Unvex

RotDG Chapter 58: Midterms, Aftermath

Added 2025-05-12 07:07:36 +0000 UTC

When the spectral sentinel was looming over me, its flaming maul raised over its head, I had to act quickly. Even though my [Aura Armor Of Light] was still on cooldown, I now knew I could at least partially protect myself with my [Holy Fire]. So that was how I knew I could blast the greater spirit with a [Greater Fireball]— even though it was standing just a few feet in front of me— and survive.

Of course, because of my close proximity to the explosion, I was badly burned by the blast too, despite the layer of [Holy Fire] protecting me. Maybe if I didn’t have my [Boon Of Vitality] still active, I wouldn’t have been willing to take the risk, since I very much could have killed myself in the explosion. But my death was certain anyway if I couldn’t distract my opponent.

So I angled the attack to ensure that I was as far away from the blast radius as I possibly could be. Even still, I was still at the periphery of the explosion, and it sent me flying through the air as my [Sacred Fire] dispersed.

But before I could crash back down into the ground, I focused on my [Lesser Domain Of Light]. It was a bubble of light that was always surrounding me, actively healing me and anyone I wanted to heal. However, I also knew that I could cast light magic spells with it, while also expanding its size.

And that was what I did. Firstly, before I crashed into the ground, I created a platform made of light to catch me. It was a weak platform— practically made from glass. So if I had tried to use it as a barrier of sorts earlier, it would have not done anything to dampen the blast. The best purpose it could serve was holding me up in the air as I expanded the range of my [Lesser Domain Of Light] until it was at maximum capacity.

Once I was finished expanding the range of my [Lesser Domain Of Light], I began to create more glass-like panels scattered around the arena. Because that was what the Skill allowed me to do— use [Basic Light Magic Conjuration] beyond what it normally enabled me to do.

If I was not within my [Lesser Domain Of Light], my [Basic Light Magic Conjuration] only allowed me to create an orb of light or an arrow of light at best. Not because I lacked the finesse or mana capacity to do so, but because it was pretty much an Iron Rank Skill.

Maybe if I spent more time studying light magic, I would be able to easily upgrade the Skill to an intermediate or advanced version. But I was able to achieve the same results within my [Lesser Domain Of Light], so I hadn’t bothered to do so, especially since I was focused on my studies.

And that was how I was able to create those dozens of glass-like panels around the arena, before I refracted the light in the air to reflect onto their surfaces, confusing the spectral sentinel. Finally, while the greater spirit was distracted, I began to conjure up a spell I had never cast before.

It was a [Greater Fireball]. Except, it was different. It was the same spellwork, but composed of a different kind of fire.

My [Holy Fire].

The spectral sentinel was a creature that had an affinity to fire— but it was elemental fire. And even though this was certainly fire, it was a part of holy magic. That was why it was able to protect me from the flames of my [Greater Fireball] and the blue flames of the greater spirit. Because my [Holy Fire] burned anything that I wanted it to burn, which included ordinary fire.

So knowing that the spectral sentinel wasn’t resistant to my [Holy Fire], I created this brand new spell— [Greater Holy Fireball].

I unleashed it at two times its maximum output, the blast completely engulfing the giant knight armor and ripping across the arena. But the attack didn’t actually tear open the ground, nor did it leave behind any ashes.

Because my target was only the spectral sentinel. So it was the only thing that burned from my [Greater Holy Fireball].

“He… did it?” Julie’s muffled voice barely resounded behind me.

A babble of voices broke out as my watching classmates discussed what just happened. But then Cecil spoke up, shaking his head.

“No— it’s not over yet.”

And the elf was right.

I watched as the flames cleared, revealing the spectral sentinel kneeling on the ground beneath me. Its armor was dented all over— entire sections of the metal had been broken off. The glowing flames in its eyes had dimmed.

But it wasn’t dead yet. Although, I didn’t even want it dead anyway.

The watching crowd— my classmates— grew silent as I took a step forward to the edge of my glass-like platform, all the while my most grievous wounds faded away as I continued to heal myself. The spectral sentinel tried to raise its right arm, letting out a metallic groan from the movement.

However, I just conjured up an [Aquatic Harpoon], sending it down to pin the spectral sentinel’s right arm. Then I created a second one, pinning the left arm of the greater spirit. It struggled for a moment, but it failed to rise to its feet.

And when I was certain it wasn’t able to get up, I hopped off my platform and landed right before it with a grin on my face. It glared up at me with the two flaming orbs it had for eyes. I just chuckled as I came to a halt right before it.

“I’m not going to kill you— well, maybe, in a sense, I will,” I said as I met its gaze. “But I assure you, you will become stronger than ever before. And that’s what you desire more than anything else, don’t you?”

In response, the spectral sentinel just tried to force itself to its feet again. But it couldn’t get up. It just knelt there before me as I shook my head.

Behind me, I could hear Julie asking, “Wait, what’s Eli doing?”

“I’m taming it,” I said, rolling my eyes back at her. “That’s what I’m supposed to do, remember?”

She blinked, before flushing in embarrassment. I just chuckled as I turned away from her, looking back at the spectral sentinel. I took in a deep breath as I brought a hand to my chest.

“Alright, now I just have to imbue my essence into you, then it’s over,” I whispered.

If I was someone with no experience in drawing out the essence of my soul, I would be struggling quite a bit right now. But this was not my first time doing this, so I knew exactly what to do, and how to do it with ease.

I looked inward as I inhaled deeply, focusing on my soul— my core. The very same core that was molded and changed with every Rank Up I underwent. I reached for it. Not with my physical hands. But with my very being itself.

And what seemed like steam began to pour out from the silver sphere. It was light blue in color, and it shone in the darkness, just like the fiery pool of crimson that circled the core. Slowly, I drew this light blue steam out of my soul as I exhaled.

The light blue steam poured out of my nose, coalescing around the palms of my hand as my fellow classmate intently watched what I was doing. Archdeacon Emmett raised an impressed brow, but I paid him no mind, instead focusing on molding the essence of my soul into the shape of a sphere.

The gas began to rapidly cool down, slowly forming into a solid blue sphere. Ordinarily, I would just have to maintain the shape of a sphere, and I would be done once it was fully solid.

However, that was not all I was going to be doing. Because there had been a reason why I wanted a greater spirit— a reason why I chose to have this accelerated exam. So as I continued weaving my hands around the swirling gas to maintain its shape, I began to cast another spell.

The palms of my hands began to spark with a golden light as I closed my eyes. This time, instead of looking into my soul, I saw something else. Flashes of my past life’s memories.

I remembered everything I had gone through, from the first time I woke up in the body of a young elf named Nox, to the final moments of my life, facing down Aria the Lady of Light. My entire past life flashed before my eyes. But I focused, wading through this deluge of memories.

I sifted through all the scenes that were playing in my head— all my triumphs, and all my regrets. And the whizzing memories came to a halt as I saw what I wanted.

I saw my younger self, standing bloodied and panting before a defeated knight. It looked similar to the spectral sentinel, but its armor was black, and its flames were a dark purple. It was the very first time I summoned and tamed a demon.

My very first summon. My most loyal follower, even fighting for me until the very end. Until he lost his life in the Final Battle of the War of Fates.

Vorth the Dark Warden.

I smiled as I remembered this scene, and the sparks that flickered off my fingertips began to turn into golden flames. I wove this golden flame into the blue sphere as I recalled more of my memories with my first ever summon.

When he had evolved into a greater demon for the first time. When he had gotten jealous of my second summon. All the times we fought alongside each other on the battlefield. All the times we had saved each other’s lives.

And the flames melded together with the essence of my soul, finally shaping into a blue crystalline orb with golden streaks. I stared down at this sphere, about the size of the palm of my hand.

Then I slowly strode forward to the thrashing spectral sentinel. I held the crystalline orb up against its chest as I closed my eyes. And I heaved, pushing the crystalline orb into the giant knight armor.

The crystalline orb almost seemed to melt into the greater spirit. But there was a moment where I struggled to shove the rest of it in, but I pushed harder, fighting back against the spectral sentinel’s soul.

The giant knight armor let out a tinny shriek as it desperately tried to break free. Unfortunately, it was too late. With a final push, I shoved the crystalline orb into the spectral sentinel, and its eyes dimmed. Its body went limp.

The spectral sentinel doubled over as I stepped back from its seemingly lifeless body. But then it suddenly jerked back awake, easily knocking aside the water tridents pinning it down, despite the dents that still remained on its body. My classmates gasped, however I remained calm, staring at the giant metal armor as it looked around in confusion for a moment.

It swept its gaze around its surroundings, tensing as it saw the staring faces of the students of the Holy Academy. But then it paused when it saw me. It peered into me with its now-red eyes as we locked gazes for what felt like an eternity.

And even though we didn’t exchange a single word, I knew in my soul who it was staring back at me. It— no, he— knew who I was too.

He conjured up a blade of crimson flames as my classmates winced. But instead of trying to strike me down with the weapon, the spectral sentinel just dropped to a knee and thrust his blade into the ground.

“It is good to see you alive and well, master,” the newly-reborn Vorth said as he bowed his head deeply at me.

I just smiled in response, nodding in agreement. “It is good to see you, too.”

This was the power of [Remembrance Of The Fallen]. It was not death magic— that was why I could freely cast this spell here in the heart of the Church of Life. Rather, it was life magic.

And with its power, I was going to bring back all of my dead summons from my past life back to life.

ding!

You have reached Level 8!

+2 [Speed]

+1 [Strength]

+1 Free Point

…

ding!

You have reached Level 26!

+2 [Magic]

+2 [Dexterity]

+1 Free Point