Chapter 329: Spine chilling

Chapter 329: Spine chilling

Sofia summoned the skull choir, with only eight skulls in the sphere formation, marking the corners of a cube around her. These were a new addition to the choir thanks to Shailys contribution, fanged boar skulls with the special ability [Intercept].

The Marquess used some kind of magic with no obvious effect before charging forward crossing the gap in an instant. His momentum and sword were stopped by Pareths. They exchanged a few blows, judging each others capabilities in a deadlock.

About equal strength. Pareth is slightly faster.

A piercing angels bolt started forming around Sofias staff. She stood unmoving as Pareth and the mithril-covered knight traded sonorous blows, trying her best to maintain a disinterested expression all the while she managed four skills at once, two of them still waiting to resolve.

The Marquess sword swung back after another head-on clash, he withdrew, taking a step back, and suddenly his body split apart. Two perfectly identical copies appeared at his sides as he lunged at Pareth again. The copies tried to reach Sofia.

Let the left one through.

Sofia knew Pareth couldnt hold back the three swordsman at once, so she would take care of one. She could tell the true Marquess was still the middle one, but he had actually split his mana into three equal parts to create these two clones; she had to assume that they were just as strong as he was.

Seeing the opening, the left clone rushed toward Sofia, his mithril sword raised high.

[Heat Death] didnt respond when she tried to negate the incoming blow.

Not actually a magical attack? Hmm. Bolt isnt ready. Boars.

Sofia was within reach of the clones sword. The overhead strike came with devastating force.

The audience held their breath as the sword fell.

The skull choirs board heads regrouped and formed a wall. The sword collided with the choirs [Intercept], stopping it clean in its tracks and deflecting all the energy to the sides, blowing aways the sand of the arena grounds. This is when myriad gravestones appeared out of the ground, and dozens of bony hands clawed at the clone.

A volley of magical bursts from the real Marquess shot past Pareth in an arc. Sofia dispelled it without even looking at it, the red magical particles of the attacks dispersing like they hit an impenetrable wall just before reaching her. The left clones sword swept at the graveyard skeletons hampering him, killing a few with each attack, but it still wasnt free when Sofia swung her staff at it.

Seeing the blue lightning come, the clone self-destructed; its mana ran awry and following it came a bright flash of light and the start of a shockwave. There were gasps and exclamations in the public, things did not look good for the new teacher.

Sofia paid twelve thousand mana, and the explosion stopped, even its thunderous bang abruptly cut as the air stilled. Sounds of shock and incomprehension came from the spectating students.

Mana : 391 059 / 417 100

Still plenty.

The complete failure of his explosive skill seemed to destabilize the real Marquess, and while Pareth parried a strike from the leftover clone, he managed to kick the Marquess in the chest, sending him flying a few meters back. Coordinating with Pareth, another group of graveyard skeletons burst out of the ground, grabbing the armored legs of the second clone.

Sofia finally released her piercing bolt, blowing the head of the clone clean off. The bolt traveled all the way through the arena, crashing against an invisible barrier protecting the teachers seats.

Everything stilled, and while nobody was able to move anymore, a warm green light enveloped the Marquess dying form.

The Saint of Strengths voice cut through the silence, he appeared next to Sofia, Pareth and Ferdinand, Student Ferdinand ProudWalls Health has fallen below five percent, I hereby declare him the loser of this duel under Strengths watch, and he will henceforth not be allowed to challenge Teacher Vakaria again. This marks the end of todays session.

Tartaros disappeared, leaving the pouch of token and the stack of gold ingots at Sofias feet, and everyone was able to move again.

She never took a single step!

That was crazy!

The magic just disappeared!

She never lost health at all!

This teacher is insane!

The students went wild. Quite a few people jumped down into the arena, including most of Sofias friends and the people who had been sitting around Erian and cheering for the Marquess all the way.

The first to reach them was an Exidian woman, she almost threw herself at the downed Marquess side, crying and forcing what looked like a health potion down his throat before he could even get a grip on what he had just gone through.

Is that his wife?

Sofia crouched to pick up the gold. Hell be fine, the Saint healed him.

The woman sent Sofia a spiteful glare before turning back to the unconscious Marquess.

Sofia looked down at the bits of the mans spine still in her hand. Cant say I didnt deserve this one, I guess. Im not the one who started this shit, though. Man knew what he was getting himself into.

Pareth had dispelled his weapons, arms crossed, his empty eye sockets stared down at the Marquess and the lady, he looked proud of himself, satisfied.

Nice show, too bad you bloodied your new robe, Saria said as she walked up to Sofia.

Alith and Cinthia were right behind. That was fast, Alith stated, and Cinthia added that her viewers had liked the show.

It wasnt much, I didnt use half my skills. Well, whatever.

Eternam, Astelia and Zerei also came each with a small comment, and Sofia was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed, especially because she couldnt cancel [Runeforged Overlord] which was quickly draining all of her mana. And as it was starting to get hard to understand what anyone was saying between her friends, the students, and the Marquess family which had come down with various opinions, Sofias focus turned to something else entirely.

[Quest complete, congratulations! Your reward will be delivered soon.]

[A new evolution choice was unlocked for the skill : Evasion]