Warlock Ch 173. You Really Don't Hold Back, Do You?
Flaming javelins materialized around him, their tips glowing with corrosive energy. He hurled them in rapid succession, each one streaking toward Cassius like a cot.
Cassius smirked midair, snapping his fingers. "[Shadow Step]," he said smugly. "Still playing with fire, I see," he said as he appeared in another place.
Damian's eyes narrowed. "[Dark Dominion!]" he roared, activating his ultimate. A dark aura exploded outward, filling the hall with oppressive energy. Cassius' smirk faltered as the aura pressed against him, its Terror effect causing the barrier to flicker.
"That's more like it," Cassius said, his voice quieter but no less composed. "Let's see how long you can hold it."
The next few minutes were a blur of spells and counterattacks. Cassius launched volley after volley of crystal and light-based magic. Damian danced through the chaos, his Spectral Surge keeping him just ahead of Cassius' strikes.
Damian retaliated with everything he had—Dark Bolts that scread through the air, Arcane Bolts that chained between the shards of Cassius' defenses, and even his Shadow Barrier, which absorbed several of Cassius' more powerful attacks.
But the gap between them was undeniable. Cassius wasn't just a rank A or S—he was SSS. His power was on par with Damian's past self.
Still, Damian refused to give in.
His breath ca in ragged gasps as the tir ticked down to the ten-minute mark. He could feel his mana draining, his body screaming for rest, but he pressed on. "Not… giving up," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
Cassius grinned, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Good. Because I'm not done either."
Damian didn't have ti to reply before Cassius made his move. A surge of crystalline energy erupted from the ground beneath Damian, forcing him to leap back. The jagged spikes of glowing crystal pierced the air where he'd just been standing, their edges shimring dangerously. Damian hit the ground in a roll, barely keeping his footing.
"Fighting dirty already, huh?" Damian called out, his voice laced with a mix of irritation and adrenaline.
"Always," Cassius replied, his tone maddeningly calm. He raised his hand, and the shards turned, floating midair before launching toward Damian like missiles.
"[Shadow Step!]" Damian barked, his body dissolving into a swirl of shadows. He reappeared several ters to the side, skidding to a stop as the crystal missiles embedded themselves into the barrier behind him, sending shockwaves through the do. The ground trembled under his feet.
Cassius didn't let up. With a flick of his wrist, a massive arc of blue energy surged toward Damian, splitting the air with its intensity. "[Luminous Slash]," he intoned, his voice like steel.
Damian clenched his teeth and threw up his hands. "[Shadow Barrier!]" The dark shield materialized just in ti, absorbing the brunt of the slash. But even with its reinforced strength, the barrier cracked, the force pushing Damian back several steps.
"Damn it, Cas!" Damian growled, lowering his arms as the barrier shattered into fragnts. His breathing was heavy, his body aching, but he wasn't about to quit. "You really don't hold back, do you?"
Cassius smirked. "Wouldn't be much of a test if I did."
Damian's lips twitched into a grin despite himself. "Fine. Let's make it a real fight then." He slamd his hand into the ground, and a void of swirling darkness erupted around him. "[Dark Dominion!]"
The oppressive aura expanded, its radius engulfing Cassius. The air thickened with malevolent energy, and the ground seed to darken as if the light itself was being consud. For a mont, Cassius' smirk faltered, his body freezing as the Terror effect gripped him.
"You're getting better," Cassius admitted, his voice strained as he forced himself to move. "But you're still not there yet."
"We'll see about that," Damian shot back, his hands moving in rapid succession as he unleashed a flurry of attacks. "[Infernal Javelins!]" he shouted, summoning flaming spears around him. He hurled them one after the other.
Cassius simply used [Shadow Step] and teleported to another place.
"Not bad," Cassius said, his tone amused. "But you'll have to do better than that."
"Oh, I'm just getting started," Damian replied, his voice low and confident. He raised his hands again, the air around him crackling with energy. "[Arcane Bolt!]"
The bolt shot forward, chaining between the remains of the javelins and the crystal shards still lingering from Cassius' earlier attack. The chain lightning effect created a web of destruction, forcing Cassius to retreat several steps.
"You're making work for it," Cassius said, his grin widening. "I'm impressed."
"Don't get used to it," Damian quipped, his voice tight with concentration. He extended his hand, summoning another void beneath Cassius' feet. "[Void Rift!]"
The rift expanded rapidly, its gravitational pull dragging Cassius off balance. For a mont, it seed like Damian had the upper hand. But Cassius slamd his foot into the ground, creating a shockwave of light energy that disrupted the rift's pull.
"Nice try," Cassius said, his tone sharp. "But you'll need more than tricks to beat ."
Damian gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he calculated his next move. He could feel his mana draining. But he wasn't about to give up. Not when he'd co this far.
He raised a hand, summoning a spear of pure, searing darkness that crackled with corrosive energy. "[Hellfire Spear!]" he roared, gripping the weapon tightly. He kept it in his hand, shifting his stance into one that felt both defensive and offensive.
Cassius raised an eyebrow at the change in approach. "You should stop doing that. You are a warlock, not a battle mage," he called, his tone mocking yet intrigued.
"I'm everything," Damian shot back, his voice strained but steady. He charged forward, the spear trailing dark energy that scorched the ground beneath his feet. Cassius moved to counter, summoning a wave of crystalline shards that shot toward Damian like daggers.
Damian twisted his body, using the spear like a staff to deflect the incoming shards. Each impact sent vibrations up his arms, but he pressed on, closing the gap between them. Cassius sidestepped his first swing, the spear slicing through the air with a hiss. Damian followed up with a quick jab, forcing Cassius to block with his own Hellfire Spear.
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