[A target has been spotted.]
[Target level: Level 3 Mage]
[Magic Specialties: Telekinesis]
Upon reading the system notification, which was clearly referring to the person in front of him, Alex's body trembled slightly. Every cell seemed to activate all at once. It was a natural instinct when someone felt danger, and now, as a Paragon, Alex's instincts felt even sharper than before.
The man, identified as a mage, lifted his wand and clapped both hands together. Instantly, several parked cars nearby began to tremble. The doors of two cars at the side flung open and hurled themselves at Alex, aiming to crush him between them.
Bang!
The heavy clang of metal echoed as the car doors collided, closing in on what seemed to be Alex's position. It looked like he had been caught between them. But just as everyone thought he was trapped, a series of gunshots rang out from the side.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bullets flew directly toward the mage. Reacting quickly, the mage waved his hand, attempting to deflect the bullets with his telekinesis. But as he did, he noticed something strange.
Before he could act, several bullets struck his body, sending him stumbling backward and off-balance. He fell to the ground, stunned.
"Those bullets…?" the mage thought as he lay there. "They're infused with qi." He glanced down and saw that, thankfully, his robe had a protective enchantment, absorbing some of the impact. "Lucky for me, this robe has defensive attributes," he thought, struggling to get back on his feet.
Meanwhile, Alex was now perched on top of a car some distance away, steadying his aim. He could see he had landed his shots but held off from launching another attack just yet.
"That was too close," Alex muttered, exhaling deeply.
The mage's attack had come out of nowhere. Fortunately, with the system's warning and his heightened instincts, Alex had managed to activate his Phantom Body ability, phasing through the car doors just in time before taking his counteraction.
'This mage… he's at stage three of evolution. I might be able to take on a stage two Paragon, but stage three is something else entirely,' Alex thought, feeling the pressure of the situation.
"I need to stay calm and focus. First, I'll figure out the best skills to use here," Alex decided, readying himself for whatever came next.
-The Host's Perfected Skills-
[Phantom Body]
[Astral Body]
[Spiritual Eyes]
[Power Overlap]
[Energy Drain]
-The Host's Weapons-
[Death]
[Qi Handgun]
[Qi Cannon]
Alex reviewed his skills and weapons, assessing his chances in this fight. He wasn't certain how much of an advantage they'd give him, but he knew he had to try.
The Phantom Body skill would let him phase through attacks, allowing him to dodge and avoid direct hits. It also slightly strengthened his own attacks, though it wasn't foolproof.
The Astral Body skill depended on the Phantom Body to function. It created an image of himself, a projection he could use to confuse or distract an enemy. Unfortunately, this body couldn't attack—not at Alex's current level. The upside, though, was its ability to switch positions with Alex's real body at any moment, which could come in handy during the fight.
Then there was Spiritual Eyes, a technique that enabled him to see things normally invisible to the naked eye, like hidden traps or unseen enemies. It could reveal things others wouldn't notice.
Power Overlap was another valuable skill, but it could have been more effective if Alex knew more advanced combat moves. This skill allowed him to use two powers at once without suffering from the usual strain. Normally, high-level skills couldn't be combined, especially in battle, but Power Overlap let him do just that. However, due to his current level, he could only use two skills simultaneously.
Finally, Energy Drain gave him the ability to pull energy from others, but there was a limitation. Although Alex's friend Stan had somehow managed to use this skill beyond its usual restrictions, Alex faced a problem: his opponent was a mage, not a warrior.
Energy Drain only worked on fighters with physical energy similar to his own; it couldn't drain mana from mages, as Alex didn't possess mana himself.
Apart from his skills, he had his weapons. The axe he called Death, his Qi Handgun, and the Qi Cannon. Each weapon had unique strengths, and Alex knew he'd need every one of them to stand a chance against this mage.
"Regardless, I have to fight," Alex resolved in his mind.
While Alex analyzed his abilities and weaponry, the mage had regained his footing. His expression was cold, and it was clear he was irritated. The mage ignored Nad and Thalassa, who were standing behind him, focusing entirely on Alex.
Nad, observing the unfolding scene, quickly acted. He didn't waste a second and sent his drones forward to capture every moment of what was about to happen. The tiny drones moved silently, positioning themselves for the best angles, their lenses recording the tension in the air and every move that followed.
"I think it's best we get out of here," Nad whispered urgently to Thalassa. "The drones will record everything for us. I don't know who's going to win this fight, but no matter who does, I don't want to find out if they'd prefer us dead," he added, glancing anxiously between Alex and the mage.
Thalassa nodded, understanding the danger. Both of them began to back away slowly, careful not to make a sound that might draw attention. They took cover behind a wall, peeking out occasionally to watch the intense showdown that was about to erupt between Alex and the mage.
The mage, with Alex now in his sights, pointed his wand directly at him. The car Alex stood on lifted into the air with a single motion, but Alex had already jumped down. The mage wasn't done, though, and sent the car hurtling down towards him.
Alex was ready this time. He quickly stepped back, narrowly dodging the falling car as it crashed to the ground. But before he could catch his breath, more cars and debris were flung his way.
With sharp, precise movements, Alex managed to avoid each attack. This display of agility only infuriated the mage more.
"Stop moving around, you coward!" the mage yelled, his voice dripping with anger. "You're too afraid to even show your face!"
But just as he spoke, the mage felt two powerful blows land on him, knocking him off balance and sending him sprawling to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, only to spot another masked figure standing behind him.
"Thankfully, the Astral Body can still move and dodge on its own," Alex thought, glancing at the phantom projection he'd created.
The mage looked between Alex and the other figure, unable to tell them apart. He couldn't be sure if this new figure was another ally of Alex's or if it was some trick to distract him. But right now, the mage was inclined to believe the latter.
"So, you're the one who attacked me? I'll assume you're the real one, then," the mage sneered, turning his attention fully toward Alex. With a wave of his wand, he sent even more debris and broken pieces of the building hurtling toward Alex.
Alex, seeing the swarm of trash and debris coming his way, quickly assessed his options. He knew he couldn't dodge everything.
"One downside of using the Astral Body is that I can't use the Phantom Body on myself at the same time—not unless I use Power Overlap," he thought. "But thankfully, I learned the swapping technique."
Just as the debris struck where Alex stood, it all passed harmlessly through his body, colliding with each other as he phased through them, appearing on the other side untouched.
Meanwhile, the mage was once again caught off guard by a loud bang, followed by sharp pain as he was knocked to the ground once more.
"How…? This person, he's just a stage-one Paragon—how is he able to use skills like this?" the mage muttered, frustrated and bewildered. Being a Paragon himself, he could instantly recognize that Alex was still at stage one. He couldn't understand how someone at such a low level could pull off such advanced techniques.
Alex watched the mage from a short distance, unsure of his next move.
"It's a good thing the Astral Body is only a projection of my Phantom Body. It can't be harmed, no matter what attacks come its way. But now… what should I do next?" he muttered to himself, contemplating his next strategy.
With his Astral Body active, Alex knew he couldn't use his Phantom Body directly on himself. However, he still had the option to switch, turning his current form into the Astral Body while making the other his real body. And that's exactly what he did just now.
But a question lingered in Alex's mind: what should he do next? While the mage hadn't been defeated, Alex felt he'd managed to tilt the odds slightly in his favor. Now he had a decision to make.
"Should I kill him?" Alex wondered. The thought had crossed his mind, but he hesitated. Killing was something he wasn't ready for yet.
"Alright, then," he decided. "I'll just knock him out and see what happens after."
The mage was still struggling to get up when Alex rushed forward, aiming his guns at the mage's hand to disarm him.
But at that exact moment, a powerful blast of air surged out. The force struck Alex, sending him flying backward until he crashed into a car behind him.
"Ugh… What was that?" Alex thought, wincing in pain as he tried to push himself up.
Meanwhile, in front of him, the mage had risen into the air. No longer standing on the ground, he hovered high up, his robe swirling around him as gusts of wind gathered at his feet.
"You are a dangerous person…" the mage said, his voice filled with anger. "A stage-one Paragon, capable of even touching a stage-three? You've insulted me. I won't grant you a quick death. I'll make you experience true hell."
With that, the mage suddenly descended, slamming into the ground with tremendous force. The impact unleashed a massive shockwave, a powerful gust of wind hurtling toward Alex.
Seeing the incoming attack, Alex gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain, and forced himself up. Quickly, he used his swapping technique again, appearing on the opposite side of the mage. But what he hadn't anticipated was that the wind wasn't moving in just one direction. It spread outward in a wide circle, slamming into nearby buildings and heading straight for him from multiple directions.
Alex barely had a moment to react before the force hit him hard. He was swept off his feet, thrown further down the street, tumbling and rolling painfully as he struggled to regain control.