Revenge pact

"Six minutes? Don't be full of yourself, you won't last that long." Scoffing irritably, Carl used his left leg to deliver a front kick to Lutz's chest. A simple yet effective attempt at increasing the distance between the two combatants.

THUD

Being involuntarily pushed back prompted a deep frown to etch itself on Lutz's face.

Following his physical assault, Carl took multiple steps backward while he added the finishing touches to the magic circle he had created above their heads.

Having exited the range of the mystical attack, Carl unleashed the spell.

"Water Magic: Lethal Shower!"

Emerging from the magic circle were hundreds of raindrops, each descending like deadly meteors at unimaginable speeds, creating a frightening onslaught against Lutz.

Swiftly acknowledging the threat that loomed above him, Lutz snapped his head upwards.

After taking his time to internally curse, his mind raced to conjure the best solution to counter the imminent danger.

'Casting my own spell would be useless and a waste of mana.' Recognizing the impossibility of dodging each deadly raindrop or casting his own defensive spell, Lutz grit his teeth and tensed his muscles.

Enshrouding his skin with Earthly Aura, toughening it, Lutz steeled his defenses in preparation for the imminent onslaught.

"Alexian Armor."

DRIP DRIP DRIP

"Fuck!" Instead of instantly puncturing his skin and causing deep gashes upon impact, the raindrops connected with considerable force, resulting in light bruises on the boy's skin with every impact; evidence of his robust defensive efforts.

Continuing with his deadly assault, Carl conjured three more water arrows and drew his bow.

'He can't dual cast?' The moment Carl summoned his water arrows and drew his bow, the previous spell canceled, causing a slight grin to flicker across Lutz's face.

Acknowledging that Lutz was now free to move, Carl decided it was time to launch his attack.

Coating the arrows and his bowstring in Earthly Aura, he released his grip, letting the arrows soar from his bow and pierce through the air with lethal precision.

WHOOSH

WHOOSH

WHOOSH

'I'm running out of stamina, but he'll run out of mana soon enough...' Growing fatigued from previously coating his entire body in Earthly Aura and from the effects of the toxins, Lutz frowned while he faced each incoming arrow with increasing difficulty.

Increasing his travel speed, Lutz darted forward proactively engaging each arrow.

Reacting quickly to the first arrow aimed at his head, Lutz tilted his neck, expertly dodging it while avoiding taking any damage.

For the next arrow that targeted his chest, Lutz rotated his entire torso, allowing the arrow to graze his chainmail.

Lutz wasn't as fortunate as his previous attempts, he wasn't able to evade the last arrow aimed at his thigh.

It comfortably dug itself into his leg, causing blood to splatter outwards, creating a painful deep wound.

SPLURT

"Argh!"

'All I have to do is get close enough to land one hit... that's all I need.' Despite his injured leg, Lutz charged forward while he fed his blunt rapier a generous amount of Earthly Aura.

"Just give up Lutz!" Conjuring a larger arrow and drawing his bow once more, Carl grinned.

WHOOSH

"You're more annoying than John." Exhaling sharply, Lutz thrust his rapier toward the arrow; instantly destroying it upon collision.

"Stay away!" Using a magic circle he had plastered on the ground, Carl summoned a giant wave that threatened to wash away Lutz in one go. The powerful body of water surged forward, creating a devastating attack.

SPLASH

'If I get him to use two more large spells, I'll win.'

"Gale magic: Mercury's Maneuver!" Using a small cyan magic circle beneath his boots Lutz summoned a mighty gust of wind that launched him upwards.

WHOOSH

Seeing his adversary entirely evade his offensive attack by soaring through the air, Carl frowned.

"Weasel." Aiming his bow once more, Carl shot another water arrow at the ascending Roman, determined to leave him with no escape route.

"Mercury's Maneuver!" Repeating the spell once more, Lutz was propelled downward like a frightening torpedo, honing in on his opponent as he effortlessly dodged the incoming arrow.

"Fuck, just die!" Irritated by the length of the battle, Carl cast another large spell.

Utilizing a massive magic circle positioned above his head, Carl conjured a giant arrow, its form jagged and seemingly thirsting for blood.

"Water magic: Ullr's arrow!"

ZOOM

'What an idiot!' Seeing the giant arrow hurtling toward him, threatening to demolish his entire abdomen, Lutz sighed and thrust his hand to the side, gathering a substantial amount of mana in his palm.

"Gale Magic: Sudden Squall!"

Propelled by the gust of wind he had created, Lutz dodged the arrow midair, displaying remarkable adaptability and agility.

WHOOSH

He landed with a graceful thud a few feet away from his opponent, ready to continue the battle despite the throbbing pain in his upper leg.

'I need to end this now.' Steadily feeling the effects of his continued magic use, Carl scowled.

With a giant leap, Lutz covered the distance between him and his opponent.

Lutz thrust his rapier forward, preparing to pierce his opponent's throat and kill them on the spot.

Reacting adequately, Carl crouched resulting in the needle-like blade entirely missing him.

SWOOSH

Using his bow as a melee weapon, Carl counter-attacked; swinging the weapon upwards toward Lutz's crotch.

'Dirty...' With a swift motion, Lutz forced his leg forward, disarming the spy using his knee. The bow went flying to the side, leaving Carl momentarily defenseless.

"Wha-"

Continuing his assault, Lutz showcased his martial superiority by using his opposite leg to deliver a powerful kick square in his opponent's jaw.

BAM

The force sent Carl flying in the opposite direction of his weapon, leaving him momentarily stunned and disoriented.

"You son of a bitch!" Slamming his hands on the damp soil, Carl created a large blue magic circle, its mystical ruins glowing brightly as he fed the circle more mana by the second.

"JORMUNGANDR"

(Meaning World Serpent- A mystical divine beast.)

Above the magic circle, blue mana particles swirled and mingled, intertwining to form water droplets.

These droplets gyrated widely, merging into a colossal body of water that stretched to an impressive height of 10 meters.

As it reached its grand height, the water transformed, taking on terrifying features. The body of water assumed the visage of a grand serpent, its formidable presence ready to swallow anyone who dared to approach...

"GRRR!"

"Kill him!" Looking weakened from the rapid loss of mana sustaining the beast caused, Carl screamed, his hands still stuck to the magic circle.

SLUSH

Following its caster's command, the snake made from water charged forward with its jaw agape.

"ARGHHH!"

"..." In response to the charging water serpent, Lutz took a quick step to the side, evading the threat posed by the initial attack with nimble agility.

Unrelenting in his desire to kill, Carl commanded the water serpent to turn around and charge once more, this time at an even more impressive speed, its watery form surging forward with frightening velocity.

Wincing from the sharp pain in his right thigh, Lutz tilted backward to look at the approaching serpent, his mind working overtime to come up with the most efficient solution.

"Alexian Arts: Alexian Armor!" Lutz tensed the muscles in his sword arm, further coating the blunt rapier in Earthly Aura.

When the serpent was close enough to rip him to shreds, Lutz struck.

His rapier glowed a subtle blue hue as he thrust at the beast's open mouth, allowing himself to be swallowed whole.

SLUSH

"Idiot..." Carl grinned.

Entering the water serpent, Lutz was forced to hold his breath while he was simultaneously assaulted with hundreds of cuts.

SPLURT

SPLURT

SPLURT

Grimacing at the pain he was receiving, Lutz summoned a gust of wind beneath his feet using Gale Magic. Efficiently using the wind, he propelled himself forward through the water serpent's form, his sword arm outstretched and his body straightened.

As he traveled through the water serpent's insides, he endured hundreds of shallow wounds on his bare skin. Simultaneously, his Roman armor was destroyed.

Despite the damage he endured, he was dealing considerable damage as well with his rapier.

"What's he doing?" Confused by his adversary's actions, Carl channeled more magic into the magic circle, causing the speed of the serpent' inner slashes to increase.

SLASH

SLASH

SLASH

SLASH

Simultaneously, the water serpent slammed its body against the ground with considerable force, attempting to crush Lutz beneath its immense weight.

THUD

THUD

THUD

THUD

"Agh!" Enduring the abuse and exuding an excessive amount of blood from his mouth, nose, and the cuts on his body, Lutz thickened the coating on his rapier and used more Gale magic to propel himself faster.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, the blonde noble continued his journey through the serpent's body, destroying it from within.

"JORMUNGANDR KILL HI-"

SPLASH

Carl's command was abruptly interrupted by his own beast.

Due to his inefficient mana use, the water serpent was reduced to a mere puddle and a few mana particles before Lutz was able to successfully kill it from within.

THUD

Unexpectedly falling to the ground as the beast that had devoured him suddenly evaporated, Lutz stood up, pushing through the sharp pain that pulsed throughout his nearly naked, injured body.

Lutz's cyan eyes set on the out-of-breath spy before him, his gaze reflecting one singular emotion.

Malice.

"Y-you..." Panting heavily, Carl stood up preparing for a melee clash.

Moving sluggishly yet determinedly, Lutz dashed forward, rapier in hand, aiming to end the fight in a single blow.

Reflecting his opponent's slow movements, Carl took a singular stride, swiftly closing the short distance. Realizing his bow would be more effective than his fists, Carl swung the weapon downward, aiming for Lutz's head.

Releasing the tension in his sword arm, Lutz thrust his blunt rapier with considerable force, aiming to puncture his opponent's throat, his strike fueled by sheer determination.

SPLURT

"Four minutes and twenty-three seconds..."