Volume 7 Chapter 20: Transformation of the Battlefield
A rapier danced in the air, as fine as needles, as swift as rain.
A burning great axe spun with immense centrifugal force, bearing down with unstoppable momentum toward its target.
A violet shield advanced, while a holy sword carved a curtain of light behind it. Two simultaneous attacks from opposing directions—both shattered on impact!
The support magic circle hovering in the air vanished as Belle was struck and sent flying. Standing steadfast before the shield, Krista, gripping her great axe, let out a muffled groan.
"What... is this...?" Krista squinted her eyes.
"Enchantment: [Thorns]." Alwin's grin was wild as he gave his great shield a sharp shake, sending Krista stumbling backward.
Just moments ago, Krista had been a fiery demon, slashing relentlessly at Alwin with ferocious spins. Now, her flames had died out. She tried to stand but staggered, dropping to one knee.
"Every strike against my shield means countless counterattacks upon yourself... Looks like it's about time," Alwin said, resting his holy sword on his shoulder and striding toward Krista with a spring in his step. "Though it's a shame, I have no use for failed creations."
The holy sword rose high, glowing with sacred light, ready to deliver the final blow—when suddenly, an immense force of gravity bore down upon him!
"[Gravity Inscription: Tower]!" shouted Zakarina, her tattered clothing and dark eyes radiating an eerie aura. A towering structure of compacted earth had silently risen in the battlefield, its surface glowing with magical glyphs.
Another wave of gravity pressed down!
"Second Wheel!" Zakarina's hands formed claw-like shapes, one above the other. "Fourth Wheel!" she roared.
More weight—heavier and denser—crashed down upon Alwin!
"Annoying pests!" Alwin bellowed in anger, slashing his sword toward Zakarina. The arc of light sped through the air, but a spear intercepted it midway, halting its advance!
"Keep going!" Derisha yelled, charging forward while twirling [Anti-Cantaloupe] in her hands.
Countless spears of water materialized in the air, encircling Alwin from all sides. The first volley was unleashed in unison!
"Urgh!"
Alwin raised his shield to block the attacks, but the retaliatory damage caused bloodstains to bloom across Derisha's body. Yet, she showed no fear, summoning more and more water spears into formation!
"Sixth wheel, eighth wheel…!" With each declaration, the crushing weight on Alwin intensified like a mountain pressing down on him.
"That's enough, Zakarina!" Derisha commanded. She grabbed Krista by the waist and leaped backward, retreating to safety.
At that exact moment, the ground beneath Alwin fractured and collapsed. Unable to maintain his stance, his knees shattered with a resounding crack, and he fell to his seat.
"Maximum wheel..." Zakarina's eyes gleamed as she clenched her teeth and brought her hands down sharply. "[Cataclysmic Abyss]!"
A massive, bottomless pit resembling an impact crater suddenly appeared, its gravitational pull so strong that dust, debris, and shattered stones were all sucked into its depths.
Buried in the Abyss.
"Whoa, that's... incredible!" Derisha exclaimed as she landed lightly, placing the limp Krista on the ground.
"It takes a long time to prepare, drains immense energy, and it's incredibly dangerous to allies and civilians alike," Zakarina said between breaths. "A reckless tactic... but it worked."
"The ability to manipulate gravity in combat is terrifying," Krista muttered, lying flat on the ground. She pulled out a bottle filled with murky green liquid, took a swig, and watched as her bleeding wounds slowly began to heal. "It's nothing like my campfire ability. I'm glad Belle and I managed to buy time for you."
"But there's one thing, Belle," Krista said after recovering slightly. "How much do you know about the power that guy was using? It's too strange—completely unlike the abilities of the Vassal of The Light. I can even sense a strange familiarity from it, like the kind of connection between Mutants... as if it's the same kind of eerie presence…"
"These questions," Belle said, narrowing her eyes, "are for the goblin to answer. I've had my suspicions for a while, but after seeing him forcibly retreat from the battlefield, I'm certain. He's hiding something—"
Belle's words abruptly stopped, vanishing along with her entire being.
In the distance, a hilltop collapsed as if struck by something massive at high velocity, the impact shattering the structure of the mound.
Derisha, Zakarina, and Krista widened their eyes in shock. Just seconds ago, Belle had vanished, and now, in her place—mere steps away from them—stood a man wielding a massive sword and shield, his eyes an eerie, soulless white.
"How is it," Alwin said, spreading his arms with a sinister smile, "that you fools, like that failed creation, think digging a hole to bury me would stop me?" He let out a dark chuckle. "If you're going to dig, this is how it's done—[Transform: Structural Blocks]."
With a flick of his holy sword, the [Command Block] embedded in it turned pitch black. Alwin pointed the blade downward, and in an instant, the ground beneath them disappeared!
They plunged into a massive pitfall. From below, waves of molten lava surged into existence, roiling and clawing upward, ready to consume them.
Startled cries escaped them, but their reflexes kicked in. Wind-elemental wings unfurled on Derisha's back, propelling her skyward; Zakarina hurled a chain that latched onto the rocky wall, pulling her to safety; and Krista, as a Vassal of The Flame, showed no fear. She swung her massive axe, manipulating the lava to envelop herself in layers of fiery protection. Flames roared to life around her, transforming her once again into a blazing fire demon, her body clad in molten armor that forged a new weapon.
But just as Krista's fiery form leapt toward the pit's edge, a deafening explosion rang out. Something dark and menacing shattered the rocky wall behind her.
A black barrel, cold and soul-crushing, emerged from the shadows. In an instant, it erupted with blazing heat, smoke, and firepower. The impact obliterated half of Krista's body, sending her remnants hurtling into the molten abyss.
"...Huh?" was all Krista managed to say before her shattered form sank into the searing lava.
"Anvil Cannon…" Alwin murmured, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction. "No matter the world, its power to pulverize is always reliable."
He laughed—a laugh so pure.
So pure it was unnervingly evil.
Suddenly, two colossal forces descended upon Alwin's head. Above, Zakarina floated in midair, her hands gesturing fiercely as gravity itself rained down in an overwhelming torrent.
"Maximum Wheel!" she roared.
Alwin groaned under the crushing weight. "The same trick again? It was amusing the first time, but now it's just tiresome." He sighed, tilting his head upward. "[Transform: Command Block]."
The block on his sword shifted from black back to its original orange. Nine indicator lights flared to life, radiating brilliant light that surged across Alwin's body.
"Effect States: Strength X, Speed X, Jump Boost X!"
With that, Alwin vanished from sight, leaving only a rush of displaced air. His voice, however, reached Zakarina—from behind her.
Blinding light erupted.
"[White Radiance: Holy Wing Slash]!"
The heavy blade descended, glowing with sacred energy, aiming to cleave everything in its path.
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