Low-Fantasy Occultist Isekai

Nick had seen and participated in many fights throughout both of his lives, but none were quite like this. When Eugene launched himself at the fae, Nick had to raise a shield to protect himself from the heat. The grass was charred, and even the air became harder to breathe. Despite this, he made sure to circle around the clearing until he was standing next to the fallen adventurers, where he could shield them from the duel's backlash.

Eugene's sword erupted in flames. Each slash unleashed a wave of heat that scorched the air, causing the nearby leaves to wither and darken. Yet the fae moved with uncanny grace, twisting around the strikes and weaving illusions that left streaks of color dancing at the edges of Nick's vision. He struggled to keep track of the creature's true form; each time Eugene's blade got close, the fae shimmered and suddenly appeared two steps away, grinning mockingly.

That's a physical illusion. Any mental influence would be removed by [Blasphemy], which means it's actually twisting the light to create the images.

Nevertheless, Eugene never lost sight of his opponent for long, swiftly dispelling the fakes and locating the original again. He frequently had to unleash waves of fire to eliminate the clones in the area, which forced Nick to pump more mana into his shield lest the adventurers be consumed.

The fae slid backward, narrowly avoiding a decapitating slice. Then it flicked a hand, and the world around them blurred. For an instant, Nick's vision was full of flickering shapes—dozens of clones, each charging from a different direction.

Eugene was undaunted. He roared and plunged his sword into the ground. A column of fire surged upward, spreading out in all directions. The illusions vanished under the immense heat, leaving the man standing resolutely in the center of a scorched circle of earth. The fae hissed, its beautiful features twisting with frustration.

Then its face went expressionless as it lashed out, unleashing a jagged arrow of greenish-white mana. Eugene countered with a downward swipe, slicing the spell in two with a flicker of red power. Then another. And another. Eugene had to defend himself from the onslaught for a whole minute until it finally ended.

Despite his success, Nick could see that the effort had taken a toll on him. He staggered a step, blood trickling from a shallow cut on his arm that Nick hadn't even noticed was there. The fae pressed its advantage, and illusions surged forward, enveloping it in a swirling shroud. A blow from behind knocked Eugene off balance, causing Nick to suppress a cry.

Yet his father righted himself in an instant, turning just in time to deflect a second strike from the fae's elongated fingernails—claws made of shimmering light. The collision spat sparks like a grindstone, illuminating the gloom of the forest. Nick couldn't help but notice that the current pace far exceeded what he had seen from his father during the stampede, which either meant he had been holding back then or that he had put in some serious work since.

Lunge after lunge, wave after wave of flames, each attack left its mark on the fae's otherwise flawless skin. Nick noticed that Eugene immediately pressed with a counterattack whenever he blocked a blow, never allowing the fae the time it needed to reset the board. The physical heat in the clearing intensified, radiating outward as Eugene directed his unstoppable fury into the sword.

The fae had to zigzag away to avoid being burned to a crisp, which made its path predictable. Seeing an opening, Eugene lunged forward with a roar, but the fae blurred into illusions, flickering in place until it reappeared behind him, raking its claws across his back. Eugene hissed in pain but channeled it into greater power, unleashing a bright column of flame to fend off the fae's follow-up strike.

Nick wondered if he should intervene, but with illusions whipping around at breakneck speed and Eugene parrying glowing arrows in a flurry of sparks, stepping in might cause more harm than good. Instead, he gripped his wand tightly, waiting for the moment when the fae would attempt something even more underhanded.

As if sensing his thoughts, it cast a glance in Nick's direction. A cruel sneer curled its perfect lips. It conjured spidery arcs of mana that coalesced into a glowing bow. With a flourish, it shot two ethereal arrows, each streaked with swirling patterns of green and lavender light, aimed directly at Nick's chest.

Knowing that his father wouldn't make it in time, Nick abandoned all other spells and focused on his defense. "[Force Shield]," he yelled, bracing for impact.

The arrows struck the barrier, scattering harmlessly in a burst of brilliance. A swirl of heated wind tousled Nick's hair, but he remained unharmed. He exhaled in relief. That was weaker than I expected. Weird.

"Good job, son," Eugene growled through gritted teeth, seizing the moment. While the fae's attention was divided between illusions aimed at keeping him away and Nick's successful defense, Eugene unleashed his strongest attack yet. Fire engulfed his arm in an explosive burst, scorching the air as he incinerated the fae's side, taking out a chunk.

A shrill hiss escaped the creature's lips, a sound halfway between a scream and a gasp. Its face twisted in fury and pain, as the illusions flickered erratically around it. It looked as though the fae might stand its ground for a moment, but then it recoiled, stepping back and fading from view with a swirl of darkness.

Eugene didn't let his guard down. He planted his sword, scanning the clearing for the slightest ripple in the mist. "Be ready," he warned in a low rumble. "It's coming."

Nick nodded, extending his senses outward. Suddenly, he saw the sparks leftover from the lances rushing toward him at breakneck speed, completely ignoring his force shield. An odd pressure pushed against his mind, a clawing presence trying to slip past his defenses. But a familiar tingle flared, and [Blasphemy] activated. In an instant, the mental intruder was repelled before it could even enter, forced away with an almost audible snap.

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