The two associate professors actually pulled off a combined technique. Meteors spiraled around a comet, arcane stars winding upward like a towering helix before crashing down toward him.
Yet Nolan continued charging forward, as if he had no concept of retreat.
At the very instant the "constellation" was about to collide with him...
Wrath of the Gods!
Nolan didn't bother with any extra motions and released the spell outright.
For a brief moment, the light before him twisted. A golden shockwave burst outward from his body, like an enormous invisible hand shoving forward, violently batting the stars back.
There were abilities in Dark Souls specifically meant to counter magic, but with the two worlds' systems being so different, they usually amounted to very little.
In the past, the gap in strength might have made this impossible.
But over this period of time, Nolan had practically emptied his teacher's reserves. That effort hadn't been wasted.
If he didn't have at least some confidence, he wouldn't have come here at all.
With a deafening crash, the shockwave slammed into the magic projectiles. The massive comet, nearly half a meter thick, was sent flying.
It smashed violently into the ceiling overhead, triggering a terrifying explosion.
Wood and stone burst outward as the ceiling was torn open, leaving a hole more than a meter wide.
The smaller meteors ricocheted wildly, ravaging the walls and leaving them riddled with deep pits.
Faced with such a sudden and ferocious counterattack, the two Sorcerers were thrown into momentary disarray.
Their carefully prepared assault had been broken with ease, and the resulting destruction was far beyond what they'd expected.
This didn't look like Carian Retaliation. Was that even magic?
Wall fixtures shattered under the impact of the stars and crashed to the floor. The lights went out, plunging the already dim corridor into total darkness.
Bloodhound's Step!
From the Haligtree to the academy, so much time had passed, and Nolan's mastery of this skill had only grown.
In an instant, he vanished.
He shot down the corridor, leapt high into the air, and landed directly in front of Geralt, bringing both greatswords down in a brutal strike.
For a scholar, losing an arm already counted as a grievous injury. Even the slightest movement was agony. If not for his unusually strong physique, he would have lost his ability to fight long ago.
Nolan didn't care.
The heavy blades slid in along the neck and abdomen, and blood sprayed out immediately.
This time, Roman failed to save him. Instead, he sprang lightly into the air and retreated at once.
They were scholars, not warriors. Even if their bodies were stronger than those of ordinary Cuckoo Knights, close-quarters combat was not their strength.
If it had been the combat specialists from the Haima Conspectus, they would have crushed Nolan with a single blow already. Roman, however, could only think about keeping his distance.
Where do you think you're going?!
Nolan rose and pursued without pause. The associate professor had already opened some distance, deftly avoiding the edge of the greatsword while lifting his staff and swinging it in rapid succession.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
Six streams of arcane meteors skimmed along the ceiling at extreme speed, the air bursting loudly wherever they passed.
Even the wooden debris overhead was blasted apart by the force, turning into sharp fragments that scattered in every direction.
Nolan repeated his old trick. The air compressed and twisted, and his pupils quivered slightly.
You really can't underestimate anyone.
This time, the meteors didn't slam straight into the barrier.
The blazing stars streaked through the darkness, leaving six curved trails of light. Just before touching the distorted wall of force, they abruptly changed course and scattered outward.
Once the initial impact faded, they looped around and rushed back in from behind, closing in on Nolan.
Even so, Nolan didn't panic.
Though he couldn't see the starlight behind him, his almost monstrous instincts picked up the overwhelming sense of danger rapidly approaching.
But his greatsword was faster. He could force the exchange.
Just as he was about to swing again, a blinding flash tore through the darkness, making his pupils contract violently.
An enormous arc-shaped wave, formed from condensed magic, surged forward. It was so massive that it barely fit within the narrow corridor as it spread.
Yet it still tore through walls and wooden panels alike, crashing down with unstoppable momentum.
Glintstone Arc!
Bloodhound's Step!
The distance between them was minimal. Nolan didn't hesitate for a second, slipping around behind his opponent. The earlier pincer attack might not have killed him outright, but it would certainly rob him of the ability to fight.
Boom!
The entire building seemed to shudder for an instant as the explosion rang out, magic surging forward like a collapsing mountain.
Nolan had just buried his blade into the opponent's shoulder when, before he could even steady himself, a Glintstone Comet slammed straight toward his head.
Bang!
It was a perfectly chained assault. The transition between spells was flawless. Even Wrath of the Gods was too slow to answer it.
Nolan snapped his wrist sharply, crossing the two greatswords in front of him. Blades and starlight collided, erupting in a blinding spray of sparks.
In the next moment, an overwhelming force crashed into him. His body lifted off the ground and was hurled backward, smashing violently into a massive door behind him.
With a sharp crack, the supposedly indestructible door gave way and shattered on the spot.
Nolan continued flying backward until, midair, he stabbed both swords into the ground behind him. Twin trenches several meters long were carved into the floor before he finally came to a halt.
He rolled his aching shoulders, slowly pushing himself upright. By the brilliant light of the glintstone chandelier overhead, he carefully took in his surroundings.
This circular hall was much smaller than the public library, but it held far fewer shelves, each one packed tightly to the brim.
What was stored here was clearly far more precious, its value vastly exceeding that of the ordinary books outside.
A faint, satisfied smile crept onto Nolan's lips. This was exactly the place he had been searching for.
It had to be said, hero-tier figures were never simple opponents.
Even after being forced into close quarters by a knight, Roman had remained calm, preparing his counterattack in advance.
He stood silently at the doorway now, eyes locked firmly on Nolan, making no reckless moves.
The violent clash earlier had already released enough magical fluctuations to trigger the alarm system.
Before long, countless Sorcerers would arrive and surround this place completely.
Roman only needed to do one thing: keep this intruder here.
"What are you waiting for?" Nolan said, subtly altering his voice. "Why aren't you putting out the fire?"
Roman froze for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the room.
What he saw made his eyes widen with shock and fury.
The recent battle had set the entire chamber ablaze. Flames crawled along the walls and bookshelves, thick black smoke filled the air, and the oppressive heat made it hard to breathe.
"Damn you!" Roman roared.
His voice echoed down the corridor, thick with rage and hatred.
As if he were cursing this despicable intruder for daring to trample on knowledge without understanding its worth.
...