"Haa, haa!"
Rosalyn was panting.
"How fast is this?"
With difficulty, she got up.
However, before she could properly control her body, Rosalyn had to chant a magic spell immediately.
"Shield!"
The instant a red shield appeared in front of her...
Baaang!
With a bang, a red arrow hit Rosalyn's shield.
Rosalyn's mana was a vibrant, sunlit red, akin to a blooming rose bathed in golden sunlight. In contrast, Lingling's mana was a darker, more subdued red, resembling a rose shrouded by ashen clouds. The difference in their mana hues was striking, reflecting their contrasting personalities and abilities.
The two were similar but entirely different in color.
Zzzzt!
"Damn it!"
Rosalyn saw once again how her shield broke.
And she saw the red arrow heading towards her.
"Shield!"
She cast a shield once more, but...
Bam!
The red arrow also broke through that shield.
Then, as if it had fulfilled its purpose, the arrow dissipated.
Rosalyn, feeling her own mana and that of the enemy dissipate, quickly cast a spell.
Uuuuu~
The instant the surrounding mana vibrated and gathered towards her...
"You're slow."
At the same time, she heard a casual voice, Rosalyn felt heat.
She looked forward.
The red-haired Inquisitor. The short-haired, childlike-looking young woman had already conjured a huge horse and was riding it.
The horse was formed by red mana, and Rosalyn began to sweat from the heat emanating from it.
"Ha."
Rosalyn was surprised. She laughed sarcastically, but her enemy didn't stop attacking her.
Bang!
The instant the horse hit the ground...
"Damn it!"
It's too fast!
That Elf with short red hair, her spellcasting speed was truly fast.
'To be exact, her mana usage speed is very fast.'
Wizards have a saying.
Mana Affinity and Mana Mastery. Those two things are the realm of innate talent and the foremost reason there is a gap between equal wizards.
And the short-haired red-eyed Elf in front of her...
'She's much better than me at both.'
More than she could overcome.
"Ugh!"
The red horse instantly arrived in front of Rosalyn's nose. And the horse raised its two front legs.
A huge magical horse towering over Rosalyn's body.
Her body was hidden by the shadow of the huge red horse.
Rosalyn, lifting her head, looked at the huge red horse blocking her view and thought.
'Choi Han, you bastard!'
Calling her a Dragon-level!
It was said that the Inquisitor's strength was at a Dragon-level, but after all, she wasn't a Dragon.
However, the Elf she was facing was not Dragon-level; she was a Dragon.
She just possessed the same mana affinity and mastery as a Dragon.
Rosalyn had something she could never overcome, something she could never have due to the racial difference.
'She must have eaten the Source of the World.'
This Elf had eaten the Source of the World and gained the same "Mana Talent" as a Dragon.
'She doesn't even use Elementals.'
Ha~
An ironic laugh escaped Rosalyn's lips. She couldn't help it.
'Is this a fight against a Dragon?'
In an instant.
All sorts of thoughts passed through Rosalyn's mind.
'Even at first glance, she's the strongest.'
The red-haired Elf was the most powerful among the three Inquisitors.
Rosalyn didn't have time to look around, but she could understand the general situation.
One Inquisitor was fighting the Dark Elf Tasha. He was the weakest.
Next was the Elf who was now fighting, or rather, being beaten by the Whale Witira.
'... And this Elf I'm facing is incomparably stronger than those two.'
Ha~
What was she thinking when she volunteered to take on this Elf?
Rosalyn couldn't help but laugh.
She had been arrogant.
Not only that, she thought she had understood the situation well.
Rosalyn, who had thought she could easily defeat Tasha and fight against Witira, realized she was wrong.
She was now equal to Tasha.
But against Witira...
'I can't beat her.'
She could clearly see why the Whale Race was said to be as strong as a Dragon.
Witira's natural strength was comparable to that of a Dragon.
And I...
Only now did she realize.
'I've never really fought a Dragon before.'
There were many Dragons beside her, like Eruhaben and Raon.
Thanks to them, she was able to learn many things and improve her skills. Furthermore, by watching them fight, she also honed her sense of real battle.
That's why she thought she could do it.
No.
That was foolishness.
It seemed she would know once she faced a truly strong opponent like a Dragon.
Everything collapses.
Rosalyn realized that everything she had accumulated regarding magic was a step, no, several steps behind the existence in front of her.
And that in some aspects, she could never reach it.
"..."
She could see the Elf's eyes looking at her from the other side of the red horse.
There was no mockery, anger, or irritation.
Only boredom remained.
The Elf was bored at this moment.
"Ha."
A feeling of emptiness seized Rosalyn.
And the front hooves of the red horse lunged at her.
Uuuuuung~
At that moment, the Inquisitor Lingling. Mana swirled in her hands.
Looking at Rosalyn from the horse, she waved her hand slightly.
Saaaah….
A crescent-shaped sword created out of vacuum headed towards Rosalyn.
Kwaaaang...!
A colossal roar, different from before, echoed.
The ground where the red horse lunged collapsed, and debris flew up.
It was already evident that the ground had been destroyed.
Saaaah….
The huge crescent moon sword continued its course.
The sword swung towards the place where the earth and dust flew.
"Tsk."
The moment Lingling clicked her tongue...
Kang...!
With a sharp sound, the path of the red crescent moon sword was blocked.
Sss...
Rosalyn was there, with dust settling around her.
"Haah, haah."
Her hair was disheveled, and her mage robe was torn in many places.
Additionally, her face and hands were covered in small cuts. And her two hands were trembling.
Woo...
A sharp sound piercing her ears.
The huge crescent moon sword, larger than Rosalyn, was clashing against another red sword.
"Damn it!"
Despite blocking the colossal force twice, Rosalyn's expression distorted.
What chance?!
She considered this battle an opportunity:
First, an opportunity to measure herself against an opponent on the scale of a Dragon.
Second, an opportunity to discover or even create the aura possessed by Cale and Choi Han.
Third, an opportunity to showcase the new attack spell she had been preparing with the mages.
That's what she thought. Only now did Rosalyn realize the problem:
That only applied if I won!
Why did she assume she would win without any problems? Rosalyn found the answer immediately:
Because I had always won before!
I had never fought and been so overwhelmingly surpassed before!
Why?
Why was she being dominated like this? Why couldn't she catch up to the Elf?
Grr!
The instant Rosalyn clenched her teeth and brandished her sword, a roar echoed.
Bam!
Rosalyn's body was pushed back with brutal force, and the Crescent Moon Sword was also repelled.
"You blocked it again."
Lingling sighed as she waved her hand once again. However, despite her tone, there was a cautious look in her eyes. Rosalyn couldn't see it at that moment.
'She's getting faster.'
The person in front of her. From the moment she saw the mana she was controlling; she knew she had strong magic for a human. So, even though she stayed calm, she didn't let her guard down. That was just how Lingling lived, even if it made her seem vulnerable.
'But now it seems I must stop underestimating her. I must kill her quickly.'
Because this woman is growing. And she's growing fast.
'She's getting stronger as she fights.'
Lingling thought it was an absurd idea. But she had encountered beings like that in the past.
'...Dragons.'
Yes, Dragons grew stronger as they fought. But upon closer inspection, it wasn't really a process of getting stronger.
'They didn't know.'
They slowly learned to use the power they had, even though they didn't know how strong it was. Is that what the woman in front of her was going through?
'No.'
Definitely not. Because she was someone who had properly measured her capacity.
So, there was only one conclusion.
This woman was evolving as she watched Lingling fight. Although her mana affinity and control were inferior to Lingling's.
'A genius in a different way.'
This human is also a genius.
'She has exceptional understanding.'
Her understanding of mana and magic was outstanding. Her intelligence matched her skill in using mana. It didn't matter if she was a Dragon, Elf, or Human – it was simply her special talent.
'It's interesting.'
For the first time facing Rosalyn, a smile began to appear at the corner of Lingling's lips. The mischievous smile seemed strangely malicious. And the meaning behind that smile was also cruel.
The human in front of her was very dangerous. So, she should finish it off right now.
Pat.
She dismounted from the horse.
Swoosh~
The horse disappeared like the wind in the air. And Rosalyn stopped.
Swoosh~
Another crescent moon sword appeared. The two rose into the air drawing an X.
Plaf!
The moment Lingling's fingers collided; the massive sword fell. In the direction where Rosalyn was.
"Oh!"
The instant determination filled Rosalyn's eyes; she aimed each hand at the two swords.
'Damn!'
All the chances she had imagined were gone.
She felt empty. It was the first time in her life that she experienced such humiliation.
'What now?'
She couldn't just do nothing. Her pride was on the line. No matter what fell apart, she couldn't let go of her dignity.
"Alright."
Since things had come to this point, it was time to see it through to the end.
"Burn."
The moment Rosalyn uttered those words with a rough breath,
Crack, crack.
The mana bracelets adorning both of Rosalyn's wrists shattered.
Crack, crack!
The mana necklace hanging from her neck also broke.
She had not a shred of mana left.
Everything had fragmented and remained beside her as mana.
Hummmm….
The air vibrated.
...!
When even that sound had dissipated, two huge crescent moons were already about to reach Rosalyn's body.
But at that instant, red flames sprouted from Rosalyn's palms.
At first, they were just thin strands. Then, they turned into whips. And finally, they transformed into something as large as her torso.
That looked like a snake.
"Go ahead!"
Rosalyn shouted, and the two snakes lunged toward the crescent moons.
Thuuddd...
A roar echoed. The sound was so intense that for a moment, nothing else could be heard.
Rosalyn felt blood pouring from her ears, nose, mouth, and eyes.
Smile~
Despite everything, a smile appeared on her face first.
Ssshhh.
One snake was cut.
Ssshhh.
The other snake was also cut.
The magic she had used with all her might dissipated into the void.
She realized why.
'Unlike the mana I use, the mana that obeys that Elf's commands is denser and more powerful.'
The mana moved as if it were her own hands and feet.
'The mana control power of that Elf-'
She only now understood it.
Mana control power. It was different from mana affinity.
Dragons had an unparalleled affinity with mana from birth.
That's why they could use magic naturally without needing to learn it.
Mana was like their air or their friend to Dragons. And thanks to their innate control power, they also displayed overwhelming strength when fighting with other races using magic.
'The mana control power of that Elf-'
'It's not at Dragon level.'
It's even superior to a Dragon.
Rosalyn couldn't ask her enemy, but somehow, she already sensed the answer.
'That's an innate talent.'
The mana control power of that Elf wasn't something acquired but something she was born with.
There was no other explanation for such abnormally high mana control power.
Rosalyn sensed what that Inquisitor had obtained through the Source of the World.
Without even thinking, she opened her mouth.
Saaaah...
Even though two huge crescent moon swords were heading towards her, Rosalyn couldn't help but murmur:
"Did you... need mana affinity? You can control it, but you don't have affinity, right?"
Mana control power is too strong.
In that case, it was natural for mana to be frightened and flee.
In that case, comparable or even superior affinity would be needed.
Only then would mana consider her a reliable leader or boss, rather than a tyrant, and obey her.
Lingling's voice reached Rosalyn's ears.
"You're smart."
It wasn't a response to her question, but Rosalyn knew her words were the answer.
Lingling said:
"In return, I'll show you a part of me."
With those words, Rosalyn felt chills run through her entire body.
"Ah."
The mana surrounding her. It didn't feel like air, as a Dragon felt it, but it did feel like a friend.
However,
'I have no allies.'
The mana surrounding her moved away from her.
They didn't follow her.
They followed that Elf, who was stronger and more familiar than her.
'...'
Rosalyn couldn't think clearly. For the first time in her life, she felt truly alone in the world. Rosalyn couldn't use magic right now. Because she had no mana following her. She no longer had magic stones, and the mana that had come out of them also followed the Elf.
A sense of deprivation, beyond emptiness, invaded her.
'...'
She saw the two huge crescent moons approaching her.
The only way to avoid them was to flee with her own body, with her own legs.
But Rosalyn couldn't do anything. Mana had abandoned her. This situation was more shocking to her than anything else she had experienced.
The reason she had been able to give up the throne, the reason she had been able to leave her family, her home, and her homeland. It was because she had the dream of becoming the Tower Master. And the greatest support for that dream was nothing less than magic and mana. Because that existence accompanied her, Rosalyn had always been able to be brave and had nothing to fear.
'...'
However, she was now afraid.
She felt a new kind of fear, different from the one she felt when her magic was limited within Cale's aura.
The absence of mana was a unique sensation, unlike when mana ignored her. This fear was a result of her new experience, a fear she had never felt before. It was a fear that went beyond her understanding, a fear rooted in the unknown.
The absence of mana, a fundamental part of her existence, made her feel vulnerable and exposed. It was a primal and profound fear, born from a deep understanding of her own limitations.
'...'
Rosalyn stood still and watched the crescent moons. Lingling, seeing her as if she had given up everything, smiled and waved her hand.
The two huge crescent moons landed on Rosalyn.
She was hidden by the shadow created by the crescent moons.
"Crush her."
The two crescent moons descended to the ground.
Baaa-aaang...!
And Lingling's eyes widened.
Amidst the dust cloud rising...
"Hey."
Rosalyn opened her mouth at the voice she heard.
"...Eh."
There were those blocking the two crescent moon swords.
The one who blocked the first crescent moon spoke to Rosalyn again.
"Are you alright?"
It was Choi Han.
And the one who blocked the second crescent moon spoke with a twisted tone.
"Hey, why are you acting so differently from your style?"
It was Sword Master Hannah.
In the place where mana had abandoned Rosalyn, there were her comrades.
"...Ha~"
Rosalyn let out an ironic laugh.
But what she harbored wasn't emptiness.
It was then...
Baaang...!
There was a roar.
"!"
And everyone's gaze moved.
"Sigh~"
Sword Master Hannah let out a sigh of amazement.
"The mountain-"
A peak had flown.
No, it had exploded.
Before the sudden situation, the Inquisitor's voice reached a stunned Hannah's ears.
Lingling shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
And the mountain that had flown. The one who had launched an attack there descended to the ground.
"...Eruhaben-nim"
Rosalyn called out to the Ancient Dragon.
The Ancient Dragon glanced at her and left her with a sentence:
"There are still many opportunities to grow."
At the moment Rosalyn bit her lip...
"!"
She saw a streak of light flying from the mountain.
No, that wasn't light.
Kkung!
Kuuung!
Two beings descended to the ground.
A woman and a man.
The Goddess of Struggle, Dragon Sisco.
And the Third Bishop, Horns, one of the Ten Bishops.
Sssshhhaa-
And in front of them.
- Human, another Dragon! Do we capture it this time?
Tap.
Cale gently descended onto the snow on the back of the wind.
Crunch~.
The snow crunched under Cale's feet as he thought about the Inquisitors and the Second Expedition.
'I have to finish this quickly.'
He had heard from Eruhaben some time ago.
'I heard news about Choi Jung Gun.'
And.
'I heard from Lock.'
The words Eruhaben told him while bringing Lock.
'This world doesn't have much time.'
He was referring to the lifespan of this world.
'If the Source disappears, this world will perish.'
In short.
'It means it will disintegrate like dust. Everything in this world.'
The Purple Blood Family. Cale truly thought these guys were insane.
And in a hurry,
"Did you come to fight?"
He told the Dragon and the Bishop bluntly.
"Let's hurry."
Let's have a conversation after we win.
* * *
If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.
Thank you for reading!
[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]
[Translator – Anowa]
[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]