Chapter 163 A display of truly powerful magic?
(POV: Akashic Records)
Valeriazar laughed as he spread his arms wide.
"Oh, how I look forward to enjoying the taste of your flesh. I'll make sure to relish every bit of you, piece by piece."
"Is that so."
Merlin materialized before Valeriazar in a blinding flash, catching the dragon eater off guard.
"This bastard?s fast..."
Valeriazar swiftly retaliated, launching a punch aimed for Merlin's face, but before the blow could connect, Merlin responded in kind, his fist colliding with Valeriazar's face with incredible precision.
Merlin followed up with a roundhouse kick, swiftly followed by a punch from his left hand, and then another from his right. The blows kept coming, with two more strikes from his left, three more from his right, all expertly aimed at Valeriazar's sternum.
But Merlin didn't stop there.
He unleashed a flurry of punches, assaulting Valeriazar's throat, neck, abdomen, and chest, with one particularly powerful strike landing across Valeriazar's jaw, nearly robbing him of consciousness.
To wrap it up, Merlin delivered the final blow - a palm strike straight to the chest, propelling Valeriazar to roll on the ground and crash into a pile of skulls.
"Well that was a mess," Merlin's fists became drenched in the crimson spray of Valeriazar's blood.
Wiping the blood off his fists, Merlin casually tucked his hands into his pockets.
Slowly, Valeriazar's wound regenerated.
Merlin sighed, face-palming. "Figures you'd do that."
"He fights like a seasoned brawler," Garret said.
Genevieve raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't he be a mage?"
With a tightened grip on his sword's hilt, Garret gritted his teeth.
He'd never felt this useless before.
"This man, who is he... really...?" Fanatio's eyes narrowed.
Ress quietly watched. Just with the advanced hand combat style of Merlin, he knew this man was on another plane of existence.
The Uncontested One.
A man who hath never tasted the frustration of defeat. Victory was second nature to him.
Merlin extended his index finger towards Valeriazar.
In a tone that dripped with confident superiority, he taunted, "There's more power in this tip of my finger than in the entirety of the dragon race... so don't think being a dragon eater means shit to me."
A tiny flicker of light sparked at the tip of his finger, gradually growing into a small yet powerful orb of radiant energy.
Valeriazar's nearly healed wound pulsed with renewed vitality.
"You're confidence is getting on my nerves!" Valeriazar clenched his fists.
With a fierce roar, he lunged towards the sorcerer, intent on tearing him apart.
But before Valeriazar could reach him, Merlin's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos.
It was a voice filled with an eerie calmness, as if offering a final courtesy to his vanquished foe.
"Let me show you... the extent of powerful magic..."
And then...
"Light Magic: Erase."
In an instant, a blinding white light engulfed the entire room, save for Merlin's companions.
Valeriazar found himself overwhelmed by the brightness, his monstrous form reduced to nothing but ashes in the brilliance of Merlin's spell. As his existence faded away, he accepted the truth that lay before him.
Gasping his final words, he whispered, "This man... Merlin... he's never tasted the true thrill of battle. Truly, an uncontested force..."
The light subsided.
Ress, wide-eyed and bewildered, exclaimed, "What in the hell just happened?"
They couldn't accept the reality of Valeriazar's erasure.
But before anyone could respond, Merlin's solemn expression gave way to a triumphant grin.
Turning towards his companions, he raised his hand in a thumbs-up gesture, "We did it! Hahahah!"
Genevieve's heart pounded heavily.
"H-how... how did you do that?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock.
Merlin scratched his head in a vague feigned innocence, "Huh? Do what?"
Fanatio, not one to entertain games, stepped forward.
"No games, Merlin. That light magic you just used, completely atomizing your opponent... that was nothing less than rank S magic."
Merlin gazed up at the dungeon ceiling, as if peering into the infinity of the sky, and replied, "Ah, would you look at the time."
Garrett's frustration reached its peak and he shouted, "Stop playing games with us! Tell us, who are you?!"
Merlin turned his attention back to his companions, a gentle smile on his face. "I'm Merlin of course, I already said that before..."
"Honestly, this guy..." Ress face-palmed.
"Oops, I should really be at the Royal Capital." Merlin looked at his wrist like it was a wristwatch.
The gesture made no sense to them since wristwatches weren't a thing yet.
Without warning, Merlin extended his hand.
[Spatial Magic]
A portal materialized before them, a gateway to another place. He turned to step into it, but before he could, Fanatio, her grip firm, grabbed him by the wrist.
"So you're just going to leave?" Frustration was evident in her voice.
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Eh... Yes?"
Fanatio raised her gaze to meet Merlin's eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.
Merlin wore a smile plagued by sorrow, "I am but a depraved pervert, my dear Fanatio. Not someone worth knowing." He paused for a moment, his gaze shifting as if lost in memories, before continuing with a gentle smile. "However, I am glad I had the chance to see you again."
As he placed a hand on Fanatio's cheek, her composure remained unwavering, her eyes fixed on his. "Again?"
Merlin shook his head. "Nevermind," he said softly, gently removing Fanatio's hand from his wrist.
"I'll miss you, Artoria.." he whispered to himself.
Without another word, he turned and walked into the sparkling portal, disappearing from their sight.
Fanatio stood there for a moment, her mind filled with questions.
"( He's a weirdo I'll give you that... )"
Lost in her thoughts, she barely registered the gentle touch of Genevieve's hand on her shoulder.
"Fanatio, are you alright?" Genevieve asked, concerned.
Fanatio, snapping back to reality, nodded slowly. "Yes... I'm fine," she replied.
Garret chimed in, "I'm guessing it's time we head out of this dungeon."
Ress stretched his tired limbs, "Damn shame we won't be getting paid for this."
Fanatio shook her head and firmly stated, "It's better this way."
"Why's that?" Ress asked.
Genevieve smiled knowingly, "We didn't work for it."
"Huh?" said Ress, scratching his bald head.
Fanatio folded her hands. "Are you dumb?" she sighed, exasperation ringing in her tone. "Merlin did most of the carrying. It wouldn't be fair for us to take the credit and reward."
"Besides," Garret shrugged. "It's not like we have any parts of Valeriazar to show as proof."
Genevieve nodded in agreement.
"Sure," said Ress with reluctance.
Then, Genevieve sighed. "It's just a shame that I'll have to find a new magic sword," she lamented.
"And preferably one that's more durable," Fanatio smiled.
The group laughed.
Despite lingering questions, Genevieve had to accept the reality that Valtara's heart had been deliberately concealed by the kings of the Shield and Cross kingdom. Fanatio, who had believed she was close to uncovering the mystery of Skum, found herself once again distant from the answer. Nevertheless, she chose to keep this information hidden, justifying her decision as a member of the Pendragon family, bound by the obligation to withhold dragon-related knowledge from outsiders. With each step, this group inched closer to diverging truths that could ultimately lead to a profound revelation.
--- Status ---
Name: Merlin Shivaheld
Race: Highest tier Divine Human
Age: Biologically 25 | Chronologically 1,000+
Class: Mage Emperor
Physical Strength: 11,100/11,100
MP: 560,000/560,000
Magic Arts: Inapplicable
Magic Skills:
Integral Skill: [Appraisal] (SSS+), [Enhanced Senses] (SSS+), [Enhanced Vitality] (SSS+), [Enhanced Stamina] (SSS+), [Enhanced Endurance] (SSS+), [Magic Detect] (SSS+), [Parallel Thought] (SSS+), [Mental Acceleration] (SSS+)
Additional Skill: [Boundless Regeneration] (SSS+), [Infirmity Nullification] (SSS+)
Unique Skill: 『Monarch's Will』
Apex Skill: 『Magic God: Arcanus』
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