The moment Dudley saw the dark green light, the hair on his arms stood on end. Since he began practicing Ripple Breathing, his senses had become far sharper than even the most skilled wizards. He could feel the cold touch of death in this spell—a power that stood in opposition to the very life force of his Ripple. This was the first time since gaining his magical resistance that he felt truly threatened. Even with his boosted abilities, he knew taking a direct hit would be a bad idea.
Without a second thought, Dudley rolled out of the way as his small Charizzard companion, whom he'd named Charizzard, flapped its wings and took to the air. The green light struck a nearby tree, which withered instantly, turning into a dead husk.
A cloaked figure, wearing a hood and carrying a faintly glowing wand, drifted toward him like a ghost. Dudley didn't need a map to know this was a villain, and a powerful one at that.
Dudley darted forward like a cheetah, closing the distance between them. His goal was simple: get the wand. Without it, a wizard was as defenseless as a melon. The cloaked figure, surprised by his speed, barely had time to react.
Take this! Dudley's fist connected with the figure's chest, but instead of the soft feel of flesh, it was like punching a sheet of steel. It was the Shield Charm, a powerful defensive spell. The charm absorbed the blow, but it couldn't negate the force behind it. The figure was sent flying, crashing through several trees.
A normal wizard would have been badly injured, even with the charm, but the figure floated back as if nothing had happened. Another flash of green light came at Dudley. He slammed his hands into the ground, a little more effort needed than usual due to the slightly harder forest soil.
"Earth Style: Earth-Flow Wall! (Physical!)"
A piece of the forest floor ripped up and formed a shield, blocking the spell. The cloaked figure sneered under their hood, confident that a simple piece of dirt couldn't stop their magic. The spell did blast through the makeshift shield, but by then, Dudley was already gone.
The explosion sent a shower of mud and dirt everywhere, completely obscuring the cloaked figure's vision. As they cast a spell to clear the mud, Dudley seized his chance. From behind them, he shattered four vials, unleashing a thick, yellow mist. It was the troll's bogie, a super-concentrated stink bomb. The foul odor was so overwhelming that the cloaked figure, who was about to cast a spell, was forced to clamp their mouth shut.
"ROAR!" Charizzard let out a furious cry, a torrent of fire pouring from its mouth. The cloaked figure's wand tip exploded with light, creating a shimmering barrier—a more advanced and powerful defensive charm than the Shield Charm.
Dudley didn't waste a moment. He threw four more vials. They shattered against the protective barrier, and a bubbling, foul-smelling liquid coated the spell. It was Perfect Corroding Potion, a brew designed to break down defensive magic. The potion ate away at the barrier instantly, and Charizzard's fiery breath seeped through the new holes.
The cloaked figure was caught off guard. A flicker of flame caught their cloak, but they extinguished it quickly and sent a spell at Charizzard, who was still young and easily overpowered. The beast was frozen in place.
Just as the figure was about to finish off Charizzard, Dudley went on the offensive. He had his own long-range attacks. He scooped up a handful of dirt and shoved a vial of potion into it.
"Eat this, 'Flying Rocks!' (Physical!)"
The combination of dirt and Explosive Potion created a blast that sent the cloaked figure reeling, breaking the spell on Charizzard. Charizzard immediately took to the air, careful to only attack from a distance with its fire. Dudley continued to throw a variety of potions, each one a counter to the figure's spells. The fight became a stalemate—the cloaked figure couldn't land a spell on Dudley, and Dudley couldn't get close enough to disarm them.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the forest. "Who harmed that unicorn?" A sharp arrow whizzed through the air, landing just a few feet from the cloaked figure's feet.
Feed the author—vote now or the story starves 😭"
Want 2 chapters a day? You know what to do!
Request your favorite story too!
Pat-reon: ilham20