Two figures, streaking like beams of light, clashed again and again across the floor.
Each impact sent violent tremors through the entire level.
The magma forest, once seemingly full of life on its surface, erupted uncontrollably as their collisions shook it apart. Lava spewed out in torrents, swallowing every trace of vitality and letting death once again reclaim every corner of the floor.
At the floor's entrance, Ais strained to follow the two figures dueling in midair.
"So fast!"
Her eyes could barely keep up. Whether it was her teacher or Corrupted Spirit's Fetus, both were moving far beyond what a normal adventurer could handle. Ais couldn't help feeling a chill run through her.
This speed was nearly beyond anything she could react to.
She knew she had grown, knew she was far stronger than before… yet when compared to those on a completely different level, she realized she might still be considered average.
By borrowing the power of the wind, Ais could barely follow their movements.
But that was only because the wind was helping her. If she tried to match this speed with her own body alone, she doubted she could endure it.
'At speeds like this, below 03, there's no way I can fight at full strength.'
'With my current ability, keeping up like this would probably drain every drop of my magic power.'
After weighing her thoughts, Ais continued watching her teacher and Corrupted Spirit's Fetus.
'For the teacher, this still isn't full speed.'
Her gaze shifted to Corrupted Spirit's Fetus.
'And of course, it's the same for Corrupted Spirit's Fetus.'
But what shocked Ais even more was Corrupted Spirit's Fetus's side.
'Even after being trapped by the teacher's plan, it can still unleash speed like this? Aren't spirits supposed to be more adept at magic?'
Yes. Spirits were undeniably the favored children of nature. Their gift for magic was something granted by the gods.
No race's magic could compare to that of spirits. Otherwise, the gods would never have ordered them to support Adventurers in conquering the Dungeon.
Yet the very spirits who were supposed to excel in magic—practically walking artillery—were now displaying speed talent beyond anything Ais could imagine.
After several midair collisions, the two figures finally paused.
"Ssssh!"
Multiple bloody streaks tore open across Corrupted Spirit's Fetus's body, the accumulated blows catching up with it the moment it stopped.
Bell, on the other hand, remained completely unscathed.
But despite taking no damage, his expression was anything but good.
"So that's how you did it."
"Magic interferes with elemental transformation, but magic power itself can affect it too. By concentrating large amounts of magic power into your hands and striking me, you disrupt my elemental form and force me out of Lightning Transformation."
During their earlier clashes, Bell had sensed his Lightning Transformation becoming unstable.
Then he noticed what Corrupted Spirit's Fetus was doing.
"Heh~ Good that you figured it out."
Corrupted Spirit's Fetus couldn't hide the satisfaction on its face. Even though it looked beaten up, those were only shallow wounds.
The one in real danger was Bell.
It was true—Corrupted Spirit's Fetus had stepped into a massive trap, its emotional turmoil nearly preventing it from using Magic entirely.
But being unable to use Magic didn't stop it from manipulating magic power.
As a spirit, it understood elemental transformation better than anyone.
Elemental form could nullify all physical attacks, but that didn't mean every method was useless against it.
At the very least, methods that weren't magic still existed.
"If you keep fighting me in that state, next time I really will kill you."
Bell's grim expression shifted. His earlier smile returned.
"Well, I learned something new today."
"I didn't expect Lightning Transformation could be disrupted like that. Never thought raw magic power could interfere with it."
"But how long can you maintain that trick?"
Bell's sudden calm and that faint smile made Corrupted Spirit's Fetus instinctively uneasy.
The next moment, it felt a sudden emptiness wash over it. Its legs went weak, and it nearly collapsed on the spot.
"How many times do I have to say it? How long can you keep that state up?"
"!?"
The sudden voice right in front of it made Corrupted Spirit's Fetus jolt in shock.
In that critical instant, the magic power in its body surged, forcing its body to retreat at high speed.
"Swish!"
But as a silver flash cut across the air, another severed arm spun through the sky.
A kilometer away, Corrupted Spirit's Fetus steadied itself and glanced at the torn stump of its left arm, using magic power to suppress the blood flow.
But the moment it used magic power, it sensed the problem.
Its magic power was draining at an abnormal, terrifying speed.
"Damn it!"
Now it understood where that earlier emptiness had come from.
Heavy magic power expenditure inevitably caused a feeling of hollowness—but simple manipulation alone shouldn't drain it this fast.
Corrupted Spirit's Fetus glared at Bell with venomous fury.
It knew without a doubt that this man was responsible for what was happening to its body.
Bell only smiled lightly.
"When it comes to the weaknesses of Lightning Transformation, no one knows them better than me."
Corrupted Spirit's Fetus's face instantly turned steel-gray.
"Your way of manipulating magic power was unexpected, I admit. But the overall outcome is exactly what I predicted."
"An advantage isn't built all at once. It has to be accumulated."
"And once my advantage reaches a certain point, the question of victory is settled in an instant."
Bell didn't possess power overwhelmingly superior to Corrupted Spirit's Fetus. The idea of the weak overthrowing the strong was nothing but wishful thinking. In reality, there is no 'weak defeating strong'—there is only dragging the strong into a weakened state, then crushing them with overwhelming force.
That had always been Bell's way of fighting.
Acknowledge his own weakness, drag the strong into his domain, force them into a weakened state, and then overpower the weakened strong.
With "Anger," he sealed the Spirit's strongest weapon—Magic.
With "Envy," he forced the Spirit to burn through an enormous amount of magic power, driving it into weakness.
Using his own vulnerabilities as bait, he lured the unstable Spirit into attacking him, sealing all of its remaining methods.
And now, it was time for the grand gift he had prepared.
"Swish!"
Eighteen Runes lit up around Corrupted Spirit's Fetus, freezing the surrounding space.
"!?"
Its body locked in place. Corrupted Spirit's Fetus could feel death closing in, yet its limbs refused to move.
All it could do was glare at the man with unwilling rage.
"I curse—…!"
But even its voice wouldn't come out.
Bell smiled faintly.
"I know Spirits are unique beings born of heaven and earth. Your words could very well influence the world itself."
"So I sealed that too."
"If you thought you could use word-sorcery against me… you were thinking far too much."
Bell was always cautious. There was no way he wouldn't prepare for that.
"Then… here's my parting gift to you."
"Ochd Deug Odin: The Great God's Brand!"
Eighteen Runes erupted with a terrifying, destructive radiance, rushing toward Corrupted Spirit's Fetus.
In the end, the annihilating light swallowed it completely.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (100 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.