Chapter 64: Recovery (3)
[Black Suit ver. 2]
With Oliver’s incantation, the emotions and life force contained in each test tube began to unravel like strands of thread, twisting together into a single thick thread.
Emotions and life force combined into one.
He had thought about it several times but had never actually made it before, and to his surprise, there was less resistance between the emotions and life force than expected.
No, in fact, they blended together quite well.
Perhaps it was only natural.
According to what he read in a book, emotions and life force ultimately stem from the same root—the soul.
Few seemed to have noticed this fact, and Oliver himself had only just realized it a moment ago.
It was truly a pleasant discovery.
Whether intentional or not, he had learned something new in this situation.
He couldn't help but think that becoming a Fixer was turning out to be the right choice.
Along with that, he felt gratitude toward Holy Knight Joanna.
Thanks to her advice to go out into the world and meet people, he had been able to experience this. Look—how delightful it all was.
Oliver wrapped the combined emotions and life force around his body.
As if putting on clothes or a coat.
The emotions and life force, intricately woven like fabric, protected not only his whole body but also his quarterstaff.
After tucking the empty test tubes back into his arms, Oliver pulled out new ones.
He had planned to conserve emotions while working as a Fixer, but he set that thought aside for now to test a new form of Black Magic.
More than anything, he wanted to see how effective this new Black Magic would be against a Black Magician like Knuckle Joe.
Although Joe was a disease-type Black Magician like the members of the Dominique Family, his magic had a different texture. Oliver was eager to find out more.
He opened the lid of a test tube.
Then he cast Black Magic on the upgraded Black Suit, enhanced with life force.
Burning Life, which ignited life force to enhance the entire body;
Muscle Up, which boosted physical strength using life force;
And Endurance Skin, which used emotions of endurance to make the skin tough and durable.
He applied all three.
The sensation was different from when he used them directly on himself.
It was hard for Oliver to explain with his limited vocabulary, but if he had to describe it, it was like the difference between touching something with your bare skin and feeling it through clothes.
Honestly, from Oliver’s perspective, this was much better.
Although it felt somewhat awkward, there were no side effects compared to when he applied the magic directly to himself.
While feeling a small sense of joy and satisfaction at learning something new and mastering new Black Magic, the gang members appeared.
“There he is! Over there!”
“Everyone, this way!”
He could sense a large group of gang members rushing toward him along with the frantic shouts.
Suppressing the satisfaction he felt a moment ago, Oliver decided to focus fully this time.
After all, luck wouldn’t continue forever.
First, he focused his eyes to check the approaching gang members. Along with them, he saw Knuckle Joe cautiously sneaking up through the crowd, as well as Big Jaw circling around to approach from behind the wall with Nico.
“Hm, first...”
Maintaining his Black Magician’s vision, Oliver cast Targeting Magic on both the gang members coming from the front and Knuckle Joe.
Using the Black Magician’s vision allowed him to see past obstacles like walls, making it much easier. Oliver then threw Black Darts into the air, matching the number of enemies.
The black blades scattered in the air like flower petals.
Then, as if drawn by a magnet, they gathered momentum and flew toward their targets. Before long, the sound of screams filled the air.
A few quick gang members caught up to Oliver and fired their guns, but before they could fire more than a few shots, they were hit by the Black Darts and collapsed, firing their guns aimlessly as they fell.
“There—ugh!”
“Shoot, shoot—urk!”
“It hurts... What the—?!”
One by one, the gang members fell.
In the midst of this, the muzzle flashes from their guns illuminated the surroundings like afterimages.
At that moment, Oliver saw it.
Knuckle Joe, who had been hiding in the shadows among the gang members, using the muzzle flashes to close the distance in an instant.
He had concealed his presence behind the gang members, broke the incoming Black Darts with a strike, and then used his Black Magic-enhanced leg strength to close the distance in one swift move, just like before.
Although it was only a fleeting moment, Oliver’s eyes, which could see emotions, caught everything.
“You should’ve run while you had the chance.”
Joe, who had rapidly closed the distance, grabbed Oliver and spoke.
Then, he swung his other fist with great force.
Boom!
An enormous sound reverberated as a heavy silence followed, like the eerie stillness after someone dies.
After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity, Knuckle Joe spoke quietly.
“You... what are you?”
His voice was low, but it wavered.
And with good reason—his Black Magic-enhanced fist had been blocked by this frail Black Magician.
Not by a Black Shield or some other Black Magic, but by an old quarterstaff.
“No way... can you also use disease-type Black Magic?”
“Yes.”
With that answer, Oliver shook off Joe’s arm and swung his quarterstaff, just as Kent had taught him.
Joe, increasing his defense with Black Magic, blocked Oliver’s attack head-on.
Not that he couldn’t dodge, but it seemed like he wanted to confirm something.
Clang—! Crash—! Bang—!
The sound of metal colliding echoed.
Though Oliver had enhanced the quarterstaff, Joe managed to block it skillfully.
Even so, he was sent flying back, unable to withstand the force.
“...!!!”
After being thrown far back, Joe got up immediately and glared at Oliver.
He was filled with emotions of confusion and disbelief, but those feelings soon ignited into a burning rage and hostility.
“You...!”
“...My name is Dave.”
“...What?”
“It’s Dave. You asked earlier, didn’t you?”
Joe, recalling when he was surprised that his attack had been blocked, looked utterly dumbfounded. As if this was the first time he’d encountered such a situation.
“...Are you kidding me?”
“Oh... did I make a mistake? I’m sorry. I thought I should answer your question since I had something to ask, too.”
“A question...?”
“Yes, I just wanted to ask—hmm, hold on.”
Oliver abruptly turned his head toward a nearby wall and took a defensive stance.
As if on cue, the wall burst open, and someone charged out.
It was Big Jaw, with Nico riding on his back.
“I barely woke him up with Awake...! Big Jaw! Smash him!!”
“Roooaaarrr——!”
Crash—! Crash—!
Big Jaw, now more ferocious than before, pushed Oliver back with tremendous force.
He grabbed both of Oliver’s shoulders and slammed him into the wall with such power that he broke through two walls.
Thankfully, the Black Suit enhanced with Endurance Skin absorbed most of the impact. Had Oliver not been wearing it, his bones would have been crushed for sure.
Nico, still on Big Jaw’s back, stared in shock at Oliver, who remained unscathed.
“What the hell... why is this bastard still fine?!”
Nico’s shout was filled with genuine bewilderment. Joe responded by shouting back.
“He can use disease-type Black Magic! And he’s even better at it than me!”
“What?!”
Nico, eyes wide in disbelief, stared at Oliver.
Oliver, meanwhile, was still caught in Big Jaw’s grip.
Even with Muscle Up indirectly boosting his strength, the sheer difference in raw power made it impossible for him to escape.
‘And I’m almost out of life force... How much longer do I have?’
He needed to end this quickly.
“Damn it... Big Jaw! Bite his head off! Chew it up completely!”
With Nico’s command, reinforced by Black Magic, Big Jaw opened his mouth wide.
Wide enough to swallow Oliver’s head whole.
“Graaaaargh—urk!”
Just as Big Jaw was about to bite down, Oliver shoved his arm into the beast’s open mouth.
Startled by the unexpected resistance, Big Jaw gagged and coughed in confusion. Seizing the moment, Nico quickly issued another order.
“Damn it! Big Jaw, chew off that bastard’s arm first!”
Following the Black Magician’s command, Big Jaw bit down on Oliver’s arm.
Though the Black Suit was protecting him, Oliver could feel its durability weakening under the immense pressure.
If he didn’t act soon, his arm would be severed. But he had no intention of standing by and letting that happen.
[Wrath Bomb]
Oliver detonated the emotions stored in his hand.
With a resounding blast, Big Jaw’s head exploded.
The body that had been so fiercely assaulting Oliver suddenly lost all strength, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
“...!”
“...!!”
Both Joe and Nico were left stunned by the sight.
Especially Nico, who, having been riding on Big Jaw’s back, was thrown into a state of panic as the creature beneath him fell apart. He scrambled to create distance, but Oliver didn’t allow it, quickly closing the gap between them.
“You’re fast...!”
“I’ve enhanced myself with Burning Life,” Oliver explained calmly as he swung his quarterstaff.
Boom!
Just as Oliver was about to strike Nico, Joe intervened at the last moment.
He threw himself in front of Nico, acting as a human shield.
“Joe...!”
“Get back and support me!” Joe ordered.
With those words, Joe launched into close combat with Oliver.
It seemed he had determined that a firefight would be too dangerous, so he focused on maintaining the optimal distance for hand-to-hand combat. His attacks came in a flurry—punches reinforced with knuckle dusters and kicks aimed at Oliver’s lower body.
Joe’s unpredictable, aggressive strikes were too fierce for Oliver to block entirely. He managed to land several blows.
Clearly, in pure close combat, Joe had the upper hand.
Each time Joe’s attacks made contact, a sharp, violent sound filled the air.
Although Oliver’s Black Suit was absorbing most of the damage, he could still feel the force behind each hit, enough to know that a single direct blow could easily break his bones.
The Black Suit’s defenses weren’t limitless, and Oliver knew he had to act quickly. In desperation, he swung his quarterstaff to counterattack.
“You’re good with Black Magic, but your hand-to-hand skills are still amateurish.”
Joe dodged Oliver’s strike effortlessly, then countered with a powerful punch.
Whack—!
Though it didn’t hurt much, the impact was strong enough to make Oliver stagger.
Seizing the opportunity, Joe grabbed Oliver by the collar again, determined not to let him escape.
“Nico!”
“I’m on it! Muscle Up!”
Nico supported Joe with Black Magic, channeling it into Joe’s body.
Joe focused that power into his fist, which turned a dark, blood-red hue.
“If you hit me with that, your fist will break,” Oliver remarked.
“Shut up... You think I care about something like that?”
“Oh...”
“Die.”
With that, Joe swung his fist with all his strength.
Whoosh—!
Instead of the expected sound of destruction, only a dull, anticlimactic noise filled the air as Joe’s fist sliced through empty space.
“Huh?”
Joe muttered in confusion.
He had been suddenly yanked backward, as if pulled by an invisible force.
Completely baffled, Joe turned around to see Nico flying toward him.
Or rather, being dragged toward him by some unseen power.
“...A dartboard?”
Joe’s eyes narrowed as he saw a black dartboard on Nico’s body.
“Yes, it’s Targeting. I’ve combined the emotion of obsession to make them pull each other together.”
Before Joe could react, he and Nico collided in mid-air.
Immediately after, Oliver closed in on the defenseless pair and swung his quarterstaff with all his might.
“Is this how you do it?”
Channeling the power of his Black Suit into the quarterstaff, Oliver unleashed a devastating blow.
Crash—!
The impact sent both Joe and Nico hurtling toward a nearby wall, which cracked under the force.
Joe managed to endure the blow thanks to his Black Magic-enhanced body, but Nico’s form crumpled like a broken doll.
With the Fighter Crew members all defeated, Oliver approached the only one left alive—Joe.
There was still one question he hadn’t answered.
“Huff... Huff... Who... are you...” Joe asked, gasping for breath, his eyes unfocused.
“...I’m Dave.”
“Just... kill me.”
Joe, resolved to his fate, spoke with a sense of finality. Yet despite his words, there was something unsettling deep within his heart, similar to what Oliver had seen in Kent—a lingering sense of responsibility for something important.
“Hmm...”
Oliver hesitated, unsure whether to finish Joe off.
He remembered Kent’s advice: Don’t take lives too easily. But he also recalled Kent’s warning: Show no mercy to strong enemies. Pity and hesitation could easily lead to death.
Thinking back, some of Kent’s teachings seemed contradictory.
In the end, the decision was entirely up to Oliver.
After a moment of deliberation, Oliver extracted Joe’s emotions and infused his quarterstaff with Black Magic once more.
Then he gently placed the staff against Joe.
[Deep Sleep]
Joe fell into a deep slumber, as if knocked unconscious.
If his strength and willpower held up, he might wake up again. But if not, he would remain asleep indefinitely.
In any case, it had been a useful experiment, and Oliver still had some things he wanted to ask him later. For now, this was enough.
With that, Oliver moved on.
His target was Professor Herbert.
Focusing his vision, he saw that Herbert was preparing to flee.