And now, in this moment.
"What... the hell... is this...?!"
True to Ermes's calculations — every last one of them.
Karma, who had gained an overwhelming level of magic power and intimidation that should have been utterly unattainable, was writhing in agony after taking a direct hit from Herk's spell.
(...heh)
A dry laugh escaped unbidden.
Until he actually saw it with his own eyes — no, even now, having seen it, he still couldn't believe it. Karma, who had become a godlike existence, was being tormented this badly by magic from someone like him.
But that was the reality before him.
Which meant Ermes had done it. The impossible feat of pushing a being's evolution in the wrong direction — he'd pulled it off with abilities and intellect that defied all standards.
In exchange for being overwhelmingly powerful against all other magic and mages, Karma was now overwhelmingly weak against only Herk and the Great Serpent of White Stillness. That was the warped existence Ermes had crafted exactly as desired. Through his own methods alone — methods no one else could have used.
As a result, Karma lay defeated.
The opponent he had desperately wanted to overcome, the one who had coolly surpassed everything he had — now, right before his eyes as he rushed in for the finishing blow, lay twisted in utter humiliation.
And so, yes — rejoicing, praising himself, at the moment that called for it —
(...damn... it...!!)
— was impossible.
Herk had wanted to achieve something with his own power.
He had wanted to defeat this detestably strong and beautiful opponent through his own strength and wit. A victory that was entirely orchestrated by Ermes — he'd rather have lost outright. That was far more detestable.
He was frustrated. He was pathetic. It hurt so badly he couldn't stand it —
"Damn it. ...Ah, but."
But. Surprisingly, he'd come to terms with it.
Right. What had he screamed just moments ago? He had decided to struggle more pathetically than anyone. He had decided to suffer more than anyone, pushing forward through the depths of hell with a smile.
Then why on earth was he still dreaming of a radiant victory now? How could he possibly still cling to such fairy tales — giving everything, overcoming hardship through his own strength and wit, seizing glory?
He was the one who would worry more pathetically than anyone, suffer more wretchedly than anyone.
And at the end of that —
Victory itself should be seized within the midst of suffering.
Then this situation, too.
It must be inevitable — for Herk.
"Wh-who — what are you?! What's with that look on your face?! From the very beginning, I couldn't understand a single thing about you!!"
"Ah, yeah. People like you and her — people the world has affirmed from the very start — there are things in this world you'll never understand, never be compatible with. I'm sure of it."
That was his reply to Karma's words as he barely recovered from the ice and tried to flee.
Even now, he couldn't rejoice. A victory served to him on a silver platter by a magnificent being — he couldn't take joy in that. If he'd been the sort of person dense enough to enjoy it earnestly, things might have been easier, but unfortunately, he couldn't be that way.
A victory where everything pays off — that was a story of despair for Herk. No amount of effort, no amount of achievement. Nothing within his reach was a treasure won alongside unalloyed joy.
But. Even so — he had decided to keep moving forward.
He wouldn't be satisfied with power merely given to him. He wouldn't celebrate a victory that simply fell into his lap. Even as he felt pathetic for being someone who could only amount to this much... he had decided to keep struggling toward something far, far away.
Only by walking that path could he finally — take pride in himself.
...So, first, for now.
This victory before his eyes. A victory that was nine parts out of ten — no, entirely Ermes's achievement. Even as he felt pathetic for being unable to win except by becoming a puppet of someone he resented —
More frustrated than anyone — he would bring this to a close.
"Don't... make me... laugh...!!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!"
At Karma, who refused to accept reality, thrashing and trying to escape. Cursing his own inadequacy at being powerless to do anything on his own, vomiting up his negative emotions alongside a scream —
Herk fired his Bloodline Magic one more time.