C241: Bloody reunion (3)
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Two huge bloody arms with prominent tendons appeared and grabbed the pillar of fire from side to side tearing it apart as hard as they could.
The embers scattered like petals in all directions and in the center of the storm, Grander stood in the air.
The bloody hands protruding from her shoulders looked creepy and soon the shape of the arms twisted and eventually turned into red bat wings.
It is similar to the Aether Nocturnus used by Rudger, but it was a different magic. Originally, it was a magic that Grander did not know how to use, but she figured it out immediately after seeing Rudger’s use it once.
“Good, student! More! More!”
As the wings spread wide, bright red feathers shot like a machine gun and Rudger immediately pulled two black revolvers out of the shadow.
The revolver, who didn’t need actual bullets but fired mana bullets.
Red feathers and mana bullets collided in the air, causing an explosion of mana. Their numbers were about the same but Grander’s feathers were more powerful and little by little, Rudger was pushed back.
‘I have to use special weapons.’
Rudger handed the revolvers to Aether Nocturnus and it continued to fire them.
In the meantime, Rudger took out a new weapon from inside the shadow cape. It was a bolt action rifle painted black and gold that is hard to load step by step.
If there was anyone from the Utah Kingdom here, they would have opened their eyes wide because Rudger’s black rifle was the symbol of the legendary mercenary Machiavelli.
The weapon gave off an eerie glow as a beam of light shot straight at Grander. It went through the pouring feathers and penetrated Grander’s chest.
“Another interesting thing!”
Grander blood splattered from her chest but she did not fall.
“Another strange tool!”
Grander had knowledge of guns. However, Rudger used a special product no matter how she looked at it. It was different from ordinary objects.
Grander used evasive maneuvers as mana was sprayed on the tip of the red wings.
Rudger kept firing but Grander’s flight speed was so fast that she was almost seen as a red line. Nevertheless, Rudger calmly read her movements, predicted her trajectory, and pulled the trigger.
Every time he pulled the trigger, blood splattered on Grander’s body.
Grander admired Rudger’s concentration and shooting skills. Even if the distance is wide, the magic bullet hits her as if it has eyes on her.
She hadn’t even taught him how to hold a gun, let alone shoot, but he grew up to that level on his own.
‘They’re not ordinary magic bullets.’
The mana bullets that remained in her body gave her a strange sensation but despite such pain, Grander analyzed the mana bullets without blinking an eye.
‘Wherever I fly, it will surely catch up. It’s truly a magic bullet.’
Her red eyes eventually caught something like a thread in the air. That was the secret of the magic bullets.
When Rudger pulls the trigger and a mana bullet is fired, the mana bullet moves along the thread. Even in the process, the speed of the mana bullet accelerated exponentially.
“He used coordinate designation to mark my location.”
Rudger, who heard Grander talking to herself, kicked his tongue. In the civil war of the Utah Kingdom, his skills, which were not noticed by anyone, were discovered by her in only a few minutes.
‘Even so, it will take time to cope.’
It was enough to change his stance before his master approached him.
At that moment, Grander’s blood wings embraced her body like an egg. The moment he was surprised that she was suddenly doing such a thing the blood egg became a dot in the air and contracted.
“……!”
It was the space movement magic that Rudger used.
Rudger looked around to find his missing teacher. Then a small, thin arm popped out over his shoulder and tightened his neck from behind.
“I got you.”
Grander tried to smash Rudger’s neck but at that moment, Rudger’s figure collapsed like a shadow and disappeared.
“Fake?”
As soon as Grande wondered, she realized that her body was not moving.
Looking closely, a translucent thread was squeezing her body like a marionette, then a blade pierced through her chest.
Looking down at the scene, Grande started laughing.
“Well done. Did you even learn how to fight like the Calsapa Assassins?”
“Master taught me how to act like other people. I just saw it and copied it.”
“You’ve seen and learned properly.”
When Grander wandered the world with Rudger, Calsapa Assassins tried to kill him. At that time, it was none other than Grander who taught them how to fight like them and he eliminated all the Calsapa Assassins.
“However, there is something you haven’t learned properly. That their way of fighting is ultimately aimed at humans.”
There was a blood vortex coming from Grander’s body.
Rudger immediately pulled out his blade and quickly stepped back.
“It’s all useless in front of immortality.”
The wire, which had even bound the body of the black wizard, broke.
Grander looked back at Rudger in a bright red vortex and took a slow step but just then light burst from the ground and soon the awl of a rock popped out and pierced her foot.
“Trap?”
‘A magic trap? When has he installed it?’
Grander spread her wings again and tried to fly into the sky but at that moment, a huge pressure from the sky sank and she hit the ground.
Countless thorns sprang up from the shadow of Grander, who fell to the ground, penetrating Grander’s whole body.
Grander raised his head slightly and looked at Rudger.
“Wow, did you make a trap in the air?”
“The spatial coordinates do not belong only to the earth.”
“Hahaha! Yes, they don’t.”
Grander rose slowly and the shadows clinging to her body snapped.
“What else are you going to do?”
Grander stared curiously at Rudger wondering what he was going to do next. Then a white glow flowed out behind Rudger’s back and gathered in his hand.
“That is…”
Grander recalled Rudger’s familiar hand movements from her memory.
“Hand seals?”
There are three ways in which magic can be manifested.
Cast(cause (a magic spell) to take effect), Mudra(hand seals used in Buddhism and Hinduism) and Magus(술식).
Among them, the most popular in modern times was Cast, because it is relatively stable and produces uniform results compared to other methods.
However Mudra and Magus still existed and there were still people who researched how to use magic with these methods.
Mudra is a magical ritual that symbolizes the expression of words without sound but there is a limit to expressing language with hand gestures.
However the magic that Rudger was using now.
‘It’s as if it’s done to the limit…….’
As Rudger slowly put his hand down, Grander did not move as if her whole body was suppressed by something and for the first time, Grander had an excited voice.
“……a magic I’ve never seen before.”
Grande couldn’t hide her excitement at the magic she saw for the first time in her life.
It’s not ordinary magic since the flow of holy energy was similar to the divine power based on faith but it was far from God’s energy. Rather, it was the feeling that humans themselves had gained holy power.
“What do you call it?”
“BhumisParsa-Mudra”
Rudger said calmly.
This magic could only be used when one gained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.
In the original form one had to use it while sitting cross-legged but Rudger changed it to make it easier to use.
“Ha ha. Hand seals to ward off demons? Indeed, isn’t it the opposite power of someone like me? To make something like that, it’s clear that you’ve really gone crazy.”
“Thank you for the compliment. So, is this enough?”
“Enough?”
Grander shook her head even under the huge pressure.
“Do you think it’ll be enough?”
Her ghastly red eyes were still engulfed in madness.
“It’s not enough. What you’ve shown is great, but it’s still not enough.”
“…….”
“You still have more left, right? Show me all the skills and magic you’ve honed.”
Her eyes, filled with madness as if she were longing for something, no longer resembled those of a human.
As Grander was slowly regaining her freedom she used a spell and created a huge shockwave before Rudger could cast his next spell.
As soon as Rudger slowed down, Grander was already close to Rudger’s nose. Her little hands grabbed Rudger by the collar and pushed him and because of the vampire’s transcendent strength, Rudger fell backwards.
Grander climbed on top of Rudger and popped her face in front of Rudger’s nose.
“My disciple, this is not the end!”
“Teacher.”
“Hurry up and show me more. Don’t hide it and use everything……!”
“Teacher!”
“Please, kill me.”
“…….”
Her last words were said in a mournful voice beyond madness and Rudger sighed softly. Then, he opened his mouth and put his palm on the cheek of his teacher who hung on him.
“Stop it now.”
“…….”
“Mother.”
As if those words had become a catalyst, Grander’s body stood still. The madness that filled her face disappeared, and her eyes, which had been completely red, soon returned to their original state.
The pressure of the mana that weighed on the surroundings and the blood color that gradually dyed the sky red disappeared.
“…….”
Grander, who regained her reason, snapped Rudger’s hands touching her cheeks.
She jumped up, turned her back on Rudger and picked up her parasol that fell to the floor.
Rudger opened his mouth with relief at the sight.
“Are you awake, teacher?”
“Annoying.”
Grander brushed the dirt off the parasol with her hand.
“You only say that when you really need it, right?”
“If I don’t do this, teacher won’t listen to me.”
Grander, who was going to argue something about the word, shook her head.
“It already happened, what can I say? Anyway, you utter such arrogant words without realizing it.”
“Was I wrong? I think I’ve already proved enough to teacher.”
“Do you think I’m a fool? You haven’t done your best yet.”
“It’s the same with teacher.”
Grander looked back at Rudger.
“You don’t want to lose a word battle. Anyway, it was a big mistake on my part to let you go outside.”
“Why are you saying it was a mistake?”
Rudger, who got up, shook off the dirt on his body. At this rate he’ll be embarrassed to see Violetta after ruining her clothes.
At the same time, Rudger sighed as he looked around at the surrounding landscape.
Originally, the place that should have been a dense forest was completely devastated and turned into a wasteland.
‘No matter how far away it is from the city, with this level of destruction, the city of Leathervelk must have felt something and dispatched people.’
The forest disappeared and the sky was colored with red blood so Rudger knew he had to leave quickly.
“Teacher, let’s go.”
“To where?”
“I’m going back to the city. There are people I would like to introduce to teacher.”
Rudger approached Grander and held out his hand while Grander looked blankly at it.
“Aren’t you going to catch it?”
“……Ha. Bold fellow.”
Grander took Rudger’s hand.
She thought he would move, but Rudger did nothing and stayed still so Grander asked.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Aren’t you going to the city?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then what are you doing without attending this master?”
“Do you mean me?”
Grander frowned. What was this guy up to now?
“With my magic, it’s too much for me to go alone, let alone with teacher. So let’s see some of teacher ‘s virtues.”
“…….”
Grander stared at Rudger with cold eyes and tapped Rudger with her small hand.
“You cheeky fellow.”
“……It hurts.”
Grander, a vampire, had a far stronger physical ability than the regular people and even though she seemed to be lighthearted, it was so painful that his bones trembled.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“It’s true.”
“Let’s go.”
Grander sighed and their figures disappeared.
It wasn’t until hours later that the investigation team reached the scene.