Daily Life with Three Systems: Chapter 46 (Patreon)

All I can see is black? It's like I'm floating in a featureless black void? 

Where the fuck is this- 

DANGER DANGER DANGER 

My magical power explodes outwards in all directions as the pocket dimension around me sputters and shatters. 

huh. I'll let this happen. that was relatively easy to counter and it defeated an annoying foe.

suddenly, I'm gone. sent away to a featureless void. Briefly Mirror Alice flickers around me, then I call upon my magical energy without prompt and cause the entire realm to shudder and fracture.

I reappear within the sand, seeing the robot man's eyes wide and a new figure hunched over. The invisible man who had been stalking me bleeds from the nose and mouth, wetly coughing. 

My eyes flick down to him. "A pocket dimension? What was that ominous feeling though..." 

He doesn't reply, hacking up more blood. 

"Assassination magic? You teleported me to a dimension under your complete control... you could likely injure whoever is inside however you wish... but... no magic is perfect... you have to be quite a bit stronger- or at the very least have comparable strength to whoever you're trying to capture in your dimension, right? That was your mistake." I allow my eyes to stray to the robot who is babbling quietly. 

"Recalibrating... Threat Level wizard saint... weakness... weakness... identified... recalibrating... weakness... recalibrating. Light Magic. Downloading. Error. Magical Power exceeds standard civilian operating system. Requesting warmonger attachment-" 

I've heard enough, so I blur forwards, finger touching the machine person's torso. "Dark Ecriture: Rust." 

"CHRZZZZZ" an electronic hiss leaves the robot's lips as brown dust explodes across his chest. "Error. Error. Error." 

He falls backwards, voice warbling. "Variable Detected. generating anti-ecriture formulae- Error, Chassis damaged. Error. Error. Entering Recovery Mode." 

The machina abruptly slumps, eyes closing as he seems to power down. 

My spell left a large hole in his chest, I can see wires hissing, gears whiring, and pistons quietly creaking as they pump back and forth. 

I can see the rust which had begun to eat into them slow and begin to steadily retreat. 

"I've been polite. Don't you think so, Invisible person? For the record I don't really hold anything against either of you which is why I held back and don't kill either of you in your weakened state." 

"Honestly... I kind of forgot that the Machina race even existed." I comment. "Ah well... I suppose I'm on something of a time limit now... Open: Gate of the Maiden... Virgo." 

*DING-DONG* 

"You rang, master?" The pink haired maid appears with a flash she peers around briefly, glancing to the prone mages. "Oh dear..." 

I wordlessly toss a bag to her which she fumbles with briefly before looking down at it in confusion. 

"Virgo. That is a bag I've enchanted with requip magic to hold more. There's a celestial spirit key somewhere in the surrounding thousand feet in front of me. Please find it for me and if there's anything else of note, please use the bag... I'll tend to our... guest." 

I slowly turn, feelingly a massive pulse of magical energy deep within the city. It's quickly growing closer and closer. 

[Split] 

A red-haired woman stalks forwards, walking through the winding streets of Vistarion with purpose. 

She should by all means be hurrying... yet... there's no real need to. 

The magical aura she sensed isn't moving, nor does it seem to be doing much of anything... just silently waiting... for her. 

The woman's legs tense slightly as with a single leap she clears the wall, her cloak billowing behind her for a moment as her magic gently grips her and launches her forwards at high speeds. 

The sand dune she lands on nearly collapses from the sheer force of her stop, she gazes downwards to see a sole figure in a dark cloak standing there, a warbling orb of golden metal above his hand that he seems to be toying with. 

They almost lazily toss it aside, the gold dissipating into motes of light. 

"Ah. You." A male voice echoes out from under the cloak.  

Irene finds her gaze straying to the two prone figures nearby. One... the machine... one of the Spriggan ten. The emperor's greatest generals... and the other a candidate for said position. 

Both defeated  and cast aside like they're mere B-Class generic trash. 

The dragon in human form's eyes return to the cloaked man. "Who are you? Why have you come here?" 

"I am searching for a celestial spirit key... and I would like to preface this by stating that I was not the one who chose violence today... even after the Machine tried to shoot me in the back... I tried to negotiate. Yet, me saying that I was searching for such a key apparently set him off, claiming that all artifacts on Alakitasia belong solely to the Emperor Spriggan." 

"Do they not?" The dragon questions. 

"According to celestial law. Region and location are not considered for the keys. They are free agents. Bound to their contract be it light or dark wizard. Zeref deciding that he wants to live in a desert this century has no bearing on the keys that were there probably before he was even born." The mage replies. 

"Very few know the true identity of the Emperor Spriggan... that is dangerous knowledge you possess." The woman frowns. "And you do not even hesitate to hide your distaste for our king. Tell me. Why should I let you leave this place alive?" 

"A very good question. I apologize if I came off as rude there, but... your emperor really... irritates me." He continues. "I understand where he is coming from... cursed by the god of life and death... in a way... I do understand his pain and his suffering... however..." 

"I am a seer. Irene Belserion. Occasionally I see flashes of the future... or a future should I not have existed." He lazily rotates a hand, shifting his weight slightly. He then says something  completely unrelated to his previous sentence "Right lung. Flame enchantment condensed into a beam of plasma. I would have dodged." 

The red haired woman's hand twitches slightly. 

She had been about to attack him... he is a seer... dangerous. 

"Do you want to know what I saw in that future, Queen of Dragons?" His voice is dull, bored and listless. 

"I saw Zeref... stood before one of his pawns. One of the demons he created in his steadily escalating attempts at his own life... I watched him look him dead in the eyes... acknowledge that the spell he was about to cast would succeed in ending his life... then he killed them." 

She can feel his magic churn. It's not equal to her own... not by a longshot... however... it is comparable to her own... and that says something. 

He has a vast sea hidden beneath a farce. A little pond. Something that any A-Class mage would be proud of... yet it is nothing but deceit. 

Frankly it's utterly fascinating. It's likely what allowed him to defeat the machine so easily. 

Wall does not do well with sudden changes. He is methodical. He likely watched this wizard for several minutes before initiating contact... according to this man, said contact ended poorly. Predictable. Wall is a fan of... forceful diplomacy... not that she is any better when it comes to dealing with ants... 

This man exposed his true magic for just a moment- presumably to defeat Jacob- then struck Wall while he was spouting 'error'... Wall doesn't even have the armaments he would use to combat a mage of this level. He was probably even more out of it than he ordinarily would be. 

"My issue with your little emperor is that he wines incessantly about his immortality and makes it everyone else's problem because he doesn't know how to pick up his damned toys... and the moment he has an opportunity to become truly free of his cursed existence... he decides that he'd rather plunge this entire country into a war with another because he has some asinine plan that will totally work this time. Because time travel will absolutely solve all of his fucking issues with no drawbacks whatsoever." The man finishes, Irene raising an eyebrow. 

Time travel? 

Is... that her liege's goal? 

Or is this man just spouting nonsense. 

Regardless... A fight between them would be disastrous... 

Would she win? 

Obviously. She's the sage dragon. A grandmaster enchanter and has a magical pool that dwarfs his a little over fifteen times.  

Yet... 

She can't win in a single blow. 

The fight would be drawn out. Vistarion would suffer. 

Nor does she know this mage's magic specialization. He has stated he is a seer. Wall has been rusted. He avoided her attack before she even shot it. 

Annoying. She... might actually lose depending on how much he has mastered that gift. 

Realistically, the safest way to fight this mage would be to wait for August. His magic would be invaluable here. She had already sent a message to him about one of the Spriggan being defeated. 

She is unsure if he and that annoying child he is teaching will show up. He may see fit to allow Irene herself to deal with it. In which case... bothersome... 

The mage doesn't appear to be making any aggressive motions. 

The woman takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. There is something that's... bothering her about this mage... something familiar... 

A... scent? 

But she hasn't been able to smell anything for centuries... 

It's more an impression of his magic. 

"You spoke of having issues with me as well, correct?" Irene speaks, buying a little more time to see if August will decide to show up. If not? She may just let this mage walk. Seers are dangerous. Especially ones that can use that gift in combat. 

"My issues with you are... a little more personal... I'm irritated at you for following the man who's little worshipers nearly enslaved your own daughter." 

The world grows completely silent for a moment, her control over her magical energy slips and a domineering presence presses down on everything for miles. She rolls her fingers for a moment before they clench into a fist, voice coming out in barely more than a growl. "What did you just say?" 

"I said." The cloaked wizard replies, his own magical energy surging. She can hear shrieks of rage and defiance, numerous wispy heads of energy waft around his body, hissing like snakes. His voice grows rougher and more animalistic. "That if I didn't put a stop to it. Zeref's little culty fanboys would have enslaved your daughter. Tortured her. Raped her. And done gods knows what else to her... while you. Her very own mother. Sucks up to the same suicidal out-of-touch fossil they worshiped." 

 "And even still. I was too slow. People she grew up around died because your little boss can't find the time to get off his lazy ass and send some of his peons to deal with someone even further tarnishing his abysmal name." 

Irene raises her hand. "Disappear-" 

The mage had already been moving, clearing the distance between them with some form of speed magic. 

She guides a kick over her head with her staff, swatting her staff at him and launching him back, she whirls around only for her eyes to widen. 

He hadn't been using his full speed. 

He is right in front of her, crouched low, palms facing outwards as they hover right in front of her stomach. "Shatter." 

Spittle leaves her lips as red lines crisscross her exposed stomach. Its looks like a glass window that was fractured, but her flesh is too durable for normal magic to draw her blood. 

It was close though... 

That attack... it wasn't just one attack. 

Dark ecriture and light ecriture? At once? written in the same moment? 

If he had cast just one or the other, it wouldn't even leave a mark on her body. Very few things can actually hurt her. But the clashing energy of the two opposing spells... actually wounded her. Even if it's a superficial wound. More just knocking the wind out of her. 

She glances up just in time to see a massive metal head rushing towards her, a large serpent-like dragon of some sort, jaws open wide as it's about to snap down on her. 

"Disappear." 

What looks like little sparkles of glitter crackle within her open palm as she swings an arm forwards. 

The dragon head is vaporized... just as a heel cracks into the back of her head. 

"Interesting spell, Deadbeat." The voice growls from behind her, she can see him pivoting through the air in the corner of her eye, he is currently upside down. "Enchanting the air to explode." 

Two glowing green eyes seem to peer through the darkness of the cloak; he raises one hand, green motes of light crackling around it, looking like numerous little plus marks... exactly like the spell she just showcased "Disappear." 

Irene flips, crossing her arms and surging her magic as a line of explosions rip through the desert sand, carrying her backwards at high speeds. 

That bastard copied her spell? 

It's weak. Laughably weak. 

He obviously knows how to enchant if he's the one who worked on that cloak of his. 

Now that she has seen it up close it's not bad. The core enchantment seems to be based off of a form of enchanting she doesn't use. Weaving images and runes into cloth. But there are faint traces of imbuement within the cloak. 

'Disappear' is a very basic form of imbuement enchantment... but learning it seemingly from watching her use it once? 

He's skilled, she can admit that much. 

But lacking experience. 

She suddenly flips back, avoiding a metallic tendril which has- been interwoven with cloth?  

A sudden beam of heat shoots from the tip of the metal spire which she leans back to avoid, the laser passing just between her breasts on its original path towards her face and poking through her top as it shoots off into the distance. 

Her hand snaps up, catching a swinging blade that had been rocketing towards her throat. 

The head of her staff jabs out, denting metal inwards and shooting her attacker backwards just as a single bolt of light strikes her in the face, a falling star of some sort. 

What looks to be a knight made completely of iron skips across the dunes before sliding to a halt as she ducks under the slash of another from behind. 

"Composite Make: Argonaut." She can hear the voice of the mysterious mage speak from to her left. 

She turns, magic crackling to life in her hand only to pause as a cloaked figure lunges forwards... but the being underneath is metal. 

The hair on the back of her neck raises as she abruptly lunges to the side, arm lashing out- 

*Sprrt-* 

There's a brief hiss that leaves her lips as she can feel the faintest warmth... then nothing... her damned senses don't even allow her to feel pain. 

Her eyes narrow as she finds that figure stood in the sand, a fairly long blade clutched within one hand, red faintly drips down the edge. 

He has lost his cloak... it rests in the woman's outstretched hand. 

Irene's gaze flicks downwards as she brings the cloak to her side. She had been cut. Not that deep, barely a scratch even, but that blade carved through her magical defense as if it wasn't there. Annoyingly, it seems only her sheer draconic durability saved her from a deeper wound but it wasn't posed to be a life-threatening one even if it was deeper at most it would have been an inch or two deep had he not underestimated her durability. it is a masterpiece of a weapon... and it is dangerous. It's not like the blood is hampering her; dragons can survive without their hearts. She is just slathering the cloak in her blood as it'd be far easier to track should he take it back. 

She gazes at the mage in front of her and... 

Huh? 

He's... young... 

Younger than she would have thought. 

Scales frame his face, his hands are clawed talons. 

His green eyes have slitted pupils. 

Dragon takeover... 

She had known it was possible... yet she never thought she'd see it. 

He looks familiar, actually. 

Her attention briefly strays to the numerous iron soldiers stood around her. 

Nothing to her. 

Annoyances. 

But... 

Each of them... 

She can see runes made of gold set on the surface of their bodies radiating magic, they each hold enchanted weapons that seem to conjure a star to rain down whenever they swing it. 

Each of them moves with... intellect. Each with enchanted bodies to be stronger, faster, and more durable. The one she struck earlier stands there, a large crater in the center of its chest, metal visibly rippling and fixing itself. She can see strings of some cloth that she has never seen before. 

It has been spread throughout the metal... a mesh to improve durability. Like how a mud hut may have straw or sticks mixed within to improve its stability. 

These... are masterfully done although weak. 

Every single one of the ten golems has strength that could give an S-Class wizard pause, and what she can feel from the mage before her... he has barely drained his magic at all. 

That pool he was using to disguise his magic is gone... as for the rest? Five? Maybe ten percent has been used? 

That magic efficiency... 

Dangerous. 

"Is this enough?" The mage questions as the cloak within her hands abruptly evaporates like it wasn't there. It was apparently an extension of his magic. Fascinating. "I don't know how I'd be able to look your daughter in the eyes after I killed her mother in cold blood... and that's what's going to happen if we don't stop this farce now. I will put my all into killing you... because you are dangerous." 

All of these pesky enchantments would be nothing but fuel for her if she just tapped into her dragon slayer- NO. 

She will never make use of that sickening magic ever again. 

She hasn't been this irritated in a long time. 

And yet... 

There's an emotion underneath all of that anger... 

Desire. 

The young man before her couldn't be much older than eighteen... and yet he can compete with her even with how much she is holding back as to not damage the city. 

She can tell... he isn't giving it his all either. 

Clearly. As he hadn't been trying to kill her. 

Just think of what he could become under her guidance. He might be the one who could enchant her back into a human. 

He seems to perk up, briefly glancing over his shoulder as a smile forms on his lips. "Close Gate." 

He had been maintaining a celestial spirit this whole time? 

"I'm leaving." He states. "Don't try and stop me. And-" 

She can see his eyes widen in panic as he flinches, his magic surges as he creates another hooded cloak, this one lacking the enchantments of his earlier one... yet still made of that strange cloth. 

"For the record. I think your hat is stupid. What's the deal with the massive tubes. You look ridiculous. Oh. And when August shows up. Please tell him to stop being such a pussy and tell to Zeref that he's his father." 

She recoils back at that. "Wait wh-" 

Draconic wings explode from the figure's back as he is struck by lightning... just as a magic circle appears to her left. 

He's... Gone. 

Vanished with the lightning strike. The soldiers around her fading to motes of ethernano as they rapidly rust. 

With a pulse of magic, two new figures appear, the first a man with long greying blonde hair, a staff in hand. "Irene. I came as soon as I received your message and felt your magical power." 

"You're late." The woman snaps. "He's long gone." 

The second figure who had appeared lets out a gasp, a girl with dark black hair and pink eyes, she quickly moves forwards, leaning over the machina. "Wall! Are you alright?!" 

"Who did this to him?!" She whirls around pink magic briefly flickering around her hand. "Is it this nondescript suit wearing little shit-" 

"Ashley." The older man quickly snaps causing the girl to falter. "That... is Jacob Lessio. Candidate for the Spriggan ten." 

"..." 

"Huh... whatever." The girl grumbles as she leans back over the robot. "Wow. He's messed up. I've never seen the 'Great Wall' lain so low... except for when you beat him up that one time, Gramps." 

"Irene." The man slowly states. "You're bleeding?" 

"They had a bothersome weapon... they were skilled... but frankly... Wall's lack of diplomacy caused this incident."  

The old man sighs. "Wonderful. What did he do this time?" 

"According to the mage. Tried to shoot him in the back... it's likely he also tried to forcibly enlist him... he underestimated that mage. They both did. And it seems like Jacob tried to send him to his assassination dimension... which ended in a manner similar to what would happen should he try to trap either of us within his dimension." 

"If he had hostile intent... both of them would have already been dead before I arrived... he spared them by choice... just as how he pulled his strike when he did this..." 

She brings her bloody hand up, clenching her fist. 

"I am still quite shocked he managed to land a single blow on you. Let alone from what I can see two and one close call." August observes. 

"He was a seer. A powerful one. You would likely have little issue in fighting him with your magic but for myself? It is quite... annoying to pin down a mage who knows what you are going to do several seconds in advance. These injuries are likely because of that as well." 

"If I released my full might and left him nowhere to dodge? I might be able to defeat him... however had done that? Vistarion would be nothing but glass. I simply stalled him until he seemingly accomplished his goal and flew off."   

"His goal?" The man echoes. 

"A celestial spirit key, apparently." The woman sighs. "All of this was caused because Wall couldn't fathom our Emperor not owning every single artifact on the continent and has the conversational ability of a wet napkin." 

"HEY! You tag that back, Dragon Hag!" The girl frowns. "Wall's just autistic! And a robot!" 

"..." 

"Was he a dragon takeover mage?" August asks suddenly. 

"..." 

"Yes." The woman stares, eyes narrowing briefly. "You know... that mage? He looked remarkably young. Eighteen. Maybe a bit older... not older than twenty five though." 

He looks around at surrounding landscape. The melted sand dunes, faint remnants of magical energy, the metal statue of- 

"Deadbeat Mother." 

Numerous metal letters that spell out 'Deadbeat Mother' and a... really lifelike depiction of Irene. 

Did- did he make that while he was fighting her?! 

He... is going to refrain from mentioning that... it's not in her line of sight and she already appears to be in a bad mood. 

"I met a mage that was collecting celestial spirit keys once... Fornax the Furnace if I remember correctly. Dragon takeover... he was attempting to buy it yet the merchant scammed him... he wasn't able to contain his irritation for a moment and I got a brief read of his magic before he regained control of his temper. It was nearly... two years ago if I remember correctly. The mage I saw back then... would have in no way held a candle to you today... he must have improved leaps and bounds over what he once was." 

"I was not aware he was that young. I was guessing late twenties." He concludes. "Nor did I get a good look at his face." 

"Hm... I think I want him." Irene suddenly speaks. 

"Pardon?" The man blinks. 

"His magic intrigued me. He has this... layered enchantment... maker magic... but enchanted. He created ten soldier of S-Class strength without even being slightly winded. You have your own apprentice. Perhaps it's about time I get my own." Irene glances past the man. "They even look quite similar... actually... Annoying brat. Do you have any siblings?" 

The girl's face shoots through a wide arrange of emotions before settling on sending a piercing glare towards the red haired woman. "Not anymore." 

"Hn. I will leave the clean up to you. August... Oh... and the seer told me something interesting before he left... you should tell Zeref. It will be funny... or he could immediately kill us all from feeling too much emotion. Either or." 

"Tell Zeref... what?" The man blinks. 

"Oh. You know." The woman grins viciously only to pause. "Hn... taking that boy as my apprentice will be annoying, he was quite vocal in his distaste of the Emperor... and I doubt anything I say or do will change that opinion... in fact... a few things he said... hn..." 

She seems to grow deep in thought then simply turns, swishing her cape. "I will be leaving Alverez for a time. Do not wait up."