As the curtain of moonlight descended, two men stood on the stage of night.
One was a swordsman wearing a pure white mask, and the other was a tall middle-aged mage.
The atmosphere between them was contrasting. The swordsman was struggling to maintain his composure, while the mage could not hide his excitement.
That fact was a chill that invaded my marrow. Struggling to calm my trembling heart, I took a deep breath.
The masked swordsman was myself. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man across from me was a formidable opponent who had received the title of ‘Archmage.’
It was more peculiar for one of us not to feel tense.
And inevitably, my instincts were proven right.
Oh no, there was no room for hesitation.
The moment I threw myself, relying on my intuition, an explosion roared. With a loud bang, the debris of dirt and stones poured down like a fierce rain.
From the center of the blast, a shockwave surged forth.
I hurriedly raised my body. The cold sweat that I had not wiped away trickled down my spine.
I hadn’t even noticed the forewarning until just before the trigger was pulled.
Even though no incantation was needed, it was my first time facing magic cast at such high speed. This was likely related to Mr. Raymond’s past as a mercenary.
Mercenaries always had to stand at the front lines.
The reason for hiring them was usually just that.
One could not send valuable personnel into danger; instead, they sent those whose lives did not matter. Hence, those sought after were mercenaries.
This was the life one led for their life. In the heat of a battlefield where moments counted, there was no luxury for ease. Efforts would be made to reduce the casting time as much as possible.
The result of that effort lay right before my eyes.
The ground had erupted as if hit by artillery. It was a surprise attack that occurred not long after my provocation. It was a time so short that it could be called ‘immediate.’
For an enraged archmage, that moment was more than enough to kill someone.
Soon, a roar struck my ears.
“How dare you insult Elsi with that filthy mouth?! For touching the bloodline of Rainelle, you shall pay with your life!”
There was no time to respond. I had to throw myself again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
This time, the ground erupted in three successive locations. The remaining current was powerful enough to make my muscles flinch and tremble. If I were hit directly, fainting would be guaranteed.
Even while my mind was hazy, my thoughts desperately ran in circles.
Was the princess’s reasoning correct?
The possibility seemed sufficient. Here was someone recklessly firing such powerful magic without even an incantation. Neither Lady Airen nor Celin stood a chance against him.
I was managing to hold on because I was me.
However, my concern could not last long. As the successive explosions echoed, I realized that magical power was gathering around Mr. Raymond.
Double Casting.
My hand instinctively fumbled at my waist. I wanted to avoid revealing my identity as much as possible, but now was not the time to hide something.
The atmosphere screamed.
The trajectory of the light I shot cleaved through the air in a straight line. It was a path with clear intent, yet Mr. Raymond’s complexion showed not a hint of wavering.
The secret of that calm was soon revealed.
With a clang, the short axe I wielded spun through the air after being struck by the whip of lightning. As I was dazed by the reality of the shockwave’s physical force, the axe that had been floating in the air was sucked in by the tip of the whip as if attracted by a magnet.
“Indeed, you have some skill! But it’s still not enough to insult my nephew!”
It was a sound that could be interpreted as either admiration or mockery.
In fact, there was a more pressing issue. The whip of lightning was flying toward me, tracing a large arc.
A virtual trajectory was drawn across my retina.
Intercept with the sword?
It was impossible. The sword was a conductor. The moment it made contact with that terrifying whip, electrocution was assured.
It would have been better if I could throw my axe.
Unfortunately, my axe was flying toward me, now a part of the whip. I couldn’t fathom the principle behind it, but even the basics of static and dynamic principles weren’t being applied properly.
In the end, I had no choice but to lower my body and roll on the ground.
That was when a change was detected in the whip of lightning.
The long, continuous arc of energy suddenly broke into segments. The whip, divided into several pieces, began to assume the form of a spear.
Truly, he was a person worthy of the title of Archmage. He was not merely using magic but transforming it at will.
Separating admiration from my thoughts, I almost let out a curse. I instinctively tightened my grip on the sword.
I could not escape, after all.
Six spears of lightning appeared in my field of vision. Assuming each spear described its own trajectory, there was no path for escape.
The opponent was a veteran mage who had rolled around the battlefield for far too long. Naturally, one had to assume the worst-case scenario.
The silver aura blazed up like a wildfire.
The flames enveloping the sword blade had drastically increased in brightness and saturation compared to before. The power was likely similarly enhanced.
Though I had not tested it, this was my only remaining option.
Initially, I had merely intended to provoke. But before I knew it, I felt the threat to my life.
Regardless, would he really kill his nephew-in-law?
Just before death, I was thinking of removing my mask. I would not want to die while provoking the uncle of a comrade with whom I had a bond. Could there be a more pointless death?
Still, I was not going to simply remove the mask quietly.
I still lacked sufficient information. I needed to provoke him more, to engage in a deeper struggle. Only then would Mr. Raymond’s true abilities be revealed.
I decided to scream.
“Are you going to kill me?!”
“Then did you intend to let me live? How dare you touch our Elsi…!”
At my audacious remark, veins popped out on Mr. Raymond’s neck. Perhaps due to excessive excitement, the concentrated magical power was somewhat unstable. I seized the opportunity and focused my aura.
Connection and Release.
It was a vision skill of which only three existed in the continent. I decided to trust in the power hidden within this skill.
And then, just one.
In the slowly flowing time, a small line was drawn. I could foresee the trajectory where the spear would pierce down.
The aura that had been rising like a mirage became tightly compressed. It felt as if it had transformed into a silver crystal. I swung the sword diagonally with all my might.
Connection.
With that, the spear of lightning rebounded with a clang.
The magic could not even invade the silver blade.
For the first time, a crack appeared in Mr. Raymond’s complexion.
“What?”
But it was too early for him to be shocked.
The spear of lightning that had been spinning in the air once again aimed at me. It would not take long for all six spears to lock onto my vital points.
The aura that had tightly enveloped my sword unraveled like fog.
Release.
As the trajectory of the swinging sword unfolded, the Milky Way spread out. The silver mist that touched the spear of lightning shook uneasily, and by the time it came into contact with the sword, it shattered with a loud crash.
It was surprising enough to catch even me off guard.
To crush an archmage’s magic so simply?
Though it may not have been the most powerful magic, it was significant that I had scattered highly condensed magical power. Moreover, upon reaching ‘Release’, the area of effect expanded.
Amidst the shattered remnants of the archmage’s magic, a hand axe was flung upward.
And with a thud, it settled in my hand, raised toward the sky.
Mr. Raymond was now looking at me with a much more cautious gaze.
“Your silver aura… a profound resonance of vision skills…”
His blue eyes were fixated on the axe I held. At this point, hiding my identity had become nearly pointless.
Soon, a heavy question was thrown.
“What is the meaning of this?”
I fell momentarily silent. I pondered what words to use, but only one thought came to mind.
“Would you like to try again?”
It was a voice that held back the boiling combat intent.
Now I was beginning to grasp it. What I needed was not the experience of defeating monsters or mages.
It was against even stronger beings.
I needed battles with those who had touched the heart of truth. Creatures created by the Dark Cult could not provide me with such experience.
Mr. Raymond chuckled lightly at my retort.
His eyes closed, and his expression settled. It seemed as if the tension had been released from his sturdy frame.
After some time.
Once more, the archmage’s eyes opened, burning with a fierce blue flame.
A magical eye; it was a phenomenon that occurred when a being possessing immense magical power revealed its true intention.
His hand reached inside his cloak.
“…Good. I was just wanting to give a beating to the thief who took our Elsi.”
“When did you say to please take her away?”
“What am I supposed to do when some jerk has completely enchanted her? I have to endure even if I don’t like it.”
With a swish, thud.
The middle-aged man pulled out a rod that spun in the air before it fell. The short, jet-black rod absorbed the surrounding light to an unsettling degree. It seemed like a valuable item at first glance.
Because from the moment that rod appeared, the density of magical power began to rise to a suffocating level.
It felt as if I was swimming through an atmosphere fully saturated with moisture. My insides ferociously swelled, barely delivering oxygen to my brain. Was this the feeling of standing in the middle of a tidal mudflat?
One by one.
Circles of blue energy began to assemble behind the archmage. It was a light source so intense that the moonlight was rendered invisible. Eight circles floated behind the middle-aged man.
The circular arrangement was a symbol of truth and perfection.
As I suppressed my racing heartbeat, Mr. Raymond asked in a calm voice.
“I have just one question… was that statement true?”
There was no need to ask what he meant.
It was likely about the provocation I had thrown earlier. Something crude I had not uttered in my life, such as, “Your nephew is quite a handful.”
Of course, it was a lie.
How could I have such a light-hearted relationship with Senior Elsi? Yet even so, I found myself unconsciously curling the corners of my mouth upward.
“Yes, it was no joke. Especially her skin is so soft…”
“I see.”
As if he understood, Mr. Raymond nodded a few times before he suddenly broke into a smile.
With the gaze of a beast.
“I will have to kill you.”
Yes, this is how it should be fun.
Just as I flashed a deep smile, my vision turned white.
A storm of light was rushing toward me.
