Gade: Taking Down Ifrit? Ten Seconds Is Enough!

'Boom!'

A huge, terrifying demon fell from the sky, effortlessly crushing the barrier beneath its weight and kicking up clouds of yellow dust!

Its body was taller and more magnificent than a mountain, blotting out the sky and sun!

Its enormous eyes glared furiously at everyone. Its ugly mouth opened slightly, releasing a powerful stench that forced them to hold their breath.

An old acquaintance—Lullaby!

"A-a demon?!"

The mages froze in place. The demon had suddenly appeared right in their faces, giving them quite a fright!

It was like tossing a lit cigarette butt into a pile of cotton.

A surge of terror erupted from the depths of their hearts, instantly occupying every bit of their ability to think!

Ifrit raised Till, switched to Bombardment, and fired a shot straight at the enemy.

"Brother!"

Only the crazed child Wade regained his senses quickly. He grabbed Reed and hid behind a large boulder.

'Boom!'

A mushroom cloud rose.

They had been alive a moment ago, but now they were blown into the air and scattered everywhere.

The cannon fodder had exited the stage!

"Damn it!"

Reed was still shaken. If Wade had not pulled him away, he would have been the one hanging from a tree by his butt!

He looked toward the blast site. Not a single one of them was alive!

Other than Wade and him.

The entire squad had been wiped out!

Wait!

There was still one!

"Gade, why aren't you making a move?!" Reed lost his composure. His shout nearly cracked.

"Fine, Reed. Give me ten seconds."

The handsome red-haired mage Gade slowly walked out from the passage.

Though his clothes were somewhat tattered, he himself was completely uninjured.

The Bombardment shot Ifrit had fired into the cave earlier had somehow failed to hurt him at all!

Even now, with all his companions dead, he did not care in the slightest. His face remained proud, without the faintest trace of negative emotion.

"Where is he?" Gade asked.

"Nine o'clock!" Reed shouted.

"Ten."

Gade took one step, and his body almost caught up to Ifrit at the same instant as his voice!

"Nine." Gade threw a punch.

The moment Gade emerged, Ifrit had already switched to Wind Blast. This was an extremely dangerous opponent, so nearly the instant Gade reached him, Ifrit had already used Wind Blast to fly away.

'Boom!'

Terrifying fire magic erupted where Ifrit had been standing just moments ago!

Its power was no weaker than the Bombardment shot Ifrit had fired with Till!

A fire mage, huh.

Ifrit pulled up the hood of his mage cloak. He did not want his hair to be curled or singed.

"Seven o'clock!"

"Eight."

Gade charged out of the flames.

Ifrit fired a Bombardment shot, hitting Gade squarely in the chest.

'Boom!'

"Seven."

Gade charged out of the explosion by force, suffering only slight injuries.

That level of defense made Ifrit frown.

He revealed his true form, allowing Gade to see him.

"That's him!" Reed shouted. His confirmation strengthened Gade's confidence, and Gade immediately launched an attack at Ifrit.

Ifrit waved his hand, and countless sharp Earth Spikes burst from the ground.

At the same time, he fired a shot at the boulder.

'Boom!'

"They're fake!"

Reed ducked his head behind the boulder. He had "seen" that the Earth Spikes were fake, but his shout was completely drowned out by the explosion!

Gade could not tell real from fake and instinctively stopped short.

Seeing this, Ifrit repeatedly "summoned" all manner of dangerous elemental magic.

Blades slashed, water surged, wind howled, ice spikes pierced.

The sights were real, the sensations were real, and the pain was real.

For a moment, Gade's five senses deceived him, and his fierce offensive finally came to a stop.

Ifrit switched to Void Flash and began charging it.

Just then, Reed's warning came through. "Bastard! Gade, those are all fake! He's a liar! Every attack is fake!"

Gade suddenly came to his senses. Ignoring everything, he rammed straight into the countless magical attacks with his bare body!

The sensations were real, and the pain was extremely real.

But!

He did not die!

Everything was fake!

"Four!"

Gade's counting voice made it clear that he was furious.

But Ifrit did not care. He was not a sheep trapped in a cage, forced to duel a tiger.

Furious?

Perfect.

Accept his deception tactics, then!

'Bzzzz—'

The Void Flash, charged for three seconds, was complete. A black cylindrical beam three meters in diameter swallowed Gade's figure.

This one was real!

Still, Ifrit had to admit that this enemy's armor was incredibly thick.

He needed armor penetration!

His right hand had been gripping his cane all along.

It was a straight, pure-black gentleman's cane, wrapped with a gold thread around the handle. It looked understated yet luxurious.

It was about a meter long, with a smooth purple gemstone embedded at its tip, the same color as Ifrit's hair.

Finding that gemstone had cost Ifrit quite a bit of effort and time.

Of course, it was not merely a cane.

Its name was Hani. It was a long blade in the style of a Chinese saber, while the cane was actually its sheath.

Ifrit raised the cane. The sheath seemed to be erased, vanishing in an instant and revealing a snow-white blade.

A straight-edged blade with an exceptionally handsome appearance.

At that very moment.

Gade had already endured the Void Flash and reached Ifrit.

Ifrit gripped Hani and swung down viciously.

At the same time, he continued Gade's count.

"One!"

The blade flashed!

'Slash!'

When the Void Flash faded, Gade's left hand—which he had held in front of himself to endure the Void Flash, leaving it badly burned—was severed by Ifrit's blade!

The opportunity had arrived!

Ifrit's eyes widened.

Listen to me—

Rage!

Gade's pupils contracted as he roared, "You deserve to die!"

He had already been enraged by the loss of his arm, and Ifrit further guided and amplified that anger.

Gade completely lost his previous lofty calm. A towering fury filled his heart!

His eyes turned bloodshot as he roared.

"I've changed my mind!"

"I'm going to torture you slowly!"

"I'll keep you alive and make you watch as I eat you bite by bite!"

"I'll make you watch as I chew up your bones and drink your blood."

Ifrit interrupted him in a teasing tone. "What strong teeth you have. Then why not try this?"

Ifrit controlled his magic, dumping a huge can of herring, broth and all, all over Gade's face!

Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste.

It was far too real!

Gade had still been shouting, so his mouth was open. He hurriedly shut it when he sensed something wrong, but rotten fish meat had already filled the gaps between his teeth, and he even swallowed a mouthful of broth!

That smell.

That texture.

"Bleurgh!"

Gade's mental defenses collapsed on the spot, and he dropped to the ground, dry-heaving.

"That idiot, it's an illusion!" Reed cursed loudly.

Ifrit raised Hani and viciously slashed at Gade's neck!

'Clang!'

A piercing clash of metal rang out.

Ifrit's arm was jolted upward.

That crazed child Wade raised his arm and used his hard, crimson nails to strike Hani's blade with precision at an angle, deflecting it and blocking the fatal strike for Gade!

Ifrit immediately fired a shot.

Unexpectedly, the crazed child merely tilted his head slightly. The bullet pierced his ear and shattered his eardrum, yet he intended to trade injury for death, charging straight into Ifrit's embrace!

Not good!

They were too close!