174. Cinders in the Ashes (3)

the world was red Lilia smiled at Christine. The bloody barrier Lillia created was solid. The stems of mana lurking around were like snakes, octopus tentacles, and rose vines. Lillia didn’t move. It seemed that he had the confidence that he could repel any attack at any time. Christine released her clenched fist. The golden mana dispersed like mist and melted into the floor where Christine was standing.

‘… I could barely make room for myself.’

Christine looked down at the floor. A golden circle was drawn beneath Christine’s feet in a world that was all red. Of course, it was enough to barely stand on its feet. The scales built in Christine’s heart were tipping. I didn’t know anything about it when I saw it in the Mage Tower, but I thought it was a black magician who used such f*cking magic.

‘If I do everything in my power, I’ll be able to stop that witch from joining Leon Benning.’

Christine raised her strength after judging that. I couldn’t go out with all my strength from the beginning. If she had any chance of winning, she would, but if you think about it coolly, Christine’s chances of defeating Lilia in this situation were less than the tears of a chick.

Well, I didn’t mean to act the way I thought calmly.

Christine closed her eyes.

“I hope.”

magic boot. The source of mana throbbed and awakened Christine’s body. Like the sun rising from the red sea, Christine’s surroundings began to sparkle and shine.

Is this the first time since senpai saved me that I have been using magic in earnest like this? Christine’s mouth lifted slightly as she closed her eyes.

“Do the impossible and let the impossible happen.”

The main spring inside his body ticked back. Dozens of spells that can be used in the current situation come to mind. Magic is a miraculous event. Christine could only hope that the miracle she would create could surpass the world Lilia had created. The witch looked with interest at the golden mana swirling at Christine’s feet.

“What a pitiful love, Christine.”

Lilia said so. Hearing those words, Christine’s temples felt as if tendons were running up.

“It’s not pathetic.”

“In my eyes, it is affectionate and pitiful. Well, it doesn’t seem like unrequited love, so that’s okay.”

Lillia laughed and raised her mana to the fullest. She was the owner of this world full of red now. The two wizards were wearing magical powers that could lightly blow off an arm when brushed against them, and began a conversation that didn’t match the situation at all. Kind and bloody, like seniors and juniors meeting after a long time.

“Are you still satisfied? That man won’t just stare at you all the time. If you handed it over to me, you could have seen a more interesting sight.”

“What the hell do you care? Upon hearing it, it sounds like you were kicked by a senior, but are you saying that because you’re annoyed and jealous for no reason?”

Christine sighed and formed a magic circle over her palms. Lillia only smiled deeper, as if Christine was just cute.

“Your personality has completely changed from when you were in the Mage Tower. At that time, I thought it was a ghost who stayed in the lab without saying anything. I don’t have a single friend.”

“Oh, you really talk a lot.”

Christine just cut her off. The magic circle was making a whirring noise as it reached its limit. Christine’s green eyes began to shine as they wrapped around the stand. Lillia’s bloody barrier slowly began to be consumed by Christine’s golden mana.

“It’s okay, I’ll be serious, so if you don’t want to die, stop it with all your might. If you think of the affection you had together in the Magic Tower and pray for help, they will help you.”

Looking at Christine’s growing territory, Lilia narrowed her brows in surprise. The resistance I felt was stronger than I thought. I was going to take it down with the magic of the barrier, but it didn’t seem like it would be so easy.

“I am full of confidence. Do you think the heart we saved is quite useful?”

Did you pour pure mana with extreme sincerity for no reason? Christine, who was saved from death, seemed stronger than before. Christine jumped in place as if she was warming up.

“It’s useful. therefore-!”

The golden shiny new model has disappeared. The body, which had been strengthened to its maximum, approached Lillia’s eyes with terrifying speed. Lillia’s red eyes shook, and Christine’s fist wrapped in a golden magic circle fell on top of it.

bang!!

Christine’s fist was blocked by a red vine. Lilia’s face, which had always been smiling, hardened a little. Golden barriers and red vines splashed lightning all around. Christine, feeling that she would not be able to break through at once, made a platform in the air and retreated. As Christine withdrew, wriggling rose bushes stretched out to wrap around her ankles.

“-That’s disgusting!”

With Christine’s shrieking scream, the vine was blocked by a golden shield. At the strong pressure she felt, Christine sighed. A rift carved through the vine that was about to burrow into the shield and move forward, which then burst into hideous fragments and disappeared. Christine jumped again quickly. As if teleported, Christine appeared above Lilia’s head.

“It’s fast.”

Lillia’s reaction was a little slow. Christine’s kick exploded over her sloppy defense magic.

Zeng-!

The defensive magic was helplessly broken in front of the mana-enhanced kick. At the recoil, Lillia’s body was fired like a cannonball. Christine chased after Lilia, exploding a platform in the air, so as not to let her go. Their eyes met again. Lillia pursed her lips, and Christine raised her hand high.

Above that fist, the golden mana flowed from the heart was overflowing and gathering. Christine, who gathered all her strength, let out a sharp spirit.

“Haap-!”

Christine’s fist rushed into Lillia’s face. In that brief moment before their fists touched, Lilia looked at Christine and sighed.

“Your fighting style isn’t pretty at all, Christine.”

As if waiting, a rose vine grew from the floor. The vines intertwined like a shield, blocking Lillia’s path. Christine tightened her fists, intending to blow Lillia through the vines.

bang-!!

The golden light exploded. Christine, who became a ray of light, pierced the wall of the vine like a piece of paper and reached Lilia beyond. A defenseless state that has not completed any spells. It was her first chance to strike a blow. A golden magic circle floated behind Christine’s back.

“I’ll start by eating one room.”

The golden magic circle flickered and changed shape, becoming a sharp arrowhead. Christine stepped over the scaffolding like an archer and drew the string of her magic bow.

“-Activer.”

The taut strings loosened, and dozens of golden arrows flew towards Lillia. In Christine’s ears, the sound of Lillia clicking her tongue came. And-

Whoop!

The rain of arrows erased the red color of the barrier, turning it golden. The arrows filled with Christine’s mana were tearing through space. The arrowhead touches Lillia’s body. The white and fine skin was covered with blood, and Christine’s eyes could clearly see Lillia’s body melting into blood.

“This is a loss.”

There was nothing left in the place where the arrow swept away. Lillia’s voice was coming from behind Christine, not from where the arrow had passed. Christine jerked her head away, and Lillia was floating in the air, expressionless.

“It can’t be used indefinitely, right? If I can continue to use such ignorant magic while maintaining a barrier of this size, I think I will lose my courage a little bit.”

“On the premise that my mana is infinite, I can use it indefinitely.”

Lillia said in a cold voice to Christine, who frowned.

“It’s a good decision not to open fire with magic.”

As the witch waved her hands gracefully, vines burst out from the walls of the barrier. It wasn’t just the walls. On the ceiling, on the floor, and even in the empty air, rose vines that seemed to have been hardened with blood appeared, coiling like hundreds of snakes. Cold sweat ran down Christine’s back.

“If you thought that I would retaliate with melee combat because of that, you are mistaken.”

Lillia’s red eyes caught Christine. Christine’s green eyes met Lillia’s. There was a very brief silence between the two mages. Christine’s lips twisted.

I promised my senior that I would endure. I hope it’s okay, this.

Lillia clenched her fists in the empty air as if holding the reins of ferocious beasts. The witch’s hair fluttered like a curtain in the wind that generated an enormous amount of mana.

“Okay, Christine. Shall we check to see if the dancing has improved?”

Lillia let go of the reins. At the same time as she let go of her magic, Christine threw herself backwards, deploying defensive magic with all her might. Twisting and wriggling, the vines swooped down to eat Christine. True to the witch’s words, Christine moved her feet as if dancing, trying to get out of the vine’s range.

‘I can’t consume more mana.’

It was not a fight that would end in a short fight. There was still a lot of mana left that could be used normally, but there was a lack of dealing with this monstrous witch. You have to think of the optimal order. Destroy these damn vines, cast a spell to bring down that witch-!

bang!

Christine dodged the vine once again. However, one attack did not affect the general trend at all.

‘It’s a magic that turns into blood and nullifies attacks, and it’s a magic that uses a lot of mana. It wouldn’t be a burden for a normal witch, but it’s definitely unreasonable to use it continuously while maintaining the barrier.’

Christine thought as she destroyed the vines that fell over her head. A golden magic circle rose again in the air and took shape.

‘If only I could induce them to use that magic more… .’

“I guess your supervisor taught you to think differently during a fight?”

Lillia’s words cut off Christine’s thoughts. Christine’s vision shifted from the gray world of consciousness back to reality, and soon the world around her became clearer. red. It was originally red, but something disgustingly red wriggled in front of my eyes.

“It’s bullsh*t to say you learn in real life.”

Vines wrapped around Christine’s ankles. Mana, cold and wet like blood, ran down Christine’s ankles and sent a terrifying sensation. Christine’s expression froze. The sound of the sweet voice in her right ear paralyzes Christine’s body and thoughts like a centipede digging through a hole, and then escapes through her left ear.

“You will pay the price with your life.”

Red vines dragged Christine down. Christine desperately deployed defense magic, and when she collided with the floor, she was able to protect herself with minimal impact. Christine gritted her teeth and raised her head. My whole body tingled as if I had been hit by a hammer.

‘-I thought I would break my neck.’

What awaited Christine, who had barely managed to catch her sight, were hundreds of vines that swayed like a tidal wave under the ceiling, forming another ceiling.

“Isn’t this too much-?!”

Christine clenched her teeth and used the magic again. There was no time to save mana and sleep.

“You’d better not save mana, Christine.”

As if reading Christine’s thoughts, Lilia said so. Christine’s magic unfolded in the air. Dozens of large and small golden magic circles spread out in the air. Some became shields, others turned into piercing spears. Lillia lightly dropped her finger.

“Get away.”

bang-!!

Golden streaks of light and red waves collided in the air. Christine’s magic, with all her strength, broke the vines one by one without difficulty, but soon they were not able to overcome the enormous amount and were broken.

“That’s not fair-!”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t listen to your complaints.”

Christine forcibly canceled the magic that was soon unfolding, and poured all available mana into body strengthening and defense magic. Waves of giant rose bushes rush over Christine’s small body.

bang–!!!

Lillia’s attack did not stop at simply pressing down. As if trying to confirm kill, he continued to pour attacks on Christine.

bang-! bang-!!

Dust does not rise in the barrier. Instead, something like smoke created by evaporating mana bloomed hazy and covered his vision. The remnants of mana were absorbed into the barrier and sank, and Lillia looked at Christine who was sprawled on the floor with a pretty miserable look.

“Ouch… .”

The defense magic surrounding Christine’s body was cracked and broken here and there. The clothes that had been hit by the aftermath were tattered and almost rags. Christine herself was screaming in pain as if she had been beaten quite a bit, and her unfocused eyes were staring into the air.

“You’re really strong, you.”

Looking at Christine like that, Lilia said in a voice that seemed to be fed up.

“… It’s sturdy, ouch. It’s not me, it’s my magic.”

Christine nodded as she said that. Although his left arm was broken, if he used healing magic and pain control magic together, it wouldn’t be too much of an annoyance in a fight.

“It’s like standing up even after being hit like that.”

“You and too many words.”

“If our position had been reversed, wouldn’t you have done the same?”

“I guess that would be the case.”

Lillia shook her head a couple of times in bewilderment, then raised her hand again. It seemed that he still had enough mana to maintain the barrier. Christine sighed and returned to her mana to restore her fighting spirit. Lillia, who was about to resume her attack, suddenly stopped as if frozen. Those red eyes were shaking like never before. The violent but stable flow of mana began to twist and become unstable. From her lips trembling in disbelief, the witch barely spoke.

“… what’s this.”

Christine suddenly looked at the frozen witch and shook her head as if it were strange. He couldn’t decide if this was an opportunity or if he was deliberately acting stupid to draw himself closer.

Well, there’s not just one way to know.

Christine floated a magic circle in the air. It wouldn’t hurt to fire at least one arrow. The magic circle secretly took shape and changed direction while aiming at Lillia. At that time, Lilia suddenly made a dazed expression as if she had just woken up from a dream. It was rare for her to seem genuinely perplexed.

“Now, hold on!”

“-Activer.”

The arrows were fired with a booming sound. The arrow came without a way for Lilia to dodge-

Pick-!

passed by her cheek. Just before Christine fired her magic, the trajectory was slightly changed. Lillia lowered her floating body to the ground. Christine frowned as she felt Lillia calm the lurking mana. The creepy vines that were twisted in a coil melted like a lie and disappeared into the barrier.

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No, rather than calming it down, it feels like someone forced it to subside-

“… ?”

As Christine expected, Lilia’s quivering eyes were not directed at her. Christine was staring at Lillia, who suddenly shook her head frantically. In the first place, who did you say, wait a minute, to whom? The witch soon began waving her hands in the empty air. Her voice, which had been soft as silk, was being torn to pieces.

“you! Where the hell did you find my life vessel-!”

The space started to become unstable. Christine could feel the whole world being gripped and twisted. The barrier the witch had set up was gradually beginning to crumble.

Did it suddenly run out of mana? Even if it’s a heart problem-

Christine’s eyes froze as she stared at Lilia in bewilderment. At that time, Lillia suddenly floated into the air. At that time, the word life vessel came to Christine’s mind. A bowl that preserves and preserves one’s life when one goes beyond the realm of black magic. The true heart of the Warlock, the Life Vessel. The beautiful face of the Red Witch was distorted as much as it could.

“Leon Benning-!!!”

Lillia let out a deafening cry. She immediately lifted the barrier. Christine sat on the floor clutching her head, feeling as if the world had suddenly been turned upside down. In Christine’s eyes, she saw Lillia running towards the battlefield, scattering mana. And-

hooked

I heard the sound of cold blades digging into my heart. But there were no blades anywhere. The witch, Lillia, stood still as she was about to open the gates of the Great War. Christine could see a stream of bright red blood trickling down Lillia’s mouth.

“I will not forgive-”

hooked

It melts. The witch became bloody from her toes and slowly began to disappear. Christine looked at Lilia as she vanished with a devastated expression on her face. Her last outstretched hand brushed the gate and left a stain of blood.

Christine’s blank gaze turned to Daejeon from Lilia, who had disappeared. Daejeon, where there should have been a fierce battle, was so quiet.

“… senior?”

With an ominous trembling voice, Christine staggered and lifted her gaze toward the gate to the Great War.