Chapter 527 Esmeralda (2)

Déjà vu of prophetic dreams.

His ability, in the form of a boy, is to turn the scenery he sees into any future he desires.

Of course, it's not omnipotent.

There is no power of creation to make something from nothing.

It's just limited to erasing what exists.

However, regardless of the opponent's strength, this ability to erase their very existence could be considered the strongest among all subordinates.

But

[There's no end to this. How.]

Déjà vu kept erasing what he saw with his eyes.

Every time his gaze fell upon them, the factory-made standardized steam golems disappeared like cotton candy melting in water.

Yet what made Déjà vu flustered was that the number of golems being created far exceeded those being erased.

The cause lay with Bruno.

Machine parts materialized around Bruno and assembled at rapid speed.

In an instant, the parts formed a skeleton, frames were attached, and it became a finished product.

-Chiik.

A brass golem activating with blue light emanating from its eyes.

Steam forcefully spurts from the cylinders on both shoulders.

Standing 3m tall, the golem boasted considerable intimidation owing to its metallic composition.

It took Bruno less than 2 seconds to create such a golem.

Quite literally, with each blink of an eye, parts would assemble in mid-air and a golem would be completed.

"My goodness."

Even Elisa couldn't help but marvel at this bizarre sight.

She knew about the teacher named Bruno.

A commoner by birth, gentle personality, and specializing in magical engineering.

While his abilities were already proven by becoming a teacher at Theon, his presence couldn't help but be faint.

Especially when considering the lineup of teachers who entered at the same time.

In fact, Bruno didn't particularly stand out among the new teachers.

His warm appearance and gentle personality without any sharp edges reinforced that impression even more.

'And that Professor Bruno...'

Was gaining the upper hand against Déjà vu who was demonstrating unbelievable power.

Déjà vu's eyes that could erase even 6th-tier magic just by looking at it were insufficient to erase all the endlessly charging steam golems.

It was what you'd call a difference in compatibility.

Although Déjà vu's dream could erase whatever he saw regardless of its power, there was a limit to how much he could erase at once.

He could only erase one thing at a time.

Moreover, there was a time gap of about 3-5 seconds between erasures.

Bruno, who could mass-produce countless golems like a factory in less time than that, was the perfect counter to such a Déjà vu.

'But Professor Bruno seems slightly overwhelmed too.'

To begin with, he was using dream power for the first time in such an unfamiliar environment.

Though he was enduring now, he wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

Elisa immediately raised her magical power for support.

Her target was naturally Déjà vu, who was stepping back while erasing the golems.

Though the boy's gaze was directed at the golems, he knew that Elisa Willow was targeting him.

Prophetic Déjà vu could see the future.

Therefore, he saw what magic Elisa would use, and where and in what form it would come flying from.

'But so what?'

What's the big deal about seeing the future?

If the sky is falling, would seeing the future help you survive within that falling sky?

If you're not seeing a very distant future but only a temporary one, it was enough to launch an attack that couldn't be blocked or avoided even if seen.

[Oh my.]

Knowing this, Déjà vu's once gentle expression gradually hardened.

His transparent eyes turned toward Elisa who was charged with magical power.

His dream of erasing the most dangerous enemy was thwarted by an interfering nuisance.

-Clank. Chiiiik!

The large golems persistently blocked Déjà vu's field of vision.

The golems that willingly became Elisa's shield disappeared by his power, and during that time, Elisa was able to complete her magic.

"Let's see if you can block this too."

6th-tier original magic [Flower Petals Scattered in Paradise]

Pink flames exploded from Elisa's fingertips.

The magical power that reached its critical point split into 9 parts and targeted Déjà vu from different directions.

Déjà vu's expression hardened because he saw where the trajectories of the pink streams were heading.

[So you're not aiming for a direct hit.]

The trajectories were aimed precisely around him.

Her intention was clear.

Since she knew he would dodge anyway, she planned to strike by sweeping the entire area at once.

-Kwagwagwang!

Pink flames arose and a massive explosion tore through space.

It wasn't simply one-dimensional destruction.

The 9 magical powers resonated as they spread, continuing to cause successive explosions.

-Whiooo!

A shockwave burst and strong winds swept through.

Elisa gazed at the rising dust cloud with a faint smile.

Inside the dust cloud, the residual magical power was still continuing to cause explosions in real-time.

"It would be nice if you died right about now."

Perhaps hoping for that was too optimistic.

She didn't think she could take him down with an attack like this from the start but she could buy time.

"Professor Bruno. Are you alright?"

"Huff, huff. Yes, Principal."

"Thank you. I survived thanks to you."

"Ah, no. What I did wasn't much. Rather, I just received help."

Elisa looked up at the golem created next to Bruno.

Though not quite an expert, she had basic knowledge about magical engineering.

To Elisa's eyes, the steam golem Bruno made was very similar to what she had seen in reality.

"How did you make this?"

"I just desperately thought about wanting to make it and it worked. Thanks to the peculiarity of the Dreamland."

"It shouldn't be something that can be done easily just by imagining it, right? Not unless you remember everything that constitutes a golem."

"That's..."

Bruno said with an embarrassed smile.

"I've memorized all the types of parts."

"...All of them?"

The number of parts needed to create a steam golem alone exceeds 10,000.

Moreover, considering that circuits need to be engraved to supply energy to the golem through magic stones, it would normally require dozens of experts working together.

Even they couldn't assemble a golem without blueprints.

Yet Bruno did it alone.

Though there was no physical action involved, having all those processes in his head went far beyond expert level.

"I know all the golem materials and how to assemble them in what way, even with my eyes closed."

While it's true that he could become a teacher at Theon because he had outstanding talent.

Who knew it was to this extent?

"...You're amazing."

"Hehehe. Thank you for the compliment. Though it's a humble skill. I've received a lot of criticism from people around me, asking why I memorized such things."

Elisa shook her head.

"I'm not just saying empty words, I truly mean it. Those who said such things simply lacked the eye to see."

"Thank you for saying such kind words."

"That golem. Can you keep making them?"

"As much as I'd like to..."

Bruno's eyes wrinkled as if his head was slightly throbbing.

"I think I overdid it a bit earlier."

"So it's not something you can do for long, is it?"

"Yes. Shouldn't we escape now while that boy's vision is blocked?"

"Escaping is meaningless. Since he appeared knowing where we are, he'll quickly catch up even if we run. Considering his ability to make things disappear just by looking at them, retreating now would rather put us at a disadvantage."

Elisa instinctively sensed that if not now, there would be no way to defeat Déjà vu, so they had to end it here.

"But how?"

"We need to end this decisively with a short-term battle. Professor, can you make new golems besides these standard industrial steam golems?"

"New golems?"

"Julia said so. Here, you can achieve even more than reality just by imagining it."

"Then..."

Elisa nodded toward Bruno who seemed to have thought of something.

"Don't you want to try making a steam golem that exists only in theory, something that couldn't be made in the outside world?"

At those words, intense flames ignited in Bruno's eyes that had been clouded with fatigue.

Even Elisa, who brought this up, momentarily flinched in surprise at that spirit.

"You mean I can make something that until now has only been dismissed as fantasy, something no one has ever made...?"

For the first time, intense emotion settled on Bruno's face that usually only held a gentle smile.

They say elephants only eat grass normally, but when angered, they're scarier than anything else.

That's exactly how Bruno was right now.

Perhaps because the switch had been flipped? Even Elisa momentarily flinched at that terrifying spirit.

It was then that Bruno, who had been lost in joy, regained his reason.

"But if we do that, I won't be able to keep up with the speed of golem creation."

Bruno could tell while facing Déjà vu.

The time between Déjà vu's ability activating and its next activation was at most about 5 seconds.

If you don't continuously block his vision during that time, you'll be swept away by a power that makes defense and evasion impossible.

What could do that was Bruno's golems.

Human wave tactics of endlessly blocking the opponent's vision by creating more golems than the speed at which their ability unfolds.

It was the best attack method that could be demonstrated against Déjà vu.

"If I keep making golems to apply pressure..."

"No. We can't win that way. We'll end up losing without being able to endure an endless war of attrition."

Déjà vu possessed quite excellent defensive capabilities.

Wasn't he perfectly fine even in the aftermath of the bombardment Elisa had fired multiple times?

There were many strange points about that small frame having such capabilities.

"It seems some unusual power is protecting his body."

"You mean there's something more?"

"That kid sees the future. Though not too far ahead, it's enough to notice what the opponent is doing. That's how he avoided all my magic."

Indeed, Déjà vu had easily avoided Elisa's attacks.

It was possible because he knew how and where the attacks would come from.

But if he was that sturdy, was there really a need to do so?

"He was fine even in the aftermath of my high-tier magic, but he avoided weaker checking magic."

"So he tried to avoid taking direct hits from attacks."

"That's right. While he doesn't take damage from secondary attacks, it seems different for direct hits. It must be the kind of power that requires direct hits to work."

Especially seeing how he struggled against Bruno's golems and retreated.

The way to defeat Déjà vu would be through physical strikes with sufficient power rather than magic.

That's what Elisa was convinced of.

"So, to summarize, the opponent can see the future, has resistance to magic, and can erase anything he sees?"

"Yes. When you put it that way, he's quite an unreasonable opponent."

An opponent who can see the future and erase anything he sees, and the way to defeat him is through physical attacks?

That's truly the worst compatibility for a magician.

Even if you were to say a knight would be better, they would disappear before they could approach once caught by those eyes.

While it seems impossible to win against something like this.

"But we have Professor Bruno, don't we?"

Steam golem it’s a field that opened new horizons in magical engineering by combining magic and golems with mechanical engineering.

But magicians tended to look down on steam golems, saying they involved more science than magic.

While its future potential couldn't be ignored, the mainstream opinion was that it still couldn't compare to magic.

Because it could never become mainstream, how much had Bruno's heart ached?

"B-but."

That's why even with such an opportunity laid out, he couldn't be happy.

Rather, fear and worry about whether he could do well came first.

"Don't worry. The other teachers and I will continuously launch attacks to draw his attention."

That's what makes it more burdensome.

The timid Bruno couldn't say anything more here.

That's when Merilda stepped in between the two.

"May I interrupt for a moment? I know you're having an important conversation, but I have something I must say."

"By all means."

"Thank you, Principal."

Having received permission from Elisa, Merilda spoke to Bruno.

"Professor Bruno. I understand that the current situation is very burdensome for you. Honestly, I would feel the same way."

"Professor Merilda..."

"But I think the Professor Bruno I've known until now will definitely do well."

"Why?"

"Because this is about making the most awesome steam golem, isn't it?"

Bruno's eyes widened as if he'd been hit hard on the back of his head by those words.

"Forget about burdensome thoughts like having to protect someone or that people's lives are at stake, and focus on just one thing. Trying something you've never been able to do before. Creating something that has only existed in imagination - something that will remain in your life forever, completed by Professor Bruno."

Merilda said this while slightly observing Bruno's expression.

Then she raised the corner of her mouth in a smirk.

"Looks like you've made up your mind."

"...Please buy me some time."

At that resolute voice, Merilda and Elisa shrugged their shoulders.

What's there to say when the key person has spoken?

"Everyone heard that, right?"

The teachers who had only been able to watch due to Elisa's battle responded to those words.

While being told to act as a supporting role for someone else was enough to hurt one's pride, no one voiced any complaints.

Even Chris Benimore, for that matter.

"Just buying time. Isn't that easy enough?"

He even spoke confidently while adjusting his glasses.

Just then, as the magical explosion subsided, Déjà vu emerged from within, completely unharmed.

He shed tears as he looked at the professors who were gazing at him with challenging eyes.

[How sad. A life still resisting the meaningless.]

"Meaningless? Weren't you almost defeated just now?"

Elisa threw a sneer at Déjà vu and raised her magical power.

The surrounding teachers also prepared their magic.

Seeing this sight, Déjà vu distorted his transparent eyes for the first time as if annoyed.

* * *

[Ha, haha. This is truly a laughable situation.]

Daydream's Mirage gazed at Esmeralda while his gradually fading physical body remained.

The dark spirit not only absorbed all his attacks but made them her own.

Fighting against her who grew stronger with each battle, Mirage's body was covered in traces of being torn apart by beasts.

[Though I've been called a monster by some, the world was still too narrow it seems.]

The beasts commanded by Esmeralda slowly approached Mirage.

Sensing his end, Mirage looked up at Esmeralda and opened his mouth.

[Monster.]