The Revival of the Old Days 2

The battle was extremely fierce.

The Faceless Wizard's staff turned slightly, and the power of its petrifying gaze began sweeping through the many illusions. The illusions it struck burst like bubbles, but new ones formed elsewhere. Under the cover of the illusions, Saruman kept shifting positions while searching for an opening.

"Its power core is that 'eyeball'!"

Saruman shouted to Karg through their mental link.

Karg immediately understood.

The instant another petrifying gaze was lured away by an illusion, he moved. Like a leopard that had been poised to strike for ages, the warrior lunged at the Faceless Wizard.

Perhaps because the corruption had been suppressed somewhat, and because he had consumed many precious potions, he moved with astonishing speed. His greatshield guarded his front as his entire body became a whirlwind of steel.

"Crack, crack, crack, crack—"

The Faceless Wizard seemed to sense the threat and turned its staff toward Karg.

The viscous petrifying force field descended once more.

Karg's charge abruptly slowed. His legs seemed to have sunk into an invisible bog, and gray-white, stone-like spots even began surfacing on his skin.

"Now!" Seizing the instant his opponent's attention was drawn away, Saruman made every illusion vanish at once.

His true body appeared behind and to the side of the Faceless Wizard. At the tip of his staff, a pinpoint of ultimate arcane radiance gathered—not powerful destructive energy, but a highly compressed Mana Disruption Ray.

Whoosh!

The thin beam struck the amber "eyeball" at the top of the staff with perfect precision.

Crack—! With a crisp sound, spiderweb-like fractures spread across the eyeball. The petrifying force field that had filled the hall receded like the tide.

Saruman panted as he dispelled the spell. Karg shook his head as well, and the stone-like spots on his skin slowly faded.