Stop Stealing My Spotlight

Thanks to all of you, the release date for Volume 2 has been set for March 5th!!

I’ll share more details later, but I’ve added five new episodes to this volume as well!

Pre-orders are already live on Amazon, so I’d really appreciate it if you could head over there and grab a copy!!

The new experiment I wanted to test after launching my magic into the sky was the "Soldier Remote Enhancement Operation" via a mysterious power.

It was that classic trope where characters suddenly power up mid-battle thanks to some enigmatic force and clinch a victory. They’re all like, "What is this power...?" and then the mystery of its origin becomes a major plot point as the story progresses. That was the pattern I was going for.

This operation was going to be a real test of my skills, though.

First, I released my magic into the sky to create the visual effect of a black rose, then injected mana into the soldiers via the falling petals to provide a temporary buff. So far, so good.

The problem was that if I injected too much magic too quickly, the soldiers' bodies wouldn't be able to handle the load and would literally fall apart.

I could enhance them, sure, but the safe upper limit was quite low. If I left it at that, I wasn't confident they could take down actual Spellswords.

And that’s where my technique comes in.

As I injected magic through the petals, I simultaneously wove threads of mana throughout their entire bodies. I had to focus every fiber of my being to maintain ultra-precise control over every single member of the "Oath of the Black Rose." I honestly thought my brain was going to short-circuit.

But through that, I achieved the remote control of an entire unit. I call it: "Shadow Puppet."

"Hah-ha!! This power is insane! I can cut through three of 'em at once!"

"Take that! Can you even keep up with this speed?!"

"Yeah! Someone try and stop me! I’m gonna send 'em flying past the horizon!"

The empowered "Oath of the Black Rose" tore through the encirclement with terrifying momentum. It was a physical impossibility for a small, surrounded force to push back like this under normal circumstances.

"W-what is happening?! Stop them! Stop them at all costs!" the enemy shouted.

If they allowed a breakthrough here, their entire formation would collapse. Naturally, that was when the Spellswords stepped in.

"Tsk! You again?!"

"Guh! You blocked my spear again?!"

"Hmph! Not bad...!"

As I expected, the old-timers were held up by the Spellswords. Even with my buffs making them equal in raw power, the geezers were still amateurs while the Spellswords were pros. Their skill and experience were fundamentally different. In a fair fight, defeat was inevitable.

But it’s fine. This is where "Shadow Puppet" really shines.

I manipulated the threads of magic woven into their bodies.

And then—

"Wha—? This movement... it’s like my body is being guided by something!"

The old man’s movements changed instantly. Supported by my remote control, his spear-work now far surpassed the skill of the Spellswords.

"I reacted to a blind-spot attack?! I can see the enemy everywhere!"

Don't worry if you can't see the guy behind you; I've got you covered with 360-degree Complete Support.

"It’s useless to dodge! You can't escape my spear!"

I even included an Automatic Tracking Function that predicts enemy movements.

Transformed into masters of combat via my remote control, the old men absolutely decimated the Spellsword Unit. Once the Spellswords fell, the tide of battle was completely decided.

The "Oath of the Black Rose" was nothing short of overwhelming.

"This is impossible... this is the power of the 'Black Rose'?! Contact headquarters! Tell the Royal Capital Headquarters immediately! The 'Black Rose' has appeared! The 'Black Rose' is here!"

With their line broken, the enemy army fell into total disarray. Once the commander ordered a retreat, the rest was over in a heartbeat. The plaza was now fully under the control of the "Oath of the Black Rose."

"Don't pursue them too far! Secure the castle!"

"With this power, we can do it!"

"Nothing is impossible for us!"

Riding that momentum, the "Oath of the Black Rose" charged straight into the castle. I ran along behind the old-timers, acting like a background mob character while I ran some mental notes.

Regarding this new experiment, I had two major points of dissatisfaction—well, minor complaints, really.

First, the burden on me was huge. I’d never tried to control nearly a hundred soldiers with threads before. Just fully grasping the battlefield via Magic Power Detection was taxing enough, but I also had to move their bodies manually. I could probably only maintain that level of precise control for a few people at a time. Seriously, I felt like the blood vessels in my head were going to pop.

Second, the pattern I wanted was for them to go, "What is this power...?" and then slowly unravel the mystery over time. At this stage, the power was supposed to be an enigma. Then, at the very end of the story, The Eminence in Shadow would appear and reveal the grand truth. That was the plan.

And yet...

"The 'Black Rose' is with us!"

"O 'Black Rose'! Grant us victory!"

"Forward, warriors chosen by the 'Black Rose'!"

...Why is some fairy tale legend like the "Black Rose" snatching away my spotlight?

Thanks to everyone, the release date for Volume 2 has been set for March 5th!!

If you thought "That was fun!" "I want to see what happens next!" or "Congrats on Volume 2!" please click the evaluation button below to show your support!

It really motivates me, so thank you!