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Chapter 125
A Duel
There was unexpectedly an entrance to a dungeon-like structure behind a harsh waterfall. Entering it would lead to a narrow and dark road, and just when one would question where the path would lead them, one would find themselves arriving at an open-air space with a path ending with a cliff with an unseen end, the sky could be seen and the stream of waterfall from the distance could be seen, emphasizing the depth of the cliff.
It was a tranquil and beautiful place, yet the few people that were currently within such grounds were full of turmoil.
Each carried different feelings and thoughts, as their attention was focused on the purple-haired girl standing straight like an arrow, with fiery and determined eyes, her gaze unwavering.
“I hereby request for a match with you! The one winning will gain custody of Birdie!!”
The girl’s previous words had long left her mouth and as well as the audience’s ears, yet it still continued to echo in everyone’s mind.
A few moments later…
“Are you crazy?!” Mila roared in anger.
“Don’t do anything reckless!” Laura anxiously shouted.
Yet, it fell to deaf ears as Ann didn’t seem to budge, not even an inch.
“…,” Allen was silent, perhaps wanting to know more about what Ann was planning to do, yet his deep frown betrayed his otherwise composed figure.
Rakiasha stared at Ann intimidatingly, but Ann’s unwavering determination was still the same. Her confident expression, her determined gaze, and…
The corner of Rakiasha’s lips slightly curved up when she noticed that Ann’s legs trembled slightly.
“Interesting!”
With a casual swing of her right arm, Rakiasha has built a barrier between the two of them and the rest, preventing her and Ann from being disturbed.
“Rakiasha-sama!!!” Nymnienna was clearly distraught by this unexpected development.
“Do not fret, my child,” Rakiasha turned to look at Nymnienna as her expression immediately turned like a gentle mother–a really contrasting gaze compared to the one she had when she glared at Ann just a few seconds before.
Rakiasha closed her eyes before turning her powerful and fierce gaze at Ann again, and with an intimidating tone that was contrast to her previously gentle one, she asked Ann.
“Pray tell, what kind of a match are you suggesting? Let me entertain your foolish request!”
“So, you agree with Birdie as the stake?” Ann immediately responded.
“Oh? You dare not answer my question and instead throw another question at me? Very well!!”
Rakiasha swung her arm once more and immediately, thorny vines appeared from the ground as they rapidly spread towards Ann’s direction.
“Ann!!” Allen lost his composure–he could care less about what Ann was planning–clearly, whatever plan she had, it was dangerous!!.
At that moment, facing the rapidly approaching thorny vines, Ann could feel her life flashing before her.
However, she could only brace herself.
When the vines were so close to her, she couldn’t help but close her eyes and clench her fists and teeth reflexively.
I can’t die here!
Her will to live triumphed as she got an idea. She wasn’t sure if she could do it or not, but Ann silently tried to set a protective magic mechanism–one that would freeze and stop the vines should they come to a distance of around 1 cm from touching her body.
That was the only way she could protect herself, though she had wanted the distance set to be more distant than now, but she couldn’t risk applying the magic when the vines had bypassed the distance already!
Heck, by duel, I mean a fair and square duel, not this surprise attack before I even get the yes or no answer!!
Ann could only pray that her mechanism would work as she braced herself for the impact between their magic, but she was only greeted with a breeze.
Surprised, she opened her eyes only to see that the vines suddenly branched just right in front of her as if avoiding her on purpose–it was akin to the tale of a sea that was parted before a certain figure’s command and wand.
Dumfounded, Ann blinked several times, trying to understand what just happened.
“Very well! You’re not even intimidated by this. I acknowledge your determination, foolish human. I agree to the duel with the stake you mentioned,” Rakiasha said.
“Rakiasha-sama!!” Nymnienna couldn’t believe her ears. The sun of the tribe, entertaining a mere human–an insolent one, on top of it?!
“Ann! Are you serious?!” Laura’s scream became frantic after witnessing Rakiasha’s power just now.
She fully understood that such a powerful attack would usually make a human show a sign of fatigue due to using too much mana–even if they were a single magic element holder–but she could see that Rakiasha didn’t seem to be affected by it. As expected of the Imparie tribe, they were indeed blessed by nature’s spirit!
They possessed power that was far beyond what a normal human could possess, so of course Laura would be so worried that she could die out of heart attack any moment death inches closer to her beloved best friend!
Ann blinked, this time in disbelief.
Wait, what?! I thought you had already accepted my duel invitation when you surprised me with an attack!! This–this crazy woman…
“Thank you for the honor,” Ann could only curtsey slightly as a thanks that Rakiasha was willing to accept her duel invitation, her face was smiling, but her smile would twitch a little bit…
Right, it doesn’t matter as long as she accepts! It was my objective from the very beginning, after all!
Yes, Ann was actually gambling that the Imparie tribe were looking down on them especially due to their power differences, so she had this thought that… Maybe, if she could prove herself to be stronger if not equal to their strength and get their acknowledgement, the Imparie tribe would be willing to cooperate with them.
“Before we start, what other requirements do you want for this duel? I will be the bigger person and let you decide–ask any handicap you need.”
“!!”
Ann could understand that Rakiasha was really underestimating her and only viewed her as a rare entertainment.
Therefore, without being offended, Ann answered, “As long as it’s restricted to magic only battle. Physical attack isn’t allowed.”
“Are you sure it’s just that? Is there nothing else that you want as a handicap?” Rakiasha asked with one of her brows lifted.
“Yes, I am sure.”
“Alright, then we shall begin any time you start an attack,” Rakiasha gracefully said.
“…”
Ann breathed deeply as she closed her eyes.
In that short moment, her brain quickly calculated everything.
I can try to cause water imbalance in her body or brain and render her unconscious to acquire an easy victory, but what if something were to happen to her and it’s fatal? Even if it’s not, how can I explain that it’s caused by me? It isn’t exactly a power you can observe and understand easily…
I guess it’s important to demonstrate my power in an obvious show off when she’s conscious instead of making her unconscious as a showcase of my power… In conclusion, causing her to be unconscious is a no go, then.
I guess I have no choice but to put my faith in my modern knowledge of science, combined with my magical power!
Let’s go! Ann, let’s shout our motto that we just thought of before!
Yippee water! Water is the source of life, water is everything, water is number one! Thank goodness I am a Pure Water magic user!
I am the strongest!
After the silly way she used to cheer herself up, Ann finally opened her eyes. Her gaze was clear and determined as she rushed towards Rakiasha and swung her hand. Synchronous to her arm’s movement, countless icicle shards formed and quickly lunged themselves towards Rakiasha.
Rakiasha looked surprised but she quickly responded by swinging her as well, blocking the ices with vines that soared suddenly from the ground.
The ground, huh…?
When her attack was rendered useless, Ann didn’t despair or be caught off guard, for she never thought she’d succeed in one go. Ann immediately backed away to give a distance between them as her line of sight fell to the ground where the vines repeatedly grew.
If she can summon the vines from the ground, then I just need to render it useless!
Determined, Ann put some distance between them again as she knelt and put both her hands on the ground.
“…?” Rakiasha and the others spectating were wondering what she’d be doing.
Even so, Rakiasha kept summoning the thorny vines, determined to not look foolish by giving the enemy a leeway.
“Ann!” Laura shouted in panic, for the vines lunged towards Ann once more, but Ann didn’t even seem to notice the danger ahead of her as she was focused on the ground, still kneeling!
It wasn’t that Ann didn’t notice the danger coming to her at all. She was just focusing on what she wanted to do.
Not long after, starting from the part of the soil that Ann’s body touched, the ground started to freeze. The icy surface soon spread throughout the whole ground of their battlefield. Yes, their battlefield was fully covered in ice, turning it into an icy terrain.
“How fast…!” Nymnienna exclaimed in awe.
“So, she’s a very powerful ice magic user? Ice is a mutated magic… I see…,” Prince Kiehl put one of his hands on her chin as he contemplated.
“…,” Allen was deep in thought.
He knew for sure that Ann could use water magic, and Ann herself declared that she had just used her water magic earlier. But she just used ice magic–ice magic was the mutated form of water magic. Theoretically, it was impossible for a person with ice magic to be able to use water magic and vice versa…
Did Ann’s magic mutate due to the high stimuli for this battle? But Ann acted as if she knew she could use that magic and wasn’t even surprised… What exactly is going on?
“Ah, mutated magic user! An ice magician! A powerful one, at that! How rare!” Rakiasha exclaimed in awe.
Is this really time for her to be in awe? I mean, I covered all the ground, so she couldn’t summon the vines anymore… right? Ann thought to herself.
She was just confident earlier that Rakiasha won’t be able to attack her anymore, but now she wasn’t so sure of it. Rakiasha’s confident attitude that seemed as if she was just enjoying an amusement caused her to be so wary. There was just no sense of urgency or any hint of being threatened from Rakiasha.
And… It’s just too easy…
“Amazing!” Rakiasha clapped her hands as a hint of respect finally appeared deep within her gaze towards Ann.
“However, you’d be very mistaken if you think this is the end. And if it’s the extent of your power, I’d be so disappointed. Show me what you’ve got! O, ancient guardian of the realm… I hereby command you to rise and bestow your punishment towards this insolent human!”
“……!!!”
Crap, crap! What is this? I am toast!
This typical line in a boss battle before the battle got several times harder–and what’s with the eerie chanting?!
What is coming?!
Why do I feel like swaying–no, wait!
“The ground is shaking…?” Ann started to feel dizzy and unsure if it was vertigo or there really was an earthquake.
“An earthquake?!” Laura’s voice made Ann believe that it was an earthquake, not just her age catching up with her…
Then, the unbelievable happened as Ann suddenly felt like there was a huge shadow that towered in front of her, blocking the sunlight. She turned to focus her vision towards Rakiasha and noticed that there was really something huge that suddenly appeared behind Rakiasha, towering over the whole ground and blocking the sunlight!
N-no way…?!
Is this… a golem?!
A huge figure that was made from what seemed to be rocks or the ground could be seen. It seemed that the golem appeared from the cliff, as they could only see the upper half of the golem’s body… Its gigantic and long arm was lifted.
Although its movement seemed slow, Ann quickly measured how a flick of the golem’s thumb would definitely send her flying and its fist would surely plummet her flat to the ground…
Ann stood still as she looked up at the giant golem, her mouth was reflexively opened wide…
As a modern person with no exposure towards real life golem at all, her first reaction was to be frozen silly, then mini Anns inside her brain’s office quickly found out that their computers had caught fire and all of the mini Anns were running around in panic.
“Aaahhhh! Dead!! We’re dead!!”
“Is this how it feels like facing an imminent death?”
“Should we pray? Wait, can we possibly pray to the golem to spare us?!”
“Quick, think of some good last words! And make them quick!!”
“Oh no, oh no! This is going to hurt, right?”
“Wait, I heard someone saying that if it happens instantly, we won’t have time to even feel the pain…”
“So, which one is it? Will it be extremely painful or will we not feel anything as we fade to oblivion?”
“Gosh, it’s so scary!”
“Mommyyyy!!”
“GUOOOO!!”
The golem’s voice caused their surroundings to shake even further, totally not helping Ann’s fear at all…
No, it actually helped intensify her fear by ten folds…
Is this the end?
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