"Gather up! We've found the magic circles!" Kin Light and Glass Sano shouted, signaling the soldiers in the two battalions to retreat. Nevertheless, they decided to get back quickly after informing everyone.
"Shion Lan said he can use the magic circle to face that Blood Spirit. Will he win?" Kin Light asked.
"I don't know, but he has the courage and boldness to stand against it!"
Glass Sano was running fast—the three minutes were almost up. They finally reached the Neumann family palace. Shion Lan stood holding the Neumann family sword in a defensive stance, while the Blood Spirit readied itself to attack as soon as the lantern went out.
Ryan Shane arrived, surprised:
"Where did Brad Sano and Miral Flair go?"
"They went to stop the intruders from the Kingdom of Amorichi. They went with Solan Neumann and her guardian spirit to get back the magic circles from them."
"What?!"
Not only Ryan Shane but the rest of the soldiers were shocked. Before anyone could speak, the director intervened:
"Don't go there! They are a trained group, like our Shadow Forces. They have their own techniques, and numbers won't matter—all of them are seventh-level, and one is eighth-level. Those three alone are more than enough to pursue them!"
"Look! The lantern is about to go out!"
Everyone focused on the lantern, which suddenly dimmed.
"(Blood Domain: Blood Rain)!" the Blood Spirit shouted. Drops of blood fell throughout the domain, striking Shion's head. But it didn't stop there.
"(Spirits Bleed)!"
Magic circles formed in the spirit's hands, moving at lightning speed. Shion reacted quickly, activating the magic circle with the Spirit King's Sword.
"(Star Vortex) (Star Tide)!"
Shion's aura shone silver-white, spreading throughout the area. The vortex he expanded with the magic circle became a protective barrier, shielding him from the blood rain then he pressed the barrier making it stronger and stronger. He moved a few steps, swung his sword, and the Star Tide, covering a large area, extinguished part of the blood attack. The remaining blood attack hit him, pushing him backward, and he stopped after a few steps.
"You're strong!"
Shion was in a tough spot. The Blood Spirit glanced at him dimly, and so did the seventh-level heroes outside.
"What's wrong, Beliza?" Glass asked, noticing everyone's expressions. Even Beliza Sano and Rona Flair didn't look any better.
"Because you haven't seen advanced battles, you don't realize what just happened," she explained.
"I'll explain, boy," said Glass's heritage's guardian spirit.
"You don't usually speak much,Yossi."
"That's because this boy did something incredible I can easily be envious of him."
While he spoke, the Blood Spirit recovered from her shock and attacked again:
"(Soul-Devouring Blood)!"
The domain transformed again—the droplets became floods, turning the ground into a pool, attacking Shion in waves.
"This is a bit difficult," Shion said, taking it seriously, adopting a stance that made Director Tim Air stunned.
"(Cutting Stars) (Neumann Duel Style: Evil Neutralization)!"
Silver and white blades appeared, merging with Shion's dueling movements, striking specific areas. He evaded the Blood Spirit's attack, but the blood strike hit him, forcing him to step back while still standing.
While replicating these movements. The Moon Witch, Lily, exclaimed in astonishment:
"The Neumann Duel Style?! It is a special technique for Spirit Duelists. Also, there's something strange about the way he moves and the positions he takes."
Yossi Sano continued:
"That boy stands at the weak points of the attack and domain. With seventh-level power of the magic circle, even though he hasn't reached fourth-level yet, his precision allows him not to lose quickly. But…"
The Blood Spirit shouted at the top of its voice:
"Are you a spirit inhabiting this body?!"
Shion said calmly,
"No, why?"
"You can control the magic circle, confront the domain, predict my movements, neutralize them, and avoid being hit by blood attacks! You must be a spirit inhabiting this body!"
Shion sighed, pitying it.
"I've seen fools in my life, but you're one of a kind."
"You!!"
The Blood Spirit surged again furiously. Shion calmly asked:
"How many years have we fought, you and I?"
He rested his head on the sword's hilt. Everyone watched, waiting for his answer.
"Fifteen years. We've fought each other for fifteen years. I memorized your attack patterns and weak points. Even though in the Recorded Past they were fourth-level power, their form was seventh-level. To use a level-based attack, you need a supporting domain, which in the Recorded Past was the environment you stood in. I adapted to it for fifteen years."
"And what about the weaker attacks?"
The Blood Spirit smiled frighteningly.
"Intermediate-level spells? I can summon them effortlessly, attack from all directions, and with domain reinforcement, I could kill you."
The domain shifted according to its will.
"If you surrender now, I won't kill you immediately. I'll give you the chance to become my master and gain seventh-level power!"
Shion lowered his head, thinking. Everyone outside assumed he was considering making the Blood Spirit his companion.
"What are you thinking, scoundrel?!" Everyone in the battalion shouted. But the director motioned for silence.
"He cannot hear us at all. It seems the domain surrounds him completely. If not for weakening it via the scroll, he couldn't even see us," he sighed.
"I hope he doesn't fall for that spirit's temptation, or I'd have killed him myself."
The spirit grew more dominant, almost possessing him, and transformed back into its alluring form.
"Now, my dear little one, I want you to be my master. After clearing my eyes, I see you are handsome and beautiful, and I'll please you completely."
The women listening blushed and grew furious at such obscene words.
"That ###!" Rona Flier cursed unconsciously, drawing everyone's attention.
"..."
As for Shion, his mind was on his Vein Domain.
"Can't you just restrain her?!" he groaned, asking Shi Yun Lan, who looked at him blankly.
"If it weren't for your pitiful weakness, none of this would have happened."
"What do you mean by my weakness?! I want to tame this spirit, and you just have to seal it like you did to me!"
"Are you foolish? This succeeded for two reasons: first, because you allowed it; second, and more importantly, because you're weaker than me. Your resistance is useless."
Shion gritted his teeth. Shi Yun Lan continued:
"Just follow the plan. Avoid the spirit attacks, leave the blood attacks to me, and let's preserve this spirit as long as possible, so your girlfriend can do her part."
"Ok, but she's not my friend," Shion muttered.
"..." But Shi Yun Lan ignored him.
Shion looked at the spirit in front of him, which cast another spell to appear more attractive, as if seducing him to be its master.
"What nonsense are you doing? Let's just fight!"
"What? You won't take me as your companion?!"
It spoke in disappointment. Shion looked at it with disgust:
"Even if you begged me to be my servant, your beauty is subpar."
He thought inwardly,
'That's right—no one surpasses Bi Ri's beauty as a maid.'
The spirit lost the ability to speak, and so did everyone outside.
"What do you mean my beauty is insufficient?!!"
Her face twisted, veins bulging. Shion thought,
'Could it be a mutated spirit? It had a previous nature before becoming a Blood Spirit. Every spirit has one nature in one direction, like greed, lies, anger. The Blood Spirit should be vengeful, but now it seeks beauty. Extremely dangerous, yet useful.'
He looked at it arrogantly:
"What do you know about beauty? I've seen beauty that moves the heart at first glance, eyes that imprison a hero's mind, smiles that steal the will of the brave, and innocence that makes a villain repent…"
Shion deliberately delayed to buy time for Solan. As he knew his intention, the director was impressed.
But the Blood Spirit did something unexpected:
"AAAAAAHHH!!!"
Its beautiful form vanished, replaced by blood and revulsion. It glared at Shion and attacked again.
"(Soul-Devouring blood) (Spirits Bleed)!"
The spirit screamed with all its might, turning the domain into a blood mist. It followed up with a final spell:
"(Blood Spirits)!"
Many faces emerged from the mist, terrifying everyone outside.
"These spirits are equipped with previous spells. If they reach Shion, it will be catastrophic!" Ryan Shane said, his face tense.
Shion frowned, preparing to counter:
"(Star Vortex) (Cutting Stars) (Neumann Duel Style: Evil Defense)!!"
All of Shion's senses reached maximum. The vortex engulfed him, releasing cutting blades, though not fully integrated with the vortex due to gaps. This was Shion's plan—to use the dueling style to defend from all directions.
Shion thought while defending,
'The domain allows not just control of the enemy and reinforcement of attacks but also directing attacks from anywhere, as if striking from behind while facing the enemy. And now I'm surrounded by terrifying spells!'
Part of the blood attack penetrated him, but thanks to Shi Yun Lan, he neutralised it and Shion countered his enemies.
'This is... strange?!'
While splitting another spirit in half, Shion thought in confusion
'I've seen all the spirits except two—Imat Neumann, due to his death in prison and burial elsewhere, couldn't be summoned while this spirit was sealed, and the other is Sora Neumann. Wasn't he in the palace during the massacre? If the spirit didn't kill him, someone else must have. Or did it spare him because it prefers him? I heard nothing from Jina Joul about this…'
"Blood Spirit, where did Sora Neumann go?"
Everyone was shocked by the sudden question Shion asked. The spirit answered, still casting its spirits,
"He ran like a coward when he saw me."
Shion was surprised at the simple answer.
"How can someone so honored by the king be a coward?"
Those outside didn't know what was happening. The spirit added:
"Any king are you talking about?"