The Golem Mage Chapter 1109: Ways Of The Sword 1.

Despite the two golems charging forth, Takeda remained unfazed. He unleashed two rapid slashes, sending waves of sword Qi slicing through the air before they could reach their targets.

After launching his strikes, Legion retreated, dropped to one knee, and readied his custom-built sniper rifle. Titan, meanwhile, continued his relentless advance, maintaining a low profile with his hands trailing behind him.

As the sword Qi reached Titan, he subtly shifted his body, narrowly evading the attack. He then closed the distance, entering Takeda’s immediate range, but a confident smile had already appeared on Takeda’s face.

With a swift backhand, Takeda aimed the hilt of his sword directly at Titan’s neck. However, just as the blow was about to land, Titan’s left hand shot out to intercept. A dull thud echoed as the block connected, followed by a shockwave that radiated across the ground.

Though it appeared to be a simple clash, the force behind Takeda's strike was far greater than it seemed.

Titan managed to parry the blow, but he lacked the strength to hold Takeda in place. Seeing his initial attack thwarted, Takeda immediately followed up with two precise kicks, forcing Titan to his knees.

The first kick struck Titan’s shin, and the second impacted his knee. Takeda understood perfectly well that disrupting a golem’s combat effectiveness required more than just an imbalance. He ensured the second strike was powerful enough to bring him down.

With Titan immobilized, Takeda pressed his advantage, delivering a third strike. He sharply raised his knee, slamming it into Titan’s upper jaw, causing the golem’s head to snap back.

Bang!

At that precise instant, Legion, seizing his opportunity, fired his rifle. The result was entirely unexpected by Takeda, who was sent hurtling through the air by the blast, his body soaring backward until he collided forcefully with a nearby rocky mountain wall.

A fraction of a second later, Takeda propelled himself free from the rock face he was embedded in, his vision blurred as he landed face-down. Trying to clear his sight, he gritted his teeth.

Looking up, he saw Titan’s fist already hurtling towards him. He barely had time to curse at the golem before the punch landed squarely on his face. He attempted to shift his body to evade, but this time, a subtle, icy domain seemed to envelop Titan, making him the epicenter of an aura of cold. The closer Titan got, the more Takeda felt its effects.

He considered combining his own elemental abilities to counter with ice manipulation but, after a few moments of trying, realized it would be futile. The domain clearly identified him as an opponent, weakening his movements the nearer he got to Titan.

“Didn’t I just deal with you?” Takeda exclaimed, but even as he spoke, another punch connected solidly with his jaw.

“It’s my turn now!” Titan responded.

Before the onlookers could fully grasp the situation, Titan’s fists were deflecting Takeda’s katana slashes. Simultaneously, Titan conjured ice to bolster his defenses, erecting ice walls to prevent a knockout and employing ice spikes when necessary, each one forcing Takeda to retreat.

While Titan couldn't match Takeda's raw power, the persistent threat of Legion's sniper fire from afar placed Takeda in a perilous position.

He hesitated to bypass Titan, fearing a bullet awaiting him on the other side, and with every passing second, the chilling effects of Titan’s mini-domain slowed him further.

Takeda recognized that a prolonged engagement would be disadvantageous. If the fight dragged on, he would inevitably lose. The realization caused his eyes to widen, and he used Titan’s latest assault as an opportunity to propel himself backward, creating crucial distance.

Bang!

The moment a small opening appeared, Legion, already positioned on one knee with his eye pressed to the scope, fired without hesitation.

He unleashed his shot the instant Takeda moved far enough from Titan. This time, however, Takeda was prepared. He tilted his head slightly, allowing the bullet to graze his neck rather than strike true.

Legion offered no respite, continuing to fire relentlessly, his gaze locked on the scope. He absorbed the jarring recoil of the sniper rifle against his shoulder without a flinch.

In response, Takeda was compelled to continue his swordplay, deflecting the incoming projectiles to his sides. Despite his efforts, Takeda found himself at a disadvantage, as each bullet deflected still pushed him backward, even with his boots firmly planted in the earth.

“We could continue this indefinitely without reaching a conclusion. When you expressed a desire to end this, I anticipated you would confront me directly. Don't tell me you're merely a coward,” Takeda taunted after finally disengaging from Legion’s relentless assault while the golem paused to reload.

Alec, who had been meticulously observing the entire engagement while advancing incrementally, was finally provoked by Takeda's words. Takeda’s ostentatious display of arrogance held little sway over him.

He was keen to ascertain the limits of his two most formidable golems when pitted against a prodigy Tier 8 human mage, especially without the support of their captain-ranked counterparts.

During their encounters in the Beast Forest, they had never faced Tier 8 Demonic Beasts independently. Their strategy always involved their unit of captain-ranked golems, whose presence augmented their capabilities, enabling them to gradually gain the upper hand against such formidable Tier 8 opponents.

However, facing a talent like Takeda had altered the dynamic entirely. Since Alec had no inclination to reveal the full might of his golem army, he instructed his main golems to hold back significantly during the battle, as he wished to avoid explaining their exceptional power levels.

Conversely, he harbored complete confidence in his ability to vanquish Takeda personally. Based on his observations, he believed Legion and Titan, in tandem, could force Takeda into a stalemate. Yet, they lacked the decisive edge to secure a victory unless they deployed certain specialized abilities he had expressly forbidden them from using.

This was precisely what differentiated Takeda from an ordinary Tier 8 mage in Alec's estimation. Although Takeda's current strength was a result of fused avatars, his extraordinary innate talent remained undeniable.

“Legion! Titan! That is sufficient.”

Titan had already closed the distance with Takeda once more and was poised to strike with the obsidian axe hovering at his side. However, the instant Alec's command echoed, Titan ceased his action immediately and retreated. Legion mirrored his subordinate’s compliance.

Alec then proceeded to walk deliberately into Takeda’s striking range, his gaze serene. Takeda was taken aback to find only Alec Gordons standing before him.

Up to this point, he had erroneously assumed Alec was too apprehensive to engage directly, which was why Alec had remained at the rear throughout the confrontation.

He had been certain that Alec would never dare to attack him without the protection of his golems. However, Alec's current actions painted a starkly contrasting picture.

Indeed, he had heard accounts of Alec's prowess as a fighter and had even witnessed his prior match. Yet, he had always felt that if that was the extent of Alec's capabilities, victory would be unattainable. This sentiment persisted until Takeda became aware of the sheer number of Tier 7 realm golems under Alec’s command.

Therefore, Alec's present stance before him, devoid of any discernible fear, evoked a complex mix of emotions within Takeda.

“I am here. Let us settle this like men. Make your move,” Alec declared, assuming a combat stance. He drew his right leg back, while his left leg swept forward in a semi-circular motion.