Chapter 65: Save By the Bell
Spell Recomposition was an advanced ability that a mage could learn without being recognized as a skill. It simply showed mastery in spellcasting.
It could be achieved when a mage attained a Master Mana Control proficiency. Being an Elementalist, Max had mastered his Mana Control and Mana Sensitivity in his past life.
He might only be a C-Rank Elementalist, but he was far stronger than an ordinary Elementalist.
He was only lacking opportunity—the key setback for him from attaining higher rank.
Still, he had a solid foundation.
Because of that, he immediately learned Spell Recomposition, an ability to flawlessly dismantle and reconstruct an incomplete spell into another spell without mana loss or casting interruption.
Max had never executed it when he was training in the Mana Controlled Circle Room. He didn’t want them to learn.
After he reconstructed the spell into Arcane Bolt, the Rift Walkers were taken by surprise. As a result, Max was given a chance to take down another Rift Walker.
Seven left.
He kept the same tactics. When the Rift Walkers were getting closer and perceived an immense amount of mana being gathered at Max’s staff, they retreated but it suddenly disappeared and became a compressed shooting mana.
When there were five left, they became exasperated.
They slid their gaze past Max and observed the place in front of him. When their gazes locked at certain places, their single large purple pupils glowed.
They slashed the space in front of them and a space rift emerged.
Max were aware of their plan. They usually could only execute two space rifts in an hour. Wasting their last space rift for him meant they were determined to kill him rather than assisting their lord in defeating Archmage Arlen and Blade Saint Branna.
Max faced forward and utilizing his Mana Sensitivity, he discovered the exact location of the space rifts.
When the space rifts fully emerged, he stored his offensive equipments and grabbed the rein, slightly changing their direction.
There were three space rifts manifesting two to five meters near the direction they had chosen. Max specifically chose the direction to successfully land a Mana Pulse on them.
Once he reached the place near the space rifts, the latter fully manifested and the Rift Walkers completely emerged. They seemed to be aware of the current quick occurrence, allowing them to instantly swing their limbs and their long daggers were dangerously heading to Max and his horses.
Max took a risk. The Mana Pulse was being cast.
But when he glanced at the nearest heading long dagger, he realized his casting time was insufficient.
His heart skipped a beat. He was about to die.
Time slowed down and the long dagger was an inch away from him.
Suddenly, his Mana Pulse’ casting time significantly reduced.
Max heard a notification.
[Your Mana Pulse proficiency level increased.
[Mana Pulse (Master)] — a maximum-output pulse with optimal force and stability.
Area of Effect: 6-meter radius
Damage: 140 attack
Mana Cost: 20 mana points
Casting Time: 1.0 second]
The damage increased by 40 points and the area of effect increased by 1 meter radius. The casting time was reduced by 0.2 seconds, more than enough to finally explode the Mana Pulse as the dagger had just wounded his cheeks.
The three Rift Walkers were repelled, and they bore the attack with critical damage.
Max gritted his teeth and swung his staff around.
He manifested three Arcane Bolts at once in different direction—north, east, and west.
He was multi-casting, an ability that even C-Rank mage couldn’t achieve in his past life.
It required higher Mana Control, at the peak of Master level.
He successfully spellcast three Arcane Bolts, ending the life of three Rift Walkers.
But Max wasn’t given a time to take a breath. The remaining two Rift Walkers closed in behind.
Using the momentum of the horses, he cast a Mana Thread.
8 Mana Threads grabbed the hip of a Rift Walker in mid-air. With his meager strength, Max took a deep breath and swung the Rift Walker to another, killing their balance.
Max felt bitter he couldn’t pull them and cast a Mana Pulse instead. If the Rift Walkers could resist, his limbs might have been torn apart.
As the Rift Walkers immediately tried to get up, Max struck them with separate Arcane Bolts.
They rolled to the floor, successfully evading.
It was the first time Max missed his Arcane Bolts, but he wasn’t disheartened. He adjusted his aim and precisely struck at their vital spot, earning a critical strike.
They weren’t enough. Max still needed another separate Arcane Bolts to kill them.
He finally had time to breathe. He huffed heavily, hearing notifications from the system.
[You have killed ten C-Rank Demon—Rift Walkers.
You have gained 8200 EXP.
You leveled up.
You have gained one Free Stat Point.]
Max smiled. He checked his current level and EXP stat.
[Level: 81
Exp: 200/8100]
After leveling up, Max also regained his mana points. It increased, as well.
[Mana: 810/810]
Max was addicted. Leveling up, increasing his stats, and getting stronger increased his dopamine.
He wanted to fight more, but he was already far from the main battlefield. Two of the C-Rank demons, responsible for eliminating those runaways, were already eradicated by him.
He wished more of them, but not from B-rank demons.
He doubted, though. Greater Demon’s legion was limited. There were lower B-rank Demons within his army but being the Greater Demon at peak B-rank, they would surely be more invested in Archmage Arlen and Blade Saint Branna than him.
He sighed.
Archmage Arlen is so stubborn. We could have win if I was with them.
Just as he thought so, a wave of dense demonic mana and pure mana struck him from behind.
The horses, despite the defensive runes and enhancement runes, almost staggered and fell.
Max grabbed the rein and helped the main horse regain their balance and the other followed, as well.
He was struck by debuffs again because of the demonic mana wave.
He turned around and his face turned grim.
He was targeted by a Soul Mark again.
But this time, the quality of the demonic mana told him it was a Greater Demon’s personal ability...
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