Chapter 96: Iron Rose

Iron Rose

「…………」

When I came to my senses, I was inside a pure white space.

There was no end in sight everywhere I looked. It was a pure white world that had nothing at all. It was so empty it felt like I was inside pure white cream.

My feeling was calm. My mind felt so clear it was unnatural.

I should be fighting the Red Ox several seconds ago. And yet I was here the instant the light that radiated from the altar enveloped me. Even the heat of battle and my heightened mana also dispersed. The wounds all over my body were gradually vanishing and my mana was also starting to replenish.

There was no danger here. This place was so full of tranquility that I felt like that.

……It’s dangerous. I stopped my hand that was unconsciously moving to sheath my knife. It annoyed me that I was forcefully put into a state of calm and that my fight got interrupted.

What happened with the fighting? Was everyone safe? I remembered that I had to immediately return and strengthened my grip on the weapon. Then suddenly a voice echoed inside my head while I was on my guard toward the surrounding.

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《──It has been a long time. You did well coming this far, o child of “moon rose(Melrose)”──》

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I couldn’t decide whether the speaker was a female or male, or how old they could be from the voice. The voice echoed inside my head once more when I took a stance warily toward them.

《──You are very wary, child of “moon rose(Melrose)”. There is nothing that shall harm you in this place. The flow of time here is also different due to the compression of time. You can relax──》

「……Child of Melrose?」

It seemed that the space here was in a state like when my mind accelerated due to body strengthening. I couldn’t be optimistic but if the flow of time in reality was paused then I should prioritize understanding the current situation.

Also Melrose was a flower that only grew in night of full moon. Master once told me that it could be used either as a medicine or as a poison. There was also a noble house using that name as their family name…….

What did they mean that I’m a “child” of that? The “voice” responded to my muttering and formed words once more to answer me.

《──A human girl arrived here around several hundred cycles of this world’s season previously. I bequeathed that “name” to her at that time. Your “pinkish blond hair” is the prove that the bloodline of that girl is still being passed down even now. Remove that boorish “ash” and show the “rose” to me──》

「──tsu」

The illusion of “ash” that I put over my hair was forcefully dispelled. In that moment, my pink hair received the influence of this space’s strong magic particles and sparkled brilliantly.

《──Once more I congratulate you for coming this far, o “living rose” who possess the same “color” as my beloved rose. What is it that you wish from me?──》

「……What are you?」

At this point there was only one possible “answer”. Even so I intentionally asked them in order to ascertain the information. In respond that presence that I couldn’t sense at all until now started to materialize before me.

『──Then take a look with your own eyes. You should be able to endure it if it’s you──』

「Kuh!」

The presence that materialized before me took the form of a woman of a marriageable age clad in something like a traditional dress that looked obviously luxurious in a glance. My consciousness blurred for a moment from the tremendous presence she gave off.

『──I am what you humans called as “dungeon’s spirit”──』

This was completely different from the spirit that I knew. Whether it was her presence, status, or even its way of being.

A lesson that I once heard from master came to mind after I saw her existence. She said that in case a spiritual life form received powerful thought from special being like a dead hero or something, it was possible their existence would undergo a change and resided in that land like a local god.

An ancient hermit crab transformed into monster to be a dungeon. It read and accumulated the thought of the dead creatures inside it, and created something like treasures that human sought. But in the process of that there would be many people who died inside it. There should be many exceptional people among those victims. There might be even heroes or saints among them.

Like that perhaps the thoughts of those great people were gathered and became one, then perhaps it fused with natural spirit or the like and became the dungeon’s spirit? If this being really was an existence like that, then rather calling them a spirit, it would be more accurate to call them as 『Heroic Spirit』 or 『Divine Spirit』.

It felt like my consciousness would be blown away if I relax just for a moment. I gathered strength in my belly and faced the spirit head on.

「……So you’re the spirit who granted “Gift”.」

《──Indeed. For more than a thousand years, you children of man has taken the challenge to enter deep inside this dark labyrinth. For those who magnificently arrived before me, I invited them to this place and granted them my blessing as their reward. But this gift is not for everyone. After all for these several hundred years there are those who are using improper method──》

As I thought, the spirit had also seen through how there was a shortcut created…….

「Then, why did you call me here?」

It was Carla who arrived at the altar. After her it should be Ervan or Clara. And yet why was I got called here when I was in the middle of fighting?

《──You aren’t the only one who I invited. There are four people who I invited here──》

「……Four?」

I couldn’t see anybody else here. Perhaps they were kept hidden from me, or they were in different “location”. If it was this existence then surely they were able to do something like conversing with four people in different places simultaneously. That was what I naturally fought from experiencing this presence’s existence.

《──That number is based on nothing more than my whim. There are also times when I didn’t invite a single one. I invited you and the other two because the ways the three of you seeking power are adorable, while the other one has soul with interesting nature──》

Seeking power……several people’s faces came to mind from those words. But, what did they mean by the soul’s nature?

I was attacked by a woman who said she had “previous life” and accidentally obtained her knowledge. But it seemed this person that the spirit referred to wasn’t me.

Then who was that person? But, the spirit stepped forward before I could obtain the answer to that question.

《──The existence of “human” is lovable. I wonder if this feeling came from the feeling of human that created my shape……. Now, tell me your wish. I shall bestow to you my “Gift”──》

The spirit said that they granted Gift because they thought human was lovable. The other three than me……I didn’t know whether those people were the same with my guess, but would they obtain Gift?

Gift……it granted to human power that surpassed humanity. But too much power would lead human to ruin themselves.

Even so there would still be people who sought it if they had something more important than their life that they wanted to accomplish. The royal family of this country had risked their life like that for many generations for the sake of the country and the people.

If I had such power, I might be able to defeat even the Minotauros Murder…….

But, my answer had been decided from the beginning.

「……I refuse」

《──Why? O child of “moon rose”. “Human” always seek to accomplish something within their short life aren’t they? Powerless human can die easily. What does it matter even if it shorten your life from obtaining power? It’ll only be a few decades of your life span. Even if you hurt your soul in the process, you can just start over from insect in your next life──》

As expected between human and spirit, there was a wide gap in our perception toward time and life span. Although they said that they loved human, they gave me the impression like a kid who kept and cared for insects without even knowing how long the life span of an insect.

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Besides the compensation required for the Gift was greater than I thought. By knowing this truth, I could also understand why the past heroes and excellent royalties that I read in history book had short life.

But that wasn’t the point. The reason I refused the Gift was──.

「I’ll obtain what I want with “my own” strength. What’s the value of something that can only be obtained by using the power of someone else?」

Power and glory that were given to you by “someone” could also be taken away easily on the whim of “someone”.

Even Elena who obtained her position as royalty from her parent sought strength by her own will for the sake of the people. She didn’t only rely on what was given to her, but she put in so much of her own effort that it isolated her in solitude to obtain knowledge and strength.

And Carla, even though she had lost even her future, she was continuing to struggle desperately for the sake of her wish.

I thought that the spirit would feel offended by my refusal, but they were listening to my words attentively. They narrowed their eyes in nostalgia like a human.

《──The girl who I bestowed with the name of moon rose(Melrose) also said that she doesn’t need an excessive power like a Gift. That was why I felt that her existence was lovable and bestowed to her the name of the rose I loved. If you say that you don’t need anything, then I shall bestow to you too a “name” from me──》

「I don’t need it. In the first place what’s with that 『Melrose』? Why do you bestow name to human?」

《──Melrose is just a rose that can be found in the fairy world. It got brought out by the caprice of a Leprechaun(trickster) to the material world and took route although only in small number. The color of your hair is the “proof” of the name that I bestowed. The fairy that appeared in this land feel nostalgia for that “color” that is the same with that rose. You too had never fallen sick because of a fairy’s mischief ever since you were small correct? The benefit of that name is only that much but, it was just the right present for that girl who wished for her family’s prosperity──》

「…………」

So there was that kind of meaning in this pink hair……. Certainly the birth rate in a family whose women never got sick would be greatly affected for the better.

I too had never gotten seriously sick since my childhood. I could also sleep without problem even in the forest at midwinter.

《──Originally I wasn’t a spirit that took root in dungeon, but a spirit who lived in a place that was near human. That kind of spirit watched over human, and granted “name” to the “technique” that the fragile humans invented for the sake of fighting so that technique could become Battle Skill. A spirit like me granting a name is something that is more natural than granting my blessing to human in a sense──》

Battle Skill was a non-elemental magic that could be activated with just a one or two words. It was said that Battle Skill became usable after spirit became aware of that technique. I felt that it was a bit unnatural, but this spirit said that since the past there had been spirits that loved human just like them.

《──I too had been watching you since you entered into this dungeon. Child of “moon rose(Melrose)”, you used technique that was named by spirit and also desperately struggled with an incomplete technique……. That’s why allow me to grant a “name’ to you too. That girl was like a “moon” that illuminated the dark night. You are also like that. That was why I bestowed the name of “moon rose(Melrose)” to that girl. But, unlike that girl, you threw yourself into battle with a strength of heart that is like “iron”. The name I will grant you will be an “epitaph” that represent you alone, and at the same time it will also be the name that turn your “technique” into 【Battle Skill】──》

The spirit who took the form of a beautiful woman glided toward me and touched my cheeks lovingly with the white fingertips of their hands.

《──Now, you can return to your battlefield. Human can only come to me once in their lifetime……. We will surely never meet again in the future. I wish that you will stop dirtying that “moon rose(Melrose)” hair with “ash” anymore. In exchange, I shall add your “color” to the name that I grant to you. Wear the name if you desire power. The “name” that I grant to you is──》

***

「Aria!!」

I heard Feld’s voice calling at me. When my sight that had blurred for an instant returned back, I had been sent back to the arena at the deepest part of the dungeon.

There still hadn’t been any change to the situation. Feld and Dalton were struggling to get back on their feet after getting sent flying, Mira was running around the Black Ox with a desperate look in order to hold it back, Viro was doing everything he could to attract the attention of the Blue Ox. Feld called my name in this situation perhaps because I had vanished from this place for several seconds…….

It was a hopeless situation that was still continuing──but, I made it in time.

『BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

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The Red Ox that had lost sight of me roared angrily when it found me. It headed toward me like an arrow with its halberd at the ready.

「……fuu」

I exhaled as though to eject the anxiety inside me.

There was nothing that had changed from me. But, my hair that was dirtied with the illusion of ash was returning into “pinkish blond hair”.

My stamina and mana had recovered just a little but, it was no different with my state before I used the “Origin Battle Skill”.

I felt anxiety. And yet my heart was calm.

But I had the conviction. That I wouldn’t end like this.

There was no anger or hatred in my heart. It was calm like a lake surface. From the bottom of it, “fighting spirit” was seething and welling up.

The halberd’s blade cut through the air with bellowing sound. It was swung down to slash apart my body diagonally──in that moment, I activated that Battle Skill that had the same “epitaph” that the spirit granted to me.

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「──【Iron Rose】──」

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*GAKIINN!*

『BUMOO!?』

The halberd crashed on the ground violently. The Red Ox looked around searching for me who had instantly vanished from in front of it.

『GAA!?』

In that moment I had circled to its back and slashed its neck with my black knife.

It was still shallow. But the knife managed to cut.

The Red Ox quickly reacted and swung its halberd. It cut the empty air of the location where I was at.

I dodged the Red Ox’s attack with high speed movement, kicked on the ground to swiftly moved to the opposite side and cut the leg there. Blood spray scattered in the air like flower petals.

『BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!』

The Red Ox swung around its halberd haphazardly in a state of excitement. I watched its movements with my eyes and dodged them while continuing to move in high speed and slashed its arms and legs.

The color of my hair changed from pinkish blond to “ashen iron color” like a burning iron.

Vestiges of light scattered in the air from my iron colored hair. They formed a trail behind like comet. I circled to in front of the Red Ox with high speed and jumped over its head using its halberd’s blade as a stepping stool.

Iron blue comet danced in the air. The vestiges of light spread out like “silver wings”. The Red Ox’s face looked scared for an instant. My face and cold eyes were reflected on its eyes in that moment before I slashed it, the reflection and the eye together. The Red Ox’s right eye was split apart.

▼Aria (Alicia)　Race：Human♀・Rank 4

【Magic Power : 124/270】【Stamina : 159/210】

【Overall Combat Strength : 916 (With Body Strengthening : 1769)】

【Battle Skill : Iron Rose / Limit 124 Second】

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