================================
Volume 5
Chapter 38: A Wizard Class
================================
Siva, hearing this, couldn’t help but raise a brow.
“Mortal, it seems you have a habit of testing the patience of those people around you. No wonder I feel that almost everybody in this place despises you and don’t even want to be close to you. Are you really sure that you want to defy me? I should tell you now, if you really want to defy my decree, then you should prepare for my wrath. Otherwise, start offering your tribute now or if not––”
When Siva spoke at this point, a flash appeared at his side as Volt teleported out of nowhere. His body was filled with crackling lightning and he was smiling at Heller while holding his sword in a strange yet savage pose of a swordsman.
In Heller’s vision, if this Left Minister was holding a knife, then he wouldn’t be wary of him one bit. But he was holding a long jet black sword and paired with how he teleported without any Mana fluctuations, it only meant that it was an ability.
And with teleportation ability and that imposing sword stance, this guy is 90% trouble for him. Speed type opponents are the bane of Wizards, no matter how fast Heller may be able to cast a spell.
Seeing this, the smile on Heller’s lips disappeared and he no longer held his sword in a relaxed manner.
At this time, Siva raised five fingers at Heller, “––I will not tolerate your blasphemy and I will have you dead right where you stand. I will only give you five seconds to decide. Four. Three. Two…”
Heller doesn’t have the confidence that his hunch of Donar being a False God was true.
But he saw it and even clashed with him earlier. He knew that even considering that Donar isn’t a real God, he was still strong.
And just now, when he saw his Left Minister appear beside him with a flash without any kind of magic circle, it was a sign that perhaps it was some kind of ability.
There was no time to act cocky. He had already made the mistake of defying his decree.
If he decides to fight him head on, then he would have to fight the two of them and that’s not something that he can win without paying a great price –considering that he had already went and tested the waters earlier only to almost be burnt by his lightning alive.
“––One.”
“Wait, I will place a tribute.” As he spoke, Heller swiped the air and placed a bet. “There. Now, ha––“
He wasn’t even finished speaking when Siva’s hand fell down with a command, “Too late.” he said and then turned his back around, his imperial robe fluttering, and floated towards the giant hovering monster floating above the arena, The Akhenaton.
Volt smiled and then answered, “Let me handle him.”
FLASH!
He disappeared and Heller didn’t even have time to react as he felt one of the defensive magic barriers he placed behind him was activated.
“Oh? Defensive Magic?” A youthful surprised voice rang behind Heller. “It might be powerful but how many layers do you have?” as that was said, Heller didn’t even have to react as Volt swung his blade a second time to hack on him.
TUT! Another blunt sound echoes. This second strike was blocked from his right side.
Heller didn’t have time to react as he brandished his swordstaff at Volt only to hit air. He clicked his tongue and bellowed, “Don’t take me lightly. I am still an Archmage.” As he spoke, the Left Minister appeared in front of him stabbing jet black sword.
Heller roared and invoked a spell on his swordstaff as green colored layers of Mana began to encircle him and his immediate 2m surroundings, “Rising Nature, Wrath of Gods… show yourself and cover the heavens, Yggdrasil!”
On his feet was a magic circle 10m wide appeared and the green strands of visible Mana were actually coming from that Magic Circle.
“Archmage, huh?” Volt said with a mocked smile and he jumped back to make distance.
“Hmp.”
Heller cast the spell as countless trees sprung on the Magic Circle on his feet, filling the 2m area and then spreading on the whole magic circle until intertwining with each other to form a single great tree that still continued t grow.
A large tree trunk had grown from the arena and this sight surprised everyone else not only the players that was desperately fighting inside of it.
In the very center of this tree at the highest branch is Heller, casting down a mocking smile on his lips.
.
*****
.
Siva who was almost at The Akhenaton, looked down as he was attracted by the flash of green light.
Upon seeing that giant tree growing from the marble floor of the arena, he could only guess that it came from the person named Heller, the Archmage.
He pressed his temple and asked, “Are you going to be okay there?”
“I’m fine.” Said volt on the line but Siva chuckled.
“I wasn’t talking to you. I meant Thorn. Are you going to be okay there watching?”
Laughter rang in the line and Thorn replied, “Don’t mind me.”
“Boo you, Rex!” Volt angrily retorted and the other two made the comms line noisy with laughter.
.
*****
.
Thorn was still laughing when his finger flickered as a sword materialized beside him, blocking a ray of light that came from afar.
“I’m gonna be busy for a bit.” Thorn said casually and flicked his other hand as another sword was summoned to attack the source of that ray of light.
SWOOSH!
“Enjoy yourself.” Siva’s voice rang.
“Be careful. These guys aren’t weaklings.” Volt said.
“You should be careful. You’re against an Archmage.”
“I know.”
The line was cut just as a clanging sound of his sword being blocked rang from 30m away. Despite the row of people and the crowd blocking his view, the sound of a delighted voice still came next to his ear.
“Surprise!” it was a girl’s voice.
“Not really.” Thorn replied.
Instead of being alarmed, Thorn only flicked a finger as if pulling invisible strings. Just as a blade light was about to hack into him, he turned his head to show the attacker the confident smile beaming on his lips.
The blade of the attacker was deflected and she was the one surprised instead.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
“Where did…?!” she wasn’t even able to finish her words as two other flying swords entered her vision.
She clicked her tongue and then changed her course as to deflect those swords that were coming straight at her like bullets.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Three resounding metal clashes alerted the people in the arena that surrounded them.
His attacker was thrown off holding her two red-bladed swords crossing to block in front of her. Only the traces of shattering sword lights were left of the two swords that attacked her, retracting into nothingness as it seemed to return beside Thorn.
When her feet landed, she looked at Thorn wide-eyed and then clicked her tongue before recovering into a beaming savage smile of excitement.
“Now that’s more like it.” She hissed and then let go of her two swords where two more floated in front and beside her. “I am Bladey, member of the Hydra Society. I want to challenge you.”
Thorn recognized her as the female member of the CAP team, one of the champions of the tournaments in the arenas.
But hearing her words, Thorn couldn’t help mocking her with a light laugh.
“Challenging me despite being pushed back with one single attack from me? Aren’t you over confident?”
But instead of being angry, Bladey only smiled, “Wo? I never expected the Captain of the TOS Guild to be this cocky? I wonder how strong you really are.”
Thorn’s smile vanished as he recalled what happened earlier. Now, all strings are connected.
They knew who they really are.
Luckily, they are talking on the comms line and this act from her part alerted Thorn of what might happen when he didn’t accept the challenge.
And so, assuming a stance: left foot forward and the other one at the back… it was just one step but with it, scintillating lights danced as nine light colored blades materialized around Thorn.
Seeing this, without the smile on Thorn’s lips, the crowd who had been planning to test him was now backing down as they all saw what had happened to that one short clash with the member of the CAP.
Even Bladey who had a confident smile on her lips couldn’t help but taking the situation more seriously.
Thorn slowly lifted his hands into a rested semi-lifted and semi-bent down position, as if going to give backstroke swimming form.
His palms facing her, his robe fluttering, bluish strands of Mana began to form around him like a barrier until those strands made the details of the forming sword-shaped lights into actual materialized swords with textures and sizes.
All of the swords had uniform shapes but they were all positioned alternatingly.
The upper portion had five swords where their sharp points were positioned downwards. The lower four of the sword formation had their blades pointing up and all together circled around him on different motions.
In a single description, Thorn looked like a Sword Saint surrounded by floating swords and the confused crowd of S-Ranked Hunters.
No one was daring to challenge him right now except the member of the CAP, Bladey.
Thorn finished his single step and looked at her, assuming his ‘Minister’ role.
“Dear Mortal, you have successfully managed to rouse my interest. Please, by all means, do not make me regret not accepting your little challenge.”
Hearing this, Bladey was angered.
Little…!?
You call my challenge little?
Gritting her teeth, she roared, “Don’t get cocky!” and then pointed her finger at Thorn where the four red blades that floated around her flew off with killing intent directed solely at him.
“I am cocky.” Thorn replied and four of the floating swords around him flew off from his Sword Formation to meet the attack. “I’m a guy after all.”
“You bastard!”
.
*****
.
SWOOSH!
With a slash, the jet black sword narrowly slashed off the head of the Archmage along with the afterimage of glass-like shards of a shattered magic spell.
Strands of hair floated in between the two’s visions.
“Oh? So it turns out your defense magic only lasts about five hits. After that…”
Heller, wide-eyed, gritted his teeth as his anger boils in an unprecedented manner. He was an exalted and noble Archmage but he was being pushed back by a mere servant of a disputable God!
With his anger powering his limbs, he brandished his Leaf Blade with full force as a counter to Volt.
“Don’t get cocky with me!” he roared.
Volt laughed and flipped his body sideways to dodge and moved his right hand to hold the Black Ender into a backhand grip to guard against the incoming slash, using this movement and the weight of the swords as a powering momentum to deliver a rocketing left haymaker.
This punch was layered with a materialized left hand part of the Dragunov that when it was just about to hit Heller’s face, the Archmage’s left palm spread to his right side to block. With a light ‘tut’ sound ringing, a magic circle materialized on his right cheek that blocked the incoming attack.
Volt was really surprised. “So you also have backups of that magic on your hands. Now I get it.”
“I’m going to make you a fertilizer!” Roaring angrily, the right hand that was blocked by Volt’s backhanded sword guard swept onwards with more power from his limb.
Volt only chuckled, “How many of these walls do you have?”
“Die!” Heller felt that they had come into a stalemate on this position so he grabbed Volt’s arm with his left hand, pulling him in with monstrous force that it seemed that Volt was like a kid without weight.
Volt was surprised with the strength of the man he had in his arms as he was flung from his position like a rug that was about to be rammed to the large tree trunk on Heller’s left side.
His mind worked in alert and Volt kicked on that tree trunk to twist and grab the arm, latching on Heller in an arm lock grapple position in midair.
“Irritating bastard…!”
But Heller wouldn’t let him off as well as he slashed his giant blade to clobber him before he could finish the attempt to grapple his arm.
“Ah, that’s dangerous!” Volt yelled.
He didn’t fight the stabbing Leaf Blade and only used his right handed reverse grip to guide the giant blade using the Black Ender to miss him narrowly.
SHAAAAAAAAAAAANNNGGGG!!
The sound of screeching blades grinding with each other almost made all ears to ring with the irritating sound as sparks flew off from each of their blades.
When Heller realized that he had slashed nothing, he quickly pulled his baggage to throw him off and reposition himself, using the fact that he was taller and stronger than Volt who only had speed as his only weapon at this very moment.
This was a close fight!
A small and agile Volt versus a tall and strong Heller; their fight atop the large tree was something that only a very few cameras from curious correspondents were actually privy of.
But nonetheless, in only but a few instants, the clash these two made was something breathtakingly intense, they left the viewers aghast and on the edge of their seats.
And even then… they’re not done yet!
Heller and Volt’s very short pause and eye contact ended with Heller grinning viciously at him.
“You’re really irritating.”
With his words, Volt felt Heller’s palm open and then close again, following that was the sound of the tree where they are replying with a light rustling sound.
His intuition told him of the danger and Volt quickly let go of the arm and kick from his left side.
The right leg part of the Dragunov materialized and a clear resounding boom of wind shattered something that resembled a wood-attribute hand.
“…!!” Volt was alarmed as the tree-hand only paused before the rest of it continued to go for him.
His eyes glanced at Heller who, now, had a wide grin with the giant blade already on an arc to hack on him.
The giant Leaf Blade hacking him this time completely got him on a blind side. He was busy running away from the tree-hand that was going after him as of this moment so he had no chance to dodge this incoming slashing attack. But…
“Kaboom.” Volt said, smiling. He opened his left palm towards the blade and with it the Air Shock rung with an explosion.
Dense air particles collided with the incoming blade and the mist generated from the impact of the sliced pressurized air and the condensed air by the Air Shock created a wind barrier that spread out to cover the entire tree top filled with branches and leaves.
Volt landed on his four not too far away, the black sword swinging behind him for balance while the Archmage wore an ugly face of wrath paired with shaggy hair and a bruised right cheek.
“You’re really pissing me off…” Heller hissed his eyes were really glaring at Volt as if it can be used to eat him whole alive.
Volt only raised his head, smiling back at him. Then he stood straight, swinging his sword left and right as he bid an imposing look of sarcastic disdain on Heller.
With a shrug, he scoffed, “Well, you chose to attack His Majesty first so pissing you off is just giving you a light punishment.” After this, Volt wore a serious expression as the playful and relaxed smile in his face vanished with a frown. “Now, I’m done warming up so I hope you are prepared for my attacks.”
After speaking, Volt summoned a clear white sword that was radiating with brightness as if it was light itself.
The hilt was white leader shining from an unknown phenomenon while the blade itself was almost made up of light if not for the faint metallic luster that gave away its metallic-make.
Seeing this sword, even Heller felt that the speed-type problem was going to be more of a problem now.
He hissed, “I really hate your type.”
Heller no longer had any leeway to play around for he was really pissed right now.
“I was a Druid when I got my title and ventured forth in the path of Magic and experimented on many paths. I am now both a Swordsman and a Mage––“ speaking up to here, he raised his Leaf Blade, the tip pointed at Volt who took a step and lowered the blades on his sides, changing the center of his gravity. “––and ever since I became an Archmage, you are the first person to actually piss me off this much.”
“Ahahaha… glad to hear it.”
“It’s not a compliment. It’s a warning.”
After he spoke, Heller’s Mana materialized around him, his hand moving only once. But this movement removed the smile on Volt’s face as Heller’s green robe changed into a combination of blue, red, and the green robe that he was wearing just now.
“I see now.” Volt murmured. “So that’s how he was able to use many magic spell at the same time. His talismans are actually attached to his robes!”
Heller ignored him and with his three colored Mana, he cast a mantra onto his Leaf Blade.
It was fast and precise, a short phrase that invoked a grand change in the surroundings.
Crystal particles appeared around Heller while the tree that towered 50m high with its center having the both of them began to vibrate with a humming sound.
After that, as if alive, the Yggdrasil, the spoken Divine Tree of the Gods that could cover the heavens, grew even taller. The alarmed players that crowded around Yggdrasil and continued the event of the arena were all taken aback as they gasped in surprise.
But not only did it grew taller, the tree also began to burn from roots to the countless leaves!
At first it was just the bark but then the leaves up to the tree top also burned and from a divine tree that covered the heavens, at a height of 150m… the fire that burned the tree was like a scared being that was on its last breaths.
“Burn thy life to be a sacrifice, I am your root and your fire, bind my will to the sword that holds the world upon its roots––”
.
.
.
.
=====================
The Power of a Druid…
Is Volt going to be okay?
=====================