"Repulsion Impact!"
"Gravity Pressure!"
"Energy Scour!"
Kira split into several phantom figures, employing various magics in succession, attacking Bluenote from all directions, centering around him. But the opponent was unmoving, not even twitching an eyebrow. He just stood there, using Gravity Magic to its absolute limit, meeting every change with a fixed stance.
On the surface, Kira looked like a minor character searching for an opening, circling his opponent, while Bluenote seemed like a master with impenetrable defense, solid as a mountain. But only the two caught in the battle knew the truth: the situation was the exact opposite.
The fact was, Kira was weaving through the battlefield, using all sorts of attacks to disrupt his opponent's focus and magic, while Bluenote was completely helpless against Kira' assaults, only able to hide inside his gravity barrier, unable to move at all.
The evidence: in the ten minutes of continuous magical exchange, Kira was still moving with ease, while Bluenote was struggling to stay on his feet, sweat already beading on his forehead.
This was not only because Kira had more magic power but also because their magic differed fundamentally, and Kira' fighting techniques were far superior to anything Bluenote could muster.
Driven by his Word Soul Magic, every one of Kira' moves was a broad-area, dispersed attack. This forced Bluenote to use large-scale Gravity Magic for defense, which consumed far more magical energy. Conversely, while Bluenote's attacks were powerful, his magic was singular. Neither his single-direction force field nor his center-point force field could latch onto Kira' form, meaning he wasted magic power for nothing.
"What's going on? After all this time, why is his magic still so strong?"
After the prolonged confrontation, Bluenote had sensed something was wrong. His magic power had clearly decreased, but Kira' attack power showed no sign of weakening.
Kira didn't know what Bluenote was thinking, but from his growing look of annoyance, he could tell his opponent's patience had reached its limit.
With a thought, the several black shadows immediately stopped moving. They simultaneously raised their right hands, concentrating magic power, and slammed their fists down onto the ground: "Earth Shatter!"
Rumble...
The empty underground space amplified the echoing effect of the ground cracking. Accompanying the reverberation were seven or eight fissures, all over three meters deep.
This scene shocked Bluenote again. "What is this?! Only one of them should be the real body!"
Before this, he could defend against bullets, force fields, or magical energy with his gravity barrier, but against an attack coming from beneath his feet, he could only counter it the same way.
Once again, he expertly leaped into the air, his long whip and cloak flying up. Magic power also gathered in his hand, and a powerful gravity descended!
Strength met strength, inciting an even stronger shockwave. For a moment, the sky shook, the earth trembled, and rock and dirt flew everywhere.
A similar situation, a similar opportunity: the opponent was airborne, with no leverage, making it the perfect chance to attack.
Bluenote had just finished unleashing a spell. His breath was unsteady, and his body was in the air, but he wasn't panicked, because this was a weakness he had deliberately exposed!
He vigilantly sensed the movements around him, his eyes fixed on Kira' various afterimages, thinking to himself: 'Come on! If you dare to try that again, I can suppress you instantly!'
But how could Kira grant his wish and repeat an old trick? With Word Soul Magic, the one thing he didn't lack was attack options.
"Holy Judgment!"
A faint voice sounded near his ear. Bluenote snapped his head up, his eyes now filled with a bright, pure column of light.
Judgment Magic, one of Kira' most frequently used spells, was Light/Holy-attribute magic. In Kira' hands, it didn't just counter Dark Magic; it also possessed an inherent advantage over other magics and matter.
"This is Holy Magic?!" Bluenote exclaimed in astonishment.
He had revealed such a massive opening to lure Kira in, but Kira ignored the bait completely. Bluenote was surprised not only that Kira didn't engage in close combat as expected but also that his proficiency in this other type of magic was so high.
You have to remember that wizards in this world adhere to the philosophy of "quality over quantity in magic." Therefore, people who use two or more types of magic simultaneously are extremely rare.
Among the people Bluenote had met, only Hades, the Master of his own guild, could master two or more magics to an unrivaled degree.
The Judgment Magic descended from the sky. The bright flash momentarily obscured the sunlight, shaking the mundane world. Kira stood on the ground, his fingers interlocked, striking a pose that looked very cool but actually offered no boost to the magic's power. He chuckled triumphantly: "Your appearance reflects your inner nature. Looking like that, I knew you were up to no good! Trying to trick me? Humph..."
The magic descended quickly, giving Bluenote no time to react. He had jumped less than 2 meters and stayed airborne for under 5 seconds, but that was more than enough time for Kira' attack to achieve a precise strike.
Below was the ruptured ground, and in mid-air, the cascading holy light accurately hit his body, from head to toe, including his long braid and white cloak—no spot was out of the attack range.
"Aaaahhhh!!!"
A scream of agony rang out within the holy light, gradually fading until it vanished. After a long silence, there was a thud as the incapacitated body collapsed miserably onto the ground.
At this point, Bluenote was covered in injuries. The cloak on his back was mostly destroyed by the magic, with less than a third of it remaining, full of torn holes. His long braid had come undone, his hair scattered across his back and the ground, a small portion of it burned to ashes. Through his ash-covered, tattered clothes, it was clear his body had suffered severe injuries from the "Holy Judgment," including lacerations and burns.
Kira slowly walked closer, stating, "That was a full-power Holy Judgment. It's my first time using it—a show of respect for an opponent of your caliber."
He used his foot to flip the man over, examining him carefully. After confirming that the opponent was completely unconscious and incapable of further combat, Kira finally lowered his guard and simultaneously withdrew the magic power gathered in his hand.
With the battle over, Kira exited his combat state and looked around, commenting to himself: "This guy, his raw strength is decent. His magic isn't bad either. He could probably be considered one of the gatekeepers to the Ten Great Wizard Saints."
Kira bent down, grabbed Bluenote by the collar, used a Flight spell, and flew his opponent out of the giant crater. He then casually tossed him next to Azuma, who was resting by the large tree.
"This is?!"
Seeing the Vice-Master of his guild in this state, Azuma was shocked. This was the first time he had ever seen Bluenote defeated.
"Your Vice-Master didn't put up much of a fight!" Kira said casually, intentionally showing off a bit.
Azuma's expression immediately became serious, and he looked at Kira with a complex look. 'Even though he's an enemy, this guy can truly be considered a formidable powerhouse!'
"It's a pity I didn't encounter you first. I truly wish I could have fought you to my heart's content!"
After speaking, Azuma looked down at his right leg. While Kira and Bluenote were fighting, he had used Arca of the Great Tree to fashion a wooden prosthetic limb, temporarily stabilizing his injury. With proper treatment and rest back home, he should be able to recover his mobility, but his strength might be significantly reduced.
If he could go back, that is...
Azuma glanced up at Kira again. The thought of not being able to face such a strong opponent at his peak filled him with regret. "It is truly a pity!"
Kira, for once, didn't acknowledge the compliment. He found it difficult to understand the warmongering attitude, especially the desire to fight strong opponents, that people like Azuma held. He simply said flatly, "No pity needed! You were defeated by the Principal of Demisore Magic Academy, who also happens to be one of the 'Ten Great Wizard Saints.' You lost fair and square!"
"But what about your Vice-Master? The Vice-Master of the great Grimoire Heart, defeated by a young man who has nothing but good looks and strength? Now that is much more disgraceful to admit!"
Azuma: "..."