Ian's figure weaved through the deep forest as he tried to shake Nolan off his tail.
"You can't escape, you little Insect!" Nolan looked like a demon from hell.
His left hand was gone, the muscles on one side of his face were charred black, and a massive gash at his waist offered a faint glimpse of his writhing entrails.
After running for a while, Ian saw that Nolan was still in pursuit, so he stopped and turned around.
He glanced around, estimating he was several miles from the battlefield.
As he watched Nolan's figure draw closer, his expression grew savage.
"You're half dead, and you still dare to come after me? Who gave you that kind of nerve?"
"You killed my brother with your own hands, didn't you? And you have secrets!!!"
Nolan was certain now. Ian had killed his brother with his own hands—not with some Witchcraft Tool, but with those two Frost Freeze Rays from earlier.
Instantaneous Witchcraft!!!
He had trained painstakingly for over twenty years, yet not a single one of his own Witchcrafts had reached that Realm.
That was the Domain of true Demons and Official Wizards.
Nolan's eyes became intensely feverish, as if he were gazing upon a priceless treasure.
"You're just as arrogant and stupid as your brother."
Ian's killing intent surged. No matter the cost, Nolan could not be allowed to live.
"You know, I've been holding back for a long time, too. Now's the perfect time to see what a so-called genius like you is really made of."
WHOOSH... Ian instantly unleashed his Magic at maximum capacity.
More than a dozen Frost Freeze Rays shot toward Nolan, and the surrounding temperature plummeted, the change visible to the naked eye.
Nolan's expression changed drastically. Two Shields materialized around him once more—they were the last of his protective Witchcraft Tools.
He had chased after Ian despite knowing the danger precisely because he wanted to uncover his secrets.
He knew better than anyone just how terrifying Instantaneous Witchcraft was.
The casting had no Omen!
When fighting someone like that, you were forced onto the defensive from the very start.
CRACK... The first Shield quickly shattered, but more rays followed close behind.
By the time the assault ceased, his second Shield was also on the verge of breaking.
'This Power... something's wrong!'
Nolan was now completely encased in ice, frozen into a massive pillar.
His vision was obstructed, but he could still extend a sliver of his Spiritual Power to observe the situation outside.
"Darkness!" Nolan cast the powerful Concealing Spell again, hoping to buy himself a moment to recover.
"Corrosion!" Ripples surged rapidly from his body, and the layers of ice began to fracture.
PTHOO! After casting two Witchcrafts with what little Spiritual Power he had left, Nolan coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He was too grievously wounded. His two opponents on the battlefield earlier had been incredibly powerful, not much weaker than he was.
What he hadn't expected was for the Power of Ian's Witchcraft to be so much greater than before. A shadow of dread crept over his heart.
Staring at the thinning ice, his gaze darkened. He cycled through one countermeasure after another in his mind, only to dismiss each one.
Suddenly, a series of booming impacts struck again, causing his body to shudder violently.
The Shield around him dimmed rapidly before shattering with a soft POP.
An extreme cold washed over him, dispersing the corrosive ripples as the ice once again encased him completely.
Nolan shivered. His body temperature began to plummet, and the blood in his veins started to slow.
The impacts from outside continued. He extended his Spiritual Power to see what was happening.
The sight that met his eyes made his heart leap into his throat!
Stream after stream of brilliant, deep-blue light shot out from Ian, bombarding him without end.
'Just how many Witchcrafts has he cast?'
Nolan was horrified. His mind went blank.
Only a single thought remained: 'I have to live!'
"Stop! I have my mentor's mark on me! If you kill me, you won't escape death either!"
Ian kept chugging Potions and casting Witchcraft until a stabbing pain finally lanced through his mind, forcing him to stop.
A nearly twenty-foot-tall mountain of ice now stood before him.
'He should be dead, right?' Ian wondered. He waited a moment, and seeing no movement from within, he moved closer.
ZZT! A band of grayish-white light struggled through the ice and latched precisely onto Ian.
Feeling the rate at which his energy was draining, Ian's lips slowly curled into a smirk.
"Looks like you're really on your last legs."
He ignored the band of light and began to strip off his clothes, piece by piece, until he was down to his underwear.
Ian's mouth fell slightly open as he took a long, deep breath. HUFF... PUFF...
As he inhaled, his body swelled rapidly, transforming from just under six feet tall to a hulking giant over seven feet tall!
From a distance, he even bore a slight resemblance to a Rock Armor Demon Bear.
He had unleashed this form at home once before, after taking the Rock Bear Potion. In his transformed state, his Power and defense were terrifyingly high.
Gaga! Ian lightly twisted his neck, looking at the small mountain of ice before him.
"Now this is what I call comfortable. Are... you... ready?"
In a blur, Ian was in front of the mountain of ice, and he threw a punch.
BOOM! The entire mountain of ice shuddered. His fist smashed a crater the size of a bathtub into the hard surface, sending shards of ice flying in all directions.
Ian felt only a slight, dull ache in his fist; the tough tissue beneath his skin had absorbed most of the impact.
Trapped inside the ice, Nolan stared, dumbfounded, at Ian's completely transformed state.
"You... you're a Bloodline Wizard! Stop! We can talk!"
This mountain of ice wouldn't last more than a few punches. Despair washed over him.
Ian ignored Nolan's pleas. His eyes were fixed only on the mountain of ice.
Nolan knew his secret. He had to die!
He began to rain down punches, the thunderous impacts echoing across the Wilderness.
Ian lost count of how many punches he threw. Finally, with a great CRACK, the entire mountain of ice shattered.
It revealed Nolan inside. Aside from his head, which still showed some faint signs of life, his body from the neck down was frozen solid.
"Wait! Don't you want to know where your bloodline's formula comes from— Wait, stop! You didn't sign a secrecy contract. Just wait for their endless retribution!"
Nolan watched the looming Shadow approach, his face a mask of terror.
"I just want you dead!"
Ian threw a punch, completely shattering Nolan's skull. A thin, blood-red line suddenly shot out from Nolan's body.
The red line seemed to have a homing ability; Ian couldn't dodge it. With a SIZZLE, it bored into the back of his hand, and a complex pattern slowly surfaced on his skin.
His expression turned grim. He scrubbed at the mark, only to find it wasn't on the surface of his skin. It was as if it were beneath his flesh, completely untouchable.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the unease in his heart and quickly began to search Nolan's body.
In a cloth pouch Nolan carried, he found some Magic Stone Potions and an exquisite wooden box.
He had no time to examine them closely. After hastily arranging the scene, he put his clothes back on and vanished into the night.
Along the way, he carefully avoided the converging crowds of people, returning silently to the Magic Pharmacy.
It was late at night by now. He crept to Malena's door.
"Malena, open up. It's Ian."
Ian was afraid of disturbing the neighbors, so he didn't shout. Luckily, Malena was still awake and quickly opened the door.
"Ian, where have you been? How come you got back later than we did?"
Seeing Ian back at the shop safe and sound, Malena secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Malena, I'm afraid I have to trouble you again."