The Golem Mage Chapter 1110: Ways Of The Sword 2.
Previously on The Golem Mage...
Behind Alec, the ethereal image of a bestial figure, seemingly cloaked in flames, flickered into existence, rendering its specific form difficult to ascertain.
A faint aura of fire also enveloped Alec’s physique.
Witnessing Alec's earnestness, Takeda adopted a battle stance, executing a swift arc with his katana before settling it at his left waist, poised for a rapid draw. Behind him, a shadowy silhouette also began to manifest.
At this juncture, the anticipation was not confined to the two mages; the entire assembly of spectators keenly awaited the unfolding events, their gazes locked upon the combatants who would determine the competition's victor.
Surrounding Alec and Takeda, small stones levitated as the gravitational distortions intensified, a consequence of the synchronized presence of two earth elemental mages under such high tension. As if by unspoken accord, both combatants lunged towards each other simultaneously.
Both mages executed horizontal slashes. Takeda’s blade radiated a fiery glow, indicating his capacity to wield any element, yet he seemed inclined to mirror Alec, whose own blood blade also bore a flaming aura, almost as if in a contest of fiery prowess.
Yet, the instant their weapons met, Takeda perceived no advantage gained. From the periphery of his vision, amidst the clash, he observed Alec releasing his weapon.
[> High Tier Spell — Earth Dragon Fang <]
Recognizing Alec's intent to unleash a technique, Takeda opted for a decisive maneuver, pushing himself backward by bracing his right foot against the ground. This action emitted a peculiar pulse, propelling him away and establishing a measure of distance.
Alec, observing this, maintained his right hand extended forward, index and middle fingers imbued with a trace of his Qi. These digits traced movements through the air, and his blood sword mirrored these gestures, shifting in accordance with their direction.
Consequently, even as Takeda retreated and noted Alec's unwavering pursuit and his blood sword's persistent trajectory, Takeda channeled considerable power into his own blade and unleashed a strike.
That powerful blow sent both Takeda's katana and Alec’s Bloodlust sword hurtling away from him. Without pause, he raised his right hand, mimicking a claw attack, and in the subsequent moment, a colossal dragon head sculpted from raw earth erupted from the ground, hurtling towards Alec.
Perceiving the earth dragon's head lunging at him, Alec immediately commenced a retreat, propelling himself backward with a controlled gravity pulse.
Boom!
The terrain where he had stood moments before cratered as the dragon's immense head impacted it. However, this brief opening was sufficient for Alec to launch himself skyward, utilizing the soles of his feet as propellant.
While airborne, dark, ash-like smoke coalesced before his hands. In less than a second, he manipulated this substance, reshaping it into two ebony axes, which he hurled at Takeda in rapid succession.
Takeda, already advancing towards Alec along the earth dragon’s neck, extended his left hand, summoning his battle axe, which flew through the air to meet him. Upon retrieving his weapon, he swung it twice, deflecting Alec’s two projectile axes.
However, the moment his weapon impacted them, instead of being deflected, the axes dissolved back into smoke, leaving him momentarily bewildered—but not for long.
For Alec had already landed atop the elongated neck of the earth dragon. Extending his left palm and making a grasping motion, the dark ash surrounding Takeda instantly converged, forming a colossal fist that seized him by the throat.
Alec then retracted his left hand. In response, Takeda was violently yanked towards him.
From Takeda's perspective, apprehension began to emerge. Every offensive maneuver he attempted seemed to be countered or anticipated, with Alec consistently devising unconventional strategies to launch further assaults, leaving him without adequate responses.
At this critical juncture, he found himself utterly incapable of breaking free from the grip constricting his neck. He, a Tier 8 mage, was powerless to escape. Thus, right then and there, he abandoned any pretense of superiority over Alec and resorted to his innate survival instincts, a strategy he had honed during his encounters with the Kage of Silent Night.
While Alec's left hand maintained its firm command over the black ash arm, his right was poised for the ensuing confrontation, covered in fur up to the elbow. His claws emanated a dark crimson luminescence, accompanied by an intensely unbearable heat.
The intentions of Alec were clear to all observers. His right hand, now crackling with intense heat from the fusion of his two flame affinities, was poised to drive his werewolf claws directly into Takeda’s neck. On the second VIP level, the leaders of prominent institutions found it difficult to accept the unfolding scene. While the defeat of Silent Night Academy's members had caused some surprise, it hadn't unsettled them significantly. The Kage of Silent Night himself had remained composed, such was his trust in Takeda. He viewed Takeda as a force capable of single-handedly securing victory, fully expecting them to triumph. However, Takeda's avatar bodies started falling one after another. Subsequently, he began consuming their cores to augment his power, and upon unleashing the aura of a Tier 8 mage, many in the audience assumed the confrontation was nearly over. Yet, the very same Alec had compellingly demonstrated that Takeda was not the sole individual capable of acting as a one-man army. Now, Alec had stepped forward to confront Takeda directly, despite only being at the Late Tier 6 cultivation realm. Although he appeared to have advanced to the Low Tier 7 realm following a partial werewolf transformation of his body parts, the Kage of Silent Night still maintained that Alec's currently discernible cultivation realm was far too insufficient for him to contend with Takeda.