Torash

Leylin's smoky crimson-red aura was too thick to let anyone from the outside see Leylin's face or changed form. It kept coursing around his body, gradually albeit temporarily increasing his stats with each passing second.

'These energy waves...! He is not some level 1 acolyte, but a level 3 acolyte!' -Torash felt his resolve falter, if only for a second.

Torash was quick to notice his Mana Energy had to be extremely dense and powerful if he could materialize it in such a way, without even breaking a sweat. Not even Torash's master was capable of displaying an aura with that kind of violent nature.

"I... I don't believe you! You must have said it on purpose, didn't you?! You just want to scare me into making a fatal mistake!" -Torash's pair of cunning eyes flitted to the cloud of doom that was the red aura.

Not wishing to be on the receiving end of whatever Leylin had planned to cast, Torash immediately brought out a scroll from his back. It looked much older and arcane than the one he had used previously.

Magicians were intelligent beings. By threatening Leylin, Torash only harbored negligible hope. His main purpose was most likely to stall for time until other acolytes could support him.

The Abyssal Bone Forest Academy acolytes in the secret plane were at an extreme disadvantage. Now it was also the second day, and the enemy acolytes would have already gathered. Once Leylin was discovered, a scene of calling and shouting for him to be killed would happen.

At that time, the innumerable spells which could cover the sky and earth would rain upon him. Even if Leylin had the Fallen Star Pendant, its energy was limited.

'Grand Knight, huh? Let's see how you get out of this, bastard!' -Torash smirked, as he put every ounce of his Spiritual Force into the mysterious runes painted on the scroll.

They lit up brightly in a deep blue color, to the point where he blinded himself. After the glow subsided, the parchment was gone, and the runes formerly on it had been passed onto the acolyte's skin. Their glow had not completely vanished, as he muttered quiet nothings in the Byron language.

"Time for this silly dance to end." -Leylin declared in a now virile tone, quite unlike his childish voice from earlier.

The mystical dagger in Leylin's hand retracted back to its original shape and sheathed it, as he stepped several steps backward.

Leylin's eyes flashed red and he chanted a brief series of words. Thanks to his bronze ring enchanted with Boost Casting similar to the one Neela had once procured for him, Leylin needed only two-thirds of a complete incantation to bring a full magical formation into existence. At least until the enchantment wore off.

A reddish-green gas spread across the icy ground.

When the frost and a thin layer of mist came in contact with the red gas, the temperature of the battlefield rose immediately by a few degrees.

As for the green mist, it continued to spread across the field. The visibility lowered immediately, and one could not see beyond a 3-meter radius. For Leylin though, it was not a problem. His demonic eyes were not different only in shape or color, they also had enhanced sight and night vision. Not to mention, he could still rely on the ESP Matrix if needs be.

"This is a spell I have specially prepared for you, dear Torash. May I present to you, the Flaming Cloud of Afterlife."

Leylin spoke softly. Earlier when he exchanged senseless words with the opponent, he was actually wildly using Aralis for calculations. Furthermore, he set up the field, planting various types of ingredients in it.

"Just a mere corroding gas!" -Torash disdained it. On his whole body, there raged a blue current. If one described the current on his body as just a thin layer before, now it could be said to have already expanded to be 1 centimeter thick.

"Go!" -Torash pointed, and the blue current directly charged into the reddish-green mist.

Where the electricity went, the reddish-green gas evaporated, revealing the area around it.

However, Torash's smug face was not maintained for more than a moment before it changed.

From the center of the reddish-green gas, energy fluctuations could be blatantly felt. His own electric snake was immediately corroded by the green mist. Furthermore, a trace of green color continuously extended along the trajectory of the lightning toward Torash.

"No!" -Torash gave a profound look to Leylin who was in the midst of clouds and mist and then simply broke into a run.

Leylin swung his arms and a green magic ring entirely enveloped Torash and he slowed down as if he was bound by chains.

A red-green smoky cloud spread close to Torash and it wrapped itself around his body. Leylin immediately threw a couple of vials to the ground and even more green mist crawled out of them, joining the one he had cast.

The smoke grew denser and soon, Torash could not even see his own feet if he looked down.

Under the Flaming Cloud of Afterlife came the sound of lightning and thunder sounds, along with Torash's cries of anguish.

Leylin smiled coldly. This Cloud of Afterlife had been modified by him and was specially inserted with the most conducive energy particles for the Lightning element. It could be said that it was the bane of all Lightning element acolytes.

After hearing the wails within the Cloud of Afterlife, and the noises of flesh corroding, a disturbed expression appear on Jayden's face, who had already woken up from the attack he had received.

"Argh! I'm going to kill you!" -A dozen seconds later, Torash charged out of the Cloud of Afterlife at Leylin, bringing a ball of cloud that clung to his body.

After seeing Torash's appearance, Jayden let out a terrified scream. Leylin on his part merely nodded in contentment.

At this moment, Torash was half-naked, with his clothing almost dissolved. On his body were many abscesses which were leaking thick yellow pus. One of his eyeballs had fallen out of its socket, held hanging there by a few bloody tissues still attached to it.

Along with a few missing pieces of flesh on his face, right now Torash looked like a decaying zombie.

[Although acolytes can use energy particles to strengthen their Vitality, such a strong life force is still scarce. Most opponents would've outright dissolved in that mist. He is not your everyday acolyte.] -Aralis chimed in.

'Good. More contribution points for me then.'

"This is it, you fucking Abyssal Bone trash! I am done with you!" -Torash yelled desperately, as his hands began glowing with the same intensity as the scroll he had previously used. He directed his palms in Leylin's direction, and his pained expression shifted into a demented grin.

Suddenly, a giant snow torrent was shot out of his palms.

Such was its size and power that no matter how fast Leylin could move, there was no chance to evade it without getting hit. Thus, he opted for setting himself up with a defense layer of his Spiritual Force, as he gathered most of his aura and converted it into a red membrane similar to the one from his pendant.

The currents of snow eventually turned into ice shards, sharper than any mortal blade. If one were to be hit, they would surely cause extensive damage to the tissue, even if he escaped death.

For Leylin, it was not a problem though. He stood his ground without flinching, and he endured the barrage of ice shards as each of them was deflected by his barrier. His pendant did not activate.

"You think you're safe?! Think again!" -The acolyte screamed, as he despairingly shot every ounce of Mana Energy left in his rotting body into the formation on his hands.

The shards began to grow in length at that moment, and by the time the last of them reached Leylin, they had become large as spears.

One after the other, they began empaling him through the red membrane, and his stance was shaken a little.

By the time the barrage was over, he looked like a porcupine. And his hands were down by his sides. His red shield did not dissipate, however.

"I'm not done yet!" -Torash laughed, as he pulled at the ice spears with a seemingly invisible rope using the runes on his palms.

The spears began expanding outwardly, rapidly covering Leylin's whole body. Soon enough, he was encased in a block of rock-solid ice shaped like a sarcophagus that had also pierced directly into him.

"Not even a Grand Knight could get out of my Ice Maiden trap! Even my master had difficulties with it!" -Torash was feeling conceited.

He knew perfectly well that his torture spell would never kill a level 3 acolyte with the kind of energy waves Leylin gave off, but he was damn sure that it was impossible for him to escape. By the time the ice melted, Leylin would be surrounded by dozens of Whitewoods and Gotham's acolytes, all ready to obliterate him.

Alas, the smile on Torash's face would not last.

Seconds passed, and a smell akin to blood could be smelled. The ice began losing its clear blue color, and it changed into a crimson red.

"Was my Rank 1 spell too much for you, Abyssal trash? Don't tell me, you're dying already... Not so fast! Not until you reveal all of your secrets and give me your magic artifact!" -Torash began to frantically use his runes to weaken the spell slightly, but try as he might, the runes had faded beyond the point of usefulness.

He was starting to worry, but for the wrong reasons.

At that instant, he saw something that made him want to pinch himself to make sure he was not dreaming. Or having a nightmare.

A big, purple sigil had drawn itself out of thin air between them. Right in front of Leylin.

Torash believed it would attack him, but he noticed the placing of the runes was odd. It was reversed.

"Wait... isn't that... the sigil for a Negative Energy Fireball? Why is he pointing it directly at himself?! Has he gone crazy?!"

Torash was afraid. Not of Leylin dying mind you, but of losing the treasures and mysteries within his body and mind.

He was too weak to do anything about it, however. The sigil grew in size and it spun with a fury.

Forthwith, a giant fireball purple in color was shot out of the magic circle.

The explosion was great and it launched Bicky and Jayden further into the forest, away from the clearing where the battle was raging.

Torash himself was thrown to the ground, as the fireball had struck very close to his position.

He cried in pain, and it took him all of his willpower to stand up. He was not hurting at all from the attack, he was just suffering from the wounds inflicted by the Cloud of Afterlife.

"I must say, I'm impressed. Normally, any other acolyte would've run for his life by now. Yes, I am impressed by your stupidity. To fail to recognize the kind of threat you're up against... Only the lesser monkeys such as you would stay and watch in awe as I free myself." -Leylin said calmly, as his dangerous aura was yet again released.

'How. How. How! HOW! HOW IS HE STILL ALIVE?! I SAW HIM BLEED! AND WHY DID THAT SPELL NOT BLOW HIM UP?! DID HE USE THE MAGIC ARTIFACT AGAIN?'

Such were the broken thoughts of one certain acolyte who now faced total defeat.

Torash opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He was squinting his remaining eye to try and discern the figure that had come out of the smoke, but he was cut short when he received a powerful kick to the sternum that sent him flying against a burned tree.

"As I said, you're a dumb son of a bitch. Did you truly believe I would be restrained by that pathetic spell? I have seen Rank 1 Ice spells before. Yours was a trick in the shadows compared to them. If you had actually shot to kill, you might have turned the odds in your favor. Slightly."

The red aura contracted and then vanished. Soon enough, a fatty blonde was seen standing with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. As he drank a vial filled with healing elixir, he was analyzing the small twitches and movements on Torash's rotting face.

Dropping the glass bottle once it was empty, Leylin stretched his hands. A black wrist guard automatically extended its reach, finally turning into a black bow where a sharp arrow with a reverse spike was notched on it.

"Nevertheless, it is quite a disappointing performance you have given me. I hope your friends prove more of a challenge when I eventually see to them."

[Wind speed and trajectory in calculation, adjusting aim.]

Under the aid of his A.I. assistant, right now Leylin's archery skills were that of a bow master.

Four arrows were shot from the bow and like black rays of light, streaked across the sky and directly penetrated through Torash's 4 limbs, nailing him to the tree.

"Urgh!" -Torash struggled. The flesh on his body continuously fell to the ground, and it seemed that even his voice had been affected. Right now, he could not even voice a single word.

At this moment, Bicky had already woken up as well, feeling dizzy but still on her guard since the last she remembered was the blonde acolyte standing up to the evil man who r*ped her.

"We… won?" -Looking at this scene, Bicky's eyes looked somewhat bewildered.

"Ah, perfect timing. Indeed we have won, dear. But there are still some things to sort out." -Leylin notched his bow again and pointed to the girl. "What is your name? I didn't catch it earlier."

"Bi-Bicky, my lord!" -She had caught a glimpse of the fight when Torash's spell had unexpectedly thrown her out of harm's way. Hence, the female acolyte yielded very quickly.

"Very good Bicky. Now, why don't you go up there and decapitate our good friend Torash using your dagger. When it's done, take down the severed head and deliver both it and his academy badge to me." -Leylin's voice was too sweet and tranquil, making a cold shiver go down Bicky's spine.

"Respectfully, my lord, I refuse to do so. I will not go anywhere near that monster who murdered my best friend and even... had his way with me..." -Bicky was filled with tears and she was unable to meet Leylin's gaze.

Just then, an arrow shot past the fine hair beside her ears, flying to a distance behind.

"Do not countermand my orders, girl. Otherwise, the next arrow will go through your brain." Leylin's eyes flashed coldly, seemingly fiendish.

"I will go! Please forgive me!"

"I like girls who are obedient." -Leylin nodded his head and used an arrow to point at Torash who was thrashing on the ground.

The female acolyte gritted her teeth. She took out a knife that was embedded in jewels from her robes and walked forward.

Looking on at Torash who was pinned to the tree on his four limbs by four arrows, her expression was extremely complicated.

It was this person, who was deemed as a potential Magus, a genius acolyte who possessed an elite magic artifact such as a Mana Restoring Gem, and a couple of ancient Ice element scrolls.

However, right now his four limbs were pinned to a tree. He looked like a dog that was waiting to be slaughtered.

This feeling of power and satisfaction extended like vines, spreading its reach in her heart.

Looking at the female acolyte raising her dagger, Leylin smirked.

'Right now he is just a piece of meat on a chopping board... for me to butcher!' -Bicky was joyful, as she dug her weapon into the flesh of her enemy.

Torash screamed in a rough, almost distraught voice as his neck began to separate from his torso.

Bicky seemed to be enjoying herself, and Leylin nodded his head. One thing he loved more than killing was corrupting other pure and innocent people into doing his killing for him.

By the time Bicky was done, she was covered in black putrid blood and she threw the head at Leylin's feet. Very soon she also delivered the badge to the fatty acolyte and put it on his hand as her fingers trembled.

"Excellent job, Bicky. Now you can go. I have no further use for you." -Leylin said, as he stomped on Torash's head with his boot as if it was made out of paper.

The moment the crushed bone and brain matter sprayed onto her robes and skin, Bicky suddenly returned to her senses and realized what she had just done.

She puked on herself, and then she dropped to all fours, continuing with her bodily release on the dirt mixed with rotten flesh. The leftover acid burned her hands and knees, but she appeared to be in trance. Her eyes were dim and her expression was ghastly and vacant simultaneously.

"Was that too much for you, sweetheart? Hahaha!" -Leylin laughed as he cleaned himself using his water/fire spell. Then he walked up to Bicky and kicked her in the back of the head, knocking her out.

"You had better stay unconscious. If not, I might have to kill you before your time. Getting tired of you suddenly waking up at random." -Leylin said, as he walked across the path of destruction and toward a very particular acolyte who was still agonizing from his injuries.