Boom, crash! Crack, smash!
As fire and ice intertwined in the sky, the atmosphere shook violently. The windows of surrounding buildings caught in the fierce collision shattered explosively.
Iberis froze a burning tree falling towards him to prevent the fire from spreading. Then he immediately dove towards Livio.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Livio twisted his waist to avoid the hand trying to grab his shoulder. It would be disastrous if he touched Iberis and froze. He surrounded himself with fire, as if to prevent any further approach.
“Tch.”
As Livio took a defensive stance, Iberis backed off instead of attacking. It would be dangerous to forcefully push in and risk a counterattack. He created an ice storm to dispel the flame barrier in front of him.
Whoosh.
As a blizzard swept in with fierce winds, the flames that had been swirling as if to devour everything wavered. But only for a moment – as Livio infused mana, the flames spun violently, rising in a funnel shape.
Whoosh, boom, crash!
Each time the pure white ice storm and dark red fire whirl intertwined, the air repeatedly heated up and cooled down. Accordingly, the sky flashed white and red as if lightning was striking.
With relentless attacks and defenses, the surroundings couldn’t remain intact. Garden trees swept up by the wind were bent at right angles or burned black. The concrete-paved road cracked open. Metal fences and mailboxes had long since fallen and were rolling on the ground.
This needs to end quickly.
Iberis pressed Livio relentlessly. He had no intention of dragging out this fight. He knew that while he had the advantage in firepower, Livio was ahead in stamina.
Thanks to Lucas, his physical condition had improved a lot, but as long as he wasn’t fully healed, Iberis would be at a disadvantage in an endurance battle. So he needed to subdue Livio before the aftereffects set in.
But something seemed off about Livio. For someone who had rushed in angrily, he was strangely passive in combat. Almost as if he was trying to buy time.
“…What are you up to?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Livio feigned innocence when Iberis, sensing something suspicious, questioned him with a hardened expression.
“We’re not playing house here… Why aren’t you attacking properly? What are you scheming?”
“Why? Getting impatient because the battle is lasting longer than you expected?”
Livio’s lips twisted into a sardonic smile, as if mocking Iberis. With a cunning smile, he sneered.
“Did you think I wouldn’t have made any preparations while facing you?”
For the past few years, Livio had been collecting Iberis’s combat footage. It was to assess his condition and attack if necessary. Since over 90% of the Defense Force’s operations were recorded for performance reports and rift research, except for secret missions, obtaining data wasn’t difficult. Until this incident broke out, he had plenty of contacts who would send him materials if he just asked.
After deciding to refuse arrest and flee, he spent days watching and analyzing Iberis’s recent combat footage. As a result, he discovered a few significant facts.
“Major Hyun, you can use your ability without side effects for a shorter time compared to others. Probably due to chronic guiding deficiency damaging your body.”
Livio confidently stated his conclusion. He believed this was why Iberis had been aggressive from the start today.
“They say you’ve recovered after meeting Luke Illum and overcoming guiding deficiency, but it’s unlikely that the poison accumulated in your body for over 10 years would disappear in less than a year.”
So Livio chose a method to drain Iberis’s stamina. The problem currently plaguing Iberis was, in fact, an excellent weapon for him.
Being able to use his ability longer than others was one of Livio’s main strengths. He had meticulously managed his health not only while in the military but also during his time as a guild master. He knew there were many enemies waiting for him to weaken.
Fortunately, despite being an S-class esper, Livio had quite a few compatible guides with high matching rates, like Yuki Shiroi. Thanks to this, he had never suffered from guiding deficiency like Iberis.
One of the guides who escaped with him this time also had a matching rate of over 70%, so Livio could face Iberis in perfect condition. In other words, time was on his side.
“That’s right.”
Iberis calmly admitted to Livio’s speculation. His face remained composed without a hint of agitation.
“…You’re quite composed even though your weakness has been exposed?”
It was Livio who was taken aback by the unexpected reaction. He raised an eyebrow as Iberis appeared unfazed.
Livio had brought up Iberis’s weakness to make him anxious. People tend to make mistakes when they get impatient, and he planned to exploit that opening.
“Why? Did you hope I’d be flustered and at a loss by your words? Sorry, but it won’t go as you wish.”
Iberis smiled slightly. It was already widely known that he tired quickly. As his guiding deficiency worsened, he had struggled to use his ability.
Just two years ago, hadn’t he fainted multiple times in front of people due to mana outbursts? He had even fallen into a coma. Yet, there was one reason why he hadn’t run into any significant problems so far. That is…
“I just need to prevent you from buying time.”
“Hm?”
“Do you think you’re the first person to act like this? How do you think I’ve dealt with them?”
“…”
“Well, let’s see if you can afford to dawdle when your life is on the line.”
Iberis playfully narrowed his eyes at Livio, who had momentarily lost his words. Then he stretched his hand towards the back. The red eyes that had instinctively followed his movement widened as they spotted something.
Boom, crash! Crackle!
The half-collapsed water tank on the rooftop trembled and then burst with a bang, unable to withstand the pressure of mana. The impact caused water to shoot up like a fountain. Almost simultaneously, it transformed into white ice, extending into sharp stalactite shapes.
“Hup!”
Livio blocked the inverted icicles rushing towards him as if to impale his body with both hands. However, he couldn’t stop the ice spikes that endlessly grew in size. Losing the test of strength, he was eventually pushed back.
“Ugh…”
Thud! Livio groaned as he hit the building. A stinging pain rose from his back. Meanwhile, the inverted icicles continued to grow as if determined to pierce a hole in his chest.
Hiss.
Livio poured out mana with all his might to drive out the cold seeping into his palms. Misty vapor rose from the spikes that had been drilling into his chest like a drill.
Bang, bang!
While Livio was stuck between the wall and the ice, unable to move, Iberis took out a mana gun and aimed precisely at his head. However, the bullets melted before reaching Livio.
“Huff, huff.”
Livio, who had blocked Iberis’s attack by raising flames, immediately shattered the inverted icicles. The ice fragments scattered in all directions instantly liquefied in the heat he was emitting, making the ground wet as if it had rained.
“Tsk.”
Livio clicked his tongue as he evaporated all the water that had soaked the ground without leaving a single drop. Judging that this wouldn’t do, he pulled out his second prepared move. He didn’t want to use it due to the high risk, but he had no choice.
“What trick are you up to now?”
Iberis, who had frozen and shattered the bright red barrier in the meantime, became wary as he saw Livio put something in his mouth.
“What else? It’s an enhancer. Much more effective than what’s sold on the market.”
Iberis’s neat brow furrowed at Livio’s answer. Enhancers were drugs that temporarily boosted physical abilities and mana. They were rarely used except in urgent situations due to severe side effects.
“You’re determined to die.”
“Being stuck in prison is far worse than dying here with you as my companion.”
As the drug took effect, blue veins bulged on Livio’s face and neck. He clenched and unclenched his fist once, as if savoring the mana surging through his entire body.
“Not bad.”
Muttering as if satisfied, Livio threw a punch towards Iberis. Flame arrows burst from his fingertips, tearing through the air as they flew.
Thwack, crackle.
Iberis’s eyes narrowed as he froze them. The attack speed had definitely increased, and the power had strengthened compared to before. Even though he had blocked it in time, he could feel the heat on his hands.
“…Interesting.”
Iberis calmly froze the successive flame arrows while cooling his burning hand with mana. If the opponent’s power had increased, he just needed to respond with stronger force.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
