No one answered, or rather, Thorne had no time to answer. His ankles sank into the muddy ground, carving out a trail several meters long, his hands gripped his sword and raised it above his head. Ichimonji! Spirit, energy, and mind converged into a single line; it was the most simplistic downward slash, yet the bursting cold air added a touch of magnificence to its simplicity. The water column solidified into ice, only to be severed right through the middle. Pushed back several meters, Thorne slid forward again, raising his long sword for a second time. Ichimonji: Double! Clang!!
The sound of metal clashing made ears ring. The puppet's lobster claw clamped onto the blade, and its immense strength meant it only swayed slightly. A suppression of strength. Its mouthparts opened, pressing against the target's forehead to unleash a water cannon. Swish—
However, Thorne had already released the sword and stepped forward. He felt a chill on his head as his hood was blasted to pieces. Fortunately, the witch's hood was slightly larger than his head, though he still felt a tearing pain across the top of his skull.
Thorne had no time to worry about going bald now; he pressed in close, slamming his palm against the puppet's chest, focusing all his strength into a single point. Pow! The unique force penetrated the hard shell, causing the top-heavy puppet to tilt backward. Just as it struggled to regain its balance, Thorne took another step, as if plastered against its chest, and unleashed even greater power from his shoulder. Kowtow Combo Punch! Palm strike followed by a shoulder bash.
Thorne's current physical fitness ranked highly even among the Cuckoo Knights; he could snap a large tree in half with such a strike. The lobster puppet's hard shell blocked the attack, but the momentum sent it flying. Thorne raised his hand, catching the hilt of his sword just as it was released from the claw. Clang—
Sparks flew as star-frost was drawn. He turned to the side, meeting the light that illuminated him. Seluvis had not been idle.
Even though he didn't understand where this brat had learned such strange martial arts, he transformed his staff into a blade of light and thrust it forward. Carian Piercer! Thops's Barrier! A blue ripple bloomed. The blade of light, capable of piercing through an armored knight, deflected slightly upon contact—only a few inches—but it grazed Thorne's waist, tearing his robe and sending bright red blood splattering into the air. "What kind of hellish magic is this!" Seluvis felt no joy.
He kicked backward; his modified body was countless times faster than an ordinary mage's, but a flash of cold light struck, splitting the mask on his face in two and knocking his staff away. 'I cannot let him get close, and I must be wary of his magic.'
The magic professor's face was a mask of seriousness. The sword scar, forgotten. Weaknesses, this body still had them! He backpedaled, each jump a frantic retreat. Sword light, a persistent hunter. Seluvis felt no anxiety. The Pot Man and the lobster were here. They would help.
The puppets possessed endless stamina. Seluvis wanted to see how many times this man could unleash such bursts of power.
Bang!
A poison pot exploded between them. The noxious gas did nothing to Seluvis. Thorne, however, was forced to halt his advance.
"You're finished!" Seluvis retreated to the edge of the woods and stopped. He considered capturing Thorne alive. If he could learn the secrets of that strange forcefield magic, Raya Lucaria Academy would be his.
Thorne stood his ground. Behind him, the Elden Pot King and the Lord of Lobsters. He did not run. Instead, he spread his feet, crouched, held his sword. The tip of the blade rested against the web of his left hand.
"That's not necessarily true."
Stubborn. Seluvis wanted to laugh. He waited for this idiot, who had exhausted all his tricks, to run out of stamina. He was already planning how to extract the theory of the forcefield. Hmm, I'll cut off his limbs first.
It wouldn't be too late to do it after developing a more intelligent puppet potion. Something felt wrong. He looked down. The Cuckoo Knight, just finished off, was propping itself up. Coughing up viscera and meat fragments. Smiling.
"Hmm? You didn't die?"
No answer. A violent, berserk roar filled the air.
"Next time you kill someone, remember to finish them off!"
The iron claw clamped onto Thorne's waist. He launched forward, an arrow loosed from a bowstring. Straight for Seluvis. Giant Ninja Thrust! Leaves scattered. The momentum, terrifying. Seluvis, a mage, wanted to dodge. His feet held fast by the knight. He roared.
"You!!"
"Die together!"
In a flash, Seluvis raised his head. A strong wind brushed his face. The long sword pierced his chest. His entire body lifted into the air.
Thorne stomped the knight's head into the mud. Stood on the body, rushing forward. The fierce night wind tore the hood away. His true face revealed. He looked at the horrified Seluvis, and grim white teeth grinned. The swordsman—
—was laughing wildly!