Crown of the Desert
All spectacles of combat inevitably draw gambling, and word of Suhyun's duel with Hasina pulled in every gambler from both Nautilus and Aldamina.
The Nautilus folk knew Suhyun's strength but not Hasina's, while the Aldaminans knew Hasina's might but were clueless about Suhyun. Neither side knew their foe, clinging only to what they understood—and betting big on victory. The stakes skyrocketed as a result.
Aldamina's sailors and merchants, who never knew when death might claim them, threw gold around like dopamine junkies, flipping the odds: Suhyun became the massive underdog, Hasina the heavy favorite.
Hasina would have scoffed if she'd known. 'What a bunch of monsters.' Her instincts screamed that her opponent was formidable, yet her senses picked up nothing—no overwhelming mana leakage thanks to Suhyun's near-perfect control, no crushing presence. He was like sand baked hot under the sun or chilled cold by night: impossible to judge without clashing directly.
Watching Suhyun stand there, as if inviting her first strike, Hasina unpacked her prepared catalysts.
"Sand Spear Containing the Desert"
Hasina had tried recreating the "Radiance of Sand Holding the Sun", forged by Grand Magus Aldamina, but failed. From those lessons, she'd crafted her pinnacle spell: the ultimate single-target firepower she could wield. The audience, buzzing at the sight of catalysts harvested across the desert, fell deathly silent at the spell's majesty.
High-speed sand grinds all. Even the toughest metal wears away under repeated grains; living flesh tears far easier.
She infused sharpness into sand with her black sword's teeth, Saya; tuned wind flows with the tongue of wind, Psets. Using the pair as mediums, the Desert Rose as catalyst, she warped a sand-choked space—pouring in catalysts to sustain it.
The spear in Hasina's grip swirled like a single shaft, but compressed within was a city-devouring sandstorm. The crowd hushed before its dread aura.
All trembled at Hasina clutching cataclysm incarnate—yet tiny Suhyun eyed it with casual intrigue, unfazed.
"Even you'd be wrecked taking this head-on, right?"
"Eh, who knows?"
Suhyun chuckled at her warning, raising a finger to spin a tiny vortex of mana. Hasina bristled, mistaking the black-mana twirl for mockery, and hurled the Sand Spear Containing the Desert.
No spare mana for a launch spell; she'd learned javelin throws from a warrior. It rocketed toward Suhyun at desert storm speed, fingertip meeting tip.
Sand sharp as famed blades shattered on impact—but fragments sharpened further, riding fierce winds anew. Each grain left micro-traces; thousands compounded them into layers that pulverized anything.
Mana Property Alteration - Viscous × Heavenly Demon Divine Art - Body Refinement Chapter - Dragon Spiral Gale
As spear met fingertip vortex, Suhyun's mana turned slime-like. No sword cleaves water; the viscous mana spun faster than the storm, high-pressure grains ensnared and devoured.
"Spinning for penetration's a basic trick—think a bit harder to dodge counters like this."
Easy to say, like "outpace bomb shrapnel to evade." Possible in theory; execution another matter.
Hasina, who'd compressed a Desert Rose-fueled space of thousands grains into one swirling mote, watched it dismantled by a handful of mana. Forcing composure, she bellowed:
"Yeah! Now that's worth seeking you out!"
Drawing her famed twin blades, she channeled spells through them.
Saya: Desert's Treasured Sword — vibrating sand blades.
Psets: Blade in the Mirage — heat-hazed wind cutters.
Swinging both, mirage-veiled phantoms and sand blades assailed from all sides.
Cruel Mirage's Treasured Sword
Potent but predictable Desert's Treasured Sword, elusive but weaker Blade in the Mirage—fused into the spell that slew a desert harpy chief, earning her mage tower's martial captaincy. This time, she'd glimpse Suhyun's true power.
"Good concept, poor execution. You rushed the merge without tuning."
To hide sand blades in mirage, she mixed wind mana—causing wind to precede sand due to speed mismatch. Suhyun's senses tracked trajectories; a fingertip Wind Cutter sliced the lead winds.
Wind Cutter
His mana-clad gale severed wind mana, bisecting sand blades. Colliding fragments lost form, disrupting paths—blades warped, veered off. One tiny cutter tangled the whole spell astray.
Suhyun grinned. "Hide better if you're hiding."
Matching her dual-spell mana with a fraction, he unraveled it. Hasina gnashed teeth, invoking next:
Desert Titan's Fist — amplified metal-powder sand mass.
Thirst of Bloodied Sand — monster-blood curse.
Foot-gathered sands poured as catalysts. Desert Titan's Fist shattered giant turtle shells; Thirst of Bloodied Sand doomed sand whales ramming ships.
Swift red sand gripped Suhyun's arm, branches of grudge-soaked grains throttling; atop crashed metal-sand mass rivaling warships.
Overloading catalysts forced simultaneous casts. Burst vessels, nosebleeds—Hasina poured mana, smiling through strain. "This'll show your real power!"
Accessories shattered under backlash, gems crumbled. Yet insight dawned: 'Just a bit more... I can grasp it.'
Magic's illusory; paths seem true, then mirage. Worse: mirages imply reality somewhere. No quit now—she funneled blood-tears as catalysts, pressing Suhyun.
"Binding then striking's smart—but confirm the bind first."
Suhyun laughed, grasping red-sand curse. Monster blood, basic grudges—Heavenly Demon Qi could've crushed it, but backlash would've wrecked her fragile state. Instead:
Weapon of Myriad Phenomena
Cursed bane demands care—like hilt-to-tip poisoned blade. But poison-proof hands, uncuttable flesh? No issue. Melting sand alchemically, corrupting curse atop, Suhyun forged a sword—slashing the Desert Titan's Fist.
Shriek! Crimson glass blade sheared metal sand smoothly, then shattered. Unregenerating under tainted curse-slash, it dispersed. Hasina staggered, consciousness fading—Suhyun caught her, playfully smacking her rear.
Touch of Verdant Renewal
Healing eased magic backlash; stinging butt drew her flustered glare. "Snap out of it—gonna collapse like that?"
Hot palm tingled; grinning fiercely: "Hell no."
Shaky-legged, she stood—Suhyun waited, expression unchanged.
"This is my all-out!"
Mystery Manifestation - Two Faces of the Harsh Desert
Worse condition amplified it fiercer. Human will defying brutal sands, spirit battling nature—its true worth shone in desperation. Suhyun grinned at the goddess forging a massive sand scimitar from ambient mana and grains.
"I warned Eira on mage pitfalls; now, combat mage hurdles for you."
From inventory:
Catalyst
Polar bear heart from Bostain
Opposed natures, unmixable crystals gripped; Heavenly Demon Qi defied logic, twisting laws. Amid mana absorption, emitting was unwise—but Suhyun's control repelled it.
Resisting goddess-force like desert harshness, he crushed crystals together, laughing.
Artifact forging prized maker, materials, environment. Workshops minimized variables; Nautilus was Suhyun's forge. Desert Rose (sun-scorched bloom), Plundering Frost Heart (frost-wild growth), atop Two Faces' brutal domain—all fused. He donned the result.
Crown of the Plundering Desert
Layered sand vortices like desert heart; stacked crowns with translucent blue-ice adornments crowned Suhyun—a new ruler challenged the goddess.
Sands split like rival lords' forces—yet obeyed the newcomer more. Suhyun's domain expanded clearer, vaster.
Hasina recalled: Suhyun was combat mage and Nautilus' creator. Sun-baked Desert Rose, frost-plundering heart, Heavenly Demon-lorded artifact crumbling her manifestation—she squeezed final mana.
Goddess-forged sand sword in hand, charging sandstorm loomed. "Fuckin' hell—"
Tearing goddess-realm, sand fists pulverized her blade. With that curse, Hasina blacked out.