Chapter 362 : Rid’s Dilemma

I am currently still locked in combat with Commander Dayne and Senior Vyn.

~Mana Strike~

I kicked Senior Vyn just as he closed in to attack me, channeling Mana into my right leg to deliver the blow. He was instantly sent flying, crashing hard into a tree behind him. Yet, he got back up immediately. A sizable crack had appeared in his armor, right across the midsection where my kick had landed.

"Just as I thought: if I boost my Mana when attacking them, my strikes actually affect their armor," I mused.

I had originally planned to use ~Light Magic~ to defeat them quickly. However, on second thought, using ~Light Magic~ here didn't seem like the right move. Although Miss Violetta who is currently fighting Duchess Arnett in one of the connecting corridors hasn't returned yet, I need to remain wary of others who might show up. My current location is a junction where three paths branch off to other parts of the labyrinth, in addition to the path Charles, Chloe, and I took to get here. There is a possibility that someone else could arrive via one of these routes. If someone were to appear while I was using ~Light Magic~, it would put me in a dire situation. That is why I have refrained from using it so far, even though I am in a rush.

"If I use ~Light Magic~, it will be incredibly conspicuous because every attack releases a blindingly bright light. If I were to use it while someone was approaching via one of the connecting passages, they would spot the glow from the spell before even reaching this area. I want to use it, yet I don't want to be discovered; my grandfather always told me never to reveal this magic in public. It’s a real dilemma," I thought.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Commander Dayne charged at me, his sword infused with a blend of wind and dark magic. The blade was now wreathed in a swirling aura of black magical energy that gusted like the wind. Despite the dual-element infusion, I easily parried the strike with my own sword. Our swords clashed, and in that moment of contact, I lifted my right leg and delivered a powerful kick to Commander Dayne.

~Mana Strike~

I kicked Commander Dayne just as I had Senior Vyn earlier, channeling Mana to coat my leg. The impact sent him flying backward until he slammed into a wall some distance away. Immediately after knocking him back, an elongated sword suddenly shot toward me at high speed, wreathed in black flames. I quickly dodged the projectile, then glanced toward the direction it had come from. It turned out to be Senior Vyn who had launched the attack.

I then grabbed the elongated sword, which was still within reach. The black flames enveloping the sword instantly scorched my hand. My hand was also cut by the razor-sharp edge, but I paid it no mind. After gripping the weapon, I yanked it toward me with tremendous force. Senior Vyn, who was still holding onto the extended sword, was instantly pulled along, hurtling in my direction. As he rushed toward me, I prepared to strike him down with my sword. I also amplified the Mana coating my sword, determined to pierce his armor and defeat him this time. Once Senior Vyn was within close range, I launched my attack.

"This attack is different from the last one, Senior. This time, it will surely defeat you," I declared.

~Secret Sword Art – Dragon Slayer Technique: Dragon Slayer Slash~

I immediately swung my sword toward Senior Vyn's neck as he lunged at me. However, just as my sword was about to strike, a massive, sharp iron pillar suddenly shot up from beneath my feet, aiming to impale my midsection. I quickly dodged the pillar, shifting to a safe spot. Because I had moved to evade the attack, the sword I had swung toward Senior Vyn's neck shifted trajectory, striking his torso instead. After repositioning, I looked at Senior Vyn; he had regained his footing after being pulled toward me by his own weapon. A deep gash marred the front of his armor, a mark left by the attack I had just unleashed. Blood was seeping freely from the wound, proving that my strike hadn't merely scratched his armor but had pierced through it to injure his body.

"If that attack had landed on Senior Vyn's neck, he would have been decapitated and killed instantly. Just as I thought, I can still defeat them by increasing the Mana output of my attacks. Using ~Light Magic~ is too risky, though; it’s far too conspicuous," I mused.

I then healed the hand that had been burned and injured from gripping Senior Vyn's sword.

~Full Healing~

The wound on my hand vanished instantly. I kept my gaze on Senior Vyn, who was looking right back at me. Beyond him, I also glanced at Commander Dayne, standing close by; a crack was visible in his armor from the kick I had landed earlier.

"Increasing the Mana used for attacks certainly has an effect, but it seems I still need ~Light Magic~ to defeat them. Isn't there a way to make that magic less conspicuous so I can use it?" I thought.

After observing their appearance, I looked at the swords both of them were holding. Senior Vyn's sword which had previously extended appeared to be still wreathed in black flames, while Commander Dayne's sword was still enveloped in black wind.

"~Dark Magic~ can fuse with other elemental magic, and so can ~Light Magic~. Fusing ~Dark Magic~ with another element turns that element a deep, pitch-black color. Conversely, fusing ~Light Magic~ with another element turns it a brilliant, glowing white or gold. So, if I were to fuse ~Light Magic~ with another elemental spell, it would remain conspicuous because it would still emit a bright light."

"However, that applies when the combination uses a 50-50 split between ~Dark Magic~ or ~Light Magic~ and the other elemental magic. If I combine ~Light Magic~ with another elemental spell using a ratio of 10% ~Light Magic~ to 90% of the other element, the spell might not shift to white or gold; instead, its appearance would mirror that of the other element, which makes up the larger portion. It wouldn't emit a bright light either, so it wouldn't draw attention. At the same time, even with a low percentage of ~Light Magic~, the combined spell would still retain the power of ~Light Magic~, which should be effective against the armor they are wearing."

"The weakness of ~Dark Magic~ is ~Light Magic~, and vice versa. The two types of magic weaken each other, with the outcome determined by whose magical power is greater. If my ~Light Magic~ is stronger than the armor they’ve created by fusing iron magic with ~Dark Magic~, then my ~Light Magic~ will be able to pierce and shatter it. It looks like I should try this method to defeat them; plus, I won't have to worry about anyone else showing up here while I do it," I thought.

-

Meanwhile, on the first floor of the central building.

Several knights and students lay sprawled across the floor, their bodies drenched in blood. Duke Remy stood in the center of the room, gazing down at the fallen figures.

"I never expected you all to attack me in an attempt to rescue your Queen. But it was a futile effort; none of you could defeat me, nor could you save her. You might as well stay quiet and await your deaths in peace. With the amount of blood you've lost, it is only a matter of time before you die. That is the price you pay for interfering with me," Duke Remy said.

He then turned and began to walk slowly forward, only to stop after a few paces.

"Now that the nuisances have been dealt with, let us settle the matter between the two of us, Your Majesty," Duke Remy said.

Before him lay Queen Kayana on the floor. It was unclear whether she was conscious or unconscious, but one thing was certain: her body was covered in numerous wounds.

-To be continued