?'He's on another level compared to Mr. Duffy.'
Those were Neron's thoughts as he observed the Mage in front of him.
He also recognized that the old man was a lot faster than the Blood Mage he killed not too long ago.
'He was able to dodge my fastest ranged attack… even when I had the element of surprise.'
Neron already knew the opponent before him was far stronger than him.
But…
'That doesn't matter!'
Neron's blue eyes glowed even brighter, and sparks of energy began to dance around him.
Like bolts of lightning, they flickered and illuminated the dark space all over.
"N-Neron…?" Serah's nearly silent whisper caught his attention, but Neron didn't look back.
Instead, he responded to her without staring at her face.
"Stay here, Serah. I'll take care of this."
He couldn't see her face, but Neron could tell that her eyes flickered in surprise.
She wasn't the only one, though.
"Kid… you have a terrible sense of humor." The Mage before him spoke with a deep tone.
He took off his hood, revealing his long white hair and pale, aging skin.
He had a crimson gem fixed on his forehead, and his eyes were covered in blackness. His wrinkled face made him appear even more malevolent than ever.
"You told a terrible joke just now." The gem on his forehead glowed, followed by the one that was dangled around his neck in the form of a necklace.
The large stone on his staff also did the same, all three warbling and resonating with one another,
The synergy created a crimson pulse that radiated around the Blood Stone Mage.
"My name is Kissel. Vice Grandmaster of the Coven Of Blood Mages."
He slowly raised his staff and hit it on the surface of the ground where he stood.
Instantly, forbidden power rushed throughout the nearby area.
Even Neron could feel an overwhelming pressure weighing heavily on him.
Serah was already on the ground, more tears falling from her eyes as she shook with nothing short of despair.
"I have studied Magic all my life, and with the Blood Stone, I am more than superior to a brat like you—no matter how talented you are."
Kissel's furrowed brow and frowning expression made it certain that he intended on attacking Neron.
"I don't have time to thoroughly beat this fact into you, considering that it wouldn't do us any good for this to be delayed any longer."
The moment Neron heard this, he narrowed his eyes.
"So you're in a hurry, and your target is indeed Serah and I. That's too bad." As he spoke, he heard the old man flinch a little.
Despite being barely twelve years old, Neron was far more observant than anyone his age.
And as for Magic, well…
"I learned under the best Mage in the kingdom. I don't care if you have one or a billion Blood Stones…" Kuzon took his position and prepared himself for combat.
"… There's no way I will lose to you!"
Just as the Blood Stone Mage activated his crimson barrier around him, Neron did the same.
Blue Mana warbled and glowed around him, and his glowing blue eyes shone brightly.
Everything around the two was vibrating, as if the world was waiting in anticipation for the fight.
Then—
~WHOOOSH!~
Vice Grandmaster Kissel suddenly rushed forward in a streak of darkness and crimson.
His staff was thrust forward, and the lethal Magic that streamed through could have easily blown anyone to bits.
'He must have noticed my barrier, so he's using heavy force. He can also use Healing Magic, so he's confident that he won't kill me…' With these thoughts flowing in Neron's head, he decided to make a counter.
Utilizing Wind Magic, he raised himself and Serah, allowing them to float in the air and away from the imminent attack.
The result was a close call, but Neron managed to dodge them.
"[Crimson Restraints]"
The Spell caused invisible chains made of blood-colored dense materials to appear.
They wrapped themselves around Neron and Serah, but before they could properly tighten up and forcibly trap the two of them, Neron caused a surge of Mana to burn through them.
~BOOOOOOOM!~
The look on Kissel's face as he witnessed such purity of Mana was that of annoyance and also awe.
"Tch! Stubborn brat. Don't blame me for going hard on you."
Kissel generated multiple blast layers around him, sending crimson energies—each with enough destructive force as the one he used against Aldred.
No matter how evasive Neron was, there was no way he could avoid all of them.
His defenses weren't going to be enough either.
"Haha! What will you do now?"
It was a rhetorical question. Kissel didn't expect Neron to respond, or to have any solution in mind.
This was quite literally the end.
Except… he didn't account for one major thing.
"[Fortress]."
As Neron said this, a dense shield of Mana covered both him and Serah.
Then the blasts arrived.
~BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~
The entire floor collapsed at that point, with clouds of dust and smoke rising in every area.
It pervaded the area and barely anything could be seen, except for the glowing blue and crimson energies that radiated all around.
"[Whispering Winds]."
Kissel's Spell instantly caused all the smoke and dust to vanish, once again revealing the people who remained on the battlefield.
The floor was done for, but the Mages on both sides floated.
Two of them were suspended opposite each other, staring intensely at their target.
Until…
"Hm? Where's the girl?" Kissel's brows were raised in surprise.
The moment he asked this question, Neron's lips began to form a wide grin.
"About time you noticed."
"H-huh…?"
Kissel appeared like a stupid old man, and it made Neron want to burst out into laughter.
"She's safe inside Sanctuary now." Neron was right in front of the Sanctuary Gates, yet Kissel never realized that until now.
"I-Illusion Magic…?" He asked himself.
"I could have also escaped with her, but do you know why I chose not to?"
As the boy's questions still echoed in the ruined hall, he chose to answer his own question.
"Because I want to KILL you!"
*
*
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Thanks for reading!
Now that Serah is out of the way, Neron can finally go all out.
Good!
