Chapter 129

Carisia’s magic main attribute is light.

Mages choose the branch of magic they will pursue based on their affinity for certain attributes.

Occasionally, there are dullards with no talent in any attribute and prodigies talented in all, but of course, there are also geniuses specialized in a single attribute.

Considering Carisia’s background, it would seem she only shows talent for the light attribute. However, in truth, her affinity spans all ten attributes as defined by the Wizard King.

But her light attribute affinity is so overwhelmingly dominant that it interferes with her use of other attributes.

This is why no one in Blasphemia ever doubted that Carisia was a creature created by Baegwang.

Now, here’s the thing.

Carisia is a mage who specializes in light magic. She also has an extremely aggressive temperament.

The destructive image associated with ‘light’ is somewhat limited. It’s often seen in the role of healing wounds or driving away darkness, similar to a priest – the natural enemy of undead.

Or one might think of laser swords wielded by cosmic knights from a distant galaxy.

Beyond being the nemesis of darkness or firing death beams, the destructive aspect of light is rather minimal.

Close-range combat at the speed of light – well, let’s just say brute force mages aren’t exactly mainstream in this world.

Phenomena like ‘lightning’ or ‘fire’ associated with the brightness of light have been classified as independent attributes, so they don’t fall under the light attribute.

Typically, a standard light beam attack is enough to satisfy the offensive capabilities of an average mage.

However, if we were to talk about sheer aggression, my Employer ranks among the top mages in history, rivaling even the Wizard King. She once declared she’d rather die than settle for second place, pushing the world halfway into apocalypse with her fiery temper.

A mere death beam isn’t enough to satisfy Carisia’s aggressive tendencies.

…And so, the bizarre light magic I’m witnessing now came to be.

Atomic Fist (원자충권).

Golden magical energy filled the grooves of Carisia’s gauntlet. Calmly stepping forward, she raised her fist.

Then, with a gentle tap more akin to a touch than a strike…

A protective barrier unfurled around me from behind Carisia. In the next moment, the door her fingertips brushed began to glow white-hot.

Clearly metallic solids melted into liquid, lost their original properties, vaporized, and ultimately vanished, leaving only light. Plasma.

The terrifying heat condensed within the plasma invaded the space in an instant. Carisia twisted her wrist as if plucking an apple from a tree.

A brilliant light, bright enough to illuminate the heavens, concentrated into a single point before compressing into an extreme light sphere. The gauntlet-clad hand suddenly clenched into a fist.

The light sphere exploded. Matter disappeared wherever the light touched.

This insane magic developed by Carisia interferes with matter at the particle level. The name “a fist colliding with atoms” perfectly describes its function without any exaggeration.

I couldn’t help but feel bemused when someone praised her, claiming only she could create such a spell.

It’s true I once asked if there was a way to apply radiation, since it’s also a form of light. But that was just a joke because we were being chased so often that I half-joked about needing a nuclear bomb.

Beyond the mad torrent of light, a familiar priest stared at us with a dazed expression.

“You two…?”

I clicked my tongue.

“I tried to stop her.”

***

The parasite was bewildered. Rising from its resting place due to the immense magical fluctuation right outside the lodging, it found an entire side of the assigned building had melted away.

As the wall dissolved, the faces of Ortes and the mage he met at the church headquarters slowly emerged.

‘But I haven’t done anything yet?’

The targeted mage’s eyes gleamed brightly. A pure, almost virginal light flowed through her body.

Wait a moment.

Hastily channeling mana into its reserve bodies, the parasite realized some strange magic had activated upon seeing her. Was it a curse?

One of the bodies closer to Carisia collapsed.

The parasite instantly understood: the brain had cooked.

‘What madness is this…?’

Its creator’s intellect deciphered the magic. It maximizes visible light output towards the retina, turning the act of seeing itself into an attack.

The air touching the golden mana-enshrouded gauntlet decomposed into light. The Atomic Fist remained active.

Following the shaking arm, the air melted. Dissociated air turned into light.

Using another body, the parasite assessed the situation.

Seeing her means death.

Touching her means death.

Escape?

The parasite didn’t particularly care for its current bodies. Though it had fine-tuned them over time, they could easily be replaced given enough time.

It wasn’t clear why the attack happened. Perhaps it was the work of a rival species who identified it as competition.

Ortes seemed to have formed quite a bond with this offering named Carisia. Sensing his desire for Carisia’s body, the parasite concluded Ortes launched a preemptive strike to prevent interference in Algos City activities.

There he stood, smiling as he watched from behind the offering. As if everything went according to plan.

At this point, the parasite sensed a clear message: flee while you can.

‘But I won’t retreat…’

While Carisia invested most of her power into one body, the parasite diversified across many.

Carisia’s display of force warned that further approach would result in losses exceeding gains – essentially urging a stop-loss.

However, the parasite refused to heed such threats. Like Ortes, it recognized no better body existed in this world than Carisia’s.

Following the primal instincts planted by its creator since ancient times, it wouldn’t abandon its goal of possession. Having already summoned extra bodies upon sighting Carisia, it willingly sacrificed these two.

***

As instructed beforehand by the Chairman, I’d been keeping my eyes wide open.

“Was it Argeyirion?”

Only after confirming the two bodies had melted did Carisia ask me. I shook my head.

“It seems different. Haven’t we gone too far this time, Chairman?”

“What’s the problem? If we directly interfered in the competition, that’d be an issue, but this is a dispute between sponsors, not candidates. There’s nothing the organizers can do about it.”

True. From the start of planning this raid, Carisia meticulously ensured not a single hair of the Algos City faction leader was harmed.

‘If you can call this meticulous…’

Carisia nonchalantly dusted off her gauntlet, untouched by blood. The remains of the parasite-infested humans vanished like the evaporated building wall.

“So it’s neither Argeyirion nor targeting you?”

I nodded in agreement, double-checking. The Algos City faction leader pre-medicated with sleeping poison still slumbered deeply. Unaware their sponsor had physically disappeared, they’d remain asleep until morning.

Perhaps when they woke up, it’d be in custody. With a chunk of the building gone, Panoptes investigators would arrive before nightfall.

Given Panoptes’ investigative prowess, they’d quickly realize the sleep was induced. While unlikely to treat the faction leader as a defendant, they might summon them as a witness.

“Well then. They should’ve understood by now. Let’s move on to the next.”

Did Carisia plan to send everyone on the Argeyirion suspect list straight to the underworld?

As if reading my thoughts, she defended herself with feigned innocence.

“…I went all out because it looked dangerous. Better than holding back and getting counterattacked, right?”

“Yes, that seems reasonable. Since we’ve dealt with the most dangerous one first, let’s split up and search the rest as originally planned.”

Pouting slightly, Carisia followed my suggestion and headed outside.

According to our prior arrangement, I moved in a different direction from Carisia.

Actually, it wasn’t entirely accurate. My target wasn’t another Argeyirion candidate but rather another body of the mind parasite.

You’re not targeting me, and you’re not Argeyirion… but how dare you go after my Employer.

***

Katch.

A blade pierced my neck. Not a decapitation, but a clean stab through the cervical vertebrae.

Nerves slowly disconnected. The sensation of standing faded, and salty wind dissipated. The stench of decay lingering at my nose tip dulled as the dim alleyway was completely enveloped in darkness.

A final sound reached my ears.

“How many are left?”