Chapter 9 – True Last Boss (Dangerous)

After defeating the Red Dragon, a ghost of an old man appeared in front of us.

Its body is almost completely transparent.
Body covered in tattered clothes and lightly floating in the air.

「Who are you?」

tte, I unintentionally asked, but maa, I don’t expect an answer. It’s a ghost after all.

At times like this〈Pinnacle of Appraisal〉time――

『I’m Owen ja』

「It answered normally!? …… But, who? Support?」¹

「I, it’s not who! If it’s Owen, then it’s the person who created this tower! But, to think he would still be alive……?」

「No, no matter how it looks he is dead. It’s a ghost, after all」

「T, that’s right, huh…… tte, please don’t tsukommi me so calmly」

The ghost starts talking while we exchange our opinions.

『I’m Owen ja』

「Un, you said that earlier」

『I will eliminate everyone who tries to get in the way of my research』

Immediately, a magic circle appears and a fierce wind springs towards us.

「Advanced Grade magic!?」

「Uo」

I kick the ground with all my might and avoid the fierce wind with Tira on my back.

But, the shadow of the great sage activates Advanced magic in no time again.

「Advanced magic rapid fire…… In addition, this chanting speed……」

「Tira, we strike with Advanced magic too」

「I already started!」

Tira invokes Advanced magic. The same spell as the opponent.

The opposite side also invokes the Advanced wind magic at the same time.

The two great wind attacks collide――

「Now」

I infuse my right fist with fighting spirit and thrust at the point where the two winds collide.

「Certain Kill――――Congenial Brute Anal Hammer!!」

I thrust my fist infused with fighting spirit and shoot a shockwave forward.

That boosts Tira’s wind, which smashes the opponent’s magic.

『U!』

The great sage opens his eyes wide.
The mass of wind and fighting spirit immediately completely envelops him.

As if scattering in a smoke, the great sage’s body bursts open.

「Did we, do it……?」

「No, the survival flag is still standing」

In a moment, the scattered body gathers in one place.

The ghost returns to its original form as if nothing had happened.

Zero damage?
Maa, it’s a ghost.

How do we defeat it?
I use〈Pinnacle of Appraisal〉.

Apparently, that undead monster has almost infinite amount of magic power and it will revive again no matter how many times it’s destroeyed.

In other words, it’s immortal. Seriously?

I further check what the ghost is thinking about with〈Pinnacle of Mind Reading〉.
I really didn’t want to use this on humans, but well, it’s a ghost.

…… I see.

Apparently, that fellow set up a ghost magic in hopes it would complete his research.

In addition, I work on a strategy while receiving assist of〈Pinnacle of Prediction〉.

――Yosh, that should do it.

I run to the corner of the room while being cautious of the great sage.
I kick the door that’s there open.

『That place is my laboratory ja! You have no permission to enter!』

The great sage panics and pursues in a hurry.

I dodge the magic shots from behind and move straight to the destination by navigating with〈Pinnacle of Detection〉.

Then, I arrive in this room.

「…… Is that it? Is that the thing the great sage Owen wanted its ghost to complete?」

「G, girl……?」

In the center of the room.
A very young looking girl who probably didn’t reach the age of ten yet was laying on an operating table.

「No, that girl is a Magic Puppet」

「Magic Puppet……? 」

「Almost perfect reproduction of human, a super high-performance one at that」

「I, is that even possible…… No, if it’s the great sage…… b, but, why such a young girl?」

It’s the great sage. He must had a distant plan, Tira timidly says.

I shake my head.

「It’s his taste」

「Yes?」

「It’s that ghost Jiisan’s taste」

『You~saw~it~』

I heard an eerie voice. Looks like we have been caught up with.

However, I shout loudly without hesitation.

「The Great Sage Owen didn’t want to make a magic puppet! He just wanted to make a little girl that suited his tastes!」

「Nonono, that can’t be true, right!?」

Tira shakes her head in denial on my back.

「I mean, it’s the legendary great sage, you know!? I tell you that the little girl is probably his daughter or granddaughter! He was probably drowned in sadness so he created a similar-looking puppet!」

Maa, you would normally think that.

However, the ghost of the great sage shouts loudly and smashes her hope.

『It’s not a daughter nor granddaughter! That girl is a model of a girl, Mireille-chan who once lived in my neighborhoodja』

「The person in question plainly admitted it――――!?」

『She was cute…… I was happy looking just from the distance…… That disgusting mother hers. She treated me like a suspicious person……』

Gogogogo, the Great Sage emits a terrifying negative aura.

「M, my image of the Great Sage is collapsing at a terrible speed, though……」

Tira who seems to have respected the Great Sage as a fellow magician groans in shock.

「I’m sorry, Tira. To put it blankly. The Great Sage Owen is a lolicon!」

「No way…… I didn’t want to know that!」

『Correct, I’m a loliconja! However, what is wrong with thatja! What’s wrong with lolicons! What’s wrong with liking small girlsssss!』

The Great Sage tightly closes his fists and shouts loudly, confessing his desires, destroying Tira’s beliefs.
Then his shoulders suddenly drop,

『However, unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, the little girl never looked at me again……』

「That’s only natural!」

『Therefore, I have decided to create one with my own hands! Just mine, to my taste, a perfect little girl which would embrace only me!』

「Guard-san! It’s this person!」

『However, regrettably, my life has come to the end before that!』

The Great Sage is brimming over with tears before I noticed.

「Therefore, even turning into a ghost…… ku, this passion, I understand it!」

「You can understand!?」

『You…… you understand my suffering……?』

「Yes. I also made a love doll modeled after a girl I liked in the past」

However, it was found by my mother and thrown away.
I was regretting that time…… I cried for three days.

『Oh, a kindred-spirit!』

The Great Sage approaches while with a smile on his face.
I shake hands with him. I slip through, though.

「That’s right. We are already friends!」

「……」

I have a feeling that Tira is looking at me weirdly, but I don’t mind.

「Let me lend a hand to such friend. I will complete this Magic Puppet for you」

『…… You, can you do that?』

「Leave it to me」

Towards the Great Sage――No, towards my friend, I nod strongly.

After all, I have〈Pinnacle of Production〉.
In addition, thanks to〈Pinnacle of Appraisal〉, I already know where the problem is.

「Saa, let’s complete the little girl, friend!」

I declare.

『Oooo』

The Great Sage raises his voice.

At that time.
I heard an unprecedented, cold voice from behind.

「Before that, put me down, please. Quickly」