LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 21: A War Between Kingdoms (Part 3)
Kai raised his hand to his chin, the billowing winds causing the garments of both powerful Magus to flicker in the air. Their eyes resonated with determination, mirroring the tension building around them.
"I guess I'm in it just for the fun of it," Kai said aloud, a grin tugging at his lips. "Or did you want to recruit me to your ranks?"
"Hardly," Lincoln shot back with a slight chuckle. "I was just curious why you decided to die alongside these pitiful ants who couldn't even bring a Grand Magus here."
Kai knew exactly why. The timing of the attack was too precise; most of the Grand Magus had ventured into an S-rank dungeon just as Biola chose to strike. Their spies were certainly feeding the Biola Kingdom a steady stream of valuable information.
A chilling wind whipped around him, sending Kai flying backward. He quickly regained his footing, but several large ice shards shot through the air toward him, each moving with the speed of a bullet. Without hesitation, he waved his arm, unleashing a bolt of lightning that collided with the first shard.
An explosion of cold wind reverberated across the battlefield, encasing Kai within a cloud of ice that concealed his movements. The remaining shards pummeled through the air, slamming into the ground and scattering smaller shards of ice across the battlefield.
Kai shot forward, his body moving at an incomprehensible speed. Clutching the DragonTooth Dagger tightly, he locked his eyes on Lincoln, lightning flickering in his gaze. He wanted to end this—he wanted to defeat Lincoln and bring this chaos to a close. But even he understood the limitations of facing a Grand Mage.
Lincoln's ice pillar rose high into the air, his eyes scrutinizing Kai's every move as he raised his arms. "What happened to that impressive display of thunderbolts that used to dominate the battlefield?" Lincoln taunted. "What happened to all that power?"
The tendrils of ice snaked toward Kai, yet he kept charging forward, reckless in his advance. Just meters away from the tendrils, lightning crackled around him, shattering the icy appendages with relative ease as he propelled himself forward.
Closing the distance between himself and Lincoln, he swung his dagger, aiming for the Grand Magus's head. Lincoln conjured a blade made of ice to block the strike, the clash resonating across the battlefield. Lincoln raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"What made you so confident that you could hit me?" he asked, lips thinning. There was something unnatural about Kai's movements; they felt off. It was as if he wasn't even exerting himself. "Or are you not taking this fight seriously?"
"I'm taking it seriously," Kai replied, pushing against the icy blade. It was thick and unyielding. "But the real question is, are you?"
The question lingered in the air as the frigid wind brushed against Kai's face. Lincoln had heard enough; he decided to push Kai away. While the young Magus could float, Lincoln's ability to maintain altitude relied on the support of his ice pillars.
Kai felt the force behind Lincoln's push, sending him floating backward. But a smile tugged at his lips as the sky rumbled ominously. A heavy bolt of lightning descended, striking Lincoln's pillar and shattering it, slamming the Grand Magus into the ground.
Everything that had unfolded was part of Kai's intricate plan to gain the upper hand. Lincoln had fallen right into the trap. Kai raised his hand, thunder rumbling in the air as several bolts of lightning descended, converging on the spot where Lincoln had fallen.
The ground erupted in a series of blasts as the lightning found its mark, searing into the ice below. But Kai wasn't finished. With determination, he shot downward, crashing into the ice and kicking up a cloud of mist. Gripping the DragonTooth Dagger tightly, he peered through the fog to see Lincoln rising, encased in thick ice that clung to his skin like armor.
Kai paid little mind to Lincoln's frozen shell. Instead, he focused on channeling his Endowment into the dagger, watching it spark with electricity as he swung it forward, aiming for Lincoln's head, which was similarly encased in ice.
He recalled the armor magic he had studied. It was a well-used tactic in the novel, and its weakness had been identified: a specific spot on the forehead. If struck, the entire armor would crumble. If he had been in his former body, he wouldn't have been able to target that spot, let alone land a hit. But in this new form, his senses were sharpened, and his aim was true.
With a burst of speed, he struck the precise spot on Lincoln's forehead. Lightning erupted from the dagger, covering the surroundings in a bizarre flash of light.
The ice shattered, fragments flying in every direction as Kai felt the exhilarating rush of power surge through him. Lincoln staggered back, his icy armor crumbling away. He glared at Kai, surprise flickering across his face.
"Impressive," Lincoln conceded, a hint of respect mingling with his anger. "But do you really think that's enough to defeat me?"