Chapter 35: Why I Hate Weeds
"Cherry Blossom Magic: Crimson Requiem!" Kirsch yelled, casting the spell, all semblance of composure gone.
To Kirsch, Artemis was the embodiment of everything that he hated. He was a commoner who's poverty had caused him to devolve into crime, something our Vice-Captain found very unbeautiful, he used a type of unbeautiful Magic, the natural enemy of flowers everywhere, Weed Magic. Just looking at him made Kirsch angry.
It was an arrogant reason to want to beat him, but Kirsch wanted to crush him with his own beautiful ideology. That's why he sent Russell and the others ahead of him, so there would be no outside interference when he did things his way.
As the spell flew towards Artemis, he gritted his teeth, casting Choking Thorns again to block it. It intertwined with the approaching cloud of cherry blossoms, both forces colliding in a flurry of dark green and delicate pink. The thorns pushed forward, trying to break through the wave of cherry blossoms, but Kirsch's magic held steady, his control unwavering. He took a graceful step back, positioning himself with poised determination.
"How long do you think you can hold out against my beautiful magic, commoner?" Kirsch taunted, his voice as smooth as ever, yet the edge of disdain sharp enough to cut.
Artemis's expression twisted in frustration, but he steadied his breathing. "I don't care for your beauty contests, noble. Strength is what matters in the underground, and I've survived enough to know when I'm facing a privileged fool who doesn't understand true struggle."
"Oh, I understand it well," Kirsch replied, his gaze icy, "but your bitterness only makes you uglier." With a flick of his wrist, the cherry blossoms intensified, swirling around him in a cyclone of crimson and pink. He raised his hand high, gathering the blossoms into a tighter formation. "Cherry Blossom Magic: Floral Chains!"
The petals shifted, transforming into long, interwoven chains of magical cherry blossoms, each link imbued with a faint pink glow. With a quick movement, Kirsch directed the chains toward Artemis, who barely managed to leap back in time. Yet as soon as he landed, another set of chains shot up from the ground beneath him, catching him off guard. The chains snapped around Artemis's ankles and wrists, holding him firmly in place.
Artemis struggled against the bindings, his muscles straining as he tried to break free. "Weed Magic: Thorned Reprisal!" With a fierce look of concentration, thorns erupted from his limbs, cutting into Kirsch's floral chains and causing them to fray. But Kirsch responded instantly, sending more blossoms forward to reinforce the weakened sections, maintaining his hold on Artemis.
"Give up," Kirsch said with calm finality, though his eyes gleamed with fierce intent. "There's no ugliness in surrender when facing something more beautiful than yourself."
Artemis smirked, a hint of defiance breaking through his frustration. "I'm not so easily bound, noble!" He wrenched his arm free from the chains, the thorns on his skin pulsing with toxic green energy. "Weed Magic: Parasitic Stranglehold!"
Vines shot out from his free arm, their lengths twisting like serpents as they reached toward Kirsch. The moment the vines touched him, they began spreading, snaking up his arm with alarming speed. Kirsch felt the drain as they started to leech his mana.
Kirsch gritted his teeth, fighting to keep his composure even as the parasitic vines wrapped around his arm, tightening with every second. He knew he had to act quickly. Closing his eyes, he focused all his magic energy into his free hand, letting it glow with a soft, steady light. With a deep breath, he whispered, "Cherry Blossom Magic: Dance of 100 Million Cherry Blossoms."
A rush of energy surged through him as cherry blossom petals, imbued with purifying magic, burst from his body, severing the parasitic vines. Artemis staggered back as his spell was disrupted, his face twisted in disbelief as Kirsch broke free once again.
"Enough of this nonsense," Kirsch declared, his voice low but resolute. "Your ugly magic has no place here." He raised both hands, his grimoire glowing fiercely beside him. "Cherry Blossom Magic: Sakura Spherical Prison Deluxe!"
An eruption of cherry blossoms filled the air, blooming from every direction around Artemis. The blossoms swirled in a vast, radiant sphere, their edges glowing with a fierce intensity. Artemis shielded his eyes, momentarily blinded by the brilliance.
Within the sphere, Kirsch's voice echoed, commanding and unyielding. "You've insulted beauty, mocked nobility, and dared to bring your weeds against my magic. Let this be your lesson in refinement!"
But Artemis wasn't about to surrender. With a guttural shout, he summoned every ounce of his magic, surrounding himself in a barrier of thorns and vines that thickened with each second. "I'll show you just how much strength 'ugliness' can wield!" He poured his mana into the spell, and the thorns grew denser, their sharp edges turning into formidable spears aimed directly at Kirsch.
Kirsch smirked, watching Artemis struggle within his beautiful prison of cherry blossoms. "If you think brute force alone will get you out of this, you're sorely mistaken." He clenched his hand, and the cherry blossoms began to compress, forming a barrier around Artemis that grew tighter with each passing second. The thorns tried to break through, but the petals held fast, glistening as they pressed closer and closer.
In desperation, Artemis pushed his magic to the limit, his thorns writhing as he threw every ounce of mana into his defences. The intensity of their clash caused ripples of magic energy to explode outward, shaking the ground and sending loose petals scattering across the battlefield.
"This is the true power of a vice captain," Kirsch said, raising an open hand and crushing it into a fist. "Compress."
…
Team B, meanwhile, were advancing quickly into the south entrance of Sablesummit, having faced surprisingly little resistance so far. As they turned a corner, they came into the conference hall of Sablesummit, which was emptier than usual, but still had around 22 smugglers inside the compound.
"Magic Knights…INSIDE OUR COMPOUND? GET THEM!" one smuggler yelled, charging a ball of fire and rushing at the rest of them.
"Alright ladies! Let's beat these smugglers!" Sol yelled, summoning her Rampaging Mother Earth and leaping on the top of it. Dana also got on the top of her Rampaging Mother Earth, loading up a crossbow that, somehow, no one had seen before, with magic bolts.
"You just clear them out for me, Sol," Dana smirked, "and I'll cover your back. Lens Magic: Deadlock!"
A glowing lens appeared in front of her eye, and suddenly, Dana could see all the weak spots of all the smugglers in her field of vision. She shot one, another, another (painfully in the balls), while Sol's Rampaging Mother Earth took out most of the smugglers in their front.
Zoe meanwhile, had drawn the kanji for blade, and was weaving in and out of the smugglers like what could only be described as a warrior princess, cutting each one down with deadly precision. One of them threw a large fireball at her, but lightning quick, she drew the kanji for shield, segwaying it into her Piercing Shadows, which penetrated and took down most of the smugglers in her way.
"I know we're not supposed to use magic items," one of the smugglers yelled, "but to flush out rats like you, it's necessary!"
He stood up, and injected a yellow liquid into his veins, roaring in pain. Veins began to bulge out of his body, effervescing with a sinister glow. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell to one knee.
"Well, that was easy," Zoe said. "What a pointless display of power…"
Suddenly, a supercharged blade of ice rushed at her, Zoe only barely managing to dodge it. A thin cut that stretched from her cheek to her jaw (in terms of horizontal distance) appeared on her face, and started leaking blood.
Meanwhile, Charlotte and Amaryllis were fighting another senseless group of smugglers.
Charlotte's grimoire hovered open beside her as she held her hand out, her weapon shifting in her grip and transforming into a series of thick, prickled vines. Each vine extended outward, encircling her in a barrier of thorned branches that writhed and twisted like snakes, their sharp edges gleaming ominously.
"Briar Creation Magic: Corpse Hunting Briar Tree!"
With a flick of her wrist, the vines shot forward, stretching across the battlefield and actively hunting down each smuggler. As soon as one of them was caught in a vine's clutches, others joined in, entangling the smuggler tightly, their thorns digging into his flesh. The vines continued gathering smugglers, one by one, dragging them closer and binding them in a single, inescapable mass.
Once her targets were trapped, the vines coiled together, rising into the air and twisting into the shape of a towering briar tree, its branches reaching out like skeletal arms. The captured smugglers hung within the thick net of thorny vines, each movement causing the sharp prickles to shred into them further. Blood seeped from the cuts as the smugglers' struggles grew weaker.
One smuggler tried to set fire to the vines, but the enchanted briars resisted, growing denser around him. He screamed as the thorns sank into his skin, immobilising him completely.
By her side, Amaryllis moved with a chilling elegance, her long black gown flowing with every step, her violet eyes glinting with deadly focus. With a flourish, she extended her hand, releasing a cloud of dark green poison that danced around her fingers.
"Poison Magic: Aconite Serpent's Embrace!"
A shimmering purple serpent, formed of noxious vapours, slithered out of her hand, winding its way through the air before wrapping itself around two smugglers who dared to approach her. As they inhaled the deadly fumes, their movements slowed, their expressions contorting in pain as the poison seeped into their lungs. The serpent tightened, and the men collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Sol, watching from atop her Rampaging Mother Earth, clenched her fists, visibly irritated. Her brows knitted in frustration as she saw Charlotte and Amaryllis fighting side by side with perfect synergy. Sol gritted her teeth, muttering under her breath, "I should be the one by her side, not… her."
Charlotte's gaze met Amaryllis's for the briefest moment, an unspoken understanding passing between them. They both knew what the other was capable of, and there was an undeniable respect. Yet, even with her focus on the battlefield, Charlotte sensed Sol's frustration.
"Focus, Sol," Charlotte called out, her voice firm yet gentle. "The mission is what matters right now. Not who fights where."
Sol's expression softened just slightly, though she looked away, pretending not to hear. "Fine. But don't think I'm happy about this."
"Oh, no," she muttered, her eyes narrowing with fury. "You dare… make me bleed?"
The smugglers nearby sneered and took advantage of her momentary distraction, launching spells her way. Zoe's eyes blazed with anger as she drew her grimoire close, turning the pages frantically. She didn't hesitate. Her finger traced the kanji for death—something she had sworn never to use again. Her mind rang with the weight of it; the forbidden symbol required almost half of her mana, yet her rage made it impossible to care.
Her hand shook slightly as she finished the kanji, a dark aura swirling around her. "You've crossed a line," she whispered. Her voice grew louder, filled with defiance. "Ink Magic: Seal of Death!"
In an instant, the spell activated, the kanji glowing with a sinister energy that filled the room. A terrifying wave of energy pulsed out, the entire conference hall vibrating with the force of it. Several smugglers fell where they stood, the raw magic sucking the life from them as if drawn by an invisible hand. The energy dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving the room eerily silent. Zoe staggered, her mana depleted, and she leaned against the wall, panting heavily. The cut on her cheek still stung, but it paled compared to the toll the spell had taken on her.
Charlotte glanced back, her brow furrowing as she spotted Zoe's haggard state. The girl's eyes were slightly unfocused, her breathing laboured. Charlotte knew the risk of using forbidden magic and was painfully aware of the consequences. "Zoe!" she called out. "Are you alright?"
Zoe waved her off, though her voice came out shaky. "I'm… fine, Captain. Just… used a little more mana than I intended."
Amaryllis, noticing Zoe's weakened state, turned back toward the remaining smugglers. She raised her hand, her fingers twisting in a sinuous motion as a thick cloud of poison formed at her fingertips. "Poison Magic: Miasma Blast!" The cloud shot forward, engulfing several smugglers in its toxic grasp. Their faces twisted in horror as the fumes overwhelmed them, and they fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
Despite the overwhelming power of the Poison Magic, the smugglers fought on, their numbers still strong. "Come on!" one of them shouted, his voice hoarse but filled with determination. "They can't kill us all! Overwhelm them!"
Charlotte's eyes narrowed, and she nodded to Amaryllis. "Let's finish this together," she said. She raised her arms, sending the briar tree crashing forward, its branches extending and twisting around the smugglers who remained. Each tendril tightened like a vise, trapping them in place.
Amaryllis sent her serpent into the fray once more, weaving through the field of thorns, leaving a trail of deadly poison in its wake. Together, their magic created a deadly symphony, a seamless dance of toxic serpents and relentless briars that tore through the smuggler ranks with ruthless efficiency.
Watching them from her position atop her earth golem, Sol felt another pang of jealousy. She was the one who should be by Charlotte's side, not that poison-wielding witch. Clenching her fists, she called out to her Captain, unable to keep the irritation from her voice. "Captain! Are we not good enough for you? We can handle this without that witch's help!"
Charlotte spared her only a brief glance. "Less complaining, more fighting, Sol. Amaryllis is an asset to our team. We're here to win."
Sol bristled but turned back to the fray, sending her golem crashing forward to smash through the remaining smugglers, determined to prove her strength. Dana gave her a sympathetic pat on the back, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, don't let it get to you. We're all on the same side here."
With the combined might of their magic, Team B slowly gained the upper hand. The smugglers, desperate and cornered, fell one by one, each meeting their end at the hands of the relentless Magic Knights. By the time the last smuggler fell, the hall was littered with fallen foes, and the air was thick with the lingering traces of mana.
Charlotte surveyed the scene, her expression calm but resolved. "Good work, everyone. Now let's regroup and move forward. We don't know if more reinforcements are coming."
"That was reckless," Amaryllis said quietly, though there was a hint of respect in her tone. "But… you fought well."
Zoe managed a weak smile, still recovering. "Thanks… but next time, I'll be careful."
Charlotte placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder, her expression both proud and stern. "We're here to protect each other. Let's keep it that way."
Sol, standing a bit apart, glanced away, hiding the lingering jealousy she felt. But as she looked at her squadmates, all united in victory, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. Even if she wished she'd fought alongside Charlotte, she knew they'd accomplished something important together, and without any filthy men to get in the way.
"Good work, everyone," Charlotte said, her voice carrying an air of authority. "Now, let's move forward. We still have smugglers to catch."
…
Artemis, about to be crushed under the weight of Kirsch's Sakura Spherical Prison Deluxe, made a decision that he hoped he would never have to make, for the sake of his honour.
He was quite proud of where he had gotten in terms of strength, using only his wits and the little resources available to him as a commoner, thinking of new, inventive ways to use his magic. He didn't want to have to rely on someone else's discoveries, as he was also a man who loved science, but he had to admit it.
In terms of pure volatility, he didn't have enough firepower. None of the custom magic items he'd made could give him that firepower that he needed, so he was going to have to use the ones that crazy Eye of the Midnight Sun girl made.
He pulled out a small vial, still putting all of his magic power into not dying to Kirsch, remembering what that crazy girl had said to him…
In the dim glow of a makeshift lab, Artemis met with Sally, a rogue mage infamous for her dangerous curiosity and love for all things unusual. She was hunched over a table cluttered with equipment and bubbling concoctions, her dark red eyes gleaming behind black-framed glasses. Her maroon crop top and shorts were disheveled, as if her focus on "the next discovery" left no time for trivialities like clothing.
When she finally noticed him, she grinned and held up the vial he'd come to collect. "Here it is," she said with a gleeful, almost manic glint. "This is one of my favorite creations."
"What exactly does it do?" Artemis asked, eyeing the vial with caution. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, but he was too intrigued to stop himself.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked!" Sally chirped, practically bouncing on the spot. "It's a high-concentration mana booster. If you take it, your magical power will surge, pushing you beyond your limits. It's a brilliant shortcut for someone like you, don't you think?"
Artemis frowned. "There must be a catch, then. What aren't you telling me?"
"Oh, there's a few side effects," she admitted nonchalantly, pushing up her glasses. "A rapid depletion of magic after it wears off, a chance of magical instability… or, y'know, it might just take a toll on your sanity for a bit. But don't let that scare you! The thrill of a breakthrough is worth a little risk, right?" She grinned, her fascination unbridled.
He'd scoffed at her casual disregard for the potential fallout. But he'd still taken the vial, convinced he'd only use it as a last resort. "I don't need to rely on your twisted experiments," he'd said back then, trying to sound unimpressed.
"Well, suit yourself," Sally had replied with a shrug, clearly unconcerned. "But I think you'll find that even the most honourable mages sometimes need a little extra push to rise above their competition."
Artemis had taken the vial from her then, feeling a strange mix of revulsion and curiosity.
Now, with Kirsch's relentless spell closing in on him, he gritted his teeth. He'd never wanted to use it, but he was out of options.
"Bottom's up…" he chuckled weakly, gulping it in one fluid motion, feeling the rush of mana-enhanced chemicals through his veins. Vines began to sprout out from his body, choking out Kirsch's sakura petals, destroying them completely.
"You unbeautiful worm," Kirsch said, looking down at him. "You interrupted my spell!"
Artemis felt a surge of raw, untamed power rushing through his veins, like wildfire igniting every nerve and muscle. He clenched his fists, feeling his magic coil and expand within him, growing far beyond what he had ever been able to summon on his own. The vines around him, infused with this new potency, tore through Kirsch's petals with an unstoppable force, choking them out and shredding the once-graceful blossoms in an almost grotesque display of power.
"You unbeautiful worm," Kirsch sneered from above, his voice laced with disdain as he looked down at Artemis. "You interrupted my spell! My art! How dare you?"
Artemis smirked, his gaze sharp. "Sorry, Vermillion, but I'm not here to be a part of your little flower show."
Kirsch's face contorted with irritation, his smug composure replaced again by anger. "Such graceless magic… It's an insult to beauty itself! Allow me to show you what true elegance looks like." He raised his hand, his grimoire floating beside him, flipping open to a page with a flourish. Cherry blossoms began to swirl around him, coalescing into another sphere, larger and more densely packed with petals than before.
Artemis, heart pounding with the rush of mana from Sally's concoction, barely felt intimidated. In fact, he felt almost… exhilarated. With this new power coursing through him, Kirsch's magic didn't seem as overwhelming as it had before. The vines around him continued to grow, twisting and snaking with a life of their own, as if responding to the pulse of energy running through his bloodstream.
With a flick of his wrist, Kirsch summoned a flurry of sakura petals around him. Each one shimmered with a menacing aura, enhanced with the precision and control only someone of his noble background could muster. The petals glistened like the edges of blades, arranged in a flawless orbit around him, waiting for his command. Artemis knew that if they descended again, it would be with a vengeance. Kirsch raised his hand.
"Cherry Blossom Magic: Hibiscus Orchestral Rain!"
The sakura petals whizzed through the air, each one glinting deadly under the moon, which was now hanging above in the sky, casting an eerie light over the battlefield.
But now, Artemis had power of his own. With a surge of concentration, he extended his vines, their thorny lengths stretching and winding like living extensions of his will. He directed them forward, letting them intertwine and twist until they formed a barrier, a writhing wall of protection that shielded him from Kirsch's gaze.
"Oh, running away now, are we?" Kirsch sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "That's what I thought — nothing but a pathetic peasant grasping at my coattails."
Artemis's grip on his own magic tightened. "I'm not running," he ground out, forcing himself to keep focus amidst the unsteady throb of the potion's effects. His vines coiled and tensed, thicker and more tenacious, defying the sakura blossoms that attempted to slip through. He knew that the barrier would only hold for so long — he could feel the mana boost beginning to wear, the strain pulling at his own core reserves.
Kirsch raised his hand, directing his sakura petals forward with a wave of lethal intent. "Then let's see if those weeds of yours can withstand the beauty of a noble's magic!" With that, his petals shot forward, a cascade of razor-sharp pink aiming to slice through Artemis's vines and, with them, the mage himself.
Artemis gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his enhanced mana into strengthening his vines. They met the sakura petals head-on, sharp thorns tearing through the blossoms even as Kirsch's magic battered against his barrier. It was a clash of forces, a brutal, grinding contest as each mage fought to overpower the other.
In a desperate move, Artemis extended his vines even further, directing them in a circular sweep around Kirsch. The vines closed in on him, thorny tendrils snapping hungrily toward his ankles, wrists, and throat, each one aiming to restrict him, to force him into close quarters where Artemis's unique magic could shine.
But Kirsch was not so easily ensnared. With a graceful twirl, he summoned more sakura blossoms, sending them into a spiral that severed the approaching vines before they could entangle him. His eyes glittered with haughty disdain as he smirked at Artemis.
"Your determination is commendable, but ultimately pointless," Kirsch sneered. "A peasant's magic, no matter how enhanced, can never rival the beauty and precision of noble magic."
Artemis felt his strength waning, the effects of Sally's potion already beginning to fade, the amplified mana slipping through his grasp like water. Yet, he dug his heels in, clenching his fists and drawing on every scrap of willpower he had left. With a final push, he sent a massive cluster of vines surging toward Kirsch, a last-ditch effort to gain the upper hand.
The vines whipped forward, faster than before, their prickles poised to strike. Kirsch raised his hand, prepared to counter, but for a brief instant, Artemis saw a flicker of surprise in his opponent's eyes. Artemis let himself revel in that one, fleeting moment of advantage, knowing it wouldn't last — but satisfied that, if nothing else, he'd forced the noble to take him seriously.
A/N: Kirsch is getting some screen time. And yeah, Ink Magic is pretty broken.
Spoiler alert here, so if you really don't want to be spoiled on a small thing for the rest of this arc, scroll up now and forever hold your piece.
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Alright, I gave you some warning. Zoe's not going to get too many moments this arc, because I want to really develop her relationship with Lars, and make her a less hateable character in the next one. I'll give you a hint on what said next arc is: read the beginning of Chapter 30.