Chapter 36: The Price of Arrogance

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Price of ArroganceThe man did not respond immediately. His gaze was fixed downward, his facial expression unreadable. He seemed to be reflecting intensely. Lian and Seline exchanged a faint smile. They had won the fight against the man. It had been quite difficult, but they were two against one. Just as Lian opened his mouth to say something, a deafening laugh echoed across the desert. The man had begun to laugh maniacally. "And to think I only wanted to test your strength a little," he said while continuing to laugh. "Yet you are treating me like an idiot who does not know the world!" Lian and Seline looked at each other with concern as the man’s laughter stopped abruptly. "You have not understood a single thing." He took a step forward, his eyes locked on the boy’s, as he sheathed his massive sword. "It does not matter if I use an artifact or not, you two are weak. Your spells can barely leave a scratch on my body." The man continued to advance, running a hand through his long black hair. "I hate the arrogance of Mages," he muttered as he stared at Lian, only to dash with great speed toward Seline like a predator closing in on its prey. "Watch out!" Lian did not have time to shout before the man threw a punch at the girl’s stomach. Seline had tried to dodge, but the man’s speed had caught her off guard. A gush of blood escaped her lips as the force of the punch hurled her against the body of a dead worm, stopping her flight. "Do you understand now why you must show respect? I have faced far more battles than you two, I have looked death in the face countless times." His eyes grew sharper as his smile became slightly more twisted, revealing a glint of battle-hardened cruelty. "And yet, two useless kids, who by sheer luck awakened their mana, want to play tough with me?" The man crouched like a spring ready to leap. "Unacceptable!" he shouted as he launched himself toward Lian. "Geometric Spell, Circle!" Lian quickly visualized a circle, completing it as fast as possible. He did not have time to recite the incantation. With one hand extended forward, his mana channeled into a fireball, flying directly in front of him toward the man. A single punch was all it took to make the fireball explode. The man did not care at all; the explosion was too weak. His face was only slightly blackened as he emerged from the cloud of smoke. "Pathetic—" He sneered as a punch struck Lian’s face. "You do not hit women in the face, but the same does not apply to men." A thunderous sound of breaking bones preceded Lian’s angelic flight. He rolled for several meters before coming to a stop. Blood dripped from his swollen face. Two punches, one for each, were all it took for the man to end the fight. "How do you feel now?" the man smiled triumphantly as the anger faded from his face. "Weak? Insignificant?" The man kept talking about trivial things, but neither Lian nor Seline were listening. Seline was doubled over in pain, leaning against the worm’s carcass. The punch she had received had broken her ribs; breathing had become difficult and painful, each gasp a sharp reminder of her vulnerability. On the other hand, Lian lay on the ground, choking on his own blood. His broken nose and split lips continued to bleed incessantly. "Damn, damn, damn, curse it!" Lian winced in pain. "I am an idiot! Killing all those worms went to my head! I became arrogant." Torren’s words came back to his mind, along with his reassuring smile, a memory that felt like a distant echo of confidence now shattered by defeat. "I feel like I have let him down..." Lian continued to think as he tried to stand up. The man did nothing but stare at the two, his gaze hard and his hands trembling. The truth was entirely different from what the man wanted the two kids to believe. It was true, he hated Mages; they always acted with arrogance. However, he did not hate Lian and Seline. They were just kids, barely stepping into this world full of brutality and murder. He wanted to forge them, not kill them. That had always been his purpose. However... they had genuinely angered him. He was a sensitive person, after all, his pride easily bruised despite his towering strength. Lian stood up with difficulty, merely returning the man’s gaze, unaware of his inner dilemmas. Turning his head toward Seline, Lian began to run toward her. "Hey, Seline!" he whispered, crouching beside her. "How do you feel? Can you stand?" Obviously, the man had not used his full power, or the damage would have been far more devastating. He had used just enough to make it clear to the two who was in charge. "L-Lian!" the girl stammered, lifting her head. "I am okay... I will recover—" "Have you finished playing lovebirds?" the man’s voice, full of disdain, interrupted them. "What? No more acting tough? Where are your harsh words? Why do you not keep mocking me?" The man’s anger had subsided, but he had to maintain his tough front, a mask to ensure the lesson sank in. Lian raised his head, staring at the man with hatred. He did not know how to act; he could not stand up and face the man, or he would be beaten again. Even though the man did not want to kill them, being beaten was bad. Lian did not want to be beaten, at least not in front of Seline... he did not want to appear weak. Then, like a mirage, Torren’s antics with his mother, Elysa, came to mind. I can try... he thought distractedly, still staring at the man. The hatred on Lian’s face had softened. "You are bullying us just because you are stronger, shame on you!!" The words came out of Lian’s mouth naturally, startling the boy a little. The moment he finished speaking, an awkward silence enveloped the air. Okay, it is official. I am an idiot! I should have preferred being beaten over saying something so stupid! The man stared at Lian with a stunned expression. He did not know how to respond; Lian had caught him off guard. Seline, on the other hand, laughed lightly, crying out in pain. After all, with her broken ribs, laughing would cause her pain. This only increased the embarrassment on Lian’s face. Please, let something happen, I cannot take this anymore... he thought in despair, hoping his jinx superpower would work through his mind. As if to grant a wish, the sand trembled violently. The man’s expression changed as he ignored the two, focusing on whatever was coming. "What the hell is happening..." he muttered, looking around, his sword already unsheathed and ready to fight. "Something big is coming..." Lian thanked his bad luck for giving him this opportunity as he grabbed Seline by the arm, helping her stand. Despite their injuries, their bodies were not weak; they would recover. They just needed a little time. "What is happening?" Seline asked, clinging to Lian. The tremor was shaking the entire area. "What could cause such a commotion?" "I have no idea; it could be a bunch of worms wanting to have a picnic. After all, there are dozens and dozens of corpses here..." A small laugh escaped Seline’s lips at his words. Lian’s face was swollen, and every word he said sounded strange, almost comical despite the gravity of their situation. Lian turned to look at her, only to find her face inches from his. He wanted to say something, but only one sentence came out of his mouth. "You are beautiful—" Hearing his own voice, Lian wanted to die. His swollen mouth distorted the sound, making any compliment sound foolish. Seline blushed immediately. "You are an idiot!" she muttered as she pulled away from him. A deathly silence fell between the two. Lian wanted to die, while Seline thought she had overreacted by pulling away. Please, let something happen again, anything! If you want, I will give you an idea. A monstrously strong beast that pops out of nowhere and attacks us. Please, save me from this embarrassment!! Fortunately, someone heard his thoughts again. A head emerged from the sand, devouring several worms piled on top of each other. "The boss?! It is huge!" the man hissed, assuming a fighting stance. His sword glowed green as he prepared for the battle, its enchanted edge humming with latent power. Lian and Seline turned their gaze toward the monster that had just emerged from the ground, their thoughts entirely different. "Thank the heavens!!" Lian murmured absentmindedly. "For all the saints in heaven!" Seline exclaimed, her face full of fear. The monster before them was not a simple worm. Beyond its size and enormous mouth, what distinguished it was its strength. A damn Steel 1! --- Author Note! Finally the boss! (...)