When the barrage finally stopped there was dust and the shadow of a fallen titan.

Bastard’s breathing was rough, torn, ragged and ripped to shreds.

He had never summoned such power before. The feeling as he unleashed his wrath given physical form had been exhilarating beyond anything he’d ever felt before.

Then the dark colossus rose from the clouds of dirt.

The singular red orb pierced through the distractions to lock onto the boy.

“Finally. I was going to give up on you if it took any longer.”

He got up as if he wasn’t even the slightest bit scathed by the sudden assault.

As if he had been expecting it.

“I knew you were special. Earth Style: Shattering Arrows.

“A most basic spell but performed at this degree... it was mixed with a Mana Burst.

“Perfect. You're like coal. Black and dirty but with a little pressure you could really shine.

“For someone untaught in magic to use this combination... while most experienced mages would do this with ease and scoff at its power, this type of awakening and instant use upon so is rare for people without instruction unless they had an innate talent."

The Knight in White then began to roar into laughter.

Once again Bastard had not waited for him to finish talking before attempting to make an escape and as he saw the boy flee he couldn’t help but smile.

The land was being upheaved, contorted and split… propelling the body of the troublemaker while his actual legs showed not a single sign of movement.

He was a quick learner. “Magnificent.” ...If it was this boy, then maybe he could do it.

The Knight had several particular prerequisites for the task he had in mind.

What most would consider to be drawbacks, to him was perfect… because a repeat of centuries of ruling was not the way he saw his nation should proceed.

Blue light began to emit from the Magic Lord. It coated his armour and then flung itself off, as if he had covered his body in tape and then peeled it all off… the iron warrior was now free of any dust, rubble or dirt.

It was time to take the game up a level.

The Knight placed his feet on the ground with solid force, then hopped and the moment his feet touched the ground again he poured mana into them from above and below.

The ground shook, trembled and quaked with such power that Bastard almost stopped moving from the shock, it was just like a momentary earthquake.

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The Knight began to fly. He had been sent from the ground to the skies and began to fall like a shooting star towards the boy.

“Fuuuuuuu...ack.”

Bastard wanted to curse even more but the sight was too terrifying to divert even a small percentage of his mind and body to expletives. That could be redirected to running away.

He didn’t exactly know what he was doing besides imitating the Knight’s movements earlier but that didn’t matter, he had a feel for it and that was all he needed.

He focused more of this growing, burning and explosive force from his body to the ground and he accelerated, the earth below churning itself overtime as if he was riding a motorcycle and just stepped on the pedal with all he had.

He heard a loud thud followed by a second quake. He looked back again to see the Knight do his magical leap once again and land but a few metres away from him. Bastard pressed on the metaphorical gas even harder and lifted his right hand to point to the soaring metal monster.

This time no words were needed. A salvo of sharp stone missiles threw themselves at the white terror.

They turned to particles of dust and rubble almost immediately against the spotless armour.

The Knight landed but a few paces behind him and without missing a beat the quaking sensation occurred again sending the Magic Lord soaring.

To Bastard, the Knight in White was as fast as a cheetah on the hunt, with the jumping power of a gazelle, but instead of grace he had the overwhelming build and power of a charging rhino.

This was it. Judging from the jumps trajectory Bastard knew there was no way to avoid this next attempt to catch up to him.

It was all or nothing.

Bastard could do nothing but copy his pursuer but this was the only option he had.

The quaking sensation whenever the Knight landed on the ground for a second before taking flight was essential. Time almost seemed to slow down for him as Bastard took his blazing emotions and with them mana and this time instead of channeling it to the ground and pushing himself forward… he rumbled it apart and spread it into a condensed pocket of vibrating energy.

Once more he found his mouth moving and chanting words he had seemingly forgotten.

“Earth Style: Seismic Step!”

Bastard kicked his legs… backwards, towards the metal monstrosity.

He felt a tense trembling through his legs for a second before feeling weightlessness.

His body became a rocket and he was thrown several metres behind the man chasing him.

The gap only got bigger since the Knight was already mid flight and landed in the opposite direction.

Neither of them let what just happened halt their movements.

Both began leaping through the air, propelled by miniature earthquakes.

Covering large tracts of lands with single bounds. The few animals and people who saw them witnessed a new sight, of a flying metal man and a young man rising like eagles and falling like comets. However the Knight was catching up and showing no signs of slowing down…

Bastard could feel his legs become numb. With each jump his strength in his lower body began to deplete and the added stress was making each of his leaps lose height and range.

He kept his eyes of the Magic Lord and began to sweat. Not good. He had only gained a small advantage and it was about to waste away…

Then the Knight in White stopped. He didn’t jump after Bastard.

He placed both of his armoured hands on the ground in the shape of straight palms and with a forceful press began to channel his magic into the earth several metres ahead.

Bastard panicked and looked back to where he was about to land.

The earth itself began to spin! It was as if someone had jammed a spoon into the land and began to stir it as if it was soup.

The colour of the floor turned into a light grainy brown.

Bastard’s feet landed in the mess with a soft and moist plop.

Then as he tried to jump again, the power he wished to expel was instantly dispersed.

He tried to struggle his way out but as he did… his body began to sink deeper into the golden mixture and he swore.

This was quicksand!? Had his opponent altered the makeup of the earth itself to trap him?

Such a thing was possible? The Knight approached the trapped Bastard slowly.

The clouds above flew right above the white warrior, coating him in shadow, his figure turning pitch black and the singular red orb within the visor gleamed with bloodlust.

“Now, you cannot run. Will you surrender? Or will you fight?”