Free Web NovelChapter 29: Chapter 29: Retrial
"Blades of Purity" was in fact currently expending C-rank levels of mana.
Beatrix decided to gamble, not just any kind. She went all in. Her entire output on this lone spell.
Ursula used her talents to teleport Solomon’s dominant right hand away.
"Deleted Space, success," she said.
The technique warped whatever the target was to an alternate dimension. In this case, the target was Solomon’s hand.
He immediately covered up with his left hand.
"Go, Beatrix!" Ursula shouted.
"Don’t tell me what to do," she responded while launching blade after blade in the direction of Solomon.
Ursula’s plan was never to steal the staff during the momentary slip when Solomon’s hand warped. She just needed to get him to use his less dominant hand.
Evasion was no problem for Solomon.
He was still untouched, and time was running out. freёweɓnovel.com
44 seconds.
Ursula noticed that Beatrix’s blades weren’t being replaced after they were used.
’It’s probably a limitation.’
She came to the assumption that Beatrix probably just couldn’t.
"I’ll have to time this perfectly," she said.
Ursula was monitoring. She had her eyes well focused on Solomon. She noticed how he would arc himself when he dodged.
"He’s always leaning that way," she said.
"Success!"
She shouted.
She jumped into a portal.
29 seconds.
Cling.
The sound of the staff hitting the ground.
Ursula had warped Solomon’s other hand.
She came from under and grabbed the staff via a portal.
The portal opened up from behind Beatrix.
"Come on, girl!" she shouted as she waved the staff, signalling they now had it.
20 seconds.
Beatrix sent down the remaining blades. They surrounded Solomon, rendering him ground-immobile.
He could still fly. He just chose not to.
They were counting on the fact that he wouldn’t. On the fact that he would acknowledge their efforts and take things easier, like he had done with earlier pairs.
19 seconds.
14 seconds.
Absorption.
9 seconds.
They both continued.
"Almost done," Beatrix noted.
Ursula panicked. She thought Beatrix was going to make it and that she would just be another lone case where only one of the mages proceeds.
1 second.
"Just a little..."
"Time up."
"Both mages will join the roster."
"Dammit!" Beatrix shouted.
Ursula did a reading on her. She realized Beatrix was basically back to full tank. One more second and she would definitely have made it.
This was sad.
Ursula wasn’t. She was rather happy she didn’t get split.
"Our team coordination was effective once. We’ll get it the next time," she said.
"Yeah, if there’s still slots remaining next time," Beatrix responded in annoyance.
"Next pair."
The next pair was Finna and Gwen.
Finna - A-rank mage - Space Talent.
Gwen - A-rank mage - Light Talent.
"We could do that little trick they pulled last match. The light one," Finna said.
"Sure, let’s do it."
60 seconds.
Portals opened surrounding Gwen. Incidentally, portals also opened surrounding Solomon.
He immediately knew.
Beams, blades, and other constructs were sent his way.
All made of light.
They were planning to injure him or restrict him somehow.
He used his staff to wave away and defend from the attacks.
"Not good enough, huh?" Gwen remarked.
"Here’s a little something."
She powered up a beam and expanded it.
In an instant, they all got squished together.
"Grab the staff!" Gwen shouted.
"Light Sphere."
Solomon, Gwen, and Finna were enveloped in a sphere.
They were able to reabsorb their mana in time.
They made the cut.
"Next."
"Next."
It was one failure after the other.
"Next."
Another pair.
"Next."
Some pairs had at least one mage make it out. Others were unlucky. These ones had both being re-fed back for a retrial.
"We are now done with the first set."
It would seem a fair amount made it in a single go," Lana announced.
"Among those who made it, there’s Modred, Sigman, Zach, Max, Finna, Randolph, Gwen, Faux, and Verdona."
"That numbers up to nine, by my calculations. I guess there’s room for six more."
Just six.
"Make your next run at it count," Lana added.
"Okay, we’re starting the retrial."
’Okay, I’m up,’ Roe thought.
He and his teammate got transported back up to face Solomon.
"Energy Type Talent. No..."
