Sylvar looked at Mars, who was protected inside layers of mineral armor, and then looked at the giant ore structure beneath him. He let out a helpless breath and said, "He's just a hedgehog with a shell. We can't break it like this. Let Asta come. He should be almost done over there. When he gets here, he can break the turtle shell."
Yuno nodded calmly. "Yeah."
Klaus frowned and said in disbelief, "Even we cannot break his defense. How could that civilian named Asta possibly do it?"
At that moment, Sylvar saw Nero fly out from a passage in the distance.
He immediately understood.
Asta was coming.
Sylvar suddenly raised his voice and shouted, "Asta will be here soon! Attack with everything you have! Hold him down and don't let him move!"
He flicked his wrist and unleashed chain magic.
A chain lashed toward Mars.
Mars raised a greatsword formed from ore and blocked the attack. The chain struck the surface of the ore blade, but it did not even leave a mark.
Yuno moved from the side and released Wind Magic: Exploding Storm Fang. Blades of compressed wind slammed continuously into the mineral puppets, but the damage was nearly zero.
Klaus gritted his teeth and launched Steel Magic: Fullmetal Drill. However, he was surrounded by ore puppets and could barely defend himself. He had no chance to approach Mars directly.
Mars flipped his grimoire and said, "Mineral Magic: Group Clone."
Countless mineral puppet clones appeared instantly.
They resisted the attacks while simultaneously attacking Yuno and Klaus.
As for Sylvar, he swung one chain upward and struck the ceiling above him. He wrapped the other end around his waist and pulled himself up, suspending himself in midair.
The mineral dolls on the ground could not reach him.
He controlled additional chains to swing, dodge, and counterattack from above.
When he saw a mineral doll rushing toward Mimosa, Klaus and Yuno tried to break free and rescue her, but they were blocked by the puppets in front of them.
Sylvar observed the battlefield carefully.
Klaus and Yuno were completely pinned down.
Without hesitation, Sylvar controlled a chain and wrapped it around one of the puppet's legs near Mimosa. He yanked it up and smashed it into the surrounding clones.
"Learn from the barbarians," he said coldly. "If you're tough, then collide head-on with your own kind."
The ore clones smashed into each other.
For a moment, the pressure eased.
At that instant, Luck appeared in front of Klaus and kicked the puppet before him into pieces.
Klaus covered half his face with one hand and said in disbelief, "I cannot believe I was rescued by someone from the Black Bulls."
Luck tilted his head slightly, looking confused, as if saying, If I didn't save you, would you just die?
Noelle rushed to Mimosa's side.
She raised her hand and formed a protective shield.
Mimosa said weakly, "I'm sorry… I embarrassed you. Just like you said, I'm clumsy."
Noelle did not argue this time.
She lifted her chin slightly and said firmly, "You've always been like that. So this time, I'll protect you, Mimosa."
She used Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Nest.
A dome of water formed like an inverted bowl and enveloped Mimosa inside.
At that moment, Asta arrived.
He stood in front of Yuno and blocked the descending greatsword of ore with his Demon-Slayer Sword. With a roar, he cut the ore blade in half.
He pointed the tip of his sword at Mars and said loudly, "You're the one who hurt the Golden Dawn?!"
Mars looked at him indifferently. "If that's the case, so what?"
He flipped his grimoire again and summoned more ore puppets.
Klaus widened his eyes. "He used that spell once already! How does he still have this much magic power?"
Sylvar watched calmly and said, "That's enough. Now it's Asta's turn."
Klaus glanced at him sharply.
Sylvar continued, "Only Asta's sword can truly hurt him. His defense is too high."
He looked at Asta and said clearly, "We'll create the opening. Go."
Asta nodded. "Okay!"
He rushed forward.
Yuno, Sylvar, Klaus, and Luck all attacked the puppets in front of them. They forced open a path step by step.
The clones were pushed back.
Finally, Asta reached Mars.
He swung his sword.
The mineral armor shattered under the anti-magic blade. The strike connected with Mars's body, and Mars was sent flying into the pool behind him.
Klaus stared in shock. "How… How did you break a defense even I couldn't break? A commoner with such low magic power…"
Noelle snorted softly. "You've been making a lot of noise, Glasses. Asta's ability is to nullify magic."
Klaus's expression stiffened. "Magic… negated?"
Sylvar exhaled slowly and said, "Nullifying magic is powerful, yes. But the price is a body with zero magic power. Perhaps that is the exchange. However, in front of Asta's body, tempered through years of training, no one can casually dismiss it as mere luck."
Klaus frowned and muttered, "It's just luck."
Noelle crossed her arms. "Whether it's luck or not, you'll see soon."
Asta looked toward the water and said, "It's over, you bastard."
He turned around.
At that exact moment, Mars's grimoire floated above the water.
Ore surged upward and formed into a giant. The giant roared, "Who are you?!"
Asta lifted his sword and shouted, "I'm a normal person born without magic! Even so, I will become the Magic Emperor! That's proof that I exist!"
Klaus's eyes widened.
He stared at Asta's muscles.
He knew how much training it would take to build that body.
And from Asta's tone, he could tell.
He was serious.
Mars roared, "I will destroy everything!"
Asta shouted back, "You want to destroy everything, but I want to become the Magic Emperor who protects everything! I won't lose to someone like you!"
Mars said coldly, "If you're in my way, disappear, pebble."
Asta roared, "Even a pebble can crush everything!"
He swung his sword and split the mineral giant.
Then he rushed forward and struck Mars again.
Mars lost consciousness.
Asta raised his sword and shouted loudly, "The Dungeon Treasure Hall belongs to the Magic Knights of the Clover Kingdom!"
Klaus used magic to bind Mars.
After Klaus tied him up, Sylvar stepped forward and added a trap spell on Mars's body.
"If I trigger this, it activates instantly," Sylvar said calmly.
Klaus pushed up his glasses. "That should be sufficient."
Noelle looked at Mimosa. "Can you move now?"
"I've almost recovered," Mimosa replied.
Asta looked at the binding magic suspiciously. "Is there really no problem with that spell?"
Klaus replied loudly, "Of course not! An injured person cannot undo this binding magic!"
Asta grinned. "Glasses, stop looking so angry."
"My name is Klaus!" he shouted.
Sylvar raised his hand slightly. "Enough. The focus now is the treasure house. Stop arguing."
Luck had already reached the treasure hall door.
He examined it briefly and said casually, "There's magic on this door. Asta, go cut it."
Asta stepped forward and slashed wildly.
The door shattered.
Inside was a mountain of gold coins and treasures.
Everyone rushed in and began searching.
Sylvar immediately began using space sealing magic.
There were too many items.
His grimoire pages would not be enough if he sealed them one by one.
He first drew a barrier and marked out an area.
Then he manipulated his chains into the shape of a giant hand. He scooped up massive amounts of gold coins and poured them into the barrier.
When the barrier was filled, he sealed the space.
The sealed treasure condensed into a small cube.
He then used the All-Image Seal to embed the cube into his grimoire pages.
While doing this, he called out, "Klaus, help move more treasures into the barrier."
Klaus glared at him. "What are you doing? These are important magical tools of the Clover Kingdom!"
Sylvar looked at him flatly. "Glasses. Are you ill? This is the border of a hostile nation. Leaving them here is the same as handing them to the enemy. Use your magic and help. If enemies arrive, you won't have time to argue."
"I am not Glasses. My name is Klaus."
Even so, Klaus used magic to move the treasures.
At that moment, Yuno's scroll emitted light briefly.
Klaus glanced at him but saw nothing unusual and continued transporting treasures.
Meanwhile, Nero led Asta toward a certain wall.
Suddenly, Luck shouted, "Everyone! Be careful! Run!"
Klaus turned sharply. "What?! How is this possible?! He recovered that quickly?!"
Mars's eyes snapped open.
A massive surge of magic erupted.
Countless minerals rose from beneath everyone's feet.
Those who reacted too slowly were instantly wrapped in ore.
Their magic power was suppressed.
Yuno, Klaus, and Luck were all restrained.
Sylvar swung his chains and pulled himself away in time.
Noelle and Mimosa, who were farther from Mars, were not immediately caught.
A larger ore giant formed beneath Mars.
His exposed upper body burned with flames.
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Flame recovery magic… dual attributes? That's impossible. Normally, a mage has only one attribute. Is this the result of Diamond Kingdom research?"
Noelle clenched her fists. "Then I'll extinguish that fire."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mars appeared in front of her.
The giant's fist descended.
At the moment Mars moved, Sylvar had already positioned a chain near Noelle.
He wrapped it around her ankle.
Just before the massive fist struck, he yanked her sideways violently.
The ground shattered where she had stood.
Noelle trembled.
She looked at the crater and felt her body go cold.
Sylvar considered activating the trap magic on Mars immediately.
But he knew.
Even if it restrained Mars for one second, it would be meaningless.
Mars's enormous magic power would shatter his chains instantly.
Asta shouted, "What did you do, you bastard?!"
Mars roared, "I understand your magic now. You're no longer a threat."
Countless ore blades flew toward Asta.
Asta swung desperately to block them.
There were too many.
He was forced backward.
He crashed through the wall that Nero had pointed at earlier.
Behind it was a black sword.
Nero perched on its hilt.
Asta picked it up.
Mars directed another wave of flying blades toward everyone.
"Weaklings… disappear," Mars said coldly.
Noelle froze.
Mimosa had no offensive power.
Suddenly, Asta burst from the collapsed wall holding the new sword.
It was smaller than his greatsword.
But it allowed him to swing faster.
The flying blades shattered under his rapid slashes.
However, the cutting power was not enough to destroy the giant's ore body.
Sylvar shouted, "Asta! Go in front! I'll follow you! Trust me!"
"Okay!" Asta replied.
Asta stood before Sylvar and blocked incoming attacks while charging forward.
Fifty meters.
Forty-five meters.
Forty meters.
Thirty meters.
Twenty meters.
Ten meters.
Sylvar judged the distance.
Close enough.
He activated trap magic.
Chains burst from Mars's chest and wrapped around his upper body.
His lower body was still embedded in the giant.
"Now!" Sylvar shouted.
Asta switched back to his greatsword and swung.
The blade struck Mars directly.
Mars lost consciousness again.
The sealing chains locked his magic power.
The mineral giant disintegrated.
When Mars's lower body was exposed, more chains wrapped around him tightly.
He was bound like a dumpling.
Sylvar stepped forward and added another layer of sealing magic to block magic flow completely.
Even if Mars had hidden magic tools, they would not activate.
Sylvar turned back toward the treasure.
"Continue loading."
He activated space sealing magic again and grabbed another handful of gold coins.
At that moment, the Dungeon Palace began to collapse.
Cracks spread across the walls.
The ceiling trembled.
Sylvar clenched his teeth.
A mountain of treasure was right in front of him.
And he could not take it all.
It was unbearably frustrating.
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Author's Notes:
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