"Teacher, I'm going to die."
After entering the Grand Isolation Barrier—
Standing together with Agusheed, who had emerged from the cabin, in the small flower field before the door, the Hero of the South said this.
Just as Agusheed had expected.
He had indeed come to persuade him not to interfere with his death-seeking plan.
"Mm, I know."
Agusheed waved lightly, and the flower field bloomed even more beautifully under the irrigation of magical power.
He turned sideways, focusing his gaze on his silly disciple's somewhat comical mustache.
"I do not agree with you 'dying.'"
Looking at his disciple who showed a helpless expression of 'as expected,'
Agusheed waved dismissively, making standard shooing gestures to send his guest away.
"So you can get lost now. Go back where you came from."
"That's far too domineering..."
The Hero of the South lowered his brow with a soft sigh.
Regarding his stubborn teacher, though he had been refused many times before,
He still persistently tried to persuade:
"The most perfect future chosen jointly by me and Schlacht was forcibly vetoed by you, Teacher..."
"At least consider our feelings."
This statement from the Hero of the South made Agusheed, standing opposite him, sneer.
"Consider your feelings?"
"Heh—"
"How interesting. You actually dare say such things to me..."
Agusheed looked at his silly disciple with quite complex eyes,
Then slowly spoke, giving him an unceremonious response.
"Tell me, silly disciple..."
"Did you and Schlacht consider my feelings?"
"When you and Schlacht made this decision, did you consider my thoughts from beginning to end?"
Agusheed reached out, his index finger lightly touching the Hero of the South's throat.
His gaze was gloomy, with a few traces of sorrow that other demons didn't possess hidden in his eyes.
"What—"
"Making me watch helplessly as my rare friend and my silly disciple fight to the death before my eyes."
"While I should do nothing but lie in bed having sweet dreams..."
"Is this what you two call the 'most perfect future'?"
The Hero of the South was somewhat speechless.
He silently lowered his head, quietly looking at the two long swords hanging at his waist.
"That is the truth... Teacher."
After some time of struggle, the Hero of the South spoke softly to Agusheed before him.
"Although we both clearly understand that you don't want to see such a situation occur—"
The strongest disciple of the strongest Grand Demon of the modern era slowly raised his head,
Looking directly into Agusheed's seemingly calm eyes.
"But, Teacher... this is the most correct choice."
The Hero of the South continued his soft murmur:
"And the most beautiful future I can see."
Utterly foolish—
This was Agusheed's view that had never changed from beginning to end.
He spread his five fingers, placing them steadily on his disciple's broad shoulders.
"The most correct choice?"
"The most beautiful future?"
"Hehe..."
Agusheed continued questioning while staring at the Hero of the South with disdainful laughter:
"Blindly confident in your choices based on Magic That Can See the Future—"
"'Humanity's strongest' Hero of the South..."
"Is this how I taught you?"
No answer—Agusheed received only silence from the Hero of the South.
But no answer was also an answer.
—This meant his silly disciple still hadn't changed his mind.
Agusheed's palm applied slight pressure, causing several wrinkles to appear in the Hero of the South's cloak.
"Fine... aren't you superstitious about your future sight?"
Releasing his grip with a sigh, Agusheed spread his arms wide facing the Hero of the South.
He made this demand of his disciple:
"In that case..."
"Use your magic to see where I plan to go in the future—"
"If you can see or guess correctly, I'll agree to your decision."
"And from now on, I won't interfere with what you and Schlacht do."
—Seeing Agusheed's future itinerary.
This should have been the simplest thing for the Hero of the South, who possessed Magic That Can See the Future.
But it was precisely this request that should have been completely effortless
That made the Hero of the South rarely shake his head with a bitter smile at his teacher:
"You're clearly just being unreasonable..."
Thinking of that Spatial Severance from two years ago that absolutely didn't exist in any future he had seen,
Yet appeared without warning in the middle of the battlefield—
The Hero of the South marveled at his teacher's impossible demand.
"You clearly know that ever since you used a method unknown to me and Schlacht to shield your existence in the future—"
"Without your permission, neither of us can see any of your future possibilities through future sight anymore..."
Although undoubtedly surprised by Agusheed's unknown methods,
The Hero of the South's tone wasn't particularly incredulous.
Because he clearly understood in his heart
That his current teacher already possessed power comparable to the Demon King and Serie.
Through his unreasonable Severance Magic—
It wasn't impossible to accomplish such things.
"So you actually know your future sight isn't truly omniscient..."
Agusheed sneered and continued along this topic.
"So tell me, silly disciple..."
"With an unpredictable variable like me existing—"
"What makes you and Schlacht so arrogant as to think your choice is the most correct?"
Agusheed's tone was calm yet aloof.
He released his overwhelming magical power freely,
Gazing at this disobedient disciple before him with unprecedented oppressive presence.
"Tell me—"
"What makes you two think that the future you've decided upon is the most beautiful for both humanity and demonkind?"
The exaggerated magical power shooting straight to the heavens didn't make the Hero of the South move a single step,
Nor did it cause him any unnecessary trembling or discomfort.
He maintained absolute composure throughout,
Even daring to continue refuting Agusheed's words at this moment.
"Because, Teacher, you cannot truly be called a variable."
The Hero of the South said this.
He who understood his teacher extremely well calmly stated indisputable facts.
"Teacher, you would neither stand with humanity to defeat demonkind, nor stand with demonkind to destroy humanity—"
"You would forever maintain neutrality and observation."
Looking at Agusheed, who didn't interrupt or refute him,
The Hero of the South slowly closed his eyes.
"Teacher, there's one thing you understand far better than I do."
"Even if you witnessed endless death and slaughter with your own eyes, you wouldn't choose to defeat the Demon King."
He whispered softly, yet didn't dare look at the expression on Agusheed's face.
"Though saying this may be excessive, for the current you—"
"Whether humanity's destruction or demonkind's extinction are just trivial matters..."
Under Agusheed's gaze, the disciple who understood him best spoke the reason for everything—
"Because ever since a thousand years ago, when Grand Mage Flamme's soul returned to Aureole."
"Your inescapable obsession and dreams..."
"Your heart's only wish and desire..."
"Has been simply wanting to resurrect her, to have her return to your side once more..."
"Isn't that right, Teacher?"
----------
Powerstones?
For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates