The majin's eyes widened the instant she saw Raven rush at her.
He was fast. Much faster than she expected.
For a brief moment, her thoughts lagged behind his movement, instinct screaming danger before logic could catch up.
And in a split second—
SWISH!
Raven arrived right in front of her, his presence crashing down like a sudden storm. There was no hesitation in his movement, no wasted motion. His sword rose and came down in a clean, vertical arc aimed straight at her.
THUNK-!
The majin reacted on pure instinct.
She threw her left hand forward and immediately cast a mana barrier. The shield manifested just in time, small and condensed, but strong enough to stop the blade dead in its path.
Sparks of mana scattered outward as Raven's sword met the barrier.
But he didn't pause.
The moment his sword was halted, his left hand moved swiftly. He twisted his wrist and aimed the muzzle of [Nyx] directly at the majin at point-blank range!
But before his finger could even tighten—
"[FIRE BLAST!!!]"
BOOM!!!
The majin roared that and casted a spell.
Black fire engulfed her entire body and exploded outward in a violent burst, the shockwave ripping through the space between them.
"Ugh...!"
Fortunately, Raven reacted instantly.
[Celestria] reshaped itself immediately, unfolding into a pair of black wings onto his back. Raven crossed them in front of his body and poured mana into them as the explosion slammed into him head-on.
That's how he successfully shielded himself.
Through, the force of the explosion blasted him backward several meters.
Tap-
Then as soon as his foot landed on the floor, barely stabilizing himself—
"[Fire Vortex!]"
SWAAAAAH~!
A raging hurricane of black fire formed in front of the majin and tore across the floor toward him, devouring everything in its path!
"..."
Raven frowned at that sight.
He quickly channeled mana into his blade, focusing on one of his elements.
WHOOSH~!
Violent winds wrapped around [Emmeranne]'s dark blade as the air itself began to scream.
And with a sharp upward motion—
SLASH—!
Raven cleaved through the vortex with his sword.
The black flames split apart and scattered, dissipating into nothingness as the spell collapsed.
Raven didn't waste time after that.
PSH- PSH- PSH-!
He aimed [Nyx] at the majin once more and pulled the trigger. Three shots rang out as bullets tore through the air toward her.
"That's not going to work!"
The majin shouted.
A mana barrier was already in front of her, shimmering faintly as it blocked their path.
Raven stared at the shield with calculating eyes, then his lips parted slightly.
"[Move]"
He muttered.
F W I S H~!
And after that, the bullets abruptly curved!
Once. Then again.
They slipped around the barrier entirely and shot straight toward the majin from unexpected angles!
"...!?"
The majin's eyes widened, she was caught off guard, not expecting the bullets could change their trajectories.
She clicked her tongue in irritation.
BAM!
Then she jumped back, barely avoiding them as the bullets pierced into the floor where she had been standing.
FWOOSH—!
Raven propelled himself forward again, the wings on his back flared and gave him a big boost.
He closed the distance in a single dash!
But before he could reach her—
"[Fire Bullets!]"
The majin cast another spell.
Small spheres of black fire appeared around her, each no larger than a marble.
SWOOSH—!
Then they launched all at once at Raven!
'They're small… and there are too many.'
Raven assessed the situation instantly.
'I can't just cut through everything this time.'
Mana surged into his wings.
W H O O S H~!!!
He twisted his body mid-dash, sharply altering his trajectory and slipping through gaps between the incoming fire.
SLASH—!
Those he couldn't dodge were cut down, his blade flashing repeatedly.
"Tch...!"
The majin grew visibly frustrated.
Her thoughts spiraled as Raven kept closing in, second by second, pressure mounting rapidly.
Then panic overtook her.
"JUST DIEEE!!!"
S W O O O O S H—!!!
She exclaimed, and around her; more than twenty [Fire Lance] materialized at once and shot forward!
It was a homing magic.
The lances wouldn't stop unless they hit their targets or they get destroyed.
They locked onto Raven immediately, relentlessly charging at him.
"...!"
Raven frowned deeply seeing that.
Tap-
He stopped advancing and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
[Thought Acceleration]. [Insight].
He activated both of those skills at once... The world slowed down for him.
And with that—
SWISH- BAAM!
FWISH- DAAM!
SLASH— BOOM!
One by one, he intercepted every [Fire Lance], [Emmeranne] screaming as violent gusts of wind shattered the spells on contact.
He stopped them all.
Though—
BOOM!
"KEUK...!"
His struggle was obvious.
Before, he could just deal with a strong spell from the majin by slashing it in half or dodging it. But this time, it's a different scenario... There were more of them and they're chasing after him.
Because of their rank difference; the lances are strong enough to give him a fatal wound if even just one hit him.
He also can't just dodge them just as he did with the [Fire Bullets] because the lances are actively locked onto him.
And so, Raven has no choice but to parry and block each of them!
Anyway—
"Huh...?"
The majin paused, confusion flashing across her face.
'Why is he struggling so much?'
She asked in her head, seeing Raven parry her attacks with difficulty.
'The aura coming from him... it's stronger than mine.'
'Isn't he supposed to be equal or higher?'
Her eyes narrowed, a lot of questions in her head.
'Is he acting?'
'Trying to bait me? To let my guard down?'
Her thoughts raced as she watched him continue to defend.
But then, suddenly—
'Wait.'
'What if... it's just his aura that is strong?'
That idea took root.
Her gaze snapped back to Raven.
And to test the theory on her head—
She fired a dozen more [Fire Lance] at him!
And Raven—
"Fuck...!"
SLASH— B O O M-!
He parried them all.
But the struggle remained.
And that was enough.
"Haha..."
The answer became clear.
He was bluffing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA—!!!"
Laughter echoed through the hall as soon as the majin realized that.
"..."
Raven glanced at her, annoyance evident as he finished deflecting the last [Fire Lance].
He already knew he was found out.
"Tch... I was hoping I could buy more time by bluffing."
He whispered under his breath.
The woman stopped laughing, and with a crazed smile—
"Your lie was good, too bad I was able to see through it."
S W O O O S H~
A hundred black [Fire Lance] materialized around her, floating ominously as they all aimed toward Raven.
"Haaah..."
Raven sighed, tired.
FWIP-
He tightened his grip on his weapons.
"I was able to endure Levina's attack before, this will be light work."
Then he muttered that with a smirk.
