The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 46

“Before we start the duel, there will be a final check. Ms. Adela, could you please check Ha-yul’s protective gear one more time?”

“Yes.”

At Jung Soo-ah’s request, Adela began to check my protective gear again.

In the meantime, Jung Soo-ah also checked the opponent’s protective gear.

“No problem. All protective settings are working fine.”

Adela finished all the checks first.

“Thank you for checking. This side is also fine.”

Jung Soo-ah also quickly finished the final check.

“Then, we will report that all preparations are complete as of this time, and the duel will begin in one minute.”

For reference, Jung Soo-ah was in charge of refereeing this duel.

Originally, Kim Kang-in was going to do it, but it seems that Jung Soo-ah stepped up, saying that it wouldn’t look good if someone as high up as the Blue Magic Tower Lord was the referee.

“Then, Ms. Adela, would you please return to the audience seats?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Adela bowed her head to Jung Soo-ah and turned around, heading towards the audience seats.

“Adela, thank you.”

At my words, Adela paused for a moment and turned back.

“Good luck.”

Then, she looked at me and left a message of encouragement before slowly walking back to the audience seats.

“I will also move to the referee’s seat. Both of you, please move to your designated positions immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

Jung Soo-ah took her place at the referee’s seat first. Following her, my opponent and I stood facing each other in the center of the arena, about 10 meters apart.

“I never thought I’d end up facing the rising star of the Mado family like this.”

My opponent, Joo Han-wook, spoke with a look of new emotion.

“I look forward to it.”

I slightly bowed my head towards Joo Han-wook. As a junior, I should show this much respect to a senior.

“I look forward to it too. Let’s have a duel without regrets.”

Joo Han-wook smiled gently.

As expected of a mage from the Blue Magic Tower. He’s very mannerly.

‘As a 5-circle user, this situation is enough to hurt his pride.’

The Blue Magic Tower is said to value personality as much as skill when selecting people.

It seems to be true.

―Now, I will start the countdown. 10, 9…….

Jung Soo-ah, who had taken her place at the referee’s seat, began the countdown through the speaker.

“I’ll yield the first move to you, junior.”

Joo Han-wook said sharply, taking a battle stance.

“I appreciate the offer.”

I also lowered my stance, ready to leap at any moment.

―4, 3, 2…….

Mana surged around Joo Han-wook. He was preparing to respond immediately to whatever magic I used.

‘He doesn’t seem to be letting his guard down at all.’

He’s relaxed, but not careless.

I was thinking of using a quick decisive strategy if he was careless.

As expected of an opponent prepared by the Blue Magic Tower Lord, he didn’t show any openings.

‘I guess I have no choice but to go with the straightforward approach.’

If the opponent is like that, any complicated strategies would only be a hindrance.

I completely eliminated all sub-plans from my mind and repeated only the main plan.

“Hoo.”

I took a deep breath for the last time.

―1, Start!

And at that moment, the signal to start the duel was given.

I kicked off the ground at the same time as the start.

“I clearly remember your words about yielding the first move.”

The opponent said he would yield the first move to me.

That means he wouldn’t attack first until I attacked first.

‘In other words, it doesn’t matter how much time I spend preparing for the first attack.’

I ran in a circle around Joo Han-wook, casting magic.

‘Wind Cutter, fix!’

‘Flare Ball, fix!’

I kept running, fixing each spell I cast in the air.

“So that’s the rumored modified magic. It’s amazing. How do you fix them so easily?”

Joo Han-wook observed the magic floating in the air with an admiring expression.

Even though my magic was surrounding Joo Han-wook, he just stood there, watching the situation as if it didn’t matter.

He’s very relaxed.

“Aren’t you being too relaxed?”

“I can afford to be relaxed.”

He’s confident that 3-circle magic won’t be able to break through his magic.

“……We’ll see how long that relaxation lasts.”

At my words, Joo Han-wook replied with a relaxed smile.

“Then, I’ll go.”

After about 10 seconds of running, I succeeded in setting up a total of 15 Wind Cutters and 13 Flare Balls around Joo Han-wook.

With this, the preparation for the first move was complete.

‘Activate!’

With my will, a total of 28 spells that had been fixed in the air flew towards Joo Han-wook at the same time.

As I had prepared when casting them, some were fast.

And some were slow.

And some twisted like snakes, each aiming at a different spot with its own trajectory, rushing towards Joo Han-wook.

“Woah…….”

Even a 5-circle mage seemed to be seeing this scene for the first time, making a flustered sound.

“If 5-circle magic flew like this…… it’s terrifying.”

Even so, his relaxed smile remained.

Just before the first Wind Cutter collided, a semi-transparent shield in the shape of a sphere rose around Joo Han-wook.

‘5-circle non-attribute magic.’

‘Absolute Shield.’

A perfect shield enveloped his entire body.

Ka-a-a-ang!

As expected, the Wind Cutter collided with Joo Han-wook’s Absolute Shield and scattered helplessly.

Whirr-whirr-whirr! Ka-ang!

The faster spells collided with the Absolute Shield in order, scattering and disappearing.

Out of the 28 spells, 9 had already scattered and disappeared as remnants of mana.

My magic couldn’t even make a scratch on the Absolute Shield.

‘As expected of the Absolute Shield.’

It was as solid as the Absolute Shield, which easily blocks even 5-circle magic.

That’s why Joo Han-wook can be so relaxed.

With ordinary 3-circle magic, there’s no way to break through that Absolute Shield.

Of course, the Bytenar style is not within the category of ‘ordinary’ magic.

There is a way to break through that magic in the Bytenar style.

I immediately kicked off the ground and rushed towards Joo Han-wook.

‘The weakness of the Absolute Shield is that the user is also isolated.’

Since the Absolute Shield covers the entire body, there is a fatal flaw that the user cannot move unless it is deactivated.

‘Right now, Joo Han-wook can’t stop me from approaching.’

I approached Joo Han-wook’s Absolute Shield without any interference.

“Seeing that you left space to approach, you were planning to approach from the beginning?”

“Yes.”

“Does anything change by approaching?”

Joo Han-wook laughed as if it was interesting. I wonder how long that smile will last.

“A lot changes.”

I immediately placed my hand on the Absolute Shield.

‘Interference.’

‘Minimize the strength of the designated area, a radius of 30cm.’

At that moment, the color of a specific area of the Absolute Shield faded.

It looked like a broken piece of glass.

“This is…….”

Joo Han-wook’s eyes widened as if he noticed the weakening of the Absolute Shield.

For the first time, the relaxation disappeared from his face.

“Too late.”

I immediately flew backward.

And at the same time, the slowly flying magic accelerated.

‘Accelerate and change the trajectory at the same time.’

The remaining 13 spells changed their trajectories and flew towards the weakened area.

‘The trajectories of the overlapping wind and fire become one.’

The trajectories of 6 Wind Cutters and 6 Flare Balls perfectly overlapped, becoming one.

‘Fire Storm!’

A new magic was created.

Clang!

The Absolute Shield, weakened by interference, was shattered to pieces.

Kwaaaang-!

Flames exploded through the shattered fragments of the Absolute Shield.

A tremendous firepower that could not be thought of as 3-circle magic.

“……This is, you weren’t an opponent to be relaxed about.”

Joo Han-wook’s voice was heard from within the swirling flames.

“I almost lost without being able to do anything.”

Did he foresee this happening the moment the Absolute Shield weakened?

Joo Han-wook used a new shield to block my Fire Storm.

“……It would have been better if you had let your guard down a little more.”

“I never let my guard down. Even if I’m relaxed, I don’t let my guard down. That’s what the Tower Lord taught me.”

Joo Han-wook turned his head towards the audience seats.

He was probably turning his head towards Kim Kang-in, who was watching from the audience seats.

Whoo-oong!

Joo Han-wook waved his hand, and the wind blew.

The Fire Storm scattered and disappeared in an instant.

“Anyway, the future is really scary. To be like this with only 3-circle magic…….”

A bead of cold sweat ran down Joo Han-wook’s forehead.

He seemed quite flustered by the previous attack.

“I see why the Tower Lord is interested in you. You’re very interesting.”

Joo Han-wook’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. As expected of a mage from the Blue Magic Tower, he was shining his eyes at the interesting magic, just like Kim Kang-in.

At this point, he’s almost like a little Kim Kang-in.

“Then, this time, I’ll go.”

Joo Han-wook’s momentum changed.

The relaxed appearance disappeared without a trace, and he had a cold expression.

Now is the important part.

‘Joo Han-wook’s specialties are fire attribute magic and body enhancement magic.’

I quickly recalled information about Joo Han-wook.

‘An enterprising nature.’

‘A curiosity that can’t control his interest in new magic.’

‘He is currently unable to control his interest in my magic.’

‘Then, he won’t aim for a one-hit kill, even to satisfy his curiosity.’

Based on the profile Kim Kang-in had prepared, the information I had investigated separately, and the appearance I had just confirmed, I deduced his actions.

‘There is a very high probability that he will engage in close combat using his specialty, the flame sword, and instantaneous acceleration.’

I immediately came to a conclusion.

And at the same time as I came to a conclusion, Joo Han-wook’s figure disappeared.

‘If he wants to observe me more, he won’t aim for vital points.’

‘But he won’t want to go easy on me either, so if he aims, it’ll probably be…….’

At the same time as his figure disappeared, I twisted my body.

‘Most likely the right arm.’

At the same time, his flame sword grazed my right arm.

‘A light blow to the empty side while he’s swinging his sword down!’

Using the twisting force, I rotated my body and punched Joo Han-wook’s empty side.

I felt a sensation as if I had struck something hard like metal.

“Kuh!”

Joo Han-wook let out a short groan and moved away from me.

“You reacted to this speed?”

“I’m quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat.”

“……Indeed.”

Joo Han-wook nodded as if he understood.

He must have heard a rumor about my physical abilities somewhere.

“I expected it, but it seems it’s better to avoid close combat.”

Joo Han-wook deactivated his flame sword.

The flame sword that had been flickering in his grasp disappeared in an instant.

‘Since close combat is blocked, the only combat method Joo Han-wook can choose now is long-range magic combat.’

Whirr-whirr-whirr!

As I expected, Joo Han-wook began to prepare for magic combat.

Now, a concentrated barrage of 5-circle magic will begin.

He was almost hit by me, so he will forget about being careless and try to crush me with overwhelming firepower.

‘Just like Adela did in the battle survival test before.’

With overwhelming magic power output, he will unleash magic to prevent me from even approaching him.

“From now on, I’ll go all out too.”

With Joo Han-wook’s words, flames covered the sky.

A cloud of flames.

‘Fire Rain.’

The privilege of a 5-circle mage.

A wide-area annihilation magic.

It unfolded before my eyes.

“How do you plan to block this?”

Joo Han-wook lowered his hand, which he had raised high.

Flames began to fall like rain.

It can’t be blocked with 3-circle magic.

Even if you try to avoid it, the entire arena is within the magic range, so you can’t avoid it.

‘My father must be thinking that the match is over by now.’

I could somehow see the situation in the audience seats.

‘The match is actually over.’

I twisted the corners of my mouth as I watched the growing rain of flames.

‘With my victory.’

The equation for victory was completed with this Fire Rain as the starting point.

‘Resonance.’

1 minute.

The time remaining until my victory is decided.