Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 43

43. How to Break the Mold (2)

Liu once said something like this:

“Never forget that a wizard is, by nature, a creator. A wizard must be capable of diverse thinking. Only then can you avoid being trapped in a mold and create.”

It was a simple but profound teaching. Diverse thinking, free from being stuck in a mold. It was something I always kept in mind for my growth as a wizard.

I hadn’t forgotten Liu’s teachings even now, as I faced Munba.

‘Chain Lightning, huh…’

What’s the best way to overcome the approaching Chain Lightning? And how can I land a blow on that bastard afterward?

My mind raced, searching for a solution.

A magic containing the family’s secret technique.

A magic combination attempted with simultaneous incantation.

I had many options. Because I am not an ordinary fifteen-year-old wizard.

With those methods, I could somehow resist Chain Lightning.

‘But it’s difficult to counterattack effectively with just that.’

It was difficult to say for sure that I could subdue him.

‘In that case…….’

I kicked off the ground.

Taat!

The aura gathered at my toes gave me a bit more explosive power.

Chain Lightning spread out and surged toward me. I faced it head-on and ran.

“What are you doing!”

A method that an ordinary wizard would never consider. A way to break the mold in the current situation.

…And a method that only I could think of.

[You’re trying to break through head-on?]

‘Yeah. There’s nowhere to avoid anyway. I’ll take one hit.’

[You reckless bastard.]

The disadvantage of Chain Lightning is that, as a wide-area attack, its lethality isn’t very high.

‘The one who’s been hit before knows how to take a hit.’

It was a method I could attempt because I had been fried countless times in my previous life. A method of sacrificing flesh to gain an advantage. He couldn’t even imagine that I would respond so recklessly.

Still, if I took it with my bare body, I’d be roasted meat for sure.

Wuoong!

I hurriedly gathered all the remaining mana.

‘This should be enough to endure for a while.’

At the same time, grains of desert sand soared up.

As if alive, they began to cover my body. It was as if a layer of skin had been added, with clumps of dirt enveloping my entire body.

Togapju (Earth Armor) [A defensive spell using earth magic to create a protective layer].

It was an application of the Spellion family’s defensive magic, which mainly used earth-attribute magic. The best defensive magic I could use against electric-type magic in my current state.

[It’s a good magic to use right here.]

Originally, to use true Togapju, you would need to be around a 7-star wizard.

‘That’s right. There’s sand everywhere.’

Since this place is a desert full of sand, I could at least imitate it.

Pazzzik!

As soon as the Togapju covered my body, currents of electricity enveloped me.

‘Keuhup!’

Since it was only an imitation, it was impossible to block it completely.

Moreover, this time, Munba seemed to have put all his strength into it.

Paahk!

The lightning that had consumed the surroundings showed no sign of disappearing.

It was a pain that I hadn’t felt in a long time, aching to the bone. I felt like the muscles in my entire body were paralyzed, but.

‘…Let’s see who wins.’

I bit down hard. Compared to the pain I experienced when I lived as Adonis, this was nothing.

My mental strength was no different from back then. Controlling my legs with aura, I took one step at a time.

[Are you okay?]

‘What do you take me for?’

I couldn’t fall down. Not until I landed a blow on Munba’s sneering face.

Tat.

As I took another step, my whole body felt numb and sore. However, the corners of Munba’s lips were also slightly drooping.

Tat.

As I took another step, blood welled up. However, Munba’s brow also began to furrow.

Relying on the power of aura, I continued to extend my legs. Eventually, horror settled on his face.

“C, crazy!”

That distorted expression became the driving force for my movement. The remaining distance to Munba was only five steps.

Pajeuk…….

The Chain Lightning that he had cast was gradually losing its momentum.

“D, don’t come!”

Perhaps thinking that magic wouldn’t work on me, he canceled Chain Lightning altogether and began chanting a new spell.

Wuoong!

In the fleeting moment when Chain Lightning disappeared, a blue arrow was nocked in his hand. He had chosen Magic Arrow, which had a fast casting speed.

And the fact that Chain Lightning had disappeared meant….

‘You son of a bitch. Now it’s my turn.’

It made the corners of my lips rise even higher.

“You damned brat! You’re asking for death! It’s because you came too close!”

Eventually, Munba drew back the bowstring. As his finger flicked.

HooWoong!

The blue arrow rushed in fiercely.

Even a skilled knight would have difficulty dodging an arrow at this distance.

‘You fool.’

But I had another way. An act that would break Munba’s common sense in the current situation. I was planning to give him a twist until the very end.

Seureung!

The dagger drawn from my waist. The aura that gathered in an instant enveloped the blade.

‘Consider yourself lucky to see this.’

I swung the dagger imbued with aura as it was. The trajectory of the arrow, which only extended in a straight line, was too obvious to me.

Kaaang!

Hitting the Magic Arrow was too easy for me.

The blue arrow was deflected with a rough metallic sound. In the end, it didn’t reach me and seemed to be stuck in the desert ground.

“……What?”

Munba was stunned by the sight. A fifteen-year-old wizard knocking down his Magic Arrow with a dagger; he couldn’t help but be flustered.

Wuoong!

He was summoning Magic Arrow again.

“It’s no use even if you do that.”

No matter how many times he shot it, I wouldn’t take an attack that was so clearly visible.

“Ptooey!”

I spat out the blood that had filled my mouth.

Kaaang!

I knocked down the arrow again.

“Y, you 대체……!” [Korean for “What the heck…?” or “What are you…?”].

His eyes were filled with astonishment.

In those black pupils, a small grim reaper with a dagger was reflected.

“Let’s end this now.”

I lunged towards Munba. The distance to him could be closed with a single leap.

HooWoong!

In a fleeting moment. The dagger stained with aura was swung.

The sharp sensation transmitted to my fingertips. That sensation, which I hadn’t felt in a long time, assured me of my victory.

“Kkyaaaaak!”

Munba knelt on the floor and screamed. His gaze was fixed on his right arm, which had fallen to the ground. It was an arm that had been cleanly cut off as if a high-level magic had been activated.

“You bastard! What did you do! Kkyaaaaak!”

The guy couldn’t stand the pain.

‘Shut up.’

Thuk.

As I struck the guy’s cervical artery with the dagger handle, his screams also subsided. Soon, Munba collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

‘Hoo……. That was a bit tough.’

How long had it been since I used aura to cut down an enemy?

‘Anyway, that’s the end of this for now.’

Feeling the tingling sensation in my fingertips, I hurriedly turned my head.

“Ugh, ugh……!”

Aiteo was lying on the floor, looking up at Munbo. Aiteo’s dagger had flown far away, and Munbo’s axe was raised towards him.

“S, save me!”

HooWoong!

Munbo swung down the hand axe with a merciless expression. Aiteo’s desperate eyes were reflected in the well-honed axe.

Hwarak!

I hurriedly created a fireball. The small fireball, made by squeezing out all the remaining mana, was shot towards Munbo.

“Kkyaaaaak!”

Munbo’s body staggered because of the fireball that struck him from behind. In the end, the hand axe went past Aiteo’s face.

“W, which bastard is it!”

Munbo was trying to get up, but the attack of the fireball was not limited to physical damage.

The flames began to devour Munbo’s clothes like prey.

Hwaaaak!

The guy’s body was instantly engulfed in fierce flames.

“Ugh, ughak! Munba hyung [Korean for older brother]! S, save……!”

Munbo and Aiteo’s positions were reversed in an instant. The guy, who had no magic resistance, couldn’t easily put out the fire.

“You bad guy! Get out of here!”

Aiteo was pushing the struggling guy away with his feet.

[Fortunately, it ended well.]

‘Yeah. I’m also in tatters, though.’

All the mana was exhausted, and the aura was almost depleted. I was barely able to stand.

“Oh, thank you. Young master! T, thanks to you, I lived.”

Aiteo even used honorifics to me and bowed his head. The wounds all over his body showed how hard he had struggled.

For some reason, his pants seemed to be wet….

‘I lived thanks to you too.’

It was a tactic that was possible because Aiteo had bought time against Munbo in the first place. He was a petty criminal, but it was a moment when I felt like saving him a little.

“First of all, there are many eyes watching, so let’s clean up this place first.”

“A, I understand.”

The market was crowded with people due to the commotion. The gazes of the surrounding merchants and customers were directed at us.

“Hey! Why are those people like that?”

“Oh my! Someone has fallen! What’s going on in broad daylight!”

“Don’t get involved by going near them. They were wizards.”

Existences that squeezed out among them.

“Ian!”

“Are you okay? What’s wrong!”

It was Drew and Cleio. The children’s gazes alternately scanned me and the fallen Munba brothers.

“Don’t worry. I’m okay.”

I reassured the surprised children first.

‘Ha. What do I say?’

Noah, who appeared after that. Her brow was furrowed.

“Ha. I had a feeling that this mission was fishy, and it was a dangerous job after all. Let’s go back before things get more complicated. Let’s talk about what happened when we get there, and it would be good to ask the nearby guards to take care of the aftermath.”

There was no choice. I hadn’t met the Won Sim-hoe [Likely a reference to a specific organization or group] yet, but I had no choice but to follow her words. I couldn’t insist any further in a situation where there had been bloodshed.

“I understand.”

It was when I turned around to move my steps.

“What’s going on all of a sudden.”

Another commotion heard from behind. That caught our ankles.

‘Haa. It’s gotten complicated.’

Armed men rushed out of the jewelry store. Hostile gazes were being shot from them.

‘Why now…….’

[Is that Raka Belier’s gang?]

‘Eighteen wizards and seven close combatants.’

Even if I looked roughly, it wasn’t a scale we could fight.

The appearance of men with staffs and various weapons made the crowd that had gathered step back. Naturally, we were facing off against those guys with the Munba brothers in between.

“Aren’t those Munba and Munbo?”

Their gazes reached the two fallen people.

“Did those brats do it?”

“They look like they came out of the Magic Tower?”

“They must be from a prestigious family.”

A bitter smile spread across their lips.

“Hey. Did you guys do it?”

A man who broke through their group. A man with gold ornaments all over his body took another step closer.

The children were frozen and couldn’t answer easily.

“What if we did?”

I had no choice but to take a step forward instead. It was a situation where we couldn’t back down anyway.

“Hoo. Red eyes. Delema, huh?”