Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Fierce Battle
Hannah Fields paused in her steps, while Richard Kenneck's gaze turned cold. His right hand clenched the air, and an intense surge of magical energy immediately began to gather.
Noticing this, Hannah Fields quickly spoke up, "Stop! There's no need for us to fight!"
Hannah Fields then turned to Dean Bruce and said in a serious tone, "Mr. Dean, it was my own decision to leave with them."
Dean Bruce nodded and smiled, "I know. If you hadn't agreed, there wouldn't be such harmony between you all. But, if they truly care about you, why don't they let you make your own decisions?"
As his words hung in the air, Hannah Fields fell silent.
Richard Kenneck then spoke softly, "Your Highness, it would be best for you to return to the carriage immediately. This man is definitely from the Church of Light, here to take you back! We'll deal with him!"
"Ridiculous!" Dean Bruce sneered, "I am from the Magic Guild. Why would I do the Church of Light's bidding? I simply saw the future!"
The moment the word "future" left his mouth, the expressions of Hannah Fields, Richard Kenneck, and the others changed drastically.
"Quick, get Her Highness out of here!" Richard Kenneck commanded in a low voice. He then raised his right hand, and a powerful surge of magic condensed into a giant flaming sword, radiating searing heat.
Richard Kenneck didn't strike immediately but instead asked in a cold tone, "Are you really seeking death?"
It was clear that even Richard Kenneck was somewhat intimidated by Dean Bruce's status as a Magic Guild elder and didn't dare to act rashly.
"Seeking death?" Dean Bruce's lips curled into a smirk. "You? Do you think you can manage that?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dean Bruce stomped his right foot on the ground. The Interrogation of the Soul spell was unleashed, and black liquid poured down from the sky, surging toward Richard Kenneck and his companions.
The earlier conversation was nothing more than a ploy to unsettle Hannah Fields, ensuring she wouldn't participate in the battle.
When it came to the rest of his enemies, striking first was the key to victory!
Swoosh—
The black liquid rushed down, instantly engulfing several people closest to Dean Bruce. They stood motionless, their faces blank, as ghostly images of their souls appeared above their heads. Moments later, they began violently attacking each other.
"Not good!"
Seeing this, Richard Kenneck immediately shouted, "Fall back for now! Masno, cast purification magic!"
At his command, a mage swiftly raised his staff and slammed it onto the ground.
Buzz—
A pale yellow light shimmered, glowing like the sun, casting its brilliant rays upon everyone.
In an instant, those who had been controlled by The Interrogation of the Soul spell began to regain their senses as their souls returned to their bodies.
Even the surging black liquid was temporarily halted by the glowing light!
"Mydora, restrain this guy! Everyone else, charge!"
Richard Kenneck shouted orders while gripping the flaming sword he had summoned earlier. With a fierce swing, he aimed the fiery blade directly at Dean Bruce's face.
Buzz—
The Compassion of Heaven and Earth spell was cast, causing the nearby trees to tremble. The already dense forest swayed like waves, and the branches burst with an overwhelming force. Despite the flames' natural advantage over such elements, the fiery sword was engulfed by the sea of trees.
Seeing this, Dean Bruce let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that his earlier spell, The Interrogation of the Soul, had been broken not due to the enemy's overwhelming power but because of the natural counterbalance between the spells.
This realization made Dean Bruce even more appreciative of The Compassion of Heaven and Earth spell. Although it was the first spell he had mastered, it proved to be exceptionally useful. Regardless of the environment, it could always be relied upon to achieve great results.
"What? My Sword of Wild Flames is a high-level spell! How could it be extinguished by a spell with opposing elemental properties?"
Richard Kenneck's eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively took several steps back, increasing the distance between himself and Dean Bruce.
As soon as Richard retreated, countless branches began to writhe and lash out like venomous snakes, striking at everyone around.
Cries of distress echoed through the air, but fortunately, the branches only served to entangle their targets without causing immediate harm. This gave them a chance to resist, as none of them were seriously injured.
The mages, in particular, were highly skilled. Hailing from an empire, they had been chosen for this mission precisely because of their mastery of a wide array of spells. Like legends crossing the seas, each mage demonstrated their unique abilities.
As different elemental magic erupted, some of the branches were shattered into pieces.
Dean Bruce remained unfazed, calmly continuing to channel his magic, steadily fueling the spell's effects.
"No wonder you're an elder from the Magic Guild's headquarters! Your power is truly extraordinary!" Richard Kenneck's voice rang out again. "But I won't let you succeed!"
"Flames, transform into a Vermilion Bird! Let your brilliance ignite and reduce everything before me to ashes!"
As Richard Kenneck's command echoed through the air, flames erupted from his body, coalescing into the shape of a magnificent Vermilion Bird.
Screech!
With a piercing cry, the flaming bird beat its wings, releasing countless streams of fire from its feathers. These flames landed precisely on each person entangled by the branches.
The fire didn't harm them, though; it merely burned away all the bindings of leaves and branches, freeing everyone.
"Soldiers, form up! Mages, cast the connection spell and activate the artifacts! We cannot allow him any chance to escape!"
At Richard Kenneck's orders, the group sprang into action. The soldiers wielding identical weapons gathered together, arranging themselves in a strange, coordinated formation.
"Haah!"
As they shouted in unison, a mysterious light emerged from within them, forming the shape of a ferocious tiger. With a deafening roar, the tiger charged ferociously at Dean Bruce.
Dean Bruce continued to channel The Compassion of Heaven and Earth spell, summoning more branches to form a cage that descended from above, trying to trap the tiger in mid-air.
However, to Dean Bruce's surprise, the tiger, unlike the others, shredded the branches that had once easily restrained them.
[So this is a military battle formation spell? Impressive. Just some martial artists and grandmasters, yet they've summoned a tiger with decent offensive power. Unfortunately, its defense is lacking.]
Dean Bruce thought as he quickly assessed the situation. Without hesitation, Dean Bruce raised his hand and cast the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain spell.
In the blink of an eye, his body surged with lightning. Moving faster than a bolt of thunder, he darted past the tiger, heading straight toward the group of soldiers.
Boom, boom, boom!
Crackle!
Thunder exploded as Dean Bruce attacked the soldiers in rapid succession. His lightning-charged fists struck their faces, sending them flying through the air.
As they tumbled mid-flight, blood splattered across the ground, and Richard Kenneck's expression turned grim.
Despite Dean Bruce's assault on the soldiers, the mages had successfully cast the connection spell.
Buzz—
Whoosh—
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled, and in the already dark night sky, flashes of lightning appeared out of nowhere.
Crackle!
With a loud rumble, more than a dozen bolts of lightning descended from different directions, all converging toward the area where Dean Bruce stood.
Feeling the intense pressure from the incoming lightning, Dean Bruce was about to cast Thousand Mountains Fortress to harden his body like solid rock, rendering him immune to lightning damage. But suddenly, an idea struck him—Blade of Thor's Judgment.
Could the Blade of Thor's Judgment absorb all of this lightning?
Dean Bruce was not one to hesitate. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he swiftly drew the Blade of Thor's Judgment.
In an instant, the many bolts of lightning crashed down towards the blade, creating a surge of energy as the blade absorbed the powerful strikes.
"Phew…"
"Our combined connection spell is something not even an archmage could easily withstand! Even if he's an elder, there's no way he can resist that!"
"If it doesn't kill him, it should at least wound him!"
The astonished murmurs spread among the group, their eyes fixed on the place where the lightning struck. Even Hannah Fields, who had been escorted back to the carriage, couldn't help but watch with bated breath.
However, when the lightning finally subsided, everyone was left dumbfounded. Their pupils dilated in disbelief.
Dean Bruce stood there, completely unharmed, holding an oddly shaped sword in his hand, with lightning still dancing along its blade.
"What… what is that?!"
"Impossible! How could this be? We all cast the connection spell! How could it have had no effect on him at all?"
Fear surged through the crowd, causing them to instinctively take several steps back.
Dean Bruce calmly waved the Blade of Thor's Judgment, the lightning shimmering along its length, illuminating him like a divine figure. The sight left everyone in stunned silence.
"If you have any other tricks, feel free to use them," Dean Bruce said with a casual smile. "Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't have another chance to make a move!"
"You… you arrogant fool!"
Richard Kenneck's face twitched with anger. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "The Kenneck family has never been humiliated like this before! I swear on my honor as a knight, even if it costs me my life, I will see you dead!"
With those words, Richard Kenneck swiftly pulled out a dagger from his cloak and slashed it across his cheek and chest. Blood gushed out like a fountain.
"Attack! Buy time for the Viscount!"
"The time has come to serve the Viscount! Brothers, charge with me!"
The mages and soldiers, now resolute and undeterred, hardened their expressions. Fear left them as they steeled themselves for what seemed like a suicidal charge toward Dean Bruce, determined to fight with all they had, like moths rushing into the flames.