"Before that, let me deal with you first!" Vanessa smiled slightly and then cast her next spell. "Thread Magic: Dancing Puppets!"
Strands of pink thread wrapped around the mosquito mage's limbs. Vanessa controlled his right hand like a puppeteer, forcing it toward his own chest.
"No! No!!" the mosquito mage screamed in terror, because he had Mosquito Stings on his hands, and if these stings pierced him, they would drain his mana too!
However, no matter how much he shouted, the Mosquito Sting on his hand eventually pierced his body. Instantly, the mana in his body flooded into the sting like water through an open gate, and he himself shriveled up rapidly like a deflated ball. Finally, the Mosquito Sting fell off, and he lost consciousness.
"It looks like that really works!" Vanessa's eyes lit up. Originally, she just wanted to try and see if the mosquito mage's sting could drain his own mana; she didn't expect it to actually work!
She hurriedly threw out a pink thread to pick up the Mosquito Sting and bring it to her side. With just a light touch, the thick mana within the sting flowed into her.
"It really is a gift from nature. Thanks for the treat!" Vanessa gave the unconscious Eye of the Midnight Sun member a playful smile, then headed toward where Magna and the others were.
"Is this all you've got?" Vetto mocked again after blocking Magna and Luck's compound magic. Although that move had also surprised him, how could he admit the strength of these smelly rats?
"It was blocked!" Magna's eyes widened in disbelief. This was his strongest move, yet it was still blocked!
"Not enough!" The battle intent in Luck's eyes was overwhelming, but he was answered by Vetto's heartless claw!
"Die for me!" Vetto attacked with both hands, and Magna and Luck were instantly sent flying like kicked balls, crashing hard into the distant rocks. Most people would have been unable to get up after such an attack, yet Luck and Magna still supported each other as they stood up.
At this moment, their eyes were filled with unyielding spirit. Even though their hot blood poured from their wounds, the words 'Never Give Up' were still written in their eyes!
"Still not giving up?" Vetto laughed wildly.
"How could we ever give up! As that guy's seniors, I'm telling you, this is youth, this is passion!" Magna and Luck roared together, stumbling forward in a charge. What was there to fear in life? Fight until death!
They used to not understand this phrase that Asta often said, but now they did. This was the motivation that supported their refusal to ever give up!
"Are you really just all talk?" Vetto stomped on Magna and Luck with one foot each, pinning them down, then said, "If these stomps don't kill you, then finally I'll give you an easter egg: watching everyone in the Underwater Temple fall into despair!"
After Vetto finished speaking, he exerted force with his feet, leaping up while stepping on Magna and Luck's heads. Most of Magna and Luck's bodies were pressed into deep pits, and they no longer made a sound!
"Bastard!" Yami was furious upon seeing this, drawing his katana to strike the extra-dimensional sphere again, but the result was still futile.
"Captain Yami, your members really are outstanding men. It's been a long time since I've seen such resilient youths in the Underwater Temple!" Gifso shed tears of emotion.
"Stop being noisy, old man. Let me be quiet!" Yami said as he closed his eyes. His mental state was undergoing a change—a sign of a new magic being born!
Meanwhile, Vetto traveled swiftly and soon encountered Kiat, Kahono, and Noelle!
Originally, Kiat had already left, but due to Vetto's sudden arrival, he was worried about his sister, so he regrouped with Kahono. Kahono and Noelle's battle had also ended long ago, and they were now walking hand-in-hand, but they ran straight into Vetto.
"It's that monster!" The moment Noelle saw Vetto, her beautiful pink eyes widened, and the terrifying memories brought by Vetto flooded back into her mind!
"What monster? Don't be nervous!" Since Kahono hadn't witnessed Vetto's destructive power, she only treated him as a typical major enemy.
---Requesting Flowers---
"How dare you disturb the ladies!" Kiat gallantly raised his sword and rushed forward. It had to be said that Vetto's appearance was truly that of a standard villain, so he didn't hold back at all!
However, Vetto sent Kiat stumbling back with just a light bear claw strike.
"Long-range magic is okay, but you actually want to compete with me in close combat?" Vetto laughed, then narrowed his eyes and said, "That girl behind you in the underwater attire is very important to you, isn't she? Then I'll let you experience the feeling of despair first!"
As Vetto spoke, he attacked Kahono. Kiat hurriedly blocked in front of her. Although his Dance Magic provided a huge boost to his movement and swordsmanship, Vetto simply used brutal bear claw strikes. With every clash, Vetto could easily break Kiat's dancing state.
...
"It's no good, my rhythm is being completely disrupted by him!" Kiat was sweating profusely with anxiety. He knew he absolutely could not fail now, because his sister was right behind him. How could he dare to lose!
"Brother, let me help you!" Kahono said as she softly began to sing. The soothing melody instantly calmed Kiat's anxious heart, and his dancing became smoother and smoother. Finally, he was completely immersed in the world of dance and music, and his mana began to expand and surge, eventually reaching a level that even moved Vetto!
"Another compound magic? Where do these smelly rats get these bonds? All of you, go die! Die!" Vetto rose in a rage, releasing two spells in succession like a lion.
"Beast Magic: Cheetah Strike!"
"Beast Magic: Bear Claw!"
Vetto charged into Kiat's aura, striking out with a heavy palm, intending to crush Kiat's skull. However, Kiat lightly dodged with a turn, then seized the opportunity to slash Vetto with a sword, leaving a noticeable bloody mark on Vetto's left arm.
"Good, very good!" Vetto was furious after being injured repeatedly by what he considered a 'rat'. His attacks became much more vicious, but Kiat was now in his element, his evasion ability maxed out.
Chapter 207: Light in Despair!
"This damned singing!" Vetto slapped towards Kahono. This slap was undeniably tricky, making it difficult for anyone to react.
"Sea Dragons Lair!" Noelle immediately put up a defense, then said, "Don't forget, I'm here too!"
"Bang!" Although Vetto's slap shattered the Sea Dragons Lair, it lost its subsequent power.
"You bastard of a filthy race, it's not your turn to despair yet. Wait until that kid with the giant sword comes over; I'll tear you apart alive right before his eyes!" Vetto squinted at Noelle, then unleashed unparalleled Beast Magic. This Beast Magic instantly disrupted Kiat's rhythm, but Kiat no longer needed to charge. Kiat soared into the sky, and a powerful Sword Magic attack slashed down!
"Composite Magic: Descent of the Sea God!" Kiat unleashed his full-power attack amidst Kahono's soaring song!
"Go, Kiat!" The Underwater Temple residents held their breath, but Vetto easily dodged this move!
"How can this be!" Kiat's eyes widened in astonishment.
"You're like a fish in water when it comes to subtle dodging, but your overall speed is too slow, as slow as a turtle walking. You think you can hit me with that speed? It's wishful thinking!" Vetto flashed behind Kiat, grabbing Kiat's arms tightly like pliers, and sneered, "Dancing requires legs, right? So what happens if your legs are broken?"
"What do you want to do?" Kiat's hair stood on end instantly!
"You'll know soon enough!" Vetto said, then kicked Kiat's right leg fiercely. Kiat's right leg instantly flew off.
"Brother!" Kahono stopped singing, watching in disbelief, while Noelle beside her was equally horrified by the bloody scene.
"Oh, and you! You've been chattering annoyingly this whole time!" Vetto looked at Kahono, then rushed to her side, grabbing Kahono's lively ponytail as he did before, and lifted her up. He then slammed her to the ground like a whip. With just that one blow, Kahono was in too much pain to move!
"Kahono!" Noelle cried out in alarm. Kahono was the first friend her age she had made, and her only friend. Although their time together was brief, they had spent many wonderful moments witnessed by the sunset and the sea. But now, she could only watch as Kahono was humiliated by Vetto!
"Only capable of cowardly shouting from the sidelines? Then keep watching!" Vetto scoffed, then grabbed Kahono's ponytail again and lifted her up. "If you lose your voice, you'll surely fall into despair, won't you?"
"Tui!" Kahono looked at Vetto defiantly. Even now, she showed no sign of fear.
"Why not despair? Why not fear?" Vetto was completely enraged by Kahono's expression. He curled a finger and quickly jabbed it into Kahono's throat. His aim was precise; he only severed Kahono's vocal cords but didn't harm her life. This wasn't because he was merciful, but because he wanted Kahono to experience despair while still alive!
"How cruel! How can he treat Kahono like that? How can he be so heartless!"
"Who will save Kahono? Save us!" The residents of the Underwater Temple were all incredibly distressed at this moment.
"Kahono, my dear granddaughter!" Gifso completely broke down in the safe room. "I shouldn't have started this game. Now my beloved grandson has lost a leg, and my granddaughter's throat has been pierced. What's the point of me living!"
"Old man, your granddaughter hasn't despaired yet, so why should you fall into despair first?" Yami opened his eyes at this moment. His new magic was almost fully brewed, just one final step away!
"I didn't expect that in the end, you would be the one to comfort me. You're right, my granddaughter who is fighting hasn't despaired yet, so how can I despair?" Gifso regained his composure and immediately sent sea monsters towards Vetto. Although he knew such attacks would be useless against Vetto, even a second of distraction for Vetto would be worth it!
In reality, the sea monsters Gifso summoned were swept away by Vetto in less than a second...
"Do you feel despair now? You can no longer sing or even speak. This feeling must be awful!" Vetto laughed as he looked at Kahono.
"Let her go!" Noelle's eyebrows shot up, and she furiously raised her staff, pointing it at Vetto.
"Am I voice-controlled? You say 'let go' and I let go? I remember, you're like a stray dog abandoned by royalty. Even a family with 'filthy' blood abandoned you. How useless must you be to be treated like that!" Vetto laughed. He had undeniably hit Noelle's sore spot; these light words once again plunged Noelle into her past despair!
The merciless mockery from her older siblings, the cold sneers from her own kin—just thinking about these things made her hands and feet turn ice-cold!
However, at this moment, a black giant sword fiercely cut through these memories!
Light began to appear in Noelle's despairing pink eyes!
She remembered what Asta had once told her: "Remember this feeling. When you encounter danger, ridicule, or helplessness later, you can hug me tightly, and then confidently leave everything else for me to handle!"
And at the Magic Knights Headquarters, Asta stood firm against her powerful family, just to tell everyone that she, Noelle, was not useless!
As Noelle thought of this, a huge change occurred in her state of mind. She didn't even notice the surging Water Magic constantly appearing behind her!
"I'm not useless, nor am I a stray dog. I am Noelle Silva, and you dare to harm my friends and companions? Unforgivable!" As Noelle spoke, the grimoire floating before her began to turn its pages without wind, and soon a brand new magic spell was written!
"This surging magic power, it truly belongs to the wicked, filthy race!" Vetto looked at the Water Magic that even he couldn't help but be moved by, and a hint of fear finally appeared on his face, followed immediately by endless rage. "Come on then, I'll personally break the hand you use to cast spells!"
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