CHAPTER 58— Spell showdown(1)
The cave had gotten silent.
A silence that came after a raging Strom.
The giant stone armoured Chimera Behemoth was now on the ground, turned into nothing but ashes.
The stone spirit had already left it and returned back to Seris, stumbling on it's way.
It's rocky body rose and fell unevenly.
The spirit looked exhausted.
Seris's eyes softened.
For a brief moment, the tension disappeared from his face.
He reached out and gently rubbed the spirit's head.
"It's okay."
His voice was quieter than before.
"You did good."
The stone spirit let out a low rumble.
Then it's body slowly dissolved into particles of mana.
Seris unsummoned it.
The cave fell silent.
Only the faint crackling of burning bones remained.
Then—
CREAK.
A sound of loud footstep echoed across the cave that had somewhat went quite for a moments ago.
Seris's eyes sharpened instantly.
He lifted his head and looked at the figure entering the cave.
The hairs resembling the color of a midnight storm—dark charcoal strands layered with faint streaks of silver-blue that shimmered beneath the firelight.
The metallic silver-gray eyes, that were coldly staring directly at Seris.
Like a Predator who has finally cornered his pray.
Ashwin's lips curved up slightly.
Not a smile.
Not quite.
Just enough to show he knew exactly how this situation would end.
His gaze briefly drifted toward his right hand.
The fingers trembled faintly.
Almost imperceptibly.
'Looks like I still can't handle that spell properly.'
He casually shook his hand once before continuing forward as if nothing had happened.
Seris looked at Ashwin who was standing infront of the cave entrance.
His breathing heavily and mind racing with thoughts.
'This guy... Huff... he was easily dealing with the Stone armoured Chimeras.'
He clenched his teeth.
'Huff... not only that but he also He defeated the spirit infused Behemoth.'
"Huff... Huff... Huff..."
'And the spells that he used... they were definitely the Tempest arts of Skyren.'
Huff... Huff...
"Just who is this guy?"
The atmosphere inside the cave turned tense instantly.
The burning fragments of the shattered bones of Behemoth still crackled faintly across the ground, scattering orange sparks into the dim cave.
Seris let out a dry laugh.
"Hah... You sure are persistent."
Ashwin simply kept walking.
Seris scratched the back of his neck.
"Huh... Not gonna talk, are you?"
Seris said looking at Ashwin but Ashwin didn't gave any answers and only walked.
His footsteps echoed across the cave.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Seris exhaled deeply.
"Okay... Then." He shrugged lightly. "Can I atleast know the name of the guy who is trying to Murder me."
Ashwin's footsteps came to a halt at those words.
The atmosphere got intense as a long silence streched between them.
"Ashwin." Ashwin calmly replied.
"Ashwin?" The name somehow felt familiar in Seris's tongue.
Ashwin started walking forward again. And as he walked more inside.
The flames of the burning bones illuminated the light on his face.
Suddenly Seris eyes widened when he finally get to have a better look on the face of Ashwin walking towards him.
'Wait?!'
A strange look crossed his face.
"Wait..."
He narrowed his eyes carefully at Ashwin.
"Silver-gray eyes..."
"Thunder and wind spells..."
"And that annoyingly calm and handsome face..."
A realization slowly dawned on him as the pieces clicked togather.
"...You are the Skybreaker Spellmaster?"
Ashwin just stood there at the mention of his title. There was no change in his expressions as if that was the most obvious thing to hear.
The other Grand Aetherion students who have finally finished fighting the Chimeras outside slowly spread out behind him, staffs and wands raised cautiously toward Seris from different directions.
Kaizen stood infront of the students, just a little behind Ashwin.
The mana was slowly starting to gather around his wand but then—
Ashwin lifted his hand.
"..."
Kaizen stared at Ashwin's hand then at his calm face and the sharp eyes, the confidence and the surety in them.
He slowly lowered his wand and then following him other students too. started lowering their wands and staffs.
"Hahahaha." Seris burst into laughter as he covered his eyes with the palm of his hand.
He then lifted his head and looked at Ashwin.
"I don't get it?"
He pointed at Ashwin.
"Why is someone so famous here personally chasing me!?"
Kaizen frowned.
"You should feel honored."
"I don't!" Seris replied instantly.
"Not even in the slightest."
His eyes carried genuine offence and anger towards this ridiculous situation.
Finally Ashwin opened his mouth and pointed towards Seris.
"You are a dark mage."
he then pointed towards himself.
"And I'm a true mage."
he lowered his hand.
"It's only natural for us to want to kill each other."
"Hah..."
Seris scoffed at him.
"You call yourself a true mage when you have surrounded me from all sides."
Behind Ashwin—
Several students muttered among themselves.
"Should we attack this guy?"
"Not right now. Ashwin has commanded us to stay grounded."
"Nah! But seriously.... That dark mage is getting on my nerves."
Seris heard every word.
He burst out laughing.
"PFFT—HAHAHAHAHA!!"
The loud laughter echoed throughout the cave.
Some students frowned in irritation.
Others looked uneasy.
Seris wiped the corner of his eye dramatically.
"Oh wow... Grand Aetherion students are funnier than I expected."
Ashwin however remained expressionless.
Seris pointed toward the students.
"You people are acting like you caught some legendary criminal."
His gaze swept across the students surrounding the cave entrance.
Some students were staring at him in irritation.
While Others clenched their staffs tightly.
Then—
He suddenly raised both hands lazily.
"Relax."
That casual gesture instantly made several students flinch.
"I am alone right now." Seris said with a grin.
He tilted his head slightly.
"And you people outnumber me so badly that even I feel sad for myself."
He let out a dry laugh.
"Is this what you call being a true mage? Sky breaker spellMaster. Where is fairness in this."
Ashwin looked at Seris his face still calm as ever not even a hint of anything.
"If you expect fairness in your battles then you have already lost them."
Seris flinched at Ashwin's words.
"The only people who preach about fairness are the ones who lack the strength to fight for it."
The students fell silent.
Even Kaizen unconsciously looked toward Ashwin.
"The world isn't ruled by fairness."
Ashwin continued walking forward.
"It is ruled by power."
His silver-gray eyes never left Seris.
"And the powerful decides what is fair."
A pause.
"The weak simply live by those decisions."
A long silence streched between them. no one dared to move, Kaizen glanced at Ashwin.
Even seris stood frozen, his eyes wide like he has been genuinely moved by those words.
"Wow"
He sounded impressed.
"Quite a philosopher you are."
"I'm just a mage."
"Yeah yeah, But still..."
Seris gestured around the cave.
"you are literally trying to jump me with twenty people."
"Hmh..."
A small breath escaped Ashwin.
Almost amused.
"Fine."
The surrounding students looked toward him.
"if fairness matters that much to you..."
He slowly raised his wand.
"Then let's see how far that fairness takes you."
The students immediately understood what Ashwin meant and immediately stepped back.
Ashwin aimed his wand forward.
"Let's have a spell showdown."
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CHAPTER ENDS