Eon started to make calculations. These were complex calculations that he himself had come up with or that he learned from his years of travel and experienced. These were the formulas that made up his legacy.
The angered Blurak curled his hand into a fist. He pulled back like a drunk and angry man about to strike a well-learned scholar. The face of Eon as he saw this was indifferent. Not even the blood that dripped from his mouth from his internal injuries could make him view Blurak as a threat.
A resounding bang enshrouded the boss room as Blurak's meaty fist pressed down on the empty space in front of it.
"HUUUUMAAAAN!!!!" Blurak screamed trying to muster more power, but his fist never reached the fancy human.
"Urgh…!" Nevertheless, Eon was still forced to spurt out a mouthful of blood as the mana that left his body made room for his body to start slowly decaying. Eon knew this could kill him yet he still refused to take out the space crystal he kept on himself at all times.
He only wiped his mouth and cast a new spell.
Blurak, somehow noticing the futility of striking from the front decided to move aside and try again yet Blurak's body crashed against an invisible wall. This one wasn't meant to protect anybody that much was obvious.
Blurak tried to go back, his foot met a wall nearly tripping his burly body. The other side then! But he soon found out that like a mime, he was locked up in an invisible box.
"Hahahaha" Eon laughed as he watched the fumbling giant who was still consumed by rage become confused. What a funny sight! It almost made Eon forget the extreme pain that putting up such a thing caused him.
The walls began to tighten. Blurak's figure started crouching and his large body was slowly became pressed on all sides.
"ROOOOARRRR!!!" Blurak was unwilling, however. He flexed his muscles and wormed in place. His scream was heard by none but W could see Blurak's effort and bloodshot eyes.
A thought popped up in his mind.
'Should I help?' Fueled by an extreme sense of helplessness, this thought entered W's mind. He might not be the one in battle but he knew quite well that his fate would not be any good if Blurak fell so simply.
W gritted his teeth and darted closer to Eon and Blurak. His decision was obvious.
The distance of his low-level transmission was not great enough to cover the entire boss room. Whether or not he would be able to continue hiding after he used it was also a mystery.
Yes, W's plan of help was to talk. The old man was in a horrible position healthwise, and there was no way to conceal this. The man's beard was smeared with blood and his face was ghastly pale. His eyes were sunken perhaps lacking sleep from the nights he had to wake up suddenly feeling short of breath.
The man was pitiful and miserable. But he was to that same degree strong. W could not afford to mess around.
'Are you sure you want to end this so quickly?' So W transmitted from a distance. He made sure that he couldn't see Eon by placing himself some distance away from Blurak's body. Whether this mattered was yet to be seen.
Eon who was calculating the way and controlling his mana as to how space should constrict around Blurak suddenly heard a voice inside his head. His thoughts wandered for no more than a second but Eon's magic nearly collapsed.
"Damn it- Argh!" Eon felt the rebound attack his body and he nearly slouched into an unsightly position. Fortunately, he was a wise man.
"Let's talk!" He shouted with a vigor unlike that of an aged man. He couldn't allow whatever it was that invaded his mind to speak to him again but doing so implied isolating himself into another space. The mana expenditure of casting two spells was humongous nevermind casting one from a separate space.
Hearing this shout W subtly smiled. Talk. That was all he wanted. That made it a bit suspicious, however. Wasn't he a bit too open for conversation? W knew this only meant that the man's situation was truly dire.
Only the weak wanted to avoid conflict. This was a statement that was not always true. Yet, here it was. The powerful magician wished to converse. Judging by his lone presence there this was likely his initial intention but as soon as he initiated battle any real chances for conversation should have been dashed.
'Really?' W asked provocatively causing Eon to spurt out another mouthful of blood. Eon was placed in a dilemma.
To avoid himself from spitting out blood he could stop the spell but doing so implied letting Blurak out. At that time he would have to defend himself and W could start transmitting things at key points once more.
Transmitting thoughts to distract one would usually be ineffective but as space magic was very complicated warding off mental disturbance was important for a space magician.
Thus, Eon was prepared. Well, it was just that in his state these preparations would require mana and that meant that he would be placed in the same exact position of deteriorating his health. If he could persuade the mysterious voice likely originating from the intelligent being then things were different!
"Of course! Argh… Cough Cough" Eon grimaced and shouted before devolving into a small coughing fit.
The space around Blurak also stopped contracting perhaps a show of goodwill from the part of Eon.
'I see, then what is it you wish to speak of?' W put on the air of a learned man and probed.
Eon narrowed his eyes, the voice was still transmitted to his head. Fortunately, by stopping the contraction the intensity of the required focus was reduced and he could stay in a more passive position. Unless Blurak started to break free there was no need for him to do much here.
That wasn't the key point, however. Eon did not expect the voice to stop being transmitted directly to him. It was weird to think so. What it signified was instead much more significant.
"The bug is hiding somewhere…" This made Eon put on a sour expression. The only thing that would hide from him was that damnable orc from earlier! It had entered but he never caught sight of it, it had deceived him!
Though angry, Eon secretly smiled. If he killed it or captured it he could take care of Blurak and receive his answers as well.
"I've heard of a certain creature, Cough- Ahem they say it's intelligent. Any idea what I'm talking about?" Eon shouted with a hint of confidence.
'Intelligent, it's me isn't it?' The creature the old man spoke of was him and asking that question was thus redundant. W, therefore, frowned. What gave him the confidence?
'I might' W replied before thinking of ways to do the old fogey in. If possible he would like to capture him but putting aside that he wouldn't live that long anyway the effort and risk involved were too great to be worth it on its own.
Then came silence. A silent stalemate.
Both parties remained in place perhaps trying to process their next move or even to anticipate that of their opponent's.
The silence was broken by a jarring sound of shattering. The vigorous ogre that was Blurak did not stay still during this short period. The space cracked and an arm broke free from the invisible box.
"FANCY HUUUUMAAAAAAN!!! CHAMPIOOOOOON!!!!" The screams that were being contained by the box were also freed from the box at this instant. Blurak could no longer think rationally, not that it really ever could, and only contained unbridled rage towards all things responsible for its current state.
Instantly, space shifted to close the hole-
'Hey, say something' "Argh, cough cough" But with those words being transmitted to Eon at the critical juncture he was forced to rebound again.
Blurak's arm was however sliced off by the half-assed repair. His screams grew muffled before disappearing altogether.
The stalemate persisted but now Eon was aware of who held the advantage. Blurak was an ogre. He wasn't very brilliant, and he certainly didn't have the means to shatter space and time. Yet, that was precisely what made it all the more frightening that he could.
That was also something that made Eon realize his inability and his plight. That was the difference. This was what held him back from becoming a truly powerful being! This was the invisible wall that he could never cross! The mountain he would never surmount!
Mana was almighty! Yet… it was not omnipotent… The two words meant the exact same thing though, no?
Almighty was unlimited in might while omnipotent was unlimited in power. Mana might be a powerful force but it could not do it all. Using space mana to warp space was not the same as shifting space itself!
The ogre Blurak could not break space and time but it could brute force through the space formed around it by mana.
Eon was… disappointed? Sorrowful? Disheartened? Depressed!?! What was he!?!?
He was regretful. He spent nearly 170 years alive. Every waking moment was devoted to research and it was what made him powerful today yet… his time was still too short. His discovery, the next step. He couldn't take walk up the stairway to power anymore.
If only he had figured this out 20, no, 10! Years earlier. How different would things be! He would surely be able to bend things at will and be like a god on earth! The power of space was not to be underestimated and though his power could not be considered omnipotent, it was certainly almighty.
Eon's hand was forced. He summoned out the spatial rock, the space crystal. Its bright mystic and alluring purple glow could not be concealed even to Ed whose view of Eon was blocked by Blurak's large body.
He could see the shimmering rays radiating like that of a dazzling star, his eyes shortly blinded by the intensity squinted and W's body shrunk back.
"I'll crush this place" Eon then declared simply with a harsh voice.
He wanted answers. He had regrets just as did Augustus but he wouldn't bet on this alone. Not until he was certain, and there was only one way to be certain.
Eon needed to press forward, to the next floor! And the one after that! The one following! The one that continued! All the way until he met the core of the dungeon!
He would bulldoze his way over there until then! It was either that or until his body became haggard and pale beyond recovery until his body collapsed and stopped functioning… until his… his life faded and his legacy remained uncertain…