I Reject Quests

Gavin expected many kinds of scenarios but catching his old stick with a hand was definitely not one of them. He knew his old stick better than anyone. It was not something that a Rank 1 Mage can block.

Others were similarly gobsmacked. 

They never experienced the weight of the old stick but they heard about it.

After being blanked out for a split second, the group turned their eyes to Gavin. 

Gavin shook his head with a solemn expression. He made a 'stay at back' gesture and himself stepped back a couple of steps from Rewen. 'Was this a skill or…' 

He didn't have any time to guess. 

The body lying on the floor rushed immediately and rushed towards him at a terrifying speed.

Gavin's eyes flashed. 'This… I can't dodge it.' 

*Boom*

Just at that moment, a bluish uneven round "object" hit Rewen.

Gavin had an expression of relief but that soon turned into horror when he saw Rewen standing in front of him without showing any hint of pain.  'It didn't affect him. Not only has his speed increased, his endurance and strength also increased. At this point, his physique is comparable to a Rank 2 Mage.' No matter what, he is still an experienced person who has fought all kinds of people in his life. 

Rewen leisurely pulled his arm for a punch.

In a split second, he shouted. "Violet! Jennifer!"

Although initially confused, the two women quickly figured out why he shouted their names. Violet took a bent-knee stance while Jennifer stood still.

Rewen threw his punch with all the strength he could muster but just as he was about halfway through, he felt an invisible barrier. 

Break!

The barrier broke down but the speed of the punch decreased.

*Pah*

The punch successfully hit the old man's face making the latter fly off into a distance.

However, Rewen didn't look satisfied. He turned his head to look at the two women. 'If I'm not mistaken, this should be the work of those two. That barrier and that…' Just when his fist was two inches away from the old man's face, he felt his punch slow down because of some resistance. It wasn't a barrier like the previous one.

If it weren't for these factors, the old man's head would have bursted out.

"Cough!" Gavin violently coughed while struggling to stand on two feet. He then walked towards Brooke and whispered in his ears. "We only have a single chance, Brooke. You can see how abnormally strong he had become. You have to use [Core Sacrifice]..." As he was speaking, he saw Rewen coming at them again.

Why would he let his opponent take their time to plan?

He has to strike while the iron is still hot.

Gavin and Brooke were startled at the beginning but regained their calm. "I'll take the hit!" Gavin pushed away Brooke.

*Pah*

The old man again flew off.

'Dammit! Again!' Rewen again felt the two forces slowing down his punch significantly. 'Nevermind, I'll change the target.' He turned his eyes to look at the two women and went after them.

Jennifer panicked and was to run away when she heard a voice.

"Don't worry. Just stay." Violet said in a soothing voice.

Seeing this, Rewen had second thoughts. 'This is definitely weird. Why are they not moving?' Quickly thinking, he had a hunch that this had to do with Brooke. 'That old guy whispered something into his ears. It's possible that Brooke would strike me with that weird thing once I get close to them.'

With that, he changed his target and turned to look at Brooke who had two of his arms stretched. 'But the question is, why? Why would they rely on something that didn't work? Wait, could it be his core skill? If that's the case…' He thought back to the time when David used [Core Sacrifice] and his expression changed.

He wasn't afraid of Brooke using [Core Sacrifice] but that doesn't mean he would let his battle turn difficult. Wasting no more time, he sprinted towards him.

Violet's face turned pale. 'This is bad. We can't afford to lose Brooke.' The previous day, she heard about his core skill. It wasn't a normal core skill. 

It was popularly known as a "reverse core skill". Unlike normal core skills which the mages learn after forming a core, a reverse core skill forms from a reverse core which forms when a higher ranked mage is forced to destroy his core. Destroying a core essentially cripples a person. He/ she has to start from the bottom again. When the person reaches Rank 1 and forms a core for the second time in their life, it becomes a "reverse core".

To use a core skill, one needs to absorb natural energy, not mana. For Rank 0 Mages, when natural energy is absorbed, it automatically turns into mana. Obviously, they couldn't absorb the natural energy from the surroundings in normal places so they practice at "Free Natural Energy fields" like training grounds. When one reaches Rank 1, they learn to absorb natural energy from the surroundings without needing "Free Natural Energy" fields.

Reverse cores are usually more effective than a normal core because it contains the accumulations of a higher ranked mage. Therefore, the core skill is also enhanced by a certain degree.

Brooke's core skill, or rather, reverse core skill was [Qi Ball]. When used [Core Sacrifice], it becomes [Qi Wave] which is way more effective than a [Qi Ball], having the capabilities to push a Rank 2 Mage into a precarious situation.

[Core Sacrifice] and destroying the core is not the same. [Core Sacrifice] doesn't cripple a person. It exhausts all the vital components of the core but the core itself isn't destroyed. If given enough time, it would restore itself to its former state. 

In case of a reverse core, if used [Core Sacrifice], the reverse core would no longer remain a reverse core. Even if it is restored, it turns into a normal core.

Rewen naturally didn't know any of this. He just knew that Brooke isn't up to any good and wanted to stop him.

But. He was stopped in his tracks.

He didn't stop by himself but his body couldn't take a single step. 

"Faster! Brooke!!" From the behind, Violet's voice came. She was on her knees and her face was pale white. She had exhausted all her natural energy to stop him. 

She had the property of "atomization". With "atomization", she can manipulate the free molecules and tighten or loosen the bonds. She used her core skill - [Perfect Bond] to stop Rewen by bringing together the free air molecules. 

Rewen stepped back and again rushed towards Brooke.

He was again blocked.

'This is bad. I don't have time to go after the two women and neither could I reach him.' Rewen saw a bigger version of the small bluish uneven round "object" hovering around the palm of Brooke. From having a diameter of a few inches, it enlarged itself into having a diameter of a metre!

After a few seconds, it finally moved.

The "object" went straight towards Rewen. 

*BOOM*

A huge explosion pushed Rewen's body out of the rooftop.

Violet fainted.

Jennifer also went on her knees. She also had a part in stopping Rewen by making five consecutive barriers.

Brooke had an exhausted expression on his face. 'Alas. This was bound to happen.' He was also bitter about losing his reverse core. 

Gavin took out a glass bottle and drank it whole, then turned to Brooke. "Thank you."

Brooke nodded. "Check where he fell. We have to confirm if he's dead." Even though he said, he didn't believe that Rewen was alive. It's difficult for Rank 2 Mage to survive after crashing from the rooftop of a twenty-storey building. Including the damage inflicted by [Qi Wave], there is very little chance of him being alive.

"Huh!?" Gavin suddenly showed a shocked expression.

"What's wrong? Is he still alive?" Brooke asked, both puzzled and cautious.

Gavin didn't say anything and pointed to a hand hanging off at the edge of the rooftop.

"Tough bastard." Brooke muttered under his breath.

Gavin silently approached the hand and lifted his right foot targeting the hand.

However, at that split second when the feet was about to touch the hand, the hand that appeared to be struggling suddenly grabbed onto the ankle of the feet.

Gavin panicked but before he could do a single thing, his entire body was dragged down.

*Sweeeh*

Two figures fell from the rooftop of a twenty-storey building. 

*Bam*

The first to touch the ground was the old man.

Within a second, he was dead with his eyes wide open. His skull was crushed. Almost all of his bones were either dislocated or broken. Blood slowly oozed out from every part of his body, starting from his brain which turned into a mincemeat.

Atop him lied another bloodied red-haired young man. 

He wasn't in a much better condition but after a few seconds, color returned to his face. 'Fuck. It hurts...'