CHAPTER 67: THE MACHINE VERSUS THE MASTERPIECE (2)

"Sister-in-law stop."

Ravian placed a hand in front of Ellie, halting her.

"Why are you in my way?" Ellie asked, slightly annoyed.

She then narrowed her eyes. "Don’t tell me..." She paused, clearly choosing her words. "...You’ve caught feelings for me?"

Ravian’s face flushed as he turned to her. "What?" he stammered. "No, I like Emily, not you."

His already warm expression deepened into a crimson hue, while Emily, who stood beside Cecilia, also blushed.

Ellie smiled softly, tapped his shoulder, and walked past. "If you don’t like me, then go protect your girlfriend."

Ravian lingered for a moment before saying, "It was Naza who wanted to stop you."

Ellie turned her head and saw Naza standing behind Ravian. "You wanted to stop me?"

Naza nodded.

Ellie didn’t know much about Naza, but Arthur had previously told her he was powerful.

’Is he trying to fight Ha-joon?’ She glanced at Ha-joon, who looked ready to strike. ’Well, I definitely can’t beat him.’

She sighed. "Alright, Mr. Naza, do what you want."

Naza nodded several times at Ravian.

Ravian, after watching him for a moment, turned to Ellie. "He said you should give him your wand or anything, he forgot his weapon."

Ellie narrowed her eyes. "If you want something..."

She pulled a branch from the root beside her. "Then take this."

’It isn’t like I don’t trust him,’ Ellie thought. ’But no sane mage can give a stranger their wand.’

However, Ellie never expected Naza to actually accept the stick. But he did, and stepped in front of the group.

Everyone stood frozen as the dark-skinned boy walked up to Ha-joon without uttering a word.

Ha-joon smirked. "What? Are you planning to defeat me with a twig?"

Naza nodded and shifted into a stance.

Ha-joon scoffed, forming an orb of purple light at his fingertip and hurling it toward Naza.

Naza took a deep breath as golden light enveloped him, his eyes glimmering like some divine being.

In a flash, he lunged forward and split the orb in half with a force blade formed with the stick.

Ha-joon’s eyes widened, stunned, but Naza didn’t stop. He twisted his body and brought the edge of the now-glowing stick toward Ha-joon’s neck.

Just like the move from the Bruce Sword Art, an invisible force surged from the tip, aimed directly at Ha-joon’s throat.

Ha-joon tried to deflect it, but it was too powerful.

It was unlike anything a low-ranking Graduator should be capable of.

As Ha-joon crashed into a tree, he let out a loud, echoing laugh.

"That actually felt good," he said, wiping blood from the side of his lips. "Naza, was it?" He grinned. "I think I like you."

Naza didn’t respond, as if he couldn’t speak at all.

Ha-joon clicked his tongue and lunged forward again, his index finger extended.

Naza dodged left and deflected the strike with the stick, their auras colliding, golden and purple energy bursting into a brilliant display.

Ellie, watching their duel, quickly conjured a lightning blade and hurled it toward Naza, using her wand as the center anchor.

No words passed between them as Ha-joon crafted a blade from his violet demonic mana.

Ha-joon’s grin widened. "Good. Good. Fight me harder. Risk everything and fight me, the one chosen by the world."

...

Ravian, meanwhile, seized the moment to get the students to safety.

"Alright, if you’re not at least a mid-rank Expert, then leave the area."

The students didn’t need to be told twice. They fled for their lives.

Pride or heroism wouldn’t keep them alive.

Only Ellie, Cassie, Cecilia, Ayla, Emily, Karma, Cale, Eric, Vicky, Ravian, Ren, and Naza remained.

Eric observed the battle at the center, corrosive purple energy clashing with blue lightning and golden light, and sighed.

"I guess I’ll join too."

Everyone turned toward him as his expression shifted from lazy indifference to something they’d never seen before.

He calmly unsheathed his odachi and used the rubber strap on the scabbard to tie his hair, revealing eyes that looked surreal.

Colors danced within his irises like a rainbow, only with far more shades.

He lowered his stance, then vanished, reappearing in front of Ha-joon just as the latter’s nails were about to touch Naza’s skin.

"Hey man..." he said in a calm, deep voice. "Need backup?"

Naza stared at the figure who appeared before him and smiled faintly.

Eric pushed Ha-joon back and handed Naza a katana.

Naza looked at it, then back at Eric.

Eric looked at him too. "Oh..." he said, as if just realizing. "It was Cassie who lent it to you. She said she’s got spares."

Naza nodded, then moved beside Eric, who raised his blade.

"So, how about it... Let’s become partners."

Ha-joon smirked, seemingly thrilled by the acknowledgment. "Two versus one, huh?" He lifted his chin. "Just don’t die too quickly, alright?"

He raised a finger with a grin, and as though he’d foreseen everything, shifted his gaze toward where Ellie stood.

"You know what, Ellie?"

Ellie’s eyes widened as he looked straight at her.

Ha-joon continued, "It’s not like I hate you or anything." Then added, "But you’re way too obsessed with Arthur Arcain."

A small, compressed orb formed at the tip of his outstretched finger. "So die for me." He smiled coldly. "Your death will be the trigger for my triumph."

Ellie gripped her main staff tightly. ’I can block it...’ her eyes sharpened. ’I can...’

But before she could even fully channel her mana, the orb left his hand, faster than she could react.

’How...’ she thought, her life flashing before her eyes as Ha-joon grinned.

Strangely, the only image that surfaced was Arthur. Not her traumatic past or the bullying she endured as a child.

And that memory alone made her smile.

Ha-joon’s face twisted as he noticed her smile.

But before the orb could make contact with her, it vanished, as though it had never existed.

And the faint purple light that illuminated the dense forest disappeared like it was never there.

"I guess I’m not late."

A lone voice echoed through the forest, the subtle sound of footsteps brushing fallen leaves following it.

The main character had finally arrived.

─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───