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With a short incantation, the spell was immediately cast.

Before Ian could even identify its type, a fierce shockwave surged toward him.

Dodging was impossible. The moment he registered it, the magic was already upon him.

Bang!

“Ugh?!”

Ian gritted his teeth against the pain that battered his entire body.

The force itself wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to destabilize his already precarious stance atop the pile of logs.

“Young Master!”

Hearing Mael’s alarmed voice, Ian looked up, only to see a swarm of insects, like a tidal wave, filling his entire field of vision.

Buzzzzzz!

Even with all of Ian’s battle experience, he couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine at the grotesque sight. It was an instinctual reaction.

Frowning, but without panic, he observed the approaching insects.

In that fleeting moment, he noticed a purple glow shimmering across their exoskeletons, as if they were infused with magic.

If he allowed them to cling to his body, he’d be devoured to the bone in an instant.

If anything remains of me, even bones would be a blessing.

Exhaling sharply, Ian channeled his mana to its peak.

He had been holding back the power of his Bane of Evil to avoid burning the logs, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

The faint shimmer of heat surrounding him intensified into full-blown flames, engulfing his entire body.

Buzzzzzz!

In no time, the insects attacked. Though he scattered fire at them, they showed no fear.

Undeterred by the searing heat, they latched onto him. They raised their heads, ready to burrow into his flesh, only to be reduced to ashes.

However, it was far too soon to feel relieved.

The insects pressed forward in overwhelming numbers. Using their fallen comrades as shields, they advanced through the flames.

Individually, each insect weighed almost nothing, but in the thousands, even tens of thousands, they were a force to be reckoned with. He had no time to react.

Crack!

The pile of logs beneath him began to collapse. The insects had eaten away at the inside, weakening the structure to the point where it could no longer bear his weight.

Though Ian unleashed another burst of flames to buy himself a moment, the resulting impact further destabilized the logs. They began to fall.

“Ugh!”

Amid the chaos, Ian quickly located the Dark Mage, Longos.

He hadn’t fled. Perhaps he believed the tide had turned in his favor, as he had retreated only slightly and was now preparing another spell.

A circle of violet light flickered in the air, with complex runes being inscribed within it at an alarming speed.

Mael…

There was no time to check on him. But Ian didn’t need to look to know. Mael was likely stuck in place, protecting Elliot from the swarm of insects and unable to move.

If only Mari were here, they could have divided their roles. In this situation, however, Mael’s options were limited.

I’ll have to handle this on my own.

It would be ideal if the mages from the tower could arrive, but unless they possessed teleportation magic, waiting for reinforcements was not a luxury he had.

A gap existed between a Level 3 and a Level 4 mage, but it was a difference that experience and skill could overcome.

“You can do it.”

The opponent is only at Level 4. Although his own body is at Level 3, it’s merely a slight handicap.

Doesn’t the newly learned Bane of Evil possess various techniques? Even in a situation like this, it can handle things.

Ian gathers his magic power. Just one second has passed since he began falling from the log. In that brief moment, Ian has already devised a plan.

The flames wrapping around his body softly embrace him, protecting him like armor as they solidify into shape.

Sacred Flame Armor.

Normally, it’s a Bane of Evil technique that requires Level 4 to use.

It involves refining armor made of flames to cover the entire body, but at his current level, he can’t use it perfectly.

At best, it only takes the shape of armor.

Boom! Thud!

The shock waves crashing against his back are absorbed. The insects can’t penetrate the flame armor and are burned to ashes.

If he had hesitated, they would have eaten through his eyes or entered his body through his mouth, ears, or nose.

Had that happened, there would’ve been no way out. Ian, now buried under the pile of logs, raises his magic power even further.

Whoosh!

The flame armor surrounding his entire body surges as it absorbs the increased magic power.

The intensified heat turns the nearby insects to ash.

In that fleeting moment where he can move, Ian quickly clenches his left fist and strikes the ground.

Boom.

The sound is light, almost drowned out by the noisy buzzing of the insects inside the pile of logs. But the impact is far from light.

Whoooosh!

As soon as his fist strikes the ground, flames surge, forming a pillar of fire around Ian.

In the midst of the blazing fire, Ian slowly rises to his feet. Bending his knees, he launches himself into the air with all his might.

Whoosh!

As he pierces through the seemingly endless pillar of fire, flames follow him like a cape. Soaring into the sky, Ian looks down.

“……”

Below him is Longos, who also looks up, his expression slightly startled.

Ian spreads his hand. The flames gather and, in an instant, form a spear.

The concentrated magic takes on mass and physical force. Ian grasps it and throws it with all his strength.

Whoosh!

The spear, made of flames, descends like a meteor falling from the sky.

A red streak slices through the air. For something thrown from mid-air with no support, its trajectory is astonishingly clean.

It’ll hit its mark. But it’ll be blocked. No one in the world is dumb enough to just stand there and take a hit they can clearly see coming. Without waiting to confirm the result, Ian prepares his next technique.

Bane of Evil: 2nd Form, Comet.

Gravity pulls Ian’s body downward, but he shoots forward in the direction he’s aiming, like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Meanwhile, Longos, mesmerized by the flaming spear flying toward him in a blaze of fire, is lost in thought. Does he really think something like that could kill me?

“Tch.”

Annoyed at being underestimated, Longos clicks his tongue.

He knows just how famous the Red Spear Knights are in the eastern part of the El Carda Empire.

He’s also aware that their skills match their reputation.

But Longos possesses remarkable talent, has been acknowledged by a great master, and has even caught the attention of the awe-inspiring divine being.

Thud!

The spear embedded itself into the four-layered barrier that had been deployed in advance. One layer shattered instantly. The spear’s tip was aimed directly at Longos’ body.

“Oh?”

For something thrown in such an unstable position mid-air, its accuracy was impressive. The flame spear swelled violently and exploded, releasing a torrent of fire.

Boom!

Its power wasn’t lacking either.

‘But something like this won’t be enough to kill me.’

Longos smirked. Although it took some time, the magic he was preparing was now ready, with only the incantation left.

With this, he could sweep away both Red Spear Knights and any witnesses in the area.

Although the original plan to render all the lumber stored in the logging site unusable—disrupting Berger’s reputation and causing some chaos—had failed, it wasn’t a total loss. It was time to retreat.

Just as he was about to cast his spell, the flames obscuring his vision scattered.

“!”

And there was Ian, approaching fast. Not from a distance, but right in front of him.

“What?!”

Caught off guard, Longos was genuinely shocked as Ian slammed into the barrier with his shoulder.

Crack!

One layer of the barrier couldn’t withstand the impact and shattered instantly. The second layer cracked but managed to hold.

Ian, pushed back by the strong rebound, ignored the sharp pain in his shoulder.

If he stopped now, he’d die. The moment his feet touched the ground, he propelled himself forward without hesitation.

Gripping his sword with both hands, he raised it above his head.

Whoosh!

Ian swung his sword with all his might.

Shatter! Crack!

The sharp blade, engulfed in flames, sliced through the two remaining barriers and the magic circle being deployed beyond them.

The complex diagram, filled with intricate spells, was swallowed by the roaring flames. Ian stepped forward, reaching out his left hand as he stared at Longos, whose eyes widened in shock.

Longos, his bloodshot eyes glaring, extended his hand in desperation. Perhaps due to the backfire of the failed spell, the ring on his finger—a blue gem embedded in it—glowed and emitted a chilling cold.

Crack!

The cold was enough to freeze the very air, but it posed no great threat to Ian, who was cloaked in flames. The flames, which had momentarily flickered, roared back to life.

Ian grabbed Longos by the collar and slammed him to the ground.

Thud!

“Gah!”

Longos screamed, and Ian immediately placed his foot on his throat.

“Stay still.”

Applying just a bit of weight as a warning made Longos cough violently.

The insects that had been swarming toward them hesitated and stopped.

Although Ian had burned a significant number of them, their numbers were still overwhelming. He looked down at Longos with cold eyes.

“If I move? Are you going to kill me?”

“Why not? I’ve already killed two. What’s one more?”

“……”

“So, if you want to live, answer my questions.”

Mercy was a luxury for Dark Mages. The only reason Ian hadn’t killed Longos yet was because he was the last survivor here.

But Longos’ pride was stronger than Ian had anticipated. He sneered in contempt.

“F*** off!”

It wasn’t the answer Ian wanted. Despite the warning to stay still, Longos was drawing in magical power.

Ian immediately pressed down harder with his foot. With a harsh sound, Longos’ neck snapped.

But it seemed he was too late. The spell activated just a fraction of a second before Longos’ death.

Was it even a spell? The fragments of the magic circle, which had been consumed by the flames, suddenly began to resonate.

Vrrrrmm!

The once crimson flames turned a deep violet, flaring up as if oil had been poured on them.

Whoosh!

The heat wasn’t intense, but a dizzying sensation washed over Ian, as if he might lose consciousness at any moment.

Grimacing, Ian used Bane of Evil to shield his body. Though it wasn’t as strong as the Sacred Flame Armor, just activating Bane of Evil provided resistance against curses.

Yet, the dizziness was unbearable. Ian clenched his eyes shut, barely managing to stand, but his condition wasn’t improving.

“…Urgh.”

A groan escaped him as cold sweat poured down his face.

At some point, he began to hear whispers. At first, they were faint, like murmurs. But gradually, they grew louder, until they buzzed clearly in his ears.

“Punish the foolish and save us.”

“We believe. With our flesh, we believe. With our souls, we believe.”

“Protect me with your eternal hand. Destroy our enemies with your eternal hand.”

“Almighty…”

It was deafening, an overwhelming cacophony of voices. Soon, even the clear language he had been hearing began to distort.

The words no longer made sense. It felt like an incantation in a language he had never heard before.

Ian struggled to lift his eyelids, his breath ragged as he scanned his surroundings.

‘Where is this?’

It was dark. The floor beneath him, resembling marble, was shrouded in an unidentifiable mist. Surrounding him were numerous people, all prostrating in worship.

‘What are they bowing to?’

There was something ahead. Slowly, he lifted his head.

At first, he thought it was just a large stone. The darkness made it difficult to see clearly.

But then he realized—it was a massive throne. And someone was seated upon it.

———-