"ARGH!"
While no one died or met the same fate as the armor created by Hugh, they all ended up being pressed to the ground.
"Oh? I still failed to kill anyone after activating my domain? Such a powerful barrier," Osric commented while sizing up the barrier again.
To be honest, Osric felt dissatisfied about being ordered to come to the Conclave rather than joining Layla in confronting the Regis Clan.
Even though destroying the Conclave and capturing the Time Keeper was important to prevent any mishap in Layla's plan, Osric would rather stay by her side.
He had waited for her return for a long time, and wanted to spend as much time as he could with her to make up for all those wasted years.
"I suppose destroying this barrier takes priority," Osric muttered and took out his magic weapon.
The moment the magic staff appeared, an illusory image of a bluish-white sea serpent appeared behind him and roared to the sky.
The sea serpent's roar shook the land, sending ripples of energy waves that passed through the bodies of every mage and combat mages below indiscriminately.
Everyone, with the exception of a few Grand Masters, Exalteds, and Hugh spat out a mouthful of blood. Several mages from the Conclave's side who were below Master keeled over, and their status were unknown.
Such power rendered those who witnessed these mages felt their scalp go numb. After all, these people suffered such fate with the Saint-tier defensive array protecting them.
Hugh with the rest of the council members and leaders of both Emperor Euan and Mannick's side who stayed behind felt their heart ache sensing the deaths of some of the low-level mages and combat mages from their side. They were already prepared to sacrifice a few of their people, knowing an Archmagus was likely to appear. But this level of attack- no, it was not even an attack but an eruption of magic energy and yet it already resulted in deaths.
Hugh tightened his fists as he glared at Osric. This guy was not an Archmagus. That much he was knew. Before his magic core was destroyed, Hugh was already at the peak of a Magus. And even after his magic core was destroyed, he never stopped understanding his magic. However, given the state of his magic core, he could not rouse his magic energy for too long or summon high-level and advanced spells. Nevertheless, all of his accumulated knowledge was enough for him to reach the peak of a Magus.
After his magic core recovered, Hugh's level did receive a great boost and reached this level. It was because of this reason that he felt it would not be impossible to hold off an Archmagus.
But looking at the one before them, Hugh knew he was not the Archmagus they were expecting but the Legendary mage from the Boyd Family, Osric.
They only heard a brief introduction of him from Kyran since Styx and the rest who went to the Boyd Family's villa did not meet him personally.
To think that a Legendary mage could easily deal with the low-level mages with the mere releasing of his magic energy.
'No,' Hugh corrected himself. 'The eruption of magic energy just now did not come from him but the sentient of his magic weapon!'
This meant, they were dealing not with one but two Legendary-level enemies.
The bluish-white sea serpent somersaulted in the air before it flew back to Osric. As it neared him, it shrank and entered the staff in his hand.
"S-Senior Osric, please be careful in unleashing your magic weapon's sentient! It will not do good if we also suffer from its potent magic energy!"
A woman in a red and gold-plated heavy armor below reminded Osric. She looked petite and the armor she wore seemed large but the fact she was not affected by Osric and his weapon's overwhelming power.
Osric scowled and looked at the woman. Normally, he would have killed anyone who talked to him in that manner. However, he did not do anything to the latter and only said, "Her Highness doesn't need weaklings."
His attitude toward the woman spoke volumes.
This woman was one of the few remaining Winfrey family members. Thus, Osric was very respectful even when her level was beneath him.
Nevertheless, after replying to her, he diverted his attention back to the Conclave members and ignored her completely. He then waved his staff and summoned several water pillars on different points surrounding the periphery of the Tower of Conclave.
Truth be told, Osric almost lost the sentient of his magic staff. The only reason it was able to revive was because of Layla's magic.
Osric wanted to refuse, not wanting her to waste her magic energy on his staff since she had just awakened. Besides, as long as he rested enough, and replenished his magic reserves, his magic weapon would eventually recover. However, with the sentient of his spare staff gone, Osric would not be of assistance to Layla. Thus, he accepted her good will and swore to accomplish everything she asked him to.
Alas, it was because of this that he could not refuse when Layla told him to destroy the Conclave and seize the Time Keeper.
Seeing the water pillars, Hugh and company further confirmed the identity of their enemy.
But they did not despair. There was no time for that. In the first place, the task Hugh and those in the frontlines had to accomplish was to buy time while Malia and the others lead the rest into the Tower of Conclave.
Hugh popped two pills in his mouth; a high-quality magic replenishing pill and a high-grade healing pill. After which, he summoned as many and as large enough armors to deal with the water pillars. Every armor wield huge broadsword and as soon as they appeared, they cleaved horizontally at the pillars.
However, after the broadswords passed through the pillars only reconnected.
Hugh gritted his teeth in frustration. He had known it would not be easy to destroy the pillars, but for them to reconnect easily made one feel it was futile no matter what they do.
Nevertheless, Hugh did not stop and manipulated all armors to continue attacking the pillars.
He was not the only one who attacked. After regaining their footing and intaking two pills like Hugh, the Grand Masters and High Masters with him launched their attacks.
They knew their magic was useless toward the water pillars, thus they targeted the enemy combat mages.
The combat mages with Osric were not idle either. After recovering they also continue attacking. But they did not get too close to the barrier thinking that it had another effect.
Osric ignored Hugh's futile attempts and focused on sustaining the water pillars until every point connected at one point, turning into a huge water cage.
This was the same cage Osric used to trap Kyran. It had the ability to render other magic energy apart from water useless. Which meant that the magic energy supporting the saint-tier barrier would be removed as soon as the water cage was completed. After that, all of Osric's attack would be amplified inside.
Though this move drained a great amount of his magic and physical energy, it would stop the Conclave's attempt at offense completely and he could accomplish his task more efficiently.
After slashing at the pillars for a few seconds and still having no result, Hugh changed his tactic and aimed all armor at Osric.
With their broadswords above their heads, the armors cleaved down at Osric.
Osric only looked at the incoming broadswords and simply waved his magic staff.
RAWRGH!
The bluish-white sea serpent emerged from the tip of the staff, its size increase as it gained momentum upward.
Hugh braced himself as the sea serpent collided with the broadswords.
BOOM!
Since Hugh reinforced the armors' defenses before the collision, they did not explode and only their broadswords were pushed back.
Two of the armor that received minimal force from the collision, recovered their balance and attacked Osric from each side. They cleaved their broadswords horizontally, aiming to cut him into two.
However, the sea serpent shifted and using its tail like a whip, swept the broadswords one after another.
The momentum of getting hit by the sea serpent's tail sent the two armor flying sideward. They skidded on the ground, destroying the trees and leaving a shallow rift on the ground.
Another armor regaind its balance and jumped, its hand aimed high as it brought the broadsword in its hand downward.
At the same time three armor hacked their broadswords horizontally aiming to pierce Osric.
Whoosh!
Osric did not bother to put up a barrier. He turned into water and the broadswords passed through his body without issues.
Hugh's expression turnef grim. It was his first time seeing someone turn themselves into another 'substance' and guessed this might be a Legendary mage learned upon breaking through.
But knowing this only proved that any attack against Osric was also futile!
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