"I didn't notice it from outside just now, but the Magic Palace actually has a main gate, and there are two huge stone statues standing there. It's truly magnificent!"
Magna exclaimed as he gazed at the colossal, snow-covered stone statues and the towering stone gate of the Magic Palace.
The statues, each holding a greatsword with both hands, stood majestically on either side, their towering forms firmly guarding the stone gate behind them.
The four continued forward, stepping onto the platform in front of the stone gate. Just as they were wondering how to open the massive door, small fragments of stone began to fall from above, accompanied by a low rumbling sound.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Is the Magic Palace collapsing?"
Magna cried out in alarm, watching the scattered debris fall and the ground begin to tremble slightly.
Lightning Magic-armored boots appeared on Luck's feet. He scoffed dismissively, "Idiot Magna, the Magic Palace isn't collapsing, the stone statues are moving!"
"Moving?"
Magna looked up to his right. The statue, which had been standing still with its colossal greatsword, swung its sword down. The two greatswords crossed into an "X" shape and crashed down heavily, creating a rushing sound as they cut through the air.
"Watch out!"
Fragil's warning sent the four scrambling away, fleeing the platform in front of the stone gate. The two greatswords struck the stone platform, instantly caving it in and splitting it into four pieces, sending dust flying.
Logically, large objects move slower and react less quickly, but this stone statue's movements were exceptionally swift. The broad stone sword, now on the ground, swept horizontally towards where Luck and the other three had fled.
Due to the size of the stone sword, the sweep covered a wide area, making it almost impossible to avoid.
Luck seized the opportunity, leaping up. A flash of surging Lightning Magic appeared, and he step on stepped onto the greatsword, cleverly avoiding the stone sword's attack while actively launching an assault on the statue.
Like an ant on a giant's body, blue arcs of light trailed behind him in long lines. In a few blinks of an eye, he appeared before the statue's large face, his Lightning Magic-armored hands rubbing together to form a lightning ball.
A swift Bursting Orb of Thunder exploded directly on the statue's face, sending shattered stone fragments flying everywhere.
A flaming baseball bat appeared in Magna's hand. Just as he was about to unleash a few violent fireballs to smash the statue's greatsword to pieces, Bai En acted first, a small sword wreathed in eerie light piercing towards the stone sword.
Before it even made contact, a crushing sound filled the air. With a whistle, the two sweeping stone swords shattered inch by inch, as if crushed directly by a heavy object.
Another shimmering white line flew out from beside Bai En. The Severing Visage sliced downwards, pulverizing the other statue. The shattered stone fragments rained down from above like a meteor shower, forming two piles of discarded rubble.
"What... what kind of magic is this?"
Magna murmured, gripping his flaming baseball bat. Last night, due to the poor visibility and the Bandit Group, he hadn't paid much attention to Bai En's fight with the Bandit Group leader, only vaguely sensing that the magic next door was very powerful.
Watching Bai En act formally, with two powerful and fast-flying longswords, he felt a little dazed. 'Is it some kind of metal-controlling magic?'
'So cool!'
Bai En was unaware of Magna's thoughts. He walked to the pile of rubble and began to observe it. Mixed among the stones were some colorful fragments. "It's not magic, it's an ancient grimoire tool..."
The four regrouped slightly. After observing that there were no further dangers, Luck used several Bursting Orbs of Thunder to blast open the main gate of the Magic Palace. Golden magic flowed out from within, like a gentle breeze.
They walked in through the main gate, emerging from a long corridor into a dimly lit space. Dark purple crystal lamps hung high above, revealing a hollow, loft-style environment.
Ahead was a circular platform connecting to a one-way passage, with no railings around it. Below the circular platform was a flowing silver liquid, like a lake.
"A space warped by magic?"
"It's completely different from last time. I wonder if there's a treasure vault here." As he pondered, Bai En suddenly stared straight ahead. Unbeknownst to him, a small figure had appeared on the empty circular platform.
Upon closer inspection, the small figure was juggling four blocks, tossing them from hand to hand as if dancing with small balls. The four blocks tumbling in the air resembled oversized dice.
The light flickered, illuminating his face, revealing a clown's visage outlined in white and red paint.
In the extremely quiet environment, the clown performed acrobatics on the circular platform, appearing somewhat eerie.
Magna's mouth twitched involuntarily: "He... what is he doing? That appearance... is he playing a clown?"
"Wait..."
Magna seemed to remember something, slowly taking a few steps back. "Isn't this the Magic Palace? The Magic Palace is a graveyard! Why would there be someone here?"
"He's not a ghost, is he?!"
"Haha ~ Magna, are you too timid?" Luck mocked Magna, who was retreating, but he himself walked along the narrow path towards the circular platform. Bai En and Fragil followed behind.
Seeing that no one else was around and everyone was moving forward, Magna's expression changed, and he hurriedly followed.
Luck looked at the clown, who still hadn't stopped moving in front of him, and tentatively asked, "Hey, let's fight, okay? You must be pretty strong, right?"
The clown did not respond to him.
A Bursting Orb of Thunder shot out from his hand, the lightning grazing the clown and striking the ground, blasting a considerable crater.
"What the?"
"No reaction at all... it's a toy! How boring." Luck's enthusiasm instantly plummeted.
Bai En also walked forward. He gazed at the clown, who was continuously spinning the dice, his eyes narrowing slightly. He reached out, preparing to take one of the dice. As his palm just touched the die, whoosh, the die and the clown moved away.
He appeared a little further back.
"Eh? Interesting!"
Luck looked at the clown, who had eerily appeared behind him, and lightning boots reformed on his feet, the electric arcs crackling softly. He instantly darted forward to snatch the dice the clown was spinning.
With a "sizzle" sound.
A deep scorch mark was left on the ground. Luck screeched to a halt at the edge of the circular platform. He had not successfully grabbed the clown's dice, his golden hair swaying slightly, revealing a pair of fervent eyes.
Luck turned to look at the clown, who had appeared on the other side of the circular platform, a smile playing on his lips.
"Again!"
Lightning flashed back and forth on the circular platform. The afterimages left by the swift speed intertwined like messy, chaotic lines.
But... Luck was never able to snatch the dice from the clown's hand.
He couldn't even touch his body.
Bai En observed the clown's movements. 'There's no dodging motion; it's as if he's moving his position out of thin air.'
'So it's not about speed, but... spatial magic?'
Thinking this, Magic Conversion flew out from Bai En's grimoire. A black glow expanded from the sword, enveloping the clown who was juggling the dice. Luck darted in, his Lightning God boots disappearing, but he still maintained a charging posture, reaching out to touch the dice.
The clown, who should have dodged, paused slightly in his movement...