Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives

Warlock Ch 298. Third Segment

The mana surged through his body like lightning through a wire. His veins glowed faintly as his mana reserves shot upward.

[Mana Boost: +35% for 5 minutes.]

[Spellcasting Efficiency: +20%.]

"Your turn," he said.

Selena followed suit, gasping as the energy flooded her body.

The moment was broken by a deep, grinding snarl.

They both turned.

Two contestants stood at the entrance of the alley, one with crackling lightning orbs hovering around him, the other with a glowing greatsword of conjured mana.

"Figures," Damian muttered.

"Mana wells don't come cheap," the sword-wielding warlock said. "Hand it over."

Damian's lips curled into a grin.

"You're welcome to try."

Damian's voice dripped with mocking confidence, his eyes gleaming beneath the faint glow of ambient mana. He flexed his fingers, already feeling the surge of power from the mana well thrumming through his veins. Selena stood at his side, wary but ready, her magic crackling faintly around her fingertips.

The warlock across from them sneered. "Big words for someone who barely made it this far."

Damian laughed—a sharp, unhinged sound that echoed through the broken streets.

"You're right. I barely made it," he said, cracking his neck. "Which means I'm either lucky... or I'm exactly where I want to be."

The warlock shifted uneasily, glancing at his companion. The battle mage, clad in enchanted armor etched with glowing crimson runes, gripped his staff-sword tightly. Mana crackled along the blade, distorting the air like heat waves.

Selena arched a brow. "They're stalling."

"Yeah," Damian muttered, eyes narrowing.

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

-BOOM!

A deafening roar tore through the air. The very street buckled as something massive crashed through a nearby building. Dust and stone exploded outward as the Dread Titan burst into view, its molten veins now crackling with icy-blue frost.

It had adapted.

Its eyes locked onto the group.

"Yep, it found us," he muttered.

[Observation Activated]

Dread Titan

HP: ???

Mana: ???

Current Resistance: Ice (High)

Weakness: Lightning (Temporary)

Adaptive Protocol Active: Resistance cycle reset.

Status: Aggressive.

"Lightning," Damian muttered. "Got any of that, Princess?"

Selena shook her head. "I can try wind manipulation, but straight lightning's not my thing."

"Great." He rolled his shoulders. "Guess we improvise."

The Titan roared again. Its massive fist smashed into the nearest building, collapsing it in a cloud of debris. Chunks of stone flew like artillery shells.

[Shadow Barrier]

A dome of shadow materialized around Damian and Selena. The impact of the debris sent tremors through the ground but failed to breach the barrier.

"That thing's pissed," Selena said.

"Good. Makes it predictable." Damian grinned. "Let's go."

They sprinted from cover just as the Titan reared back and unleashed a frost-laden beam that turned the cobblestones into brittle ice. The street groaned and shattered beneath the Titan's weight.

The other two contestants hesitated.

The warlock hesitated a second too long.

But the rest? They attacked without thinking twice.

[Dark Chains]

Black chains erupted from the ground and lashed around the warlock's ankles. He toppled with a curse.

Damian didn't even spare him a second glance.

"Don't kill him yet," Selena said, voice tight.

"Why not?"

She pointed. "Because he's already screwed."

The Titan's gaze locked onto the struggling warlock. Its chest plates shifted apart, revealing a swirling core of elemental energy.

-BOOM!

A shard of frost-imbued stone shot from the core with terrifying speed.

The warlock screamed as the projectile impaled him through the chest. His body convulsed before going limp.

The Titan roared again, searching for its next target.

The battle mage raised his staff and unleashed a crackling arc of lightning toward the Titan's exposed core.

The blast connected.

The Titan staggered back, frost layers cracking and splintering along its body.

"Shit. He's taking our damage," Damian realized.

Selena's eyes widened. "He's going for the last hit points!"

The mage turned toward them, smirking as he readjusted his stance.

Damian growled. "Nope. Not happening."

[Infernal Javelins]

Ten blazing javelins materialized in the air around him. With a flick of his wrist, they launched toward the mage.

The mage swung his staff like a conductor directing a symphony. Three glowing mana shields formed midair.

The first five javelins shattered the shields.

The sixth pierced the mage's shoulder. He hissed but didn't falter.

Damian lunged forward, activating his [Spectral Surge] to close the distance. His vision blurred as his speed tripled. He skidded to a stop right in front of the mage, already swinging his fist.

The mage met the blow with his staff.

-CRACK!

The staff splintered.

Damian capitalized.

[Dark Bolt]

A jet of shadow energy exploded from his palm, slamming into the mage's chest. The impact sent the man flying across the street, his body smashing through a wall.

Selena darted past Damian and hurled a sphere of compressed wind magic toward the Titan's exposed core.

The spell hit.

The Titan staggered.

Its resistance shifted again.

[Observation Activated]

Dread Titan

Resistance: Wind (High)

Weakness: Earth (Temporary)

"Earth now," Damian said. "Golem."

[Summon: Stoneback Golem]

The ground rumbled as a massive golem of stone and iron rose from the earth. The golem slammed its fists together, then charged the Titan.

The two giants collided with bone-rattling force.

Selena unleashed more wind spells, forcing the Titan to move its arms in predictable patterns.

The Titan's veins shifted from blue to green as its elemental resistance evolved again.

Damian scowled. "Adaptable bastard."

"Watch your flank!"

Selena's warning came a second too late.

The battle mage reappeared, blood dripping from his mouth. His broken staff was gone—replaced by twin mana blades.

He lunged for Damian's exposed side.

[Dark Chains]

The chains missed.

The blades almost sliced into Damian's ribs.

Pain shot through his side. He grunted, twisting away. But it was just a scratch.

The mage smiled through bloody teeth. "Sloppy."

Damian's grin returned.

"Desperate."

The ground trembled behind them. Stoneback's massive form locked the Titan's arm in a crushing grip, exposing its glowing core.

The mage turned instinctively.