Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 685: Spirit Magic I

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Brock Peyton initiated a swift charge, his target directly Alex.

Alex responded by urging Dread forward, the beast veering sharply to the side. However, a potent mystic art descended, dramatically accelerating Peyton's speed.

A cold glint appeared simultaneously in the eyes of both rider and mount as Alex recognized this shift. Dread immediately unleashed a new ability, a boon from the Stele Trials.

[Man-Horse Union]!

[Abyssal Conqueror’s Step: First Step – Ghost Steps]!

A profound synchronization settled between man and steed, their movements becoming unnervingly unified. In this brief instance of perfect accord, Alex could perform his movement techniques even while mounted.

Boom!

With flawless coordination, they evaded Peyton’s sword strike. The attack gouged a deep, narrow trench into the earth, kicking up a dense cloud of dust.

[Second Step – Phantom’s Veil]!

Drawing upon their shared affinity for Darkness, rider and steed dissolved into the swirling dust and shadows. They slipped past the closing encirclement, evading the other Lost Heathen Combat Master who was advancing from behind.

[Dragon Kumite: Burst]!

Bang!

Erupting from their concealment, Dread appeared behind the flanking Combat Master, delivering a devastating back kick. Concurrently, Alex channeled mana through Dread’s hooves, magnifying the strike's power.

The Combat Master was flung backward through the dust, crashing hard across the ground before finally stopping more than a hundred meters away.

[Third Step – Wraith’s Crossing]!

Their forms flickered once more, reappearing directly in front of the old sorcerer. Without delay, Dread launched another powerful kick, aiming to neutralize the caster and, with him, Peyton’s enhancement.

But Peyton reacted with lightning speed.

He materialized before the sorcerer just in time, absorbing the full force of the blow to protect him.

[Third Step – Wraith’s Crossing]!

Alex and Dread did not press the assault. They disengaged instantly, creating substantial distance from their adversaries. Peyton attempted to give chase, clearly aiming to dislodge Alex from his mount—yet two legs simply could not match the speed of four.

Ultimately, he ceased the pursuit, unwilling to venture too far from the sorcerer and risk another sudden attack.

As the distance widened, Alex began to perceive the strain their rapid maneuvers had placed upon Dread.

After all, this was their inaugural combat deployment of Man-Horse Union. Furthermore, techniques like Abyssal Conqueror’s Step and even Dragon Kumite were not originally conceived for a horse's physical structure or mana pathways.

This was compounded by the mental fatigue of engaging in a high-stakes battle against not one, but three superior Class 4 opponents.

Alex reached out, gently patting Dread’s neck.

"It's alright, buddy. I'll handle things from here. Go to the missuses," he stated as he dismounted.

Dread nudged Alex’s shoulder with his muzzle in acknowledgment, then turned and galloped away without hesitation.

[Lightning Bolt]!

Bang!

The other Lost Heathen Combat Master rose to pursue, but a sudden lightning bolt from Alex compelled him to abandon the chase.

Brock Peyton, the second Combat Master, and the ancient sorcerer all turned their gazes towards Alex, their murderous intent palpable.

Alex casually cracked his neck, as if facing them alone was a trivial matter.

"One against three... that should be just about fair odds for you," he remarked with a slight smile. "I have a few more methods I'd like to test. Do try your best to keep me entertained."

[Body Strengthening Magic]! [Dragon Kumite]! [Aura Coating]!!

[Featherflight]! [Silver Body]! [Bear Strength]! [All Attribute Buff]!

[Velkar: Battle Instincts]! [All-Weapon Intent]!

[Abyssal Conqueror’s Step]!

In an instant, Alex's energy output surged dramatically as he activated every enhancement technique available to him.

The three Lost Heathen Class 4s exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a shared astonishment. Alex's energy signature had already surpassed the upper limits of a typical Class 3, firmly entering the realm of a veteran Class 4 combatant.

This was not the display of someone without significant backing.

For a brief moment, hesitation clouded their intentions.

However, Alex offered them no opportunity to act upon it.

"Hey, old relic," Alex suddenly called out. "You said you missed your disciple, didn’t you? Allow me to help you reminisce."

A complex spell formation materialized before him, rapidly absorbing the surrounding fire and light mana. Within moments, a serpentine form began to emerge from its core.

Soon, its complete shape was revealed—a Five-Clawed Scorching Divine Dragon.

It bore a striking resemblance to the construct Alex had previously manifested by intercepting the Flame Dragon mystic art employed by the old sorcerer’s disciple at the shipment depot some days prior.

But this time... something felt different.

A sliver of AetherKindle materialized in Alex’s grasp. Without a second thought, he thrust it into the fabricated dragon’s form.

Instantly, the construct’s previously vacant gaze flickered—a faint, unnerving spark of sentience appearing within.

[Spirit Magic: Five-Clawed Divine Dragon]!

The incantation’s designation resounded within Alex’s consciousness.

Spirit Magic—the art of summoning conscious beings from other dimensions or planes—was unknown in both Pangea and Verdantis.

Yet, observing mages bring their spells to life, especially the one at the shipping point, had planted a seed of inquiry in Alex’s mind.

Could he devise his own iteration of Spirit Magic?

By utilizing AetherKindle as a focal point, Alex managed to bifurcate his concentration, guiding the conjured dragon as if it were a genuine spirit under his direct control.

‘It seems one is my current maximum without more practice,’ Alex mused internally.

Fortunately, he was already adept at dividing his focus—juggling AetherKindle with a portion of his attention while allocating the remainder elsewhere—so the strain, while noticeable, remained within his capacity to manage.

The Five-Clawed Divine Dragon launched itself forward unexpectedly, its target the aged mage.

The aerial construct exhibited remarkable speed and nimbleness, enabling it to dart and weave through the combat zone, bypassing the defenses of Brock Peyton and the other Combat Masters to assault its intended adversary.

The old man, however, was far from unprepared.

Three concentric layers of solidified [Iron Dome] enveloped him, each barrier bolstering the ones adjacent.

Alex was intimately familiar with this spell. Even a solitary layer had only narrowly repelled the [Scorching Divine Dragon] spell he had previously cast upon the mage’s apprentice.

Breaching all three layers in one go would prove a significant challenge.

But that had never been his objective.

The Five-Clawed Divine Dragon coiled around the elderly sorcerer, wrenching him—barriers included—away from Peyton and the remaining Combat Masters.

Peyton and his companion instantly pursued—

—but were compelled to cease their advance as a sudden wave of intense heat flooded the vicinity.

A colossal Grade 7 [Greater Fireball] plummeted directly into their pursuit path.

Boom!

The detonation ripped across the battlefield, its concussive force propagating for hundreds of meters.

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