“Are you running away, Stildar?”
Said a voice coming from the shadow of the dark tunnel.
Stildar turned his head hearing his name being called. Looking at the two figures approaching him, he snorted and spoke in a mocking tone. “Huh, those three morons can’t even hold out for a minute.”
He stopped in his tracks and looked at his blood brother with a condescending gaze. “How are you, brother?”
“Stildar Quartermain, you are going to answer for the crimes you have committed against Nexus Faction,” said the young man who came with his brother, the envoy sent from the Magus Alliance.
“Hahaha” Stildar chuckled as he looked at the two. “You outsiders should not be involved with what’s going on here!” Glaring at the envoy with a menacing look, he said, “Get lost or you will be sorry.”
Hearing that, Julian was about to take action and apprehend the man. However, remembering the deal, he held back his urge, turned to the old marshal and said sternly, “You have 3 minutes.”
The old marshal didn’t give a response to his words. The man stepped into the dim light of the underground tunnel, facing face to face with his brother, saying, “Stildar… What are you trying to do? Do you realize how many lives have been lost because of what you have done!?”
The area was silent for a moment before the rebel leader’s voice was heard.
“Change needs sacrifice…” The man stared directly at his brother, fury evident in his eyes. “Don’t you be blind to what is happening here!”
A conflicted look could be seen on the old marshal’s face, “But this is not how to do it… This is wrong.”
Upon hearing such words, the magus hung a condescending smile on his face. “Little brother, we have lived for over a hundred years. We both know what the Principal is capable of…”
Staring straight into his brother’s eyes, Stildar said, “Stop being naive… This is the only way.”
In response, the old marshal shook his head. “No, brother. It’s you who have crossed the line. This is against what we were fighting for!”
The magus was silent at his brother’s words for a second before saying, “You’re right, Shane… We were indeed foolish back then. It was such a waste of time.”
Seeing the situation wasn’t going anywhere, Julian decided to interrupt the conversation between the two brothers saying, “You have wasted 3 minutes of mine as well. Time’s up!”
Having his talk disrupted, Stildar snapped his head towards Julian and roared angrily, “You arrogant punk!” Immediately, he raised his arm and unleashed a powerful lightning bolt from his palm.
BOOOM!!!
A deafening sound echoed through the underground tunnel as Julian parried the bolt of lightning with his shield. The action numbed his hand holding the shield, but the Roman stood firm as if he didn’t feel it at all. Instead, he further provoked the other party.
“Is that all you got!?”
The rebel leader was absolutely incensed. To think a mere acolyte could receive his attack and still remained standing, a feeling of great humiliation rose within him, further amplifying his negative emotions.
“You! Get the fuck off!” Stildar shouted, his hand crackling with lightning.
However, before he could cast another spell, an energy beam flew through the air and hit his shoulder, sending him skidding a few steps backward. The attack enraged him even more as he roared crazily, knowing full well it was his own brother who had just shot him.
Even though he knew it was a bit of a waste, Julian still warned the rebel leader. “Listen to your brother and surrender yourself. This is your last warning!”
As expected, the ultimatum was met with another furious roar.
“You little nuisance! How dare a Rank 9 dare to fight a magus?! I am a magus! God amongst this planet!”
Once again, Stildar fired a bolt of lightning towards Julian.
When the rebel leader was about to unleash another spell at him, he was stopped by the old marshal’s shot, Julian observed the former closely. He realized the man had some kind of unique gloves that charged his lightning element.
He quickly analyzed the artifact and figured out it helped produce an even bigger attack using the residual spirit energy from the previous spells. Hence when the second thunderbolt was cast, Julian didn’t choose to wait until it reached him.
The Roman twisted his body and threw the shield in his hand with the momentum he accumulated. It shot through the air rapidly and hit the lightning bolt, negating the powerful attack before it could do anything.
The rebel leader seemed ready to fire another one, but what greeted him was another beam from Shane’s [Solar Rifle], who fired to provide some cover for Julian. With that, the burly Roman charged into the fray, picking up his shield and drawing out his sword for close combat.
However, to his surprise, suddenly one side of the underground tunnel collapsed.
Cloud of dust, rubbles came with numerous mechanical sounds and followed by a barrage of rapid energy blasts.
Julian quickly jumped away and smashed his shield onto the ground to cast [Sentinel Defense]. A translucent layer of barrier instantly formed in front of his shield, blocking all incoming blasts from reaching him.
On the other hand, the old marshal’s situation couldn’t be said the same. He got hit by the surprise attack and his body quickly fell to the ground. Unfortunately, Julian didn’t have time to care about him as his attention was focused on the new arrival.
What came out of the collapsed wall was a large construct. A four-meter-tall machine standing on two legs, with its two arms equipped with heavy weaponry. A figure could be seen within it, a man with a unique-looking device hanging over his eyes.
“Here I come boss!” shouted the men
“Don’t shoot my brother, you idiot! Kill that son of a bitch!”
“Yes boss!”
Immediately, the huge machine turned its weapon towards Julian one more time.
“Goodbye, kiddo. Be thankful my mech suit will be the last thing you see!”
A wheezing sound resounded through the air before another rapid explosion shot out, hitting Julian’s shield like a swarm. Julian found himself unable to move under the relentless onslaught. He was forced to stand his ground, watching as cracks gradually began to appear on the barrier created by his shield.
Crack! crack!
“Dammit!”
As the barrier was on its last legs, Julian was ready to dodge away, but a figure suddenly jumped in front of him.
A plant creature that suddenly turned into a ball and covered his entire body.
“Twik!”
The man controlling the war machine was dumbfounded by the scene before him.
“What the hell is that thing?!”