Chapter 55: Never-Ending Madness_Fantasy Realm – Infinite Worlds Adventure

Suddenly, Alex feels the airship rapidly change direction. "Looks like Zidane took over and changed the destination from Alexandria to Lindblum. He’s flying straight toward South Gate, the massive round gaterge enough for multiple airships to pass through at the same time."

 As far as Alex remembers, the gate can close rtively quickly. Since the mist in Gaia limits the maximum height airships can fly at, this gate is capable of stopping any unwanted airships from passing through.

 Alex walks toward the captain’s cabin and, as expected, sees the obvious: Steiner and Zidane are arguing. Steiner looks ready to hit him, while Zidane dangles from the ceiling by his tail, mocking the furious captain.

 "Some things never change," Alex thinks.

 Suddenly, arge group of ck mages enters the cabin, silently watching Steiner and Zidane.

 Steiner desperately tries to exin what’s going on, but the ck mages show no reaction to his feeble attempts.

 For reasons unknown, they suddenly leave and head toward the front deck, as if sensing something. Alex joins Zidane and Steiner in the cabin, wanting a better view of what he expects to happen next.

 Once inside, Alex spots it: arge ck mage, as formidable looking as ck Waltz No. 2, perhaps even more terrifying, wielding a mighty staff. Itnds right in front of Vivi and Ga on the front deck of the cargo ship, attacking Vivi with a powerful lightning spell that sends shock waves through the air.

 The group of ck mages strangely allows Vivi and Ga to retreat while they try to fight off the attacker with fire spells.

 What follows can only be described as a massacre. From the pilot’s cabin at the back of the airship, Alex and the rest of the group witness the spell-slinging battle unfold.

 ck Waltz No. 3 unleashes a devastating assault, bombarding the ck mages with thunder spells. One by one, they fall off the airship. His spells are abnormally powerful, though somewhat unfocused and unstable, hitting parts of the cargo—giant barrels filled with crates of ck mages, stored on the left and right sides of the cargo ship rather than inside the main hull. Since the cargo consists only of these barrels, ck Waltz No. 3 essentially eradicates every ck mage on board, except for Vivi. Now, only the group of five and ck Waltz No. 3 remain on the ship.

 "This guy is insane!" Alex yells, unable to contain his shock. Knowing what ck Waltz No. 3 is capable of is one thing, but witnessing it firsthand is another. In mere seconds, he ughtered dozens of ck mages.

 Vivi storms outside, screaming, showing real emotion for the first time. Alex can practically feel the rage emanating from him. "He’s out for revenge. We need to help him," he says.

 "Master Vivi, I shall assist you!" Steiner follows up, ready to back him up.

 Alex leaves the cabin as well, deciding to let Zidane handle giving Ga the order to keep the ship on course toward South Gate.

 He hears Vivi confronting ck Waltz No. 3: "Why did you do this? Aren’t they your friends? They’re the same as you!"

 The strongest ck Waltz arrogantly responds, "You fool! Do I look like some lowly ck mage soldier?"

 Steiner steps forward. "Even if you are different, what you did was reprehensible. You killed them all!"

 ck Waltz No. 3 sneers, "Hahaha, worry not, many more are being produced!"

 Alex smirks a little, thinking, "Are you sure about that?" recalling what he had done to the egg-producing machine back in Dali.

 Zidane arrives and shouts at ck Waltz No. 3, "What are you?!"

 ck Waltzughs gleefully. "Ah, looks like all of the princess’s bodyguards have gathered. How very convenient! It wouldn’t do you any good if I told you what I am, since you’re all going to die, Kwahahaha! I will eliminate anyone who stands in my way!" He points his staff at the group, and Alex realizes he needs to act quickly.

 "Wait! If you don’t stop your aggression right now, I’ll throw this overboard, and the royal pendant will be lost forever!" Alex stands close to the railing, holding the small cloth bag over the edge.

 "What? You scum! Hand that over immediately! Do you have any idea how important that pendant is? It’s worth more than thousands of ck magesbined!"

 Alex responds, "I’ll give it to you, but only if you fulfill one condition. Take this pendant and leave the ship immediately! If you promise to do that, I’ll give it to you."

 ck Waltz No. 3 sneers again. "I don’t care about you… even the princess is of no importance. Give me the pendant, and I will leave. You can live another day... for now."

 Alex presses, "Do you promise?"

 Both Zidane and Steiner shout in unison, for once agreeing on something. "DO NOT TRUST HIM!"

 The ck Waltz giggles sinisterly. "Yes, I promise!"

 Alex pretends to contemte his decision seriously. After a moment, he ignites the grenade inside the bag and calmly throws it toward ck Waltz No. 3. "Here you go!"

 ck Waltz No. 3 catches it eagerly. "You fool! Why would you trust me? I was obviously lying!"

 Alexughs. "So was I."

 BOOM.

 You have dealt 59 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 8 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 11 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 9 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 10 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 9 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 19 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 Alex, instead of celebrating, pulls out his favorite weapon, [Mr. 5’s .44 Caliber 6-Shot Revolver]. He activates Sealions Icewing Embrace lvl 0, feeling stronger than ever, and aims at his enemy, shouting to the rest, "NOW, ATTACK!"

 Vivi, still enraged, enters a trance, his body glowing in bright shiny colors with a hint of green. Alex has no time to inspect the changes in Vivi’s appearance and immediately fires his gun at ck Waltz No. 3, who stares back with pure hatred.

 "You didn’t like that present, huh? How about this?" Alex taunts, firing again.@@novelbin@@

 [Mr. 5’s .44 Caliber 6-Shot Revolver] effect activates: Explosive ammunition!

 You have dealt 30 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 25 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 11 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 "You scum! I exist to kill. I will kill you all!" ck Waltz No. 3 flies into the air, readying a powerful Thundara spell. Within seconds, the entire group is hit by the spell’s wrath.

 Even Alex, protected by his icy armor, feels the pain and force of the spell. Fortunately, his new ability reduces the damage significantly.

 You have taken 21 damage

 Icewing Embrace Durability -2

 Vivi retaliates with a double Blizzard spell, inflicting tremendous damage on ck Waltz No. 3, who bes even more enraged, ignoring all attacks and focusing solely on retaliation.

 Steiner and Zidane attempt to strike the Waltz, but he uses his wings to fly higher, evading their attacks.

 Alex quickly readies another Annihtion Grenade lvl 1, setting the fuse to just 1 second before hurling it into the air.

 Miraculously, ck Waltz No. 3 uses his staff to deflect the grenade back toward the group, showcasing his intelligence, concentration, and quick reflexes. However, shortly after striking it, the grenade explodes, still close enough to injure him.

 BOOM – The explosion and three shrapnel shards hit him, though he barely avoids the mes.

 You have dealt 27 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 4 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 5 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 6 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 "I HATE YOU! DESTROY! I EXIST TO KILL YOU!" ck Waltz screams in rage.

 "Fuck yourself too!" Alex shouts, cocking his revolver and firing again.

 You have dealt 26 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 12 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 Despite his outfit and body already half-destroyed, ck Waltz No. 3 disregards the damage and casts his mightiest Thundara spell, not at the group, but directly at Alex. Desperate, Alex raises his [Shield of Pluto], fortified by his icy conjuration ability.

 You have taken 34 damage

 Icewing Embrace Durability -3

 Vivi, relentless, casts another double Blizzard, causing the wounded puppet to cry out in agony. ck Waltz No. 3, however, despite his pain charges straight at Alex, using his "Hit" ability. This isn’t the simple punch from the game but a blow infused with thunder energy. He strikes wildly at Alex, screaming incoherently, "KILLLL. DESTROY. KKKKKKIILLLL!!!!! YOU SCUMMMM!!!!"

 You have taken 7 damage

 Icewing Embrace Durability -1

 You have dealt 22 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have taken 5 damage

 Icewing Embrace Durability -1

 You have dealt 21 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have taken 8 damage

 Icewing Embrace Durability -1

 You have dealt 23 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 After three painful hits that slowly chip away at Alex’s armor and reduce his HP by a small margin, it isn’t Alex who copses. Instead, ck Waltz No. 3 reels in agony, taking significant damage from Alex’s frozen armor. The ice spikes embedded in his armor inflict cruel, grievous wounds, and ck Waltz’s left arm bespletely immobile.

 Grinning painfully but defiantly, Alex counters with a heavy strike from his [Sword of Pluto], the blownding with brutal force. ck Waltz No. 3 stumbles back, barely holding himself together, clearly on the verge of death.

 You have dealt 33 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 You have dealt 11 damage to ck Waltz No. 3

 Steiner and Zidane join the fray,nding another series of heavy blows. The now permanently crippled and nearly destroyed ck Waltz No. 3 leaps into the air.

 "Immpp...osss...iible. Huuumannn...usssing...Se...aaaalllio...oonsss pppowerrr..." he stammers, barely able to form words.

 "Mission...retrieve...Princess...Ga...alive."

 In a final act of desperation, he jumps off the cargo ship, clumsily flying toward his airship.

 "No, you don’t!" Alex shouts, throwing hisst Annihtion Grenade lvl 1, at ck Waltz No. 3 and firing desperately to stop him from escaping. His attacks, however, miss as the cargo ship he is standing on speeds away, too fast for him tond a hit.

 "DAMN!" Alex curses in frustration, panic setting in. "Will he even give chase in that condition?" he wonders, unsure of whates next.

 The wounded and glitching ck Waltz No. 3 flies toward the small, chaser-style airship following the cargo ship, terrifying Zorn and Thorn. Fearing his growing madness, they abandon the ship in panic. Despite his condition, ck Waltz No. 3 manages to reach the airship within minutes. He steers it towards the cargo ship screaming:

 “Kill…Mission…Retrieve…”

21Novel

Chapter 55: Never-Ending Madness