Infinite Mage

Chapter 167: A Dangerous Deal (3)

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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INFINITE MAGE

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Amy approached them, probably thinking the same thing as Shirone, and couldn’t help but laugh at Canis’s predicament.

“Hohoho! Did you guys get eliminated? That figures.”

Though Shirone might not hold any grudge since he had won the battle, Amy had her own scores to settle with the pair.

Her philosophy was simple: payback was due, and this was her chance to strike a blow.

“Humph, look who's talking. As if you're any better. Now I see, the seniors aren’t so special after all.”

“Laughable! How would you know if I've failed?”

“Knowing that I failed implies you took the test too. If you had succeeded, you wouldn’t be wandering around here. Are you an idiot?”

“You little brat! How dare you talk back to your senior!”

“At least you should be thankful. If I hadn't stopped Lucas, you would have been dead.”

Fire flashed in Amy’s eyes. The memory of being chosen by Lucas and nearly cursed during their exposure to the Abyss Nova filled her with rage.

“You little…”

Before Shirone could intervene, Amy raised her fist towards Canis.

Just as she was about to strike him with the power of her Schema, a dark shadow loomed behind Canis and a black clawed hand swept over his shoulder.

Amy instinctively stepped back. Harvest, protecting Canis as if embracing him, split his mouth in a grin.

“Kekeke! Long time no see, sister. You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Aaagh! What is that!”

Tourists screamed and fled at the sight of Harvest. Shirone could understand their reaction; the effects of magic were familiar to nobles, but a shadow rising in human form was another level of bizarre.

Even Tess lost her composure at the sight of Harvest.

“My word. The shadow talks? Rian, have you ever seen anything like this?”

A small face with broad shoulders, and a waif-like waist; though humanoid, its arms were twice as thin and long as a human's. Its palms were as large as shields, and its nails as sharp as swords.

“No, this is a first for me too, but seems like Shirone knows him?”

Harvest spread his palm wide, covering most of Canis’s torso, optimized for absorbing impacts. In front of a Harvest specialized in shock absorption, even Amy had to be cautious.

“Keke, let’s be careful about approaching each other. I don’t want to see blood in such a place.”

“Eww…”

Just as Amy was about to rush again, Shirone raised his finger. A red photon condensed at his fingertip, ready to be shot any moment.

This time, Harvest remained silent. It was the same laser technique that had nearly annihilated him before.

“Apologize to Amy. It’s not right to dredge up someone’s painful memories.”

“Painful? That much and it’s called pain? Besides, I saved that girl. Really, these nobles and their ways of thinking.”

“That’s for the person who was hurt to decide. If you've stirred up painful memories, the least you can do is apologize. How long will you keep looking at the world so negatively?”

“Hmph! I don’t need to hear that from a greenhouse flower.”

Canis’s taunt was followed by Harvest inflating his upper body, threatening everyone. Meanwhile, Shirone’s laser glowed even brighter.

Arin, slowly extending her Spirit Zone towards Shirone in the form of tentacles, thought to disrupt his mental focus and disperse the laser.

But before her Zone could reach him, Amy blocked the way. Arin frowned, aware that most mental magic was futile against those with red eyes.

Magical creatures, lasers, mental magic, schema memories.

Different types of magic clashed and intertwined like ribbons, no one daring to make a sudden move, each watching the others.

The tension was so palpable that Tess grabbed Rian’s arm and feigned crying.

“What’s with them? So scary.”

Rian thought differently. People said mages were bizarre, and the more they deviated from the norm, the more distinctly they defined their identity as mages.

Rian was pleased that Shirone had become such an extraordinary and abnormal person.

“You’re doing well, Shirone.”

“What, what?”

Tess looked at him incredulously, as if he were a pervert.

But Rian simply walked towards the mages, drawing his straight sword from behind his back.

“Hey, whoever you are…”

Before he could finish, Tess, who had run up behind him, climbed onto his back and covered his mouth with her palm.

“Please have some sense. What will we do if you start acting up too?”

“Mmph! Let go! Shirone! Mmph!”

Shirone, Amy, Canis, and Tess watched the struggle between Rian and Tess with dumbfounded expressions.

Their fight eased the tension of the impending battle, and even Harvest deflated his inflated torso.

As the light of the laser faded, Arin's Spirit Zone dispersed, and Amy's red eyes returned to normal.

Really, there was no need for such fierce hostilities. If Amy had scratched Canis’s pride, he had simply countered with a bit more force.

“Let’s stop this pointless skirmish. We didn’t come here to fight you guys.”

Canis absorbed Harvest back into his shadow as he spoke.

With the opponent offering a truce, Amy also cooled her fighting spirit and regained her rationality.

With tensions diffused, Canis finally asked the question he had been curious about since seeing Shirone.

“So, how is it? Sticking around even after failing suggests you’ve found a way to enter the Kergos self-governing district, right?”

Shirone was about to speak when Amy cut in.

“Why should we tell you?”

This wasn’t just provocation. The information they had risked their lives for was not something to be carelessly shared with untrustworthy individuals.

“There’s no need to be so wary. We know how to enter the self-governing district too. You’re probably thinking of using the smuggling route, right?”

Amy was taken aback by Canis’s knowledge. It seemed he knew about Freeman Organization’s dealings with the loop. But then, why had they entered the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice and taken the test?

As Amy pondered, Canis, watching her closely, quirked an eyebrow.

“Can you hear your brain ticking over here? Want me to explain?”

“Pfft! Who’s curious? We know enough already!”

“Ah, really? What about you, Arin?”

Canis turned to ask her. Arin, who had been distracted, hurriedly collected herself to respond.

“Huh? Oh, it’s a lie. She’s very curious. Her heart is pounding.”

“Eek!”

Amy clenched her teeth in frustration. Whether ‘pounding’ was literal or not, hiding emotions was impossible around Arin with her abilities.

At that moment, a rumbling noise came from Arin’s stomach.

All eyes turned to Arin. She blushed deeply, embarrassed.

“Arin, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing. I’ve been through worse.”

Canis clenched his teeth. They had been traveling for a long time and had run out of money, going without food for three days.

While he could endure hunger, Arin shouldn’t have to. His instinct to protect her, honed over a decade in Radum, still prevailed.

Swallowing his pride, Canis turned to Shirone.

“Do you guys have something to eat? Arin hasn’t eaten. I’m okay, so don’t worry about me.”

Shirone took a good look at Canis’s appearance for the first time. The wear on his clothes and the dirt seemed to indicate they had been sleeping outdoors.

‘Arcane said they’d been stripped of everything he left them…’

Since the pulse test, Canis had not returned to school. It made sense that basic survival was their biggest issue.

Skilled but without formal accreditation, mages found it hard to get work. Clients were wary, except for those involving criminal activities.

But Canis no longer wanted to live in the shadows. He had realized that fighting against society would never allow them to rise to the top.

Amy sighed.

“We need to eat something first. Let’s go to that pub we visited before. The noodles are good there.”

“No, I’m really fine!”

Arin waved her hands. She was starving, but she couldn’t bear to follow because of Canis’s pride.

Amy grabbed Arin’s wrist and dragged her along.

“What do you mean, fine? There’s thunder in your stomach. You need strength whether you’re fighting or not. Canis, you come too.”

“No, I’m good. Just take Arin.”

“Enough, follow me. It’s only natural for a senior to treat their juniors to a meal.”

Shirone pushed Canis’s back.

“Come on, Canis. Let’s go inside. We have things to talk about anyway.”

Reluctantly, Canis followed, and Amy led them to the pub where they had met the mercenaries.

Once the six of them settled down, Shirone introduced Canis and Arin to Rian. Amy’s explanation that they were disciples of the Archmage and Shirone had beaten him reassured Rian.

Filling their stomachs was the immediate priority. Canis and Arin were so hungry they quickly devoured two bowls of noodles each.

Watching them eat, even those in Shirone’s group who had just eaten Yuna’s packed lunch felt full.

After gulping down the soup, Shirone smiled spontaneously. Regardless of their origins or personalities, they were all human after all.

Once the pair seemed revived after their meal, Shirone tentatively broached a topic.

“We’re all dealing with complicated thoughts, but let’s open up a bit. Why are you guys here?”

“Canis has always been interested in ruins. So, we’re here exploring.”

“Ah, was being an archaeologist Canis’s dream?”

“Tch, unnecessary chatter.”

Not fond of sharing his story, Canis grumbled. However, he didn’t stop Arin from continuing.

Although not very sociable, Arin wasn’t someone who would simply answer anything asked. Her response was carefully calibrated to reveal enough without giving away crucial information.

In reality, their visit to the island wasn’t just for exploration; they had a specific reason that necessitated Shirone’s involvement.

“So, why are you here?”

Canis pointed at Amy. Although Shirone was likely the leader, he didn’t want to show too keen an interest.

But Amy was adept at psychological warfare, adept enough to navigate around Arin’s abilities.

“Hehe, obviously to get into the Kergos self-governing district. Just like you guys.”

“Hmm, and what do you think is there?”

“Hmm, you speak as if you know something?”

“It could be, or maybe not.”

Amy flashed a feigned smile, but inside she was desperate.

‘They know. They definitely know, the bastards.’

Canis had chosen the test route, not the smuggling route. This meant he must have a clear reason for needing to take that path.

‘This is tricky. How do I get information out of these two?’

Canis and Arin were different from the mercenaries they had met before. With Arin’s abilities, they were unbeatable in a battle of wits.

Shirone, having listened quietly, decided to ask directly.

“Canis, can you share what you know? We really don’t know much.”

Amy might think differently, but it was clearly a disadvantageous situation. It was better to be open and see how they responded.

Unexpectedly, Canis took it well. Shirone’s group couldn’t know, but Canis and Arin urgently needed Shirone’s help.

“Alright. But first, I need to verify something.”

“Ask anything. If I know, I’ll tell you.”

“Are you trying to get into the self-governing district because you want to learn about the Labyrinth of Time?”

Shirone’s eyes widened. The Labyrinth of Time was supposed to be a secret known only to his close friends and the headmaster.

“How did you know? What do you know about the Labyrinth? Or about the Kergos Ruins?”

As Shirone pressed him, Canis leaned back casually.

“Well, I suppose I know a bit more than you.”

Shirone pondered deeply. Where could they have gotten such information, and in such a short time?

Then it hit him. The shadow under Canis’s feet, and the magical creature dwelling there, told him everything.

“It’s Arcane’s knowledge, isn’t it?”

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