Chapter 101 - They Choose Their Path, He Creates His Path (6)
Matthew Harborough was the favored child in his family. He was hailed as a genius, and behaved like one. At the age of twenty, he had become a Fourth Circle Mage. Not only that, he also had two Grand Circles on him.
Such a person like him had the right to feel superior over others. Surely, Matthew abused this right. He often ridiculed talentless people, and harassed every "weakling" he laid his eyes on. Needless to say, he was also narcissistic.
He had thought he could get everything he wanted. However, he was awaken from his dream, when he met Iliana, the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his entire life. He had quickly "conveyed" his interest to her, and her response had come even quicker.
She had rejected him without even batting an eyelash.
He had been enraged. He had said Iliana should have been grateful to be fancied by him. Surely, it had been his biggest mistake. It had taken him two weeks under the best treatment to be able to function like a normal person again.
Since then, he had never dare to act arrogantly in front of Iliana. Surely, his fancy over her wasn't diminished in the least bit. Thus, when he had heard Iliana had gotten a boyfriend, he had been so enraged, and he still was!
He felt the need to teach this boyfriend of her a lesson. Therefore, he had challenged him.
Gulp.
"H-h-how?"
Surely, it wasn't within his expectation Iliana's boyfriend, Basil Pacifer, could beat him in a blink of an eye, quite literally.
Matthew glanced at the sharp sword touching against his neck. Even though Basil hadn't moved his sword at all, his neck was already bleeding. No. He was sure his head would be chopped off, if not for the [Protection] Rune set on the whole area of the Magic Institute.
"What are you doing? Don't make me wait. The Battle will not end, before you forfeit."
Although Basil had said that calmly, Matthew felt extremely frightened by his word. Matthew felt as if the sword could move anytime, and chopped his head off.
"I f-forfeit."
In the end, he decided to forfeit. He lost even without fighting back. It was unsightly for the genius of Harborough Household. However, he could tell when it was time to back off.
Even the Rune had decided to help him. That was already an enough proof of his incapability to face Basil.
The ground below Matthew briefly shone in blue, before settling down. Basil also retracted Kusanagi, however he didn't store it right away.
"Well?" Basil quirked his eyebrow at Matthew.
Matthew, who was busy on making sure his neck alright, turned his head at Basil, and was instantly reminded of the bet between them. He begrudgingly took all of his money out of his Spatial Bracelet.
"Here."
Basil took the offered pouch, and weighed it down. "Light," he muttered casually.
Matthew was extremely humiliated by Basil's word. Basil had just basically said he was broke. Still, he didn't have the right to get angry. He was a sore loser. A loser can only grit their teeth, and bear the humiliation.
"Don't think it is the end, Basil Pacifer! I will regain my honor back." Matthew stared at Basil resolutely. "I will expect a great prize out of you," Basil replied casually.
With gritted teeth, Matthew turned his body, and left the scene.
Iliana, who was watching the entire scene in amusement, turned her head at Deacon beside her. "Pup, your Master is sure merciless in many ways."
Although Deacon didn't like the way Iliana called him, he was still proud of his master. Therefore, he puffed his chest, and raised his head high.
Woof!
"Like Master, like Companion, huh?"
Iliana shook her head, at the posing Chibi Deacon. Although he was as small as a pup, he could still find the right pose to look mighty.
"May I ask you what is your purpose of calling me here?" Basil stored the money he had gotten, and stood beside Iliana. Kusanagi was attached to his back.
"Well, no particular reason. I just want you to show me your Magic Circles."
"My Magic Circles? Why?"
"I want to compare them with mine."
"Hoh?" Basil quirked his eyebrow in interest.
Iliana must have noticed something different about his Magic Circles. As expected of her, she was as observant as usual.
Boom!
Basil materialized his three Magic Circles, and the surrounding area was quickly overwhelmed with Mana.
Star Vein was the point of where Natural Mana gathered in one place. There were 180 Star Veins on the earth, and there were only 80 of them had been seized. The rest were still on the hands of Demons.
As Randalvine Magic Institute was built on top of a Star Vein, the Mana density was a few times denser than the other places'. Therefore, upon contact with Basil's Ultimate Circles, the Mana in the surrounding area was quickly gathered around him.
"Hmm... Fascinating." Iliana hummed to herself.
She observed every strange yet profound symbols carved on Basil's Magic Circles. She couldn't understand anything, but she could tell the profoundness.
"Huuh..." She sighed.
Even though minutes had passed, she still couldn't figure out what Carving Manual Basil used to carve his Magic Circles. However, she was sure it was not something normal. The amount of Mana Basil's Magic Circles attracted was no joke.
"Very well. You can keep it back."
Basil deactivated his Magic Circles, and they were quickly dematerialized. Quirking his eyebrow at Iliana, he asked, "Shouldn't it supposed to be comparison? Where is yours?"
Iliana crossed her hand below her chest. "You will eventually get the chance to see them. So, I won't show them now." She smiled mischievously, and raised her chest with her crossed hand. "I can show you another thing though."
Basil looked to Iliana, completely unamused. The younger him would surely blush in embarrassment, and refused as hard as he could. However, the current him was different. He was already experienced enough to face this kind of teasing.
"Show me, then."
"Sure..." Iliana who was about to laugh, looked up to Basil in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Well, okay then." Iliana shrugged.
Since both of them were stubborn in nature. None of them wanted to back down. Basil kept staring at Iliana with unamused eyes, while Iliana faced his gaze unwaveringly. She was determined to do what she had said.
When she was about to open her t-shirt, Basil put his hand on top of hers. Quickly looking up to him, Iliana smiled victoriously.
"What? Backing down already."
"No. Someone is coming."
Surprised, Iliana quickly scanned her surrounding. Surely enough, there was someone coming their way. She scolded herself in her mind. Basil's presence had relaxed her too much, she had forgotten to remain cautious.
"So, the rumour turns out to be true, huh?" A heavy voice was heard from the entrance of the Training Field.
Iliana's face quickly developed a frown. She knew who the voice belonged to. It was one of her adamant suitors who was too confident in his self.
She had made this idiot kissed the ground many times, but he still dare to come to her. A tenacious prick indeed.
"He will be your second for today. Good lu— Sil?" Iliana was taken aback, when she saw Basil's face.
Basil rarely showed any expression. However this time, Basil fully smiled. He smiled in apparent delight, but the aura he was exuding was extremely unpleasant. Rage, killing intent, and a touch of madness was mixed together.
Iliana couldn't even tell what Basil was feeling, as she was too sickened by the aura Basil was currently exuding.
"Basil!" Iliana shook his body. She didn't even call him with the nickname she had given him.
Basil lost his smile, and turned to Iliana. Despite so, the unpleasant feeling still remained.
"What is it, Iliana?"
"What happens to you?" She asked while still grasping his arm.
"I am about to have some fun." Basil removed Iliana's hand from his arm.
He stepped forward, and met the person who had just entered the Training Field.
He was a blue haired young man with a fairly muscular body, and aH face that was considerably more attractive than Clovis. Dressed in Randalvine Magic Institute's third year's uniform, he stood at 187 cm tall.
Basil knew this person personally. No, he knew this person very well. He had had been extremely close with this person in the past. He had had been his trusted friend. His name was Eugene, a commoner, and a betrayer.
Because of this bastard in the past, Iliana had been forced to forfeit her life. Because of this bastard in the past, he had to live in a constant running. Because of this bastard in the past, he had lost everything.
Now that he was presented the chance of meeting this bastard early, he would finish this bastard even before he became a problem.
Once a betrayer, will always be a betrayer. It runs in their blood, and Basil cared not about the event that hadn't happened yet.
"Basil Pacifer, may we exchange some pointer to compare our skills?" Eugene said with a smile to Basil.
Basil smiled faintly, and Eugene was instantly assaulted with an unpleasant and heavy pressure.
"Sure. We can exchange some blow, and see who will keep their head in the end."
"Hahaha! We don't need to go t-that far." Although Eugene tried to say it as steady as possible, his voice faltered in the end.
Woof!
Deacon called out to Iliana. When Iliana turned her head at Deacon, she was taken aback. Deacon's expression wasn't good. The Mana he was exuding told his mood. He was agitated, anxious, and afraid. Out of the feeling Iliana could detect, fear was the strongest.
Deacon couldn't help it. His Master's expression wasn't good. It reminded him so much about that day where his Master had gone from Randalvine to Woster by foot. However this time, it was more frightening.
He was sure nothing good would happen.
Woof!
Iliana stared at Deacon in puzzlement. She knew what Deacon was telling her to do. However, she didn't get why should she stop Basil. Even if things got out of hands, they didn't have to be worry about Basil. There were many Runes set to stop him.
Surely, she didn't know yet.
"Upon this land I stand, spilling the blood of my nemesis." Basil took Kusanagi from his back, and cut his palm with it. The blood dripped to the ground, and a black Magic Circle materialized on top of it.
Mana gathered around him, and he continued to speak, "Shall the blood I spill be the end of the grudge."
At this point, Iliana already knew what Basil was about to do. Therefore, she was frantic. "Basil, stop it!"
"[Blood Decree!]"
A sinister aura instantly descended upon the Training Field, and a red dome completely encapsulated Basil and the bewildered Eugene.
[Blood Decree] was a Mage way to settle a long-time feud. It was a profound Spell that strangely any mage could learn.
Once activated, the Spell would last until one of the people encapsulated in the dome lost their live.