Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2035: Venomous Rose

An [Earthen Spike] rose from the ground, from Holstein’s blind spot, and struck him in the knee.

At the same time, wind magic swirled around Adam’s hand as he shot forward to press the attack.

With a loud thud, the [Earthen Spike] slammed into the vampire’s knee. The earth magic construct was reduced to pieces, while Holstein barely even moved.

Adam was dumbfounded.

What the hell is his body made of?!

A split-second of distraction, and that was all Holstein needed. The vampire retaliated with the pommel of his sword.

Instead of attacking, Adam was quickly forced to evade. He knew he couldn’t go toe-to-toe with his enemy when it came to physical strength and sturdiness. So he quickly jerked his head aside.

The weapon ended up hitting empty air and descended onto the floor, shattering it and throwing rocks and debris again in every direction.

Adam immediately slipped away. His breathing remained steady, but his mind raced.

Where is the other vampire?

He couldn’t afford to forget the presence of the other enemy. An enemy that was in hiding was far more lethal than that which appeared in plain sight.

Holstein was dangerous enough on his own. If his partner attacked while Adam was occupied, even he could be caught off guard.

The vampire charged once again. Adam’s eyes narrowed, and a trace of irritation flashed in them.

The sword came down, and he quickly stepped aside to dodge. Immediately after, the axe followed, and he was forced to duck.

A fist arrived, and he leaned away. Another kick followed, and he jumped backward.

Every attack came without pause. Every time, Adam escaped by the smallest possible margin. The great hall continuously rang with the sound of steel striking stone.

Adam’s eyes never stopped moving. From Holstein to the corridors. From the shadows to the balconies. Every possible hiding place was thoroughly scrutinized while he fought the vampire.

In a battle, momentum was everything.

He who possessed momentum dictated the pace of the battle. And he who dictated the pace of the battle had the highest chance of emerging victorious.

For several minutes, Adam had been forced onto the defensive.

He kept evading and dodging, doing his best to not receive any deep injuries. He twisted his body at the last possible moment, narrowly avoiding Holstein’s relentless attacks.

Every time Adam tried to create some distance, the enormous vampire was already upon him, giving him no opportunity to cast a spell.

But Adam kept looking, kept waiting.

Waiting for the slightest opening.

And finally, just when Holstein was beginning to show hints of impatience, Adam found it.

The vampire swung his weapon with tremendous force, letting out a guttural roar. Adam leaned backward, allowing the blade to pass mere inches from his face.

At that moment, his eyes gleamed with a cold light.

Now!

While dodging, he finished weaving hand signs and pointed his palms at the opponent.

[Gale Palm]

A powerful gust slammed into Holstein, forcing the massive vampire backward. Before he could recover, the stone floor beneath him suddenly shifted. This time, Adam did not wield earth magic to strike, but to make the vampire lose balance.

Adam did not give him a moment to breathe. Another burst of wind crashed into him. Then another. And another.

Earth launched upward, forming massive stone pillars that smashed toward Holstein from every direction — from the walls, the ground, and the ceiling. The vampire tore through them, of course. But each attack slowed him down considerably.

For the first time since the battle began, Holstein was on the back foot.

Adam pressed the advantage relentlessly.

Several [Wind Blades] tore through the great hall. The floor was transformed into a swamp, making movement difficult for the vampire. Dust filled the air, and the strong winds forced him to protect his eyes.

Holstein tried to advance, but Adam refused to let him regain the momentum.

Every step the vampire took was met with another spell sharpened by wind magic or another eruption of the ground strengthened by earth magic.

The battle had changed. Now Adam dictated the pace. And he intended to keep it that way.

Finally, when the moment was right, Adam gathered an enormous amount of mana. The air around him trembled as the ground cracked beneath his feet.

Wind magic swirled around his arms like two miniature tornadoes. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from his spot and appeared before the towering vampire, who had found his legs knee-deep in a magical swamp.

Without any fanfare, Adam thrust both hands forward.

[Twin Tornado Rush]

A tremendous force of wind erupted from his Mana Seed at once, instantly lowering his reserves by ten percent.

BOOM!

Holstein’s massive body was caught in the blast. The vampire was hurled backward like a ragdoll while spinning in the air. He smashed through the first wall. Then the second. Then the third.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One wall after another collapsed as Holstein’s body tore through the fortress.

Finally, with one last deafening impact, the vampire was blasted completely out of Leroux Fortress. His enormous body flew through the air before crashing into the ground outside.

Adam, not willing to waste this opportunity, shot after the flying vampire, fully intending to follow up before Holstein could recover.

But the moment he rushed out of the final broken wall, his instincts suddenly screamed.

Adam’s expression changed. He immediately pulled back, putting distance between himself and the kneeling Holstein. He landed atop a broken statue in the distance, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings.

Then he slowly turned his head toward the roof of the fortress.

There, standing calmly on the edge, was a short and slender figure. The crimson moon hung directly behind him, bathing his silhouette in an eerie red glow. Against the night sky, he appeared ethereal.

Yet there was something very dangerous about him. Adam got the feeling that this vampire was like a beautiful, venomous rose covered in countless thorns.

Adam stared at the stranger with a grim look on his face.

So this is the other presence I sensed, he thought.

Where was he until now? I couldn’t sense him at all!

The stranger started back. Then, the vampire’s lips curved into a faint smile. There was light amusement in his voice as he spoke.

”A Magus who fights like a Paladin. How interesting.”

Adam had a peculiar look in his eyes as he replied:

”A man who dresses like a woman... how interesting indeed.”