Allen Wise (2)

Boom!

As golden patterns appeared on Titan’s body, the stage transformed. Like Edge Forys’s magic, rocky mountains began to grow.

But there was nothing awkward about those rocky mountains. As if it was natural for them to grow that way.

A phenomenon that blends into the landscape.

Rather than using mana to interfere with reality, it was a method where reality changes according to his will to assist him.

“Spirit magic…!”

The first to react to this phenomenon was Rohan, the hunter’s guild master.

Though he might be a somewhat frivolous person lacking in dignity, his experience built up as a hunter couldn’t be ignored.

However…

“You see, spirit magic! Unlike aura with its destructive firepower or magic specialized in large-scale annihilation, isn’t it the most balanced power in terms of offense and defense? Wow! To think we’d get to see this here! Where else could you witness such a spectacle? Am I right?”

The way he used that experience and knowledge was a bit regrettable.

War Mage, Rohan.

Now 40 years old, he was enjoying this moment more sincerely than anyone else.

While other organizations would be racking their brains trying to investigate Titan’s background or figure out how to completely win him over to their side at this point, he was simply enjoying the moment.

Thud!

When Titan lightly struck the ground, sharpened earth shot up from right beneath Allen Wise. There was no way to detect it coming until the moment before it emerged.

‘This is…!’

Titan’s spirit magic that moves the earth. Though surprised at first, when Allen Wise thought about it calmly, he believed the advantage had shifted to his side.

Surely this must be Titan’s hidden trump card. If such a technique resembled the attacks he was most familiar with, his chances of winning would naturally increase.

His guardian Edge Forys. He was an earth-attribute magician after all.

He had grown up taking attacks from a 7th circle magician. Something similar to that wouldn’t be a problem.

‘It’s different!’

But he had to abandon that thought the moment he allowed the initial strike.

He had thought they were similar. Indeed, the method of making stone spears shoot up from below was also a technique Edge Forys frequently used.

But there’s no way to detect its precursors. Forget mana flow – you can’t even tell that the earth is moving.

“Heh, so you were hiding something like this. No wonder you were so confident.”

Magic was originally a makeshift method created to catch up to the spirit magic used by elves.

It just evolved and was re-established over time to become its current form.

Traces of magicians trying to catch up to spirit magic still remain.

For a spirit magic user who converses with the earth itself rather than mana, no preparation is needed.

Though its power might fall short of magic, that natural flow reaches a realm that magic cannot imitate.

“This is why I hate innate abilities.”

Despite saying that, the smile never left Edge Forys’s face. Spirit magic considered an innate ability of the elven race itself.

Since the same ability manifests differently for each person, Edge Forys couldn’t hate that power.

How could he be dissatisfied with that form of the soul that takes shape according to the user’s heart?

“Kid, I’ll acknowledge it. You got me good this time. Hehehe.”

“Well, it’s only starting from here, isn’t it?”

Edge Forys clapped his hands at Lost while chuckling, and Lost accepted it with a sullen expression.

‘What the hell is that. What exactly is it.’

Lost knew too little to accept Edge Forys’s praise. Though he knew Titan was hiding something, who could have guessed it would be spirit magic?

In effect, Titan had concealed his very race itself.

‘This bastard looks even more purebred than a pureblood orc…’

What? A half-blood between an elf and an orc?

He inherited the blood of that race considered a symbol of beauty?

Lost frowned at that unbelievable information.

Come to think of it, there were hints. Blatant foreshadowing had been laid everywhere.

An orc who preferred forests over machines.

A hobby of tending to flowers and even memorizing each of their names.

“Right, it’s all my fault…”

Bang!

Lost struck his forehead, blaming himself for not noticing when Titan had been openly revealing his identity.

Meanwhile, the battle between Allen Wise and Titan continued.

“Ugh!”

Allen Wise couldn’t help but have his attention divided by the stone spears that couldn’t be predicted until just before they emerged.

He had to keep his senses on high alert.

When using mana or aura, or even the demonic energy used by half-demons and demons, there are always signs when that power is used.

You can sense the flow of that power and know that change will follow.

But spirit magic was different. Its versatility was already beyond question. The most dangerous aspect of this power is that it cannot be detected in advance.

To grasp it, he had to focus as much as possible on physical phenomena like wind and minute vibrations causing noise.

“Gah!”

But dodging the stone spears alone wasn’t enough. Just as spears had shot up from the ground, smaller spears now emerged from those stone spears.

At this sight of the earth seeming to come alive to pressure Allen Wise, even the noisy Rohan and the audience fell silent as if doused with cold water.

The image of a knight alone holding back natural calamities.

That alone made for quite a picture.

And those absorbed by that sight forgot the most important fact.

“Ugh?!”

The one wielding that power.

An attack swinging down from above Allen Wise’s head as he was distracted by the stone spears. If he hadn’t protected himself in time, his head would have been crushed.

While breaking into a cold sweat, Allen Wise’s fighting spirit blazed.

‘So this is Titan’s full power…’

He had been constantly avoiding duels with Titan. He ignored that competitive spirit because he disliked fighting.

Despite knowing Titan was someone who wanted to walk the same path as him.

Of course, he had his excuses.

Allen Wise didn’t know that Titan, being half-elf, had worse mana sensitivity than others.

He never had the chance to know that Titan was striving just like himself, but from an even more disadvantaged position.

But even now, Allen Wise pondered.

‘Even if I had known, would my attitude really have been different?’

Allen Wise’s weakness is his lack of confidence.

He came this far by taking paths others wouldn’t walk, making choices others wouldn’t make.

He reached a position he need not be ashamed of and gained power befitting it.

Yet there were still voices from people.

-What if Allen Wise had taken the path of a pure swordsman instead of a magic swordsman?

-Then would he be a hunter?

-Right?

They spoke on the premise that Allen Wise’s path was wrong.

Despite Allen Wise reaching this position, despite cultivating such power.

His choice was wrong.

It was just something he could do because he had talent.

The path of the magic swordsman is wrong. It’s the choice of a spineless fool.

That label. That damned label.

“I too.”

Titan has spirit magic. A power that could be far more extraordinary than mastering aura if used well.

Yet he sealed it until now to master aura.

Whatever his reasons, he had believed until now that his choice was never wrong.

Would that resolve change now that he’s brought out spirit magic?

No, it hasn’t.

Titan is watching Allen Wise. Glaring at his sword. Analyzing to the utmost the means he hasn’t obtained.

While anticipating a future that may come at any time. Keeping spirit magic as just a means.

He was dedicating everything to mastering the power called aura.

“I need to change.”

It’s shameful. He had thought that at least his own path wasn’t wrong.

But that wasn’t the case. He had unconsciously thought the same as others. He had ended up agreeing with their words.

That’s why he lacked confidence and hesitated to demonstrate his abilities.

Here were two men walking paths others wouldn’t take.

One was a pioneer who had pioneered that path as far as possible, and one was a determined individual who hadn’t even reached the entrance to that path yet.

But the one actually walking that path was the one sitting down saying his path was wrong.

While someone else was still struggling desperately to get on that path.

Allen Wise was wrong.

Not the path, but his way of life.

As a pioneer, he needed to show a dignified appearance to those who would be looking at his back.

‘At least I shouldn’t have denied it.’

It means betraying all those who respected him and wanted to become like him. The path of the magic swordsman would now be completely cut off.

‘It’s fine if I can’t prove it. Those who follow my path, those who will advance forward on the path ahead.’

Whoosh!

Allen Wise’s pale green aura stretches out like a thread unraveling.

‘I must show them a proud back so they can continue advancing on that path!’

Pop.

Allen Wise was no longer standing with his feet on the ground.

Aura containing the characteristics of wind. Just by fully deploying that, he could float in the air.

“I… No, I am the magic swordsman, Allen Wise. Let me engrave the meaning of that from now on.”

When wind dwells in the destructive force called aura. Then nothing could approach where Allen Wise was floating.

Even the countless stone spears Titan made surge up couldn’t invade that space and were sliced apart, and even direct hammer strikes were pushed back by the wind without reaching him.

Clang!

The countless weapons floating in the air move with that wind to become vicious strategic weapons.

“A mere 2nd circle doing that…”

Rohan, the owner of the hunter’s guild, gasps in astonishment with his mouth wide open.

The realm of master. Not to be laughed at. A 2nd circle magician, not to be ridiculed.

But the current Rohan could easily subdue both of them.

Yet even Rohan couldn’t guarantee he could defeat Allen Wise, who should be far below his level.

The destructive power of aura combined with the natural phenomenon of wind was creating power equal to the large-scale annihilation magic of a 7th circle magician.

“Now! Behold! This is our hunter’s guild’s pride! The 2nd circle magic swordsman Sir Allen Wise! Can you see it! A knight who has reached the realm of master is now encroaching into the domain of magicians who use large-scale annihilation magic!”

Rohan blessed Allen Wise with the highest praise he could give. He too knew the worries Allen Wise harbored.

Shaking that off was entirely his own task. There wasn’t much he could do to help.

But what about now?

Allen Wise is proving the path he has walked.

Then isn’t it simple?

“How is such a thing possible in this world!! A magic swordsman turns out to be such an unbelievable monster!!”

He just needs to give unreserved praise to that proof.

With this, Allen Wise was complete. That’s what Rohan thought with a shudder.

And at the moment when everyone in the audience thought the same.

Twang.

Along with a short exclamation ringing out amid the raging storm.

Crash!

Allen Wise’s storm was pierced.

“Ah…”

Like pouring cold water on the heated stage. Only then could people recall Titan’s existence that they had forgotten.

A warrior facing overwhelming storms.

A monster who asserts his presence whenever people think he’s at a disadvantage or about to lose.

“Like this… huff… it can’t… huff… end…! Right!”

“Indeed. I was arrogant. I forgot that you also still had homework to prove, Titan.”

“Hehe…”

Titan, covered in blood, laughed boldly while looking at Allen Wise who was bleeding from one shoulder.

In his hands was a massive longbow that looked as if it had been carved from the rocky mountains, and.

As if in exchange, the massive spear like a pillar that he always carried along with his hammer was gone.

Thud!

Titan put down the stone bow and gripped his hammer with both hands.

In response, the earth dances and causes earthquakes.

Whoosh!

In response, Allen Wise too wrapped pale green aura around his sword.

This time that aura completely devoured the sword to complete a storm aura blade.

“Not yet, right?”

“Yeah, not yet.”

Though he could be certain his path wasn’t wrong, wasn’t his opponent still in the midst of finding his path?

Finally, as the two took one more step toward each other.

“That’s enough, you’ll destroy everything at this rate. Shouldn’t you think a bit about the spectators too?”

“Sir Allen? Sir Allen, look here. What should we do about this? We still need to hold events here in the future.”

The hunter’s guild master Rohan and the empire’s duke Edge Forys stopped the two’s fight.