The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 333

Let’s rewind a bit.

Ten minutes earlier.

“It seems the examination is taking quite a while.”

In the center of the training ground.

Stella, with her sword at her waist, casually brought up the topic.

“Well, she does have a rather unique constitution.”

Adela stood about five meters away from Stella.

They faced each other, gathering their focus, as if they were about to start a sparring match.

“Hmm. Then, should we just do it ourselves?”

“I suppose we should.”

Both Adela and Stella knew about Shin Hayul’s unique constitution.

Shin Hayul was someone with a brain so unique that an AI couldn’t be implanted.

If the examination was extended once, it wouldn’t be strange if it was extended two or three times.

Instead of waiting for Shin Hayul here, it might be better for the two of them to start sparring separately.

“Then, shall we do that?”

“Let’s do it.”

Well, considering the facilities of this research lab, there shouldn’t be any safety issues.

There’s no need for a referee either.

“Then, I’ll activate the mode. It’s Safety Battle Mode, and defeat is set at three hit points.”

Adela brought up the main setting console and adjusted the settings with her right hand.

Having sparred here dozens, even hundreds of times with Shin Hayul and Ji Soonchan, she could do these settings with her eyes closed.

“Hmm. You’re not bringing up the penalty, are you?”

Stella smiled faintly, watching Adela quickly finish the settings.

“Usually, I’d ask what kind of penalty should be given.”

It’s true that the position of swordsmen has risen significantly in the past two and a half years.

But that’s when looking at the overall level.

The top tier is a bit different.

In terms of a mage’s level, it’s around the 7th Circle [a high level of magic proficiency].

From that point on, mages are clearly superior.

Only two and a half years have passed since Sein Vinoche changed the concept of swordsmanship, so they couldn’t possibly be a match for mages who have been in that position for decades.

Therefore, high-ranking mages usually bring up the topic of penalty matches when sparring with swordsmen.

They are confident they will win and try to give the opponent an advantage.

But Adela didn’t do that.

Even though she’s a high-ranking mage, called a 7th Circle, despite being a 6th Circle.

She didn’t even mention the ‘p’ in penalty when facing a 23-year-old swordsman.

Why is that?

“If the opponent were a different swordsman, I would have suggested a penalty match.”

The reason is simple.

“Can I take that as you seeing me as an equal opponent?”

“Yes.”

It’s because she considers Stella Vinoche to be a skilled fighter of equal ability to herself.

“The true successor of that hero, Sein Vinoche, and the only swordsman who has received Hayul’s teachings.”

Adela’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

“I’m not foolish enough to disregard someone like that.”

“……Hmm.”

Stella’s smile deepened.

“You’re indeed my rival.”

Stella smiled brightly.

Her Korean, which had improved significantly from spending so much time with Shin Hayul over the past two and a half years, was noticeable.

Stella slowly drew her sword.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

Then, she threw her scabbard far away.

“Wasn’t the Vinoche family’s swordsmanship known for its quick draw and sheathing techniques?”

“It was.”

“……But you’re throwing away the scabbard.”

Adela frowned, looking somewhat annoyed.

She was slightly angered by Stella’s actions, which seemed like she was holding back.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not like I’m trying to fight with less power. It’s actually the opposite.”

Stella gripped her sword with both hands.

“You’ll understand when we fight. What I mean. Why I threw away the scabbard.”

“……”

Adela’s anger disappeared from her face.

She didn’t know why, but she knew that Stella wasn’t trying to hold back.

If that’s the case, there’s no reason to be angry.

“……I understand.”

Adela nodded and finished the last setting.

“We’ll start with a 10-count.”

As soon as she pressed the complete button, a countdown appeared in the air.

[10]

[9]

The two slowly gathered their focus, preparing for battle.

With expressions that showed no hesitation.

They focused solely on the opponent’s every move, with minds as clear as still water.

[2]

[1]

And then, a breathtaking silence flowed.

[Start!]

The battle began.

“I’ll take the first move.”

Stella was the first to move.

With the Vinoche family’s unique fast sword strikes and quick footwork, she instantly closed the distance to Adela and swung her sword.

A quick yet powerful strike.

If Adela were an ordinary mage, the match would have been decided at that moment.

Stella’s attack was that sharp.

However.

“I wouldn’t recommend getting too close to me.”

Needless to say.

Adela is no ordinary mage.

It’s impossible to defeat Adela with an attack of this level.

‘Halo.’

As Stella’s sword was swung, moonlight flowed out.

Like a full moon.

A gray light expanding in a dome shape.

The light instantly engulfed Stella’s sword and Stella herself.

“The most dangerous time is when you think you’ve found an opening in your opponent. Didn’t you learn that from Hayul?”

You’ve found an opening in your opponent.

That thought is the most dangerous thought in battle.

That moment of certainty is when the biggest opening is created.

A skilled warrior must be most wary at that time.

Adela looked at Stella, who was enveloped in moonlight, and gave her advice.

“I know that.”

But that was pointless advice.

There’s no way a swordsman like Stella Vinoche wouldn’t know such a basic principle.

“There’s no carelessness in my sword.”

Stella didn’t have any certainty.

There was no careless certainty at all.

“My sword contains only one thing. Conviction.”

Stella swung her sword.

From top to bottom.

A sword swing that seemed casual.

That insignificant sword strike was reminiscent of Sein Vinoche.

The only difference was that Sein Vinoche swung his sword with one hand.

While Stella Vinoche was swinging her sword with both hands.

Swish-!

Her sword split the moonlight.

The full moon was split in half, becoming two crescent moons.

“The Vinoche family’s sword is a quick sword and a sword of exorcism. There’s nothing my sword can’t cut.”

Stella leaped through the cut full moon.

Stella, moving like a flash of light between the two crescent moons.

Stella’s sword got even closer to Adela’s heart.

“Seeing me as an ordinary swordsman. That’s your downfall.”

Just as Stella’s sword was about to cut through Adela’s upper body.

“I’ll return those words to you.”

Adela’s eyes glowed gold.

Adela’s unique observation eye, a further evolution of the Sterton family’s secret magic, the Mind’s Eye [a magical ability to perceive the world with heightened clarity].

A magic eye that hasn’t even been given a proper name yet.

Adela observed the world with that eye.

“You’ll be in big trouble if you think of me as an ordinary mage and act accordingly.”

The light returned to the halved full moon.

The magic that had lost its power when cut regained its strength.

“This is……”

Stella’s eyes showed a hint of panic.

Usually, magic loses all its power the moment it’s cut.

Because the connection between the caster and the magic is severed by the interruption of the magic formula.

The cut magic loses its power and turns into mana residue.

That was the common sense.

However.

“My magic doesn’t disappear until I erase it.”

Adela’s magic is different.

Adela’s special constitution twisted that common sense.

No matter how Adela’s magic is crushed or broken, it doesn’t escape Adela’s control.

Because Adela has a constitution that is infinitely close to Shin Hayul’s.

Because Adela can hear the voice of mana [the energy that fuels magic].

Common sense cannot be her shackle.

“It’s over.”

The two cut crescent moons began to fly towards Stella.

Magic flying from close range.

There’s no way to block magic flying from both sides at this close range.

Usually, that is.

“……I was going to show it to him first.”

Stella smiled wryly.

“It can’t be helped.”

At the same time, her sword began to flicker faintly.

Like a mirage.

Like smoke.

The sword itself flickered semi-transparently.

‘This is……’

This time, Adela’s expression became serious.

She knew about the change in that sword from what Shin Hayul had told her before.

‘Could it be, the Mind Sword [a legendary sword technique that allows the user to cut with the power of thought]……?’

A sword that exists and doesn’t exist, like a mind.

The supreme level where one can cut the enemy just by thinking of cutting them.

And the pinnacle level that no one but Sein Vinoche has ever used.

‘Has she already reached the level of the Mind Sword at that age?’

Adela was shocked.

‘It’s clumsy, but……’

However, contrary to Adela’s expectations, Stella’s sword was not a complete Mind Sword.

She had only slightly stepped into the realm of the Mind Sword.

That was it.

Her sword only became this blurry.

It didn’t advance to a higher level.

‘This is enough for now.’

But even that clumsy level was enough.

Even if it’s only 1/100th of the power of the original Mind Sword.

A Mind Sword is a Mind Sword.

The uniqueness of that sword does not disappear.

Swish-!

As Stella’s sword flickered semi-transparently.

The two crescent moons were cut in half again.

And then again into half of half.

And then again into half of that.

Soon, what was once a full moon was divided into 16 pieces of moonlight.

And her sword, which had cut the full moon, soon.

‘I’ll finish it like this.’

Flew towards Adela’s neck.

An invisible sword flew to finish Adela.

No matter how skilled Adela was, it was impossible to react to an unknown sword she had never seen before.

‘Something is coming.’

No, it should have been impossible.

‘I can’t block that attack with my magic. I don’t know why, but I’m certain I can’t block it.’

But Adela reacted.

With a super intuition that she herself couldn’t understand, she sensed her danger.

‘The only way to block that attack is……’

And that intuition soon led to one solution.

‘This is the only way.’

Earlier.

One possibility she had felt when fighting in Pyongyang.

That mana that Elena Ro Greenwood was shocked and amazed by, and told her to put aside for now.

Adela’s eyes turned from gold to green.

The gray mana also turned green.

And.

Thump-!

With a violent tremor.

New life began to bloom.

The barren training ground was dyed green.

‘……Vines?’

In the midst of it, a vine wrapped around Adela’s neck.

A weak vine that seemed like it could be easily cut even without the Mind Sword.

It collided directly with Stella’s sword.

And.

Clang-!

Stella’s sword was deflected.

‘What is this nonsense……!’

Stella was shocked.

Her sword couldn’t cut a single vine and was deflected.

‘What kind of magic is that?!’

Stella panicked and jumped back.

In an incomprehensible situation, it’s best to regroup first.

Following that teaching, she temporarily retreated.

Stella’s judgment was correct.

Thump-!

Thorny trees began to sprout from the spot where Stella had been standing just a moment ago.

Not only that.

Based on those thorny trees, trees and flowers began to bloom in all directions.

Incomprehensible plants, each possessing a huge amount of mana.

They coiled around as if to protect Adela.

Stella was speechless at the surreal sight.

‘The magic that Adela Sterton was hiding? No, but that’s……’

It was strange to call it a hidden power.

It was like something was not being controlled properly.

In fact, Adela Sterton’s expression was also very serious.

‘It looks like her power is going out of control……’

Adela’s power is going out of control.

Stella Vinoche made that judgment.

And just as she made that judgment.

“This is……”

The door to the training ground swung open, and a man appeared.

“Elena-nim’s magic……?”

Shin Hayul.

He was looking at the life that filled the surroundings with a shocked expression.