Heir of Synthesis: The World Mage

"You thieving bastard! Death God’s Ignition!"

After Hemakra’s roar, the black mist surrounding her vanished, while lines began appearing across her dead body. An even more sinister black aura exploded out of her and rose toward the heavens.

The moment they felt it, the young spectators were immediately seized by endless instinctive terror. This kind of fear penetrated deep into their hearts.

"What is happening? Did she break through part of the seal?!" Shione exclaimed in shock.

The Elders were horrified as well. Much more power than expected had begun flowing from that figure.

The Grand Elder’s previous assumption had definitely been wrong! That Sorcerer could absolutely fight a Disciple Mage.

However, it would probably be a short battle, with very slim chances of victory. Even so, this puppet could still put up a fight.

Priam was only a fifth-level Acolyte Mage; this was a completely absurd and nonsensical battle!

"She is burning her soul to gain more power. That’s a malicious technique we didn’t know was possible... with this, she can resist part of the inscription’s suppression. Should we intervene?" an Elder asked the Grand Elder tensely.

The situation had already far exceeded all their expectations. A little more of Hemakra’s true strength had now emerged because she no longer cared about her own life.

"Everyone, prepare to go save him," the Grand Elder ordered.

Normally, since the situation had already surpassed his predictions, he would have ended the Trial.

But the Grand Elder always had the feeling that Priam still had cards left to play. His eyes were still too calm, so calm that it was unsettling. Because of that, he chose not to act yet, since this could be an opportunity for him to grow.

Just as Priam had said at the beginning. Without risks, there is no growth. Priam clearly wanted to push himself to the limit, because only then could he surpass himself.

*BUZZ*

Space trembled continuously, and even the Earth shook slightly.

Aside from Flaris, the other youngsters were terrified. They knew very well that no matter how powerful that enemy was, the Elders would never allow her to harm them.

Yet despite that, they still couldn’t suppress the terror rising from the depths of their souls. They retreated even farther. Even Shione and Lumiere had gone pale.

Priam was also surprised by Hemakra’s actions. But he took a deep breath, completely focused and without a trace of fear.

In fact... he was excited.

[System Assimilation Level: 01]

[Progress: 20% (UP)]

Priam didn’t even pay attention to the green window, already knowing what was written there.

Everything happened within mere seconds. Priam burned his power rune; then Hemakra activated her sacrificial technique.

"You little bastard, I’ve never suffered a loss like this in my entire life, not even when I was betrayed. Die for me now!"

At that moment, Hemakra’s body was completely covered in strange lines resembling countless centipedes, giving her an exceptionally terrifying appearance. She then launched a direct strike toward Priam.

Priam didn’t dare be careless and struck out with his fists.

**CLANG!**

The sound was like steel colliding with steel.

Priam was blasted backward, his stomach churning. A sweet taste filled his throat as he vomited a mouthful of blood.

Before, Priam had been able to fight her on equal footing, but now Hemakra had injured him with a single strike, horrifying everyone. Just how powerful had this corrupted puppet become?

But...

Priam remained calm, very calm.

At that second, the Elders narrowed their eyes.

Beyond them, Shione also noticed something different around Priam.

"Wind Element?!"

She muttered in surprise. All the Ether leaking from Priam was attracting the surrounding Wind element, and now hundreds of tiny Wind Runes were circling him.

Without hesitation, Priam charged forward. In an instant, all the Wind element around him condensed into a single strike from his fist.

*BOOM!*

A sonic boom echoed in every direction.

The spectators widened their eyes as they watched the puppet get blasted more than five meters backward. When it finally stopped, a huge hole had opened in its chest, though no blood poured out, obviously.

All the young disciples fell silent, stunned. That destructive power was something they had never even imagined.

Even Gangrel turned pale. If that attack had hit him, perhaps not even a thousand lives would have been enough to survive it. That Priam was even more monstrous than monsters.

The expressions of Shione and Lumiere changed drastically. They had always considered themselves the clan’s geniuses and carried themselves arrogantly around others their age. But... this young man from a side branch, who always acted calmly and never displayed even a hint of arrogance, was already showing a gap between them as vast as heaven and earth.

It opened their eyes to the world and made them understand that there is always a higher mountain.

Who was foolish enough to be arrogant? Their previous actions had practically been an invitation to be humiliated sooner or later.

"You little bastard, if this corpse wasn’t such trash, I would kill you with a single slap!" Hemakra roared furiously.

"Tch, who doesn’t know how to brag? If I had lived as long as you, I could kill you with a single fart," Priam mocked. "Didn’t you say you were going to kill me... what, two or three times already? Do you have anything besides big words?"

"You little bastard!"

Hemakra charged at Priam, those strange lines lighting up across her body once again, her sinister aura becoming even more terrifying.

Priam snorted and struck with his right fist. Wind Runes danced around him as he manipulated them to his advantage.

At that moment, in silence, Priam was truly taking advantage of this opportunity to... train.

He was training the foundation of the fourth stage of the Wind Magic Art. He felt he was close to being able to use it, but he needed to truly train at his limit before succeeding. Because of that, this moment was perfect.

*BANG! BANG! BOOOM!*

They collided again and again, each clash more brutal than the last.

After a few seconds...

...the young spectators could clearly see small objects flying through the air while the two fought.

"What is that?" Shione asked.

Lumiere exclaimed, "It looks like... that person’s flesh!"

"Priam’s strength is increasing with every moment. He’s becoming faster and more precise with the wind to the point that he’s already able to break through that puppet’s defenses," Flaris casually said beside Shione. Without realizing it, they were already talking to each other amicably.

Everyone watched closely, and it was true.

Holes had appeared throughout the puppet. Those small things flying away were pieces of flesh from its body, especially from its fists.

"FUCK!" Hemakra roared.

With every passing second, she grew more exhausted, unable to gain the upper hand. The reason was that the inscription was sealing her full strength. She had only managed to release a little more power through sacrifice, but even that wasn’t enough.

With Priam’s increasing strength and the sharp decline of her spiritual power, her defenses were no longer capable of blocking his attacks.

Flaris and Shione cheered.

That meant victory was close. Now that the opponent’s spiritual power was beginning to run dry, she wouldn’t be able to keep going much longer.

All of them had killed a puppet before and knew this was a sign that victory was near.

Priam wore an excited smile.

With such an immense amount of Ether at his disposal, it was practically impossible for him to exhaust his energy, even if he tried. With every movement, he felt the wind he controlled synchronizing with him even further.

This was truly a luxury training session. If not for this puppet, he would have needed a very, very long time to advance so quickly in that Magic Art.

The longer the fight lasted, the more advantageous it became for him.

The two continued exchanging violent blows, causing waves of wind and dust to erupt endlessly.

Until.

*BANG!*

Hemakra was forced back several steps by Priam’s strike. At this point, her fists were nothing but bones; all the flesh had already been torn away.

This time, she didn’t advance.

A pulsing light appeared in her eyes.

"Death God Devouring Lives!"

Following that shout, a black image appeared behind Hemakra. It resembled the eye of a demon. The moment it appeared, Hemakra’s aura exploded with even greater force, immobilizing Priam.

Priam shuddered because he could feel Hemakra’s strength multiplying several times over.

But on the other hand, her spiritual power was being drained even faster.

This was definitely one of her final attacks. Since she clearly wasn’t going to win, she was sacrificing everything she had left all at once. In doing so, she could increase her power to an absurd level for a single move.

That old woman was truly terrifying.

Even as nothing more than a soul inhabiting a dead body, she still possessed countless tricks. If she were alive, she would undoubtedly be far too powerful.

"Claws of the Evil Heart!"

A claw made entirely of bone shot toward Priam.

He took a deep breath.

Priam had hoped to train a little longer before truly trying.

But now he had no other choice.

It would be all or nothing.

*Sky-Rending Wind!*

Priam shouted silently within himself as his fists shone with a terrifying light.