Hunter and prey

Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Ice, Nature, Space, Holy, and Dark. Few of those were the attributes every person possessing mana held affinity for.

Commonly, having affinity for even one attribute was more than enough to call oneself a mage. Someone who had an affinity for two different attributes would be able to acquire jobs easily.

The second case was considered normal only if the person had an affinity for odd attributes. For example, fire and lightning were often said to be unrelated to each other.

It was true that hitting trees with lightning magic would set the wood on fire. Due to the properties differing too much from each other, they were considered odd.

There were times when it was considered abnormal to possess affinity for two attributes, given that they were never meant to exist at the same time.

To understand it properly, it would be better to take a look at some uncommon cases.

Fire and water were polar opposites of each other. The same went for dark and holy. For them to exist together, it would mean that the impossible had been achieved.

Fire, water, wind, lightning, and ice were known to be basic attributes. They could be used both against and along with each other.

Holy and dark were looked at as if they were some sort of way to determine the nature of a person.

Unlike the following attributes, nature and space went hand in hand since they had no particular weaknesses.

That case was about wielding two attributes. There were some lucky individuals who would awaken an affinity for a third attribute.

They were recruited by the Magic Tower without any problems. Once they become members of it, there will be a lot of privileges provided for them.

And even if they rejected their offer, there were a lot of people throughout the Cazanix continent who would be willing to hire beginner mages. It was a form of investment.

That leaves everyone with a question: What if someone possesses affinity for four or more attributes?

It means only one thing that would make others feel jealous. That person's future would be too bright to even imagine.

The mages usually had magic circles surrounding their hearts. The more of those he had, the stronger he was considered to be.

An average beginner mage possessed one or two magic circles. The maximum count of those circles was nine.

The amount of mana and efficiency of spells increased along with the number of circles. That was how a magic user could grow stronger.

The mages with circles less than three were classified as beginner mages. Those with four to six were high mages.

From the seventh to the ninth circle was a stage where one could obtain the title of a grand mage. Overcoming the ninth circle was far beyond possible.

Those who were able to exceed their limits and obtain enlightenment were the only ones who became archmages. The former Magic Tower Master was said to be an archmage who hid his identity from the world on purpose.

Then one day all his assistant mages had a memory loss right after his disappearance. That was the reason a new Tower Master was appointed based on achievements, talent, affinity for attributes, and potential.

He had already passed all the tests apprentice mage would take and made it to assistant mage within a year. Usually, people would require at least three years to accomplish it.

The talent he held was far superior to what one could comprehend. There was a huge potential in him to become an archmage before the age of fifty.

The affinity for odd basic attributes that rarely showed any signs of coexisting was witnessed by every mage for the first time.

The knowledge he possessed also played a huge role in gaining positive responses from the fellow mages. To top it off, there were four attributes that he was able to use magic for.

Thanks to all of that, the senior mages came to the conclusion that they needed someone who would shine the name of Magic Tower.

Being a bunch of nerds who weren't interested in anything but magic, they didn't care whether the person was an old man or a small kid. Since no one opposed it, they were able to announce the nomination of a new tower master.

They had just come to an agreement on it when they also came across a letter left behind by the former Tower Master. No one had any time to admire that elegant handwriting.

- I appoint Blaise Edinburgh as the new master. I had been keeping an eye on him for quite a while.

There was no way of knowing who or how old he was because of what had happened. Even when the Tower Master before him appointed him, no one managed to see his face.

The traces of magic used to erase memories were found on all assistant mages, but they didn't say a word about it.

They believed the former Tower Master to have a hidden agenda behind it. There was no reason for them to pry into what he was hiding.

There were two things they managed to assume through his note. Firstly, Blaise Edinburgh's becoming the master was something that was already decided.

The second assumption left them shivering. It might've been something that even the whole Magic Tower wouldn't be able to handle.

At the start, everyone doubted whether Blaise was worthy enough of that position or not. But those thoughts faded away soon enough.

Crimson-red hair and emerald-green eyes. A gentle smile that had a slight hint of mischief. The earring that garnered his right ear would make tinkling sounds every now and then.

The looks he had were more than enough to leave anyone envious. No, it wasn't just his looks.

The affinity he had for four basic attributes was the most insane thing. Blaise Edinburgh. The current Magic Tower Master.

If he ever displayed even a fraction of his true strength, one would be left with his mouth wide open, having a reaction such as...

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"What the hell is that magic...?"

The huge wall of fire raised from the ground left him in awe. It was the first time he had seen such magic that had rain and lightning accompanying the flames.

Even when he was being saved by Aliana from Lilith Rosario, surely the magic she had used at that time was far more destructive than the one he happened to witness currently.

'Oh... He is here too-!'

The figure standing at a distance in the right direction made him feel a bit relieved. His gaze shifted in that direction, and a tiny sound became audible in his ears.

Ting Ting

The sound of windchimes resonating with strong winds blowing made that disastrous scene look serene. That was no ordinary item, but a relic that would enhance wind attribute magic.

The red hair of the man, which partially covered his right ear, began to waver due to the strong gusts. Despite the chaos that was unfolding, a wide, calm smile remained on his lips.

Fwip

He pulled back the hood of his robe since the dust and raindrops that flew towards him made it uncomfortable for him. Yet the smile was visible on his lips.

"Next is..."

BANGGG

A huge bolt of lightning fell right upon the head of the basilisk when he said that. The sizzling sound of fire burning was clear to the one running and glancing behind.

His pale face finally managed to retrieve some of its colours, noticing that the beast had fallen a lot behind. That didn't mean that he was totally safe.

The basilisk was a monster bad enough to scare any skilled individual. The fire wall and the lightning bolt wouldn't be enough to make it stop.

The smoke dissipated a bit, making the figure visible with one eye closed and the other filled with rage. That made the man continue his sprint without saying a word.

'This looks bad...'

The situation was too dangerous to be called 'good enough'. The one-eyed basilisk that looked as if it would devour anything in its way was literally glaring at its prey.

The damage Blaise had just dealt to it had significantly reduced its speed, but that's it. It had no other visible effect on that monster covered in dirt.

"Sh*t."

Jaden said those words unconsciously as his body shuddered. Gladly, that wasn't enough to make him stop running to his next destined spot.

Had he known how absurd the plan would be after putting it into practice, he would've never agreed to it. Now that he was actually in between executing it, the case was totally different.

The instructions he received came off as too simple at first, but now? Things had turned out differently than he had expected.

The black feathers had lost their shine after being charred by the fires. The thick skin it had was the reason it survived all those attacks.

Witnessing that, one could tell that the situation was quite grave. Just like Blaise, who realised the loophole in his plan.

"RUN FASTER!"

Jaden couldn't help but be perplexed by witnessing the surprising reaction on Blaise's face. The terror that engulfed it told him that something had gone wrong.

Reflexively, he took a peek at the monster from the corner of his eyes. Opening wide the wings on its back, the basilisk slithered towards him even faster.

If not for Blaise and Diona's attacks weakening it a bit, Jaden would've been caught and eaten up within no time.

That wasn't exactly far from happening. Its speed was gradually increasing. Jaden had noticed that it was catching up with him.

He could tell that Blaise's plan had gone wrong due to a minor error. Even Blaise had that confusion and worry visible on his face.

'The distance is too long. He needs to reach there right now.'

The last person who was in charge of rolling off the monster's head on the ground was standing further away than they should've asked him to.

"Huh...?"

Thud

The small stone that was poking out from the soil made Jaden trip and fall. The basilisk bared its two huge fangs, with saliva and poison tangled up.

Without knowing, Jaden shut his eyes tight. He was ready to feel pain, but there was something odd about it.

He was gripping onto the frozen rose with the intention of fighting back. Sadly, it never came true, as his body felt a strong pull.

"Stop dazing around..."

The cold voice he never thought to feel relief upon hearing had his pale complexion brighten up. The black features of this man were far better than the basilisk's.

The golden glow in his right eye faded before Jaden noticed it. What remained were just black eyes devoid of emotion, looking down on the huge monster in front of them.

"I will have you play with me."

A grin, which left a terrifying sensation in the basilisk's heart, formed on his face. The tip of the sword he held in his right hand touched the ground.

By this moment, Jaden was sitting under the tree, a few metres away from there. Adrienne threw him backwards as if he were a feather, and Diona carrying him just made it look more like that.

The black flames spread from the tip of the sword to the surroundings of the basilisk. A huge circle entrapped the hunter, and the prey within it formed.

But again... The basilisk was trying to hunt Jaden a while ago. Currently, it had come to understand what its situation was.

Adrienne pulled the blade towards his body and tilted it to the left. The two steps he took to approach his target had the monster taken back unconsciously.

It had become aware that the being it stood before was too strong for it to defeat in its present state.

"No. You aren't going anywhere."

THUDDD

Within a blink of an eye, his body was in mid-air, right in front of the huge black skull with one eye closed. The black flames ignited the blade he swung.

"Die."

KRCCCCK

It writhed loudly in pain as the blade dug deep into its skull. Adrienne's strength was far beyond what the basilisk's hard bones and thick skin could handle. The tables had been turned within ten minutes after his arrival.