Chapter 40
the eyes glanced at Aria in amazement.
"She truly is a genius."
Her eyes did not leave Lugh for even a second.
"Impressive. I knew the first time I deflected your spears that it's not possible to cut them at my current level," said Lugh as he rushed forward toward Aria.
Veins like metal coiled around him as he skillfully dodged every single one.
He noticed her smile.
Confused, he looked down just as a vein
erupted beneath him, sending him soaring into the sky.
Seizing the opportunity, the veins constricted Lugh mid-air, holding him suspended.
Aria sighed at the realization that it was over.
"I think it's over now. You would have won under normal circumstances. But right now, you're weak—"
A voice echoed through the sky, silencing her.
"ShatterFall Slash."
Aria's eyes widened as her multiple iron veins were sliced through like wood in a split second.
Reacting, she quickly conjured even more, aiming them at the airborne Lugh. He dodged them mid-air and even used one to propel himself toward Aria.
She commanded even more, but he sliced through them while descending toward her like an eagle diving for its prey.
He drew his sword back and swung in an arc toward Aria—
But she remained calm as a single word escaped her mouth:
"Iron Maiden."
Half his blade went flying through the sky as it struck the hard black iron shell that surrounded her like a shield.
He slowly glanced upward.
The Iron Maiden glared back at him with glowing blue eyes.
Lugh immediately jumped back, creating some distance.
"Using an Iron Maiden that's meant to torture as a defensive shell… It makes sense why they call her the Genius of the Iron Vein."
All eyes in the audience couldn't believe what they were witnessing.
"Lisa, isn't that move awfully similar to your Hollow Maiden?" questioned Merlin.
"That's Iron Maiden…" said Sreya, speechless.
Lisa continued, dumbfounded, "My Hollow Maiden is inspired by a torture device used in the Primordial Age. It's a human-sized cabinet lined with iron—sometimes rusted—spikes on the inside. What we're seeing now is the true Iron Maiden. But I never knew it could be used to defend."
"Standing inside a conjured Iron Maiden to defend is certainly unheard of," exclaimed Riley, amused.
"What will she do now?" Lugh muttered, not daring to take his eyes off the Iron Maiden.
The iron gates separated slightly. A small portion of Aria's face peeked out.
"SOURCE EXPANSION MAGIC!"
As the words escaped her mouth, the Iron Maiden's glowing blue eyes intensified as its iron mouth slid open with a heavy clank.
A black lightning-like fog escaped, spiraling upward into the clouds.
The wind pressure intensified—
Then calm followed, only the gushing wind roaring across the field.
Grass bent low, trying its best not to be uprooted.
Even more mana—dense black lightning—surged from the gates as they opened with a screech.
His neck tilted upward as his eyes fixed on the dark clouds.
Only one word escaped his mouth.
"Amazing…"
Lugh's gaze returned to Aria, who stood enveloped in black lightning. From her feet, waves of dense black mana rippled outward in arcs.
The sky that once carried dark grey clouds now churned with black storm clouds pulsing with lightning.
A single strand of black thunder struck near him, crushing the ground. He remained unfazed.
Sensing danger, Sreya conjured a barrier around them.
"The stakes are getting too high. We're talking about Source Expansion."
Lisa stood in awe and shock. "This is a seasoned Expansion. Is mine even a match?"
Interesting fact:
Source Expansion is an extremely rare phenomenon. Only one Expansion can exist in an area. The stronger one devours the weaker.
Lugh smiled. "Is this it?"
She smiled back.
The black clouds twisted unnaturally as they formed a clearing and circled around it.
A giant face peered through the opening—
The face of a Maiden… the Iron Maiden.
Her eyes glowed bright blue like twin moons illuminating the grass field, now turned battlefield.
A voice echoed through the calm.
"Domain of the Iron Maiden."
Lugh, silent, drew his second and last sword. His mouth curved into a smile.
"You still treat me like light work? Bring out your true sword—the one you acquired in the labyrinth," Aria demanded, clearly feeling underestimated.
"Whatever you're talking about," Lugh replied with a sarcastic smile.
She clicked her tongue and raised her hands, palms facing him.
Black lightning condensed into a gaseous sphere before bursting forward in the form of an iron beam.
He prepared to dodge.
But his sword moved against his will and met the beam head-on, grinding against the high-speed attack.
He couldn't risk losing his grip.
Clenching the hilt, he held the blade steady.
Sparks erupted. The friction intensified until the blade began to catch fire.
The iron beam continued past him, wedging deep into the ground. Lugh was left with a molten slab of a sword.
Breathing heavily, he thought:
(She applied magnetic properties to that iron beam… Impressive.)
Those on standby looked puzzled.
"Why didn't he just dodge it?" asked Lisa.
"It's not that he didn't," Riley replied. "It's that he couldn't."
"What does that mean?" Merlin questioned.
"His sword moved against his will and clashed with the beam," Riley explained.
"Wait—magnetism! She can give magnetic properties to her spells," exclaimed Sreya.
"It's one thing after another," Lisa muttered, staring at Aria with a cryptic expression.
Some mages can apply special properties to their magic, altering how the spell behaves. This requires either supreme aptitude or insane understanding.
"Do you see now, Lugh?" Aria said, her eyes concerned. "Just how weakened you are? You don't know what you're up against. The Hero has a secret weapon made by the Sanctuary."
The group listened silently and intently.
Lugh steadied his breath and raised his gaze. His eyes glowed dark crimson.
Realization struck Aria.
(He won't back down… Who am I kidding? I never wanted him to back off. That's what I like about him.)
Black thunder—fractures of night—surged around Aria as she smiled.
"I ask the Iron Maiden… with thy power, I shall paint you red. Bestow me the Servant of Iron."
A screech echoed across the sky as the giant Maiden opened her mouth.
All trembled.
"Come forth—JUGGERNAUT!"
Something fell from the Maiden's mouth, crashing into the ground around Aria and lifting a massive cloud of dust.
The group stared in anticipation.
Lugh's eyes slowly widened as the dust settled.
A massive silhouette appeared, its blue eyes glowing through the smokescreen.
With a single scream, the smog dispersed.
Revealing—
A 50-foot mechanical iron destroyer, shaped like an ant. Blue vein-like patterns pulsed across its body. Its slender, spider-like legs were buried in thick iron plating, each claw nearly thirteen feet long. Its massive gaster glowed bright blue.
"WHAT THE HECK IS THAT!?" Lisa screamed.
Merlin and Sreya broke into cold sweats.
Riley was flabbergasted.
"It's an iron mechanical destroyer created from my Source Magic," Aria said sarcastically. "Intimidating, isn't it, Lugh?"
"Intimidating? Looks more cute than scary. But no matter—I'll squash it like the bug it is."
Lugh's voice dripped with mockery.
Aria remained unfazed.
Sensing danger, Lugh leapt back just in time to avoid a thrust from its claw.
The Juggernaut moved its other claw at unimaginable speed. He blocked, but was thrown away violently.
He landed safely after a somersault.
"That speed… It was unfathomable."
The group under the barrier looked bewildered.
"Guys… did you see that?" Lisa whispered, eyes wide.
"How is it so fast and agile!?" Merlin exclaimed.
"At that size no less…" Sreya added.
Aria pointed toward Lugh. "Juggernaut—continue the attack."
Obeying her command, the Juggernaut rushed at him, delivering a rapid combo of thrusts and slashes. Lugh barely dodged each one.
He found an opening, jumped toward its head, and punched its ocelli.
The impact was so immense that the giant creature was dragged backward despite having wedged its claws into the ground.
(He found a weak spot… even in the chaos I caused? And that punch…)
Aria was dumbfounded.
"Juggernaut, retreat!"
The ant-monster jumped back, standing behind Aria.
It lowered its head until its antennae hovered in front of her. She placed her hands between them as black mana gathered.
Lugh watched with anticipation.
"Lightning Flash Cannon—let's go!!"
Juggernaut raised its head, releasing a massive glitching beam of black lightning.
Lugh dodged.
Aria smirked as the avoided beam turned mid-air and aimed again.
"A guided attack," Lugh gritted his teeth.
He took the cannon head-on.
The impact caused a massive explosion, cracking even the barrier around the group.
Aria stared at the explosion in concern.
(Is he okay!?)
The smoke cleared—
Revealing Lugh standing, arms bruised but unfazed.
"Source Magic: Red Core. Just in time."
"Why don't you understand!?" Aria screamed as she lifted her arm to the sky.
A massive pillar elevated the Juggernaut 90 feet into the air.
Lugh looked up. Suddenly, iron vines grappled him, slamming him into the ground and cracking it.
"Why am I getting déjà vu…?"
The Juggernaut plummeted downward, claws aimed at him.
The earth exploded from the impact.
The barrier shattered.
Aria gasped for breath.
"Did I do too much? Will he be okay…?"
The girls stumbled, barely keeping their footing. Riley remained standing, shaken.
Aria stared at the smog—
Her eyes full of concern and anticipation.
The smoke slowly dissipated.
A large and small silhouette appeared.
Her eyes widened, mouth agape.
Lugh—kneeling—holding up the entire fifty-foot monster by its claws.
Riley smiled.
The girls were struck by metaphorical lightning.
Lugh slammed the over-inflated iron bug into the ground, cracking the earth. He walked toward it as red, blood-like mana enveloped him.
He patted the monster's head.
"Oh, you little buggo."
Red glowing veins crawled up his neck and forearms. His eyes glowed to match.
He grabbed one mandible with each hand.
"Source Magic—"
The blood-like mana intensified.
"Berserker's Core!"
He tore the Juggernaut in half from its mandibles to its gaster.
Horror struck Aria.
The girls covered their mouths.
Riley looked unfazed.
The halved bug lay lifeless.
Lugh walked away, now enveloped by black-mist mana as a sword materialized in his palm, pitch black.
He gazed up at the giant Maiden.
"Source Magic."
His voice carried weight as he took his stance.
"Oblivion Crack."
A black slash shot from his sword, slicing the Maiden in half. Everything formed from her Source Expansion was devoured by the void left behind.
Even the dead Juggernaut was lifted and vanished as the sky healed shut.
Aria watched in amazement—slightly terrified but more impressed.
Lugh walked toward her, blade in hand.
Riley was reminded of Vartr.
"That move… it's oddly similar. But how could that be…?" he mumbled.
Lisa and Merlin rushed to Aria, concerned.
"Lugh, come back to your senses!" Lisa shouted. (He stops holding back and fights to kill—just like with me.)
"The battle is over, Lugh," Merlin said, shaken. (Can all of us combined even stop him?)
They took positions, worried.
But Lugh quietly walked past them, stopping in front of Aria.
He raised his left hand and patted her head.
"Are you still worried about me? I can handle whatever they throw at me," he said with a soft smile.
Her eyes glistened as she looked into his.
"I was wrong… He hasn't been weakened at all. It's the opposite. He's actually stronger than he's ever been."
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