The Strongest Gun Magus: I Cast Bullet!-Chapter 70: Choked in Ice

The stall cook could only look helplessly as the two magi continued to argue, fully ignoring him.

More magi from orders of Winter and Snow began gathering near Marien and Kunrad. Bor reappeared with another Winter magus in tow, and three members of the Order of Snow came to stand near Kunrad.

"Julia, you can’t pick fights with just anyone!" Bor’s friend shouted. "If you have a death wish, it’s yours, but we aren’t going to get in trouble because of you!"

"Ha! So that’s how the Order of Winter treats its allies. As expected, in other words. No wonder that all the best foreign magi and traders prefer to work with us!" said a magi from Kunrad’s site.

The Winter magi scowled angrily, but the numbers weren’t on their side.

"No fighting on the streets! Guard, guard, someone, get them away from here!" shouted someone in the distance.

Marien huffed and demonstratively sealed her (HER!) sun cakes in the Scroll of Holding.

"And because of you brutes, they think I’m so uncivilized to fight right here!" She spun on her feet and began marching away.

Kunrad gaped at her for a second, then quickly followed along.

"Are you fleeing?! The gall of you... I will destroy you, and there will be nobody to bury your corpse! No, there will not be enough left of your corpse to bury!"

The magi that stayed on the market square exchanged glances. Someone from the Order of Snow smirked.

"A good Solstice always has good fights. I hope the Order of Winter plans to avenge your magus girl when master Kunrad crushes her."

***

Marien stopped only all the way outside of the city. Not long after, a small audience of low-ranked magi from both Order of Winter and Order of Snow gathered around.

This wasn’t an official duel of any sort. Some people on both sides brought out more sun cakes to eat while they watched and cheered for their fighter.

Order of Snow had it easy to cheer because Kunrad had a much stronger aura than Marien. Order of Winter also didn’t worry, because Marien wasn’t really one of them.

Without waiting for Marien to be ready, Kunrad began casting.

Recognizing a few passes he was using, Marien swiftly prepared her counter-action.

A moment later, Kunrad threw out his hands, and a large ice owl flew from his palms. It soared up and dove at Marien, but was knocked off-course by a bolt of lightning that shot its wing.

The bird flapped its wings, returning into flight, and the bolt of lightning ricocheted farther away.

A few spectators gasped, shocked to see the limits of a Nigredo-stage spell to be stretched like that.

Seeking Lightning was one of the more powerful, white-class Nigredo spells, but it was still weak. Only thanks to her experience and fighting practice, Marien could keep it active even after a first blow.

The bolt hit Kunrad’s hand, and his half-finished spell turned into a cloud of cold mist. The man grit his teeth and stared at Marien with hatred.

She smirked proudly and made swift magic gestures.

Soon, a suit of half-transparent blue armor surrounded her.

The next second, the ice owl lunged at Marien’s eyes. The girl spun on her feet, blocking the attack with her arm and shoving the bird away.

Its claws couldn’t break the Spirit Armor, but the bird refused to let go. Cursing, Marien threw it to the ground and stomped as hard as she could, shattering the construct’s head with her heel.

Immediately, the magical ice vanished.

Instead, several thick and spiky ice vines rose from the ground under Marien’s feet!

They moved as if alive, grabbing her legs and binding them in place painfully. Spirit Armor rippled, protecting Marien from the ice spikes, but it couldn’t give her freedom of movement.

Marien gasped, realizing that she didn’t have time to cast another spell! The vines were still rising, about to grab her arms as well.

Only fifteen paces away from her, Kunrad grinned darkly. His hand was outstretched as he controlled his spell.

Marien reached into her belt bag, and her fingers clenched on a clay bomb, one of those made by Reynard. He told her to use it if she got into too much trouble...

But before Marien could throw it into Kunrad’s face, the vines bound her hands to her body. The final one twisted around Marien’s neck, threatening to choke her as soon as her Spirit Armor breaks.

Now she was bound like a pig, and the Spirit Armor was rippling harder and harder every second. In some places, the armor bent close to Marien’s skin and clothing, and now the vines were showing off Marien’s chest for all to see.

Marien twisted in her bonds, glaring at Kunrad. The man was enjoying her helplessness and didn’t hurry to finish the fight. The vines weren’t even pressing as hard as they could.

"Release me at once!" Marien shouted, red-faced with anger and humiliation.

"No, don’t! She looks her best like this!" a spectator shouted.

"Just keep her mouth shut!"

"Ha-ha, this will show foreigners how to work with the Order of Winter!"

While the Order of Snow cheered, the Order of Winter could only scowl in silence and remind themselves that they barely knew this girl.

"Release you? Hmph! I’d rather kill you and rid this city of another dirty Winter ally! Then, your things will get a much better use in the Order of Snow."

With these words, Kunrad clenched his fist, and the vines began to crush Marien in earnest. She couldn’t take in a single breath anymore.

In the moments before her Spirit Armor broke completely, she let go of the bomb that was still clenched in her fist.

The binding didn’t let her throw it, but Marien managed to pull the bomb out of the bag.

She let it drop at her feet. As soon as it touched the ground, she released a pulse of mana.

CABOOM!