Return of The 8th Class Mage - Chapter 233

Chapter 171 Zero Class (2)

“Is it a fragmentation spell? No, it may be a penetration spell since he made a similar choice before. Whatever that is, he can never penetrate this barrier.”

Fran’s thoughts whirred, and he went over all kinds of estimates and then felt relief. The protective barrier he had activated would not be penetrated since it was nearly flawless.

‘His power would be the same, and it’s just that I can’t sense him. He would have shown that he can and would not have fooled around with my finger and arm….’

Fran was exceptional at calculating, but today was a different matter since Ian had reached a level of a zero class mage where such calculations would not work.

“Hmm.”

Ian walked up to the barrier and looked up and down before knocking on it like it was a door.

“It’s an impressive barrier.”

He did not forget to leave a comment since the barrier was a flawless one.

“However…”

Ian added that it was only an objective comment as a mage, which was when things changed.

“It’s bothersome.”

How would Ian react to this powerful barrier? What spell? Would it be penetration or a fragmentation spell like Fran had calculated?

“So…”

Ian’s arm moved, and his right hand was tightly fisted. Ian did not use a spell like Fran expected, but his punch was a magical move. It just did not seem like magic from the outside. How could that awkward and unsophisticated punch be called magic?

However, the results were the opposite. That awkward punch, which seemed unable to even break a plate, had made a crack in the barrier. Ian’s fist penetrated the barrier with a breaking sound, and Fran could not hide his surprise at the unbelievable sight. However, that was only for a moment.

“That’s enough, so come on out.”

Ian’s fist went in to grab Fran’s collar to get him out of the barrier. Ian mercilessly pulled Fran out, and Fran’s body broke the barrier before being sprung from his place.

“What…?”

Fran now rolled the floor after being popped out from inside the barrier.

‘Th…this..!’

Fran could not understand how powerless he was against Ian Page’s suddenly overwhelming powers.

‘This cannot be true…!’

Fran had to do something, like trying to counterattack Ian or run away for a future plan. He needed to make a choice, but it was not happening.

With loud bangs, attacks Fran could not sense or estimate were coming in consecutive bursts and in varied forms. They were not fatal attacks, and Fran was being damaged little by little, which was enough to drive him to a corner.

“You bastard…!”

“Then, what are you?”

Red blood covered Fran’s body, and his flesh splattered everywhere. However, Fran did not fall, as strong healing spells regenerated his body as if on instinct. While there was much blood, the actual damage was little.

“Ahhhhhh! I’ll finish you yet!”

Fran had endured as much as he could and activated the strongest exploding spell he could use at the moment. While it was destructive enough to sweep him away, the results were devastatingly minimal.

Ian made a black hole in the air, and Fran’s spell was completely sucked inside until there was not even a trace of mana remaining.

“That was a nice meal.”

“What…”

“Not good, though.”

Fran had been sincere a moment back, which meant that he had used a spell that could kill even himself. But even if Fran would die, does this mean Ian would? No, Ian had sucked the spell away into a strange hole.

Proofreader note: The original translated text is:
“Fran had been sincere a moment back, which meant that he had used the spell even it meant that Fran would die, would Ian. However, Ian had sucked the spell away into a strange hole.”
Drop your own interpretations in the comments, or ask that I consult the translator instead of making up my own interpretations.

“……”

Fran fisted his hands until blood came out, as he felt an overwhelming frustration. How could the situation change this fast? Fran had to think about such things.

“You seem deep in thought.”

As Fran Page writhed in confusion and shame that he had felt for the first time in his life, Ian’s voice woke him up.

“Do you want me to remove some of them?”

With an unbelievable offer, Ian’s left hand crossed the air, and some of Fran’s hair fell away like it had been sliced with a blade. If the cut had been a bit deeper, the top part of Fran’s head would have gone along with the hair.

“I missed.”

“……!”

Fran came back to his senses at the sound of his hair falling. He felt like he could really die to a mere fake that had only been his vessel.

‘I have to avoid battling him face to face.’

Fran acknowledged that he could not win against Ian, at least in power. If Fran wanted to live, he had to accept the sheer difference in their prowess.

‘I have to get my body out first…’

Fran had tried to escape, but every attempt ended in failure. He could not activate any transportation skills because something stronger than the obstructing currents he had placed in the violet space was blocking him from doing so.

‘Is there nothing else but pleading? If I highlight that I’m his father…’

Ian’s mindset had been directly delivered to Fran until recently, so he knew how soft Ian was inside despite acting like he was cold and merciless.

“Fran. No, Father.”

“……?”

“Let me ask you something for the last time.”

Ian spoke to him first, and it seemed like an apt opportunity.

“My mother.”

Ian wanted to solve a problem before wrapping up everything, and it was important to him.

“If the past you showed me was not fabricated, my mother belonged to the same era as you. That meant that she existed as long as you have, and I first suspected that she was also immortal. However, she did not remember the past like the artisans and had died of an illness in my past life.”

Ian had multiple questions and continued on.

“While it would be convenient for me to think that you made up everything, I had to believe that what you showed me was true.”

Ian had transcended Fran, and he could discern what was real and what was fake.

“What did you do to my mother? I am going to treat you differently depending on your answer.”

“You’ll let me live?”

“No. You can die peacefully or…”

Ian continued to speak in a determined voice.

“… You can die in pain.”

Fran felt hope despite Ian telling him that he would die in any case. It was about Vanessa, Ian’s weak spot, and enough to touch on Ian’s emotions.

“Vanessa, who is my wife and your mother, is special. She is incomparable to artisans.”

“So?”

“We promised each other that we would stay together until death and would die together.”

“Get to the point.”

“I am. She could exist for such a long time because she was connected to me.”

Their conversation ended, and actually, Ian had become silent because he needed time to think.

“About that you two dying together…”

“Yes, that’s the point.”

“Explain further.”

“If I die…”

Fran smiled inwardly.

“Vanessa will also die. Not only Vanessa in this world, but everyone in the fragmented dimensions will die also.”

“Stop saying nonsense…”

“I have no way to prove it. So, if you’re confident and cannot believe what I’m saying, kill me now.”

Ian shook as Fran was unexpectedly confident.

“However, in my past life…”

“She did not die.”

“What…?”

“Since she gave birth to a successful specimen, I let her get out of the cycle. I freed her after erasing memories of you and me like I had done for you. I accommodated her so she would live a life close to perfection as a human being.”

The Vanessa, who lived in the dimension where Ian had died of poisoning, had not died.

“Your real mother will also die without knowing why, if I die.”

Fran began to gain some composure as he was beginning to control the situation.

“Ian, think carefully before making a choice. You may come to regret it. It’s not a threat, but advice and a request since I don’t want to lose her.”

“…….”

“How about this? Let me go. If you do, I’ll never show up again and immediately go to another dimension to fulfill my ideals.”

The bait had been cast, and Ian had bitten it. It was now time to reap the results, and Fran spoke carefully.

“My goal was to escape from the lizards’ seal. Isn’t your position similar to mine? You’ll live a perfect life if only I disappear, and you wouldn’t have to lose your mother.”

Fran suggested a rational compromise, and since Ian thought the world of Vanessa, he would bite the bait.

“Is it true?”

Ian had been silent for a moment, and his lips slowly opened.

“You can do that?”

Ian had finally asked, and Fran replied in satisfaction.

“How can I play any tricks now? You’ll behead me with one hand. I’ll welcome you letting me go, and you can have this dimension all to yourself.”

The rod had surfaced, and Fran only needed to catch the target.

“Then…”

Ian murmured cautiously, and he seemed to be hesitating. However, that had been only a moment, and light returned again to Ian’s eyes, and his body disappeared. It was like a blink spell, only quicker. He appeared in front of Fran.

“Let’s confirm if it is true.”

Ian spoke of confirmation, and he reached out with both hands to grab Fran’s head. There was no time to avoid it since it was too fast and powerful.

“What…are you doing…?!”

(I’m peeking at your memories.)

Ian’s zero class levels allowed him to activate magic without any spells, seals, or even words like the power of language did. Ian only needed to think and act.

“Umm…”

Ian looked inside Fran’s memories for a moment, but it was enough.

“You, I thought of this before…”

Ian let go of Fran after reading Fran’s memories and started to comment.

“You automatically lie if you open your mouth. Isn’t that right?”