Thud!
Ethan Hayes pushed off the ground with explosive force, retreating backward rapidly.
The coordination of these five was impeccable, their attacks timed perfectly. He had no opportunity to construct a defensive spell. Even if he managed to create one, it would be too hasty to withstand their combined assault.
The only viable option? Retreat!
Swish!
Ethan utilized the momentum, his speed surging beyond belief. In the blink of an eye, he evaded the radius of their attack.
However, Ethan remained on high alert. Behind him, a spatial rift shimmered into existence. Emerging from the void was Langris Vaude, wielding his spatial blades.
This was a trap—deliberately leaving one apparent escape route, only to turn it into a deathtrap!
"What incredible teamwork!"
"Indeed, they're truly the elite of the elite."
"It seems the outcome is about to be decided..."
The spectators were no longer bothered by the unfairness of the fight. Instead, they marveled at the extraordinary coordination.
It was no small feat for five mages from different squads to execute such seamless strategies. One misstep could have allowed Ethan to exploit a gap and turn the tide.
But there was no room for "what ifs"—Ethan was surrounded, like a lamb caught in a snare!
Swish!
Countless spatial blades hurtled toward him from both front and back, leaving no space to escape.
Ethan didn't need to think to know what awaited him.
If he braced against the attack, he'd be forced to stop in his tracks. The onslaught from the rear would then engulf him entirely.
If he kept moving, he'd be shredded by Langris' spatial blades.
Even so, Ethan's expression remained calm, devoid of fear or hesitation. His mind was razor-sharp, his magic surging.
A green glow enveloped his body, rapidly expanding outward in all directions.
"Magic Domain!"
Langris' expression twisted in shock.
"Impossible! He's mastered a Magic Domain?!"
"This can't be real... This guy..."
The other mages were equally astounded.
A Magic Domain—a pinnacle of magic mastery—allowed a mage to dominate their surroundings, creating a space where their magic thrived and the enemy's magic faltered. Within this domain, the caster's abilities could multiply exponentially, while suppressing the opponent's spells.
Achieving such a feat was rare; even across the Clover Kingdom, few had the ability to manifest one. Yet Ethan Hayes...
Swish!
Swish! Swish!
Within his Magic Domain, Ethan's sensory perception reached an extraordinary level. He could anticipate every trajectory of the incoming spatial blades with unparalleled clarity.
He didn't stop or hesitate. Instead, Ethan darted forward, weaving through the barrage with dazzling agility.
"What?!"
Langris' eyes widened in disbelief.
Without erecting a defense, Ethan charged headlong into the storm of spatial blades, evading each one with terrifying precision.
To the spectators, it seemed as though he danced on a razor's edge, narrowly avoiding certain death with every move.
Even the Wizard King found himself quietly cheering.
"Brilliant!"
Though it looked effortless, the risk was immense. Ethan was performing a deadly ballet—one misstep, and he would be sliced apart.
This display of courage and skill was nothing short of breathtaking. But alongside his admiration, the Wizard King couldn't suppress a flicker of worry.
The more Ethan shone, the less the Wizard King wanted to see him fall. Ethan wasn't just any mage; he was a key figure in the Clover Kingdom's future—perhaps its greatest hope.
"Losing him to some accident here would be..."
"Magic Domain: Slowness!"
In mere seconds, Ethan had dodged hundreds of spatial blades, closing the distance to Langris.
Within Ethan's Magic Domain, Langris' movements grew sluggish, his actions and even the flow of his mana hindered by an invisible force.
Conversely, Ethan's speed increased exponentially.
Within his domain, he moved like the wind itself, unencumbered and unstoppable.
"Wind Spirit Magic: Spirit Sword!"
Ethan's green eyes glimmered with resolve as the Spirit Sword materialized in his hand.
Langris desperately tried to activate a countermeasure.
"Spatial Magic: Displacement!"
But in Ethan's domain, Langris was too slow. His spell, which usually took less than a second to cast, now stretched into eternity.
By the time he had gathered his magic...
Slash!
The Spirit Sword cleaved across Langris' chest. Wind magic surged from the wound, enveloping him in a whirlwind of relentless fury.
Langris' face contorted in pain as the wind's sharp currents pierced his body like a thousand needles.
Like Zora Ideale before him, Langris succumbed to the overwhelming attack, collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
Gulp!
Before the projection stone, the spectators collectively swallowed their disbelief.
Against the combined might of six elite mages, Ethan Hayes had not only survived but decisively countered, defeating two of them in the process.
Had their skills fallen behind, or had the world simply gone mad?
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