The Research Institute Director and Gwen withdrew shortly after.
The preparations for the Resurrection were already complete; from here on, I could proceed alone. If they had stayed, they would only have been caught in the crossfire. I also preferred to activate the technique in a place where no collateral damage would occur.
The Director dragged a reluctant Gwen away. It seemed Gwen still harbored a sense of discomfort around her. It was a rare sight; Gwen usually maintained her mocking persona regardless of who she was dealing with. But she had no defense against the Director, who was entirely immune to irony and psychological prodding. The woman was likely Gwen’s only natural enemy.
No matter, I thought, shifting my focus.
Left alone, I stood before the Magic Circle in the Mixed Zone where the Wasteland and Desert met. At long last, my deepest wish was about to be granted. I was deeply moved, yet I wasn't as nervous as I had expected. Perhaps my interactions with the Executives had steadied my nerves. I found myself in a surprisingly calm state of mind.
Regardless, it was best to get started. There was nothing to be gained by dragging this out. My subordinates were fighting across the continent, waiting for my return. With my resolve firm, I quietly began the technique.
I uttered an incredibly long incantation and crouched the moment I finished. Placing both hands on the Magic Circle, I channeled Magic Power into it from the Designated Position.
The Magic Circle ignited instantly. The channeled power began to circulate, gathering speed. The multiple Magic Formulas embedded in the array caused the mass of Magic Power to swell.
Gray clouds began to choke the once-clear sky. The weather transformed, turning heavy with the threat of an imminent downpour. I ignored the elements and continued the technique. A single slip in concentration would lead to catastrophe.
Eventually, the Magic Circle began to emit a violent gale. As I was nearly blown away, I grew vines from my legs and anchored them deep into the ground. I focused entirely on maintaining the technique as the Remains began to vibrate with a rattling noise. A moment later, they liquefied and seeped into the Magic Circle. Having absorbed the Remains, the array turned a brilliant white, and the circulation speed of the Magic Power accelerated even further.
"Ugh..."
I used brute force to contain the Magic Formula, which felt as if it were on the verge of rupturing. If I let my guard down for even a second, the technique would detonate. I had to prevent that at all costs.
Before long, the Soul I had placed began to blink frantically, as if driven mad. It rotated while emitting a radiance like the sun. The Magic Circle turned three-dimensional, peeling itself away from the earth and writhing like a living creature. The chaotic lines of the array swirled through the air before rushing toward the spinning Soul. They entwined, weaving together until they began to take on a single shape.
It resembled a Humanoid Form.
In an instant, thunder roared overhead. The cracks of lightning grew closer together until the clouds broke, unleashing a torrential downpour. Amidst the deluge flooding the Wasteland, the Soul’s light intensified as if in defiance. Finally, the Magic Circle vanished entirely, leaving a White Humanoid radiating light. It knelt before the Keepsake Sword.
Its features were mere rough contours, making individual identification impossible. The activated technique was on the verge of slipping from my control. While the phenomenon was proceeding as intended, the energy had reached a stage where it could no longer be suppressed. The Magic Power was rising boundlessly; if the technique failed and collapsed into a Destruction Phenomenon now, it would contain enough power to shatter the world.
"Gu... gh...!"
Ignoring the cracks spiderwebbing across my body, I poured every ounce of my focus into manipulating the technique. I refused to look away for even a moment as the Humanoid Form neared completion.
I wonder how much time passed. Just as even my consciousness began to grow hazy, the technique surpassed its Critical Point and triggered a massive explosion.
I was caught in the blast, having no time to defend myself. I generated a Force Field in the direction I was moving and kicked off it to cancel my momentum. I managed to land, though the impact shattered both my knees.
Did it work?
I repaired the damaged parts with Miasma. While being pelted by the torrential rain, I lifted my head and looked toward the Explosion Site. Within the massive cloud of dust rising into the air, I sensed a High-output Magic Power Reaction.
It was a reaction so powerful it almost made me want to laugh. It was a mass that eclipsed Grom and Diera—a power that rivaled my own. In other words, it was an outlier on an individual scale.
Yet, it was a strangely familiar presence. I unconsciously whispered aloud.
"Ah... a-ah..."
A silhouette emerged from the dust cloud. Appearing with sword in hand was the World's Greatest Heroic Figure who had once slaughtered the Demon King—the Former Hero.