Mystogan drew one of the five magic staves strapped to his back. He swung it forward, pointing it at Noah, and unleashed a beam of light.
Noah raised his right hand, and a corresponding beam of light shot from his index finger, meeting the attack head-on.
Boom! The two attacks collided, triggering an explosion that instantly shrouded both of them in thick smoke.
When the smoke cleared, Mystogan was already in his next stance, staff in hand. "Skyscraper!"
Noah glanced down. The ground beneath his feet erupted in light, swelling upward before detonating in a massive explosion. The pillar of light launched Noah high into the air. As he hung at the apex, he sensed something and looked up.
A pair of inhuman hands gripped the edges of a tear in the very fabric of the sky, forcing it open. A terrifying, sharp gaze pierced through the darkness within. Just as Noah was about to react, countless black tendrils shot out, wrapping around his body and binding him in place.
A grotesque monster emerged from the rift. It opened its massive maw, let out a deafening roar, and lunged for the trapped Noah.
But Noah's expression remained perfectly calm. He watched the scene unfold with simple curiosity. Just as the monster's claws were about to close around him, Noah's body flared with golden light. Instantly, the entire vision shattered like glass, revealing the original, unchanged battlefield.
Neither of them had moved. Everything Noah had just seen was a powerful illusion created by Mystogan.
"A powerful illusion," Noah remarked, impressed. "Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference and would have been easily defeated."
Mystogan shook his head. "It's useless against you. Then try this!"
He held his staff, aiming the tip at Noah. A faint pillar of light descended, enveloping Noah. One after another, five magic circles appeared above Noah's head.
"Sleep! Five-Layered Magic Circle: Sacred Song!"
The five circles glowed in unison, and the pillar of light brightened. An overwhelming wave of drowsiness washed over Noah. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
Noah didn't fight it immediately. Instead, he calmly analyzed the magic's effect. Only when he had a full understanding of it, his eyes already half-closed, did he finally flare his own magic power. An immense, powerful aura surged from his body, and the sleepiness vanished instantly, shattering Mystogan's spell.
Mystogan had expected this. He formed a hand seal, pointing his index fingers at Noah. A magic circle expanded at his feet, and the ground beneath Noah erupted with energy tendrils that lashed out at him.
Noah instantly cast a protective spell, and a spherical barrier enveloped him. The energy attacks slammed against it, having no effect whatsoever. After gauging the attack's power, Noah waved his hand. The barrier dropped, and a wave of his own magic power annihilated the energy on the ground.
At the same time, he raised his hand, a magic circle flaring to life. "Heaven's Sundering Light!"
A powerful beam of magic shot out, striking Mystogan dead-on and continuing, blasting deep into the ocean behind him and causing a massive explosion.
But as the spray from the explosion rained down, Mystogan's form flickered, and he stepped out from a spot right beside where the blast had passed. It was another illusion.
"Another good illusion," Noah said. "But you can't dodge this time." His immense magic power expanded, locking onto Mystogan's true position.
Mystogan could feel it. This time, there was no escape. He braced himself.
Noah raised his right hand again. A much larger magic circle expanded. "Heaven's Sundering Light!"
A massive pillar of light shot forward. Mystogan stood his ground, forming a new hand seal. Three magic circles layered themselves in front of him. "Three-Layered Magic Circle: Mirror Water!"
The beam slammed into the circles. It stalled for a second, and then, impossibly, it reflected, shooting straight back at Noah. The force of the impact still sent Mystogan sliding back several steps.
"Nice!" Noah said. He simply raised one hand and swatted the reflected beam, redirecting the massive blast harmlessly into the sky.
At that exact moment, a watery ripple appeared to Noah's right, and Mystogan burst out of it, throwing a punch. Noah's right hand was still in the air from deflecting the beam. He simply dropped his elbow, blocking Mystogan's fist.
Thud! A dull impact, and Mystogan was knocked back several steps.
He regained his footing and charged in again. Noah met him, and the two engaged in a flurry of close-quarters combat. Fists and feet collided, but Noah didn't budge an inch, while Mystogan was repeatedly forced to give ground.
After dozens of rapid exchanges, Noah's fist suddenly passed right through Mystogan's body. The real Mystogan appeared behind him, swinging a punch at Noah's back. He had cast an illusion in the middle of their exchange to create an opening. Mystogan seized the chance and drove his fist forward.
Noah spun in time to block, but the force of the blow still slid him back several feet.
But the effort had cost him. Mystogan was panting heavily, leaning on his knees. Sweat poured down his face, soaking his mask and making it cling to his skin. A high-speed battle like that had drained his stamina.
"To be able to fight to this extent, your strength is more than sufficient," Noah said, looking at the exhausted man. "I judge you to have passed."
As a man from another world with no innate magic of his own, to be able to fight at this level using only magic staves was incredible. Most wizards with magic weren't this strong. With illusions that could even fool Noah for a moment, powerful sleep magic, and the ability to reflect such a powerful attack, Mystogan had unquestionably proven he had the strength of an S-Class wizard.
~~~
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