Chapter : 213

“To be honest, I think Iris is close to invincible.”

No one argued with me.

Iris, who had swallowed almost all of Ouroboros’s power, physically surpassed Hartain by such an overwhelming margin that it was laughable—even with Fel supporting him with holy power. The only reason she hadn’t used magic before she was sealed last time was simple:

She enjoyed fighting with brute force alone.

Which meant… she had never needed to show even a hint of sincerity against us in the first place.

“But if that’s true, didn’t she use Ouroboros’s curse one more time right before she was sealed?” Laurel asked.

I immediately pointed at her and answered.

“That’s true! And I think there was a reason for that!”

Iris wasn’t actually cornered back then. If she still used Ouroboros’s curse anyway…

“She was wary of Count Lisitoel outside, not us inside the dungeon,” Hartain said.

I snapped my fingers.

“I agree.”

If there was a single existence Iris truly watched, it had to be Father.

If there was any exception, it would be my Author Skill—maybe.

But she feared the power, not me as a person. It could flip the battlefield, sure, but it also came with constraints. And she was probably confident that if she cut my wrist, I wouldn’t be able to use it.

The reason she stopped at “lightly” twisting my arm instead of crushing me more violently was not caution—it was greed. She wanted to take that power.

If she ever let go of that greed, the odds of her subduing me brutally would skyrocket.

Though… Iris letting go of greed is hard to imagine.

“Now she’s a physical monster and she has magic skills. So yeah—invincible.”

“So there’s no chance to win. Then what are we doing?”

“I have a way to seal Iris’s magic.”

I can use my Author Skill.

But there’s a problem.

“It’s going to cost a disgusting amount of mana to seal her magic. If I’m going to seal her magic and keep attacking, I need at least two people to support my mana consumption. That’ll be Senior Lilia and Mordin.”

Lilia, as a mage, naturally had a large mana pool. And Mordin said he’d restored his mana circuits as much as possible with the Golden Elixir—so those two were the perfect fits.

“Then why don’t you just focus entirely on sealing?” Lilia asked.

It was a fair question.

I didn’t have to cast offensive spells. I could focus purely on sealing, while Lilia and Mordin handled attacks. I didn’t even need to be the one holding the staff—I could hand it off.

“But Mordin and Senior Lilia aren’t people whose only means of attack is pure magic.”

“…Well, yes.”

Even if Lilia’s magical-girl transformation was specialized for magic, magical-girl magic was still built on physical reinforcement by default. Not as technique-focused as Laurel, but enough to respond in close combat.

“And it was Mordin who taught Lerwon dagger techniques.”

“…You figured that out.”

Lerwon muttered bitterly.

Of course I knew. When Mordin appeared as an NPC trial character, he used the same dagger style.

In the game, Lerwon died and vanished from the main story anyway, so they just recycled skill resources. But story-wise, they had to sell it convincingly.

Shame. If Mordin hadn’t been a “craftsman” type, he probably would’ve been released as a playable character.

…Not that it mattered right now.

“Compared to them, even if I’ve gotten sturdier than before and can hold a sword, I’m still not at the level where I can fight Iris head-on.”

“Do you think so too, Cecilia?” Lilia turned sharply.

“I’m still far from enough. My heart could get pierced in an instant.”

“So, Senior Lilia and Mordin—please provide mana properly.”

“Got it.”

“And Mordin, you don’t get a choice.”

It was practically tyranny, but Lilia only crossed her arms in mild dissatisfaction and didn’t complain further.

I grinned at her.

They say you can’t spit on a smiling face.

Now—let’s think about variables Iris won’t expect.

She’s already realized Lucian is awake, so he’s not a “surprise” anymore.

That means the three variables are:

1. The staff Mordin prepared to massively amplify damage against Iris

2. Sealing magic via my Skill

3. The Golden Elixir Lerwon completed

Among them, the Golden Elixir is the most important.

Because now we have a way to recover from fatal wounds without falling apart.

To Iris, the Golden Elixir is a horrifying variable—and to us, a second indispensable weapon for victory.

“With this much, I think we can draw out about seventy percent of Iris’s sincerity.”

“And you’re saying that’s still not enough?” Laurel asked.

It’s not bad. Fel and Hartain are especially reassuring assets.

But it’s still not enough.

“When we clash the first time, Iris will fight at about fifty percent.”

“If it becomes seventy, does something change?” Lucian asked.

I answered.

“Yeah. A lot changes.”

A difference of only twenty percent.

But what it meant was that Iris would start pulling out Ouroboros’s power in earnest.

“So that’s why we’re making Plan B.”

“Plan B?”

“It’s risky.”

The person Iris wants is Lerwon.

And the first targets she needs to eliminate will be obvious too.

Probably Lucian and Fel, my magic and skill—then Laurel.

“My plan is simple.”

I smiled.

“But it’ll knock the soul right out of Iris.”

I’ll say it plainly.

This is a truly insane plan.

—

“Hm?”

Iris blinked, a little surprised.

What just happened?

The one she was attacking had clearly been Laurel—yet at some point, it had become Mordin.

But there was no need for mercy toward Mordin.

As Iris tensed her fist to strike, the opponent switched again.

Mordin became Lucian, and the Holy Sword grazed Iris’s cheek.

“Ah.”

Mordin still hadn’t mastered teleportation magic.

In this space, there was only one person who could use teleportation.

“Theo Lisitoel!!”

Iris tried to rush Theo without hesitation—but Laurel blocked her path.

“Guhhh!”

The crushing pressure of facing Iris showed no sign of easing.

As Laurel staggered back step by step, Zephyros pushed Iris back with wind, and Hartain appeared behind Laurel to add force.

Then, in the empty air behind Iris, Fel and Lucian appeared—swinging their blades toward Iris’s neck.

“Tch.”

Iris clicked her tongue and tried to slip away.

But Laurel grabbed Iris’s hand tightly with her knuckle-gloved fist.

Sssss—

Even as Iris’s toxins burned her fingertips, Laurel curled her lips upward.

“Are you insane?”

“Don’t introduce yourself!!”

Annoying.

Iris swung her leg between her arms and smashed Laurel’s jaw.

The impact felt like her jaw would dislocate and her skull would rattle. Laurel faltered for an instant—and Iris slipped free, barely dodging Fel and Lucian’s blades.

Since Fel and Lucian had rushed in without holding back, if Iris moved, the two should have collided—

…but they didn’t.

Because Theo instantly flung both of them to a far corner.

“We’re continuing!” Theo shouted.

Mordin, dagger in hand, charged Iris—and Iris’s gaze sharpened.

Crack—something broke.

Snake scales surfaced at Iris’s fingertips, and Theo’s eyes narrowed.

She’s trying to turn Mordin into a snake-human.

Ouroboros had an original power, and anyone bearing serpent traits could exert absolute ability.

“Mordin! Keep your mouth shut!”

At Theo’s order, Mordin realized Iris’s intent, clamped his mouth closed, stopped closing in, and threw his dagger instead.

Fine.

Iris flicked her scales to warp the dagger’s trajectory.

That instant—

Lucian burst up from beneath Iris’s feet, launching himself to thrust the Holy Sword straight into her.

As if she’d fall for something like that?

Iris raised her nails and blocked the blade.

Kakakakak—

A piercing metallic screech rang out—hard to believe it came from nails and steel.

Lucian’s brow furrowed.

But the one being pushed back wasn’t Lucian.

It was Iris.

Was she weaker?

No.

It was compatibility.

The Ouroboros power inside her did not want to clash with the Holy Sword that carried divine power.

That faint remaining sliver of an unsevered self—whatever it was—had grabbed Iris’s ankle.

“Then I should grab your ankle too.”

Iris murmured, then released a shockwave from inside her body.

KWA—AAAAAANG!!!

A roar thundered through the space.

While Lucian held Iris in place, everyone else who tried to capitalize was blasted away. Even Fel’s holy magic scattered.

Lucian, who took the shockwave at point-blank range, passed out completely.

The others stumbled, unable to rise properly.

Only Theo—farthest from Iris—stood upright, blood trickling from his nose.

Without panicking, Theo wiped the blood away and met Iris’s gaze.

“You really did prepare a lot. It doesn’t feel like just one week.”

“Then why are you talking so much?”

Theo leveled the staff at Iris.

A binding spell activated, silver chains wrapping around Iris’s body.

Not Theo’s special power—just an ordinary binding spell.

And yet, it took real effort to break.

I should’ve made sure Mordin was dead, Iris thought, with a flicker of regret.

But shaking the opponent wasn’t Iris Viden’s specialty—

it was Theo Lisitoel’s.

This board was still in Iris’s hands.

“You don’t seem worried about your father.”

“……”

Theo fell silent.

Silence was affirmation.

“You still don’t know what I released outside?”

Iris giggled.

A childlike, innocent laughter—soaked in cruelty she didn’t bother to hide.

“I released an Ouroboros I granted my power to.”

She lightly unhooked the red earring hanging from her ear, staring straight at Theo.

“Outside must be a living hell. In that chaos… do you think your unconscious father is truly safe?”

Fake.

Iris whispered softly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep