My body felt heavy and strained, my Nether energy still recovering from my battle with the Kraken.
Despite this, I was in a deadlock with the madman. Our powers clashed, his chilling control of his Spells surprised me.
It matched even my quick-thinking and nimble use of spells.
I had to be very conservative with the amount of energy I utilized now.
"[Nether Barrage]!" I yelled, directing a flurry of concentrated Nether bolts towards him.
He merely smirked, replying with a resounding "[Void Deflect]!"
His protective spell bounced my bolts back at me.
"Tch…" I barely managed to side-step them, the impact causing a nearby rock to shatter.
I retaliated with a Spell of my own.
Concentrated tendrils of Nether snaked out from my hand, aiming to ensnare him. The madman, however, had already predicted my move.
"[Shift]!" he chanted, his form blurring momentarily before appearing several feet away from his previous position.
The tendrils hit nothing but thin air, disappearing back into the Nether.
He then countered with another barrage of Spells.
His relentless attack was wearing me down, but I had to keep going.
'Haa… damnit…' My mind was straining from the constant need to sustain the protective shield around the Goblin village and the protective bubbles I encased them all in, while simultaneously matching the madman spell for spell.
'How long can I keep this up for?' My control was waning… and I could tell it was due to external interference.
"It seems you're reaching your limit," I heard the madman's voice echo, wincing as I felt the sound of his voice reverberate in my head.
"[The Emperor]"
'Shit! So that's what it was!'
The worst-case scenario was currently at play. My opponent… knew how to properly use his Arcana!
Suddenly, I found myself under an overwhelming compulsion to kneel. My legs buckled under the force, my entire body fighting against the madman's control.
The strain on my Nether energy was intense, and I wondered how much longer I could resist.
The protective shield around the village flickered momentarily, but I redoubled my efforts, unwilling to let it drop.
My vision blurred as I struggled to maintain control. I had to turn the tide of this battle, and fast.
'What should I do?'
It felt like my body was shutting down under the command of the madman's Arcana. I gritted my teeth, forcing my gaze up to meet his triumphant grin.
"You know," he said with an almost jovial chuckle, "You're the strongest mage I've ever seen. I think I'll enjoy experimenting on you."
"Is that why you started this? Hunting the Krakens? Experimenting on innocent creatures?" I managed to croak out, ignoring the shooting pain coursing through my limbs.
He paused for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought.
"It's been so long... I've almost forgotten why I began," he said, almost nostalgically.
'W-what?!'
"I've forgotten who I am. What was I called? What did I do before now? I can't remember… it's been so long, you know?"
Just how old was this man? Was he so immersed in his obsession that he lost track of everyone and everything?
"It's been so long since I've spoken to a fellow human too. After all those decades of being stranded in this place… I haven't seen any other person cross those waters. Yet you did it. That's what makes you so interesting."
It was just as I saw in the Kraken's memories.
This man was insane!
"But after losing everything, everyone, my research is all that's left. This... this is natural to me now."
His laughter rang through the air, maniacal and disturbing. I watched as his eyes danced with madness and triumph, searching for a way to turn the tide.
"WUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"
Suddenly, a powerful howl pierced the night, resounding across the landscape.
Both the madman and I jerked our heads towards the source of the sound. It was a familiar resonance, one I'd only recently come to know.
'N-no way! Why are you coming here?!'My thoughts echoed.
Out from the crashing waves of the sea, the mighty Kraken rose.
"WUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
It towered over us, its eyes blazing with a righteous fury that seemed to mirror my own.
'Does it want to fight? No… its more like… it wants to help me?'
As much as relief spread through me, worry also appeared. After all, this was exactly what the madman wanted.
~BOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~
The battlefield shifted dramatically as the Kraken joined the fray. A dense surge of energy filled the air, nearly palpable.
'Based on raw power alone, it should be far superior to that man!' I thought to myself.
Unfortunately, what I saw was in sharp contrast to that.
The Kraken was far from its native domain, so most of the experience I had with it couldn't be replicated here.
Its movements, though powerful, lacked the fluid grace it held in the water.
On land, it was out of its element, slower, and with less of a barrier defending it from harm.
Worse still, I could see the signs of fatigue it had.
'It used up a lot of energy in our fight too, didn't it? And currently, without an Arcana, it was far weaker than when I fought it.'
"Hahahahahahaha! You're mine beast!"
Across the battlefield, the madman was relentless.
He threw spells after spells, cackling in manic delight.
Each spell, a different shade of destructive power, flew towards the Kraken. Fiery explosions danced across the Kraken's hide, met with icy frosts and bolts of lightning.
The madman was a storm of magic, a typhoon lashing out in all directions.
"WUUUOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Yet, the Kraken stood its ground, howling as it resisted the strikes with its tough hide.
Fortunately, that resilience it had was still present.
With each hit, it roared, defiance resonating through its every pore. It swung its tentacles, battering away at the madman's spells, even as it bore the brunt of his relentless assault.
The scene was terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time.
And amidst this chaos, I watched with powerlessness.
'Damnit…'
The madman didn't seem like he was tiring, and in contrast, the Kraken looked weakened already.
I couldn't let this continue, or the damage on the Kraken would be fatal at some point.
'I have to do something. I have to help!'
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
