Chapter 66: The Outcome

When the spell was complete, a marble-like glow seemed to cover his entire skin. This was a very useful protective magic, like having a layer of stone skin attached to the body. It did not hinder movement, but effectively provided temporary defense against attacks.

However, after finishing this defense, the mage’s face, now as pale as marble, showed no sign of joy. Constantine’s scimitar flashed in a swift arc. Although it was deflected again by the force field around his body, it still grazed the mage’s shoulder! Where the pitch-black blade with a faint sheen passed, marble dust and several drops of blood were flung into the air! A piercing pain made the mage’s face twitch!

The stone skin could block sword thrusts, but it was not very effective against the incredibly tough adamantine. His reaction speed could not keep up with Constantine’s attack. In fact, if Constantine had possessed more strength, a solid hit would likely have ended the fight immediately!

But even after completing a combo and striking first, Constantine sighed inwardly. His attack power and accuracy had slightly decreased… Dealing with someone at least six or seven levels higher than himself was a significant disadvantage. Since magical items that could enhance the duelist were prohibited, he lost the bonus from his agility gloves. With his current speed, he could at most make his opponent struggle to keep up, but not overwhelm them. The Battering Ram ring and his newly acquired sorcery ring, both quite handy magical weapons, were also disrupted and unusable, which was extremely unfavorable.

Of course, Constantine did not refuse this duel request that clearly favored his opponent for two reasons. First, circumstances forced his hand; he had to protect his interests, or his plans would fail completely. Second, his opponent faced even greater restrictions here. A formal mage, especially an Alchemist, could potentially carry and use a wide variety of magic items… In a direct fight, the opponent might only need to lift a hand to blast Constantine, a sorcerer apprentice, to pieces several times over! Now, if the mage wanted to use spells, he had to chant them properly himself.

The opponent’s counterattack came just as his mind wandered slightly!

Mage Corne swung a single hand directly at Constantine’s side. The youth reflexively bent over, but was still grazed slightly. His waist and ribs instantly became numb and burned painfully. Under the effect of the stone skin spell, the opponent’s fist was as hard as iron. Even though it was only a slight graze and the force wasn’t great, the damage caused was still significant!

It seemed somewhat odd for two spellcasters to resort to hand-to-hand combat to decide a duel. However, Alchemists specialized in Transmutation School magic, which originally focused on enhancement and support, so this wasn’t too far-fetched or unbelievable. Even though the pain was stimulating his nerves, Constantine knew clearly now that he had to stay close to his opponent… Corne Best was a formal mage whose spellcasting abilities far surpassed his own. With just one gesture, the mage could launch various spell attacks. If Constantine kept his distance, the mage would have too many options!

At the same time, the mage made a gesture, and a purple glow took shape in his hand… Magic Missile!

However, this effect did not succeed. Constantine’s finger moved almost simultaneously. The same spell energy collided invisibly, affecting each other. The purple orb burst with a pop and vanished without a trace!

This outcome startled Mage Corne. It wasn’t strange for a sorcerer to use Magic Missile, but how could he counter his spellcasting so swiftly in this state? The casting speed of a first-tier spell was so fast, almost requiring only a single motion. Could he have Divination abilities?

“The stone skin spell stiffens movement. Grease Spell… cast it now!” In the brief moment the mage was stunned, a prompt he couldn’t hear sounded timely in the youth’s ear!

This was one of Constantine’s trump cards. Logically, since the arena’s barrier suppressed all magic item effects, the Soul Amulet should also be affected. However, Hartdiel’s newly forged Soul Amulet was somewhat special. According to the lich himself, he had linked the soul magic array in a certain way, giving it some resistance to various magic barriers. Although it was still somewhat affected, such as having a narrowed field of vision, it was already a tremendous help.

Although there was no substantial action, the experience of an old lich was a significant weight in a duel between spellcasters, enough to cause a massive shift in the balance of victory!

Pitch-black grease gushed from the ground with a gesture from the youth! Having completely lost friction, both figures immediately stumbled. However, the prepared spellcaster had already raised his hand the next moment. A dark gleam flashed in the air, shooting straight for the opponent’s face! Magical items within the spell barrier would be disrupted and deactivated automatically, but Constantine’s sleeve crossbow was a purely physical weapon powered by springs, so it remained completely unaffected. Its surprise effect was obviously excellent. Caught off guard, the mage faithfully displayed a human reflex, raising a hand lightning-fast to shield his eyes. The cost was that he nearly slipped and fell due to this hasty motion!

“Bastard…!” Corne Best, barely avoiding a clumsy fall, roared in anger. Facing a sorcerer apprentice, he had not only failed to gain any advantage so far but had also suffered minor injuries. This practically meant he had lost!

Although he had rarely left the Mage Tower in over a decade, he wasn’t entirely lacking in combat experience… Since his apprentice days, fellow students and even mentors had been his challengers. He had experienced countless fights among mages, but never had he felt as frustrated as he did now.

Frustration and resentment had turned the mage’s mind into a boiling mess. He almost shouted the next incantation!

The speed of this incantation exceeded Constantine’s expectations!

He only felt his body grow heavy, and the surrounding world began to distort. A peculiar energy flowed through his entire body, seemingly altering every cell… The lich’s voice reached his ears, but it was extremely blurry…

To an outside observer, his body was continuously shrinking and struggling, as if about to take on a strange shape… It looked like a sheep… But then, a spot of black bloomed in his eyes. The youth’s body shuddered! Then, it instantly expanded, returning to its original form!

Just then, his opponent’s next spell was also completed!

“Lesser Spell Immunity Barrier… This idiot!” A faint gleam flashed from the amulet around the youth’s neck. Hartdiel’s prompt arrived just as the opponent’s spell gesture began. Regarding combat, especially between mages, this lich had a peculiar obsession. Even though he was only assisting, a hint of excitement seeped into his single-speed voice. “Just to dispel the Grease Spell? This fool really doesn’t have much combat experience!”

Just as the dizziness in Constantine’s head passed, Mage Corne’s spell was complete. With a light finishing tone, a green light erupted from his hand. A faint green hemisphere expanded outward from him as the center. Within this range, the grease created by the spell vanished without a trace!

Typically, the Weave of Magic was described as a giant spider web. The closer one got to the core, the stronger the contained power. A spellcaster who could touch deeper layers of the Weave, extracting stronger power, could shape more powerful magic. Therefore, “which layer of the Weave one could touch” served as a simple standard for judging a mage’s strength.

But this standard wasn’t fixed. It only reflected one’s understanding of spells, not proficiency in using them… Similar to the Photoshop level exams Constantine was familiar with. It could only be a “for reference only” standard. Passing a certain level exam roughly indicated corresponding capability. But in practical application, a designer with no theoretical knowledge might create an award-winning advertisement, while someone with a perfect score on an advanced exam might only work as a draftsman for others.

To put it bluntly, it was like the profound statement from a villain in a certain comic: “It all depends on how you use your abilities.”

Having been tempered by over a dozen simulated battles within the Soul Channel, Constantine understood that the move his opponent had just used was absolutely foolish. In reality, the highest-level spell Constantine could use was only second-tier. Moreover, as a sorcerer, he had only three types of spells to choose from… During the Soul Channel drills, the lich often complained about this, saying he wasted too many combination opportunities.

The Lesser Spell Immunity Barrier might render Constantine’s attacks ineffective, but it also restricted his own spellcasting, which included several very practical minor spells!

Unlike the excited lich, Constantine remained extremely tense. The now-freed mage merely waved a hand, and his entire body began to fade from Constantine’s sight like dust in the wind. Although Constantine immediately swung his blade in that direction, the response he got was only a slight feeling of deflection clinging to his body.

…

“Greater Invisibility! Perfect! The mentor is sure to win!” Billy Talbot cried out joyfully.

Outside the arena, the only spectators, two advanced spell apprentices, were each harboring nervous feelings… though for different reasons. Regarding the series of clashes that had just begun and already reached a climax, as apprentices, they could only barely sense the danger. Unlike Billy, who was solely hoping his mentor would display great power and blast the hateful opponent to pieces with a high-tier spell in the next moment, Thaddeus was astonished by Constantine’s calm composure in perfectly responding to a high-rank mage.

If it were himself… The blond youth shook his head. With the same abilities, he probably would have frozen under that Magic Missile! Not to mention resisting the notorious malicious Polymorph spell with sheer willpower! Even if he, who could barely cast third-tier spells, were in that position, he wouldn’t be able to inflict any wounds on Mage Corne… It was just that this composure seemed to anger Mage Corne even more. However, through a translucent window outside the arena, he could see Mage Corne had now regained his composure…

A point of emerald light gathered at his fingertip, spinning rapidly, swelling, condensing into a sphere brimming with terrifying Arcane Energy!

In his Greater Invisibility state, Constantine, unable to see his opponent, seemed flustered. He was swinging his scimitar wildly, but not seeing his opponent, he didn’t even seem to notice the archmage had silently cast a sixth-tier spell.

A Disintegration spell…

Mage Corne sneered coldly. This was the most powerful offensive magic he currently mastered. He would use this spell power that could shatter everything to respond to the contemptible young sorcerer in his eyes, who dared to belittle him with such naivety and frivolity.

“It’s over…” Thaddeus Odori sighed softly. Fortunately, his suggestion had been adopted; otherwise, this fight might have caused severe consequences… Usually, someone hit by a Disintegration spell turned into a pile of dust, with no possibility of resurrection… But even now, the aftermath would be hard to manage… The condition Mage Corne proposed for this duel was complete leadership rights. But Constantine of the Connallyvis Family, though young, was no fool. Would something like the Flying Magical Device, significant enough to be recorded in history, change hands easily?

Wait! Thaddeus’s pupils suddenly contracted!

A rumor flashed through the blond youth’s mind. It was a rumor about that sorcerer apprentice after the apprentice upgrade exam. It was said his eyes were purple… Since he could already see the invisible Mage Corne, then the panicked state of wildly swinging his blade a few seconds ago must have been a trap! So, what was he trying to hide?

The youth in the arena now revealed an eerie smile. Stone Pellet Spell! He murmured a short incantation, then lightly flicked his hand. A small black shadow flew toward the archmage who hadn’t yet fired the ray!

“Stone Pellet Spell?”

The corner of Corne’s mouth lifted. A hint of surprise turned into a cold smile. The Stone Pellet Spell killed opponents by causing a stone to suddenly explode, belonging to the Transmutation School. It was among the most directly offensive second-tier spells. Although he didn’t know how the opponent discovered him, this cunning little brat’s plan seemed plausible. Hitting him before the Disintegration spell was launched would not only involve the Stone Pellet Spell; the backlashing spell energy would be enough to force him out of the fight!

But… The mage calmly continued chanting, letting the green light gradually gather. Even ignoring the weakness that the Stone Pellet Spell wouldn’t explode if it missed its target, merely being a second-tier spell was enough for him, with the Immunity Barrier active, to ignore it.

“That’s not right… That’s not…” Thaddeus outside the arena suddenly exclaimed.

“The Stone Pellet Spell uses polished round stones…”

The same thought crossed Corne’s mind at that moment… His reaction wasn’t slow, but clearly, it was still a bit late. That small, sharp-cornered stone had already hit the ground. The moment it struck the floor, a tremendous boom spread from that spot! A visible distortion appeared in the air, and the entire hall even shook!

Before the deafening noise subsided, the exploding green light had illuminated the entire hall!

“Is this guy a reincarnated cockroach?”

Constantine frowned, watching the mage who began twitching and reciting an incantation… The effect of the thunderstone seemed good. This small alchemical device was something he accidentally found among Christine’s collection… It produced a deafening, stunning sound upon impact but wasn’t a magic item.

Only, it seemed that to ensure victory, he had thrown the thunderstone a bit too early, so the archmage’s spell backlash didn’t cause a fatal effect… The mage trembled all over. Blood trickling from his eye sockets and ears made him look exceptionally ferocious, but he still struggled to begin reciting an incantation.

But the sound only managed to get halfway out before it abruptly stopped… The scimitar with a faint adamantine sheen swept across his neck, freezing the incantation mid-air.

“Such persistence is truly admirable… Unfortunately, it’s misplaced…” Constantine sighed slightly. Even with two lifetimes of experience, Mage Corne remained one of the most persistent individuals he had ever encountered… But having such a person as an opponent was undoubtedly a headache.

However, the moment the long blade passed over his opponent’s neck, Constantine suddenly felt his vision darken, and the surrounding scenery took on a strange black-and-red hue…

…

“This… He cheated! Using a thunderstone is too despicable!” His friend’s incredulous roar sounded in Thaddeus’s ears, but Thaddeus just stared blankly at the small figure in the dueling arena.

He actually… truly defeated a formal mage… Although there were various objective reasons, and repeating it might yield a vastly different result, victory was still victory.

Thaddeus opened his mouth but said nothing. The youth was surprised to find that the white-bearded, black-robed Archmage Nikolai had appeared behind them at some point.

“It’s not cheating… Since he agreed to duel, he should have considered consequences of this level. And in a duel, the side that takes it seriously usually pays a smaller price.” The archmage’s eyes were hidden beneath his gray-white eyebrows. His tone was steady and unemotional, but the meaning within was intimidating. “After Corne recovers, have them both come to my laboratory… Some recent behavior among the younger generation has been quite disgraceful. Appropriate punishment is needed to make them remember certain things…”