Above the mage

Chapter 747 Stealing a Trick (Part 1)

The barely perceptible strand of "bewitching silk" silently swept towards Gao De.

It clung to Gao De's forehead like a malignant tumor, burrowing into his brow.

As Derian watched this scene unfold, he was already certain that this wisp of dark energy carrying his fourth-ring mental power would easily tear through the mental barrier of a third-ring mage, leaving Gao De in a daze and frozen.

Gaode Maps actually discovered this "bewitching silk" immediately.

The dual cultivation method made his magical power incredibly abundant.

Therefore, activating the Mandora Eye during battle has become a habit for him.

Mandora's Eyes possess unparalleled insight, allowing him to detect even the slightest energy fluctuations during battle.

Moreover, Mandora's Eyes possess all-encompassing observation and insight capabilities.

Regardless of the energy's properties or nature, any energy fluctuation can be observed.

Faced with this spell that directly attacked his mind, a powerful and condensed spiritual force suddenly surged within Gao De's soul.

Like a raging torrent, it instantly enveloped that strand of [bewitching silk].

There was no violent collision of magic, no dazzling burst of light.

The spiritual energy carried by the 【Bewitching Silk】 melted away silently, like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun, leaving not even a ripple.

For Gaode's sensory experience, it only felt a slight tingling sensation that quickly disappeared without a trace.

There was no interference, let alone dizziness or disorientation.

High in the sky, the arrogance on Derian's face froze instantly, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He stared intently at Gao De, who stood calmly below, his heart churning with turbulent emotions.

One of my signature spells as a fourth-ring mage failed to even cause the slightest disturbance or stun effect when it was cast on a third-ring mage.

Like a clay ox sinking into the sea, it vanished without a trace.

Before the competition started, he was genuinely dismissive of Gaode, confident that Gaode on the Third Ring Road was no threat, but reality has now given him a harsh lesson.

The huge difference in circumstances ignited a wildfire of resentment that quickly spread.

"You really think I can't handle you?" Derian said in a low, cold voice.

His magical power surged wildly within him.

This time, he didn't hold back and directly used his invincible illusion spell, [Silent Illusion].

Between Wen and Na, the clouds surrounding Gao De twisted.

In the next instant, countless sleek figures appeared out of thin air, all resembling Olivia.

The charging posture, forward-leaning body, and sword-wielding gesture of each phantom were exactly the same as the real body that was attacking at full speed.

Truth and falsehood intertwine, layer upon layer.

If an ordinary person were in this situation, they would be completely confused by the countless identical phantoms and would be unable to distinguish the true trajectory.

Derian hovered high in the air, a cold smile playing on his lips.

His illusion magic was very different from others.

Because when he advanced to the next level, he awakened the illusion magic combat feat [Illusionary].

This specialty grants his illusions a level of realism far exceeding the norm.

The details, the aura, and the magical fluctuations were all flawless, and could not be easily dissected by ordinary methods of observation.

Even more bizarrely, this illusion technique contains hidden passive effects of spell magic.

Once attacked, all phantoms will not dissipate directly, but will instead explode into a dense fog of curses that will stain the attacker's body, temporarily weakening their magic flow and casting speed, thus restricting both their offense and defense.

It was because he awakened this specialty that he began to specialize in illusion magic and spell magic, and developed into the most hated illusion mage.

Seeing Gao De completely enveloped by layers of Olivia's phantoms, with nowhere to escape, Derian, high in the sky, curled up a cold, confident smile.

But he was completely unaware that a faint golden light was quietly surfacing in Gao De's eyes below.

Intricate, profound, and understated.

The [Insightful] ability of Mandora's Eye has been activated.

As a third-tier Mandora's Eye ability, the so-called "Illusion-Breaking" means having true vision and seeing through illusions, including but not limited to illusion magic.

In Gaode's view, the densely packed, seemingly realistic Olivia phantoms around her instantly shed all their disguises.

Its form became translucent, thin, and precarious.

Those sharp postures and realistic magical fluctuations all dissipated.

Only strands of chaotic, ethereal illusionary energy remained, clearly visible to him.

The truth and falsehood can be discerned at a glance.

The thunderbird that Evan had transformed into had already rushed over at full speed during the brief intervals between Derian's continuous spellcasting.

The Thunderbird's wings were taut, and the lightning around its body intensified.

Its sharp claws gleamed coldly, carrying a tearing force that seemed to rip through the air, as it swooped down directly toward Derian.

Instead of using complex spells, it relied on the Thunderbird's naturally powerful physique and lightning power to launch an attack in the most direct and ferocious way.

This is precisely the core combat strength of the Thunderbirds.

With a powerful physique and the blessing of lightning, his close-range attacks are virtually unstoppable.

Derian snapped out of his daze and instinctively raised his hand to cast [Shield].

A pale purple shield instantly formed, attempting to withstand the Thunderbird's attack.

The next moment!

The Thunderbird's claws, imbued with the power of lightning, slammed into the shield.

Click!

The seemingly sturdy Shadow Shield was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, unable to withstand the Thunderbird's brute force and lightning penetration, and shattered in an instant.

The residual power of the violent lightning pierced through the shield fragments and struck Derian hard on the shoulder.

The numbness spread throughout his body instantly, causing his limbs to stiffen abruptly.

Derian groaned, his body shaking violently.

The aura of the [Flight] technique that kept him levitating flickered wildly and dimmed erratically, causing him to sway precariously and nearly fall from a height of a hundred feet.

At the critical moment, Horry on the ground reacted extremely quickly.

Known as the Iron Shield, he kept a close eye on the entire battle. When he saw Derian in danger, he raised his hand to cast a spell without hesitation.

A thick energy membrane enveloped Derian from a distance, providing a stable safety net and neutralizing the remaining lightning strikes, saving him from the brink of falling.

This also blocked Evan's subsequent pursuit and prevented Derian from suffering a serious injury and leaving the field early.

Olivia moved like a ghostly phantom, wielding an extraordinary longsword forged by the top alchemists of the Oakenli family, and charged at full speed toward the flag platform of the Plantagenet dynasty.

The longsword gleamed with an enduring light that extended from the hilt to the spine, its entire body enveloped in magical energy.

This is her permanent spell, Swiftness, which is inscribed on her extraordinary longsword. It requires no continuous mana consumption, is permanently effective, and constantly amplifies her speed, making every dash as fast as lightning, perfectly matching her fierce fighting style.

He watched as Olivia drew ever closer to him.

Gareth took a sudden step forward, and the steel warhammer in his hand instantly lit up with blazing golden holy runes, becoming dazzlingly bright.

This warhammer is also an extraordinary piece of equipment.

It is engraved with holy runes, which can amplify his own spell power and inflict powerful radiant damage when it hits a target.

"Well done!" Gareth shouted in a deep voice, his magical power surging around him.

He gripped his warhammer tightly with both hands and swung it at Olivia as she charged towards him.

The hammer, bathed in golden light, sliced ​​through the air with a deep, resonant sound.

Olivia's expression was cold and expressionless. With a light flick of her wrist, her slender fingers gripped the hilt of the sword, and the extraordinary longsword made a precise horizontal block.

clang!!!

The deafening clang of metal resounded throughout the entire cloud battlefield.

The magical shockwave spread out in layers, stirring up clouds that flew everywhere.

Gareth, with his imposing stature and warhammer, and Olivia, with her slender figure and longsword, are vastly different in size and weapon, creating a visually overwhelming contrast.

But in the actual moment of collision, Olivia was not at a disadvantage at all.

The runes on the longsword lit up, easily resisting the radiant power of the warhammer.

Olivia even used the recoil to gracefully retreat half a step, and before the force dissipated, she immediately charged forward again, her sword blade slashing diagonally, water elemental magic condensing into a sharp sword aura, precisely stabbing at Gareth's weak side, where his hammer-wielding stance was aging and his defenses were weak.

The transitions between offense and defense were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.

The two instantly became entangled in combat.

Olivia's true fighting power was revealed at this moment.

Swish!

The first sword strike came out diagonally, water elemental magic condensed on the blade, and slashed towards the warhammer's blade.

At the moment of impact, a faint light flashed at Olivia's fingertips, and she silently unleashed [Frosty Touch].

Subtle magical energy spread upwards along Gareth's warhammer, penetrating the skin of his wrist along the hammer shaft, attempting to slow down his pace of power.

Gareth was prepared.

A halo of light swirled around him, forcefully dispelling the icy magic that had invaded his body, before he slammed down his hammer in a counterattack.

Olivia pressed her advantage, turning sideways and slashing with her longsword to force Gareth's attack back.

At the same time, his left hand flashed with magical light again, instantly casting the [Greasy Spell].

A layer of grease suddenly covered the cloud beneath Gareth's feet, attempting to disrupt his stable stance and undermine his defensive foundation.

Gareth moved swiftly, using the [Light Feather Step] to overcome the obstacles posed by the difficult terrain.

The moment the spell took effect, Olivia accelerated her movements again, her longsword imbued with increasingly concentrated water elemental magic, aiming straight for Gareth's vulnerable shoulder and neck, her sword strike becoming even more ferocious.

One method, one sword; one slow, one fierce; a perfect cycle.

The sound of metal clashing was continuous and dense, like a sudden rainstorm.

Golden radiance energy and water elemental magic constantly collide, annihilate, and erupt.

Layer upon layer of magical ripples swept wildly in all directions, scattering the fluffy clouds around them into pieces and sending them flying everywhere.

The magic concentration in the entire battle area was rising rapidly.

Initially, Gareth, relying on the overwhelming power of his extraordinary warhammer, was able to handle Olivia's fierce attacks with ease.

Every block was as steady as a rock, and every counterattack was powerful and fierce, firmly locking down the flag platform's defense.

But as the number of rounds of fighting increased, a strange change quietly occurred.

Olivia's attacks became increasingly fierce, her spellcasting speed increased, the force on her sword grew heavier, and her movements became more agile and elusive.

His overall combat readiness visibly continued to rise.

This is the effect of expertise!

She alternated between swordsmanship and magic with perfect rhythm, seemingly a unique close-combat style.

The more important purpose was actually to complement her fourth-ring exclusive combat feat, [Swordsman's Dance].

When you wield a longsword in melee combat, the casting time of your next spell is reduced for each successful melee attack.

Conversely, each spell cast increases the power of the next melee attack.

When spells and sword skills are used alternately, movement speed will gradually increase.

Sword skills and spells alternate seamlessly in a cycle.

In just a few rounds, Olivia had already stacked multiple buffs, naturally increasing the pressure on Gareth.

Olivia's offensive was visibly becoming more and more rapid.

The originally clear sword moves gradually turned into a sky full of pale blue afterimages.

Her spellcasting intervals were shortened to an almost instantaneous rate, allowing her to cast spells in rapid succession.

Harassment, slowing, and defense-breaking spells are constantly being introduced.

The force of the longsword's slashes accumulated layer by layer, becoming heavier with each strike.

Each strike carried an overwhelming magical pressure.

Their movements are unpredictable and difficult to discern, constantly circumventing frontal defenses and seeking out openings for surprise attacks.

Gareth's parries became rushed, his arm muscles went numb from the continuous impact of the immense force, and each time he raised his hammer to block, it became increasingly difficult.

Another round of extremely fast-paced offense and defense!

Olivia kept a close eye on Gareth's movements, accurately capturing the brief vacuum in his body when his old strength had just dissipated and new strength had not yet been generated.

The sword's momentum suddenly became both soft and strong, bursting forth abruptly.

The rich and powerful water elemental magic was poured into the sword, condensing into a heavy and majestic "sword energy," which accurately and fiercely struck the weak spot on the side of the warhammer.

when!

With a crisp sound, the giant hammer was instantly deflected, Gareth's arms went numb, and his defenses were completely wide open.

The perfect opportunity was fleeting, and Olivia's eyes flashed with a cold light, showing no hesitation.

Using the fully stacked movement speed boost, she suddenly accelerated again, transforming into an extremely condensed pale blue afterimage, directly passing through the gaps in Gareth's defenses.

She completely gave up on continuing the fight with Gareth.

All offensive efforts were halted, and the target was set on the undefended flag tower behind them!

Olivia launched a fierce and sudden attack on the flag tower.

The outcome seemed to hinge on a mere instant, and the entire audience in the stadium instinctively held their breath.

Just when the city was on the verge of collapse, a sudden change occurred.

A layer of extremely cold, pale frost suddenly appeared on the battlefield ground in front of Olivia.

The biting cold instantly swept across an area of ​​several feet in radius.

The water vapor and magic in the air were instantly frozen.

A soft rumble.

A wall of ice, crystal clear and thick and solid, suddenly rose from the ground.

The ice wall is half a zhang high and several zhang long, with a smooth and hard surface.

Gareth, who had just missed an interception and was filled with anxiety, thinking that the defense had fallen, felt a huge sense of relief when he saw the ice wall that suddenly rose up.

He let out a long sigh of relief and whispered in praise, "Well done, Gao De!"

It was Gaode that made the precise move at this critical juncture.

Derian, Olivia, and even Gareth all believed that he had been completely bewitched and trapped in delusion by Derian's [Silent Illusion] illusion.

In fact, he had already seen through all the illusions with Mandora's Eye and made a decisive move at the crucial moment.

This [ice wall] was precisely shaped by Gaode into a straight defensive barrier, lying precisely in the middle between Olivia and the flag platform. It not only cut off Olivia's extremely rapid charge but also blocked the flag platform's precise view, completely disrupting her long-planned flag-capturing rhythm.

His rapid sprint was abruptly halted by the ice wall.

Olivia's brows furrowed suddenly, a hint of surprise and anger flashing in her eyes.

Without pausing for a moment, she flicked her wrist, and the extraordinary longsword instantly condensed a powerful and abundant water elemental magic.

A condensed, sharp, and piercing horizontal water sword aura slashed out, crashing fiercely into the center of the ice wall with the force of breaking through the wind.

With a snap, a thin, spiderweb-like crack appeared on the surface of the ice wall.

Fine ice shards scattered and flew in all directions, accompanied by a biting chill.

However, the entire ice wall remained firmly in place and did not collapse completely as expected.

"Um?!"

Olivia gasped in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The Ice Wall cast by a mere third-ring mage was able to withstand his sword strike.

This was completely beyond her comprehension and expectations.

Gareth, however, wore an expression that said, "I knew it."

During the pre-match training, he already understood that Gao De's ice magic had long surpassed the level of an ordinary third-ring mage.

With the power of the True Ice Mana driving the spellcasting, and the amplification from his own [Intermediate Ice Protection Body], how could Gao De's [Ice Wall] not be exceptional in terms of toughness and resistance to attacks?