Facing Bai En's inquiry, Rill held his paintbrush high and replied, "Of course I'm not tired."
"After all, I've become more and more familiar with using Painting Magic to realize long-distance movement within Spatial Magic. Using Spatial Magic doesn't consume much mana at all."
"Besides, today is a very important day..."
The corner of Bai En's mouth couldn't help but twitch. Was it possible that what I wanted to say was that *I* am tired, not asking if you are?
"Then as usual, let's exchange one move. After all, inspiration only lasts a moment," Bai En said softly, reaching forward. As he spoke, his crystalline-white grimoire opened, and longswords leaped out one by one, suspended over the lake water.
"Still only one move?" Rill's voice weakened slightly, sounding a bit dejected, but he quickly adjusted. "Then I'll do my best to paint a good picture."
"But what should I paint?"
Without giving him much time to think, Bai En gripped the hovering Zhan Yan beside him and slashed out. This strike didn't have much momentum; it seemed like a casual swing, but the blade spun out a thin, long line that flew forth.
The flying slash line was not obvious and was almost invisible in the dark night. Only when it crossed the direct moonlight for an instant could one see a shadow as distorted as a spider's silk.
Rill was still thinking about his painting after Bai En swung his blade. It wasn't until the slash line was less than three meters away that he snapped back to his senses.
His forward-extending mana perception could clearly feel the sharpness and trajectory of the slash line.
The lake surface, which had been sliced open and had not converged for a long time, also proved from the side that this strike was not weak.
Although it was a casual strike, performed with Bai En's current mana, it far exceeded the full-power strike of an ordinary Mage.
"Is it coming?"
Rill stroked his chin, seemingly still without an answer for what to paint. But seeing the slash thread already in front of him, he casually dipped his brush into the palette floating in the air.
The white tip of the brush instantly became pitch black, even revealing a metallic texture.
He raised the brush and swept it forward.
The pitch-black brush rubbed against the thin slash line that divided the lake surface, creating sparks. In just an instant, the deadlocked slash shattered and disappeared under the ink-stained brush.
Watching this scene, Bai En couldn't help but feel emotional. He truly was a genius capable of becoming a Magic Knights Squad Captain at the age of nineteen.
Judging from their several exchanges after the Shadow Palace... every time, his progress was very... very fast.
"Then I'll have to perk up a bit." Bai En stared ahead. "The current him is probably not necessarily weaker than Yami Sukehiro of the Black Bulls."
Rill didn't feel much surprise at blocking the slash. However, the moment the slash shattered like a mirror, his eyes changed. A hazy feeling took shape in his mind, and the inspiration he sought suddenly flashed forth.
This... was what it meant to be a genius.
The paintbrush moved back and forth in the palette.
Rill painted in front of him, his Painting Magic using the 'world' as his canvas.
As the brush fell, one could faintly see golden paint blooming in the air like ink wash, while red and black were slowly outlined into a picture under the brush tip.
Bai En stood there, waiting quietly. He was in no hurry to strike and attempt to interrupt Rill's painting, because the rule of the one-move agreement was not based on his move, but Rill's.
The night wind carried a slight chill, and the chirping of insects rang out incessantly.
The biting lake water, which had closed after the slash, rippled gently.
Suddenly.
Sensing something, Bai En looked high into the sky—the high sky behind Rill.
Golden runic patterns condensed there.
The brilliant golden light was incredibly bright in the night.
In just two or three breaths, the golden runic patterns took on a complete form, hovering in the sky as a circle.
Its magnificent posture was like a grand curtain.
Compared to the Mana Method of Jack and Nozel, what Rill manifested was clearly different. His Magical Language Technique was much larger; looking up from below, it already covered the entire wide lake.
At the same time.
The canvas originally outlined under the brush rippled like water.
Rill held his brush, his laughter unrestrained: "It's coming, it's coming!"
"Painting Magic: Stars Descending to the Mortal Realm!"
The brush tip, stained with crimson and brilliant gold, tapped the air. The rippling canvas dispersed like starlight. From that dark canopy where the end could not be seen even by looking up, a streak of bright, alien color was torn by fiery red.
Intensely burning colors were moved by the wind; it was a huge meteorite with an exaggerated size.
When streaks of fiery red leaped and flickered like musical notes, the already grand scene became even more incredible, because there was more than one meteorite of that size. They were numerous—a spectacular and dazzling meteor shower.
The sparks generated by friction illuminated the night.
The clear, cold lake water and the quiet forest were all made clearly visible under the light.
The golden Magical Language Technique rotated, and the already wide runic circle suddenly expanded several times over.
Looking at that furious meteor shower, Bai En knew that if he didn't act to stop this strike, the entire area where the Aqua Deer base was located would suffer a fatal blow, or even be completely destroyed.
During those peaceful days, the boy who used to paint in the Jasmine Tavern and even on the streets had unknowingly raised his painting skills to a new level.
As he grew older and his mana level reached its peak, combined with his exquisite painting skills that were ninety percent realistic and ten percent 'divine,' the power of his Painting Magic had reached a near-terrifying state.
Not to mention the amplification from the Magical Language Technique!
"How reckless," Bai En muttered. Then, he focused all his energy to deal with this strike.
He showed no contempt.
He let go of Zhan Yan, letting it fly back to the original group of longswords. With a thought, a longsword with a fish-scale-like blade from the floating group entered his hand, and the water beneath his feet rippled.
The silver scaled fish that had been playfully leaping out of the lake from time to time tacitly dove into the water and sank to the center of the lake, leaping no more.
At some point, a layer of golden floating light appeared on the water's surface. The floating light was like a shadow, corresponding to the golden patterns under the dark canopy... this was also a Magical Language Technique.
However, compared to the one formed in the sky, it was a bit smaller, covering only the center of the lake surface.
But compared to that large-scale Magical Language Technique, it was also somewhat different.
Because the Magical Language Technique Bai En constructed was in a three-layered state increasing upwards. Compared to Rill's single layer, there were two more layers... Mana Method equivalent to 'amplification commands' are generally stronger the more complex they are. This manifestation was different; whether in terms of range or quantity, it was the embodiment of complexity. As for judging which was stronger... a Mage would instinctively choose the Magical Language Technique that was the 'optimal solution' for their own magic amplification.
As the golden meteor swarm descended, their figures continued to enlarge, and their speed became faster and faster. A gale blew toward him, Bai En's clothes flapped incessantly, and the lake water and the flowers and grass on the shore even leaned away to the sides.
The pressure head-on felt like a planet was crashing into him.
Bai En, holding the sword, made a forward thrust. The longsword in his hand shattered like wind chimes and sank into the Magical Language Technique. This sword was precisely the kitchen utensil 'Shattered Whispers' refined with profound crystal after the agreement with the Empress of the Red Star Kingdom.
At the same time, Bai En's free hands continuously formed hand seals.
Mana surged.
Flames condensed in his palms.
As the last hand seal was completed, the meteorites smashed down, and the flames were sent out.
"[Open]!"
A surging sea of fire blasted upwards, pushing against the falling meteor swarm. It was vast and incredibly hot; the heat evaporated the lake water, and the firepower soared into the sky.
Far away at the base, Gosen, who was about to rest and sleep, heard a sound. He looked outside and, feeling the heat wave searing his face, he stumbled. "Holy..."
Seeing that strange sight outside the window, he immediately pulled open the door, rushed out, and shouted.
"Cesc! Jack! This is bad! Meteorites... meteorites! A lot of meteorites are falling from the sky, and they've hit the volcano behind our mountain and made it erupt! Flames! They're rushing out!"
An angry curse rang out.
"You idiot, where is there a volcano behind our base? Gosen, are you still dreaming?"
Gosen, who wanted to speak, was stunned for a moment. "Oh right, there's only a lake behind our base."
"Am I dreaming right now?"
He looked back, and the meteors and the sea of fire outside the window were still brilliant...
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