Chapter 273 Embrace The Dark Flames
Garon and the others from the Iron Wall Alliance took the attacks from the fake goddesses and absorbed the shooting-type magic, reflecting it back. Because of this, the fake goddesses' shooting-type magic was effectively sealed over a wide area.
However, Claire and the Flames of Dominance were flying high in the sky.
At that height, Garon's Union Skill, [Iron Wall], couldn't reach them.
Claire and her team couldn't receive support from Garon and were facing many fake goddesses.
In that high sky, occasionally, a black shooting star flew at high speed, tracing a bizarre path.
It wasn't Claire.
"It's me!! I AM THE DRILLLLL!!!"
Calum shouted nonsensical words while flying at high speed.
But flying in the sky wasn't just Calum's specialty.
"Everyone!! We can't let Calum outdo us!!"
Including Claire's shout, the members of the Flames of Dominance were also flying freely in the sky.
They were using jets of fire and wind from the bottom of their long staffs to achieve high-speed aerial movement.
Their flying method was very similar to Calum's. But──
"I can't believe people think we're the same as him!!"
"It's so annoying that we look similar!!"
While they complained about their flying method being similar to Calum's, they didn't stop flying at high speed.
Because──
"────!!"
"────!! ."
A number of fake goddesses were firing shooting-type magic at Claire and the others in the air.
At this altitude, Garon's [Magic Absorb] was out of range, and there was nothing to stop the fake goddesses' magic.
Therefore, Claire and the others were under heavy attack, but they skillfully maneuvered their wands to avoid being predictable, managing to dodge the fake goddesses' attacks.
"Hey, Claire! How long is this going to take!!"
"Are we done yet, leader!?"
While flying around at high speed, they shouted back and forth.
On the other hand, Claire, who was being complained to, shouted back with a flustered expression.
"I-I know!! But this isn't magic, so it takes time!!"
In Claire's right hand was a pure white short staff.
It wasn't the magic staff she usually used. For this [Evil God] subjugation, it was a heavy-type short staff given to her by Aaron.
However, unlike the ones given to others, it wasn't part of the "Black Moon" series.
If it had to be named──maybe it should be called the "Black-White Staff."
It wasn't a composite staff made with Elder Treant's core wood, but like Aaron's "Black-White," it was made entirely from 'Gravity Elemental Treant's core wood.'
──This was for 2 reasons.
One was that it was a short staff, so it required fewer materials.
And the other reason is that Claire is a magician. The 'Gravity Elemental Treant's core wood' is different from aura; it becomes lighter when magical energy passes through it. And while it becomes a bit more fragile with the decrease in weight... unless you're a magician like Io who fights in a special way, that point won't be a problem.
So, for these two reasons, the staff given to Claire became a staff made entirely of Gravity Elemental Treant.
However, there was also a problem.
It was a big problem.
Among the members of the ≪Wooden Sword Way≫, only Io and Claire were given heavy attribute weapons, even though they were both magicians.
Io is a 'Sage' and can use heavy attribute magic, so there was no issue for him.
But Claire is a fire magician.
She can't handle magic other than fire attribute. And there's also the drawback that she can't "fuse" with other attributes.
In other words, Claire can only use fire attribute magic, so it doesn't make sense for her to receive a heavy attribute weapon.
As soon as Claire received the "Black-White Staff," she stormed over to Aaron's house to complain fiercely.
But at that time, Aaron explained to Claire why he gave her the staff, and Claire accepted it. That's why she is still holding the "Black-White Staff" now.
──Saying it doesn't make sense was just Claire's misunderstanding.
It's true that she can't use heavy attribute magic, but there are still things she can do.
"Muu...!!"
As Claire dodged the shooting magic from the fake goddesses at high speed, she channeled magical energy into the "Black-White Staff" held tightly in her right hand.
The "Black-White Staff," receiving the magical energy, turned completely white, just like the nature of the Gravity Elemental Treant.
However, the magical energy released from the tip of the staff and stayed a few centimeters away was not white.
──It was black magical energy.
Normally, magical energy is colorless and transparent, and it doesn't have any physical effects on its own. When monsters in the labyrinth disappear, the magical energy released glows due to a secondary phenomenon that occurs during the state variation from "Antimatter" to magical energy.
However, magical energy that is colored by attributes has physical effects.
Because of this, it becomes visible light, and that light has color.
The magical energy, held at the tip of Claire's short staff and compressed into a small sphere, flickered like flames at the boundary of the sphere.
Claire continued to pour magical energy into it. Pouring and pouring.
She concentrated a large amount of magical energy into the sphere at the tip of her staff.
Was it an attack? Or would it become magic?
Neither.
A fire magician cannot use magic of a different attribute; this is an absolute rule defined by their Jobs, and Claire is no exception. So, what was she planning to do?
The answer came in the next moment.
"──I did it!"
With a bright expression, she shouted loudly.
"Everyone! Let's go!! Are you ready!?"
"I've been waiting!!"
"Hurry up!!"
"I'm ready anytime!!"
Each person answered Claire's check, and after nodding, Claire turned to face the fake goddess that was still relentlessly chasing them, closing the distance.
Then, she unleashed the concentrated pitch-black magical energy aimed at the fake goddess.
The pitch-black sphere shot out at high speed from the tip of her short staff, following Claire's magical energy control towards the fake goddess.
"────!?"
Judging the approaching magical energy as an attack, the fake goddess deployed a [Space Barrier] in front of herself.
The pitch-black bullet collided with it. Just as Claire intended.
"Embrace the dark flames... and sleep now!!"
Boom!!
The colliding magical energy bullet exploded all at once.
The heavy attribute magical energy condensed in the bullet was released in an instant, transforming into pitch-black hellfire that enveloped the fake goddess completely.
However, of course, even though it was magical energy dyed with attributes, it didn't have the power to defeat the fake goddess. Even though it looked like flames, that was just for show, and it didn't have the heat to burn anything.
So what was the point of it?
"────!?"
"I won't let you escape!!"
There was a point.
In confusion, or perhaps trying to shake off the pitch-black flames, the fake goddess flew wildly in the air. However, the magical energy Claire released stuck to the fake goddess, and no matter how violently she twisted and turned, it wouldn't come off.
Magical energy, unlike magic that has been transformed into a physical phenomenon, can be freely manipulated in both shape and movement by a mage's control of magical energy.
In other words, the pitch-black flames were being controlled by Claire and were merely sticking to the false goddess.
And even though there was no damage at all, its effect was enormous.
──The heavy attribute interferes with Space magic.
This means that the pitch-black flames sticking to the false goddess prevented her from maintaining her [Space Barrier], causing it to collapse, and she could not activate any new Space magic like teleportation.
It had a similar effect to Aaron's [Black Seal Domain].
Once they sealed off even the troublesome Space magic, no matter how powerful the false goddess was, she was no match for the ≪Flames of Dominance≫.
"I'm going for it!!!"
With that shout, the 5 magicians, excluding Claire, activated their magic to defeat the flying false goddess.
Origin Magic──[Absolutely Intense Flame]
As the name suggests, this magic is only for creating an incredibly high-temperature flame.
It was an improved, modified, and further enhanced version of [Inferno Blaze]. While it could not be moved from the spot, it sacrificed all maneuverability to manifest an astonishingly high-temperature flame, making it──an incredibly flawed magic.
In the next moment, a bright fireball appeared in the sky of the battlefield, almost like the sun.
However, it did not hit the false goddess. There was no need to dodge, as it appeared in a place where the false goddess was not present at all.
Hence, it's a flawed magic. By itself, it's easily avoided and might only cause minor burns over the entire body due to radiant heat if the distance is close enough.
But that's fine.
They're not fighting alone. They are a party of six, working together.
The flaws are covered by their comrades.
Origin Magic──[Absolutely No Escape: Amazing Tornado]
The members of ≪Flames of Dominance≫ are as follows:
Three fire magicians and three wind magicians.
No consideration for defense. No consideration for support. No consideration for healing. No need for a vanguard.
They simply use their magic to burn all enemies to ashes.
That is, that is exactly what ≪Flames of Dominance≫ is.
The fireball, along with the enormous tornado that emerged from beneath it, swallowed the intense, high-temperature flames and turned into a blazing tornado in an instant.
The wind fuels the flames, and the continuously supplied oxygen makes the fire burn even fiercer.
The created blazing tornado, shining brightly, lifted its head like a giant snake about to strike its prey──and then, in an instant, swallowed the fake goddess!
Group Magic──[A Tornado of Flames That Will Burn Everything to Ashes No Matter What]!!
"~~~~~!!!?"
The deafening roar of the flames devouring the air drowned out the fake goddess's final screams, which were barely audible.
The extremely high-temperature flames inflicted fatal damage on the fake goddess's body within seconds, ending her temporary life.
Though the magical energy recovery light was blocked by the blazing flames, it was clear through [magical energy sense] that the fake goddess had vanished.
But that wasn't the end.
"────!!"
"────!? "
Right after consuming the targeted fake goddess, the massive fire serpent roamed the sky in search of its next prey. Despite its enormous size, it moved surprisingly fast, and the remaining fake goddesses were swallowed one after another──however,
"It's not going down easily, is it...!!"
"Still, it seems to be effective for stalling them!"
"Come on! Leader! Hurry up with the next one!!"
"I know, I know!! Don't rush me so much!!"
The fake goddesses completely defended against the fire snake with a [Space Barrier].
Though they emerged from the swallowed flames, since they had deployed a barrier rather than a shield, the assault on Claire and the others eased.
They likely understood that a barrier capable of only defending from one direction would be burnt away by the fire serpent.
However, in the gap created by the easing of the fake goddesses' assault, Claire began constructing a new heavy-element magical energy projectile.
Though they couldn't let their guard down, they were prepared with a method to defeat the fake goddesses.
Moreover, smiles were on their faces.
"After all, this kind of magic suits us perfectly!!"
"Shooting-type magic isn't really our style."
"It was so frustrating during the Stampede!"
During the Stampede, they had to take down each monster with shooting-type magic to avoid involving fleeing refugees and burning down the city.
However, this wasn't their usual fighting style.
They preferred to burn all enemies to ashes with overwhelming firepower. That was their true combat style.
Powerful firepower and brute-force tactics──that's the true essence of ≪Flames of Dominance≫.
That's why they enjoyed and were pleased with the environment where such combat was possible.
Though,
"I'm really not satisfied! I'm the only one left out, aren't I!?"
Claire, who had captured another fake goddess with a dark bullet and heavy-element magical energy, complained with dissatisfaction for not being able to participate in the high-firepower magic.
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