Leveling up the World

Chapter 954: The fall of Magic

The air around Dallion suddenly hardened. It wasn’t just the space around him, but the air in his lungs and stomach. Deep inside Dallion’s mind, the tiny voice of manic screamed, yelling that he was doomed.

Dallion chose to ignore it.

AREA AWAKENING

Everything around him disappeared, replaced by an endlessness of clouds and sky. This time, Euryale hadn’t joined Dallion in the realm, remaining in the real world. The outlines of the Moons, though, were present.

“Where are you?” Dallion concentrated, focusing on his empathy trait to pinpoint the location of the area guardian. Since they were in a domain of air surrounded by clouds, it was logical to assume that the guardian would be a cloud creature of some sort. Finding which one in a realm this size was going to take longer than he had time for, provided that he used the standard way.

To his surprise, the search didn’t take long. No sooner had Dallion sensed a cluster of emotions than one of the clouds shifted form, changing into a massive dolphin.

Air Guardian

Species: AIRPHIN

Class: CLOUD

Health: 90%

Traits:

- BODY 0

- MIND 100

- REACTION 20

- PERCEPTION 100

- MAGIC 80

Skills:

- ATTACK

- ATHLETICS

- GUARD

- SPELLCRAFT

- CLOUD FORM (Species Unique)

- FLIGHT (Species Unique)

Weakness: NONE

Seeing the creature head towards him, Dallion boosted his own spell to halve the time to contact.

“Any chance you’d surrender?” he shouted, suspecting the answer.

None of us can surrender, the guardian replied. Even if we wish you luck.

Dallion had heard the same whisper from a lot of the other area guardians he’d heard in the real world. For some reason, the majority were intent on him and the other challengers winning. That had slightly decreased since Simon’s switching sides, yet remained surprising.

“Why?” Dallion asked.

Why we wish you luck? The form of the guardian grew larger as it approached, taking on the appearance of a whale. Because we’re hoping you’d win.

“You’re not pleased with the Moons, are you?”

It’s not about the Moons. It’s about the change. The Moons can’t provide that. They can only maintain.

COMBAT INITIATED

The question Dallion had in mind vanished away as the red rectangle appeared. As Adzorg had told him ages ago, the secret to moving forward quickly is focusing on what was immediately important. Everything else was distractions.

“Sorry,” Dallion said, then performed a music spark attack.

Tiallia wished for her sister and her entire race to remain in the world. As much as she despised Dallion, and distrusted the rest, she knew they were the best chance they’d ever have.

Pan had formed attachments to Hannah, Dallion, and all the people he’d served while pretending to be a cook. His race had long been banished or made into spies of the Order, and he didn’t want his friends to go through the same fate.

It’s always easier the second time, Dallion thought he heard the copyette say before the ring and everything in it imploded to a single speck of purple dust that vanished away.

GALATEA has been defeated.

A yellow rectangle appeared. One of the Moons had fallen. Five more remained.

Summoning a new hammer, Centor glanced at Dallion. As he did, a small portal emerged a step away from him. A torrent of roots and vines shot out, continuously trying to wrap themselves around him. Surprisingly, they had an effect. Being the physically strongest of the Moons, Centor had no issue tearing the vines up, yet no matter how many times he did so, more vines kept on shooting out.

“Dal!” Euryale did a point attack straight at him.

MODERATE WOUND

Your health has been reduced by 20%

Dozens of Dallion’s instances were pushed back, just in time to see Emion’s white bolt fly past the spot he had been.

“She needs to be next!” the gorgon shouted.

Unexpectedly, a new aether wall emerged between the Moons and the remaining conquerors. Just as before, Simon wasn’t among the Moons. The second unexpected thing was that time had come to an abrupt stop.

ESCAPE TRIGGERED

If you wish to escape combat, smash the window.

Guard sequence? Dallion wondered.

The mere concept was absurd. Someone in his party had to have completed a series of guard sequences to gain their bonus effect. Yet, what did the explanation even mean? If he smashed the rectangle, would the fight be over? Would they be cast out into the void?

“This really is like a realm,” Jeremy said, his voice coming from miles away.

“You did this?” Dallion asked.

“The sequence or the barrier? In both cases, yes.” Even in such circumstances, the Tamin emperor remained highly arrogant. “Simon is nothing if not predictable.”

Looking in the archbishop's direction, Dallion was able to see him casting a multitude of thin rays at Jeremy. That must have been the way through which the time freeze had occurred. And, of course, since Simon had left the party, he had been affected as well.

“You’re suggesting we try to flee?” Lyulak asked in a mocking tone. “This isn’t an awakening trial.”

“I see why your race was banished,” Jeremy snapped back. “Inability to think. The Moons are subject to rules. The freeze won’t last forever, but it gives us some time to plan our next move.”

“He’s already made up his decision,” Euryale whispered. “He just needs you.”

That made some sense, although Dallion would have chosen the dryad. Then again, Jeremy was always following several plans at once.

“Without Galatea, they have no mage,” Jeremy continued. “Now it’s key that we take out Simon. After that, we’ll pick out the rest one by one.”

“You make it sound a lot easier than it is,” the gorgon said.

“Would you prefer I went on and on about how outmatched we are? Maybe if I repeated it enough times, I’ll get a special bonus.”

Euryale clenched her fists, but remained quiet. Now was the worst time for infighting, and Jeremy knew it.

“How?” Dallion asked. “His barrier is invulnerable.” And currently Dallion didn’t have a way to change its properties again.

“True, but he’s not infallible. All we need is a distraction and you are it.”

“I should have guessed.” Dallion didn’t even bother to sigh.

“He can’t hurt you. He made a vow, right? If he thinks of hurting you, we win by default and get to focus on the real challenge. If not, you’ll give us a chance to remove him from the field. Then it’s us against the Moons.”

“Four against five,” Lyulak noted.

“As I said, without Galatea they don’t have a mage. We have two and a half. That should change the odds.”