Chapter 1603 Blossoming <TOC> Chapter 1605 Contacting Glen
Next page password is bold portion: friT93R$wrIs
Translator: SumTLMan
“Is Onassis really that powerful?”
The door to the inner hall creaked open, and Nausica, clad in flexible armor, stepped out. She was the one who had just posed the question, having evidently heard Angel’s words.
Angel nodded, “His strength lies in the fact that no one has yet discovered a way to counteract his abilities.”
Nausica took a seat opposite Alan. Utilizing the “Sweet Fire” that Alan had burning in his hand, she lit the tobacco in her pipe and took a deep inhale, exhaling a plume of smoke that resembled a rose. The fatigue on her face dissipated immediately.
“The captivating blend of Sweet Fire and Silver-Scaled Rose Tobacco — such an intoxicating experience I am fortunate yet regretful to have today,” Nausica mused before turning her attention back to Angel. “You can’t decipher his abilities? Have you also failed to discern the nature of his powers?”
Angel replied, “His abilities are unique. Both Gloria and I have some conjectures, but we haven’t directly encountered them, so we can’t confirm anything.”
Then, Angel proceeded to share his speculations.
Aside from Alan, who was solely focused on grilling meat, everyone else wore faces of astonishment and disbelief. Leon seemed lost for a moment before asking Angel with an incredulous look, “Can philosophy also become a weapon?”
“I don’t know,” Angel paused before adding, “But why not?”
In this fantastical and splendid world, whatever one thinks or believes — even if it’s just a mysterious concept — can become reality as long as there’s a medium to channel it.
So why can’t philosophy be one?
Of course, this was still just Angel’s hypothesis. To give form to philosophy, the required medium would undoubtedly be something they’ve never understood before. So, this still remains an unknown variable.
Coral: “Even if one uses philosophy as a weapon, is there really no chance of winning now? If Hilary could turn the water inside Onassis into magma, could she beat him?” Coral asks, considering the situation from Hilary’s point of view.
Hilary’s ability is indeed powerful, especially against wizards specializing in water magic — it serves as a significant countermeasure. However, most transcendent beings maintain defensive spells at all times, and as long as it’s not water-based, it can temporarily withstand Hilary’s abilities.
A brief moment is all that’s needed for Hilary to potentially be defeated — unless the opponent uses a water-based defensive spell.
However, this seems impractical. The Novastar Competition has already reached the semifinals, and every high-ranking contestant has been thoroughly scrutinized by public opinion. Even if Hilary, who has been sleeping for an extended period, has declined all interviews from magazines, her abilities have already been exposed. Under these circumstances, any opponent facing her would be well aware to avoid water-based tricks; using them would be tantamount to seeking one’s own demise.
Angel: “His strength lies not just in his power, but also in the fact that you can’t ignore him. Once you acknowledge his existence, he can brandish his philosophical longsword and draw you into his rhythm.”
Indeed, what makes him formidable is not his essence but the message he aims to convey. Acknowledging his existence makes one susceptible to his all-encompassing philosophy.
Nausica: “From what you’re saying, it seems that to defeat him, besides overwhelming him with power levels, the only option is to truly face him.”
Ignoring Onassis’s existence is unrealistic. The only option is to face him and defeat him in his own game.
Coral: “You mean… defeat Onassis in the domain where he excels?”
Nausica nods: “Exactly, perhaps only by engaging him in philosophical debates, using reason to counter his arguments, can one stand a chance against him.”
Easier said than done, however. Onassis has practically turned himself into a living book of philosophy. To defeat him in debate would likely require a vast accumulation of knowledge and a profound grounding in philosophical thought.”
“Listening to this, there might be a chance for Shalem’s Black Canon to intellectually best him. One stance is grounded in pure rational thinking, as if standing on the scales of justice, while the other looks at the world from a subjective, idealistic perspective, as if standing at the world’s center. The clash of these two modes of thought may actually result in an evenly matched debate,” Coral said. Then, she suddenly lost her enthusiasm, “Unfortunately, the competitor this time isn’t Black Canon, but Hilary.”
“For someone who spends most of their time sleeping, what kind of foundation could she possibly build in her dreams?” Nausica sighed, “We’ll have to play it by ear; if all else fails, losing is also an option.”
Angel shared the same sentiment. Hilary had come a long way, and that was already impressive. After all, Hilary had managed to overshadow Savage Grottoes’ most formidable apprentices——Nanaki and Bass. This alone spoke volumes about her strength.
“The Novastar Competition has brought out so many dark horses this time. Azaz alone would have been one thing, but now there’s even a bizarrely talented Onassis,” Coral lamented, but her tone changed when she looked at Angel, “Yet, despite their strengths, they still can’t overshadow Angel’s accomplishments.”
Whether it’s forming a friendship in the Abyss with Odeklaes or advancing to become a formal wizard and a member of the Research Institute, all of these achievements eclipse the trivial title of Novastar champion.
Angel is on our side, so the glory still belongs to the Savage Grottoes.
With this thought, Coral’s mood seemed to lift significantly.
Speaking of Angel, Alan, who had been focused on grilling meat, couldn’t help but join in the conversation. “We both left the Old Land Continent at the same time, so why is the gap between us so large?” Alan was genuinely curious about what adventures Angel had experienced over the years that allowed him to rise so quickly.
The previously quiet courtyard suddenly became animated due to the conversation about Angel.
Angel pinched the bridge of his nose, still puzzled as to how the topic had shifted to him all of a sudden.
Seeing their conversation becoming increasingly enthusiastic — Alan even recounted stories from their time together on the Old Land Continent — Angel coughed to redirect the topic, “I’ve just advanced a step ahead. When they reach this stage, their performances will certainly outshine mine.”
Much like Onassis, if he ascends to the realm of a formal wizard, his capabilities could become insurmountable. And consider Carvelyn: when she unlocks more forms of her Shepherd God Garment, her surge in strength is inevitable.
Angel is actually quite pleased to see their growth.
At the very least, one can foresee that the future of the Wizarding World in the Southern Region will be quite promising with the presence of these individuals.
“What you’ve mentioned only includes them, but not you at that time. My intuition tells me that the greatest possibility is that while they are ascending to become formal wizards and exploring the mountain ranges, you would already be at the summit of those mountains, seeking a path to pluck stars,” Coral said. Although this is merely her speculation, as long as Angel does not meet a downfall, such a possibility is undoubtedly present, and the likelihood is very high.
Coral’s remarks have left everyone somewhat sentimental. The gap between them and Angel will only widen over time.
With that thought, no one spoke further.
After a moment of silence, Coral broke the stillness, not to continue the subject at hand but to shift gears: “By the way, how is Hilary doing now?”
Nausica answered, “She’s awake, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. But based on her waking habits, if nothing urgent is happening, she is likely to be spacing out for at least half an hour.”
Given that Hilary is conscious only for four to six hours each day, excluding the half hour she spends in a daze, her effective use of time each day is really limited.
Coral hopped off from Gank’s shoulder and headed inside, “Since she’s awake, I’ll go in and see her, and while I’m at it, I’ll brief her on tomorrow’s battlefield situation.”
After Coral left, they stopped talking about Angel and just chatted casually about other news, and then dispersed.