At that moment, the energy swirling within the “Caligo Abraxas” shifted dramatically. The fierce, ravenous force that seemed ready to tear everything apart suddenly coalesced into a single, orderly form.
The sound of water splashing echoed all around. After clearing my immediate surroundings, I kicked off the air with a burst of magic. While I couldn’t launch myself with the same force as if I were on solid ground, I could at least lift myself into the air. I felt the water streams rising to meet me, but I ignored them and steadied myself.
Looking down, I saw the spirit summoner extending her left arm toward me, a cold smile playing on her lips. It was the kind of arrogant grin that suggested she was certain of her victory.
Inside the sword, I felt the energy roiling, and I decided it was time to wipe that smug smile off her face. I reversed my grip on the “Caligo Abraxas” and pulled my right arm back, gauging the distance. It seemed feasible.
Floating in the air was a necessary choice, but now that I had my target in sight, the situation had changed. My goal was to eliminate her quickly and escape, and I had a method to do so without getting too close. I smiled back at her, confident in my plan.
As gravity began to pull me down, the exchange between us happened in an instant.
I grabbed her outstretched hand tightly, and at the same time, I hurled the “Caligo Abraxas” with all my might.
The moment I threw it, dozens of water streams wrapped around me, but they dispersed like ink in water. It was expected. While the damage would accumulate, I didn’t think even a magic resistance acknowledged by a power level of 100 could be pierced so easily.
“Got it.”
This time, I was the one confident of victory. The sword, radiating a sinister aura, plunged straight toward the spirit summoner. Her once smooth brow furrowed deeply as she watched her powers dissipate.
The “Caligo Abraxas” streaked through the air, on the verge of piercing her. Suddenly, she waved her hand and murmured something. A mass of water rose like a ghost, and I quickly chanted the incantation.
“Broken Fragments.”
With a shattering explosion, the “Caligo Abraxas” erupted like a grenade, its obsidian shards spreading wide and engulfing the spirit summoner. At the same time, I felt myself drop, and a deafening roar filled my ears. As I descended, I saw a hot wind, a mix of black and water hues, rising.
The wind, as if dancing, swirled and then stretched out like a giant waking from slumber. In that fleeting moment, the blackness within the wind scattered like blooming petals.
I landed on the ground, almost simultaneously questioning the outcome. I quickly looked toward the spot I had targeted. There she stood, still on her feet, her body scorched but alive.
”…Oh.”
Seeing the massive figure before the spirit summoner, I understood. What I had seen wasn’t just wind. It was the emergence of a being, an illusion of its formation.
Before me stood a colossal water giant, signaling the arrival of the Water Spirit King. Just as the Satyr had appeared out of nowhere, so too had the Water Spirit King.
But before I could fully take in its majesty, a serene voice drifted through the encroaching mist. Though I couldn’t understand the language, the spirit summoner’s smile told me it wasn’t good news.
I sighed, trying to steady myself. The spirit summoner looked pale, likely exhausted from summoning the Spirit King. But the crucial point was that my previous attack hadn’t achieved its goal. The “Broken Fragments” seemed to have caused some initial damage, but the water flowing over her body was healing her wounds.
The reality of the situation hit me as I surveyed my surroundings. The mages and archers had reloaded and were all aiming at me. I bit my lip in frustration.
Then, a voice filled with murderous intent, ill-suited to its calm demeanor, echoed around me. It was the signal for the resumption of their “concentrated fire.”
Boom! Boom!
Countless spells soared into the sky, then rained down on me. I regretted leaving my other sword behind.
But as the barrage of magical spears and blades descended, I couldn’t even think of retrieving the “Caligo Abraxas.” I raised my remaining sword, knowing it would be tough, and began to deflect the incoming attacks.
Bang, bang, crash! Bang, bang, crash!
As the clash began, a slight tremor ran through my body. I was managing to fend off the attacks, but even with two swords, I hadn’t been able to block everything before. Now, with just one, I couldn’t hope to stop dozens at once.
I was cutting down what I could see, but there were things I missed, things outside my field of vision. The growing intensity of the tremors throughout my body was proof of that.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Then came the unmistakable sound of countless arrows slicing through the air, leaving no room for a break. Without looking, I knew the next wave was a hail of arrows. I cursed inwardly and reluctantly activated my transformation ability.
In an instant, the scenery changed, and I saw dozens of water-colored beams rushing toward my new location. They were similar to the beams the water spirits had used against Vivian’s beast army, but far more powerful. I raised the “Glory of Victoria” in front of me and wrapped myself in the “Blue Dragon Knight’s Mantle.”
Whoosh!
A beam grazed my shoulder, and with that, a rain of beams poured down on the circular space.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The magical resistance kicked in reflexively, clashing with the relentless downpour. Ripples spread in all directions, and the scattered water soaked my body.
It felt like standing in the middle of a torrential downpour. My shoulders, thighs, and feet were constantly hit with heavy impacts. Even my back felt like something was tearing, and soon, cool water trickled down my spine.
After a while, as the rainwater soaked the ground, a loud cheer erupted around me. Though the cheers weren’t for me, I slowly rose to my feet. The artificially created mist began to clear, and the cheers abruptly stopped.
I felt an inexplicable emptiness in my back, but I calmly shook my head to clear it.
The blessing of the battlefield, the glory of the heavens and the sun, and the Blue Dragon Knight’s Mantle had combined to withstand the Spirit King’s attack.
I shook my head once more to rid myself of the remaining water and summoned my magic again.
“Phew.”
The situation was undoubtedly dire. While my magical resistance was holding for now, I couldn’t guarantee how long it would last if the attacks continued. The accumulated damage was likely significant.
It was time to make a decisive move.
“The distance is about 60 meters…”
”───. ───. ───.”
“Damn it.”
But the sound of incantations and arrows being nocked interrupted my thoughts. I immediately stopped thinking and channeled my magic into the “Glory of Victoria.”
Honestly, there was no more time for contemplation. The attempt with the “Caligo Abraxas” had failed. The only option left was to charge. If I could break through to the enemy’s center, I might escape the “concentrated fire.”
I lowered my sword and paused. I cleared my mind of all thoughts except one.
“The remaining distance is 60 meters… The remaining distance is 60 meters…”
I forcefully sharpen my focus, feeling my breath lengthen. At the same time, the enchanted sword, “Victoria’s Glory,” begins to emit a mysterious light. As the energy surpassing the blade itself starts to ripple outward, I waste no time and charge forward, kicking off the ground.
From this point on, I must keep moving as fast as possible. Having initiated a charge into the enemy’s organized ranks, even a moment’s pause would mean being bombarded. The thought that stopping could mean death grips me with an unprecedented tension as I raise my sword.
The distance to the enemy closes in an instant. I brush past a man who raises his shield a beat too late, swiftly thrusting my sword into his neck. As the blade pierces through, I release a wave of energy, and a brilliant white slash engulfs the enemy’s formation.
Stepping over the fallen foes who scream and collapse, I continue to swing my sword without rest. The enemies are packed so tightly that they fall with every swing.
Swish! Swish!
Like a lawnmower cutting through dense grass, several heads rise into the air, and the blood-streaked threads from my sword paint the sky.
Caught off guard by my reckless charge, an archer stands with his mouth agape. I seize the opening and thrust my sword into him, only to sense the approach of close-combat fighters flanking me. I twist the sword out, send a couple of light waves their way, and leap forward.
There’s no time to check the outcome. It’s a scene of utter chaos, a battle of kill or be killed. With each swing of my sword, blood and flesh scatter in all directions.
Thud!
Just then, as I pull back my sword to swing again, I sense an attack from behind. The pain isn’t severe, but it’s incredibly irritating.
But there’s no choice. Assessing and responding to each threat individually is a luxury I can’t afford. I protect only the vital areas not covered by armor and rely on instinct to fend off attacks from my blind spots. I charge toward the direction of the spirit mage.
In this situation, what keeps me from stopping is the power of my secret class.
“The ability to cut through anything,” “positive effects on all sword-related actions”—these powers are truly remarkable. No matter how tough the material, it slices like paper. Combined with the naturally sharp “Victoria’s Glory” and my 96 magic stat, the power is amplified even further.
Though reckless, the charge is effective. The distance to the spirit mage, which seemed insurmountable, begins to close. What was once a fleeting glimpse now gradually becomes a full view.
However, this headlong rush without defense comes at a price. Once a formation is disrupted, it’s hard to restore order, especially alone. While I manage to evade the barrage of spells and arrows, I can’t ignore the relentless attacks from the enemy’s weapons.
Bang!
I hastily raise my left arm to block a strike from behind, and the spear that slips through my side pierces the enemy in front of me. Grateful, I kick the foe in the chest and attempt to leap over him.
Someone crashes into me, and the man’s body bends like a bow, returning to me. A sword emerges, grazing the corpse’s ear.
“Ugh!”
I manage to twist my head to avoid it, but the unexpected strike obscures my vision, forcing me to halt. The momentary pause brings the feared reality crashing down.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
As if seeking revenge for the air I had previously struck, countless weapons now target me without mercy.
I twist my body and somersault through the air, but I can’t completely evade their attacks.
A spear grazes my neck, narrowly missing. But I feel a faint impact on my stomach and thigh, and a sharp pain in my back.
And my left hand, which I hadn’t noticed was injured, starts to throb, making me frown. Something warm trickles down, but only for a moment. I grit my teeth and push off the ground with renewed vigor.
Fortunately, my equipment absorbs most of the critical hits, but relying solely on gear for physical defense has its limits. If my durability stat weren’t at 92, something would have been pierced long ago.
I exhale deeply and quickly gauge the distance. The initial 60 meters have halved to 30 meters. But as I advance, the enemy’s formation grows more solid, and the spirit king stands guard before the spirit mage.
What choice do I have now?
“Thirty meters left… Thirty meters left…”
”…”
”…It’s time to make a move.”
Deciding to take a gamble, I come to a sudden stop. Then, using the power of my boots, I launch myself off the ground with all my might.
This marks the first stage of my three-step flight, propelled by the Orosros Boots.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
The three-step flight was inspired by Jarvan.
E + Q - Flash - Demacia!
Haha. Sorry for the delay today. I really apologize.
I originally planned to finish the spirit mage in this chapter, but the pacing didn’t go as planned.
To be honest, there’s exactly 3,977 more characters in the next part (though it’s still a draft).
…(Spoiler)… emerging from the scene, and breaking through the bombardment…
Finally, the spirit mage seems within reach.
I can do it.
From the hope that finally begins to appear, I…(Spoiler).
That’s how it goes. But trying to edit all that made my vision go white. Haha.
I’ll do my best to get back to the usual pace as quickly as possible. (__)