Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1714  The Inner Circle (Part 2)

The moment Raze heard Londo's desperate warning, he could see it as well. The atmosphere shifted instantly as a mass amount of magic began gathering at the peaks of all the towers surrounding them. It was a terrifying sight; the energy coalescing there was dense, heavy, and volatile. It was no small amount of energy by any means, it was enough to level a city block.

Raze couldn't even imagine the sheer amount of beast crystals that had to be consumed to power all of that simultaneously. It spoke to a level of resources that was frightening. He quickly moved his feet, blurring into motion as he positioned himself right in front of Kelly, Alen, and Londo. He stood as a human shield, worried that their defensive items wouldn't be enough if the attack hit them directly.

Then, the silence broke. The mass amount of energy exploded out with a deafening roar.

However, the attack was split. Only half of the towers had been directed towards Raze and his group. The other half had locked onto the signatures of Liam and B.

"This seems like an attack I don't want to be hit by!" B shouted over the noise.

As she spoke, she saw a blur of motion. Liam was quickly moving behind her, using her larger frame as cover. He wasn't doing it out of panic, but out of cold, hard logic. He had calculated with his System that this was the best chance he had at survival. If B could tank the hit, he could survive to fight the next second.

B didn't have time to complain about being used as a shield. As both of her hands were covered in blood, the catalyst for her techniques, she swung them forward with the might of all of her Qi.

"Blood Barrier!" she grunted, striking the incoming mass of magic.

The collision was violent. The power of the beams slammed into her defense, pushing B back immediately. Her boots carved deep grooves into the stone floor as her body skidded backward, sparks flying from the friction.

Liam, realizing that if she fell, he would be next, pressed his hands against her back. He dug his own feet into the ground, straining his muscles as he tried to support her against the overwhelming pressure.

On the other side of the battlefield, Raze faced his own bombardment. He had lifted his sword, channeling his energy. He swung it with a mixture of his Qi and Dark Magic, striking back directly at the beam of energy.

He knew how much Mana was being used in this attack, so he couldn't let up for a single second. He poured his strength into the blade, creating a friction of power that lit up the area. But even with his counter-attack, although it destroyed some of the energy and dispersed the edges of the beam, it wasn't enough to neutralize it completely.

The beam of energy slammed into his defense, catching him in its torrent. It was pushing him back just as hard as it was pushing B. Raze grit his teeth, his feet sliding across the debris, until eventually, the beams faded and he came to a stop.

When the smoke cleared, the reality of the situation set in.

Raze and B, as well as the rest of his allies, found themselves back at the entrance of the wall they had destroyed earlier.

All of the effort they had made to push themselves forward, every inch of ground they had fought for, had resulted in them being blasted back to where they started. And not only that, they had tasted the raw power of the second set of towers.

Raze shook his arms, feeling the numbness fading. "The strength that is in those towers... if it hit the others, it will do serious damage to their bodies. Even with the enchanted items, they might not survive."

He looked at the looming structures with a grim expression. "And… it was able to pinpoint our position exactly. Those things are dangerous."

The situation was deteriorating rapidly. The enemy mages, seeing the group pushed back, were now starting their onslaught of attacks again. Spells rained down without ceasing, forcing Raze's group to quickly defend against the barrage.

But as they blocked the incoming fire and ice, they were noticing something else as well. Attacks were starting to come from behind them.

Although the commanders of the barracks had been eliminated earlier, the fighting was still taking place across the facility. The mages stationed in the outer ring of the tower defense were starting to gather. They had heard the commotion and were now joining the fight, flanking Raze's group. This was part of Raze's worry from the beginning.

This was exactly why their attack had to be quick and decisive. They needed to break through before reinforcements could swarm them. But that wasn't the only issue.

As they continued to fight off the pincer attack, the air began to vibrate again. Raze could feel it in his bones, a mass amount of energy building up in the towers once more.

"It's happening again!" Raze claimed, his eyes widening. "And so soon... that was barely a minute and they are recharging!"

Panic began to set in among the group. The only thing they could do, the most dangerous thing to them right now, were the towers themselves. If those beams fired again while they were dealing with the mages, there would be nowhere to run.

Raze's mind raced as he analyzed the pattern. The attack from before had also carefully hit us, targeting only our group and missing the enemy mages entirely. It makes me wonder if it's the same as how they were able to find B as well. Is it because we don't have the enchanted bracelets?

It made perfect sense. The towers could be enchanted with a simple spell to attack whoever doesn't have one of them on. This allows them to fire indiscriminately into the battlefield without avoiding attacking their own troops. I should have known.

Raze clenched his fist. Idore has been gathering crystals for an incredibly long time. He has been obsessed so much, to the point of even heading to Pagna to find more. For what reason, I don't know, but now he at least has some use for them. To use them like this, as unlimited batteries for these weapons!

Seeing the glow intensify at the peaks of the towers, Raze knew he couldn't wait for the next volley.

He started to gather his magic. The shadows around him twisted and coalesced until two large dark wings erupted from his back. He spun his body, and a vortex of wind was released from his feet, launching him into the air with explosive speed.

He soared above the battlefield, leaving the mages on the ground behind. What he needed to do was get rid of the towers, one by one.

He focused on the target. He lifted his sword above his head and looked at the tower closest to them. The Dark Magic and Qi started to gather along the blade, turning it into a beacon of black light. He swung it down in one massive, vertical sweep.

"Abyssal Strike!" Raze roared.

He didn't have to worry about conserving his Qi or Mana too much, as he would use his Time Magic to restore himself later if needed. However, he couldn't spend too much time drawing up his full power like before when he used the Descending Steps. He needed speed and raw power now.

The strike released a massive wave of energy, vibrating through the air as it tore toward the structure. It looked like a direct hit.

But as the slash went straight ahead, the impossible happened.

The large tower, a structure of stone and metal that should have been rooted to the earth, suddenly jerked. It moved across the ground, sliding to the side with unnatural speed.

Raze's eyes widened in shock as his attack completely missed, carving a trench into the empty ground where the tower had stood just a second ago.

"It can move…" Raze said, his voice barely a whisper.

He was left floating in the air, exposed. The tower, having dodged the strike, swiveled its glowing peak. It activated instantly, blasting a concentrated beam of energy point-blank, hitting his body before he could react.