CHAPTER 139: DARK MISSILES

Unique Binding Factors are... well, unique.

As such, if one paid enough attention, they could detect the signature of the spell creator within their spell. But because, despite uniqueness, characteristics are usually common, nothing especially different or attention-grabbing is felt and all signatures are usually ignored.

That was not what Kerwin felt from Caius’s spell circle. He felt like the mind that conceived it didn’t belong in this world, hence the otherworldliness, and it filled him with a sense of anxiety.

During his spell cast, Caius noticed the expression but didn’t quite understand it. He didn’t think he had done anything special. He had simply cast one of the spells he had spent his time creating since he discovered his Unique Binding Factor.

To be fair, this was only the second time he was casting any of his created spells in anyone’s presence. The last time was when his father had walked in on him just as he cast ~Black Hand~, but Lucian hadn’t reacted like this.

Matter of fact, taking a second to look all over the room, none of the Council members were reacting like Kerwin had. They were glowering at Caius and casting worried looks at their creator as their fate rested on the result of the duel, but their anxiety had nothing to do with his spell.

His spell circle was complete now so Caius put that from his mind and continued with his spell cast.

~Dark Missiles~

The spell circle glowed a bright purple before summoning four darts packed with the forceful punch of the Dark element all in the space of a second. With his right index and middle fingers, Caius swiped at the darts and sent the darts flying at Kerwin from different directions like he was hoping to give the Coven Leader no room to survive.

Kerwin shook off the anxiety he felt from the otherworldly energy of the spell circle and slammed his palms together, creating a simple seal that imbued his feet with the speed required to dash from side to side, dodging every one of the Darts regardless of what direction they had come from.

Or so he thought.

As the darts went past him, Kerwin expected them to fly at the walls where they’d slam and fizzle out into nothing then he realized they had all spun around and were coming back at him.

Kerwin was transitioning from his movement spell cast into an attacking spell when the first dart struck him in the back.

"Ack!" He cried out and arched his back but the others were already striking him before the pain of the first could even fully set in.

Caius smiled at that.

~Dark Missiles~ was a homing spell. The conjured darts could not be dodged and would always seek their target until they made contact.

The darts all hit with enough force to slam Kerwin this way and that and get him to the ground to end the duel but he remained on his feet.

The parasitic nature of the Darkness packed into the Darts, burrowed into Kerwin’s body and ate away at his Mana reserves and physical strength, weakening him but still he endured.

Just holding out for the moment he could counterattack.

But even then, before the Darts had all struck Kerwin, Caius was already swinging his hand in front of him to summon another ~Dark Missiles~ spell circle to make another swipe at it and send more conjured darts flying at the Coven Leader.

This time, Kerwin realized dodging would do him no good and tried a defensive spell. The first attempt failed because the darts simply went around it and still struck him.

The second attempt succeeded because he now had the good sense to have the defensive spell closer to his body, moving it just in time to intercept the darts at the very second. Right when they were going to make contact with him.

Caius had to admit, that was impressive. Considering how much Kerwin was out of his element at the moment, he was doing very good. He had a level of refinement and spell control that was well past the Third Circle level of Magical enlightenment.

Apparently, there is only so much you can reduce someone who was originally at the Tenth Circle. They will always outclass you.

But Caius had expected this.

His trickery and deliberate use of wordplay had been to gain the upper hand and hold the initiative. It didn’t matter that most of his darts had gotten blocked now. What mattered was that the first set had made contact.

Every second that passed, Kerwin grew weaker. Every spell he cast from the moment the darts struck him and dug into his body to spread their parasitic agenda, was only furthering the damage that had been done.

Kerwin could tell as well. He gritted his teeth as he felt his Mana reserves dwindling and his physical energy waning due to his exertion. Especially with his precise defensive spell control.

Even then, Caius was still swinging and casting ~Dark Missiles

~ spell circle after spell circle, seemingly keeping up the barrage of darts.

Kerwin gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist causing the Storage Ring on his finger to flash as a device appeared in his palm.

There were various weapons in that Storage Ring but none were accessible to Kerwin as he currently was. They all had physical ability and Magical enlightenment requirements that used to fill him with a sense of pride because wielding them was proof of how far he had come and how close he was to his goal.

Only now, it left a bitter taste in his mouth that none could be used in this weak state he had been forced into.

But, moving past that, there was one thing Kerwin could use in all that heap of magical equipment and it was the device he now held in his hand.

The device was capable of being charged with magical energy to be saved for a one-time burst use. Kerwin never thought he’d need it. The magical energy within it was his to be granted to his Spawns in cases of emergency. But now, it would serve as his much-needed trump card.

There was no other requirement needed to unleash the Magical energy within the Device besides a clear intent. Gripping it tight, Kerwin flooded it with his intent and the Mana burst out.

Tenth Circle quality and absolutely terrifying. Not just to Caius but to everyone in the Council Hall. None of them was at that level of Magical Enlightenment and felt their hair stand on end.

The Aura alone cleared every dart of the ~Dark Missiles~ spell, finally freeing Kerwin from needing to expend his Mana reserves to defend himself.

The Magical energy within the device poured out. Once activated, it had to be used up and had a limit depending on how much it had been charged up.

Kerwin managed a smile now as he looked up at Caius and pointed the device to unleash what was left in the Device and bring this Duel to an end.

But Caius had somewhat expected this.

There was nothing Kerwin Leopold was capable of that [To Kill A Demon Lord...] had not shown in narrative. That included the existence of this device.

It was an impressive tool. Used by Kerwin’s emissaries to showcase power beyond their station when the ’Rise of Ophiuchus’ began in full swing. But there was a weakness that could be exploited.

When making use of this device, the wielder isn’t imbued with the Magical might. They merely point the device and let the magical energy pour out and do its thing. Meaning, whether it hits or not is dependent on how fast they can move it. On whether they can keep sight of their opponent or not.

Also, the attack wasn’t a spell. It didn’t have an actual form and was just raw energy capable of being weaponized. The lack of a spell structure makes it a lot more predictable. It follows a direct path and cannot be maneuvered like a spell possibly could so getting out of its path should work well enough for survival.

All in all, to counter this move, Caius simply had to be faster than the Coven Leader could comprehend. He had to be faster than Kerwin Leopold could change the direction the device and its output of magical energy were pointing at.

Caius had begun forming seals from the moment Kerwin retrieved the device from his Storage Ring and now he infused his Mana into it so that two spell circles appeared at his feet. Both were glowing a very bright red as he cast the second spell he had prepared for this day;

~Hellsong Stomp!~