Tzz!
The sand on the ground looked like molten lava.
All the sand around them was smoking.
Even the areas that had cooled down were still glowing red.
Kaecilius looked even more disheveled.
His sorcerer's robes were torn to pieces, reduced to ragged strips.
His body was covered in scorch marks.
Obviously, after Karl's first strike, he hadn't stopped—he'd launched more than one attack.
But Kaecilius still managed to get away.
"So this is the legendary Ancient Body of Hoggoth?"
Watching the green butterflies still fluttering through the air, Karl couldn't help but marvel.
Master Sorcerers really knew an absurd number of spells!
This was the spell everyone called "Butterfly Flight."
It was absolutely one of the strongest support spells in all of Kamar-Taj.
Any spell could be dodged with this move—it was downright ridiculous!
No wonder Kaecilius could evade Karl's magic.
"Hmph!"
"Your strength really is a bit beyond what I expected."
"But you must die today!"
"You will become the lowliest slave of the great Dormammu-sama!"
Kaecilius's eyes turned pitch-black.
Black mist actually seeped out from around his eye sockets.
Dark Power kept descending, and Kaecilius's wounds began healing at a terrifying speed.
Those injuries Karl had inflicted rapidly restored themselves in the blink of an eye.
Karl wasn't nervous at all—if anything, he smiled.
"A Master Sorcerer… so you're using your trump card already?"
"How much power does Dormammu-sama have left inside you?"
"With the ancient magic array blocking him, how much power can Dormammu-sama even give you?"
Karl spoke calmly.
Kaecilius had been forced to reveal his bottom line.
At the Ancient One's request, Agamotto had established a powerful magic array that drew energy from Earth's three great sources of mystical power.
No powerful being could enter Earth.
Dormammu-sama was no exception.
The Dormammu-sama power on Kaecilius's body shouldn't be much anymore.
Kaecilius's expression also turned extremely ugly.
"No matter how much power I have left, it's already enough to kill you!"
Kaecilius shouted.
A vast surge of Dark Power surfaced inside his body.
The next moment—
A black crystal spike appeared in his hand.
"Dark Magic?"
"That's not something you should be using, Master Sorcerer."
Karl sighed.
"Disgusting. Your face is exactly like the Ancient One's."
"Put away that nauseating mask of hypocrisy."
"Only the strong are qualified to talk about good and evil!"
As he spoke,
He thrust the black spike straight at Karl.
That black crystal looked slightly purple, with a faint, distorted gleam on its surface.
Karl immediately remembered—
In the Dark Dimension, there were countless black crystals like this, along with virus-like spheres.
This was the solidified manifestation of malice within the Dark Dimension.
The remnants left behind after Dormammu-sama had devoured innumerable worlds.
A hybrid of dark power and evil will.
Just looking at it made you feel an incomparably dark force.
Karl could even sense endless wailing from it, as if countless wronged souls were screaming within.
The black mist it emitted turned the noon desert into a polar winter.
That was why Karl called this thing evil.
He didn't want to come into contact with something like this.
Even if he blocked it, it would still be a huge hassle.
Watching Kaecilius charge in—
Karl didn't hesitate.
He flicked his hand.
Several Tao Mandalas formed in a row, shielding Karl.
"Delusional!"
"Do you think this low-level magic can stop me??"
"Impossible!"
Kaecilius sneered, driving the purple-black crystal spike into the Tao Mandalas.
Tzz!
A sound like a flame being snuffed out rang out.
The dark energy on the spike and the energy on the Tao Mandalas canceled each other, producing a rapid tzz-tzz-tzz.
Karl's Tao Mandalas actually showed signs of corrosion.
"The power of the great Dormammu-sama cannot be resisted."
Kaecilius said with fanatic fervor.
Karl sighed.
"Looks like your memory isn't very good."
"Did you forget? My Tao Mandalas don't just block attacks."
Kaecilius suddenly realized something—his face changed drastically.
He tried to jerk backward and retreat.
Unfortunately—
Too late!
Several Tao Mandalas slapped directly onto Kaecilius's body.
BOOM!!
A mushroom cloud rose straight from the ground.
It was like a missile detonating right in front of Karl.
And it wasn't over.
Karl waved again.
More Tao Mandalas flew out.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Massive explosions erupted.
The energy shockwaves spread outward, tearing the ground up as they went.
A small sandstorm instantly formed and whipped away into the distance.
On the ground, a gigantic crater—over a thousand meters wide—was carved out.
When the flames and smoke finally cleared—
Kaecilius stood at the very center, dressed in tatters.
He looked utterly miserable.
His body was covered in even worse burn injuries.
His left arm was essentially severed, hanging in shredded pieces from his shoulder.
At this moment, Kaecilius looked somewhat dazed.
When he looked at Karl, there was fear in his eyes.
Inside, he roared madly:
"…This Karl is way too monstrous!"
"It's just a Magical Shield… just a Magical Shield!!"
Kaecilius's emotions were a tangled mess—he didn't even know what to say.
If he'd been defeated by a high-tier spell, fine.
But this was the most basic Magical Shield!
Even a Probationary Sorcerer could learn it—no technique, no sophistication—the Magical Shield he had always looked down on!
Yet in Karl's hands, this basic, "no-skill" spell displayed such terrifying power!
This kid's talent—
It was like a demon.
A freak of nature.
A monster even more genius than the Ancient One!
Kaecilius felt a chill of fear.
He even suspected that if this kept going, even the so-called god Dormammu-sama wouldn't be this kid's match!
"Cough… cough…"
"Y-you…"
Kaecilius's voice was weak.
"Master Sorcerer Kaecilius-sensei, you should talk less."
"Just surrender obediently and come back with me."
"Accept Kamar-Taj's judgment—maybe you'll still have a chance to keep your life."
Karl spoke calmly.
He was about to cast a spell and restrain Kaecilius.
"Don't even think about it!"
"Even if I die, I will never be judged by you!"
"I am Kaecilius!!"
Kaecilius roared.
In an instant—
Dark Power surged…
(End of Chapter)
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