Chapter 257: Sand Domain: All, Fierce Battle
"Fire Resistance!"
A chant, tinged with fury, echoed from within the flame-scorched crater.
The raging holy flame, filled with searing heat, first dimmed before being dispersed by a surge of blue energy.
Evileye rose to her feet once more from the crater. A faint, dark-red light flickered on the red, hooded robe she wore, the 「First King's Long Coat」.
From her appearance alone, it was impossible to determine the extent of her injuries, as she was completely covered, save for a bit of dust on her clothes.
"Her aura has weakened, but it doesn't seem to have affected her much."
Tang Zheng stared in Evileye's direction, waving his arm to command the Purifying Power Angel in front to return, thinking to himself, "As an undead, she naturally has countermeasures for both fire and holy attributes. That red coat must also have some level of magical defense."
He wasn't worried about Evileye revealing her undead status; she wore a special magic ring to conceal it.
"You've angered me, black-hair!"
A cold shout, its tone belying her age, came from behind Evileye's mask, her voice now laced with rage.
However, behind the mask, her youthful face was, on the contrary, exceptionally calm. There was even a hint of admiration in her eyes as she looked at Tang Zheng.
This black-haired youth before her was a genius worthy of attention, just like Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra.
Women have always hated having their age discussed.
Evileye was no different, but having lived for over two hundred years, she wouldn't be provoked by such a thing. Maintaining composure in combat was a crucial quality.
Mm-hmm!
She decided she would strike a little harder later.
"To think you could withstand an attack of that intensity, that's incredible. You must be the strongest member of Blue Rose."
Tang Zheng's hearty and solemn laughter resounded across the lawn. Under the radiance of the two angels, his white priest robe shone brightly.
"Then come, Miss Evileye, you are an opponent worthy of my full effort!"
He had previously canceled the summoning of the Fourth-Tier Tranquility Dominion Angel, but he had kept the Monitoring Dominion Angel active.
Screech!
A cry that tore through the air like a falcon's shriek echoed from above.
A holy light streaked across the sky. A half-meter-large falcon, composed entirely of holy energy and shining with white light, charged toward Evileye at an extraordinary speed.
「Holy Light Falcon」!
Evileye leaped out of the crater. The falcon was too fast, forcing her to quickly raise her arm and cast a defensive magic:
"「Crystal Wall」!"
A defense made of crystal materialized before her, colliding with the Holy Light Falcon.
Crack.
Tiny crystal fragments scattered. The force of the dive hammered a fist-sized dent into the sturdy crystal wall, and dense cracks spread across its surface.
The attack was blocked, but the resulting impact forced Evileye's body back uncontrollably.
"The holy flame from before and this impact have both damaged my body."
Evileye assessed her condition. She possessed a skill, 「Damage Transfer」, that could convert physical damage into magic power consumption. However, as a magic caster, expending extra magic power in a fight was not a good choice.
Besides, the damage to her body wasn't severe.
"My turn."
"「Dehydration」!" Evileye stared in Tang Zheng's direction and chanted in a low voice.
This was a fourth-tier magic, capable of inflicting immense and devastating damage to any creature containing water, especially water elemental types.
If it hit Tang Zheng, given a magic caster's physical durability, a single strike could end the battle.
This was the limit of a human. As an undead, she was completely unaffected by such magic.
Vwoom!
Tang Zheng, who had been on guard all along, immediately had one of the Monitoring Dominion Angels hovering above his head move to block for him.
The magic attack missed its mark, causing no ripples. Angel-type summoned monsters were also immune to this kind of specialized magic.
"Surprisingly cautious, but that last spell was just to create an opportunity."
Seeing the Monitoring Dominion Angel shield Tang Zheng, a brilliant smile appeared on Evileye's face behind her mask.
*Still too inexperienced, black-hair!*
"「Dimension Move」!"
In an instant, Evileye's figure vanished, reappearing behind Tang Zheng a moment later.
If the Monitoring Dominion Angel, which excelled at defense, had remained above Tang Zheng's head, it would have immediately moved to defend him.
But now!
Both the Monitoring Dominion Angel and the Purifying Power Angel were in front of Tang Zheng, leaving his entire back completely exposed.
Looking at Tang Zheng's defenseless back.
"Head-on clashes are just too crude."
The corner of Evileye's mouth curled up. "I've won."
She had always believed that magic casters who relied solely on pure attack magic were second-rate. Having mastered over a hundred different spells, she could handle most situations with ease.
However, in that split second.
「Sunlight」!
A dazzling, incandescent white light bloomed.
As an undead, she possessed the 「Night Vision」 ability and even had some visual enhancement effects, but she couldn't evade the brief blindness caused by 「Sunlight」.
This caused Evileye a moment's hesitation.
"「Holy Hammer」!"
"「Magic Shield」!"
BAM!
A massive impact resounded, and a shockwave rolled out as the piercing light faded.
Tang Zheng spun around and retreated, putting distance between himself and Evileye. The huge shadow of the Monitoring Dominion Angel was already upon her.
On the other side, the Purifying Power Angel simultaneously waved the holy banner in its hand. "「Rain of Fire」!"
"That was almost the end."
That had caught him off guard. It was a good thing Tang Zheng wasn't a true magic caster, or he never would have been able to react.
"It's not an issue of power, but a gap in combat experience."
Tang Zheng quickly realized this.
His previous opponents had always been crushed, so the gap in combat experience had never been apparent.
Crimson light rapidly materialized in mid-air, forming raindrop-like flames that rained down on Evileye.
*Such a quick reaction—no, did he anticipate this?*
Surprise flickered in Evileye's eyes, but she didn't hesitate, raising her hands forward. "「Magic Shield」!"
The reason she didn't use the stronger 「Crystal Wall」 was to conserve magic power, and also because 「Rain of Fire」 was an area-of-effect attack magic with relatively low power.
"Is he trying to force me back?"
The smile on Evileye's lips widened. "I'm not so easily dealt with!"
「Dimension Move」 was a spell used by a caster to create distance or escape, but she was no ordinary magic caster.
"「Resistance Weakening」!"
Evileye let out a low shout.
A dim white light suddenly appeared on the Purifying Power Angel, and its movement speed showed clear signs of slowing.
Swoosh!
The Monitoring Dominion Angel rushed over at that moment, raising the silver short hammer in its hand again.
"When fighting a summoning-type magic caster, you really should restrict these troublesome summoned creatures!"
Evileye was forced to leap backward, creating distance from the Monitoring Dominion Angel, as a powerful surge of magic power erupted from her body.
"Fifth-Tier Magic: 「Sand Domain · All」!"
RUMBLE!
A massive magic circle appeared on the lawn, from which a vast amount of yellow sand erupted, turning into waves of quicksand that swept rapidly toward Tang Zheng and his summons.
"This is... a binding spell!"
Tang Zheng's expression turned serious. He aimed one hand at the Purifying Power Angel while shouting, "Monitoring Dominion Angel!"
POP!
Just as the quicksand was about to bind the Purifying Power Angel, Tang Zheng canceled its summon, and it vanished into points of light.
Meanwhile, under Tang Zheng's control, the Monitoring Dominion Angel leaned its entire body back. Its massive, three-meter-tall frame fell backward as it extended a thick arm.
It grabbed Tang Zheng and, with a flick of its wrist, threw him!
Tang Zheng was launched into the air.
In the next moment, the Monitoring Dominion Angel was ensnared by the sweeping quicksand, rendered motionless on the ground.
"He dodged even that? Are you kidding me?"
Evileye's eyes widened in disbelief and confusion.
「Sand Domain · All」 was a fifth-tier magic she had created herself, arguably the strongest trump card she possessed!
It was a large-scale group spell that could completely bind an opponent's movements, creating a powerful movement impairment effect. But if that were all, it wouldn't be called her strongest.
This magic also possessed effects like blindness, silence, and distraction. The sand even contained a negative energy attack that could greedily devour an opponent's life energy!
It was an attack that could decide the match in one blow!
Soaring through the air, Tang Zheng looked down at the bound Monitoring Dominion Angel and sent a mental command, but the angel remained motionless.
As expected, he couldn't even cancel the summon.
As the summoner, if a summoned monster still existed, he couldn't summon a new one.
If Evileye had managed to bind both angels at once, he would have lost, at least on the surface.
"It's certainly difficult to fight with my hands tied. Still, to think I forced out Evileye's trump card... it seems she was getting a bit anxious too."
As Tang Zheng began to fall, he immediately cast another spell. "「Magic Boost: Fifth-Tier Angel Summoning · Purifying Power Angel」!"
POP!
A dazzling light appeared.
Tang Zheng's descending figure landed steadily on the Purifying Power Angel. He used the passive from his Ninja class to make his aura seem even weaker.
The holy banner waved.
"「Holy Flame」!"
Searing, bright yellow flames once again erupted on Evileye's body. Even though she was prepared, she still cried out.
The undead feel no pain, but they can sense the feeling of their false life fading. After all, she was disguised as a human; it would be impossible not to react after being hit by magic.
"Black-hair!"
Evileye growled, a bit of genuine anger flaring up without her realizing it. She activated the effect of a magic item on her body, dispelling the holy flame.
"「Crystal Shrapnel」!"
A fist-sized, translucent crystal condensed and transformed into a volley of heavy bullets, which shot toward Tang Zheng in the sky with a sharp whoosh.
"「Light Feather Strike」!"
The two pairs of wings on the Purifying Power Angel's back flapped. A pair of wings made of holy energy appeared behind it, then shattered into a shower of feathers shining with holy light.
Like shooting stars streaking through the sky, each feather moved with incredible speed. Though impossibly light, they precisely struck the incoming crystal shrapnel.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A dense series of explosions echoed through the sky, the roars audible throughout the entire Royal Capital.
"「Flight」!"
A flicker of magic power surrounded Evileye as her body rose into the air, leveling with Tang Zheng, who was standing on the Purifying Power Angel.
"「Penetrate Magic: Dragon Lightning」!" Evileye chanted.
BOOM!
Blue lightning gathered between her arms, forming a dragon-shaped bolt that rushed forward.
"「Holy Light Falcon」!"
A holy light tore through the air. The falcon of white energy, shimmering with dazzling light, dived down and collided with the Dragon Lightning.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar exploded in the sky, sending a violent shockwave surging in all directions.
A stray aftershock of lightning washed over them, but the brunt of the Dragon Lightning's power had already been neutralized in the clash, and it did no real damage to the already tough Purifying Power Angel.
"This guy!!"
Seeing Tang Zheng block her attack yet again, a crimson glint appeared in Evileye's eyes behind her mask.
"「Light Feather Strike」!"
A great shower of feathers shining with holy light once again appeared from behind the Purifying Power Angel, descending like a torrential storm.
Faced with this attack, Evileye didn't use magic to block or defend. Instead, she controlled her flight magic to retreat rapidly, creating distance.
At the same time!
Evileye's gaze locked onto Tang Zheng, and the magic power in her body gathered once more. "Let's see you block this time!"
"「Maximized Magic: Dragon Lightning」!"
BOOM!
A dragon-shaped bolt of lightning, twice as thick and violent as the last, erupted from Evileye's hands, letting off crackles of fine blue lightning in the sky.
The terrifying energy made everyone on the ground feel a sense of oppression!
In the next instant.
The astonishing Dragon Lightning, once cast, shattered the air, becoming a straight bolt of current that blasted toward the Purifying Power Angel.
"「Radiant Blessing」!"
This time, the Purifying Power Angel did not release a magical attack for an offensive defense. Instead, it cast a strengthening spell, causing its entire body to erupt in a brilliant, holy glow.
BOOM!
A piercing blue flash of lightning exploded in mid-air, making everyone instinctively squint or look away.
When everyone looked at the sky again, the two figures were still there; the battle was not over.
Evileye's eyes widened again as she looked at the Purifying Power Angel, a look of astonishment on her youthful face behind the mask.
Although its bright silver armor was extensively damaged, and one of its wings was even broken, it was still there!
How was this possible?
Even with enhanced defense, the Purifying Power Angel shouldn't have been able to withstand a Dragon Lightning amplified by Maximized Magic.
Wait!
What was that?
Evileye then noticed a large number of white light points dissipating in front of the Purifying Power Angel.
Seeing this, Evileye quickly looked down to where the Monitoring Dominion Angel had been locked by the quicksand. The spot was now empty.
"That 「Light Feather Strike」 just now wasn't aimed at me, but at the Monitoring Dominion Angel."
"After destroying it, he summoned it again to block for the Purifying Power Angel, which is how he withstood the maximized 「Dragon Lightning」," Evileye's eyes showed a flash of understanding as she looked again at the slightly disheveled Tang Zheng opposite her.
This guy... his mind is so meticulous.
Tang Zheng and Evileye's gazes met briefly. Just as they were preparing to attack again, both suddenly turned their heads to the side.
"「Dark Blade Super-Dreadnought Shockwave」!"
A ferocious black energy blasted up from the ground.
Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, holding a black longsword as tall as a person, shouted in a clear, cold voice, "That's enough, you two!"
(end of chapter)