Chapter 147: Arthur’s Mistake
Airael looked at Arthur with a smile.
Because of his previous failure, being undefeated this time was already a significant improvement for her.
Since the start of the combat, they remained at a stalemate.
Now, all she needed to do was maintain this situation.
Of course, it would be even better if she could push further.
However, stability was the most important thing.
Avoid reckless moves and certainly don’t repeat the same mistake as last time.
At this moment, it was clear that Arthur bore the greater psychological burden.
He had to defeat Airael, just like he needed to defeat Cain in the battle days later. Being in a draw wasn’t exactly what he wanted.
The only result he wanted was—and I mean, really wanted—was to win!
Thinking of victory, a surge of power flooded Arthur’s body.
He charged at Airael again, his speed noticeably faster than before.
You see, due to all the exhausting movements just now, he was starting to feel fatigued.
So fast!
Airael was somewhat caught off guard, exclaiming in her mind while showing a hint of surprise on her face.
Arthur’s speed this time was really something.
Her eyes could barely catch the blur of his figure.
Only a vague silhouette remained visible to her.
This was quite disadvantageous for her.
However, Airael was not without her means of resistance.
While she couldn’t attack Arthur anymore, she could certainly protect herself.
In a moment of emergency, Airael summoned a Magic Power Shield around herself.
The golden shield sparkled dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Arthur, who had been fixated on Airael, couldn’t help but look away.
But his body kept rushing towards her.
Even though his eyes averted, his brain had already memorized Airael’s current position.
Charging towards Airael, he swung his sword at her just as her Magic Power Shield fully formed, sending her flying backward.
Though the Magic Power Shield boasted formidable defense, that tremendous force still transmitted some impact through to Airael.
Thus, when she hit the ground, Airael felt quite uncomfortable, landing awkwardly on her backside.
Fortunately, the Magic Power Shield remained intact, protecting her and not dissipating due to Arthur’s attack.
This is the advantage of the Magic Power Shield over the previous Lightning Armor—it had much better stability.
While the Lightning Armor could both attack and defend, it didn’t fare well in stability and was quite a burden on its user.
Thanks to the Magic Power Shield, Airael’s behind didn’t suffer too much damage.
However, Arthur didn’t stop his offense there.
After his initial strike, he continued to pursue the flying Airael.
So, just as she landed, he was already right in front of her.
As Arthur was about to deliver the final blow to Airael, she suddenly smiled at him.
Arthur froze for a moment.
Then, in the next second, he felt an immense shockwave.
The impact pushed Arthur backward.
In the end, he almost lost his balance and fell to the ground!
As he looked quite disheveled, Airael stood up with a smile still on her face.
At this point, her Magic Power Shield had vanished.
That powerful shockwave didn’t come from nowhere; Airael had detonated her Magic Power Shield in a directed blast.
In simpler terms, she used the magic from her shield to launch a close-range magic cannon at Arthur’s face.
No special attributes, just a straightforward, powerful blast of magic—simple, rough, and direct.
But though it sounded simple, the difficulty of casting was not low.
This was a high-level casting problem that could stump most spellcasters.
And not many would think to do it this way.
If this had been before she stepped into the Hero tier, Airael would have known about this technique, but her previous abilities wouldn’t have allowed her to pull it off.
“Looks like you made the same mistake I did last time, Arthur… Axx!”
In her excitement, Airael almost blurted out Arthur’s real name, but thankfully the initial sounds of both names were similar, so the slip didn’t raise much suspicion.
Hearing this, Arthur, who had just steadied himself, looked at Airael with a wry smile and replied, “I underestimated you; I didn’t think your mastery of magic was this impressive.”
In such circumstances, it truly surprised him that Airael could cast a spell against him.
“You’d be surprised by many things; magic is a truly wonderful thing.”
In response, Airael couldn’t help but express her own admiration.
Magic is indeed a very profound discipline.
It could be said to be endless; as long as you actively explore and persevere, you will eventually reap unexpected rewards.
“Though I lost that round, this battle between us isn’t over yet.”
Arthur didn’t reply but chose to change the topic.
He wasn’t familiar with magic at all.
Thus, he completely couldn’t communicate with Airael on this matter.
What she said was mostly like playing the lute to a cow to him.
That cow was just fine plowing the fields.
“Airael, I won’t lose to you!”
Hearing this, Airael declared boldly to Arthur.
Her recent success had boosted her confidence.
She believed that Arthur would be filled with doubt, which would present her the opportunity.
Taking advantage of Arthur’s caution, she aimed to launch an attack before he felt free to strike at her once more.
As Airael had anticipated, Arthur’s gaze toward her became more cautious.
He moved around her slowly, keeping a definite distance.
At this range, facing Airael’s attacks, he had enough reaction time.
Watching this scene, Airael furrowed her brow slightly.
Could she still achieve her intended magic attack with Arthur being this careful?
Then Airael shook her head.
There was no time to worry about that anymore.
Win or lose, she had to go all out this time.
Resolutely deciding, a golden Magic Circle appeared beneath her feet, and she began chanting a mysterious incantation.
Powerful waves of magic energy erupted from her body.
Her cloak billowed in the absence of wind, affected by her magical force.
Arthur looked at Airael like this and couldn’t help but become even more hesitant to act rashly.
