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-Mifune City.
3rd POV*
Shiki who vanished was startled when she saw that she wasn't with the others anymore. She carefully looked at her surroundings seeing that she was inside an old structure covered with moss everywhere. "Trying to confine me?" she muttered clicking her tongue.
She really hates things that only weak people do, and trapping your opponent is one of them. Shiki prefers to fight more on head on battle rather than a fight using wits. "Come out! I don't want to waste more time" Shiki shouted sensing a presence hiding nearby. This made her hate that person even more.
The person flinched when he saw that his cover was already blown. He slowly walked out revealing his figure towards Shiki. "A clown?" That was what entered Shiki's head the moment she saw the person. "A-A-Are you mocking me?!!" The person was immediately enraged hearing the insult.
As a first class magus, being called a clown is a huge insult for him. "Araya told me that he will help me kill Touko if I deal with you.. however it seems like there is gonna be some change of plans! I'll kill you right now!" The man shouted gritting his teeth. He was so enraged that nothing goes on his mind.
The only thing he wanted is to deal with the insolent one and be done with it. He was about to cast some magecraft when Shiki raised her hand to stop him. "You, what is your name?" she asked with tone same as the other person. She fully exhibits her background as a noble at this moment.
The person seemed taken aback by such sudden change in temperament, now he is wondering who this young lady is for she is be able to emit such nobility aura. "Using that condenscending tone on me.. you must have lost your mind. Do I have the reason to spare you my saliva of spitting my glorious name?" the person said.
Shiki didn't bother with his words and just responded with 2 words. "Aozaki Touko.." the other person clearly shook when he heard those words coming out of here mouth. "I know who that person is and even know where she lives" Shiki said staring deeply into the man's eyes.
"...Are you thinking that I am a fool who would believe in such nonsense? You're really looking down on me.." the other person gritted his teeth loudly that it can be even heard on Shiki's side. "Stop with the bullshit, do you think you can gather informations by pretending?" Shiki cut off his path instantly.
The person stopped playing that role as he stared seriously at Shiki's eyes. Shiki can sense madness dwelling inside those eyes making her question what did Touko do to gain immense emnity from this person. "Cornelius Alba, the magus who will kill Aozaki Touko! I will prove to her that I am superior in any way!" Alba declared.
Shiki gazed at him with dull eyes, "In short, you are just someone with inferiority complex right? Sigh, how dumb. To think I have to face someone like you, the mere thought of it is so useless" Shiki commented looking at him with disgusted eyes. Alba widened his eyes hearing her, "You dare to claim my honorable purpose as useless?! Ah, I see, you are a peasant which is why you don't understand my way!"
That was enough for Shiki, she can't stand playing along with this guy who has serious inferiority complex. It will simply hurt her mind. "Nevermind that, you don't deserve knowing Touko's location. I can already see her dispatching you without moving, that would be a sad scene" Shiki shook her head.
Those words was the last resort for Alba, he was mocked many times already. He can't handle being insulted anymore, his prideful blood won't let him take it. "I am done just die right here!" Alba shouted to Shiki raising his right hand, he used his High Speed Incantation which lessened the chant of a spell.
"Go away the shadow. It is impossible to touch the thing which are not visible.
Forget the darkness. It is impossible to see the thing which are not touched.
The question is prohibited. The answer is simple.
I have the flame in the left hand. And I have everything in the right hand―――― SEA OF FLAMES!!"
Alba conjured a sea of flames with intense heat, the temperature reached thousand degree being able to burn anything solid to cinders. It was such a frightening flame showing his real capability as a first class magus. Alba then ordered the flames to rush towards Shiki with the intention of burning her alive.
There would be no insolence that he will let go. He was even called a clown earlier, that cannot be ignored. "Hmph, just a confident fool. To think she would fall easily like that" Alba snorted feeling disappointed that it ended easily. He turned his back and was about to walk out when he suddenly sensed a gaze staring right at his side.
He widened his eyes before taking a huge leap backwards. There he saw Shiki standing without any sort of burns and just staring at him with bored eyes. "What? Was that all?" Shiki asked seemingly disappointed in herself for expecting something even more big. "That spell doesn't even compare to any of Lawrence.. I was stupid expecting something from you" Shiki stated.
Alba froze on his spot, he can't comprehend those words as it was filled with disappointment. He can't even muster any strength to talk right now as all of them are invested to calming down his rasing anger. Alba huffed loudly replicating what he has done before.
"I am the truth of creation, In face of all things, thy defeat is certain."
"Again!..."
"Again!"
"Again!"
"Aga—"
Now like a video game character, Alba spammed those high end flames at Shiki not caring about the already burning surroundings. He just kept shouting chants and chants doing his best to erase the source of his humiliation right now. He can't stand seeing Shiki's face as it would remind him of Touko.
That condenscending gaze is far too familiar with him. "Black Hound release!" Alba also released his familiar which is a black doberman as it ran towards Shiki with high speed. Shiki calmly received all of the flames with her dagger, she simply slashed the lines of death of the flame extinguishing them.
The doberman leaped at Shiki baring its fangs at her. Without any kind of hint, the doberman grew in size reaching the height of an small house. It seized the opportunity of Shiki being on daze to pounce at her shoving his claws at her face. Shiki was thrown away by the unexpected attack as her body rolled on the ground.
"Hahaha! As expected, you can't handle me!" Alba was joyful seeing that particular scene. This made his ego soar from being able to hit that woman. Shiki slowly stood up on the ground patting the dust on her kimono. She was unfazed being hit by such an attack, she felt like Fujino's crazy eyes are more painful than that hit.
"That was boring. Though I had to admit, that pet of yours is cute" Shiki nonchalantly stated as if she wasn't even hurt. "Don't pretend! I know that my pet has destroyed several of your bones! He currently weight hundreds of tons so a simple slap from him is far from what a human can receive!" Alba seemed to be sure of his victory.
Shiki was getting fed up from Alba's annoying personality. She felt like SHIKI was more acceptable than this delusional man. "Then stop this" Shiki calmly walked towards the doberman staring at it seriously. She is regretful that such cute pet is an enemy familiar, now she must take care of it.
She grabbed the blink dagger and spotted the Line of Death of the doberman. She didn't hesitate and lunged at that spot slashing her dagger on it. The doberman, without any resistance was sliced in half separating its right side from the left. Shiki didn't take a second look at it because she is confident on her eyes.
They already experimented it before and they were certain that it could kill anything as long as they will it. Though Shiki has some doubts about Lawrence since he can't seem to see anything when using that eyes of his. "You're next Alba. Prepare your next moves" Shiki declared pointing her dagger at him.
Alba shrieked as he stepped back. He chanted something short before a bunch of people suddenly appeared on his side. "If I can't handle you with quality then how about quantity?! These people are all magus which I turned into my puppets, do your best fighting them!" Alba shouted presenting his life's greatest masterpiece.
He believes that this is enough to stop Shiki because there are atleast 100 magus at his disposable ready to throw their spells at her. Shiki was unfazed by the change of opponents because no matter who or big they may be, it won't matter to her. All of them are just baggage ready to be purged!
Shiki dashed brandishing her dagger as she single handedly decapitated those puppets. With each swing of her dagger a puppet fell, there was no resistance at all. All of their spells were either sliced by Shiki or dodged by her. For someone who was itemed by Lawrence, all of their attempts were too slow for her.
It didn't took long for her to clean all of the puppets leaving Alba all alone. His eyes constricted seeing an unreasonable scene, he could not believe it! A supposedly normal woman was able to fight hundreds of magus all on her own. He became frantic about this situation wondering if he is still safe.
He still wasn't able to meet Touko yet he is already failing here? He can't accept that! There is no way that he will fall here! Alba disregarded any dignity he has an immediately ran away, he refuse to be killed here, especially when he still hasn't finished his goal. He need to kill Aozaki Touko first!
His obsession with her forced him to put down his pride and run away. He continued spamming spell after spell to Shiki hoping that it will distract her giving him time to escape. That is the only way he could think of as most of his cards were already killed by Shiki.
"This won't be the end! I will come back to you Ryougi!" Alba shouted ready to escape, however how could Shiki easily let that happen? She swiftly used the Blink Dagger changing her position instantly. She appeared infront of Alba startling the guy as he stumbled and fell.
"I thought that you won't let my insolence ran amok? Why are you running away now?" Shiki asked staring at him with disturbingly void eyes. She was annoyed at this guy because he wasted a lot of her time. She knows that the main enemy must be preparing something for them and the fact that she wasn't able to stop it is infuriating.
Alba hurriedly backed away trying to gain distance. He was horrified by what he saw, "Teleportation? No! Impossible!" He said trying to escape in other path. He used magecraft to boost his physical capability propelling him faster than the usual. He ran away with all of his might leaving his dignity behind.
"Ahhhh!" Alba screamed loudly feeling pain on his right arm. He stared at it as blood was drained on his face. His right arm was cut! "No! No! No! Stop! Don't do this! I am the Great Cornelius Alba! You can't do this to m-" the was his last words as his head got separated from his body. "Anticlimatic" Shiki muttered.
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