Chapter 331 Nikkos
The Enforcer leader once again attempted to exert his power to control the spell, which was on the verge of slipping out of his control. However, this time, his strained magic vein was pushed to its limit.
"Arrrrrrrrgggghghhhh!" The Enforcer leader couldn't afford to let the spell fail. He fully understood that the amount of mana he had infused into this attack spell was sufficient to blast apart half the mountain.
Despite this knowledge, forcefully drawing mana beyond his vein's capacity would result in frying his mana vein, necessitating a replacement with an inferior one. Rebuilding it to the efficiency he had achieved over years of development would demand substantial resources.
Allowing the spell to fail and explode would not only bring shame but also endanger his life. The detonation of such a massive amount of mana could prove fatal. Thus, he had no choice but to endure the pain and press on.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggghhhh!!" The Enforcer forcibly drew mana beyond his vein's capacity, feeling as if his body were burning alive. The searing pain spread throughout, and he sensed his mana efficiency rapidly decreasing.
To alleviate the burden, the Enforcer leader relinquished control over all 'The Word of Power' spells, attempting to ease the strain on supplying mana to control his main spell.
On Daniel's side, witnessing this scene in his mindscape, he knew that the Enforcer leader had let go of control over 'The Word of Power,' but the electric cage surrounding him remained.
[I think it's time to end this.] Daniel thought to himself before employing the prepared card.
—
Card: Archmage
Type: Enchantment - Profession
Level 5: You may cast three Spells, Quick Spells, or Enchantments for free and cast them as if they are Quick Spells, up to 3 times each turn.
…
Card: Backlash
Picture: Illustration featuring a blue-robed mage using magic to disrupt his opponent's spell and blast it back to its source.
Rarity: Rare
Type: Quick Spell
Mana Cost: 1 Water, Fire, 1 Non-Elemental
Description: Destroy target Casting Spell, Deal X Damage to its controller, where X is equal to its mana cost plus the mana cost that the controller spent to maintain the spell.
Flavor text: Magic is not child's play; it's a double-edged sword. Unskilled casting may lead to injuries or death.
…
<Spell Mana: 2-3 + 3 + 3 = 8-9 Damage (3 is the mana cost the Enforcer leader paid to control his spell.)>
Snap!
Daniel snapped his fingers once again, and the card took effect.
Crackling!
The mana and fire sparked at the magic that was about to go out of control within the Enforcer leader's hand.
"Shit! At this rate…" The Enforcer exclaimed in alarm. He quickly utilized his magic vein even further beyond the limit, discarding all the chances to salvage his magic vein.
The Enforcer leader felt like thousands of needles stabbing repeatedly into his very bones, and he wanted to scream, but he didn't. He knew that if he let out even a little bit of his scream, all of his effort would be lost.
But even with this much effort, the result was inevitable. He couldn't feel any response from his rampaging magic in his hand. It was as if he had become a simple man standing before a speeding train and trying to stop it with his bare hands. It was inevitable that he would get crushed by it.
"No.... No!!! Nooooooooooo!!!"
But just before the magic in his hand exploded, Daniel snapped his fingers once again, activating another card.
…
Card: Life Perseverance
Picture: Illustration featuring a man lying in his own pool of blood, his life hanging by a thread, still preserving his life under the holy light dome casting over his mutilated body.
Rarity: Uncommon
Type: Quick Spell
Mana Cost: 1 Holy, 1 Non-Elemental
Description: Until the end of the turn, the target player will not lose the game.
Flavor text: A life on the brink of being lost is stabilized by the hand of a paladin.
…
Boooooooooommmmm!!
The blast from the Backlash spell enveloped the Enforcer leader's entire body, burning all of his cloth and armor. The heat seared his skin and body; in a split second, he didn't feel anything, and the concussive shock from the blast knocked him senseless.
Crashhhh Crack!
The Enforcer leader was blown deep into the bamboo forest due to the kinetic energy of the blast. His body crashed into a very large stone, and the robe that adorned the stone was suddenly ripped apart the moment the Enforcer leader's body touched the stone and got blasted away.
Unbeknownst to anyone, dark gas seeped out of the stone and quickly entered the Enforcer Leader's nostrils and mouth.
Daniel quickly rushed to follow the Enforcer Leader's trajectory and discovered that his body was embedded into a large stone not far from a waterfall.
Daniel slowly walked toward the Enforcer Leader, who was embedded in the stone, examining him. Pride stood not far behind Daniel, watching all of this happen.
The two Enforcers also followed. At this point, they knew that no matter what, they could not win against Daniel, who had already freed himself from the Word of Power restriction.
Let alone that one of their hearts had grown cold from the Enforcer's ruthlessness, who tried to kill him along with Daniel when they got trapped within the electric cage.
"It seems he has lost consciousness," Daniel uttered after examining the Enforcer Leader's burnt body.
The Enforcer Leader had suffered severe third-degree burns, and his consciousness seemed unable to wake up anytime soon.
"What are you going to do to us?" The Enforcer who should have a call sign of Echo-3 asks.
"Us? No… count me out, Echo-3. I'm out." The Enforcer named Echo-2 protests and immediately takes off his mask and robe, burning them with his magic, leaving only his white shirt, brown vest, and black trousers.
The face of the Enforcer named Echo-2 seemed young and still vibrant with energy. He looks to be in his late teens.
"What!? Nikkos!? It's you!? That dandy playboy who seems like a wastrel!? You're one of the Golden Scale Enforcers!?" Pride shouted the moment.
"I see that my reputation precedes me, but please stop calling me wastrel; that's rude. Also, that is the persona I usually wear when I am socializing with other people." Nikkos said with a refreshing smile.
"What the… Even a wastrel can be one of the Golden Scale Enforcers right now!?" Echo-3 blurted out in surprise.
"Yes… I know what you wanted to say, Echo-3. The quality of the Enforcer is dropping, blah blah blah. Now shut up… The real question is," Nikkos said as he walked to stand beside Daniel, earning an admonishing stare from both Daniel and Pride.
Wearing shamelessness as armor, he proudly stood beside Daniel and Pride and declared, "What are we going to do with you? ….Right? Magitek… no Boss! Big Boss, whatever." Nikkos shamelessly smiled and nudged Daniel.
"You think doing this to us, betraying the Golden Scale like this, Do you think Magitek would save you from us!? Huh!? Nikkos!" Echo-3 threatened.
"I am loyal to the Golden Scale faction until that burnt meat over there decided to kill me! That's not what I agreed with Golden Scale when I was recruited!" Nikkos roared back in frustration and continued.
"Besides, do you think the Hightower has a future? Sooner or later, it will revert back to the days of old where mages are killing each other, and the strength of clans and families becomes more prevalent than it is now," said Nikkos.
"That's why we need to kill Magitek! To set an example for those mages who think we are weak and to respond to those people protesting us back in Europe! They will stop looking down on us once we kill him!" Echo-3 answered back in frustration and continued.
"Nikkos… you are just a child. You don't know how horrible it was at that time. We could only unify the Curtained World into one body in the form of the Hightower organization after we ended World War 2!" said Echo-3.
"You're talking as if you lived through those days yourself," Nikkos said while pondering on it.
Hearing this, Echo-3 immediately changed his tone. There is a reason why the Goldenscale Faction Enforcers always wear masks and robes to obscure their identity.
This is to prevent certain mages or mage clans or families from seeking revenge, allowing the Golden Scale Enforcers to punish anyone who dares to break the law of the Hightower with peace of mind.
"Anyway! You need to come to your senses! The Hightower is the stability that holds the Curtained World together. You can't let its authority crumble down!" Echo-3 warned.
"Oh? And what do you suggest then? Rejoin you and then help you try to kill Magitek and then die in the process like a fool? Or return with you, receive some harsh punishment from Golden Scale himself for betrayal, while you may or may not plead in my defense.
And while I get imprisoned somewhere or executed, you'll get sent to hunt Magitek once again and die. Or maybe Golden Scale himself will come, and he will also die," Nikkos shot back.
"But!" Echo tried to counter but was stopped by Nikkos' hand sign.
"No but! I'm not finished yet. I know that Golden Scale is strong and all, but is he able to fight against that thing in space?" Nikkos said, pointing to the sky, implying Daniel's orbital cannon.
"This…" Echo-3 was stunned, as he had only thought about the Hightower authority and hadn't considered things from this perspective.
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