Chapter 78

Flowing magic power into the spell array he had constructed.

The [Lightning Arrow] flew towards the robed woman.

She should be able to dodge this easily with her agility. In fact, I’d be in trouble if she didn’t. Preferably, with the minimum movement.

"Did you buy me some time to construct a mid-level spell? Are you bad at constructing spell arrays? No, that can't be it."

She dodged with the minimum movement while muttering something.

That’s fine. She must be thinking that the [Lightning Arrow] is a feint and that the real attack is elsewhere. Focus on my every move.

In a battle, the key is to catch the opponent off guard. Sometimes, a single surprise attack can decide the outcome, like when I took down three people with [Ground Current].

The lightning arrow, after passing by the robed woman, hit the [Reflective Barrier] I had set up behind her and attacked from behind again.

"---!?"

She noticed just before the lightning arrow hit and dodged again.

But it’s not over yet. I activated multiple [Reflective Barriers] to surround her.

The arrow changed direction each time it hit the semi-transparent barriers, attacking repeatedly.

After dodging a few times, the robed woman gave up and blocked with a magic barrier.

"[All Ability Boost] [Sevenfold]...!"

I stopped moving, activated the maximum [Sevenfold] overlay I could handle, enhanced my physical abilities, and closed the distance in an instant.

(Fancy techniques and combos might be blocked. -- Then I’ll just overpower her with sheer strength!)

After entering the range of the sword, I swung the Schwarzhase from left to right.

She tried to block it with her staff as usual.

(I’ll cut her down along with the staff!)

Just before the Schwarzhase and the staff made contact, I activated [Instant Ability Super Boost] to strike them together.

However, this time the robed woman didn’t take the attack head-on but dodged it by jumping back slightly.

As a result, she flew back a great distance, creating space again.

"It’s over, isn’t it?"

The robed woman, flying backward, smiled and said.

[Super Explosion] was about to activate from all around me, and [Heaven’s Thunder Hammer] from above.

(It’s not enough time for the effects to last, so they’ll be canceled immediately, but I don’t have time to think about that!)

"---! [Magic Sword Synthesis]! [Fifth Form]!"

Realizing I couldn’t dodge, I transformed the Schwarzhase into magic power and formed a shield.

Holding the shield above my head, a black aura enveloped me.

When the attacks hit, I activated [Instant Ability Super Boost], causing a loud noise and the air to vibrate, but I managed to withstand it.

After the black aura dissipated, the smell of burnt earth filled my nose, and smoke surrounded the area.

"To repel magic and counterattack like that, that was quite an interesting way to fight. But I win. There’s no way you can withstand such high-level magic at close range. ...Sorry, but this is for the sake of saving the world. I hope this buys us some time..."

The robed woman already felt like she had won.

"Master!!!"

"No... I don’t want to die, Orun..."

Cries of fear rose from my disciples.

I wanted to reassure them, but there was something else I needed to do first.

The opponent was completely off guard.

She was even stronger than I had anticipated.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn’t waste!

Just as the robed woman shifted her gaze to her companions,

"[Spatial Leap]...!"

I moved to her blind spot.

"---!?"

"[Zero Form]"

I transformed the Schwarzhase into formless, fluid magic power and restrained the robed woman.

"Wh-What is this magic...?!"

As she muttered, the hood covering her face fell off.

In my line of sight was a woman of my age with lustrous silver hair.

The moment I saw her, I felt an inexplicable sensation rise within me.

(What is this feeling...? -- No, now is not the time to think about that.)

Just as I was about to make my next move, I sensed a powerful killing intent from the side.

Turning my gaze, I saw a person approaching me at high speed through the hole in the wall I had created earlier, launching an attack.

She was a girl I had never seen before.

"---!"

I dodged the attack and put some distance between myself and the robed woman. The girl stood protectively in front of the robed woman, warning me.

(Reinforcements...?)

The girl and I glared at each other.

The robed woman broke the silence.

"Ha, hahaha! What’s this? What’s going on? No, I already know. It’s definitely the work of that old nuisance and that evil woman. Ha, ha! -- How dare you! How much more do you have to toy with people?!"

The robed woman screamed, but it seemed directed not at us, but somewhere else.

(What’s going on? -- And what are these emotions...?)

I was confused by her sudden change and felt an urge to reach out to her, who seemed to be in pain.

Suppressing my emotions with reason, I summoned a spare sword from my storage magic item and readied myself again.

"Wait, Orun. I don’t have the will to fight anymore. I can’t fight you. ...Can you let me go? I promise to make the others retreat from this Great Labyrinth."

The robed woman, in a surprisingly calm voice, pleaded for mercy, which seemed out of place in the middle of a battle.

(Why is she speaking to me so familiarly...!)

The emotions I had suppressed resurfaced.

At the same time, something inside me was telling me to finish her off here.

Confused by my state, the situation worsened.

First, the black magic turned back into a black sword, and the robed woman was freed.

Next, the three people whose consciousness I had taken earlier started to regain consciousness.

If I fought five against one, my chances of winning were slim.

If she offered to back down, it would be the best outcome.

"......"

I lowered my guard and put away my sword.

However, I remained vigilant, as she might attack unexpectedly.

"Thank you. I hope the next time we meet, we won’t be in a position to kill each other. See you, Orun."

As the robed woman spoke, the five figures rippled and gradually disappeared.

There was nothing unnatural about the flow of magic or the wind around us.

They seemed to have truly vanished.

◇

"Master..."

After retrieving the Schwarzhase, I headed to my disciples. Carol had regained consciousness.

"Carol, I’m glad. How are you all feeling?"

"I’m fine."

"I’m fine too."

"I’m fine as well, Master, thanks to your [Healing]."

None of them seemed to have any external injuries or were lying.

"I see. I’m sorry for putting you in danger this time. I’ll listen to any complaints later, but let’s go home for now."

"Complaints? No way! We insisted on coming. Master isn’t to blame!"

"That’s right. We’re grateful that you came to help us..."

"Um, Master, do you know the robed person?"

"--- No, I don’t. I’ve been in the news a lot lately, so she probably just knew my name."

I could have handled the first three and the girl who intervened, but the robed woman was in a league of her own.

(I wasn’t being arrogant, but there are always stronger people out there... I can’t protect what I want to protect with my current strength. I need to become even stronger...)

For the sake of protecting what is important to me, I resolved to become even stronger.

Thank you for reading to the end.

What do you think about the battle between Orun and the silver-haired woman? I think Orun was close to losing, but since he saved the three and forced her to retreat, I consider it a near victory, though not a complete one.

I apologize to readers who were hoping for a decisive victory for Orun.

By the way, this is the last chapter from Orun’s perspective in Chapter 2. After this, there will be two chapters from a new character’s perspective before Chapter 3 begins.

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Thank you very much!