Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale-Chapter 66: A Test of Power and Resolve

Kael and Alice wasted no time reaching the cave entrance. With the continuous use of Blink, they teleported across the forest terrain, their figures vanishing and reappearing in bursts of blue light. While such a spell would have drained most mages within minutes, Kael’s Arcane Gauntlet of Aetherium significantly reduced the mana cost, allowing him to sustain the ability far longer than usual.

Kael landed gracefully at the mouth of the cave, his enhanced speed still active, keeping his reflexes sharp. He turned to Alice, who stood beside him, her silver-gray hair flowing behind her like liquid metal. Her spirit crystal pulsed faintly, responding to the ambient mana in the air. Without needing to be told, Alice extended her senses, scanning the depths of the cave.

"There are magical signatures deeper inside," she reported, her voice calm but alert. "A battle is in progress. Multiple life forms—Lucien and his team, along with a single, high-level entity."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. He had read reports about this cave, but they only mentioned the presence of clear-class crystals, considered of low value. There had been no mention of monsters, much less one capable of threatening a seasoned mage like Lucien.

"Either the original reports were wrong, or something was deliberately left out," he muttered, stepping forward. "Let’s move."

The cave walls pulsed faintly with residual mana, the dim glow reflecting off the damp stone. Kael took this as a sign—whatever lay ahead wasn’t something ordinary.

Deeper inside, Lucien and his team fought desperately. The massive naga, its emerald scales shimmering like polished gemstones, coiled menacingly, its serpentine eyes glinting with amusement. The guards, forming a tight shield wall, braced themselves as the creature lashed out with its powerful tail, sending a shockwave through the cavern floor.

"Hold the line!" the lead guard bellowed, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "Lucien, we need more time!"

Lucien gritted his teeth as he traced glowing runes into the air, his incantation nearing completion. He released the spell—a barrage of crimson flames, each one streaking toward the naga like a comet. The cave lit up as the spell connected, an explosion of arcane force sending dust and debris flying.

But as the dust cleared, Lucien’s heart sank. The naga stood unharmed, its iridescent scales gleaming mockingly under the fading glow of the attack.

"Damn it!" Lucien cursed, his mind racing. The naga could have dodged, but it hadn’t. Instead, it had chosen to take the hit head-on, confident in its natural defenses.

The creature let out a deep, guttural laugh, its forked tongue flickering between its fanged maw. "Foolish humans. You are but insects to me. I have protected this place for a hundred years. You are not the first to disturb my slumber... and you will not be the last."

The naga slithered forward, its massive form weaving effortlessly between the cave’s stone pillars. Its hands glowed with dark magic, an ominous incantation forming in its throat.

Lucien steadied himself, ready to counter, but before he could react—

A sharp crack echoed through the cave. A blue flash illuminated the darkness, followed by a gust of displaced air.

Kael and Alice had arrived.

Kael barely took a moment to assess the situation. His keen eyes flickered between Lucien, the battered guards, and the monstrous naga looming before them. The air was thick with tension, and the ground trembled under the creature’s weight. Without a hint of hesitation, Kael activated his twin daggers, the Voidsteel blades emitting an ominous hum as they crackled with raw energy.

"Alice, have Lucien and the others retreat. This oversized lizard is mine," Kael’s voice was cold and resolute, cutting through the chaos.

"Acknowledged, Master."

"My lord, we can still fight!" Lucien’s voice cracked with desperation.

Kael turned his gaze to Lucien, a fierce intensity burning in his eyes. "I need you alive, Lucien. Protect the others. That’s an order." His words were laced with an unwavering authority that left no room for argument.

"But My Lord..." Lucien began, his voice trembling with reluctance.

"That’s an order!" Kael’s voice thundered through the cavern, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Lucien finally accept the command, though deep inside, worry gnawed at him. The Baron’s unwavering determination to face the monster alone unsettled him. When he first witnessed the Aetherwing Skiff—a marvel beyond his comprehension—and vowed to learn from its creator. He couldn’t simply let the man he admired throw himself into battle against such a creature. But what troubled him most was Kael’s confidence. It was as if he already knew the outcome, as if he were certain of his victory.

A sudden flicker in the air—then Kael was gone. In the span of a heartbeat, he reappeared atop the massive naga, his daggers flashing like twin fangs in the dim light. The monster barely had time to react before Kael’s blades found their mark, slicing through the creature’s thick hide. The daggers, imbued with an anti-defense enchantment, cut deep, eliciting a bloodcurdling screech from the beast.

The naga thrashed violently, its serpentine body coiling and whipping through the air in agony. Kael nimbly leaped away, vanishing in another blink just before the creature’s massive tail could crush him. The beast reared up, its glowing emerald eyes burning with fury. Never before had it felt pain—never before had anything pierced its nearly impenetrable scales. Rage boiled within it, and the air crackled with the force of its gathering power.

Dark energy swirled around the naga’s claws as it chanted in a guttural, ancient tongue. An enormous surge of magic erupted from its mouth, a concentrated torrent of raw destruction aimed directly at Kael. Yet, with effortless grace, Kael vanished once more, reappearing at a safe distance. He raised his right hand, a faint hum resonating in the air as golden light coalesced around his palm.

"Let’s see how tough your scales really are," he murmured, his voice calm yet laced with an underlying intensity.

A blinding beam of condensed energy shot forth—a proton beam honed to devastating precision. It roared through the air, striking the naga dead-on. The force of the attack sent tremors rippling through the ground, illuminating the battlefield with a fierce golden glow.

Lucien, who had already retreated to a safer distance, could only watch in stunned silence. His heart pounded as he witnessed something beyond his understanding. The Baron had cast multiple spells in rapid succession—without uttering a single incantation.

"Impossible..." Lucien whispered, his breath shallow. "How is he casting spells without an incantation?"

As a mage himself, he had spent years mastering the art of spellcraft, meticulously memorizing the sacred words necessary to invoke magic. To weave a spell without an incantation was unthinkable—it defied everything he had been taught. Yet here Kael stood, bending the very laws of magic as if they were mere suggestions.

But then, a realization struck him.

"Chantless casting..." he murmured, his mind racing. "No... this is beyond that. This is something else entirely."

Meanwhile, the dust from Kael’s attack began to settle, revealing the naga still standing. Though the beast’s scales had withstood the brunt of the attack, wisps of smoke rose from its body where the beam had struck. The creature hissed, its rage now tempered with something else—wariness.

Kael exhaled, his gaze locked onto the naga. "Resistant, huh? Well, let’s see how long that lasts."

The battle was far from over.

Kael, unfazed, vanished again. This time, his strikes were relentless, each attack targeting the same spot on the naga’s massive body. Slash after slash, he chipped away at its defenses. The beast’s roars grew louder, its frustration mounting. Desperate, it opened its maw and unleashed a devastating energy blast—one powerful enough to obliterate everything in its path.

The attack surged toward Lucien and the retreating group, an unstoppable wave of destruction. Just as it was about to consume them, Alice stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly. With an outstretched hand, she absorbed the attack into her Infinite Void, storing the raw energy effortlessly.

She had learned a thing or two from her master.

Meanwhile, Kael saw his opportunity. The relentless barrage of attacks had finally cracked through the naga’s defenses, revealing a gaping wound in its armored hide. Seizing the moment, he swiftly stored one of his daggers in his infinite storage. With his right hand raised high, he prepared to unleash his next move, eyes locked on his monstrous foe.

"This time, let’s see if you can withstand this."

A second proton beam erupted from his palm, far more concentrated than the last. The searing energy struck the wound, bypassing the creature’s natural resistance. The naga’s eyes widened in agony before its massive body convulsed. It let out one final, deafening screech before collapsing into the depths below, the impact sending ripples through the ruined battlefield.

Silence followed, broken only by the distant crackle of dissipating energy. Kael stood over the fallen beast, exhaling slowly.

Lucien stared, still struggling to comprehend what he had witnessed. The Baron wasn’t just strong—he was something else entirely.

Lucien’s mouth hung open, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed. The sheer display of power, precision, and mastery over magic had left him speechless. He had already known that Baron Kael was no ordinary noble, but this... this was beyond extraordinary. The way he moved, how he manipulated mana with such ease—no incantations, no hesitation—was unlike anything Lucien had ever seen.

His heart pounded in his chest as thoughts raced through his mind. I have to learn from him.

The colossal naga now lay lifeless, its massive form slowly sinking into the marshy ground. Smoke and the scent of scorched flesh filled the air, remnants of the final devastating proton beam that had torn through its thick, magically resistant scales. The once-feared beast had been reduced to a mere corpse, and the battlefield had fallen silent save for the crackling embers left in the wake of Kael’s onslaught.

Lucien, still in awe, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. The rest of the group followed, approaching the Baron with wary yet intrigued expressions. Even the seasoned warriors among them, who had witnessed countless battles, could not mask their astonishment.

Before anyone could speak, Lucien suddenly dropped to his knees. His movements were abrupt, almost frantic, as if he had just been struck by divine revelation. His eyes burned with determination, his pride utterly discarded in the face of sheer admiration.

"Please! Take me as your disciple!" he begged, his voice desperate. "I will do anything!"

The other warriors stared, stunned by his sudden outburst. Lucien, the ever-composed mage, was now prostrating himself before the Baron, pleading like a man who had glimpsed true enlightenment and could not bear to let it slip away.

Kael raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by the unexpected display. He glanced at Alice, who merely shrugged, as if to say, This one’s your problem.

"You’re really that eager?" Kael asked, his voice calm but carrying a hint of amusement.

Lucien nodded fervently. "I’ve never seen magic like yours before! No incantations, no wasted movements—just raw, unrestrained power! Please, teach me!"

Kael sighed, rubbing his temple. "I don’t exactly take on students..." he began, but Lucien only bowed lower, his forehead touching the dirt.

"I will do anything! Whatever it takes! Just give me a chance!"

The onlookers exchanged glances, some smirking, others shaking their heads. The once-dignified mage had truly gone kuku over this.

Kael exhaled deeply, realizing that this wasn’t going to end easily. "Fine," he muttered. "We’ll talk later. But for now, get off the ground. You’re embarrassing yourself."

Lucien’s face lit up with something close to reverence. He scrambled to his feet, his mind already swimming with thoughts of the knowledge he could gain. He had finally found a mentor—whether Kael liked it or not.

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