Chapter 288: Chapter 288 - The Storm Evolves
[Epic – Lightning Step (Active Skill) Lv. 6 activated.]
Atlas shot forward like a bolt of light, weaving between the incoming orbs of fire. Several of the blazing spheres still struck him from different angles, each hit landing with a searing impact. He grimaced, realizing just how powerful the attacks were. But that also meant Brigid had shifted more of her stats toward Magic. Her other attributes, like speed, would now be slightly weaker.
Taking advantage of that, Atlas surged closer, cutting through the haze. But Brigid was relentless. She swung her greatsword again, sending a wave of burning energy slashing across the battlefield. At the same time, she kept moving, dodging the lightning bolts that continued to crash down around her.
Atlas dived low, his body tracing a streak of blue light across the ground, but the crescent-shaped flame followed him like a predator locked on its prey. The spell curved and chased his every move, adjusting its path no matter how sharply he turned.
"Tch... auto-tracking magic!"
Atlas had no choice but to raise his spear and block. The flaming crescent slammed into him, detonating on impact and blasting him backward through the air. He hit the ground hard, skidding across the cracked earth as sparks scattered from his armor.
The roaring storm around them began to waver. The duration of Stormcall Domain was nearly at its end. Atlas pushed himself up, lightning still flickering weakly around his body. He needed to close the distance before the storm faded completely.
But Brigid wasn’t giving him a chance. She had switched fully into long-range combat, launching wave after wave of fiery magic that lit up the battlefield and forced Atlas to stay on the defensive, unable to get close.
Atlas also possessed several long-range magic skills of his own, but most of them were wide-area attacks. It was draining too much mana and stamina to be effective in a duel like this. They simply couldn’t match Brigid’s precise, auto-tracking fire magic.
This girl was truly a nightmare in one-on-one combat. Every move she made showed just how perfectly she could utilize her system. Attacking, dodging, blocking, defending, and shifting strategies with flawless timing. She was an absolute master of her battlefield.
Then, the final echoes of thunder faded. The storm that had raged across the field began to dissolve. The Stormcall Domain had ended.
Brigid seized the opening immediately, charging straight toward Atlas with blazing speed.
But Atlas didn’t hesitate. He raised his spear, his eyes flashing with determination.
[Unique - Stormcall Domain (Active) activated.]
[Unique - Bloodrush Tempest (Active) activated.]
[Greatly increases movement and attack speed for a short duration. Each dash or strike releases storm-charged blood lightning, damaging and slowing nearby enemies. Landing a killing blow during the effect restores a portion of stamina.]
[Epic - Bloodstorm Thrust (Active Skill) Lv. 1 activated.]
[A precise spear thrust infused with both lightning and blood. Deals 270% piercing damage. Ignores 25% of the target’s defense. Has a 15% chance to paralyze the target for 1.5 seconds. Applies Bleed, dealing 5% of target’s max HP as damage over 4 seconds.]
Lightning exploded once more across the battlefield as the storm reignited. The sky cracked open with fury, and crimson energy coiled along Atlas’s spear, blending with the electric storm. His weapon pulsed with both lightning and blood, glowing like a blade forged from the heart of a tempest.
Atlas’s feet dug into the ground. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight, charging forward with everything he had as the storm howled back to life.
Brigid twisted mid-motion, bringing up her greatsword just in time to block.
CLANG!!!
The impact was earth-shattering. The sound echoed like a thunderclap. The force of the strike drove through her guard, and she coughed up blood as the shockwave blasted her backward. Her body slammed across the cracked ground, skidding through dust and sparks.
Atlas gritted his teeth. This is it... my opening!
[Epic – Storm Chain: Judgment Spear (Conditional Active Skill) activated.]
He dashed forward again, lightning from the storm gathering around him and channeling straight into his spear.
Brigid dug her feet into the ground, barely steadying herself. She hadn’t had time to reallocate her stats. Still, she lifted her greatsword once more, bracing for the next strike.
Their weapons met in another colossal collision. Shockwaves erupted outward, tearing the air apart. Lightning and fire twisted together in a storm of destruction, each impact creating chain explosions that lit up the entire battlefield.
Both of them were thrown back. Atlas sliding across the ground, Brigid sent tumbling through the debris. But Atlas refused to stop.
[Epic – Lightning Step (Active Skill) Lv. 6 activated.]
He vanished into a flash of light, reappearing right in front of her before she could recover. Their weapons clashed again, steel meeting steel, the sound sharp and deafening.
CLANG!!!
CLANG!!!
Lightning from the storm rained down around them, scorching the ground in blinding bursts.
Brigid was blasted sideways, losing her footing for a moment. But before Atlas could press the attack, she pivoted mid-air and vanished into a blur of speed, suddenly appearing behind him.
Fast! Atlas barely had time to react.
He spun on instinct, his spear intercepting her downward strike. The clash sent another surge of lightning bursting outward. Brigid was thrown back into the air, a trail of blood scattering as she was hurled upward by the force of the parry.
If Brigid could move with flawless efficiency and use every technique she possessed with perfect strategy, then Atlas had one distinct advantage that set him apart, his leeching ability. It was what allowed him to endure longer than any normal fighter, draining his opponent’s health and stamina while restoring his own.
If this battle dragged on, as long as Atlas could maintain his position, the victory would inevitably fall into his hands.
"Lord Atlas truly fights with incredible technique," Dullorak said quietly, standing beside Edrik as they watched from the observation platform.
Edrik glanced sideways, his eyes studying the speaker. It was the wise old man version of Dullorak.
"Yes," Edrik replied. "That’s thanks to Master Kurogasa. The Lord has absorbed his teachings well. His ability to learn and adapt every combat technique so quickly is remarkable. It’s what keeps him standing against someone with such refined fighting skill as Brigid."
Dullorak nodded slowly, his tone thoughtful. "Still, among all the blessings the Lord possesses, I must say Lady Brigid deserves great respect. She’s practically giving her all, pushing herself against a monster who keeps evolving mid-battle and wields an arsenal of terrifying abilities."
A faint smile crossed Edrik’s lips at that. "Yes. From the very beginning, it’s been clear who the winner of this fight will be."
The battle raged on, both warriors advancing and retreating in a deadly rhythm. Each waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Every exchange was sharp and measured, one side parrying while the other dodged.
Neither of them grew reckless; both showed deep respect for their opponent, refusing to take a greedy or careless swing.
"I can see it clearly now," Dullorak continued. "He’s grown even further through this fight. He truly was born for battle. Every encounter like this will keep shaping and nurturing him into a lord who will continue to evolve without limit."
Before Edrik could respond, Atlas once again dashed forward, lightning flaring around his body as he unleashed his Judgment Spear, the weapon cutting through the stormy air toward Brigid.
"Well," Dullorak said with a small chuckle, "sometimes he still relies on brute force too."
Edrik smirked in silent agreement. Around them, the observers exhaled as one.
Because the battle... had finally come to an end.