When winter arrives in Volskova, the sky transforms into a beautiful and magical panorama. Amidst the freezing cold, the sky stretches out with deep and clear shades of blue. Its radiance glistens, creating a sparkling layer of snow on the ground. In the darkness of the night, the sky is adorned with the shimmering dance of thousands of stars.
The captivating Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, often grace the skies of Volskova during winter. With its dancing hues of green, red, and purple, the aurora adds a magical touch to the dark sky. It dances brilliantly among the stars, creating a captivating spectacle for anyone fortunate enough to witness it.
The winter sky of Volskova is further adorned by the presence of the bright moon. The gentle moonlight illuminates the snow-covered landscape, creating a stunning contrast. The moon's glow adds enchantment to the dark night, lighting up paths and casting mesmerizing shadows.
Artur gazes upwards as the sun rises in the cold sky, its light blending with the frost and spread snow. The beauty of the winter morning adorns the sky with radiant shades of red and gold. The sun rises triumphantly, emitting warm rays that thaw the frozen sky.
Taking a deep breath, Artur refocuses on his meditation. He prepares himself for the upcoming battle. He has never fought a demon before, but Zalya has provided all the information that House of Valya could gather about this new species.
They possess a different and somewhat unique spell faction compared to humans. They have natural body weapons like claws and fangs, resembling warbeasts, but they can also recite spell diagrams. Each diagram has its own purpose but serves as a curse.
From here, a new type of spell faction emerges, known as the Curse spell faction. Unlike the buff abilities of the Healing spell faction, the Curse spell faction is more focused on debuffs. Each diagram formed by the demon species carries a debuff effect that weakens their enemies or other effects that can lead to the demon's victory in close combat.
However, when they reach Level 3 Mana Core, the diagrams that demons can create will change. They will not only cause debuffs but also inflict long-lasting damage. While the diagrams formed by the demon species may not directly kill their enemies, creating weaknesses in fierce close combat battles is tantamount to death.
No way has been found to remove the debuff effects of the Curse spell faction. Some mages speculate that the Healing spell faction is the key to countering the Curse spell faction. However, during the ongoing warfare, this theory has yet to be fully proven. Perhaps if they had access to information from their Warbeasts, they could learn how the White Wolf battled demons.
However, despite having a common enemy, strong cooperation among the mana species has not been established. The three mana species are satisfied with the agreement not to attack each other while the demon species invasion continues.
"Artur, are you ready?" Rini came to check on him.
Artur nodded. "I'm ready!"
Artur rose from his seated position with a pounding heart, stepping towards the battle arena with courage.
"You don't need to force yourself, you know?" Rini said as she walked alongside Artur.
"..."
Artur didn't respond, his eyes focused only on what lay ahead.
"Win or lose, this battle is just a formality. The demon will still die, even if it's not you who kills it. You just need to showcase your abilities as a mage in front of the elders of the House of Valya. No one will mock you if you retreat after putting up a fierce fight," Rini continued chattering, trying to offer advice to Artur.
"..." However, Artur remained silent.
His eyes were captivated by the beauty of the sprawling Volskova sky, presenting a stunning backdrop for the upcoming fight.
The House of Valya's battle arena lay before Artur, revealing its grandeur with a large circular field. It was spacious, measuring twenty meters in diameter, providing ample room for mages to engage in combat with their powers and skills. Artur was amazed by its sophisticated design, with arena walls coated in defensive spells, providing protection for the spectators who had come to witness the magical prowess of the fighters.
However, Artur's gaze was drawn to a towering stand outside the arena walls. There, Sergei and Irina sat with graceful poise. Surrounding them were the elders of the House of Valya, whispering to each other while casting glances at Artur. They seemed to be discussing his hair, which was more silver than white, unlike other Valya family members.
From their pursed lips and scornful expressions, Artur could discern the subject of their conversation. However, a single look from Sergei silenced the elders, putting an end to their gossip. They fell silent, their expressionless faces freezing in place.
Once again, Artur had to reassess his judgment of the people in the House of Valya. These icy statues seemed to have a penchant for gossip as well. They were not like the shadows outside who assumed they would always maintain a serious demeanor with expressionless faces.
Artur sensed the presence of an audience filled with passion and anticipation. Whispers and gazes filled the air, creating an atmosphere charged with energy and hope. They had come to witness the power and abilities of the mages, eagerly awaiting the performance about to unfold. Most of them were ordinary humans, but many were mages themselves.
Some among them had silver hair, just like Artur, indicating that they too had Valya blood running through their veins. However, perhaps because their parents were mere servants or distant relatives, they didn't hold significant positions within one of the most powerful mage families.
Amidst the existing euphoria, the Volskova sky added beauty and wonder to the ambiance. Its warm and gentle light reflected on the surface of the field, creating a radiant glow over the battle arena. Meanwhile, the white snow covering the surroundings of the arena provided a charming contrast against the bright blue sky. The cool breeze gently brushed against us, evoking a magical atmosphere and pumping fighting spirit within me.
"Artur, be careful," Rini said, following him from behind.
Artur nodded and replied, "I know."
Afterwards, Rini descended to the field and joined Zalya in the spectator seats. Artur refocused his gaze forward. He didn't see anything that could be identified as his opponent, only himself standing in the arena.
A few moments later, Sergei suddenly stood up. The entire buzz of the audience fell silent. With a flat, unfluctuating voice, Sergei said, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we have gathered in the battle arena to witness a young Valya fight..."
Hearing Sergei speak in a monotonous tone and witnessing the solemnity of the audience, Artur suspected that expressionless faces and flat voices were a cultural practice upheld by the House of Valya. Indeed, the children who had been happily chatting and smiling suddenly fell silent, mimicking their parents' expressionless faces beside them.
"...Without further ado, let us welcome the enemy who will face this young Valya. Brought directly from the frontlines of battle, captured by our powerful mages, yet his fighting spirit remains unyielding after enduring various tortures. Behold, the Level 2 Mana Core Demon!"
As Sergei concluded his speech, the field where Artur stood suddenly split in two. Artur was taken aback and took a few steps back. From the divided field emerged a trembling iron box. Without needing to be told, Artur understood that his opponent was whatever creature resided inside that iron box.
Once the iron box was on the field, the divided field closed up again as if nothing had happened. Then, the door of the box opened, releasing black smoke through the slightly ajar opening. Artur squinted his eyes, drew his sword from its sheath, and prepared to use mana at any moment.
The sound of rattling chains echoed as if they were being released. The source of the sound came from within the iron box. Artur could imagine the chains that sealed the creature coming loose, allowing it to move freely as it pleased. And indeed, before the door of the iron box could fully open, the creature broke free.
This was the first time Artur had laid eyes on a demon, but the Level 2 Mana Core Demon was a terrifying entity with a gruesome appearance. It had a large body, standing about two meters tall, and was covered in cracked skin, giving the impression that it had endured many fierce battles.
Its face was adorned with upward-curved horns, exuding a fierce and intimidating presence. Its eyes emitted a fiery red glow, indicating the presence of tremendous magical power within. Its wide-open mouth revealed rows of sharp, blade-like teeth, poised to tear and crush its enemies.
Its sturdy body was filled with strong and rippling muscles. Along its arms, prominent veins were visible, signifying extraordinary physical strength. Its dark-colored flesh seemed to emanate a mysterious aura of darkness.
On its back, sharp horn-like protrusions resembling rhino tusks towered. These horns also displayed glowing runic patterns in purple light, indicating the presence of profound magical power.
Its entire body was surrounded by flickering black aura, creating an impression of darkness and formidable strength. Around it, traces of swirling magical energy could be seen, hinting at the immense level of power it possessed.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l