Wizard's Battle (3)

"Hey, do you know photonization magic?"

"Of course, that's why I'm mentioning it. Don't you know, master?"

Even if he were to regain his memories, there's no guarantee that Alpeas would return to his former self. Because living the same life twice doesn't always mean the same destiny.

"No, my judgment is infallible. So, no matter how I change, it will still be me. This is my last chance. Launch the photonization magic."

Thad sighed and nodded. Now, he could only hope that Alpeas's true nature would return after regaining his memory.

"Alright. So, please sit here."

Thad brought a chair and helped Alpeas to sit.

"We'll begin. I will cast the photonization magic, but from there, it's up to you, master."

"Haha! Worried that if you fail, you'll have to take responsibility? Don't waste any more time and start. If I recover my memories, you will definitely know."

Thad, full of hope, cast a spell imbued with his desires. As the light pierced Abyss Nova, a slight drowsiness overcame Alpeas. He closed his eyes slowly and plunged into his thoughts. The wheel of time began to turn again, from his 18 years, where it had been halted.

***

Kanis, buried in the bushes, couldn't move a finger due to the impact that had spread through his abdomen.

After realizing that Arin had a talent for telepathy, he had trained intensely in dark physical magic.

Absorbing energy was also a form of physical energy, and the amount of absorption he achieved with his "Dark Skin" spell was quite impressive. Even a hammer blow wielded by an adult seemed like a child's strike when faced with "Dark Skin."

However, the astonishing power of the photon cannon that had attacked him far exceeded his expectations. No one could understand how light could contain so much physical energy.

"Kekeke. You've had a tough time, Kanis."

A raspy voice echoed in his ear. Apart from Kanis, there was no one else in the middle of the forest, but the voice was undeniably real.

"Havi... What happened to me?"

"I can't be sure. But what I felt was like it was a mass. A mass that came flying at a surprising speed and hit your abdomen."

"Mass...? Light has no mass."

Kanis knew about the theory of photons and understood that light had no mass. However, the voice seemed to have a different theory.

"Of course, light has no mass. But it does have energy."

In fact, photons, even moving light particles, have an infinitesimal amount of mass. This is called kinetic mass, and a well-known example is solar wind.

"But that's just a mathematical reduction. It's similar to the feeling of a stick when the wind blows. They are similar situations."

"Well, you're theoretically correct. But something is missing. For energy of this level to be applied, there has to be something that connects mass and energy. But that doesn't exist in this world."

Havi's voice sounded somewhat somber.

"You found something, didn't you?"

Kanis didn't respond. Although he and Havist were clearly different entities, they shared their thoughts. Havi seemed to have read Kanis's discomfort and reluctantly acknowledged it.

"It's someone extraordinary and unique. I suppose even in the Magic Academy, there's someone like that."

Only then, satisfied, Kanis stood up. Precisely calculating the enemy's abilities was the first step toward victory. His first encounter with a recognized enemy. His body seemed to warm as he realized the opponent's capabilities.

"We can win, right, Havi?"

"Hehehe. Kanis, if you wish..."

A sinister voice seeped into the darkness.

"There's no enemy we can't defeat."

Kanis cast an unusually long shadow as he returned to the mountaintop where Shirone was.

* * *

Shirone stared into the darkness of the forest for a while. Though he wasn't sure if Kanis had cast Dark Skin, the information that had been imprinted only on his retinas and hadn't reached his brain was sending warning signals.

Kanis emerged from the forest. When Shirone's assumption was confirmed, Neid frowned.

"Curse it! He's unharmed, really?"

"Neid, we've lost the sun; it has set."

"They knew that the effectiveness of dark magic would be maximized at night, so Eruki cast the illumination spell. It emitted a much weaker light than the Fire Sun. Therefore, Neid helped him. Two lights shone from 10 meters in the sky. However, since the magician was moving at great speed, it was still too much for a life-or-death battle.

"Damn, is it still dark here?"

"Hey, are you going to cast a spell too? I'm waiting."

At that moment, Kanis cast an illumination spell. The light magic that the dark mage cast made them uncomfortable.

"What the hell are you thinking? It's a light spell."

"And so what? We learned the theory of photonization regardless of specialization. It's the basic principle of instant teleportation."

"That's not what I mean. Light should be a weakness for a dark mage, why use it against yourself?"

"No, no, hahaha!"

Kanis laughed heartily.

"As always, Magic Academy graduates are stupid and unsophisticated. No matter the specialization, there's no magic without weaknesses. What's important is how to compensate for those weaknesses. The light spell is for demonstrating that. Arin, cast light magic as well."

Arin, a cautious and unconfident person, cast the light spell without hesitation.

When the four light sources combined, the resulting brightness was almost as bright as day. But Kanis didn't seem satisfied and turned to Shirone. The peculiar light mage who used unique magic. With his light spell, he could create the scenario he desired.

"Hey, are you going to cast a spell too? I'm waiting."

Shirone didn't know how to cast an illumination spell. While developing his technical skills in the magical world, from teleportation to the speed gun and the Photon Cannon, he hadn't had time to invest in other types of magic.

"What? You don't know how to do that; that's ridiculous! A light mage can't even cast illumination magic!"

Sometimes, it happened. Mages often focused on a particular specialization and excelled in a single type of magic. They could have become famous performers, but magic was more than tricks; it was a deadly art. In a battlefield full of tactics and psychology, mages like Shirone, who could only perform one type of spell, were vulnerable.

"I was mistaken. I thought it would be a good fight, but you turned out to be just a kid, right?"

As soon as Kanis finished speaking, a glare appeared above Shirone's head, much brighter than any other illumination spell they had seen before.

Neid and Eruki were stunned as they watched Shirone cast an illumination spell they had never learned before. What they felt first was his anger, more than their amazement at Shirone's keen insight.

Shirone deployed the spirit zone near Kanis. He couldn't forgive someone who had used all the students as hostages and then boasted about a good showdown.

"Are you satisfied now? You got what you wanted."

Kanis retracted his previous thoughts. Shirone was not just a skilled circus mage. But did that really matter? No matter how strong his opponent was, he was confident he was stronger. The current situation was perfect to prove it.

"Nothing? You'll regret saying that."

Kanis cast a dark spell, and his shadow beneath his feet rushed towards Shirone like a furious torrent. While Shirone soared into the sky, he generated light particles in his palm. Despite the impressive display, Shirone launched the same attack as before.

"Do you really think you can attack me with the same trick twice?"

"Are you just trying to make me angry to show off?"

Shirone fired the Photon Cannon, and Kanis's body disappeared into the shadows. Although it was slightly different this time, this teleportation move was something Shirone had learned from a book. Kanis, who appeared like a mole from any direction, was bombarded with an attack he couldn't evade. The Photon Cannon struck where Kanis was. It was impossible to avoid it. Moreover, it had a destructive force that couldn't be stopped even with dark skin.

"I've got it!"

Shirone had strategically analyzed Kanis's trajectory, so he fired a predicted attack from a place that couldn't be avoided. Kanis appeared just as the Photon Cannon was about to hit. It was an unrelenting impact and impossible to block, even with dark skin.

Kanis jumped, and the shadows under his feet rose. His form was similar to that of an extended human shadow. He held the Photon Cannon in both hands and against his body, where the trapped photons between his palms were absorbed by his shadow with an explosive sound.

Shirone landed on the ground, bewildered. The shadows had destroyed the Photon Cannon, which meant that darkness had overwhelmed light.

"Kekeke! An impressive entrance. What do you think of me?"

"How is it possible to do that? Darkness is overwhelming light..."

Neid couldn't believe it. No matter how powerful dark magic was, it shouldn't be able to suppress light. How would you feel if you lit a torch in the dark and the surroundings didn't illuminate at all?

The being connected to Kanis's shadow showed no signs of hindrance even though the light magic was shining on the ground.

It had a small face, but its shoulders and chest were enormous. Its waist was as slender as that of a leopard, and its arms were long like those of a monkey. The palms of its hands were as wide as shields, while its fingers were thin and long like blades. The symmetry of its body demonstrated that it was an artificial creation.

"Kekeke, I told you. What do you think, kid? Your photons that you launched taste really good."

When the shadow began to speak, Shirone was astonished. Moreover, the use of the term "photons" instead of "light" implied advanced cognitive abilities.

Kanis introduced his shadow: "Essence of dark magic, the ultimate magical entity of dark magic, Havist."

"Magical entity?"

Alchemy and magical engineering combined to give rise to the ultimate creation of a magical entity. It was truly strange to see what used to be found only in books turned into a real entity. Moreover, this creature was an intellectual being that had never been mentioned in any book.

"Kekeke, it seems like that kid is completely amazed. Why are you acting as if it's the first time you've seen a magical entity?"

Havist displayed a carefree attitude and laughed enthusiastically. Was it a fearless and extravagant being? No, it was a creature that, although it possessed human qualities, also had a transcendent nature.

"Havist is immune to light. Moreover, he is connected to my life. He won't disappear as long as I remain alive."

"Well, well. We are one and we are two. Of course, I look much handsomer than you. Seriously! I'm incredibly attractive, but I can't show you. Kekeke."

Havist was joking, but Shirone paid no attention. Immunity to light meant that the only weakness of the dark mage had vanished.

'Can I win?'

Until now, it was not even clear where Alpeas was, and the help of an outsider seemed distant. The lives of hundreds of people depended on those present in this place.

Kanis was satisfied with Shirone's bewildered appearance. The presentation of Havist after the light magic had an impressive effect. It was also part of Havist's strategy. Although his language was a bit eccentric and his attitude extravagant, Havist was an extremely intelligent entity. He had transferred all the knowledge of Arcane to Kanis. Even at this moment, Havist continued to exchange brainwave patterns with Kanis.

[Kanis. Let's venture into the forest. We are at a disadvantage here.]

[Should I follow you easily?]

[It's urgent there. Besides, Lucas is quite strong. If we get him on our side, our strength will increase.]

[I don't like it. I don't want help from that kind of person. If you hadn't stopped me before, we would have fought.]

Lucas was another face of the villains who had harassed Kanis in Radum. The thought of needing help from such a person boiled his insides.

[I'm doing this for you, Havist. He is strong, and he's not stupid, and they outnumber us. I can't let you get caught up in an emotional battle that consumes you.]

[Kanis. My heart rate increased 1.7 times. The increase in adrenaline levels clouded my judgment. I apologize if anything I said has upset you.]

The magical entity's consideration for his combat desire calmed Kanis's heart. While he thought and calculated, he trusted that he wouldn't lose to anyone.

[No, Havist. I'm sorry. Your judgment is correct. Let's do it.]