NOVEL NEXT Chapter 353: Clash [Part 1]
Shit. Luz and Grimm both cursed in the back of Lucius' mind at once. His senses dulled.
"You will do no such thing. Break me. Beat me. Rend my flesh from my very bones… but you will never lay a finger on Rena, Kalliope, Jade…" Lucius paused for a moment, but continued. "I will kill you before you do."
Lucius gathered all his mana, taking along with it everything he was using as a mask earlier. It gathered in his palms and shot forward in a massive streak of red light. The room was painted a deep crimson, nobles screamed in pain and the ground turned to glass from the heat. The elf, however, did little else than draw his sword. Though the heat of the bolt of lightning created a shimmer in the air, the area around the blade was unaffected. With a lazy swipe, the elf slashed through the spell.
With his heightened senses and ability to feel mana around him, Lucius's eyes widened in a combination of shock and fear. The very mana that constructed the spell seemed to vanish from existence. The elf stood, with his curved sword pointed at Lucius. It was completely unaffected by its collision with the bolt of lightning.
The area around them consisted of melted stone and glass. Several nobles' clothes and hair were singed. Even Lucius' own armor smoked from the intense heat, but the Haeddan warrior was untouched by any of it. Lady Tenia using her spear to carve through the [Overcharge] at Seteste replayed in Lucius' mind. The ominous green metal at its tip looking strikingly similar to the curved blade in the hands of his enemy.
"Your Magic and your Arts mean nothing to me." The warrior smirked, his milky eyes upturned to match his devious smile. "I will enjoy bringing the 'legendary' Lucius Kane to his knees. I will show the rest of the world that you are not to be feared. In the same breath I will remind the rest of the continent of the forgotten strength of the one country with people who understand the Truth."
The elf charged him, though much slower than before. Lucius watched as the mana in the air seemed to move around him rather than through him. Normally it was an unstoppable flow, penetrating through both organic and inorganic objects. Yet it avoided the man's path.
Lucius tried to fill himself with mana once more, but found it almost unwilling to bend to his will. Just before the man's blade fell upon him, he was able to cast his [Lightning Charge]. The elf's sword cut through the trail of mana and lightning left in Lucius' wake. A rapid decay somehow spread along the mana trail until it reached Lucius and severed the spell.
Lucius tumbled head over tail across the marble. Every thud more painful than the last. However, he would not fall so easily. He twisted his body, coming to a standing slide, drawing his weapon. He would have no choice but to meet the elf with blade. Even though Lucius was without mana—meaning no spells or Arts—so was the elf. This fight would come down to the strength and speed of their own bodies.
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Lucius let out a challenging growl, lowering his body in preparation to receive the elf's strike. It came as fast as his lightning, aiming for his arm. It was deflected with the flat of Lucius' blade, sending out a shower of sparks. The impact was heavier than expected, but workable. Strength was not really Lucius' strong point. Speed. Dexterity. Those would help him win.
The elf shouted in defiance, performing strike after strike. Each faster than the last. Lucius' eyes widened in surprise, but he met each hit with a blow of his own. Their dance of death created an opening for the nobility to escape. From the corner of his eyes, Lucius watched them flee in terror, opening up more space for them to fight unhindered.
Master Rankers' bodies were enhanced by the amount of mana and power granted by the world to a greater degree than those below them. The amount of mana they controlled increased and the amount naturally augmenting their bodies also increased. This was accompanied by an unknowable energy believed to be a gift from the gods in Celestia. Mana was removed from the equation thanks to the strange sword, but this worldly energy remained.
It still made him stronger.
Lucius felt that thought flash through his mind a split second before his weapon was sent clattering across the floor. His opponent feigned and overhead strike and, in that instant, Lucius prepared to parry it. However, the elf transitioned to a sideways blow aimed for his wrists. Lucius was able to react in such a way to not lose his hands, but as a result his grip was weakened and he lost hold on his weapon.
Another strike came for his arm, above the elbow. Though his spells proved ineffectual there was only one more thing to try. "[Abyss Break: Abyss Armor]!"
Shadows coalesced around him, concentrating along his right arm. Tendrils of darkness folded around him from his back, like a demon burying itself in its wings. Lucius winced, prepared for the sword to cut through his mark, just like his spells. Surprising him, he felt a thud against the shadows and heard his opponent grunt in response; his strike deflected.
"Well now." Lucius said, feigning confidence while hiding his own surprise. "The playing field has been leveled once more. You may have somehow prevented spells and Arts, but my Mark still resists your strange ability."
It felt obvious that the weapon was the source of the disruption of mana, but he could not be entirely sure. The Marks strangely settled within the man's eyes were unknown. They could be connected and until Lucius knew for sure, he was in danger. The elf backed away, as if thinking how to proceed. Taking advantage of the opening, Lucius walked to his sword. The enchantments in the weapon that made it grow and strengthen still worked, even when colliding with the elf's weapon. However, he could not funnel mana into it… was it something to do with enchantments being in the demon language?
"I'm going to show you why you should never threaten my family." Lucius growled. His anger had subsided slightly, losing access to his magic sobered his rage enough to regain his sensibilities. "[Abyss Break: Demon's Fang], [Abyss Break: Touch of Corruption]"
This was a gamble. Holding three active abilities from his mark at once was something that he had not really tried before. Every ability was stronger than reason, to maintain one was difficult enough. However, he had to end this quickly. There was no way to outlast the elven warrior. Lucius's weapon grew in length, changing shape from a machete to a gnarled sword with a serrated blade. The sickening energy from [Touch of Corruption] dripped off the blade's edge as if it were dripped in poison.
"Come, Lucius Kane. Prove your strength if you can." The elf growled. He readied his sword, taking a deep breath. "I draw upon the Covenant. The words I pledged to my lord, the promise of power and loyalty. Hear me my liege, take the price and bestow upon me your power!"
Lucius watched as one of the elf's milky eyes bulged outward, exploding out of his skull. The viscera instantly turned from gore and blood to a pale-blue light, a similar shade to the gem from before. The light wrapped itself around the elf's upper body and blade, covering him with a ghostly armor.
"How in the world…" Lucius whispered. He recognized the feeling of that light. It was the same as when he used Luz's power.