Casual Heroing

Chapter 173: Shield

A flute. Yep. You heard me.

I mean, its cute.

But it doesnt exactly scream deathmatch.

I challenge you to a duel to the death, you worm!

You sure, Atticus? I have nothing against you, really. I mean, you are a douche, but Id rather not kill you just for that. Cant we just have a normal duel?

You killed an innocent Elf, worm! he shouts with veins popping from his neck.

Innocent? The murderer guy that some [Archmage] had placed there to kill me? Were you actually there?

Man, how are people this dumb? Like, how can a person be so blind? Has he been riled up by someone else? Is he just a puppet?

Atticus, listen to me, I go on, if you die, thats it. You have your whole life in front of you. But Im also not going to let someone trying to kill me off the hook. If you want a match to the death, Im killing you. But, if I can, Id rather avoid that. So, please, cant we have a normal duel? If you defeat me, then Ill concede a match to the death. What about that?

Are you mocking me, worm?

This worm thing is slowly getting under my skin.

Okay, I go up to him and extend my hand. For a second, he looks confused. Lets shake hands before I kill you, Atticus. To the death it is.

I grab his hand and feel the cool but strong armor on my skin. Shaking my head, I start heading back to put some distance between us. This time, theres no shield-breaking kill or get killed.

Its really frustrating. Why cant people be more reasonable? Why does he think he can win just like that?

To the death! the [Archmage] whose name I still dont know shouts. Atticus is wearing the famed Thousand Trees Armor! Its one of the few national treasures not owned by the Royal Family!

Well, thats why he thinks he can kill me.

Aim for the armpits. The enchantment on the armor doesnt cover that part.

Thanks.

Now, Atticus also takes out a massive staff taller than him.

Oh! Thats [Archmage] Tituss personal staff! A mighty relic!

The audience is a bit stumped now. Theres some cheering, but most people are just talking among themselves.

That staff augments his spellcasting but does not contain any preformed spell.

Yeah, yeah. I know. They think Im a fluke. So, parry the smaller spells, disrupt the big one at the start, and go straight for the kill.

Lord Juler has explained a thousand times what the best fighting strategies are. Hes obsessed with fighting. And Im grateful, to be honest. When it comes to magical theory, few advance faster than me. But my fighting experience is still lacking.

As Atticus leans his body on the massive staff, he chants, and a big translucent shield envelops his body.

You better prepare your shield

A flute note goes off, and I find myself slightly distracted by Lord Julers words when something hits my side.

It doesnt just hurt like a bitch, but its also cold as fuck. As I lower my eyes, I see a relatively small ice spike piercing my side. I groan in pain, but the cheering is deafening. Everyone seems to rejoice that I have been hit without even putting up my shield.

How is that, worm?! Do you regret murdering Cassius, now?! Atticus shouts, entirely red on his face and already panting. This is how a true [Mage] fights!

Who?

The pain is terrible, and Im also losing abundant amounts of blood, but something trumps every single sensation assailing my body.

Anger.

[Single-Minded Focus]

[Aura Lucis]

Suddenly, my body explodes in a feast of lights, illuminating the entire arena. While I usually keep my aura suppressed, I let out the beast this time. It feels hot, as if the typically cool energy inside a [Light] was finally erupting in a world-ending storm of lava.

[Greater Chain-Flash]

I cover the field in [Flashes], blinding everyone. Atticus, as I had thought, doesnt seem fazed by that. He has some artifact that grants him at least partial immunity. [Flashes] are great as utility spells, but they lose efficacy once your adversary knows what to expect.

Or thats what I want him to think.

[Light Overcharge]

[Overcharged Polarization Field]

[Light Acceleration]

[Light-Bended Reality]

[Overcharged, Accelerated: Advanced Light Lance]

Usually, I would play it safer and be more lenient. But this bastard basically sneak-attacked me as soon as he was legally allowed to. So, its time to dance.

As the lance shoots, I can see him sneering at the flashes, but his eyes are partially narrowed. He cant really see, can he?

[Advanced Mana Sense]

The spell matrix is not finished yet, but Im not done casting. Instead, I take a good look at his shield and do something thats usually very taxing on my mind. Almost too much. Almost.

I cast [Light] ten times. And then ten times again. And again. And again. The strain is almost too much, and I can feel blood spilling from my nose and eyes. The shard of ice lodged in my side puts me in a universe of pain, but my mind is focused. Its single-mindedly focused on the bastards shield, on his hubris. He could have attacked again right after instead of mocking me. But he didnt. And its going to cost him his life.

I can feel the insane pressure multi-casting is putting on my brain, but I dont care. Breaking an already formed spell is hard but not impossible. Not technically.

I push and push, creating more and more [Lights]. Ill need a Mana potion after this, but who the fuck cares. I can feel the spell matrix of the shield starting to crumble, to dissolve into nothingness.

Its almost done.

With a simple pop, the elaborate shield that Atticus has cast disappears. But hes too busy laughing at me to notice.