Chapter 231

RMSBS – Episode 231 . A Subsurface War (8)

The ground beneath their feet, something one would simply assume was always solid and unlikely to collapse out of the blue, had done just that . Chimeras and humans alike, all those who had not yet managed to escape, were swept off their feet and plunged into darkness as they fell together .

The screams of monsters and humans echoed up as they all tumelted out of sight .

The Side Guard had long been evacuated . By now, Pram should have taken Swan outside, too .

At first, Desir hadn’t noticed that the tower was made out of Blankšum . Only after seeing the hole in the floor made by Swan, did he recognize the silver metal, which was now scattered everywhere . Only when it was staring him in the face, did Desir identify the tower’s composition .

The defining characteristics of Blankšum were well known . Silver-colored, very high anti-magic capability, and excellent durability .

Blankšum was not something that could be easily smashed apart by magic or physical force . Even more so if it was layered thick .

‘If it’s the same Blankšum I know, it won’t be a problem breaking it down . ’

A plan was made from this starting point . Moving Runel, which was also made out of Blankšum, he gave Crow Mask the false impression that he had inadvertently made a meaningless attack .

However, Runel was actually breaking the floor, and was merely pretending to be flung endlessly around Crow Mask as it orbited the spatial tear .

It was a simple task . No matter how hard it was, the Blankšum on the ground had already taken significant damage as a result of the continuous fighting . The spell Desir was casting had been nothing but a mere trick . It was just a means to make Crow Mask cancel his magic .

And it achieved its purpose spectacularly .

*Whoong*

A ferocious gale swept past their bodies .

They all fell endlessly . The basement was so deep that it was hard to tell just how many floors that had fallen .

Desir and Crow Mask both began to calculate spells . The air was filled with shimmering light as the scattered shrapnel of Blankšum fell alongside them, reflecting the gathering mana .

[Fire Storm]

[Distraction Area]

Desir completed his spell faster .

Desir, who had manipulated the situation from the beginning, knew exactly where Crow Mask would fall .

It was only a slight advantage, but that was more than enough .

Adjest felt a shiver travel down her spine .

‘Did everything happen as you expected it would?’

In a magical duel, having a slight advantage was no different from winning or losing . Desir did his best to create such an advantage against a terrifying opponent, and somehow, had actually succeeded .

A huge storm of flame rose from below . All the living creatures, man and otherwise, let loose screams of unimaginable pain . Screams that morphed, distorted, and merged together in an ungodly cacophony, a sound that could very easily scar an individual for life . The fire beneath them swallowed the clamorous noise, rendering their pain mute to those outside, replaced only by the blistering roar of untamed fire; a magical storm of fire so strong that it threatened to raze the very world to ashes .

Blurred scenery continued to pass by her watery eyes as they still fell, having reached terminal velocity long ago . Straining her eyes, she could just make out the bottom of the pit .

She couldn’t afford to stay idle any longer .

Adjest grabbed Desir’s hand and began to invoke her own magic .

[Frozen Palace]

Ice crystallized out of the air, covering Desir and herself . Starting as a small block of ice, it quickly grew out into several columns . The ice columns began to form a web-like lattice, and struck into the walls of the cavern . With their newfound ground shearing into the walls, Desir and Adjest’s rapid descent began to slow .

The ice scratched against the wall and sparks shot out from it . . They slid down the wall, failing to find purchase against a wall that had countless pipes running along it like an intricate network of blood vessels .

As their speed continued to slow, out of the blue, four of the six cobweb-shaped columns created by Adjest were crushed . It was the work of space magic . The crushed pillars of ice could no longer bear any weight and collapsed .

As they began falling again, Desir’s eyes were fixed on one place .

Though his eyes only captured darkness, there was clearly another presence that had been there . Traces of heavy mana and spell invocation hung in one spot in particular, distinctly marking it for someone like Desir, who was well-attuned to the flow mana .

‘How did he manage to beat us down?’

Crow Mask must have completely departed from the collision course that Desir had been anticipating . He presumed it had something to do with his Fire Storm, and the safety zone surrounding himself and Adjest that Desir had excluded .

‘Space movement magic . ’

Desir immediately began invoking spells without hesitation .

[Grease]

[Fireball]

His spells were arranged swiftly in front of him .

For a magician, every fight was like a game of chess . The difference between an average magician and a good one was in how many steps ahead they could anticipate the enemy acting . The difference between such magicians could result in having entire spells already prepared in anticipation of the other person’s actions .

[Fire Storm]

Desir had adjusted this Fire Storm such that he could fire it at a close distance . To maintain its power, he had to reduce the range and scope such that the backlash on him and Adjest was as minimal as possible .

Desir spewed out an enormous cone-shaped flame . In that moment, Desir had taken on the very essence of a flame-spitting dragon .

The half-finished spell Crow Mask had been invoking collapsed under the onslaught .

Desir didn’t leave it at that though . He had already begun invoking another spell .

[Parie Arund]

A strong, sweeping pressure washed over Crow Mask . The gale loosened his mask .

Desir immediately followed after him . With Crow Mask against the ropes, he couldn’t afford to let him escape . He had an extremely focused expression, the look of a hunter that had almost cornered its prey .

“Crow Mask . At one point in my life, I might have thought you were right . ”

Crow Mask kept a straight posture . Countless cuts could be seen through his torn clothes . He reached his arm out towards Desir, who was sprinting towards him .

“I’ve never been wrong . Not once in my life . ”

Spell collided with spell .

The two magicians invoked spells simultaneously .

[Lightning Wave]

[Void Crush]

The two men’s spell formations unfurled at high speed before the spells manifested .

It took less than a second for the invoked magic to collide with its counter .

It was a fight in which the magician who fell behind in invoking speed would lose .

“I’m sure at one point, your noble goals were worth fighting for . ”

*Flash*

Several bolts of lightning violently raged towards Crow Mask .

“But your current method is by no means acceptable . ”

“Do you think you’re in such a position that you can lecture me?”

*Crash*

Desir was a fraction of a second too late in grasping the subtle variation in Crow Mask’s spell array .

He was caught up in the area of effect, having not understood the range and the true target Crow Mask had chosen for this space twisting spell . It was a minor mistake, but the result was devastating .

*Splash*

A gruesome sound reverberated in the room . The sound of flesh and bone scraping against itself before tearing apart .

Blood burst out like a fountain, as Desir’s right arm twisted many fold upon itself .

Crow Mask looked at Desir, who did not even scream . Desir looked back, but couldn’t read Crow Mask’s expression through his mask .

“So then, Desir… What have you managed to do for the commoners?”

*Boom*

Space collapsed on itself and exploded right where Desir had stood moments before .

Desir’s spell had completed a fraction too slowly .

Crow Mask didn’t let up, pouring his mana into another spell he lobbed at Desir, who was in turn forced to take more steps back .

It was almost impossible to defend against space-based magic, the so-called strongest attribute, with conventional means .

His arm throbbed in pain, interrupting the spell he was invoking . It was a subtle lapse in concentration that can occur when one wanted to concentrate but something else overstimulated the brain .

Even these minor detractions could have significant impacts on whether a magician won or lost in a magical duel .

“What have you done for the common people so far? You’re also a commoner . You didn’t do anything for the common people at all!”

“Change takes time . Building awareness takes time . Launching a coup will only deepen the nobles’ hatred!”

“That’s the problem . ”

*Crack*

The very fabric of space between them had started to collapse . A fine crack in the air continued to grow uncontrollably over time .

Desir could feel the ferocious suction power of it pulling on him .

“You’ve never wanted to help commoners, not really . All the action you’ve taken was for your own corrupt benefit! You just took advantage of your position as a talented commoner and moved into a privileged position . Improve awareness? Gradual improvement? Bullshit! All you did was teach the nobility and the Emperor how to properly capitalize on talented common people . You taught them nothing about the struggle of an average person! That’s why you’re nothing more than a hypocrite . ”

Crow Mask opened the valve on years worth of wrath towards the Empire . As he pressed into Desir with every ounce of energy and hatred he had, Crow Mask left open a gap in his defences .

Desir didn’t miss it .

Runel flitted toward the middle of Crow Mask’s face, but he wasn’t dumb enough to make the same mistake twice . After seeing the damage that Runel had done, Crow Mask wasn’t going to underestimate it again .

He raised his head hurriedly, allowing Runel to brush past his mask . As a consequence, his mask had started to crack .

“At least I have only acted for the betterment of the common people so far . Not just talented commoners, but a world where everyone is equal . All of my actions have been moving us towards such a world . I have lent my wisdom and skill to the abominable Outsiders, and I have done so many unspeakable things . But despite all that, the purpose of my actions has remained unchanged . ”

His mask finally shattered, showing a heavily scarred face .

“The complete liberation of all commoners . ”

Half of his face, once a visage more noble than anyone else, was covered with hideous burn marks . His eyes were also distorted .

But, he didn’t move to cover his face . He faced Desir with his formerly hidden face fully visible .

*Boom*

“That’s why I, who had fallen so far, got a second chance . I crawled using everything at my disposal . And my work paid off: I’ve got a chance to change the world . I despise nothing more than hypocrites like you, hypocrites who have championed my noble cause for their own gain! Working for a better world, no matter what the means are… Does someone like you have the right to blame me?”

It was the ultimate showdown between two magicians . Both had used their ultimate magic . The spells they had spent countless hours developing . During this temporary lull, the nature of the battle had changed into something more ideological . Winning this could result in a decisive advantage .

It was a close battle .

Desir opened his mouth with difficulty .

“… … You already know that your words are contradictory . ”

Crow Mask did not deny that he had embarked down the wrong path . However, he never claimed moral superiority while attempting to achieve his goals .

It was a contradiction .

A man who sought to perpetuate injustice in the pursuit of a perfect ideal .

That was the type of man he was .

“You already knew you’re a hypocrite, didn’t you?”

—-

Chapter brought to you by Csabin .

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ED: Purplemen101

TLC: N/A

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