Grey, rough skin like stone, with horns that curved and protruded out of the individual's forehead, and a striking resemblance to Julian and Ailas.
"Gulian!" The two of them yelled. Relief washed over their sore bodies. The tides had suddenly felt like they were shifting.
"Where have you been this whole time…?" Julian asked. The three of them came in for a group hug. After a few seconds, they all retracted.
"As an artificial spirit, I made a contract with you. But, there were a few errors, and things like a time limit occurred. Time limits in spirit contracts are unorthodox. So I returned back to Stein. He fixed me up, and here I am."
"You're really a lifesaver, Gulian." Julian sighed.
"I hate to admit it, but we couldn't possibly win without you," Ailas added, nodding proudly with his eyes closed.
"We can only win if we all work together here and control the body in unison." Julian brought up.
"How the hell are we supposed to do that?"
Ailas and Julian had the same question in mind. But the ends of Gulian's lips curled. While the other two were unaware, he had something up his sleeve.
"With a technique, I can create mental stability, holding us together and fusing us with mana. It'll take a lot of effort. There's a 60% chance that it will fail."
"So that means there's a 40% chance it'll work! That's enough, isn't it?!" Ailas yelled, enthusiastically.
"Yes… yes."
Gulian smiled, looking down. A bittersweet expression graced his face.
"What's with the look, Gulian?" Julian asked.
He quickly shook his head.
"It's nothing. I guess I'm just… glad to see you guys again. Now. We must all hold hands together."
Doing exactly as Gulian said, they got together in a triangle shape, holding hands.
. . .
. .
.
10 minutes had passed.
It wasn't a fight. The headmaster was just playing around at this point. He was displeased with the results of his efforts.
"I worked… so hard. Building hatred. For you to get strong enough to kill me. And you couldn't even do that?!" he yelled, furious.
He threw Lionel into a tree.
"Gyah!"
His previous injuries were gone. Julian's Envious skill stole away all the pain that had been inflicted upon him.
But all that pain was slowly being built up again, by the relentless, unforgiving attacks of the headmaster.
"I felt that something was special about him, with not a single mention of him in the gospel. I guess even god felt that he was that insignificant."
He pulled a leather book out of his pocket, throwing it into the snow.
"Damn it!"
In frustration, he swung his foot toward Leonore.
A foot stopped him.
"Enough."
"!"
It was Julian's foot, shielding Leonore from any further harm.
The headmaster dashed away.
The intelligence of Julian, the strength of Ailas, and the mana capacity of Gulian.
His hair was an accumulating mess of white and black strands. His eyes were an array of red and green fragments of pigmentation.
All his other injuries were healed but the one on his face.
The headmaster sighed, initially scared, until realizing it was just Julian. "You scared me. Move along. An individual, unseen by even the gods."
He kicked a rock toward Julian, the rock picking up its pace in milliseconds. To the point where it was a burning ball of fire.
[Spirit Cast: Barrier]
The rock broke into several pieces against the shield.
"Hm? Something you didn't want to use before, while your companion was being mauled?"
"You're surprisingly chatty," Julian spoke.
"I just feel so disappointed, I guess. With you. You were supposed to be the one to finish things. Now I'll just finish you."
He moved, incredibly fast. Without the weight on his body, he was nimble and quick. Light on his feet.
In his quickness, he dashed around, with confusing movements.
[Spirit Cast: Synchronization]
Black, pulsating, and wriggling energy encompassed his already unrecognizable face, horns erecting from the forehead.
"Hm? What's this?" The headmaster was visually surprised.
Bap!
Julian's forearm blocked the wide strike.
[Spirit Cast: Lightning Bolt]
A sparky stick of lightning mana manifested in the palm of Julian, which he promptly slashed at the headmaster.
The attack was missed.
Julian spun around, gathering momentum and coming in for a second attack. This time, he threw the rod of lightning.
Fyeom!
The lightning bolt zipped through the air, a loud boom following after it.
Slsh!
It just barely knicked the skin of the headmaster's cheek.
— He can't react to things that are faster than his eyes can follow. So it isn't automatic. Or if it is, it has a limit.
Strong winds filled the forest.
— He can only control the movement… the vectors of his body, and things that are actually moving!
"Seems like you're understanding. I guess I should stop limiting myself, and kill you. Should've proved yourself the first time."
Lightning crackled around the headmaster's body.
— Huh? Is this… a new ability? Unless…
"It's the same old ability, Julian. I'm just taking you a little bit more seriously."
Zip!
He shot lightning out from his fingers.
The bolts of lightning twisted and turned, their movement untrackable.
— He can control the movement of electrons in the air. So it's… to that scale?!
[Spirit Cast: Stone Wall]
Pillars were erected, shielding Julian.
— The effort and calculation it would require to do that… unless it simply comes with the [Pathmaker]?
[Spirit Cast: Shadow Glide]
"Where did that peon go…?"
The headmaster sighed.
Swsh!
From the headmaster's shadows, Julian rose, slashing at him with the black spirit mana that surrounded his face.
Clang!
The force was sent back to him.
"Did you seriously think that would work twice? Come on!" The headmaster laughed.
He grabbed Julian by the jugular, spinning at inhuman speeds, and throwing him into the ground.
"Keuk!-"
— I… have to stay conscious!
"Alright, alright. I'll stop playing with you."
He stomped.
"Gyah!"
Again.
"I thought
Again.
you would be
Again.
the one."
Julian dug deeper into the ground at each stomp.
— Damn it… how do I keep finding myself in situations like this? He's virtually invincible. He can deflect all attacks. Control movement at a molecular level.
[Spirif Cast: Absence]
"Abandon it all."
A soft whisper left one's lips, entering Julian's ears.
. . .
. .
.
(Author's Note)
Hello everyone! I apologize for my commonly inadequate posting schedule. Usually, it's due to my own lack. But this time, I really have an excuse.
I have exams coming up, and it gives me no time to write at all.
And, I was supposed to write a backstory for Lio, but I somehow forgot. Sorry about that. Hah.
I hope you guys aren't thinking about dropping this series. Even after getting this far. After this arc, it'll really get good!
This arc should be good… too. Right? Are you guys enjoying it?
Nonetheless, I have to thank you guys for reading.
From, the author.