Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 999: Unbeatable Opponent

Lince had placed a great deal of Qi into his dagger when he decided to throw it this time. He had already let one dagger go and lost it during his fight against Red, which had been a considerable setback. Throwing another one again presented quite the risk, but he believed that the element of surprise would be on his side this time. He felt that the suddenness of the attack could catch his target off guard, allowing him to turn the tide of the battle, even if only momentarily.

After all, even when he had thrown the dagger against Red before, it had still been effective in striking its target. The problem was that it simply did not achieve the outcome he had originally intended. The dagger had not inflicted the level of damage that Lince had hoped for. What he did not expect, however, was for the strange man standing before him now to catch the dagger so cleanly, as if it were the easiest thing in the world. The manʼs body had not even been dragged backward. This display of strength and control was both astonishing and unnerving.

”This is the power of the warriors that roam these lands these days?” Mosak asked with a tone that suggested mild disappointment rather than admiration. ”I suppose I shouldnʼt be too surprised. I canʼt even remember the last time a warrior ascended to the Divine realm.” With everyone converging on his position, Mosak carefully eyed all those who stood before him. He examined Zon, Beatrix, and Ricar, gauging their stances, their weaponry, and perhaps even their internal reserves of Qi. Then, holding the captured dagger in his hand, he abruptly threw it back. Immediately, it flew at terrifying speed, passing right by Zon, Beatrix, and Ricar without any sign of slowing. It continued on its path, heading straight for Lince with an almost casual ease, as if guided by Mosakʼs mere will.

Seeing the bladeʼs trajectory, Lince decided to use all of his Qi to evade the attack. He moved swiftly out of its path, twisting his body with trained precision.

The dagger sped right past him and disappeared deeper into the jungleʼs thick foliage. As it traveled forward, it cut through whatever stood in its way. It did not fade or vanish, nor did it lose momentum. Instead, it was like a needle piercing silk, carving a narrow, unwavering line through the dense growth.

The difference was clear. Unlike the coconut bombardments from the beasts they had faced before, which caused wild swathes of destruction, this daggerʼs path was pinpoint sharp. There was no wide-ranging chaos, just an unrelenting blade slicing through whatever dared to block its straight journey. Lince had no idea where it might finally come to rest, or even if it would stop at all.

ʼOne in ten… your estimate might have been right on this one,ʼ Lince thought, recalling previous calculations he had made. ʼThis makes me think I might have lost against that Red guy as well. But I know one thing for sure: thereʼs no way I could win a match against this man alone. So you must either think highly of these two at my side, or very highly of yourself.ʼ His thoughts swirled as he considered whether Zon, Beatrix, and Ricar combined would be enough to handle an adversary of this caliber, or whether Mosak was simply that confident in his own abilities.

Ricarʼs sword was shining brightly. When he drew near his opponent, he stabbed the blade into the ground, causing a vibrant, radiant light to flare up. This sudden brilliance served as a strategy to distract. Beatrix, meanwhile, had made certain to stay directly behind Ricar, using him as a shield from any counterattack. She wanted to avoid exposing herself too soon.

ʼThis technique didnʼt work against the man by my side last time,ʼ Ricar thought, recalling earlier battles. ʼStill, it should give him the opportunity to attack.ʼ He trusted that Zon would seize the opening presented by the flash of light.

And that was precisely what Zon did. He had already energized two red swords and, without hesitation, thrust them both forward toward their shared enemy. Yet, just as quickly, Zon felt a force pushing back. When the flash of light disappeared, Ricar and Beatrix caught sight of the final moments of what had just occurred. The man had been using only his hands, covering them in Qi, moving them in a circular motion to deflect the red energy beams that Zon had fired. It was an elegant, efficient defense, and it unsettled them all the more.

Right after that exchange, Zon refused to give up. He continued to attack, moving incredibly fast, lunging with his sword from all manner of angles. He tried high strikes, low strikes, diagonal cuts—anything that might break through. For the first time, the mysterious manʼs face lost a bit of its casual smile. This subtle shift gave Ricar and Beatrix a hint of hope. Perhaps their combined assault was beginning to test him.

Ricar advanced along with Beatrix, the two of them running in an intertwined pattern. Their footwork was carefully choreographed, each step taken to create an opening for the other. When they drew close to the man, Zon pulled back at just the right moment, as if he had eyes in the back of his head. He seemed to know that Ricar and Beatrix needed this chance to strike together.

Ricar swung his sword, employing various techniques he had mastered over countless hours of training. Although his blows were deflected, they were not brushed aside lightly. The man had to handle them with more care, suggesting that Ricarʼs attacks, if not immediately victorious, were at least worthy of more measured defense. However, Ricar could not keep using these high-level techniques indefinitely. They were draining, and he had a plan to address that issue.

Beatrix rolled in from behind with fluid grace, and as she rose into the air, she struck downward from above. Her sword glowed with energy, and she brought it down toward Mosak with a focused intensity. This was a coordinated effort, designed to stress Mosak from multiple directions.

Mosak lifted both of his forearms, blocking Beatrixʼs descending attack. He braced himself so firmly that he sank slightly into the solid ground beneath him. The earth gave way under the pressure, forming a shallow depression. While he was locked in this blocking position, it created a perfect opportunity for Zon to capitalize on the distraction. Zon, who no longer held the energized swords, began to fire blast after blast at Mosak, aiming to strike him while he was occupied.

The assaults from Zon impacted Mosakʼs body, causing visible damage to his clothing and perhaps some superficial harm. Yet the attacks did not pass through as they normally would. At least Zon knew now that these methods were not entirely ineffective. There was some effect, however minor, and that was better than nothing.

”I no longer have a weapon, but I still need to do my part!” Lince shouted. In almost an instant, Lince appeared right in front of Mosak. The wrappings that usually covered Linceʼs arms were now wound around his legs, providing extra support for his next move. He spun into a powerful side kick aimed directly at Mosakʼs stomach.

The impact sent Mosakʼs body flying into the air. He crashed into a tree, breaking it apart, and then dropped to one knee on the ground. Despite this, Zon did not let up. He continued to move his hands rapidly, firing laser-like beams into the spot where Mosak had landed. Eventually, he ceased the barrage and summoned his two red energized swords once more.

”Working together, I think we make quite a good team,” Lince said, sounding pleased that they had at least forced a reaction, if not a decisive victory.

”Everyone should prepare,” Zon warned, his tone serious. ”Heʼs still very much alive.” With Zonʼs enhanced senses and systems, he knew full well that their attacks had done next to nothing in terms of truly injuring Mosak.

They saw the truth of Zonʼs words for themselves. Mosak began to rise from the shattered remains of the fallen tree, casually brushing dust and debris from his clothing. It was as if their barrage had been nothing more than an inconvenience to him.

”Alright, I have to admit, the one with the freaky black suit is somewhat strong,” Mosak said, referring to Zonʼs distinctive attire. ”It wasnʼt quite what I was expecting.” He sounded almost amused. ”But I like the unexpected. Everything so far on this island has been somewhat unexpected!”

Lince, observing the situation and trying to gauge their odds, felt a deep sense of concern. If the four of them, working together, could not bring this one opponent down, then what chance did anyone else on this island have? If the strongest among them could not best Mosak, who could possibly hope to emerge victorious against such a foe?