"That's true, but being young means you lack experience, and that's a fatal flaw," Shuka said with a faint smile. "You're still too green."
"Raining Stones and Sand."
Dust billowed up, and Noel's vision was instantly obscured, putting him at a disadvantage. Stones fell like a torrential downpour.
"Eye of the Storm."
Noel quickly cast a spell. The attack radius of the stone rain was too wide to dodge entirely. He positioned himself in the eye of the storm, letting the incoming stones and dust get swept up by the violent winds, which eventually scattered them harmlessly away.
"Good judgment, but can you handle this next move?" Shuka eyed Noel with a look of twisted admiration, caught between the desire to possess and to destroy. A young, talented seedling like this—crushing him with his own hands would be satisfying, but turning him into a money-making tool would be even better.
"Thorned Earthen Spikes."
Shuka's voice rang out sharply. "You really are impressive, kid. Almost perfect."
The ground began to bulge as if something beneath was ready to break through, and then spikes of hardened earth erupted across the battlefield.
Noel's expression tightened. This spell was no joke. With such high density, even his wind barrier wouldn't fully block it. Even if it blocked some, many would still pierce through, turning him into a trapped animal.
He canceled the storm around him, calmly analyzing the battlefield. In moments like these, staying calm was critical.
"Looks like you realized it—your feeble storm can't protect you," Shuka taunted. "You're smart enough to know that. I like that about you. Why not join us?"
Noel's eyes narrowed. "Join the Dark Guild? Why would I join a pack of cowards who only find their worth by preying on the weak? In my eyes, your guild is nothing but trash."
"Trash? Ha! A naive brat like you will never understand the greatness of the Dark Guild," Shuka laughed maniacally.
"Do you know how much wealth we've accumulated? The territory we hold? We are the law in this place."
Noel shot back, "And what's the use of wealth and territory? You can always earn those again, but there are things you can never replace. Do you even know that?"
"What can't be replaced by money and power? You're too young to understand—remember this: the common people are just tools for our pleasure," Shuka scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "They don't resist, they just work. Free labor, who wouldn't want that? You, kid, have never tasted that kind of sweetness."
Noel's gaze darkened. "Have you ever known friendship?"
"Friendship? Hah! Can friendship buy anything? Is it worth more than money or power? Friends are worthless," Shuka replied flatly. "I've personally killed several of them."
Noel's rage exploded. He had never felt anger like this before. Why did people like this exist in the world? There was only one thought echoing in his mind now: kill him. Maybe that was what he wanted from the start, but morals had told him that killing was wrong. Now, that hesitation was gone. Kill him.
"Enough talk, brat. We're not the same, so you can go to hell now," Shuka said, finally losing all patience. "I'll end this."
The weak are meant to be trampled by the strong. That was the simplest truth, wasn't it?
"Earthen Thorn Assault: Formation Shift!"
The air around them shifted violently. The thorned spikes began to move, lashing out and sweeping across the battlefield like whips, slashing toward Noel from every angle.
The strikes were so dense that even if he could dodge, he'd be cut many times. It would be hard to handle.
Noel used wind magic to lift himself into the air, temporarily escaping danger.
"You think flying makes you safe?" Shuka grinned. "How naive."
Chains of earth twisted together like serpents, rising into the air and spiraling after Noel, tracking his movements. No matter where Noel flew, the chains followed relentlessly.
Noel quickly realized the flaw: such a large-scale spell couldn't be precise. Close combat would be his best option. Ignoring the pursuing chains, he locked his sights on Shuka.
"Coming in for close combat? Just as planned," Shuka sneered. "You're walking right into your own death."
Noel didn't yet realize how dangerous this was.
"I was only wary of your hidden magic before, but in close combat, you can't beat me. I've got far more experience than you," Shuka said with dark confidence.
He tossed his cloak aside. "Come on then, I'm not afraid."
Noel accelerated downward with wind magic, forming a blade of compressed wind around his hand. From the outside, it looked like a simple punch, but the hidden blade would slice through flesh instantly upon contact.
"Just an air boost? You underestimate the strength of adults."
Shuka raised his hand. "Fist of the Earth!"
Sand and dust converged, forming a massive fist like a boulder aimed directly at Noel.
But as the earthen fist collided with Noel's hidden wind blade, it began to crumble, unable to withstand the pressure.
"How—how is this possible? What did you do?" Shuka's eyes widened in disbelief.
"A true mage never reveals his secrets," Noel whispered coldly, like a reaper delivering judgment.
The wind blade pierced through Shuka's heart. Vibrations tore through, destroying the heart's structure and ending its function instantly.
"I… lost…" Shuka's last words slipped from his lips.
Even in his final moments, Shuka's eyes were filled with confusion. He could not understand why his supposedly unbreakable earthen fist had crumbled so easily.
"You want to know the secret? Fine, I'll tell you," Noel said without emotion. "I added vibration to the wind blade. Your so-called sturdy sand fist was nothing against it."
"Now you know." Noel let out a cold hum.
But the satisfaction lasted only a moment before an emptiness settled in, leaving his heart hollow.
Had he gone too far? Should he have left Shuka alive to gather more information? The two he had killed were not small fry; they were likely high-ranking members of the Dark Guild with valuable intel.
But now they were dead.
As for the leader? Noel didn't need to think twice. He knew exactly where to find him—right in the main hall ahead.
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