Chapter 93: Cross Bolt

’’And what if I am? ’’ Steven spoke his hand already, grabbing his crossblade fiercely.

Sun didn’t answer directly; instead, stepping a bit closer, he was holding two runic daggers in each hand.

"Well, if that would be the case, I am here to kill you," the man stated, raising his dagger towards Steven.

"And what if I’m just an innocent guard of this ship?" Steven countered, but he knew Sun wouldn’t believe him so easily.

’Oh yes, a simple guard able to hold the entire ship on his own while saving hundreds of people; surely somebody like you wouldn’t be just a guard. ’’ Sun answered, his voice filled with annoyance.

’’Maybe I am just an overachiever? Can’t blame somebody for doing honest work. ’’ He answered casually, debating whether to destroy the core already.

Sun seemed to have noticed him holding the core already as he shrugged. ’’Destroy it already so we can finish this.’’

Steven didn’t want for anyone to tell him twice as he felt the steel bend under his grip until its magic grew weaker.

Letting the core fall to the ground, its magic having stopped working completely, as every other rune inside the room turned dark.

"So, Mr Overadchiever, why don’t you show me your face so I can confirm your identity?’’ he spoke while creating two pillars of light behind him.

’’Coming from a man wearing a sunflower as a mask. ’’ Steven countered, as the ground below them began to shake from the ship destabilising without its runic protection.

But even then, did Sun not stop his approach? This guy really was ready to fight him in such a situation.

Sadly the luck of the young hero had run out with meeting him alone at such a place.

"What are you waiting for, guard, holding the ship together with your own mana while I kill you?" ’’ Sun spoke confidently, as the first projectile of light shot towards Steven.

Who didn’t even have to dodge to miss him by just a hair’s length?

But Sun was right; he had to hold the ship together, or else the casualties would become impossible.

If he had time alone, he could’ve just reconstructed it or lifted it to place a platform of ice below.

But it didn’t seem like he would gain that much time, as he had to avoid the new light arrow.

Letting his mana flow through his legs into the boat, he was forced to stay rooted to the ground until everyone was safe.

Even worse, he had to make sure to always stay close to a rune, or else too much magic might destroy the floor before reaching the circle.

"For being one of the good guys, you don’t really act like it," Steven spoke, stepping forward towards Sun.

Who created a wall of light to block him off, but Steven wasn’t feeling like playing today, so with a single hit he shattered it into pieces.

But instead of the light disintegrating into nothingness, it reformed itself into small shards shooting towards his body.

Trying to piece his robust skin, they were simply deflected, falling to the ground like needles trying to pierce steel.

Not giving Sun time to gain distance, Steven summons a lightning bolt inside of his hand, shooting it towards the young man.

Who was able to easily sidestep it? ’’Lighting magic... not bad, but maybe you should train your aim a bit more.’’

If he wasn’t wearing a mask, Sun wouldn’t be able to miss his smile slowly forming on his face.

"Oh, don’t worry; I think I found my target. ’’ Steven finally answered, watching Sun turn around where the lighting had landed in fear.

But there was nothing there, as Steven jumped forward, using the moment of confusion as his chance to attack.

Delivering a lethal left hook, Sun didn’t even fly away, simply remaining standing in his position.

Only his head bent slowly forward as if he had started sleeping out of the sudden.

Steven even feared he had used too much power killing this guy in the process, but just a moment later did Sun snap back awake.

And with just teh snap of his fingers let the ground below Steven explode forcing him to retreat to not lose control of the ship.

"Nice trick you got there..." Sun spoke, his voice in pain, as two more light pillars started forming.

’’What’s wrong seeing stars already? It had to see the nightsky with all your light flying around. ’’ Steven taunted him while already searching for another way to attack.

But Sun was that stupid, as he had already started systematically destroying any runes surrounding him.

Forcing Steven to attack with ranged spells, luckily nobody currently knew who he was, so using them wouldn’t reveal his identity.

Raising his hand, out of the sudden, every single flame inside of the room disappeared.

Even though he couldn’t see Susan’s face, he knew they were confused by the sudden change of the environment.

"What are you planning to do?" Sun asked him, probably not expecting an answer.

But Steven was going to give him one if he was already asking so nicely. ’’Maybe your initial thought wasn’t as wrong as you believed it to be.’’

"What are you talking...?" But before Sun could even finish speaking, the water below them started rising quickly.

With the disappearance of the flames, there had been nothing stopping the water from filling up the room.

As both of them stood already chest deep inside the water, Sun spoke again. "You are only destroying your own environment," as he began to fly into the air. ’’Maybe I had overestimated you.’’

’’But I must thank you for giving me some inspiration on how to beat you. ’’ As a light started forming inside the hands of Sun.

Just before Steven was about to be executed, did he react? By pouring mana inside the crossblade, it grew to its normal size.

Watching the lighting shoot outside of Sun’s fingers, Steven threw the sword forward.

As the lighting began to curve itself towards the direction of the metal object, Sun wasn’t able to cast a barrier while attacking.

The blade flew through the sky, absorbing any of the lighting, shooting towards Steven before hitting his target.

As the blade pieced directly through the body of Sun, being stuck inside of his stomach.

He had to watch the young man look down at his own body.

As a whisper escaped from his lips.

’’This blade... It can’t be.’’

Before his body disintegrated into light.

It had just been a clone.