My Automatons and Golems were pulverized.
Anti Magic was ineffective.
Original Magic was barely hanging on.
I thought I could turn the tide by using more power and forcing the situation back in my favor.
Using my powerful transformations in addition to my ultimate weapon, Spellcraft.
However, I realized something when I drew closer to Kuzon.
I understood why all my Automatons were pulverized, even before his Familiar made an appearance.
'T-this is—?!'
Spellcraft wasn't working!!!'
"You get it now, don't you?" Golden lightning manifested on the boy's body as he smiled at me.
Several golden threads converged in various locations and formed arsenals of weapons around me.
Without Spellcraft, and the viability of Anti Magic, I had nothing to defend myself from the barrage of attacks he was sending.
I had many abilities at my disposal, but the quality of Kuzon's Magic was superior.
'I have to retreat. I'll use my Original Magic to—!'
To my shock, even my Original Magic dissolved.
"What?!"
My transformation became undone, and I was stripped of all the power I accumulated in an instant.
'What is going on here?!'
I didn't understand anything. It happened so quickly, and in such a strange way, that I couldn't comprehend the slightest bit of it.
"This should finish things."
Now willing his suspended blades to move, Kuzon aimed all of them at my defenseless body.
'I can't use all the Spells in my Original Magic anymore. That meant I can't teleport away, use any of my other Arcanas or summon shields for myself.'
Spellcraft was also useless, and using a Spell from scratch seemed to be the only alternative.
'I'll defend myself and—'
The moment I activated a Spell, it was deactivated.
"Shit!" I watched the blades move slightly.
They were going to launch at any moment.
'It seems whatever Mana or Magic that leaves my body loses effect.'
Since I understood the effects of Anti Magic—Kuzon had to be using something similar—I decided to use the loophole.
'I'll just enhance myself and escape!' With that in mind, I used Mana to strengthen myself from within.
I would just resort to physical abilities.
Once I got out of his range, I would summon my blade and other Magic Items.
It was best to use those rather than raw power.
'Martial Arts should do the trick, considering he still isn't superior in that aspect.'
If I used [The Hermit] to quicken my body, and [The Sun] to strengthen myself further, I could guarantee victory.
It was risky to use the latter, but I was going to be careful. In the end, I just had to win!
'U-uh...?!' I realized something after thinking about what to do next.
'I... can't move...?!'
So many weird and unexpected things had happened, but I didn't expect things to reach this degree.
'Is he binding me with his threads? No, I don't think so...'
Still, I felt something holding me down.
I couldn't move. I simply stood still, seemingly under the control of some higher power.
Just as gravity kept every person down, it felt as natural as that. As though I was naturally bound by the laws of whatever was holding me in my position.
"You have some Arcanas in your possession, Jared. Didn't you ever think for a second that I would have one too?" Kuzon interrupted my thoughts with his usual smile.
Of course, I factored that into my calculations. But, without knowing the Arcana he possessed, I couldn't prepare countermeasures.
Besides, it wasn't like I knew the abilities of every single Arcana. The most I could do was make guesses based on inference.
In essence, Kuzon had the element of surprise.
'But, I figured I had an advantage considering I have four... hold on!' My eyes bulged the moment I realized there was one more Arcana I had yet to take into account.
[Strength].
"This is your loss, Jared."
With that, the golden blades came crashing down.
>BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!<
An instant gust of power erupted from my position, destroying the blades that nearly got me.
"Haa... that was a close one." I smiled, emerging from the center of the blast.
The energy around me shone in multiple colors—and it was still very unstable—but it felt similar to the kind of power I felt from Kuzon.
"You saved me, Merlin." I smiled at the glowing Arcana with relief.
I was desperate back when Kuzon was about to end things, so I resonated with the Arcana in my pocket.
Fortunately, it responded to my call and created a wave of energy.
If it hadn't been for its interference, I would have been done for.
"So you had a card up your sleeves? [Strength], uh? That's an interesting pick. Do you even know what it does?"
'Just how much does Kuzon know? He knows of this Arcana's effects?'
I gritted my teeth and readied my stance, bracing for the next attack.
'I can move!' Upon realizing this, I hurriedly escaped from Kuzon's reach before it was too late.
However—
>SWUUUSHHH<
—Kuzon suddenly appeared before me in a golden flash of lightning.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Before I could say or do anything else, he grabbed me by my throat, sending an immeasurable amount of his golden electricity.
As I felt the currents course through me, I found myself unable to do anything—not even resonate with the Arcana in my grasp.
The pain alone could drive any person insane, and the only reason I could hold on to my sanity was because of my immense fortitude.
Plus, I was protecting myself internally. That was the best I could do with the current situation.
"GAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Kuzon mercilessly kept his attack up, refusing to stop.
I thought it was going to last forever, when—
"I should stop now."
—He suddenly released me of his own volition.
Falling to the ground with a thud, I let out a relieved gasp.
Sparks of lightning danced around my body, causing me to spasm in agony.
"Sorry, Jared. I went too far. I forgot... that I wasn't trying to kill you."
The look in his eyes showed he genuinely meant what he said—both the apology and the intent to kill.
I shuddered instantly.
"With this, it looks like I'm the victor... right?"
