Chapter 154: The Second Encounter (2)
ZeT2M“Can you hold out? His Schema isn’t just at a student’s level.”5j1a8ih
BFdcn“Even so, what choice do we have? We just have to give it a try.”vFQO2
xYGPRian let his greatsword, a symbol of Ogent, hang low as he advanced slowly. Tess, on the other hand, moved sideways, slipping out of Falcoa’s line of sight.Vjg
TcRRaETheir positioning was textbook for a two-person team, but Falcoa seemed unfazed.Vj9X2PG
Cd6egWhat would the spirits of those slain by his blade think if he were to be swayed by mere fledglings?Rf6v99
TRORian boldly extended his greatsword and declared, “Come at me. I’ll take you on.”emBbC
YTBe3iBut before he could finish, Falcoa had already closed the distance with an astonishing burst of speed, laughing maniacally.2ttA
yG9Rian, who managed to block the vertically descending longsword, felt a sting in his nose. It wasn’t the clash of swords, but rather the impact of a hammer.euj5S
7UVunI“Already giving up?”7Lwx
0aVBFalcoa furiously grated against the greatsword, and with each impact, Rian’s knees buckled until he was finally brought to his knees.Pvklep
y0ILa“Kugh!”m90ss9
Wk5The muscles in the arm holding the straight sword spasmed, and in that moment, Falcoa’s kick struck Rian’s solar plexus.UwlROq
4rGpSeRian’s body rolled away like a ball.6sYM
G1SGAgl“Rian!”sfMX7
78i4aTess cried out in despair. The situation seemed to have concluded, but defying Falcoa’s expectations, Rian managed to rise again.4KqBDO
5f6ILNot only his extraordinary strength but also his resilience was one of Rian’s specialties.ebd
dtfRG“Phew, I get it. So that’s your level?”MB3E5
kieJrFalcoa’s eyebrows twitched, but Rian didn’t stop there. He aimed his greatsword straight and provoked his opponent again.ojlE70
wpIWH“Alright. The real fight starts now. Come at me all you want.”RdS
D7KFA7c“Kekkek, I’ll kill you.”2JU
S8gNSA grin spread across Falcoa’s face, reminiscent of his days as the battlefield fiend.CGPDiE
HRr6e***28v
FCXShirone entered the building, revealing a tidy living room, uncharacteristic of a place used by mercenaries, with rows of potted plants under the sunlit windows.Wca
98214Qp“Where is Zis’s sister?”4LWOoA
CXp2HReShirone wandered from room to room until, upon opening the third door, he froze with his hand on the knob.r9O4Q
AI4aQLThe room smelled pleasant, with a red carpet and furniture arranged in an orderly fashion.DCkej
eARShirone looked at the woman sitting on the bed. He had been vaguely aware of her when Tess spoke, but seeing her in person was a shock.PsM4
qJS“Oh, you’re here, Shirone. How have you been?”Q39
anvfU“MarshawrA43
u5K8nMarsha was indeed the leader of the organization that kidnapped Yuna. Yet, her kind face and smile made it hard to hold such thoughts.Mn2IUJA
yziVEIY“Did you get home okay that day? Did you make up with your friend?”Upx5
h0jzEdbShirone swallowed the response that had risen to his throat. It seemed Marsha knew he was coming but still didn’t hand over Yuna.pUR0U90
FNLpJ“You already know, don’t you? You must have heard everything.”AgaCSr
Kbqd0Eb“Oh my, why so serious, Shirone? Are you angry with your sis? I’m sorry for deceiving you that day.”yzMbnO5
aPOOAs Marsha coquettishly approached, Shirone kept the same distance between them, stepping back.gXF3v
pKk5Q“Phew, you really are angry. How can I make it up to you? Should I kneel and beg right here? If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”RyUW
hCygSZ“Please return Zis’s sister. That’s all I ask.”2NfdW1
Lw8kGX“Ah! Was that it? You should have said so sooner. I thought you came to fight me. Well, it’s not like kind-hearted Shirone would do such a thing. I’m relieved.”hdK5i
0KAfShirone was confused. Who was this person, really? Her behavior, as if from another world, was incomprehensible.xOpG43
V9l8Y“Where is Yuna?”Ll0Y
LW22D“She’s upstairs. You can take her if you want.”tt4c7
em3ikPShirone turned away, not wanting to think about Marsha anymore. He just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.bjTH
1FhT“Ah, right. But shouldn’t you take something to cover her with?”Bki7dO
rfEDiShirone stopped in his tracks. When he turned back, Marsha was smiling playfully.l1Ph
uDjE4“It would be awkward to see a stranger’s naked body, right? That’s why I’m telling you in advance. Don’t be too shocked. She might be out of her mind, you know. My men can be quite rough.”Bqqq0
eD34s2xAs Shirone’s gaze turned icy, Marsha spoke even faster.tyykw
84Cr“I was there, you know. The screaming was no joke. Thinking about it now, it might have been too much. But Shirone, do you know? I ordered all of it. But you’ll understand, right? Because you’re the kind Shirone. Right?”ggwUQ
2MzShirone remained silent, which seemed to bring immense joy to Marsha.imZQm
jwA“How does it feel, Shirone?”93zieFY
bjoVi7Z“What feeling? What exactly do you want to hear?”zyBrUwD
mM8ScShirone no longer saw any value in respecting Marsha, but to her, this was an exhilarating moment.MhdFVt
Reb“Hohoho! Are you really angry? Why are you mad at me? You used to say my thievery would eventually be okay, but have you changed your mind? Maybe you should have scolded me harshly back then. Then, perhaps I wouldn’t have kidnapped Yuna. Honestly, you were so annoying.”6JXC
Er1qShirone fully faced her. Yuna was no longer the issue. Marsha had crossed a line that should never have been crossed.jE7Ub8
ZA6Y7JQ“Huh? Answer me. How does it feel? Are you going crazy? Does it feel miserable that your once-beloved sister has turned out this way? Do you feel like there’s nothing left to believe in this world?”IgSl
3udsTe“To play with someone’s emotions like that… Do you need to hear it out loud to be satisfied?”lWTun
fdqWMarsha’s laughter stopped as Shirone posed his question.8x5Ev
BW12GPt“If you really wanted that, you could have just done it. But why care about my feelings? Afraid I might be disappointed?”fZrJAH
vIT7xdK“Stop talking nonsense! I’m mocking you!”7Iu
o6nl“Really? Then shall I tell you what I think of you right now?”hfEN
vw9WWMarsha’s face stiffened, waiting for Shirone’s response as if deprived of the power to choose her words.HGom
eaT“I don’t hate you. In my memory, you’re still a good person.”T9ZHMej
2YZidMarsha’s expression changed in real-time. From perplexity to disappointment, and then to anger.10tEHA
hg6xO“Don’t spout nonsense. If that’s true, can you forgive me? Can you smile at me like before, even after I’ve trampled over Zis’s sister?”l6XDB
UMcj“No. You’ve done something unforgivable. If you really did what you said, I could never forgive you.”OYy
BfdG“Ha! You think I’m lying? But what if I’m telling the truth? Go upstairs and see for yourself.”DApT
zuH“Even if it’s true, I won’t hate you. It’s just…”7qCxFzq
LxWb5nShirone bit his lip as he looked at her.JBbJD
lraU“…sad that someone who should understand that pain better than anyone else would do such a thing.”OZUd
G1IdSparks flew from Marsha’s eyes. Her expression twisted into a fierce scowl, and her teeth gnashed.jLjJaOA
xdKaRIf she had really trampled Yuna, she might not have felt unjustified. But she couldn’t stand it. The way Shirone spoke as if he knew everything about her was infuriating.YsNah5Q
Twr9“You! You really piss me off!”94AlrH
aWLGnsbShirone hastily backed away. The sharpness of Marsha’s aura, infiltrating his empathy, was palpable.oLdpKj
nMZA star-shaped Zone.VgS5
6kDEIt was a unique sensation exclusive to those with offensive Schemas among the Four Symbols.4qmhO
89cAs Marsha prepared to attack, Shirone countered with a defensive stance. However, Yuna on the second floor was at stake.6FW
DyxV5lUrban environments posed quite a challenge for mages. It wasn’t as simple as reducing the range of their Spirit Zone.ABA
rzvMTo a swordsman, it was akin to abandoning a longsword, their primary weapon, for a short dagger in combat.0wSeT3M
DYI7K8‘What kind of mage could she be…’obD6HHY
LiQWhile Shirone observed Marsha, preparing for any incoming attack, he pre-emptively cast Photon Transformation, ready to evade instantly.Gj9aM
K89But Marsha’s magic exceeded Shirone’s expectations. As she narrowed her eyes and unleashed a piercing scream, an overwhelming roar assaulted his eardrums.6Plu2u
AIv7Y“Kugh!”2Oz
iiMsnZShirone staggered under the mental assault. It felt as if a needle had pierced through one ear and exited through the other, sending a jolt of pain.bcEnV2
KyV‘Sonic Cannon. She’s a sound mage. This is dangerous.’lnb4q9Q
9jAqUqSound mages specialize in acoustics. They create various sound waves by vibrating the air, not necessarily through human voices. A prime example of their offensive magic was the Sonic Cannon Marsha had just cast.SBGf
pZsdC8EThe pressure from a Sonic Cannon exceeds 150 decibels. At close range, it could rupture eardrums and cause deafness.rmwU
OTf1udBeing a directional magic that amplifies sound waves, it doesn’t spread widely like a laser but remains concentrated, making it one of the more challenging magics to counter due to its invisibility.JqXMX6T
VPZ4Pv‘This is a disadvantageous position.’RB2eV
BwlfMBJust as the efficiency of Shirone and Amy could drastically vary depending on the situation and environment, so too was a confined space practically Marsha’s home turf in dealing with sound.ah3RX
4ADtG3HShirone racked his brain for a way out of the current predicament. He finally opted for ultra-fast short-range teleportation within the cramped space.yFBE
bruhXrSMixing Spacial Warp and Rainbow Drop, he moved around the room, the complex patterns of light confusing Marsha.pFTZxC
hjqivriShirone then attempted to strike from behind with a Photon Cannon. However, Marsha easily dodged the magic coming from her blind spot with a mere twist of her body.OPgKV
Pjxj‘How?’aqmhw
9w4GUnless she had eyes on the back of her head, there was no way to detect an attack from a blind spot.5Qjnx3
aYFn5VAnd even if she did, evading a Photon Cannon at this distance would be impossible.mHT
GRg397f“Huhu, surprised? You didn’t think that was all I had, did you?”kj8qxb
7J1PFAt“Could it be… Sonar?”rmAGuSa
j1s“Wow, befitting a magic school graduate. Studying hard, aren’t we?”x1ss
E0LSonar is the ability to perceive sound. Though primarily maximized underwater, mages can fully mediate their Zones to manifest it anywhere.ybB
3X7yzA master of Sonar can outperform a Seer in terms of detection capabilities, making it only natural for Marsha to react to the Photon Cannon instantly.n3w70
tgc“Amplification magic is so tedious. It lacks finesse.”j6vAn
yC8D43LShirone tilted his head. It was odd to hear a mage belittle their own learned magic. After all, no mage would degrade their own spellcraft.hSRwkt5
mcS“But this, I like this.IvGcC
SjH62If she had mastered Sonar, there was no need to amplify sound at all. As Marsha spread her arms, Sonic Cannons fired from both sides.MWFAql
ESCFShirone urgently teleported, but the sound was faster than his reflexes.h39
U5E6uvThe high-decibel sound waves scrambled his mind, disrupting his magic. Such sound-based magic was perilously effective against mages, who rely on mental focus.tTzjdA
WEAMarsha then employed Sidelooping to encompass the entire building.o0i
MzQ8It was a magic similar to how dolphins emit sound waves and interpret the echoes, allowing the detection of existence, direction, and distance, regardless of obstructions.DxV
EyW2usLShirone was cornered. The Sonic Cannon was indefensible, and Sidelooping’s instant detection made even Photon Cannon easily avoidable.1bhNgi
VI8OdEc‘It’s so strange. Sound magic is highly specialized. How could Marsha, a mercenary, wield such spells?’uLIT
uiMSound mages dedicate their lives solely to the study and collection of sounds. Even encountering a unique opportunity wouldn’t suffice without academic knowledge, making sound magic an intricately complex field.y5tb
v47M“Enjoying the look on your face. It’s as if you’re wondering, ‘How could someone like you…?’”6VHf
DmZShirone faced a crucial moment, caught in a battle where his usual strengths were nullified, against an opponent whose abilities seemed beyond the realm of ordinary mercenaries.stuNws
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