Chapter 169: Duel Versus A Legend! 2

Cantarea immediately noticed the change in Damian’s fighting style.

The young man’s previous attacks had been direct and aggressive, with powerful sword strikes supported by extraordinary footwork and sudden changes in direction.

Now, however, Longtian rested closer to his body, his shoulders were relaxed, and his movements possessed a peculiar fluidity that made it difficult to determine where his next attack would originate.

Even his breathing had changed!

Damian, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Heh! I’ve always wanted to try fighting like a proper Bladesinger!

With a sword in one hand, magic in the other, and enough mobility to make anyone watching wonder what the hell is happening!

He was going to combine his perfected Shengyuan martial techniques with the Valorian spells he had spent so many Skill Points mastering.

The possibilities were extraordinary, especially considering how dramatically his magical capabilities had improved since his previous serious battle.

After all, his Intelligence was now 76!

The last time Damian fought an opponent approaching Legendary strength, his Mental Energy capacity had been approximately 150, calculated from his Intelligence at the time.

With his current INT of 76, that same working formula placed his maximum Mental Energy at roughly 760!

Five times the previous reserve!

And that wasn’t even accounting for his extraordinary Wisdom of 78.6, which substantially improved Mental Energy recovery, magical control and resistance to hostile magical effects.

More importantly, Intelligence didn’t merely increase the amount of Mental Energy available.

It directly influenced the power and effectiveness of his spells!

The result was that Damian possessed a vastly larger magical reserve, considerably stronger spellcasting and the ability to recover his expended Mental Energy far more efficiently.

And with his earlier <Guidance> still enhancing his Attributes, his immediate magical effectiveness was even more frightening!

Let’s see how much of a difference that makes!

Cantarea had already drawn her bow.

TWANG!

Three brilliant arrows shot toward Damian, their trajectories converging upon his position while the centaur woman accelerated sideways.

Damian stepped forward rather than retreating.

<Gale-Treading Steps>!

His body slipped between the first two projectiles, Longtian intercepting the third in a smooth upward movement.

However, instead of following through with another sword strike, Damian extended his free left hand.

<Firebolt>!

WHOOSH!

An enormous sphere of incandescent flame erupted from his palm!

The attack was so different from an ordinary Firebolt that Cantarea’s eyes widened involuntarily.

What should have been a relatively small projectile of magical fire had become a blazing mass comparable in size to a proper Fireball, its intense heat distorting the surrounding air as it surged toward her.

And it was merely a Cantrip!

Cantarea immediately accelerated, her powerful hooves striking the ground as she twisted away from the incoming projectile.

BOOOOM!

The Firebolt struck the rocky hillside behind her, blasting apart an enormous section of stone and sending flaming debris scattering across the battlefield.

Worse, the flames didn’t disappear!

The shattered rocks continued burning with unnatural intensity, their surfaces glowing orange beneath the lingering effect of Damian’s Grandmaster <Firebolt>’s Persistent Sear!

Unless properly dispelled, the magical flames would continue burning rather than dissipating like ordinary fire.

Damian raised an eyebrow at the destruction.

Holy shit!

He had known the Cantrip possessed substantially greater power after reaching Grandmaster mastery, but witnessing its interaction with his dramatically improved Intelligence was another matter entirely.

And the best part?

It still required no Spell Slot!

Unfortunately, Cantarea had already recovered.

Her greatbow flashed as she drew another arrow, although this projectile possessed a distinctly different appearance.

Purple thorns twisted along its shaft, accompanied by a sinister emerald glow that made Damian’s instincts immediately sharpen.

<Moonthorn Arrows>!

TWANG!

The projectile crossed the battlefield at terrifying speed!

Damian shifted sideways, allowing the arrow to pass beside his shoulder before attempting to close the distance once more.

Unfortunately, the arrow abruptly burst apart behind him!

Numerous thornlike fragments scattered through the air, several striking the surrounding terrain while others sliced across his retreating path.

Damian’s expression changed.

Damn, an AOE?!

He immediately accelerated through <Shadowless Passage>, suppressing the disturbances generated by his movement as he escaped the worst of the fragments.

However, one thorn grazed his left forearm.

A sharp, unpleasant sensation immediately followed, accompanied by a faint stiffness spreading through the surrounding muscles.

Damian glanced down with furrowed brows.

Poison? No, something more complicated!

The magical energy was interfering with his movements, attempting to slow the circulation of force through the affected area.

Fortunately, his extraordinary Constitution, Wisdom and Resistance made the effect considerably less troublesome than Cantarea probably expected.

Nevertheless, it was a genuine threat!

And Cantarea wasn’t about to let him recover comfortably!

The centaur woman drew her enormous bow again, her expression becoming colder as she reassessed her opponent.

Damian’s magical capabilities were considerably more dangerous than she had anticipated, especially since his enormous Firebolt possessed a level of destructive force that should have required a much higher-grade spell.

More importantly, the human was still advancing!

Despite employing powerful magic, Damian hadn’t abandoned his swordsmanship or reverted to fighting like an ordinary Mage.

Instead, his physical and magical attacks flowed together almost seamlessly!

Cantarea released another arrow.

Damian tilted his body, avoiding the projectile while Longtian swept forward in a diagonal slash.

Before the sword had completed its movement, his left hand was already gathering a different concentration of Mana.

<Frost Ray>!

ZIUUUU!

An enormous beam of freezing energy erupted from his palm!

Unlike the narrow Frost Ray Damian had employed during his earliest adventures, this attack resembled a concentrated torrent of pale-blue ice, its freezing power so intense that frost immediately formed upon the ground beneath its passage.

Cantarea reacted with astonishing speed.

Her hooves flashed as she twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the central beam.

However, Damian moved his arm!

The freezing ray swept across the battlefield, transforming the surrounding rocks into a glittering expanse of ice.

BOOOOM!

A jagged ridge cracked beneath the sudden temperature change, sending frozen fragments scattering through the air.

Cantarea leaped backward, attempting to escape the spreading frost.

Unfortunately, Damian had anticipated that movement!

<Cloud Step>!

He launched himself upward, using a brief Refined Qi foothold to change direction before descending toward the centaur woman’s exposed flank.

Longtian flashed!

SHING!

Cantarea barely twisted away, the blade passing close enough to sever several strands of her flowing hair.

However, Damian’s left hand had already moved again.

<Bone Chill>!

A dark, skeletal manifestation of necrotic energy erupted toward Cantarea, its dreadful presence carrying a sensation completely different from the flames and frost she had previously encountered.

The Legend’s expression changed as she instinctively recognized the danger of allowing such an attack to connect.

Unfortunately, her current position offered limited space for ordinary evasion.

And Damian was already pressing forward with Longtian!

............

"He’s combining swordsmanship and spellcasting!" Roland observed from the distant ridge, his stern eyes following Damian’s movements with increasing interest.

Selene nodded slowly.

"More precisely, he’s using his martial techniques to control the distance while his spells restrict the opponent’s available movements. Neither discipline is interfering with the other, which suggests his magical calculations have become extraordinarily sophisticated," Selene assessed, her expression carrying genuine appreciation.

The beautiful Mage narrowed her eyes as another wave of freezing energy spread across the battlefield.

"Although those Cantrips are something else entirely. Their power is far beyond what I’d expect from an Adept, even if such an adept possessed Grandmaster mastery in their spells," she added thoughtfully.

Roland’s gaze shifted toward Cantarea.

"However, the Windstrider hasn’t exhausted her options either," he remarked.

And he was right!

............

Just as Damian’s Bone Chill threatened to strike, Cantarea’s body suddenly became indistinct!

<Phase Step>!

A flash of purple-and-silver light erupted around her enormous figure, then she disappeared!

Damian’s attack struck empty air, its necrotic energy tearing through the frozen rock formation behind her.

BOOM!

The impact left a darkened scar across the stone, while the surrounding material began deteriorating beneath the spell’s Persistent Decay.

Damian’s eyes narrowed.

Spatial displacement!

His Divine Sense immediately swept outward.

There!

Cantarea had reappeared nearly a hundred meters away, her greatbow already raised as she prepared another attack.

Damian’s expression became increasingly interested.

So she has something similar to Misty Step, huh? And a pretty impressive range too!

He had previously encountered Serra’s version of the technique, but Cantarea’s execution was considerably more refined.

Her transition had been practically instantaneous, and she had emerged already prepared to continue attacking.

Unfortunately for her, Damian also possessed his own spatial movement ability!

<Misty Step>!

Purple-and-silver mist enveloped his body, and a heartbeat later, Damian reappeared directly above Cantarea!

The centaur woman’s eyes widened.

What?!

Longtian descended in a brilliant sword arc!

CLANG!

Cantarea barely intercepted the attack with the reinforced body of her greatbow, the impact sending a powerful shock through her arms, her hooves striking the ground!

BOOM!

The earth beneath her cracked as she absorbed the collision, but Damian had already twisted his body and unleashed another attack.

<Magic Missile>!

Several brilliant projectiles of concentrated magical force erupted from his free hand, curving around Longtian as they pursued Cantarea from different directions.

The Legend’s expression tightened.

She immediately accelerated backward, attempting to evade the projectiles through sheer speed.

Unfortunately, they continued following her!

Tracking magic?!

Cantarea raised one hand.

<Abolish Magic>!

A wave of purple Fey energy erupted from her palm, sweeping toward the incoming projectiles with extraordinary precision.

The two magical forces collided!

PSSSHHH!

Several Magic Missiles flickered beneath the interference, their structures momentarily destabilizing as the Fey technique attempted to dismantle the magic holding them together.

However, they didn’t disappear!

The remaining magical force continued pushing through, its structure recovering with astonishing speed as Damian’s Grandmaster comprehension maintained the spell.

Cantarea’s eyes widened in horror as she immediately twisted sideways, allowing the surviving projectiles to strike the rocks behind her.

BOOM! BOOM!

Several thunderous explosions erupted in rapid succession!

Damian raised an eyebrow with a sharp glint in his eye.

Well, well. So that’s how her version of anti-magic works, huh?

He had recognized the underlying principle almost immediately.

Abolish Magic appeared to operate similarly to Counterspell, using specialized Fey energy to interfere with an enemy’s spell structure.

Unfortunately for Cantarea, Damian’s current magical control was extraordinarily refined!

His Grandmaster spells possessed considerably greater stability than their Novice counterparts, while his enormous Intelligence allowed him to maintain complex magical structures with remarkable efficiency.

Disrupting them wasn’t going to be easy!

............

Cantarea was beginning to understand that something was terribly wrong.

This human wasn’t merely an unusually powerful swordsman who possessed a few magical tricks.

He was a genuine high-level spellcaster!

Worse, his magic appeared to become more dangerous whenever he combined it with his strange martial techniques.

She couldn’t simply keep retreating!

Cantarea’s eyes narrowed as she drew upon the Fey energy circulating through her body.

<Thornweave Volley>!

Her enormous bow erupted with brilliant purple radiance!

Nine arrows appeared simultaneously, their shafts surrounded by swirling thornlike patterns as the centaur woman released them in a devastating barrage.

TWANG!

The projectiles scattered across the battlefield, each following a different trajectory.

Damian immediately recognized the danger and accelerated through <Gale-Treading Steps>, attempting to escape before the arrows could complete their trajectories.

Unfortunately, Cantarea had already anticipated his response, causing the arrows to strike the surrounding ground!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Purple thorns erupted from the impact points, spreading across the rocky terrain in an intricate network of supernatural growths.

Within moments, a substantial portion of the battlefield had transformed into a forest of razor-sharp Fey vegetation!

And Damian was standing directly inside it!

Several thorn-covered vines immediately surged toward his legs.

He slashed through the nearest growths with Longtian, but more emerged from the surrounding ground.

Cantarea raised her bow.

"Let’s see you escape this, human!" she declared coldly, her eyes shining with determination.

Damian snorted.

"Indeed, it’s a rather clever ploy. Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who knows how to play with the terrain!" he replied, extending his free hand.

<Entangle>!

The surrounding Mana responded instantly!

Roots and vines erupted from the ground, intertwining with Cantarea’s Fey vegetation before spreading outward in a rapidly expanding network.

For several moments, the two forms of supernatural plant life struggled against one another, their competing energies twisting the battlefield into an extraordinary spectacle.

Damian immediately followed with another spell.

<Web>!

A dense network of magical strands spread across several nearby rock formations, creating additional obstacles along Cantarea’s preferred escape routes.

The result was a thoroughly chaotic battlefield!

Purple Fey thorns intertwined with ordinary magical vines, while enormous webs stretched between shattered rocks and frozen ridges.

Cantarea’s expression became increasingly severe.

Her Fleetfoot allowed her to move with astonishing speed, but the available routes were becoming considerably more restricted.

And Damian was already advancing!

The young man moved through the tangled terrain with extraordinary precision, Longtian cutting apart whatever obstacles threatened to interfere with his approach.

His perfected <Gale-Treading Steps> allowed him to exploit narrow passages between the supernatural growths, while <Cloud Step> provided brief aerial footholds whenever the ground became too dangerous.

More importantly, he continued casting!

<Scorching Ray>!

Several concentrated beams of fire erupted from his left hand, streaking toward Cantarea from different angles.

The Legend immediately accelerated, narrowly avoiding the first two projectiles.

However, the third struck her shoulder!

BOOM!

A burst of flame erupted across her upper body, tearing through part of her protective garment.

Cantarea grunted, her expression twisting as the impact forced her backward.

Fortunately, a silver ornament fastened near her shoulder flashed with brilliant purple light.

A protective Fey barrier briefly appeared, absorbing part of the remaining magical force before shattering into countless luminous fragments.

Damian raised an eyebrow.

Oh? Defensive equipment too!

Naturally, he hadn’t expected a Legend-level warrior to enter battle without suitable protection.

Unfortunately for Cantarea, the ornament’s protection appeared limited, especially after absorbing a direct strike from his enhanced Scorching Ray.

The centaur woman immediately retreated.

However, Damian wasn’t finished!

<Witch Bolt>!

A brilliant arc of crackling lightning erupted from his extended hand, lashing toward Cantarea with terrifying speed and struck her greatbow!

CRACKLE!

Purple Fey energy surged across the weapon’s surface as the lightning attempted to establish a sustained magical connection.

Cantarea’s eyes widened, immediately raising one hand.

<Abolish Magic>!

Another wave of Fey energy erupted toward the lightning.

This time, the counterspell managed to disrupt part of the magical connection, causing the attack to flicker and lose cohesion.

However, Damian merely adjusted his magical calculations before the lightning surged again!

Cantarea’s expression became thoroughly ugly.

How is he maintaining such powerful magic while fighting with a sword?!

Unfortunately, she was about to discover that Damian’s offensive capabilities weren’t limited to sustained magical attacks.

............

The Ironfang Highlands had become a battlefield of extraordinary destruction.

Flames burned across shattered ridges, frozen terrain glittered beneath the afternoon sunlight, and enormous magical vines struggled against Fey thorns amid the ruins of the original valley.

Yet despite the chaos, Damian continued moving with remarkable fluidity.

His swordsmanship and spellcasting had become almost indistinguishable parts of the same fighting style.

Whenever Cantarea attempted to maintain distance through Fleetfoot, Damian employed his perfected Qinggong to pursue her.

When she used Phase Step to escape, he answered with Misty Step.

And whenever she attempted to establish a favorable firing position, another spell forced her to reconsider!

The exchange was becoming increasingly intense.

Unfortunately, Damian was beginning to encounter another limitation.

His earlier Divine buffs were approaching the end of their duration!

<Guidance> and <Resistance> had provided extraordinary advantages during the opening stages of the duel, but their effects lasted only 78.6 seconds.

And the battle had already consumed a considerable portion of that time!

Damian noticed the approaching expiration through his magical awareness.

Hmm. Looks like I’ll need to refresh those soon!

Fortunately, both were Divine Cantrips, meaning he could renew their effects without consuming Divine Spell Slots.

The real difficulty would be finding a suitable opening against Cantarea’s relentless attacks.

And the centaur woman appeared to have reached a similar conclusion concerning the need to change her approach!

Her expression became increasingly cold as she examined the devastated battlefield.

She had already expended considerable Mana and Stamina, but Damian’s offensive pressure showed little sign of diminishing.

Worse, his spells seemed to possess an almost inexhaustible supply of power!

Cantarea had fought numerous Mages throughout her long career, and she understood perfectly well that sustained spellcasting was supposed to create increasing resource pressure.

Yet this human was behaving as though such limitations barely existed!

She didn’t know about Damian’s enormous Mental Energy reserve, nor the extraordinary recovery efficiency provided by his Wisdom.

She only knew that he was becoming increasingly dangerous!

And that was unacceptable!

Roland watched the confrontation with narrowed eyes.

"His magical reserve must have increased enormously since the last time we examined him," the Lionman observed thoughtfully, his gaze following Damian’s increasingly elaborate spell combinations.

Selene nodded slowly.

"Indeed. His spellcasting is far more sophisticated than before, and his Mental Energy recovery appears unusually efficient. However, I suspect the greatest difference lies in his Intelligence, because the raw power of those Cantrips is simply extraordinary," she assessed, her purple eyes shining with interest.

Roland glanced toward Cantarea.

"And the Windstrider?" he questioned.

Selene’s smile gradually faded.

"She’s adapting. Her Abolish Magic isn’t performing as effectively as she expected, but she’s already begun using her movement and terrain control to compensate," Selene replied seriously.

The beautiful Mage leaned forward slightly.

"Neither combatant has revealed everything yet, Roland. I suspect we’re only beginning to see how dangerous this duel might become," she concluded.

The Lionman nodded.

And below them, both fighters were already preparing their next exchange!

............

Cantarea suddenly accelerated!

Her Fleetfoot surged to its full potential, carrying her enormous body across the devastated terrain with such speed that the surrounding air erupted behind her.

Damian’s eyes narrowed.

Here she comes!

He immediately adjusted his stance, Longtian settling comfortably within his right hand as his left gathered another concentration of Mana.

However, Cantarea didn’t approach directly.

<Phase Step>!

Purple-and-silver light erupted around her body and she disappeared!

Damian’s Divine Sense immediately swept outward.

Behind him!

The centaur woman reappeared with her enormous bow already drawn, a brilliant purple arrow aimed directly toward his exposed back.

TWANG!

The projectile erupted forward, and Damian twisted, using the <Seven-Turn Sword Art: Reversing Current>!

Longtian intercepted the incoming arrow, its perfected technique redirecting the projectile’s tremendous momentum away from his body.

CLANG!

The collision produced an enormous explosion of force!

However, Cantarea had already moved again!

Her hooves flashed across the air, allowing her to reposition almost instantly before drawing another arrow.

This time, Damian was ready.

<Misty Step>!

His figure dissolved into purple-and-silver mist, reappearing directly beside the centaur woman’s enormous body.

Longtian flashed!

SHING!

Cantarea twisted desperately, narrowly avoiding the blade as it swept toward her exposed flank.

However, Damian’s free hand was already moving!

<Burning Hands>!

BOOOOOOM!

A vast torrent of incandescent flames erupted across the battlefield!

The Grandmaster Signature Spell expanded in a tremendous semicircular wave, its destructive heat swallowing the surrounding rocks and Fey vegetation.

Cantarea’s eyes widened in terror, and she was forced to immediately activate Phase Step again!

Purple light flashed, and the centaur woman disappeared just before the full force of the flames engulfed her position.

A moment later, she reappeared upon a distant ridge, her breathing noticeably heavier than before, her expression thoroughly solemn.

Damian stood amid the burning battlefield, Longtian resting comfortably within his grasp.

His robes fluttered in the heated wind, while the surrounding flames illuminated his handsome face with an extraordinary radiance.

He smiled with glee.

Heh! Now this is what I’m talking about!

Swordsmanship!

Magic!

Cultivation!

All three systems were finally beginning to function together exactly as he had envisioned!

And judging by Cantarea’s increasingly serious expression, she was beginning to appreciate the consequences as well.

Unfortunately, the Windstrider wasn’t finished, far from it!

Cantarea slowly raised her enormous bow, purple Fey energy gathering around its magnificent frame as her cold eyes locked upon Damian.

Meanwhile, the young man tightened his grip around Longtian, his smile becoming increasingly confident as he prepared another combination.

The Bladesinger had finally found his rhythm!

And the battle was only becoming more dangerous!