body.

A sleek and sharp design.

They said the perfect seamstress's work on a fairy's garment was called 'seamless.'

In that sense, Siwoo's armor was also perfect armor that could not exist in reality.

There were no vulnerable seams or gaps.

It fit every part of his body flawlessly, absorbed impact, and allowed movement with no more restriction than being unarmored.

Jet-black armor that reflected not a speck of light.

As the helmet generated from his cervical spine covered Siwoo's face, a brilliant golden light flowed only from his left eye, which emitted magic power.

As Siwoo extended his hands, a heater shield covering his entire upper body appeared in his left hand, and a longsword he had handled countless times appeared in his right.

His heart beat increasingly fiercely, while his hands and feet grew cold.

Fear, blooming while assuming the worst, filled his heart relentlessly, and a chilling tension settled on his skin like frost.

Indeed, battle is not enjoyable.

If it can be avoided, avoidance is the best policy.

But on the day Sharon was pierced by the drowned Witch.

The day he could do nothing but watch that horrific tragedy.

Siwoo realized.

That those who cower in fear only have things taken from them.

During the continuous training over the past few months, Eloa always said.

Fear battle.

Never consider it an enjoyable affair.

But when the time comes to fight, do not retreat.

Now is the time to learn the way not to cower, not to retreat.

Siwoo extended his sword forward and assumed the defensive posture he had learned through countless beatings.

"Let's give it a try."

With a low mutter to himself.

Simultaneously, the five White Knights stomped the ground in unison.

Author's Note (Afterword)

Bloodshed…