NOVEL NEXT Chapter 533
An incomplete casting of Aqua Monolith from the very beginning.
Na-me disrupted it perfectly, causing flammable mana to leak out as a byproduct.
The reason Aqua Monolith is classified as an A-class lethal magic despite being a 2nd circle.
The moment the ignition magic circle sparked in the flammable mana spread in the atmosphere.
KWA-BAAAAM-!
A gigantic fireball generated at the center of the training arena engulfed Na-me’s entire body.
With an explosion of this magnitude, Cecilia, who had cast the magic, would surely take considerable damage as well.
As Na-me’s senses sharpened, she quickly created a defensive spell.
[Simple Casting: Le Kaizen Familia]
Gone were the 88 brilliant magic circles, relying instead on a single hexagonal shield to curl up and endure.
From inside the magic circle, a wolf popped out with its mouth agape.
After taste-testing the overwhelming flames, it whined and ignited right there.
WHIYUUUUU-!
Na-me knelt and looked around in the black smoke that blocked her vision.
SHUUUUUUUUK-!
“…!”
A sharp ray of light grazed her cheek and embedded itself in the ground with a QUACK.
Looking down, Na-me realized green paint was smeared on her feet and legs.
“Are you only going to attack me? Such a wicked intention.”
Surely it must have happened when she got stuck in the swamp.
As she reached that inference, Na-me took an animalistic leap backward.
PA-BAK-!
A spike the size of a torso landed repeatedly where she had been standing.
[Cast: Ventus Vortex]
The magic circle floated in the air and began spinning, instantly creating a strong whirlwind.
The black smoke was sucked entirely into the magic circle, revealing a clear sky.
In one corner of the training arena, Cecilia was preparing her next magic.
“Hah… it’s fast.”
Cecilia forced a smile.
Although she had planned for numerous scenarios in the duel…
With the vapor explosion successfully occurring, it was beyond her comprehension that their barrier states were identical.
“Aren’t you going to cast?”
Na-me walked over, crafting her counter-spell.
Cecilia held the Glacis Ion Trap in her hand.
Since it was a magic that would eventually be countered, she released her mana into the air and firmly grasped her wand.
The moment Na-me stepped forward.
Cecilia smiled and raised her wand.
[Delayed Casting: Ignis Colom]
KWA-BAAAAM-!
A vertical pillar of light soared up.
The hidden magic circle activated, releasing immense heat.
Na-me’s body flew across the training arena, rolling across the boggy grass afterward.
[Cast: Glacis Ion Trap Catellus]
CLANK-!
Four ice chains sprang out, shackling Na-me’s wrists and ankles.
Cecilia, cautiously moving in a low stance.
No matter how much her limbs were bound, she approached as if facing a wild beast.
“Is that all you’ve got? You should have been more careful.”
“Ugh!”
[Delayed Casting: Demon King’s Horn]
[Counter: Glacis Ion Trap Catellus]
The 4th circle confinement magic circle shattered into pieces.
Before the circuit spell and rune could completely scatter.
Na-me seized control of the fragmented magic circle and began reconstructing it.
The cracks fit perfectly, and the magic circle started operating normally again.
SHUUUUUUU-!
Cecilia was snatched back by the magic Na-me cast.
Preparing to launch her across the arena.
[Cast: Rotational Motion-]
“You won’t get away with this!”
[Counter: Rotational Movement]
PING-!
“Huh…?”
The counter-spell she reached towards the magic circle was blocked and disappeared against a transparent barrier.
[Cast: Rotational Movement – QKD Encryption lv.3]
Cecilia’s expression hardened at the encryption spells plastered all over the 1st circle magic circle.
In terms of sheer quantity alone, she could operate a 3rd circle magic circle with ease.
“No way…! Just to cast one measly 1st circle spell?”
“Of course.”
Cecilia felt her breath hitch at Na-me’s spell operation that seemed to foresee the future.
SHUUUAAAAAK-!
The ice chains writhed like living snakes, launching Cecilia.
QUACK-!
Na-me plunged the tip of her wand into the ground.
[Cheonghwa Sword: Mode – Engraving]
The runes formed around the wand spun and sparkled.
With one hand firmly holding the wand, her slender fingers gracefully sliced through the space.
A timely wave of mana washed over.
The chaotic mana that had been swirling violently suddenly organized itself and combined into a magic circle.
[Cast: Ignis Respicio]
[Joint Casting: Ignis Respicio]
[Joint Casting: Ignis Respicio]
Ignis Respicio is a vector-type but an emission spell.
Na-me infused half the mana she held in her Aura Heart, endlessly boosting its output.
In a 2m diameter magic circle, dozens of mana beams branched out, shining like starlight.
Cecilia’s eyes widened in desperation.
“If I can counter just one…!”
She crossed her hands diagonally and stretched them forward.
This was a situation that she had simulated dozens, if not hundreds, of times in her head and body before this match.
Thus, there should be no room for mistakes in the actual match.
Yet the endless onslaught of mana beams still unfolded before her.
[Formation: Shaped Memory Alloy]
[Cast: Self-Restoration Spell]
“Go ahead and counter till you’re blue in the face.”
*
The spectators, holding their breath as they watched the match, were nervously gnawing on their thumbnails.
Cecilia’s initial opening strategy was praised as extraordinary.
Maximizing the advantages of triple casting to give no room for response.
In such moments, accepting an attack could be one way to counter, but for those watching the match, it was nerve-wracking.
Nonetheless, the hopeful news was that the barrier difference wasn’t surprisingly significant.
“The counter magic this time won’t work. Na-me is launching Cecilia far away. That’s right! That’s it!”
“Na-me’s perfect opportunity! She’s casting Ignis Respicio right now. Is she using three in a series? She’ll need to be careful of counters again.”
As one magic circle replenished, the other two relentlessly bombarded.
“Oh no! An immense firepower is pouring towards Cecilia. Na-me has taken the decisive move! Is this something Cecilia can counter?”
“The broken magic circle is reassembling! What in the world, Na-me!”
└ Whoa, the tempo is crazy fast, LOL
└ What’s with the auto-hunting magic circle?
└ The first one to make a mistake is dead.
└ Please, please, please, please!ㅠㅠㅠ
Rapidly crafted counter-spells.
The magic circles bombarding from three directions repeatedly decimate and regenerate.
Cecilia abandoned defense to create a counter-strike magic circle.
Na-me canceled one of her Respicio spells and immediately began crafting her counter-spell.
PA-BA-BA-BA-BAT-!
Numerous magic circles repeatedly appeared and vanished between them.
Of all the myriad spells, only a mere handful achieved completion.
Collecting the scattered mana to its extreme and using it as a stepping stone for the next magic circle.
While the commentators were so awestruck they quit giving live commentary,
[Cast: Arabesque Knot – Gold]
“Na-me, she’s flying up with wires attached to the ceiling!”
WIIING-!
Na-me canceled all her spells and soared up to a height of 40m, preparing for the ultimate strike.
[Cheonghwa Sword Engraving – Niobium]
CLANK-!
Na-me’s Light Transmutation Circle Inscriber transformed into a thin, hard metal spear.
Reaching the highest point of the stadium, Na-me was now only left to drop down and prepare the magic to culminate the first half.
[Cast: Glacis Asta]
SHAAAT-!
A cross-shaped flash erupted, shining brighter than the midday sun.
The blue circle emerged over Cecilia’s head.
The spear, cold enough to reach absolute zero, froze the moisture in the air.
“Why isn’t the encryption on this one?”
Cecilia smirked.
“Still, just in case, it might have been hidden…!”
[Counter: Glacis Asta]
Cecilia layered her counter-spells three times, blocking every route.
SQUEAAAWK-!
However, the spear cruelly passed through the counter-spells, plunging from the ceiling to the ground in one go,
QUACK-!
“Wha…?”
It reached Cecilia’s chest.
GUUUUUGUUGUUK-!
Cecilia was pushed back without resistance, colliding against the outer wall of the arena before finally stopping.
“Ugh! What the heck? Why’s that wand stuck here…?”
Seeing the object lodged against the barrier on her chest, Cecilia’s mind momentarily froze.
It wasn’t a spear made of niobium but rather Na-me throwing her wand altogether.
The exterior of the wand itself was made from a substance with exceptionally high mana resistance.
No matter how much she layered normal counter-spells, it was bound to pierce through.
But thankfully, since the barrier of the mana well wasn’t significantly damaged, just as she thought so.
[The Theft Prevention System Activated: Suppression Protocol Activated]
[Engraving Spell: Arc Voltage]
“No—! Kyaaaaah!”
SSZZZZZT-!
Without a chance to draft a counter-spell, a short and intense electrifying burst shattered Cecilia’s barrier.
BEEEEEEEEP-!
Before halftime could even arrive, the match ended.
[Quarter Match 122]
[Time: 14:51]
[Na-me (Republic of Korea)] [84% / 35%]
[Cecilia N. Sao Paulo (United States)] [63% / 
9% (complete destruction)]
Na-me descended, hanging upside down from the ceiling on her wire.
She bent down to look at Cecilia and twitchily smirked.
“Thief.”
“C-C-C-c’mon…”
An absurdly reckless attack, the frustration of losing the match.
Yet because Na-me had chosen the perfect line for the situation, a complicated rush of emotions overwhelmed Cecilia.
“Just let me last until halftime… this is too much.”
“Hmph, isn’t it nice to rest early? How annoying would it be to go in and out?”
“Ugh, I feel like crying. For real… sniff…”
Cecilia covered her eyes with one arm.
“I’m not crying. It’s just that my eyes are dazzled.”
But there was no hiding the hot tears that streamed down her cheeks.
Na-me gave Cecilia’s heaving shoulders a couple of light taps and headed towards the center of the arena.
She raised her fist high to declare victory.
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“Wh-Wh-What’s this! That’s not right!”
*
[It almost turned into the most expensive match in the world – Na-me vs. Sao Paulo]
Expectation: A match showcasing how two genius girls trade countless 4th circle spells for a pinnacle of excess.
Reality: About to destroy a 10 billion won wand by throwing it.
(Applaud for Na-me.jpg)
[Comments]
– Hey hey, you got this, Noona. Prove it with one shot.
– Samyeon Group probably had a heart attack LOL
– Even if Na-me wins, wouldn’t it still be a huge loss if that breaks?
– It’s a one-of-a-kind wand in this world, and it’s being handled so roughly.
– Doesn’t Na-me only have that one wand? What would she do for the semifinals and finals if it broke? LOL
└ But it didn’t break, right?
└ That’s super hindsight, LOL