The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

Chapter 419: One And Only

“…Hmm, they’re up to something…”

“You can tell?”

So here I am again in the twin Shamanesses’ Temple in Eddo… or what’s left of it, anyway — to meditate.

Then someone approached me from behind — the Philosopher of the Far East, or as most people prefer to call him, Tūs the High-Order Muscle.

He’s a several-thousand-year-old manchild known and respected for his imposing figure and an intense aura of arcane energy. No, of course his childishness isn’t respected.

“Oh, was that you, Tūs?”

“Really? That’s the best joke you could come up with? Ain’t no way you didn’t sense all that arcane energy moving around.”

Yeah, right — I did sense the movement of arcane energy from a distant land in the west. Both large and small sources of arcane energy are converging in Regalia, the Royal Capital of the War Demon Nation. Both Tūs and I have noticed that.

“Think they’re monsters?”

“Yeah, probably. There’s no real structure to them — their ranks are all over the place. But they ARE gathering in Regalia.”

As I said that, Tūs grumbled.

“Ugh, of course the ‘strongest human’ knows…”

Despite his sarcastic tone, the look in his eyes suggests that he’s taking this seriously.

“Wait… You got yourself new glasses?” 

Tūs pointed at my glasses, noticing that I had acquired a new pair to replace the one that had been… obliterated.

“Yeah, because Pochi wouldn’t shut up about how it was my defining feature!”

“Hmph… Yeah, of course she’d say that. Anyway… It almost looks like Lucifer’s tryna gather monsters from the whole world or somethin'”

“Even the low-ranked Goblins can be a serious threat in large groups. I’m sure Lucifer knows that as well.”

“Well, better this than him doing something without us noticing, I guess…”

Tūs scratched his chin while gazing at the sky. 

I decided to take this chance to ask him something that had been on my mind for a while — a question that might result in a second symbol of hope for humanity.

“By the way, Tūs…”

“Yeah?”

“…When was the last time you used the Limit Breakthrough?”

Upon hearing my question, which must have implied quite a specific expectation, Tūs groaned.

“You ain’t supposed to look for an easy way out, you little shit.”

Annnddd there goes my expectation.

Tūs then continued, as if to explain his reason,

“Remember when I said ‘stuff’s not that important to me’? Yeah.”

When the hell did he even say that — oh, right, during the Telepathic Call after saving Ryan and the others in Faltown.

That was when he just remembered that he had never told me about the Philosopher’s Stone.

In other words, Tūs does NOT need a Craft Circle or anything to use Limit Breakthrough.

“I ain’t gonna go into it in detail, but let’s just say that I’ve enhanced my body with the effects of the Philosopher’s Stone and Limit Breakthrough magecraft. Y’know, like that Biological Clock magecraft you always have turned on in your body.”

“I see… now that makes sense. What about Bull?”

“He just keeps leveling up on his own — probably ’cause he’s my Familiar. Well, we haven’t heard that annoying noise in our heads very often these days, though.”

Yeah, of course Tūs to do something like this… 

But to be fair, it WAS a pain in the ass to go to the Adventurers’ Guild all the time just to level up.

“Man… I was hoping your level would go up a fair bit. Could use the extra muscle, you know… Hahaha…”

I made no effort to hide my disappointment, and Tūs, hearing that, looked at me with an unusually serious expression.

“…Too bad, eh?”

“Dude, what’s that look for?”

As soon as I asked that, Tūs immediately shook his head; looks like he disliked having that pointed out to him.

He really is like the rest of our friends of the wild. You know, like Pochi and Bull.

“Hmph!”

Tūs crossed his arms and looked up at the empty sky.

“…So, yeah, you ain’t gettin’ help from anyone.”

“C’mon, I could at least wish for some now Holy Warriors, right?”

“Hahahahahaha… No.”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Too late to ask for God’s help now. Your wish ain’t gonna be heard by anyone as long as the Devil King Lucifer’s still around.”

Come to think of it, Lucifer also said something like that.

If I remember correctly, he claimed that the intensity of his arcane energy has surpassed even God’s… I think?

It was just brought up so casually that I never really thought much about it. It’s bothering me now though, so I asked Tūs about it, although I knew he wouldn’t be able to give an answer.

“By the way, Tūs, just how powerful is God’s arcane energy, anyway?”

“Meh. I dunno.”

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Still, Tūs continued the discussion — continuing to indulge me even though it was only within the realm of speculation.

“…Well, it’s enough to make THREE Holy Warriors, so it’s gotta be pretty damn powerful.”

“…Hmm, so what about Lucifer’s arcane energy?”

“What!?”

“I mean, he did say that his power has already surpassed God, so you know…”

Upon hearing my explanation, Tūs gave me a skeptical look. Well, that’s yet another face he doesn’t show very often.

“Shit… You can really say somethin’ so absurd so casually sometimes, eh?”

“I said all that because no one else is here to listen to us, you know?”

Indeed, Tūs and I are the only ones here, in the middle of the rubble pile that used to be the Temple.

I believe there couldn’t be a better time and place to talk about this. 

Tūs let out a sigh, reminiscent of the one Irene would make whenever she talked to me.

“Ugh… I guess he’s the Devilkin’s God by now.”

“Ooh, sounds awesome…”

“What the hell!? NOW you think he’s cool or some shit!?”

“Well, yeah! It IS cool! I mean, God of the Devilkin, man!”

“How the hell are you so damn carefree!? That’s the guy you’re gonna fight — and like I said, you ain’t gettin’ help from anyone! You gotta win, or you die!”

“Yeah, so what!? I just can’t deny that he’s cool as hell! Then look at you — the only thing that makes you cool is your muscles!”

“Oh yeah? How ’bout you build your body up so you’re tall and buff like me, huh!? HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“It’d get in the way of my normal life, so I edited my arcane energy circulation to stop it! I bet I could punch way harder than you can right now, though!”

“…You two sound ridiculous.”

Just as our argument was starting to heat up, Lylia came and interrupted us.

She approached with her arms crossed, looking down on us as if we were idiots.

“The hell you want, you old hag?”

Tūs said to Lylia. He’s always enjoyed teasing her, this big guy…

At that moment, I noticed a slight twitch on Lylia’s forehead. It’s been quite a while since I last saw her on the verge of busting a vein. Hahaha…

“…Well, I noticed that the arcane energy around here is getting too intense… so I’m here to warn you about that. Heh.”

Looks like Lylia’s switch was already half-flipped.

She’s right, though — if our arcane energy auras intensify any further, it would be a nuisance for the residents of Eddo.

Coming here was a good call on Lylia’s part. However, if Tūs were to add fuel to the fire here, it wouldn’t be MY arcane energy that intensifies, but rather Lylia’s and Tūs’. 

But, well, since they’re both adults, they probably won’t–

“Meh, I saw you should go the hell away and suck on the milk of our Ox or somethin’.”

“Hahaha… Keep the jokes realistic. And limited to your ridiculous muscles, preferably. Weldhun is a male, in case you didn’t know that already!”

“Oh yeah, you gave it a name! Feeling cute nowadays, eh, Lylia? I’ll have you know that my muscles aren’t ridiculous! Muscles are magic!!”

“Y-You little… I’mma fucking kill you–“

“Ooh! C’mon, try it!”

–Well, shit.

In the end, the two of them seemed quite ready to release their full power at each other.

…Man, I gotta do something about that.

“HAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”

I released my arcane energy, filling the air around us and suppressing the auras of those two in an instant.

And as their energy dissipated, they were left bewildered. Keeping my aura up, I said to them,

“Stop.”

I stepped in between those two and forced them to put this quarrel behind them. 

Something seems… off, though. Lylia has calmed down, but now she’s directing quite an intense stare at me.

“…You’re doing the exact thing I came to prevent.”

Oh shit.

Now Tūs is definitely gonna make fun of me– Huh?

Tūs still has his eyes on my arcane energy aura, staring at it as it fills the whole area.

Then, just like before, he said while looking up at the sky,

“Yeah, like I said, you ain’t gettin’ any help… ’cause you’re too damn powerful.”

I have to reconsider my means of countering Lucifer… Yeah, gotta think of something if I actually want to win.