Chapter 43
Elpior, flustered, sent out more snakes. The number had increased from before, but Ridiphin’s arrows still shattered every single one.
Without stopping, an arrow flew straight and pierced Elpior’s neck, followed immediately by an Aura Break.
“Guh… guck!”
Elpior, unable even to scream properly, flailed her hands desperately. The snakes twisted around her to form a defensive formation, but once again, Ridiphin’s arrows reduced them to fragments. This time, an arrow lodged in her left arm. Another Aura Break followed.
“Gaaaaah!”
Though she quickly recovered, the pain surged inevitably.
Struggling to steady her dizzying mind, Elpior summoned more snakes, but Ridiphin crushed them mechanically and drove another arrow into her body.
The battle situation suddenly flipped. Elpior was struggling just to defend herself, while Ridiphin dominated effortlessly, leaving everyone in shock.
This was Ridiphin’s combat power.
Fear, hesitation—everything had vanished, leaving only the mindset of killing the enemy. In her current state, even Hazen would have had to prepare to sacrifice part of his body.
During the ongoing battle, Ridiphin didn’t even use 【Threefold Light】. She only used 【Flash】, creating holes in Elpior’s body.
“Y-you… witch…!”
Unable to endure any longer, Elpior released her full power.
Kwahhh!
Snakes of fire and ice coalesced, drawing the water from the ground toward her. Soon, a gigantic water snake formed, centered on her.
“I won’t hold back anymore! I’ll kill everything!”
Elpior opened her massive jaws and charged at Ridiphin at high speed, but Ridiphin remained indifferent, calmly loading three arrows.
It reminded everyone of 【Threefold Light】, but the attack about to be fired was a level above.
【Light Archery – Scattered Light】
The three arrows fused in midair into a blindingly white light, radiating with the intensity of swallowing the space itself.
Paaah!
Everyone shut their eyes against the brilliance. When they opened them, Elpior’s enormous form had vanished, leaving only a small orb behind, as if she had never existed.
The orb, hovering in midair, fell helplessly, rolling across the floor.
Even though Elpior was gone, Ridiphin prepared her next arrow, aiming at empty air. Nothing reflected in her dead eyes.
Drenner approached Ridiphin.
“The fight is over. Calm down. Half-Astraea is—”
Before he could touch her shoulder, Ridiphin aimed her arrow at him.
“Shut up.”
Drenner tensed, drawing his sword, and Ceres and Sonia also became wary.
If she, who had destroyed snakes with a single arrow, began attacking them, how could they hold out? Any hope of victory evaporated after seeing her 【Scattered Light】.
Even now, their bodies were covered in goosebumps from the intimidation alone.
At that tense moment, water erupted from a black orb. Instantly taking the form of a massive snake, it surged at Ridiphin.
“Shhhaaaak!”
Because she was facing Drenner’s group, Ridiphin’s reaction was slightly delayed, and the snake bit her left shoulder. Yet she showed no sign of pain and fired her arrows, riddling the snake like a beehive.
Just as they thought it was over, from the puddle created by the collapsing snake, Elpior emerged wielding a spear of water.
Ridiphin quickly enveloped herself in aura armor, but the spear pierced her anyway.
Elpior threw the spear she’d driven through Ridiphin to the ground, laughing bitterly.
“Hah! You let your guard down thinking I was only 3rd Circle? This is 6th Circle-level power! Aura armor won’t save you from this!”
Unable to restrain her anger, Elpior kicked Ridiphin—but she didn’t react at all, like a puppet with its strings cut.
The physical blow broke her awakening state, leaving her unconscious.
Elpior laughed maniacally.
“Hahaha! You fired your bow with confidence, and yet, one attack knocks you out? Know your place, trash!”
She continued hurling insults, but Ridiphin remained unmoved, which only fueled her fury.
“Argh! This won’t satisfy me! I’ll crush you to bits!”
Elpior summoned water snakes to sweep across the boss room, compressing more water and hurling it at Ridiphin. The pressure should have crushed her, but Drenner blocked Elpior.
Kwah-gaga-gak!
He wielded 【Sword of Annihilation】, but the 6th Circle magic was beyond comprehension, making it impossible to wield properly. It seemed impossible to even withstand such overwhelming force.
Pushed back to where Ridiphin had fallen, Drenner gritted his teeth.
“Damn it! If not for Half-Astraea…!”
If he hadn’t been given a sword by Ban, he wouldn’t even have attempted to save others at the risk of his own life. But Ban’s sacrifice had already imprinted on his mind. He couldn’t stay idle, even if his actions were calculated.
Sonia buffed Drenner, and Ceres stabilized the space, lending their strength.
“Hyaaaah!”
【Eastern Greatsword Technique – Rip Current】
Drenner rode the snake’s trajectory like a wave returning to the sea, twisting just enough to deflect it. Elpior sneered.
“You dare rush in with such weak skills? Fine! If you insist, I’ll crush you all together!”
Elpior scattered water everywhere, which the snakes absorbed and charged at them again.
Ceres used 【Demon’s Cube】, but the snake’s acceleration didn’t slow.
Kang!
The snake pierced the semi-transparent barrier, lunging at Drenner.
He blocked with the blade of 【Sword of Annihilation】. Sonia and Ceres immediately supported him, but it was barely effective. Blocking in this way meant almost nothing.
Drenner planted his feet and stopped being pushed, but the snake did not cease its attack.
“Shhhaaaak!”
As the snake’s fangs neared Drenner’s throat—
Bang!
A blue spear cut through the snake, followed by a fierce wind. A man appeared in front of Drenner.
“Good, I’m not too late.”
It was Hazen Lawzer, acting as assistant in the dungeon raid by request of a friend.
Pat!
When I came to, I was already at the hall—but not unscathed.
“Ouch…”
Even though the magic inscribed on my clothes absorbed most of the damage, it still hurt terribly. Burn marks were all over my body, and my whole body felt as if it were on fire.
But now was not the time to hurt.
Priests rushing toward me to heal were avoided as I ran to the stage. Glancing at the screen above, our group and Drenner’s were fighting Stone Snakes—without me.
Had it been the real Stone Snakes, they would’ve been wiped out instantly.
I reached the back of the stage where Hazen was resting.
Seeing me, Hazen gave a wry smile.
“You did well, but Sonia Cerium’s magic caught you off guard.”
It seemed that, according to the footage, I had been eliminated.
“Do you think Sonia could deal that much damage?”
Hazen’s expression soured in real time, understanding my implication.
“No way…”
“The footage currently streaming is manipulated—so precisely it reflects real-time events.”
There was no time to explain that intruders had appeared and that everyone on screen might die.
I had no intention of persuading Hazen—just giving him doubt was enough.
“I’ll use the wish you gave me. Ignore the context and go straight to the dungeon’s boss room.”
“This normally requires procedures, since it isn’t under my authority.”
Hazen sighed deeply and stood.
“Seems now is not the time for formalities.”
Hazen’s appearance startled Elpior.
“You… how did you get here…!”
According to her information, Hazen wasn’t involved in this competition. Even if he was nearby, the dungeon surveillance magic was perfectly manipulated—she couldn’t have suspected him.
Hazen smiled.
“The delinquent you sent came looking for me.”
Drenner gave a wry smile.
‘So that’s why he had to come…’
Ban’s true intentions were unknown, but thanks to Hazen’s arrival, Drenner could finally relax.
Blue Spear, Hazen—also called “Demon Slayer of the Mines.” A monster feared by all mages, he single-handedly annihilated hundreds of mine troops during the final East-West war.
Elpior trembled like a frog facing snakes. Meanwhile, Drenner drew a red dagger from his cloak and threw it next to Reina, melting the ice around her with the flames from the blade.
“Leave the dungeon quickly. The competition ends here.”
With Hazen entering, the boss room door opened. Drenner’s group took Reina and Ridiphin and fled.
Elpior, however, remained unfazed.
‘Hah! How foolish!’
She had set several magic traps at the entrance, triggered when leaving. Ordinary students wouldn’t notice until they were frozen instantly.
She had hoped to use it as leverage if they tried to escape, but Hazen’s returning Blue Spear smashed through the entrance, breaking the magic traps. Drenner’s group exited safely.
Seeing Elpior stunned, Hazen retrieved his spear.
“You thought I wouldn’t notice your traps? No more trouble.”
Elpior gritted her teeth and drew her power to the maximum. Hundreds of magic circles appeared on the floor, and the water snakes bared their fangs at Hazen.
“Shhhaaaak!”
Elpior laughed, satisfied with the room shaking from the snakes.
‘This should keep them here!’
Yet Hazen merely chuckled at the hundreds of snakes filling the room.
“Do you think hundreds of 6th Circle spells can challenge me? You should’ve prepared tens of thousands at least.”
Hazen drew a greatsword from his cloak and threw it at Elpior. She panicked immediately.
‘No… that’s…?!’
Hazen’s Blue Spear comes from his main weapon, the spear, but people always mention the greatsword when discussing his combat—its use indicates whether he’s showing full strength.
Elpior desperately sent her snakes against the speeding greatsword.
“Shhhaaa!”
Fushuk!
The snakes were crushed without slowing the sword, which reached her face.
Hazen murmured:
“Release, Arena.”
At that instant, the greatsword shone and shattered. Inside, dozens of weapons surrounded Elpior and her snakes.
The release of the weapons alone swept away dozens of snakes.
‘I need to get out quickly!’
Elpior tried to use her snakes to create a small gap, but the weapons floating in midair didn’t budge.
“Ugh!”
Hazen’s aura within the weapons wouldn’t allow any enemy to escape.
It was a barrier made of weapons and aura—a true arena.
“From now on, I will subdue you.”
