Loraine is okay…
Bruises and scratches covered her body, but none of them damaged her internal organs, so Loraine would be fine.
Maybe just a few hard blows caused the bleeding on her head and made her faint. I hope she'll be all right.
This is better than I expected—she shouldn't have to witness what I'm about to do to Lucas.
"Rigel, protect her. Lumine, monitor every movement around Rigel and Loraine," Wein ordered as his body, now cloaked in mana, rose again.
This is my fault—I shouldn't have let Loraine travel alone. More than that, I should've taken Lucas more seriously from the start.
Wein's head pounded as he marched toward Lucas, brimming with a power he now summoned.
Nothing else mattered. Wein didn't care what would happen afterward—it was only right that this pest met a tragic end.
"B–Back off," Lucas stammered, his eyes darting rapidly from one spot to another.
He began casting a spell as Wein approached, but one question lingered—did he not realize that his power was eating away at his body every time he used it?
Even if he unleashed this attack on Wein, his life would be shortened by thirty years—he would perish before Wein even laid a hand on him.
But Wein didn't intend to let him kill himself. No—Wein would be the one to end him.
Lucas released his spell as the flaming orb expanded, growing larger with every step he took backward.
He grinned, though his weakening body caught him off guard. He dropped to his knees as the large flaming sphere turned blue, then shifted back to deep red.
He had perfected his magic—now it was only a matter of time before his own power destroyed him.
Wolves howled behind, seemingly worried.
No matter how massive the fireball was, Wein walked forward steadily, his eyes locked on the kneeling man.
"From your face, I can see you're afraid. Yet you kept on pretending to be powerful, wielding your authority like a god," Lucas hissed, lifting his other hand toward his chest.
He coughed, unable to endure the pain, clutching his chest with one hand while the other focused on reinforcing the spell.
He smirked. "Then DIE." The deep red orb illuminated the surroundings before suddenly launching at Wein.
Wein exhaled, clenched his fist, then angled it slightly at ninety degrees—drawing something toward it like a shadow pulled by force.
His arm was fully enveloped in darkness, with threads of light swirling around it. He began chanting another spell, preparing for a final strike.
An unmatched aura slowed the fireball's momentum, and as his glowing violet eyes sparked with lightning, a mist of power swirled around him.
They all knew what they were witnessing—a battle between a man and an ant. And they already knew who would emerge victorious.
The air seemed to freeze as his hand struck the fireball, splitting it into two fragments and sending them flying upward before they exploded.
As the steam and debris cleared, Wein saw Lucas still on his knees—his crazed expression was deeply satisfying.
"How? How can you wield three magic attributes at once? That's impossible—YOU CHEATED!" he shouted as if there were rules governing this.
Wein drew closer, only a few steps away now. Lucas dropped his head to the ground, bowing before his opponent.
He groaned in pain, gripping his chest tightly, his whole body trembling—unable to endure the agony.
Many around them couldn't bear to look. Wein opened his palm, summoning a surge of concentrated lightning that took the form of a sword.
He swung it through the air, then prepared to bring it down upon the powerless Lucas. The rules of war say not to kill a helpless man—but Lucas had broken the rules, and he deserved to feel the consequences.
"Surprised, Lucas?" Wein chuckled at him, still writhing in pain. "What have you ever known about me?" he said.
Then firmly added, "That's right—you know nothing."
"You're shocked that I can use three elements? You want to know who I really am?" Wein leaned in, bringing his mouth close to Lucas's ear.
"I am the master of the six elements your kind worships," he whispered—words only the two of them could hear.
Lucas sneered, then laughed as he realized his last hope had just vanished. He knew the end was near.
"I don't know what else could surprise me, but I don't want to die alone," he said, voice trembling. He tried to rise, then lunged at Wein Arcveil.
Wein instantly understood and dodged, launching his right fist like a rocket—slamming it hard into Lucas's head.
Lucas flew backward from the hit, his hand still casting a spell. Another orange fireball emerged, growing bigger with every second.
His eyes widened, eyebrows raised. "No—no, this isn't right. I don't want to die," he whimpered, as the orb reached the size of his own body.
His body language screamed protest, but he didn't know how to cancel a fixed spell. The fireball turned blue—then once again, blood-red.
His body was dragged downward, white steam hissing around him, and uncontrolled mana pulses sent him into spasms.
This was dangerous. The larger the orb grew, the more unstable it became. An explosion now would wipe out everyone present.
"Everyone! Get away from there!" someone shouted from afar, the voice clear and commanding even amidst chaos. Wein turned toward the voice.
Through the thinning steam, he saw his older brother and another Gladius soldier evacuating people. The panicked crowd ran desperately.
They fled like they were being hunted by something powerful, terrifying, and monstrous.
"Rigel, Lumine, take Loraine to Elaina and get out of here. I'll catch up," Wein called coldly.
He glanced over his shoulder. Seeing the two wolves hadn't moved yet, he grew irritated—but he understood. They were worried about him.
"I'll be fine. Go. Loraine is in critical condition—she needs your protection more than I do," Wein reassured them.
He turned back to Lucas. Their eyes met again, and Lucas's body trembled violently. The fireball now loomed immense before them.
"Puahahaha, are you afraid? I see the fear on your face." He spat to the side, his limp body still refusing to surrender.
His constant mocking was infuriating, but Wein kept his composure. He stepped forward.
"Damn you! STAY BACK!" Lucas screamed, but with all the panicked students running, his voice was barely audible.
They were buried in the stampede of people trying to escape. Wein quickly raised his sword. He didn't want to wait—he swung without hesitation.
Swoosh!
Lucas screamed, grabbing at his severed right leg. Wein didn't let up—he immediately stabbed through Lucas's left leg, paralyzing him.
The sword pierced deep, blood gushed. Lucas could no longer speak, too overwhelmed by fear and pain—he was at his weakest now, unable to even scream.
"D-Damn you!"
Wein stared coldly. "You're independent—I don't even have to kill you myself, clever mutt," Wein said.
He backed away, eyes still fixed on Lucas's helpless form. His mana would run out soon, and the orb would detonate.
Wein had removed both of Lucas's legs—ensuring he couldn't escape, leaving him to suffer while he walked away.
"Damn you, don't leave me, you fool." Lucas whimpered, but even now, he refused to beg for his life.
A massive wave of pressure erupted. The ground shook like an earthquake. Wein hurried, accelerating his mana flow and encasing himself in ice.
Wein gave his back to Lucas and walked calmly toward the evacuation point where the others had gathered.
It was like a sheen of ice covered his body, and then—the explosion came.
Kaboom!
He didn't look back. The blast sent chunks of earth flying toward the crowd.
In a split second, the air was torn apart by an ear-splitting boom. A blinding flash burst from the center, scorching the night sky in fiery orange. A shockwave struck like a colossal hammer, scattering dust, rock, and helpless bodies in every direction.
The ground trembled. Walls crumbled in a single blast. Fire spread rapidly, dancing wildly with burning debris, as the explosion echoed repeatedly—like the sky itself was screaming.