Chapter 161: Tired yet?

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Tired yet?

Chapter 161: Tired yet?

’Sadly, boy, such parlor tricks mean nothing against me.’

Before Osborne’s spells could connect.

BAM!!

A deafening sound echoed through the forest as the incoming fireballs struck an invisible barrier surrounding the old man.

A magical energy barrier emerged almost immediately, blocking Osborne’s attacks before they could cause any damage whatsoever.

The barrier didn’t even ripple, showing just how sturdy it was, and the thick roots that had been rushing towards the old man were similarly stopped before they could get anywhere near him.

The old man remained completely unharmed, his expression carrying a hint of amusement as he watched the flames gradually disappear.

Meanwhile, Osborne, who had seen everything from several tens of meters away, let out a self-mocking sigh.

’As expected.’

He hadn’t seriously believed that his attacks would work, but seeing the old man effortlessly block them still reminded him of just how ridiculous the difference between them was.

He had already guessed that the old man would possess some kind of defensive magic, but the fact that his barrier hadn’t even trembled after receiving sixteen fireballs was rather discouraging.

Still, there was no point regretting his decision now.

He had at least managed to put some distance between them, and if he was lucky, the old man might decide that chasing after him wasn’t worth the trouble.

"Is that really all you have?"

Osborne’s expression stiffened.

"Or have you already run out of tricks?"

His heart skipped a beat when he heard the old man’s voice coming from ahead of him.

He hurriedly whipped his head around, only to see that very same old man hovering in the air several meters away, his long white beard and hair swaying gently as though he hadn’t moved at all.

’How did he get here?!’

Osborne’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at the old man, who had somehow managed to overtake them despite their considerable speed.

He hadn’t even noticed the man’s movements, and judging by the relaxed expression on his face, it was clear that the old man hadn’t exerted himself in the least.

The Lightning Wolf immediately lowered its body, letting out a deep growl as its fur began crackling with electricity, but Osborne knew better than to expect it to accomplish anything.

The old man’s lips moved quickly as he finished a chant in a split moment.

With a casual wave of his hand, a powerful gust of wind crashed into both Osborne and the Lightning Wolf, sending them tumbling to the ground.

*******

Thanks to the Lightning Wolf taking most of the force of the blow, only Osborne was still conscious, though barely.

Osborne groaned as he struggled to get up on his feet, his body aching from the impact as he slowly pushed himself away from the ground. His armour had protected him from the worst of the damage, but the powerful gust of wind had sent him tumbling several meters, and he could still feel the effects of the attack throughout his body.

However, what bothered him the most was the fact that he hadn’t even been able to react before the attack reached him.

The old man was simply too fast.

Osborne raised his head, only to see the bottom of the old man’s robe directly in front of his face.

"Still think you can run?"

Osborne looked up and saw the old man looking down at him, his hands resting behind his back as though he hadn’t just sent two opponents flying with a casual movement.

’There’s no way I can beat him on my own...’

He had already considered the possibility of fighting the old man, but after witnessing the difference between their abilities, it was becoming increasingly clear that doing so would be nothing short of suicide.

Even if he used every spell at his disposal, the result would probably remain the same, and judging by the ease with which the old man had dealt with his previous attacks, there was little reason to believe that his other abilities would make much of a difference.

’Maybe I should summon everyone and have them keep the old man busy while I flee?’

Osborne briefly considered the possibility of summoning Vanessa, Hana, and the rest of his forces, allowing them to distract the old man while he made his escape.

However, he quickly discarded the idea.

He doubted everyone could pose a challenge to this old man, not to mention all he’d shown so far, he had a nagging feeling that this old man definitely had more tucked up his sleeve.

Even if he summoned every subordinate he had, there was no guarantee that they would be able to buy him enough time to escape, and if the old man decided to take his anger out on them, he would only end up losing several valuable subordinates for nothing.

Besides, there was also the possibility that the old man possessed some kind of area-wide spell that could eliminate everyone at once.

Osborne wasn’t willing to take that gamble.

’What a troublesome old man...’

He couldn’t help but feel that his decision to harvest the Moonlight Grass had brought him an unnecessary headache, although considering how valuable the herbs were, he wasn’t exactly regretting his earlier actions.

He had simply been unlucky enough to encounter someone who could make even a third-circle mage look like an ordinary person.

While Osborne was wondering what to do, the old man waved his hand and a crystal ball emerged in his hand.

The orb was about the size of an ordinary apple, with a smooth transparent surface that reflected the surrounding light, and although it looked rather ordinary at first glance, there was a faint magical glow coming from within it.

Osborne immediately shifted his attention towards the object, wondering what kind of magic item the old man intended to use.

"Give me your hand."

"What?"

Osborne looked at the old man with a puzzled expression, wondering whether he had heard him correctly.

"I want you to place your hand on this orb."

The old man repeated himself, this time speaking in a rather impatient tone as though explaining something so simple was already becoming a waste of his time.