Legacy of the Dark Sage

Lucian's magic pressure erupted and filled his Dimension in the blink of an eye. As soon as it did, active defensive spells shattered, including Ruin's red light and True Void's defensive spell.

"Gaah...!"

True Void shouted in pain as his defensive spell collapsed, and Lucian's attacks pierced his whole body.

"..Kuh!"

Kyran also suffered a slight backlash since True Void was connected to him, and he fell to his knees.

"Damn it!" Ruin cursed as he waved his hand and redeployed his red light barrier.

However, because of Lucian's magic pressure, Ruin's barrier could not even form.

"Focus!" Kyran growled at Ruin, warning him just in time when Deus and another automaton swooped in on them.

"Deal with them fast," Lucian ordered Deus, who responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Without lifting his magic pressure, Lucian turned his attention back to the Void Master.

By then, True Void had regained some composure and was already weaving the two black swords in his hands around and slicing through Lucian's attacks. He could not just endure the attacks since he could not cast a defensive spell. Thus, he could only cut them or absorb them.

Seeing this, Kyran knew it would not do good if True Void's cover were exposed. However, he had to make Lucian continue to believe the latter was the original Void Master while he, Kyran, was an essence.

'I have to move and fast,' Kyran thought. His eyes turned into a deep shade of reddish purple, and the eyes of the defense-type automatons he had recently reconstructed flashed. The eye color of the automatons' were similar to Kyran's. The only difference was that they emitted a kind of bloodlust that was directed at the automaton with Deus.

"I'll deal with the automaton, you deal with that other guy," Kyran told Ruin.

"You sure have grown some balls for thinking you can order me around~," Ruin grumbled. But then he sneered and added, "Not that I'm not going to listen to you, though."

Ruin might have only destroyed a few of Deus's automatons earlier. But the amount of magic energy he absorbed after defeating them was tantamount. As a matter of fact, Ruin would not usually be able to absorb all their magic energies. After all, those automatons were still at the level of a Sovereign, which meant the quantity of their magic energy would be at the same level.

Ruin might be a High Sovereign, but the amount of magic energy he could store in his body should be equivalent to two Sovereigns. But that was if he was using his original body. At the moment, he was using an automaton body created by Kyran. To his surprise, the energy core of the automaton could absorb a large amount of magic energy without regard to their quality level.

He even felt as if it could absorb more.

In any case, Ruin did not have to worry about wasting magic energy for now. As a matter of fact, if he had been worried, he would not have cast the Red Pillar.

Two red swords appeared on Ruin's hands as he charged toward Deus. The swords were shaped like bolts, with red lightning swirling around them. Obviously, Ruin did not plan on throwing them at Deus. Instead, he planned to use them for what they were— weapons.

Deus could not help but frown at Ruin's decision to fight him head-on. Had the latter forgotten they were disadvantaged in replenishing their magic energies?

'Doesn't matter,' he muttered under his breath. 'If he wants to die that much, so be it.'

Deus gestured his hand toward the approaching automatons and ordered his newly summoned automaton to destroy them.

Though it pained Deus to see his creation being used against him, he was glad they were only defense-type automatons. If those automatons were under him, they would surely be a good weapon against other mages. However, he did not fear their defenses because he made all his offensive-type automatons exceed their capabilities.

Or at least, that was Deus's expectation. But as soon as his newly summoned automaton arrived before the three defense-type automatons, he was dumbfounded by what transpired next.

Purple-colored aura covered the defense-type automatons' shields and swords. They then charged at Deus's offense-type automaton, which held a great sword from three directions.

When the offense-type automaton brandished his great sword and was about to strike the defense-type automaton approaching the front, the latter parried the great sword with its shield easily before it swiped its sword horizontally and aimed at the former's torso.

Clang!

The offense-type automaton managed to dodge the sword before it could hit, but with its pushed up after his great sword was parried, it was left in a precarious position.

Before he could regain his balance, the defense-type automaton charging from behind closed in instantly and slammed its shield on the offense-type automaton's back.

BAM!

The offense-type automaton was rammed forward and sent directly at the first defense-type automaton that attacked it initially from the front.

Facing its sword forward, the first defense-type automaton aimed it at the offense-type automaton's chest, right where its energy core was located.

But the offense-type automaton raised its great sword horizontally just in time to parry the incoming sword.

Clang!

The first defense-type automaton reeled back from the force of having its sword parried. At the exact moment it got pushed back, the defense-type automaton that attacked from behind swiped its sword at the offense-type back.

The offense-type automaton twirled its body and barely avoided the tip of the second defense-type automaton's sword.

However, it was at this moment that the third defense-type automaton rushed in from the side.

BAM!

To be more precise, the third defense-type automaton did not rush in per se. Instead, it was its shield, which it threw like a boomerang that directly hit the offense-type automaton's torso.

Crackle!

Deus's eyes widened as the automaton he had just summoned was cut in half by the defense-type automaton's shield.

"How...?"

"Are you sure you have the leisure to watch your toys play?"

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"!"

Distracted, Deus barely dodged Ruin's red sword.

At least, Deus thought he barely dodged it. However, as soon as Ruin struck, red lightning-like energy crackled from the sword and exploded outward, hitting Deus directly.

"AAAAAHHH!"

Deus was merged into a bigger automaton. However, even with that automaton's defenses, which were higher than the defense-type automatons in his collection, did nothing against Ruin's sneak attack.

It went without saying that the nature of Ruin's magic could easily ignore— or, maybe it was better to say ruin— a mage's defenses. The nature of his magic might appear overpowered, but to be honest, it would only be effective against defenses originating from objects.

Since Deus relied on his automaton for defense, with the latter being considered an object, the nature of Ruin's magic became effective. If not for this, Ruin would have aimed for The Emperor and ruined the latter's defenses right from the start.

"So weak~ You haven't changed one bit~ As always, you are still so weak~."

"AZALOTH!"

"Don't shout. I can hear you just fine~."

Unable to keep his cool at Ruin's taunting, Deus no longer cared and summoned more of his main automatons.

To be honest, he would have summoned his Prime Series if not for the fact that they were currently undergoing an upgrade and were not included in his inventory. The attack on the Crespuscule Auction House was something he never expected to happen, and he was not 100% equipped for an all-out war.

Three silver automatons with wings and long swords appeared and attacked Ruin in an instant.

Unfazed by the appearance of the Winged Series automatons, Ruin swung down his hands, and red lightning exploded out from the sword once more.

Sizzle! Crackle! Crackle!

BOOM!

The long sword held by the three Winged Series automatons was coated with concentrated magic energies. Thus, a massive explosion sent them flying backward after their weapons collided with the red lightning from Ruin's swords.

Lucian frowned after seeing the explosion from Deus's location. He ordered the latter to deal with them at once; how come he was the one being dealt with?

Lucian still had his magic pressure pressing down on the enemies, making it hard for them to summon defensive barriers or spells. Deus should have the upper hand since Lucian's pressure did not affect him. So how did he end up being overwhelmed by those trash?

Ruin was a fallen mage who barely returned to the Higher Realm using an automaton body. But what about the Void Master's essence? After taking control of Deus's automatons, he should have spent what little magic energy he had and would have been vulnerable to even the weakest magic attack. But what did Deus do?

He wasted such an opportunity and went after Ruin, who was on a suicide mission, disregarding his usage of magic energy inside the Dimension...n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Only then did Lucian notice something amiss.

After taking control of Deus's automatons, the Void Master's essence should have exhausted his magic energy, but what was this? Why did Lucian suddenly feel an ominous energy spreading inside his Dimension?