Reincarnation of the Last Magus Emperor

Chapter 17

After crossing the quicksand pit, Merlin and Nia found themselves navigating deeper into the maze with a newfound rhythm. Each challenge they faced seemed to synchronize their movements and strategies, their partnership growing stronger with every step.

The next few traps came in rapid succession: collapsing stone walls, hidden spike pits, and even a section of the maze filled with dense fog that obscured their vision and disrupted their mana senses. Despite the difficulty, they moved as a cohesive unit.

Merlin took the lead when precision was required. His mana control allowed him to detect hidden arrays and disarm subtle traps by channeling mana into weak points within the constructs. At one point, they encountered a narrow corridor lined with pressure plates that triggered mana bolts from the walls. Merlin guided them through, his sharp instincts and nimble movements ensuring their safety.

Nia, on the other hand, shone when brute strength and resilience were needed. When a section of the maze collapsed behind them, sealing their exit and leaving them trapped in a narrow tunnel, it was Nia who used her axe, charged with Earth mana, to break through the reinforced stone. Her shield proved invaluable when they were ambushed by flying blades, deflecting the projectiles with ease.

By the time they reached a wide chamber filled with flickering arrays that emitted bursts of chaotic mana, their teamwork was seamless. Merlin darted through the bursts with his Thunder Steps, analyzing the patterns and calling out safe paths for Nia to follow. She, in turn, cleared the way whenever debris or animated stone guardians blocked their progress, her powerful strikes leaving no room for error.

As they finally reached the heart of the maze, a large circular arena where the Final Automaton awaited, they paused to catch their breath. The towering construct stood motionless in the center, its four arms gleaming ominously under the soft glow of the surrounding mana arrays.

"Looks like we've made it to the main event," Nia said, her voice steady but tinged with excitement.

As the Sagitarius puppet loomed before them, Merlin felt his pulse quicken. Standing over 8 feet tall and armed with four arms, the puppet wielded two sabers, a double-bladed axe, and a kite shield. What was worse, it had already adapted to their movements, copying their spells and techniques with remarkable precision. The puppet had Earth mana to fortify its strength and Lightning mana to enhance its speed—this was no ordinary construct.

Merlin had only used two spells—Static Tether and Volt Lance—but the puppet had mimicked his Thunder Steps, turning its movements into lightning-fast bursts. What had once been a reasonable advantage for Merlin was now a liability, as the puppet was moving almost as fast as he could, its strikes sharp and relentless.

Merlin knew this battle would require more than just his usual techniques. He hesitated for a moment, feeling the pressure of revealing his Lightning Vein Body Augmentation technique. It was a technique he had mastered after his breakthrough into the 2nd Circle Novice Mage realm, and although it was a powerful augmentation for his body, he had hoped to keep it hidden for a bit longer. However, the puppet was copying his Thunder Steps at an alarming rate, and Merlin realized he had no other choice.

With a sharp breath, Merlin activated the Lightning Vein Body Augmentation technique. His body pulsed with raw lightning mana, coursing through his veins. It wasn't just a matter of speed—it was the perfect synchronization between his body and the electrical flow of mana, amplifying his reflexes, strength, and agility.

For a brief moment, his body crackled with power, and he felt his senses sharpen. His movements became lightning-quick, allowing him to keep up with the puppet's newfound speed. He could feel his mana control becoming razor-sharp as he prepared to engage.

Merlin gripped his Saber tightly and locked eyes with the Sagitarius puppet. It was moving faster now, with the full force of Earth mana strengthening its limbs and its Lightning mana fueling its agility. It took a swipe at Merlin with one of its sabers, and he barely dodged in time, the blade slicing through the air where his chest had been just moments before.

The Flashstep Lunge technique, a skill he had honed after his breakthrough into the 2nd Circle, came into play. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them. His Saber flashed out in a deadly arc, aimed for the puppet's exposed joints. But the Sagitarius puppet was quick—too quick. It raised its shield and parried his strike, then countered with a crushing blow from the double-bladed axe.

Merlin rolled away, his body reacting instinctively with the aid of his Lightning Vein augmentation. He had to push harder. His Saber was his primary weapon, but he also had to make sure to anticipate the puppet's every move. The puppet's four arms allowed it to attack from multiple angles at once, and its coordination was flawless. With each strike, it copied the movements of their previous battles.

Merlin's eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to let it copy him again. He had to create an opening.

In a flash, he activated Thunder Steps once more, using the Lightning Vein technique to boost his agility to the next level. He blurred into motion, feinting to the left, then dashing to the right in a sudden burst of speed. The Sagitarius puppet tried to mirror his movements, but it was a split second too late. Merlin's Saber struck at its left arm, slicing through the armor plating and severing the arm clean off.

For a moment, the puppet paused, clearly analyzing the situation. Then it switched tactics, bringing all four of its arms into a defensive stance. Merlin could see the lightning sparking between its blades, and he knew it wasn't going to back down.

With a battle cry, Merlin charged forward again, but this time, he didn't rely on Thunder Steps alone. He combined it with the 8 Angles of Attack, using his knowledge of both martial and mana-enhanced fighting styles. Each angle provided a new strike—each more brutal than the last, aiming for weak spots the puppet had left exposed.

The puppet fought back fiercely, countering with its remaining saber and double-bladed axe, but Merlin was relentless. Every time the puppet adjusted, he was one step ahead. And then, in one final, decisive move, Merlin gathered his remaining Lightning mana and shot forward with a Flashstep Lunge. He aimed for the puppet's core, the key to its power, and with a powerful strike, pierced through the automaton's defenses.

The mana crystal core cracked under the force of his blow, and the puppet began to crumble, its movements jerking erratically before finally shutting down.

Merlin stood panting, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly drained from his system. The puppet lay in a heap before him, its four arms sprawled out, defeated.

Nia, who had been standing by, finally lowered her shield, her expression neutral. "That was close," she said, walking over to him. "I thought you were going to use more of your hidden techniques earlier. Nice to see you held back a little."

Merlin gave a tired smile. "I wasn't sure how far I could push myself without revealing too much."

"Well, you did fine," Nia said, giving him a nod. "But next time, maybe give me a little more of a heads-up. I almost lost track of where you were with all that speed."

Merlin chuckled, though it was more out of exhaustion than amusement. "I'll keep that in mind for next time. But for now, let's take a breather."

The two stood amidst the wreckage of the puppet, preparing for whatever came next. Merlin knew that the challenges ahead would only get tougher, but for now, he had proven that even his hidden techniques, though powerful, could be pushed to their limits when necessary.

Chapter 17

After crossing the quicksand pit, Merlin and Nia found themselves navigating deeper into the maze with a newfound rhythm. Each challenge they faced seemed to synchronize their movements and strategies, their partnership growing stronger with every step.

The next few traps came in rapid succession: collapsing stone walls, hidden spike pits, and even a section of the maze filled with dense fog that obscured their vision and disrupted their mana senses. Despite the difficulty, they moved as a cohesive unit.

Merlin took the lead when precision was required. His mana control allowed him to detect hidden arrays and disarm subtle traps by channeling mana into weak points within the constructs. At one point, they encountered a narrow corridor lined with pressure plates that triggered mana bolts from the walls. Merlin guided them through, his sharp instincts and nimble movements ensuring their safety.

Nia, on the other hand, shone when brute strength and resilience were needed. When a section of the maze collapsed behind them, sealing their exit and leaving them trapped in a narrow tunnel, it was Nia who used her axe, charged with Earth mana, to break through the reinforced stone. Her shield proved invaluable when they were ambushed by flying blades, deflecting the projectiles with ease.

By the time they reached a wide chamber filled with flickering arrays that emitted bursts of chaotic mana, their teamwork was seamless. Merlin darted through the bursts with his Thunder Steps, analyzing the patterns and calling out safe paths for Nia to follow. She, in turn, cleared the way whenever debris or animated stone guardians blocked their progress, her powerful strikes leaving no room for error.

As they finally reached the heart of the maze, a large circular arena where the Final Automaton awaited, they paused to catch their breath. The towering construct stood motionless in the center, its four arms gleaming ominously under the soft glow of the surrounding mana arrays.

"Looks like we've made it to the main event," Nia said, her voice steady but tinged with excitement.

As the Sagitarius puppet loomed before them, Merlin felt his pulse quicken. Standing over 8 feet tall and armed with four arms, the puppet wielded two sabers, a double-bladed axe, and a kite shield. What was worse, it had already adapted to their movements, copying their spells and techniques with remarkable precision. The puppet had Earth mana to fortify its strength and Lightning mana to enhance its speed—this was no ordinary construct.

Merlin had only used two spells—Static Tether and Volt Lance—but the puppet had mimicked his Thunder Steps, turning its movements into lightning-fast bursts. What had once been a reasonable advantage for Merlin was now a liability, as the puppet was moving almost as fast as he could, its strikes sharp and relentless.

Merlin knew this battle would require more than just his usual techniques. He hesitated for a moment, feeling the pressure of revealing his Lightning Vein Body Augmentation technique. It was a technique he had mastered after his breakthrough into the 2nd Circle Novice Mage realm, and although it was a powerful augmentation for his body, he had hoped to keep it hidden for a bit longer. However, the puppet was copying his Thunder Steps at an alarming rate, and Merlin realized he had no other choice.

With a sharp breath, Merlin activated the Lightning Vein Body Augmentation technique. His body pulsed with raw lightning mana, coursing through his veins. It wasn't just a matter of speed—it was the perfect synchronization between his body and the electrical flow of mana, amplifying his reflexes, strength, and agility.

For a brief moment, his body crackled with power, and he felt his senses sharpen. His movements became lightning-quick, allowing him to keep up with the puppet's newfound speed. He could feel his mana control becoming razor-sharp as he prepared to engage.

Merlin gripped his Saber tightly and locked eyes with the Sagitarius puppet. It was moving faster now, with the full force of Earth mana strengthening its limbs and its Lightning mana fueling its agility. It took a swipe at Merlin with one of its sabers, and he barely dodged in time, the blade slicing through the air where his chest had been just moments before.

The Flashstep Lunge technique, a skill he had honed after his breakthrough into the 2nd Circle, came into play. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them. His Saber flashed out in a deadly arc, aimed for the puppet's exposed joints. But the Sagitarius puppet was quick—too quick. It raised its shield and parried his strike, then countered with a crushing blow from the double-bladed axe.

Merlin rolled away, his body reacting instinctively with the aid of his Lightning Vein augmentation. He had to push harder. His Saber was his primary weapon, but he also had to make sure to anticipate the puppet's every move. The puppet's four arms allowed it to attack from multiple angles at once, and its coordination was flawless. With each strike, it copied the movements of their previous battles.

Merlin's eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to let it copy him again. He had to create an opening.

In a flash, he activated Thunder Steps once more, using the Lightning Vein technique to boost his agility to the next level. He blurred into motion, feinting to the left, then dashing to the right in a sudden burst of speed. The Sagitarius puppet tried to mirror his movements, but it was a split second too late. Merlin's Saber struck at its left arm, slicing through the armor plating and severing the arm clean off.

For a moment, the puppet paused, clearly analyzing the situation. Then it switched tactics, bringing all four of its arms into a defensive stance. Merlin could see the lightning sparking between its blades, and he knew it wasn't going to back down.

With a battle cry, Merlin charged forward again, but this time, he didn't rely on Thunder Steps alone. He combined it with the 8 Angles of Attack, using his knowledge of both martial and mana-enhanced fighting styles. Each angle provided a new strike—each more brutal than the last, aiming for weak spots the puppet had left exposed.

The puppet fought back fiercely, countering with its remaining saber and double-bladed axe, but Merlin was relentless. Every time the puppet adjusted, he was one step ahead. And then, in one final, decisive move, Merlin gathered his remaining Lightning mana and shot forward with a Flashstep Lunge. He aimed for the puppet's core, the key to its power, and with a powerful strike, pierced through the automaton's defenses.

The mana crystal core cracked under the force of his blow, and the puppet began to crumble, its movements jerking erratically before finally shutting down.

Merlin stood panting, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly drained from his system. The puppet lay in a heap before him, its four arms sprawled out, defeated.

Nia, who had been standing by, finally lowered her shield, her expression neutral. "That was close," she said, walking over to him. "I thought you were going to use more of your hidden techniques earlier. Nice to see you held back a little."

Merlin gave a tired smile. "I wasn't sure how far I could push myself without revealing too much."

"Well, you did fine," Nia said, giving him a nod. "But next time, maybe give me a little more of a heads-up. I almost lost track of where you were with all that speed."

Merlin chuckled, though it was more out of exhaustion than amusement. "I'll keep that in mind for next time. But for now, let's take a breather."

The two stood amidst the wreckage of the puppet, preparing for whatever came next. Merlin knew that the challenges ahead would only get tougher, but for now, he had proven that even his hidden techniques, though powerful, could be pushed to their limits when necessary.