Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Immediately, the moment Bazett landed, this experienced designated seal executor decisively adjusted his posture, charged forward with explosive speed, and his fists, gleaming with rune light, pierced the air with a sharp whooshing sound, thrusting straight at his opponent's face.

However, just as Bazette charged forward, the tall figure who had been standing still simply stood there, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips, his hands in his pockets.

"boom!"

With a hum that echoed throughout the tunnel, the swift punch slammed straight into a thick, transparent magic barrier.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

But faced with this fortress that was several times harder than reinforced concrete, Bazett, having failed to achieve anything, did not retreat but instead advanced, punching the transparent magic barrier in front of him again and again.

The fists, adorned with rune gloves and enveloped in layers of light, resembled falling meteors, relentlessly pounding against the obstacle in front of them.

Furthermore, it focuses on one point.

In the blink of an eye, under the barrage of heavy punches, the runes that formed this magical barrier quickly flickered and dissipated.

"Crack!"

Soon, the magic barrier, having lost its support, collapsed, and the straight punch that pierced through the barrier once again struck the tall figure's sternum without any fancy moves.

But just as he was about to hit his target, Bazett suddenly felt a gust of wind behind his head. A strong sense of alarm rose in his mind, and driven by his fighting instincts, he leaped backward without hesitation.

"Tsk! Tsk!"

The moment Bazett withdrew, two crimson beams of magic, like the scythe of death, slashed across the tunnel from the left and right sides, leaving terrifying grooves in the hard asphalt and concrete as if a red-hot knife were cutting butter.

"Chi chi chi!"

Immediately afterward, before Bazett could catch his breath, the crimson magic beams changed direction and attacked again in a cross pattern.

The designated seal executor, whose hair stood on end, immediately turned to the side, narrowly missing the two magical beams. At the same time, two pebbles hidden in his hands shot out from between his fingers like bullets as he shifted his position.

"Bang! Bang!"

With a sharp whooshing sound, the magic array diagrams that had been laid out on the stone walls on both sides of the tunnel ahead shattered instantly.

After a series of battles, the bounty target remained standing in the same spot, without moving an inch.

But Bazett, who was in charge of the attack, seemed to be breathing heavily.

"Runes? They're somewhat interesting."

The tall figure lowered her loosely clenched fingers and looked at the black glove on Bazett's hand that shimmered with strange light patterns. A hint of surprise and amusement appeared in her orange eyes.

However, in an instant, the aura of the bounty target suddenly changed, and the originally languid voice became more sinister and cold.

"However, you're underestimating me by playing with runes in front of me!"

At the same time, the tall figure inside the tunnel raised his right hand, which was holding half a cigarette, as if he were holding a piece of chalk and writing furiously in mid-air.

In an instant, the scattered ash and sparks, as they were written, condensed in mid-air into runes that shimmered with the light of flames and ashes.

hum!

Moreover, accompanied by the trembling of the air, Bazett on the ground suddenly saw several corresponding light patterns appearing at his feet and at the tunnel entrance.

Dispel spells?

It turns out that she had been setting things up all along with this cigarette in her hand!

Seeing this, Bazett was even more horrified.

Magic requires a medium, whether it's language or materials. The more powerful the magic, the more demanding and complicated the preparations become.

However, the woman before him not only effortlessly recreated ancient runes in the modern world where magic was scarce, but also used the same casual writing methods and materials.

This situation can only mean one thing.

Her mastery of runes had reached a state of perfection, an astonishing level where she could transform the mundane into the magical.

So strong!

Realizing the formidable enemy he had provoked, Bazett took a deep breath, his heart pounding, his body straightening, and a fierce fighting spirit erupting from him.

A descendant of a magical family, a disciple of Queen Scáthach of the Land of Shadows, she never shies away from battle!

"Hmph, you asked for this!"

The tall figure had sharp eyes, pursed his lips and snorted coldly. One after another, solidified runes shot forward under the resonance of the sound.

Boom boom boom!

In an instant, within the dimly lit tunnel, arcs of light flew and explosions roared, as if the high ground had been plowed over and over again by a barrage of heavy artillery fire.

However, Bazett, a seasoned magician assassin, reacted swiftly. His body, enhanced by runes, moved with incredible speed, almost leaving afterimages, amidst the dense barrage of runes. Each time he changed position, he precisely avoided the countless bullet impact points around him, braving the explosions and flashes, and continued his advance towards his target.

It must be admitted that the magic skills of the person opposite her are truly extraordinary, far surpassing her own.

However, human energy is limited. A genius in one field may not be equally outstanding in another.

Most magicians skilled in spellcasting are weak in close combat.

On the contrary, Bazett, as an outlier among magicians, is best suited for close combat.

As long as they can break through the opponent's defenses and concentrated fire, and close the distance, the outcome is still uncertain.

"It seems the questions I gave you were too easy. I'm sorry, I'll have to make them a bit more difficult."

However, just as Bazett rushed to within ten steps of his target, a tall figure who saw through his intentions with a cold smile appeared on his lips. He gracefully retreated, maintaining a certain casting distance, while increasing his writing speed.

"Buzz buzz!"

Suddenly, the runes falling from the sky, drawn by the smoke and sparks, began to arrange themselves in an orderly fashion, forming one magical array after another along Bazett's path.

The effects derived from the magic circle diagram, such as burning, cutting, disintegration, sluggishness, decay, and curses, made Bazett's advance extremely painful.

In fact, with each step she took, dozens more combinations of runes appeared around her, and she wasn't just a wooden stake standing still; she maintained a certain distance, constantly draining the melee magician's stamina and magic power.

Before long, seven or eight wounds and scorch marks appeared on the body of the designated seal executor.

If before it was straightforward elementary arithmetic, now Bazett is facing ever-changing high school multivariate equations, with the difficulty increasing exponentially.

Seeing that there was no hope of breaking through with just physical reaction, Bazett hardened his heart and stomped his right foot hard.

As the ground trembled violently, several pebbles coated in asphalt flew into the air and hovered in front of Bazett.

Immediately afterwards, Bazett's lumbar spine stretched out like a drawn bow, creating an exaggerated arc. His retracted right fist clenched tightly, and surging magic power transformed into streaks of crimson light, attaching to a suspended stone.

Whoosh!

At the instant Bazett's right fist struck, the pebble, enveloped in a crimson arc of light, shot out with a sharp whistle.

Fast! Extremely fast!

Like a bolt of crimson lightning piercing through dark clouds, it swept across the sky, shattering almost instantly the magic arrays that blocked its path.

Even the tall figure with the magic eye couldn't detect the pebble's movement and could only hastily set up defensive magic in front of him.

"boom!"

With a dull rumble, the entire tunnel shook violently, and even the reinforced concrete dome was covered with cracks the thickness of a finger.

Phew! Did it work?

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Bazette gasped for breath, his overworked heart throbbing with pain.

This strike was a javelin-throwing technique taught to her by her teacher, Scáthach.

As a technique from the Age of Gods, it is incredibly powerful, but it also consumes a great deal of resources.

She wouldn't have revealed this skill, which she hadn't fully mastered, if she hadn't been forced into this situation by the other side.

Fortunately, it seems to be working.

Now, it's time to collect the loot.

Bazett noticed that the rune magic circles around him seemed to have stopped attacking, and he felt relieved. He slowly got up and moved forward.

She enjoys fighting, but she is not bloodthirsty. Besides, this is a very valuable bounty target, making her life more worthwhile.

So, what I was aiming for just now was the opponent's left shoulder.

However, after taking only a few steps, Bazett froze on the spot, his heartstrings tightening instantly.

As the lingering smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the tall figure standing amidst the rubble looked down at the torn collar and dust-covered fabric of her trench coat, her gaze instantly turning somber.

"This is my favorite piece of clothing..."

The tall figure slowly raised her head, her right hand clenching up the cigarette butt that had burned out. Then she lifted her nose and took off her black-rimmed glasses, revealing a chilling light in her orange-red eyes.

Surprisingly, nothing happened! What kind of monster is this?!

It seems this is the only option.

Bazett sensed the approaching figure and the surrounding magical energy surged dramatically. He took a deep breath, assumed an attack stance, and the metal cylinder behind him opened automatically, revealing a metal sphere engraved with intricate runes that hovered and trembled.

At the same time, a blue light gathered around the tall figure, and an extremely destructive magic was brewing.

"Snapped!"

Just as tensions were running high and a decisive battle was about to break out, the silver metal sphere on Bazett's back was suddenly grasped by a pale finger that extended outwards, and it kept groaning.

"A Grand Magician is not someone you can handle. Even if you use the Reverse Light Sword, you can only win once."

In the dim tunnel, a shadowy figure approached from behind, glanced at the silver-white metal ball between his fingers, its luster faded and resembling a large marble, casually stuffed it back into the hole, and added a sentence in a low voice.

"However, you might win, but you will die..."

"What are you doing here?!"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Bazett turned around and looked at his blond-haired, red-eyed gambling friend, and was momentarily taken aback.

"I saw you acting suspiciously on the way, so I was a little worried and followed you to check on you. I never expected you to get into such big trouble."

Samael rolled his eyes, shook his head helplessly, and then looked up at the tall figure walking aggressively towards him. He blocked Bazett behind him as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Don't say any more. I'll stop her. You go first."

"it is good!"

Bazett glanced at the silent Reverse Sword behind him, then at his gambling buddy who seemed to possess unfathomable strength, nodded seriously, and decisively turned and retreated out of the tunnel.

Ha, you want to leave?

The tall figure looked at the culprit who had destroyed her beloved possession, who was about to flee the scene. A cold smile appeared on her lips as she started to follow.

As for this newcomer, if he wants to fight, he'll have to wait a bit.

However, just as the tall figure passed the new troublemaker and was about to chase after the culprit, the man standing leisurely in place purred his lips with a pleasant smile.

"The Crimson of Wounds..."

In an instant, the tall figure about to emerge from the tunnel paused for a moment, then slowly turned around, the accumulated spiritual pressure pouring down on the person behind him like a landslide.

The pursuer returned, abandoning his original prey without hesitation, and walked step by step toward the newcomer. His gaze was like ancient ice, cold and murderous, and a ball of dark blue flame rose between his fingers.

"Do you know that anyone who calls me by that name must die!"

Chapter 177 Yay, Orange Mom! (4.2k)

In the dimly lit tunnel, the few remaining light tubes shattered one after another under the unrestrained spiritual pressure, and the red and black ether splattered, like the shadow of death, invading this small space.

【The Crimson of Wounds and Pain】, or rather, Aozaki Touko, with her cold and stern features, stepped forward, treading over the rubble and concrete blocks scattered on the ground. Her orange-red eyes, filled with disdain, exuded an undisguised killing intent.

After leaving Misaki City, she entered the Clock Tower to study as planned.

As graduation approached, in the competition for the three primary colors of the Magic Association, she wanted to obtain the title of "Blue" because Aozaki's original meaning is "blue," and she wanted to get the blue color that matched her surname. However, by a twist of fate, she only obtained the title of "Orange."

Because orange is not a pure color, but rather close to "red" yet not quite "red," coupled with her inherently unapproachable personality and unconventional character, she was privately referred to by others as "the red of sorrow," meaning the red of imperfection and flaw.

However, for Aozaki Touko, who strives for perfection in everything, this is undoubtedly a great irony.

Therefore, she hated this name very much. Since she was still in the academy, she had vowed to kill anyone who dared to mention this nickname in front of her. Under her strong power, those gossiping people behind her back were indeed very obedient.

After all, anyone who dared to expose this wound was beaten to death on the spot.

But unexpectedly, several years later, even after leaving the clock tower, there are still people who dare to break this taboo in person.

Is it because I haven't killed anyone in too long?!

As Aozaki Touko moved forward, she stretched out her right hand and used her fingers as a brush to draw in the air, creating several runes that began to condense.

Immediately afterwards, the runes multiplied, then multiplied again, and in an instant, they transformed into hundreds and thousands of forms, spontaneously combining into a complex magic array that operated continuously.

Tsk tsk tsk!