Rodic thinks that life philosophies and determination don't matter at all if the strongest wins in the end, but this makes the adventurer wonder if this is really true.
Marco has many reasons and is certainly more determined than him.
Even the weakest can do great things when they impose their will through force. Rodic understood this.
However, it was already too late to react and destroy his opponent's resolve. In this battle of ambitions, Rodic had already lost from the beginning.
Marco stands in front of the adventurer's body. He then leans down and grabs the face of the defeated adventurer with the palm of his hand.
He moves his arm back, taking Rodic's head with it, and shamelessly beats it against the wall behind him.
Rodic's body falls completely to the ground. Marco grabs his head again and hits it consecutively on the rocky ground.
Blood drips from Rodic's blond hair, causing the floor to turn into a macabre red paint splattered and spread.
And then, the man in the bloody black cloak delivers the final blow; raising the arm in which he holds the adventurer's head, his veins begin to glow bright yellow, until Marco finally sinks the adventurer's head into the ground, causing the rocks to break and deform the ground.
Marco gets up slowly and is even somewhat reassured. In his point of view, Rodic is completely defeated; the adventurer's eyes are not even open. The criminal lets out a sigh of tiredness mixed with relief.
His hand goes to the hilt of his sword, which he quickly pulls from the sheath. He holds the sword with both hands and leaves it upside down.
Pointing towards the adventurer's neck, he moves to plant his sword and end his enemy's life...
However, his arms are unexpectedly immobilized abruptly by a hitherto unknown force. Marco was completely focused on his opponent and forgot to look at his arms.
Could it be Rodic, still fighting for his life? Or had the Supreme Mage arrived at the scene?
These were questions that hovered like a flash in Marco's mind, but, looking up, he sees his hands completely wrapped in roots, but it couldn't be Rodic's; after all, he didn't even show that he was casting a spell!
Marco realizes that the roots are coming from behind his head, in a very distant place where he can't imagine.
The man then partially turns and looks to his left.
In the distance, he sees a boy with black eyes, as well as messy and subtly spiky hair. The boy wears clothes that are clearly not for combat, as if he were not part of Legorio's army.
His expression contains anxiety and fear, but there is also courage in his gaze and in his clenched teeth.
In his hand, he shows a wand pointed at Marco, which arrests Marco.
This boy is nothing more than Light Rods, who has just met his strongest enemy!
While Marco was distracted, Rodic showed the last spark of his consciousness. He used all his strength to grab the attacker's left leg with his hand!
Marco is shocked that his enemy was still alive. Suddenly, wooden thorns pierce Marco's leg from the inside out!
Rodic concentrated his mana on a single point on the man's leg and caused thorns to grow from his muscles and pierce him from the inside out.
In total, four large spines can be seen piercing its skin!
Marco mutters silently as he draws back his leg out of pure spinal reflex.
"Are you still alive!?" Marco, impressed by his enemy's resistance, says. "Whatever." He then easily breaks Light's roots as if they were nothing. "I'll kill you later." And he kicks Rodic's head with the same leg the spikes are on. The impact causes the adventurer to lose the rest of his consciousness and fall unconscious.
A devastating terror descends on Light at the same moment. The boy was confident of his abilities after fighting one of the main enemies, but seeing his main opponent subdue his magic with such ease makes him hesitate and withdraw his leg out of instinct.
"I'll start with you, child." Marco says as he turns to Light.
Marco's figure represents pure terror for Light at that very moment. The boy would do anything to run at that moment, he didn't even notice the wounds that Rodic had made previously.
Even with all the fear and terror, Light remains firm in place, with his hands and legs shaking, but that no longer matters, as the Rods prodigy is convinced he can win, even if it costs him his life.
Unconsciously, the barrier of fear of death has been overcome and now Light believes in himself enough to put his own life at risk!
His closed fists strain; luckily, Light isn't strong enough to break the wand in his hand. He frowns as his wide eyes burn with determination.
Marco traces a small smile in the corner of his mouth. Marco likes Light's look. That expression, that emotion... You don't have to be Light to know that he's not just challenging Marco to a duel to the death; he's also defying his own logic, his own mindset.