Just because something looks easy for someone else doesn't mean you can do it too, like, say, pulling an SSR (Super Super Rare) in a gacha game.
Okay, maybe that's not the most realistic example, but in terms of despair and helplessness, Mr. William was definitely feeling like a cursed account right now.
Why could that guy teleport through the array so easily while he couldn't? It made no sense!
Unfortunately, logic doesn't always apply, Curve Warp was, indeed, a teleportation spell, but with one crucial limitation: it only worked on allies. In other words, without Allen's consent, there was no way William could piggyback on the spell.
A shimmering silver barrier flared, then vanished alongside the incoming spells, just as Allen reappeared at a different location via teleportation. He instantly sensed a massive surge of magic in the air, followed closely by a violent shockwave, it was like someone had set off a giant bomb beneath the castle for dramatic effect.
Now, a real man might not look back at explosions, but Allen didn't hesitate for a second, he sprinted straight back to the blast site. Of course, it wasn't because he wanted to scavenge rare magical gear or anything. No, no. He was just going to check if poor Mr. William had been blown half to death so he could mercifully end the man's suffering.
And if, by some cruel twist of fate, Mr. William had already met his end… well, Allen would respectfully collect the body of a worthy opponent. Maybe.
As for a tombstone? Please. What a joke. Allen, building someone a grave?
No way. Recycling is the true path to efficiency. After chasing Allen for so long, offering his body as loot seemed like a decent farewell gesture.
Ah, dear Mr. William, if you're not okay with that, feel free to speak up. Not that I'd listen, of course, but bottling up feelings is bad for your health.
Such were Allen's thoughts.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
In most stories, the boss tends to suffer from a "brain-dead halo" at a critical moment, suddenly afflicted with all kinds of debilitating debuffs like Speech-Induced Logic Fail, Accuracy Loss, Sentimental Weakness, and the infamous One-Hit Kill Vulnerability, all conveniently making room for a glorious protagonist victory.
After all, if the hero just steamrolls through everything, it quickly gets boring, or worse, causes hair loss. No shade intended to our dear Saitama-sensei.
But really, nothing kills a revenge story faster than predictable drama and melodramatic nonsense.
Let's face it: if a weakling protagonist didn't get those convenient boss slip-ups, they'd either be knocked out by a villain's flashback move or get flattened by a metaphoric truck.
Imagine a story where a dragon kidnaps a princess, and a brave knight overcomes countless trials… only to get swatted like a fly in the final battle, leaving the dragon with its prize. Who would enjoy that kind of ending?
…Actually, why does that suddenly sound kind of awesome?
Anyway, regardless of how a story unfolds, reality is still reality. It doesn't follow the script.
Which is exactly why that one overpowered "main character skill", Somehow Still Alive™, had now found its way onto Mr. William instead.
He was a wreck. Deep gashes exposed bone, one of his bat-like wings had been torn off, and his face was so pale it looked like all the blood had been drained from his body. His clothes were in tatters, he looked like he could sit on the curb with a begging bowl and easily pass as a vagrant.
And yet, the old vampire, with his hair already turned silver-white, still maintained his dignity and grace. It was the kind of poise that deserved an Oscar… or at least a review committee check for Confusion Curse symptoms.
"You again, child… That little prank of yours was really too much," came a voice, gentle, even affectionate. "Still, as a fellow kin, I've decided to forgive your mistake. Come. Let me show you the true meaning of power."
The voice was impossibly soft, soothing, like magic itself lived in the speaker's eyes. Allen, entranced, walked forward as if in a trance, like a pilgrim reaching a sacred shrine. Closer, closer…
Just one more step and he would be embraced by the light, warm, not searing, like a lone lantern in the dark awaiting the moth's final flight.
Then, bang!bang!
Two harsh sounds snapped through the air, claw against shield.
Both had struck at the same time, trying to land a sneak attack the moment the other dropped their guard.
They jumped back immediately, cursing each other as treacherous bastards in their hearts.
Official wizard duels were supposed to follow all kinds of formalities, but neither of them gave a damn. Ambushes, dirty tricks, sneak attacks, whatever broke the stalemate fastest was fair game now.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
The only lesson this battle offered?
Never, ever show off when you're low on HP.
It doesn't matter how high-level you are, how great your gear is, or how slick your footwork, one well-placed spell with fixed damage could drag you straight into the abyss.
Sure, targeted spells might not exist in this world, but AoE (Area of Effect) magic? That solved everything.
Earlier, William might have been so powerful Allen couldn't even fight him head-on, but now? He was in shambles. If not for the blood loss, he wouldn't be licking it off the ground like a starving dog.
Even so, despite the mess William had become, the vampire still gave Allen plenty of trouble, forcing him to burn through a ridiculous amount of mana.
But none of that changed the outcome: in the end, William fell to Allen's wand just like all the others.
After catching his breath and recovering a bit of stamina, Allen suddenly pointed his wand toward a dark corner.
"Who's there?!"
A small, familiar figure peeked out, a house-elf. Dodo.
"M-Master?" she stammered. "Is there anything Dodo can do to help you?"
She was visibly trembling. Just being in this forbidden study was already making her nervous. If not for Allen's orders, she would've never dared enter, maybe not even in death.
"Alright. You go search the room. See if anything survived the explosion. I'll check Mr. William's corpse."
"Y-Yes, Master! Dodo will do her best! Because Dodo, "
She never finished her sentence.
Halfway through, Allen felt a sharp pain in his waist.
A dagger, small, wickedly sharp, and enchanted, was buried deep into his side, hilt-deep.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
150 Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria