Chapter 180: Central Sector [9]

Zeus stared at Leon for a long moment. Then the corner of his lips curled up into a smile.

"Heh."

He jerked his hands where leon’s fist punched and looked at Leon over like he had found a new toy.

"Not bad at all, Spire. That power of yours is not just for show."

He rolled his shoulders and spread both arms wide until his body formed a perfect T. His crimson eyes glowed.

"You have become interesting. So let’s see what you can really do."

The red liquid around his body began to boil and churn.

"Let’s see how you protect your people."

The moment he said it, the air changed. Countless crimson drops floated up into the sky. They gathered together, stretched out, and hardened into long needle-like spikes. Their sharp tips shone under the red light, and more kept appearing.

Hundreds became thousands. Thousands became tens of thousands.

The spikes spread in every direction until they covered the whole battlefield. They pointed at the human warriors, at the vampires who were charging in, and at every single person within range.

Leon’s face went stiff.

"...What?"

He looked around and there were too many to count. They were aimed at everyone. Humans and vampires alike.

’Is this guy insane?! There are vampires down there too! Does he not care if his own people die?!’

His fists clenched and the blue lightning around his body surged as he searched for a way out. He was fast now, faster than he had ever been, but being fast did not mean being everywhere at once. Even if he destroyed one group of spikes, the rest would still fall on the battlefield like rain.

’Even at the speed of lightning, I can’t cover this whole area in time! What am I supposed to do?!’

For a moment he stood frozen. Then he forced himself to move.

’No. Standing here won’t save anyone.’

He lowered his stance and blue sparks gathered around his legs.

’I’ll destroy as many as I can. Even if I can’t save everyone, at least I can...’

"Don’t even think about it."

Zeus’s voice cut into his thoughts, and Leon froze again.

Zeus raised one finger and spoke in a playful tone, as if he was teaching a child.

"You are standing right here, fighting me. The second you turn your back to run off and save those people, I will cut you down without a second thought."

He tilted his head.

"Don’t think this is some honorable duel, Spire. I have no interest in a fair fight. If you leave your opponent to play the hero, you are just giving me the perfect chance to kill you from behind."

Leon ground his teeth together.

"So what will it be?" Zeus said. His eyes slid toward the warriors scattered across the field. "Will you stay and fight me while everyone else dies? Or will you run to them and let me cut you down behind your back before you can save anyone?"

He opened his arms a little wider.

"Come on, Spire. Show me how you plan to protect everyone when you can’t even protect yourself."

’Tch. Damn this bastard!’

Leon squeezed his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked. He was trapped and he knew it. If he attacked Zeus, the spikes would slaughter the warriors. If he went to save them, Zeus would strike him from behind. And every second he wasted thinking made things worse.

’What do I do?! What the hell do I do?!’

Zeus watched him struggle with a satisfied look on his face. Then, without any warning, he swung both arms downward.

WHOOSH!

Every spike shot forward at once. The sky filled with streaks of red light that rushed toward their targets from every direction.

Leon’s eyes went wide.

"NO!"

He kicked off the ground, but before he could take even one full step...

CLAP!

A sharp sound rang across the battlefield. Suddenly the crimson spikes slowed down. Not just a few of them. Every single one. The countless needles hung in the air and crept toward their targets at a painful crawl.

Zeus’s smile vanished.

"...Hm?"

He turned his head and frowned at the spikes. Leon stared at them too.

’What happened? Why did they slow down?’

Then a voice he knew very well rang out from behind him.

"Looks like we made it in time."

Leon spun around and his eyes widened.

Adrian stood there with his usual cocky grin. Beside him was Cecilia, and her mana had spread across the sky like an invisible net. A faint glow wrapped around the frozen spikes. That was what held them back.

Cecilia’s face was tight with strain as she kept the spell going. Adrian looked like he had just arrived for a fun afternoon walk.

The human warriors noticed them first.

"Wait... those are Upper Academy students!"

"THE UPPER ACADEMY REINFORCEMENTS ARE HERE!"

Hope ran through the tired army like a wave.

"They came!"

"Maybe more are coming!"

"WE’RE SAVED!"

Leon stared at the two of them and a bright smile spread across his face.

"Adrian! Cecilia! You guys made it!"

Adrian waved at him with his whole arm.

"Heeey, Leon!"

Then he looked at the blue lightning crackling around his friend and raised an eyebrow.

"Man, what is that ridiculous form? I didn’t know you had something like that!"

Leon let out a strained laugh.

"Now is not the time for that!"

"Relax, relax." Adrian waved a hand and turned to face the battlefield. "Leave this place to me. You just focus on that devil over there."

He gave Leon a thumbs up.

"I’ll take care of everyone here. Don’t worry about a thing!"

Something in Leon’s chest loosened.

"...Thanks, Adrian."

Cecilia was still fighting to hold all those spikes in place and her patience was gone.

"Can you stop chatting?!" she snapped. "I can’t hold these things forever, you idiot! Hurry up and finish this!"

Adrian glanced at her and smirked.

"Come on, Cecilia. Have some faith in me." He rested his sword on his shoulder. "When have I ever let you down?"

She gave him a look that could kill.

"Do you want me to drop all of them on your head?"

Adrian’s smile froze.

"...Right. I’ll get to work."

He turned toward the field.