Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys

Rein understood.

The guy in front of him was someone he had never seen before, but when the other mentioned "Druid" last time, was he talking about a Druid?

It seemed that at some point in the past, Anna's aunt, the Elf Lady, had repelled him?

That's what Rein speculated.

"Are you from the Dark Cult?" Rein asked for the first time.

"Eh? Not bad, you figured it out! But I don't have much time to chit-chat with you. Even though this place is remote, there are still occasionally trade caravans passing by, and it wouldn't be good for them to see you, the Baron, dead by my hand," he said.

"I promised the high priest that I would make you, the newly-appointed Baron, disappear without a trace," he added.

As soon as he finished speaking, Giovanni flicked the bizarrely-shaped sickle in his hand as if to attack, but then he stopped abruptly, intrigued by what Rein said next.

"Actually, I'm quite happy to have run into you today," Rein said, his eyelids lowered, his expression serene.

"Oh? Why is that?" Giovanni, surprised by Rein's unexpected response, paused his movement and asked with curiosity.

"Because I just learned something new and have been looking for a worthy opponent to try it out on. The savage beasts I've faced so far just lack that certain something, so I'm quite happy to meet you!" Rein said as he raised his head, his eyes sparkling with eagerness.

At this moment, Giovanni felt very uncomfortable, as Rein's look made him feel as if he were the prey and Rein was the hunter.

"Ha! Didn't expect you, the new Baron, to be one for big talk. Now you can die!"

"As a punishment, I'll make your death even more painful!"

Suddenly, black flames like tendrils wrapped around Giovanni's armored body and his bizarrely-shaped sickle as if it were a chain.

Rein's gaze sharpened as he witnessed this technique for the first time.

It seemed to enhance both defense and attach that weapon with added offensive capabilities!

This must be some kind of dark magic from the Dark Cult, even more powerful than a black fireball.

But... you have your dark magic, and I have witchcraft! Rein thought to himself.

"High-Temperature Force Field!"

Chanting silently, Rein quickly generated a spherical field of high-temperature force around him.

"Eh?"

The High-Temperature Force Field, invisible and intangible, still caused Giovanni to pause slightly at the energy fluctuations emanating from Rein.

"Interesting, interesting, ha ha! I didn't think you'd know witchcraft too. Now killing you will be even more fun," Giovanni said.

With a swoosh, Giovanni's feet touched the ground, shattering it.

The sound of him slicing through air was sharp as he lunged at Rein!

So fast!

Rein's pupils narrowed, and he quickly raised his sword to block!

With disdain evident, Giovanni aimed a swift cut with his sickle at Rein's neck.

Considering the speed Rein had just shown in the fight, it was too slow, and he surely couldn't withstand this strike, even if he hadn't activated his "Break Limit," and even if he had, by how much could it really improve?

Seventy percent? Eighty percent?

It wouldn't change the outcome.

Yet bizarrely, Rein's speed suddenly almost doubled, precisely intercepting the blow.

"Clang!!!"

Sparks flew!

Giovanni, failing to land his strike, retreated several meters and said in a deep voice, "Ninety percent?"

It turns out Rein had instantly activated "Break Limit" just before.

Rein was aware that Giovanni was surprised by the level of his Break Limit, how high it was to reach ninety percent.

But the fight had already begun, and only a fool would care for such an inquiry from the enemy.

Without considering it, Rein took the opportunity of his opponent's halted momentum to launch a counterattack!

"Clang, clang, clang!"

Both were extremely fast, like two wisps of smoke twirling around the path, sparks flying and the sound of clashing metal ringing incessantly.

Sometimes, as they fought off the path and into the forest, it was the trees that bore the brunt!

Trees as thick as bowls were cut down in an instant by their continuous strikes, falling amidst a cacophony of crashing sounds.

Yet Rein realized that his witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field" had not been as effective as it should have been, clearly because the black flames ensnaring Giovanni's body had blocked his witchcraft's damage.

Seeing Rein's speed nearly double after using "Break Limit," Giovanni knew that the reason Rein had escaped the Church's assassinations time and again was due to genuine skill.

That was no empty bragging.

While his speed was still superior to Rein's, the prospect of ending the fight as easily as a cat toying with a mouse was now impossible.

However, this only made Giovanni secretly more excited.

To extinguish a genius was indeed more thrilling than eliminating an ordinary expert.

"Swoosh!"

Giovanni's speed surged again, an indication he had activated his Transcendent trait.

"Sss!"

The sickle in his hand sped up so rapidly that its shadow was almost invisible.

Despite Rein's best efforts to dodge, he was still struck and sent flying!

"Tsk tsk, to have your Break Limit surpass ninety percent at your age, I must admit, you are a rare Knight genius," Giovanni remarked.

"But, as I said, your end will not change!" Giovanni looked at Rein, speaking mockingly. Explore new worlds at empire