Kluze doubted the sight before his eyes when he saw Jared unleashing the Double Flame Arrow.
"This is a variation of magic I've never seen before."
He had often encountered skilled wizards casting two types of spells simultaneously. Such mastery was incredibly rare and usually required an exceptional level of skill. Earlier, as his subordinates were swept away by a staggering 320 magic missile spheres, Kluze had denied the uniqueness of Jared.
He thought it was just a trick using some kind of impure artifact or scheme. After all, the magic missile was designed for one wizard to control five spheres. That was the truth.
But today, Jared had shattered that truth. It was the moment when common sense crumbled.
It was unimaginable, especially with the 20 fire arrows swirling around—something Kluze had never seen before. If it were the work of 20 different wizards, he could believe it. But the reality was different. Jared held the blazing fireballs in the air, prepared to send them his way at any moment.
Silence engulfed the scene. Sweat dripped down Kluze’s neck, an unusual occurrence for him. The numerous dimensional doors held countless paths, and he could scarcely guess where each one would lead.
"Damn it!" Yet, Kluze shook off his tangled thoughts and entrusted everything to his transformed body and instincts. He hadn't revealed his hidden strength yet, had he? While Jared appeared extraordinary, Kluze was no simple foe either. At this level, he could easily claim the life of a sixth-class wizard or even a seventh. And Jared was merely a fifth-class wizard. Unique, but still manageable.
With newfound determination, Kluze's body sprang into action. True to his reputation as a master of the doppelgänger technique, numerous illusions scattered in all directions, and Kluze skillfully weaved amongst them, aiming for Jared. The very next moment, Jared unleashed fire arrows in all directions. They were soon swept away into the dimensional doors, each finding a different exit.
"I will kill you!" Kluze had already closed the distance, reaching Jared’s front with surprising ease. The proximity made it easy to land a decisive blow.
But, his strike went wide. It was as if Jared had anticipated his movement, effortlessly dodging with a teleport. He vanished to a location surrounded by Kluze's illusions. This was an action only possible if he had certainly noticed that they were mere illusions.
'Can he see me…?' Kluze thought, his expression reflecting momentary confusion.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Ugh! Gah!" Suddenly, the errant fire arrows descended with ruthless precision, crashing into Kluze’s back. The sheer impossibility of predicting their path, even when 20 spheres flew directly at him, was devastating. And now with the added chaos from the dimensional door, the attack was like a brush with death.
"Damn it!" Kluze grimaced, throwing himself out of the way to escape the fire arrows' trajectory. Yet—
Thud!
"Ugh! My—my foot!"
Jared’s telekinesis gripped his ankle, rending him immobile, forcing him back.
Boom! Boom!
"Ughhh!" Two fire arrows struck Kluze’s chest with immense force. The impact was not just a collision but felt like a gigantic boulder shattering his ribs.
"Waaa!" Unable to suppress the wave of nausea, Kluze doubled over, expelling the contents of his stomach. Vivid red clumps fell to the ground; he had suffered internal injuries.
'This makes no sense...'
It truly defied logic. Even if Jared had somehow attained the level of a sixth-class wizard, he should not possess such power. Each of Jared's magical attacks ricocheted through his very bones. The force he wielded was on a completely different plane than the destructive spells that had previously slaughtered Kluze’s subordinates. It felt at least twice as strong now!
Oblivious to the fifth option hidden within Deluk's bracelet, Kluze could not foresee Jared's enhanced power. At that moment—
Thud!
Using a short-range spell, the fourth-class Blink, Jared moved swiftly behind Kluze. He immediately touched Kluze's body and activated the sixth option of the Ring of Absolute Weakening. It was a technique that stripped the target’s defense to zero for ten seconds.
"What are you—how?"
Kluze’s complexion turned ashen. The ability of this artifact, called "Absolute Weakening," was something only Jared could see. It was a unique skill that required a deep understanding of the ring and the mechanics behind the technique. Yet, without any research or analysis, Jared had activated the technique instantly.
Suddenly, Kluze, half dazed by disbelief, felt his body, once enhanced by transformation, rapidly weaken. As all defenses crumbled, his skin, once as tough as steel, transformed into a soft, mushy substance.
Swallow.
Kluze unconsciously gulped, his anxiety palpable. But, like a true veteran who had seen and done it all, he regained his composure, preparing to defend against Jared's incoming attack.
"Kluze, you’re more foolish than I imagined," Jared’s voice rang in Kluze’s ears, piercing through his thoughts. Foolish? It was a word he had never heard in his life. Whether it was a joke or not, his pride could not forgive such an insult. Yet, before he could deny it, calamity struck.
For Kluze, this was a "disaster," but for Jared, it was a “successful strike.”
Thunk!
"…!"
Before Kluze could muster a defense against Jared's magic, he looked down to see Jared's weapon deeply piercing his right chest. It wasn't just a dagger; it was a magical tool that was more suited for intricate engravings or cuts, its sharpness beyond anything imaginable.
"Stellad…?"
A rare mineral, Stellad. So difficult to obtain, mere possession of it was akin to owning treasure, and Jared wielded a magical tool made from Stellad.
To make matters worse, Jared had plunged that Stellad tool into Kluze’s right chest. It wasn’t a sharp dagger or sword, but a magical tool meant for crafting magical energy that dealt a lethal blow.
In that fleeting moment, silence descended between Jared and Kluze. Kluze's eyes, filled with despair, shifted to see the blood gushing from his chest.
"There are others who will do whatever it takes, you know."
Slash!
"Ugh!"
Without hesitation, Jared utilized the "Artisan Bullet" magical tool to create a diagonal cut from Kluze’s right chest to his left abdomen. If Kluze had been in optimal condition, perhaps even a weapon made from Stellad wouldn't have dealt such deep damage. But now, reduced to a state where his defenses were essentially rendered nonexistent, he fell prey to the lightweight yet sharp tool, suffering a grievous wound.
"Ugh…!"
With a sound similar to air escaping, his insides began to spill out of his body. The very core of his being threatened to unveil itself.
Jared impassively wrested the assassin's dagger from Kluze’s grasp. Right before his eyes, Kluze was powerless to resist.
“Just in case, I’ll eliminate any chance of survival.”
Jared slipped behind Kluze and slashed at his Achilles tendons with the dagger.
"Ughhh!"
Unable to bear the unbearable agony, Kluze fell to his knees.
It was a complete disaster. His legs could no longer hold him, and his body struggled to contain his spilling entrails.
"Kluze, so many innocent people have died due to your misguided ambition and wrongful methods."
“…Cough. You’re doing well, Jared. Quite commendable…” Kluze offered begrudging praise, even with his life hanging by a thread.
"After all, you’ve never felt sorry for anyone while committing your heinous acts."
"Jared, how could someone like you continue to hold the title of lord over such a small territory?"
They exchanged words that went back and forth with little sense. Jared wanted to point out Kluze’s misdeeds one by one, but Kluze was lost in admiration for Jared’s strength. Ultimately, it was Jared who closed his heart. Given that Kluze was about to meet his end, he wanted to hear all the foolishness spilling from Kluze's mouth before his demise.
"Kluze, is that so frustrating for you? The fact that you lost to me?"
"No. If I had any reason to believe I would lose to you, I would have never set this trap…”
Cough! Cough cough!
As he coughed, Kluze expelled three chunks of blood, the flicker of life vanishing rapidly.
"If I thought I would lose to a fool like you, I wouldn't have set this trap at all."
"Impressive. I’m the only one who knows how to use this ring perfectly…”
"That’s—"
Jared bit back his instinct to respond, thinking, 'That knowledge comes from <Paradiso>.' He didn’t want to reveal his secrets, even to a dying man.
"Kluze, your head will be severed, and your corpse will roam the great territory, receiving the wrath of the people."
"Kuh…! What satisfaction do you find in venting your anger on a dead body?"
Kluze sneered at Jared, attempting to provoke him in his dying moments. After all, he wanted to share some final words with Jared. To his surprise, Jared remained calm, even serene in demeanor.
"Yes, you’re right. There is nothing to be gained from that."
"Just because you say that doesn’t mean the dead will come back to life. Hah! They died because you lacked the power to save them! Ha ha ha!"
Clinging desperately to his last flickering flame, Kluze broke into a hearty laugh.
At that, Jared quietly settled beside Kluze, casually draping an arm around him. Then he began casting healing magic aimed at Kluze’s abdomen.
This was a healing spell strengthened through Transcendence, fueled by the recovered magic power.
"What is this...?"
Kluze cocked his head in confusion at Jared's attempt to save him, utterly bewildered.
‘Surely, he is not trying to save my life, is he?’
That thought quickly vanished, replaced by bitter reality.
"You are going to die, but I will not end your life until you beg for it with your own mouth. You will confess your sins before you breathe your last! You’ll suffer unbearable pain, wanting to die but unable to!"
With a roar, Jared grasped Kluze’s insides anew, wrenching them further.
"Cough! Kugh!"
Kluze was unable to withstand the sensation of his insides burning.
"Woooh!"
With a moan, he expelled black blood.
Even if he wished to die, he could not. He would never be allowed to die!
Thus began his true hell on earth.
End of Chapter 94