Chapter 159: The One Who Lost the Light
Tolman Venuel had just been fighting, but now he stood with his mouth agape, staring at the battle unfolding before his eyes.
Kwaajijijik!
An unusual sound resonated as the friction between the sword and the black aura created a sense of purity tainted.
Huuung! Kwaagaagaag!
The strange beauty of Adrias's white sword, surrounded by the black aura, had become the center of attention.
The white blade's dance against the black flames, with the monster's fiery, black arms as an opposing force.
"Professor!"
Dianne shouted, and it was only then that Tolman snapped back to reality. He smacked his cheeks with both hands in regret.
Zzzak!
It was just a brief moment, but Torman blamed himself for losing focus. He immediately used his magic.
His magic, a unique spell that activated the body along with the knight's mana, allowed him to jump into the raging battlefield.
"Haap!"
Accompanied by his spirit, the magic activated on his gauntlet. It was a wind-element spell, his signature technique, the 'Whirlwind Pattern' magic.
Zzzik!
His strike with the wind-infused gauntlet shattered one of the monster's arms. Even though magic wasn't effective, physical impact was another story, and with his unique magic, Tolman became the nemesis of the Chaos Mimic.
Whiing.
"This is a mana array... could it be magic?"
Together with Tolman's astonishment, the mana within the Chaos Mimic's eyes exploded.
Hundreds of beams targeted Tolman, and he raised both of his arms to shield himself.
"Haa!"
"Are you okay, Professor?"
"Thanks to you, I am, Dianne."
Dianne was discreetly managing the battlefield. She had used appropriate spells to support Adrias when he was in trouble, and she had quickly used teleportation magic to rescue Tolman when he faced danger.
"This is a serious problem."
Tolman took a moment to assess the situation. The monster was healing, and to his surprise, only the parts struck by Adrias's sword had turned white.
"What could have... the sword did something?"
While considering this, he returned to the battlefield. Thanks to Adrias' remarkable abilities, the situation hadn't worsened, but the monster was no ordinary foe.
Tolman pushed back the rising sense of despair. "If Professor Michelle arrives..."
He tried to maintain a semblance of optimism. Nevertheless, facing an opponent that rendered magic ineffective, and with Dianne having superior magical abilities compared to Professor Michelle, the odds weren't in their favor.
Shaaak!
There was a long, slicing sound, and blood scattered.
"Adrias!"
Dianne's scream was accompanied by Adrias retreating with a deep chest wound.
"It can't go on like this."
Determined, Tolman shouted, "Dianne, right now, take Adrias and evacuate!"Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
Up to this point, Tolman had always prided himself on his abilities.
It was a half-finished spell, and although he had never achieved the title of Warlock, the countless martial accolades had somewhat filled his heart.
'No, it's not true. Those accolades are just superficial.'
Kwaaang!
When Adrias momentarily backed off, the monster unleashed its thirteen arms towards Tolman. Tolman struggled against the overwhelming arms.
Original magic.
The magic he had always desired, the Warlock's title, had remained just beyond his reach.
Kwaaang!
As he desperately parried the attacking arms, something brushed past his mind like a fleeting memory.
-Human.
He had heard something but dismissed it as misheard.
-Human, worker, human.
"A monster talking to me."
As Tolman thought, the monster stopped its attack and revealed an area resembling its mouth, which had been hidden.
That part was smiling.
"I feel a headache coming on. You're an annoying monster."
-I am an eternal being. I have collected all valuable things in this world, and creatures like you I have met many times.
-You're... strange.
The Chaos Mimic with its countless eyes observed Adrias with curiosity.
Adrias, however, remained emotionless, his stance unwavering.
-You're just a bug, yet your energy is like that of a god. Kuh!$@#$@%@!
Suddenly, the Chaos Mimic flinched, experiencing intense pain. A figure dressed in flowing robes and a mask resembling Bloody Dan had appeared.
"Nickel."
Nickel, donned in flowing robes, attacked with a sword while wearing Bloody Dan's mask. Adrias decided that a swift resolution was necessary and prepared to finish things quickly. Tolman's assistance had allowed him to identify the hidden magic circles on the box. By sharing the vision of his summoned undead, they could identify the unique ancient magic circle.
Though the ancient magic circles were unfamiliar to Adrias, he had examined the box multiple times in the game, especially when facing the Chaos Mimic.
Kwaaaaah!
Adrias wasted no time and prepared a special technique. His violet aura flared, overwhelming the attacking Chaos Mimic.
Nickel's movements, even in his fluid form, became overwhelming and surpassed the Chaos Mimic, making it difficult for the monstrous entity to keep up.
'Thanks to the enhancements, I feel much stronger.'
Though previously, even against the Sword Demon, Nickel's movements felt leisurely and slow, now it was lightning-fast. He outstripped even the formidable Chaos Mimic in speed.
'I don't have much time.'
Nickel's Sloth could last for only 66 seconds. He had to conclude the fight before the effect ended.
Adrias noticed that the Chaos Mimic had left its main body behind, near the box. He couldn't let this opportunity pass.
Adrias flung his Galakshur.
With great precision, the Galakshur reached Nickel's hand.
-Kwaaaaah!
The blue energy of the Galakshur enveloped the Chaos Mimic's arm and sliced it off.
Black blood spurted from the wound, and the surrounding area echoed with the agonized screams of the Chaos Mimic.
In the chaos, Adrias approached the box. He placed his hand on its surface.
'The decryption is already complete.'
Even if he released the magic circle that absorbed mana, the connection between magic and aura would remain. It was a golden opportunity to eliminate the Chaos Mimic's trick of absorbing and redistributing magic.
'Complete Absorption. Transference. Conversion. Decomposition. Annihilation. Accumulation. Emission....'
Adrias, with his magic calculations, had successfully decoded the magic circles on the box. A strange friction sound was heard as the box began to move.
"It's done."
At that moment, the Chaos Mimic, glowing fiercely, attacked Adrias, but he swiftly erected a massive wall of earth, easily blocking the assault.
The Chaos Mimic, now unable to annihilate mana, was also subject to Nickel's relentless attacks from behind.
-I am an eternal being, immortal.
With a powerful strike from his weapon, Adrias severed the core of the Chaos Mimic, and it dissolved, its malevolent presence vanishing.
Watching the creature melt away, Adrias accepted the Galakshur from Nickel.
'If it wasn't for Tolman, deciphering the magic circles would have been impossible. It was much stronger than I expected.'
Adrias recognized the strength of the Chaos Mimic as formidable.
Suddenly, a voice called out, interrupting him. Adrias turned to see Dianne, confused and frightened.
"Adrias? What about the monster? And who is that...?"
Dianne's vision focused on the familiar mask.
"You are..."
At that moment, Nickel, with the Galakshur, appeared and leaped into the exit with the Chaos Mimic's box.
Adrias gestured into thin air, creating a smokescreen, hoping to mask the transition.
"I've lost them," Adrias mumbled.
Dianne, still confused, forgot about the peculiar aspect of Adrias's actions, and her full attention was on the masked figure of the swordsman.
"Who was that?"
"I don't know this person. They suddenly appeared and helped us before disappearing."
"I've seen that mask before."
"Where did you see it."
"Last year's final evaluation..... The person who saved me back then had that mask..."
"Oh, my! What's going on?"
Michelle, another professor, arrived, questioning the situation as she took in the aftermath of the fierce battle.
Observing the chaos around her, Michelle turned her attention to Dianne and Adrias.
"Is everything all right with you two? And what about Professor Tolman?"
"We're fine. Professor Tolman saved us, but he was gravely injured."
As Adrias and Michelle conversed, Dianne still stared at the exit.