Chapter 110: Praise
"What the—" seeing the lifeless body of the person he had known from decades of working together, the other veteran couldn’t help but mutter to herself as said body fell down, her instincts warning her that she must get out of this place now or else there would never be a chance for her to do so later.
However, even with her instincts warning her, it is already too late.
The hole through which the sun peers disappears, and in its place, a huge, vertical cut that bisects the dome from one end to another reveals the day sky to everyone hiding, or being hidden underneath.
There is no precursor to the magic that tore the entire dome apart, no raging mana, not even a single surging torrent heading towards the caster themselves, only a bright flash of light, followed by the destruction that lay bare in its wake.
’That’s... Blade Enchantment Magic...’
The name seems to be all too apt, as other than improving the caster’s physical prowess as well as the lethality of their blade, Novus couldn’t help but feel enchanted as he watched the dancing mana resulting from the attack, an attack all too familiar to him as he watched Medea use it every single time they sparred.
This one, however, is on a completely different scale compared to when Medea utilizes it herself.
From the blinding light that was cast upon them by the sun, everyone currently inside the dome watches as two silhouettes with identities hidden by the blinding light descend, one of them seemingly a man, sporting a comically large, heavy blade, and the other a woman, wielding a war bow that is nearly her size.
"You shouldn’t have killed that mage, Irinia..." taking a good look at the lady as he saw the poor mage with his head blown off by a single arrow from his companion, the blade-wielding man said with a wry smile on his face, knowing full well that he could not do anything to stop her at all.
"You want me to hold back seeing one of the people who had taken the life of my dear younger cousin, no, my family’s future?" through gritted teeth, a melodious voice resounded as the lady answers the blade-wielding man’s question, frustration apparent from her tone as she scratches the back of her head.
"Fair point, then I take it that you will also deal with the rest of Beast Control Magic users as well?" the blade-wielding man said with a soft, easygoing tone to his voice, talking as if they were just dealing with mundane business rather than with traitors who betrayed the academy for a purpose unknown to them.
"I was planning on doing so, but the family would be even more pleased if I brought them back alive..." eventually, an elegant smile blooms on this lady’s face, her eyes revealing the gaze of a hunter who finally saw her prey.
As the two figures’ identities were finally revealed, pressure descended with the realization that the two of them are stronger than anyone else within this dome right now, the wariness of fighting against strong beings after another, getting to most of the rogue mages, causing them to falter and kneel on the ground.
"Hmm?? What is it? Is he one of the loyal ones? Or is it internal struggle?"
Watching as the rogue mages fell to the ground one by one, the blade-wielding man couldn’t help but smile to himself, as it was here that he was met with the least resistance ever since the two of them arrived at this island, but his attention was immediately piqued as he witnessed something quite unexpected.
Standing against all the rogue mages on the opposite side of the dome, a figure that appears to be way too young for him to be an academy operative watches the two of them without falling down at all; the pressure they are exuding is more than enough to suffocate most of the rogue mages, seemingly not affecting this young man at all.
"Interesting..."
Novus was shocked, to say the least, as he heard a feminine voice just right beside his ears, shivers running down his spine as he prompted himself to act, immediately leaping away to the side as he turned around to whatever it was that was the source of that word.
There, he saw the speaker standing, an elegant, middle-aged beauty of blonde hair and green eyes, her lean, muscular build revealing how much she utilizes her body despite being a mage, the war bow she is holding in her hand giving off a heavy feel, like no normal mage would be able to handle it at all.
’They’re stronger than any of the mages here...’ he once again reminded himself as his entire body tensed in pressure, cursing his luck in his mind as he wondered how it is that he just keeps getting into what appears to be more and more dangerous situations as time goes by.
These thoughts, however, were cut short as his attention snapped back to the lady in front of him, words coming out of her lips and allowing him to realize something amidst his wariness against them.
"A student?" the archer, called Irinia by the blade-wielding man, asked, her grasp on her bow tight, as if she were prepared to draw it any second should the individual in front of her try anything amiss.
There is no hostility, no revealed or hidden one in her voice, allowing Novus to deem that even if the two of them aren’t really allying forces or reinforcement coming from outside, they are still a better choice to end up with compared to the deranged rogue who appears to be all too fixated on experimenting with the students.
"Hah... yes..." knowing that it won’t do him any good, not to mention there is just no reason for him to lie, Novus answered positively, showing the protective bracelet now ruined from all the attacks he had previously received.
"Mn, Miss Runia told us that there’s no way for anyone else to take the bracelet away from a student..." the lady confirmed with a nod before revealing a smile, her eyes glowing as she recalled what they had witnessed before she intervened with that attack that signaled their arrival.
’He’s stood his ground against them, not to mention... that magic...’
It might be from quite a distance, but she was fully aware of what happened way back from when the two veteran mages intervened, the fact that he not only survived, but even triumphed against that ice stake that impaled him to the walls of the dome, proving to her that he is anything but a normal student.
"Good job, student..."
Revealing a knowing smile as she nods at him, she decided to leave the young man alone as she began taking a good look at the area, seeing the remnant beasts running away from her and her companion’s presence alone, allowing them to safely arrive at the student’s side.
Meanwhile, Novus was left there alone, trying to figure out what is the reason as to why the archer praised him as so.
It would only be later on that he would find out through Medea that the mages of the Orionis Family possess a unique magic similar to Blade Enchantment Magic, but instead of enhancing the body and its extension, their armament, this family enhances the body, particularly the eyes, instead.
This allows them feats of near insanity, eyes that can follow even with the speed of their target exceeding what is humanly possible, sharp sight resembling avian predators that can clearly see targets from kilometers, from miles away.
And the very reason as to why she knew what exactly happened before her arrival.
Eyes that can peer through what is beyond an obstacle, effectively granting them conditional piercing vision through common objects.
Of course, Novus has yet to know all of that, hence why he can only wonder about the reason for all of this right now.