Chapter 58 - Intense Battle, the Rot of Milis
Objectively speaking, Rygar was as strong as a King-level combatant, but it wasn't that simple—there were many variables in a person's combat strength. For example, if Rygar concentrated a large amount of mana into a single Hellish Slash, as he had done at the Black Troll's base, and ambushed Ghislaine, she would almost certainly be killed, and if she survived, it would be by sheer luck and with grave injuries.
If he kept his distance, he could even use the King-level spell Earth Rupture to massacre an entire army, as he was almost certain he could wield its superior version, the Emperor-level Earthquake.
However, in the midst of close-quarters combat, these spells couldn't be used casually. His ability to manipulate mana was already extremely fast, allowing him to cast spells even in high-speed battles, but they had their limits. Against Ghislaine, he couldn't strengthen his spells as much as usual, because a single delay would result in his defeat.
Other variables included nearby allies who restricted his magic, the information the enemy had on him, natural counterattacks—such as the Flow of the Water God Style, which could cut through magic—among others.
This was also why he was truly enjoying Lightning Magic—it was fast, lethal, contained, and nearly indefensible. The same went for Barrier Magic, which had incredible versatility and potential.
The night at Joylore's mansion was torn apart by a deafening shockwave. Sparks cut through the air as Ghislaine fought Donar Bonart and the two knights. All three opponents had mastered Flow, severely restricting Ghislaine's Longsword of Light. They seemed unwavering, and the beast woman was at a great disadvantage—her swift and lethal attacks were always defended against and countered. And whenever she had a chance to kill one of them, Bonart would always interfere.
Ghislaine vanished into a blur, her sword whistling through the air. Her strike was met by the blade of one of the Saint-tier knights, who slightly tilted his weapon, redirecting the force of the attack into the ground. The floor cracked under the impact, but the man remained firm. Donar and the other knight moved simultaneously, flowing like waves toward Ghislaine.
But Rygar, who had regained consciousness, had finally healed his wounds enough to fight. He wielded only Tsukikage, as only emptiness remained where his left arm had once been.
Rygar dashed forward, his blue blade gleaming as it reflected the flames he had conjured. With a snap, he unleashed an arc of fire, attempting to force Donar to halt his attack. But the Water God King merely rotated his sword toward it, slicing vertically through the incoming wave of fire. Rygar watched intently with his Magic Eye—that use of Touki was truly mysterious and fascinating.
"Tch..." Rygar growled, leaping to the side the moment a swift thrust from the other knight attempted to pierce his flank.
He conjured a stone barrier between them, causing the blade to ricochet. Donar advanced, stopping beside Rygar with an upward slash. The silver blade gleamed, reflecting the lightning Rygar instinctively conjured in counterattack.