Gin's senses expanded outward, wrapping around the battlefield like an unseen veil. With the creation of his new spell, he had shattered several internal barriers at once.
His magical perception grew sharper, and his control over mana beca more refined. Even his core pulsed with newfound vitality, having subtly increased in strength.
It was a surreal experience.
In the past, Gin had always overco these taphorical walls through solitary reflection—quiet monts spent deep in thought, piecing together knowledge and experience. But this ti was different.
He had broken through while imrsed in the chaos of battle, developing a new spell under pressure.
The intensity of the mont made the breakthrough all the more profound.
Sweat, tainted with mana, ford in beads on his skin. With a swift gesture, Gin summoned a torrent of water magic. The liquid coiled around his body in a spiraling current, cleansing him before vanishing into the air.
Kyrie Lynchfield's eyes widened in astonishnt.
The spell had been cast so swiftly, so seamlessly, that she hadn't even sensed the build-up of mana.
All she had perceived was a brief ripple of power at the exact mont the spell activated. The sheer speed left her speechless.
"Wow… that's incredible," she murmured under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.
"Isn't it our turn?" Gin's calm voice snapped her out of her reverie. "We should get started."
Kyrie straightened her posture, nodding with renewed focus. "Right. Let's begin."
The strategy remained the sa. Gin had already prepared a mana sphere as their focal point—an anchor designed to gather and concentrate their collective attacks. Kyrie's role was to lead the assault, coordinating the timing of the strikes.
anwhile, Gin readied his new spell. It was designed to blend seamlessly with the lightning magic, penetrating deep into the target's core. Timing was crucial. His spell needed to strike the Needle Giant's crown just before the full force of the lightning attack hit. If executed perfectly, the spell would carve a path for the lightning to embed itself within the giant's body.
Gin focused his domain, attuning himself to the surrounding mana flows. The movents of nearby mages and ability-users registered clearly in his mind, their mana streams traced like radiant threads across his consciousness. His mastery over domain expansion had advanced further—soon, perhaps, he would be able to influence an opponent's mana directly through it. That day was still far off, but it was no longer a distant dream.
Despite starting his preparations after everyone else, Gin completed his spell before any of the others. His magic was several tis more complex than theirs, yet his control and precision allowed him to work with unparalleled efficiency.
"Now!" Kyrie's voice rang out, issuing the command.
KRA-KA-THOOM!
A surge of coordinated magic erupted as dozens of spells launched toward the mana sphere. This ti, not a single spell veered wildly off course. The combined attacks converged on the giant, following the sphere's trajectory like guided stars. They soared high above the Needle Giant's head before plumting down in a blinding flash.
Just before impact, Gin's spell pierced the giant's crown.
BOOOOM!
The giant convulsed violently, its entire body trembling in shock. Gin observed the internal effects with razor-sharp clarity. His weakening spell had burrowed deep into the creature, spreading through its internal structure like a web. The lightning magic followed this path, splitting into countless arcs that tore through the giant's body. The spell wreaked havoc within the beast, disrupting its magical core.
For a brief mont, the giant's defenses faltered. Its imnse mana reserves, which had previously shielded it from harm, failed to absorb the full brunt of the attack. The damage struck true, bypassing its magical barriers entirely.
The giant's natural regeneration kicked in almost imdiately, rapidly nding the injuries. However, this recovery ca at a steep cost—its core's mana was being depleted at an alarming rate. Gin monitored the process closely, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction.
It's working, he thought. The core's energy had dropped significantly—far more than in any previous assault.
"Let's move to the next position," Kyrie commanded. The team began to march, following her lead. As the group advanced, she subtly slowed her pace until she was walking beside Gin.
"The Needle Giant reacted differently this ti," she remarked. "That was your doing, wasn't it?"
"I adjusted the strategy. We wouldn't be able to kill it otherwise," Gin replied matter-of-factly.
"What do you an by that?" Kyrie asked, frowning in confusion.
"Based on my calculations, if we stuck to the original plan, it would take fifteen hours to bring the giant down. No one here can endure that kind of prolonged battle."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait… Are you saying this Needle Giant is a mutated variant?"
"I wouldn't know," Gin admitted. "This is my first encounter with a Needle Giant. But I trust my calculations. I've been gathering data since the hunt began."
Kyrie gazed at him with a mix of awe and curiosity. She finally understood why Oswin Freedeng had taken such an interest in this man. Gin wasn't just powerful—there was sothing deeply compelling about him, sothing that stirred her fascination beyond re admiration.
This feeling… It's familiar, she thought.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pinpoint where that familiarity ca from. Eventually, she gave up on the thought and looked at Gin anew, a spark of intrigue shining in her eyes.
"Do you ever plan on visiting other cities?" Kyrie Lynchfield asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Other cities?" Ban Gin echoed, pondering for a mont. "Perhaps one day. I've thought about visiting Calchester eventually. I hear the Freedeng family resides there."
"What about Duistron?" Kyrie pressed. "Have you considered visiting? It's a city very different from West Ham, and even more distinct from Calchester."
Gin raised an intrigued eyebrow. He had never expected every city to feel the sa, but there was sothing about how boldly Kyrie declared "our city is different" that stirred his curiosity.
"Freedengs are dull people," she continued, her tone both teasing and dismissive. "Emotionally barren. But our Lynchfield house? We're nothing like that."
"What makes you so different?" Gin asked, his tone neutral but genuinely curious.
Kyrie smiled with pride. "Our sense of beauty, of course. That naturally influences how we develop our city. Duistron is stunning—truly a city of elegance and wonder."
She walked beside him, her words laced with heartfelt pride. Gin couldn't help but wonder if it was so kind of tourism hub. He said nothing, continuing to stride quietly by her side.
"Well?" Kyrie asked, flashing him a playful look. "Are you tempted to visit now?"
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