Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Ian, ignoring the mage tumbling back like a log, sprinted forward.

He surely wouldn't die from just that.

Even though blue magic has a short range, there was no way a mage would stand so exposed without any countermeasures.

Clank, clank—

The knight, drawing his long sword, began to rush forward to block the way.

“I’ll take care of that one,” Charlotte said, dashing ahead, leaping forward after a few steps and swinging down her battle ax.

Clang—

The knight met her attack head-on, swinging his two-handed sword.

Clash—

Ian slid past him. Ian had chosen to ambush in order to properly gauge their strength.

These were foes he had never encountered in the game. It was undoubtedly a risky choice to dive in and probe their full capabilities, but it also allowed him to quickly assess their capacity. From the moment he silently cast his enchantment magic, he had assumed that this vampire, Freya, wouldn’t have particularly high combat abilities.

Of course, her magic was powerful enough. For a moment, he had felt an overwhelming urge to comply with all her requests. But that was all it was—a momentary impulse. Her magic was far from sufficient to completely shatter his mind.

...It’s always like this, they get cocky and then pay the price.

Thinking this, Ian faced Freya, who was now turning her head back toward him after watching the falling mage.

“You...!” As she began to speak with a furrowed brow, the Sword of Judgment flew toward her throat.

Crunch—

Freya’s severed head spun through the air.

“I’m not working with her just because of a contract. It’s because it helps to kill all of you,” Ian said as he looked down at the fallen head.

A blue glow gathered in his eyes.

“...You must have a grudge against our clan. Too bad. You should have researched more.” Freya’s severed head spoke with a smile.

Ssshh—

Her body began to melt away like a shadow immediately afterward. Ian’s gaze turned toward the writhing center of the shadow.

Creeeak—

Frost Blades sprouted around his left arm. Ice crystals, sharp as blades, chased after the spreading shadow.

Creeeak—!

The ice that spread along the ground covered the shadow shortly after. Crack, the forming Frost Shield shattered as Ian’s blades struck it.

Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Do you know the greatest advantage of being immortal?”

The fallen mage, casting the Frost Shield while being pushed back by the shadows, slowly rose. The shadows stretched out like tentacles and plucked out the dagger embedded in his face. The mage looked at Ian with weary eyes filled with magical energy.

“The ability to accumulate magic and study spells indefinitely.”

Ting—

His staff struck the ground.

Thud.

Countless ice spikes erupted, surging toward Ian. Ian clicked his tongue and immediately spread the Frost Shield.

Boom!

The explosion scattered ice fragments in all directions.

Crack, crack—

Ian, watching the ice fragments hammering on the shield, had a cool flicker in his eyes.

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Finally, the quest window appeared before his eyes.

[Adjudicator of Enchantment.]

Fragments of information floating in Ian's mind quickly found their places. Even if enchanting or corrupting him was their top priority, it was clear that Freya was thoroughly prepared to suppress him by force if necessary.

Facing a blue mage designed to counter red mages, along with a knight servant to protect him, and even Freya hiding in the shadows, Ian was indeed up against an opponent more tricky than Ascold in some ways.

That is if I had fought the two of them together...

Ian's gaze swept over the back of the knight currently engaged in combat with Charlotte.

"Well done, beast...!"

The two were intensely exchanging blows, fully engrossed in their battle. Since Freya’s shadow had merged, the knight's armor and sword had turned dark, trailing blurry afterimages. This was surely some form of dark magic unique to the vampire clan. Charlotte’s ability to match him was aided by Thesaya, who flicked her nails to slice through the shadow spikes sprouting from the knight’s shadow.

Crunch!

Ian decisively beheaded the mage. He didn't stop there; he also kicked the severed head away, ensuring that even vampire black magic couldn't revive him.

I haven't fought a spellcaster in a while. Should I say I was lucky...?

Boom.

His subsequent thoughts were interrupted by a loud explosion from behind.

"...!"

Turning around, Ian's eyes flared. The sight that greeted him was the figure of the dark knight, who swung his sword even with a battle ax embedded in his nape. From the tip of the sword, numerous shadowy thorns burst forth wildly.

A carriage shattered to pieces, and horses butchered in the chaos. And next to them, Charlotte, her armor torn and flung aside as she sprayed blood, and Thesaya, who was clearly swept away trying to save her, all caught in a single glance.

Woosh....

The shadow spikes that had devastated the horses and carriage dissipated.

—Aldrich...! My poor eighth love...

Fortunately, the dark knight, now focused on something else, no longer paid attention to them. He pulled the ax from his neck and tossed it aside.

—Avenge me, Stellan...!

Freya’s voice echoed as the shadow-enveloped dark knight, Stellan, let his sword hang low. Only the will to heed her request seemed to drive him, as fiery anger blazed behind his visor.

A second phase after defeating one...

Ian re-gripped the Sword of Judgment just as Stellan charged at him. Red magic began to swirl in Ian’s eyes.

Swoosh, swoosh—!

Stellan didn’t stop his assault, swinging his sword repeatedly. Black arcs, crescent-shaped, flew toward Ian.

Ranged attacks too?

Ian dodged with a grimace, rolling on the ground before running straight toward the knight. If this was his tactic, then using long-casting spells would be out of the question.

Swoosh!

Another shadow blade flew toward him.

Woosh.

Ian twisted away, and balls of fire erupted around him.

"Hmph...!" Stellan charged into the firestorm with a cold laugh, unbothered by the subsequent explosion. He met Ian’s descending sword with his own in a clash.

The disparity in their size and strength was apparent, and with the aid of dark magic, Stellan's choice seemed rational.

Sizzle—

Until blue holy energy surged along Ian's sword.

Swoosh— Crack—!

The explosion of blue streaks snapped Stellan’s sword and sliced through his thick armor as if it were mere cloth. The vampire clan's adjudicator, skilled with a sword, couldn’t have blocked such a blow, much less a mere knight servant.

"Ah...." With a low groan, Stellan’s body, diagonally sliced from the neck down to his side, collapsed unevenly.

There was no gush of blood or guts—just blue holy flames of Tir En consuming the flesh.

"Aaaaaah—!" Freya, hidden in his shadow, also screamed in agony. It was unclear whether it was due to the holy power of Tir En or the grief of another servant's death.

Crack—

Over the writhing shadow, a blade still bearing traces of holy power mercilessly pierced through. A tearing scream continued as Freya, impaled in the abdomen, revealed her true form.

“I don't understand why you or your servants are so careless. I've already killed one of your kin’s adjudicators.”

Looking down at her howling like a beast, Ian spat out.

“Do I look that weak to you? As if I don’t have a hidden trump card?”

“What... I wasn’t being... careless...!”

Roar!

As if he had no intention of listening to a response, flames erupted from the sword. Another tearing scream continued. Ian, having dropped the hilt, drew a dagger from his waistband.

“Then it seems you guys are just below my expectations.”

“...!”

Freya tried to force her mouth open to speak. A red mage using a sword was strange enough, let alone mastering blue magic as well—who could have predicted that? Who in the world could know that a mage’s sword would emit holy power?

Initially, shaking off her enchantment was something not even a faithful priest or paladin could do. Only those of her kind or higher could do such a thing. However, she was not able to reveal such facts to Ian.

Crack!

Since a dagger with a wave-like pattern pierced through her heart.