Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Yakushi once again used his "Magic Bee Needle" attack against the golden Seiji clone. The clone instantly started flashing after it was pincushioned by the needles. It then disappeared to reveal nothing more than an afterimage as the clone had actually dodged the attack.
Seeing that this needle attack was ineffective, Yakushi instantly changed to a different spell. Some of the beehive-shaped spell formations around him started to glow black…
Seiji controlled his telekinesis clone to go near to Yakushi and swing its White Lotus spiritual sword with maximum power against Yakushi's barrier!
*Clang!* The white blade let off a blinding light the moment it came into contact with Yakushi's barrier. Although the barrier wasn't even scratched by the electric windblast earlier, the white sword pierced through it so easily, aiming straight for Yakushi's face!
Something flashed in Yakushi's eyes. However, he made no attempt at dodging. Two black claws suddenly reached out from the black-glowing spell formations. These claws swiftly grabbed the golden clone!
'Explode!' Seiji wanted to self-destruct his telekinesis clone for a powerful attack. However, he discovered that he had lost control of his clone.
Poison curse, "Night Corrosion Claw"!
Yakushi had the two black claws pierce into the golden clone and corrode it.
Seiji instantly felt a backlash through his telekinesis clone. He made a sound of pain and had an obvious expression of discomfort.
Despite this, Seiji changed his hand seal and brought his fingers together…
Killing curse, "Shadow Pierce"!
The remaining White Lotus spiritual sword instantly fell apart to reveal a black spike from within which swiftly shot towards Yakushi's face!
This was Seiji's real attack all along.
However, Yakushi wasn't fazed by this attack.
This was because he had more than one powerful protective barrier on himself. Otherwise, this sudden offensive spell might have even killed him.
"Not bad." Yakushi adjusted his eyeglasses, which had been slightly knocked askew by the fight.
Seiji calmed down his breathing which had become slightly unsteady.
The first round between them counted as a draw.
The next instant, Yakushi jumped up from the snake head. All the beehive-shaped spell formations around him started glowing yellow. An incredibly dense amount of sharp needles formed and aimed at everyone!
Seiji made a hand seal and created a shining golden defensive barrier for all his companions!
In the next instant, all the spiritual needles shot out!
Shika was the only one who successfully dodged the needles. Some were hit by more, and some were hit by less needles. Luckily, Seiji's barrier protected everyone from harm.
However, Yakushi now understood the general defensive capabilities of everyone he was fighting against, which was his goal all along.
One possible strategy would be to forcefully fight the strongest enemy and take him out first, making everything much easier afterwards. However, another strategy would be to first attack the weakest members.
Yakushi decided to first target an adult woman who wore a blue dress. Four yellow wings of light appeared around him which then swiftly flew around a viciously attacking insect swarm towards his target.
Thunderbolts, wind blades, and arrows of light all shot towards him. Yakushi dodged or blocked all of these attacks while also preparing a powerful spell of his own.
Killing curse, "Venom Grudge Snake"!
A dense gray mist poured out from a spell formation between his hands, forming into a giant gray snake. The scales on the snake resembled countless distorted human faces that were screaming and howling. It was truly frightening to behold.
The gray snake swiftly pounced at the blue dress woman—who was Mayuzumi—while opening up its black jaw to reveal nothing but pitch-black darkness!
Kaho's insects and Kazuko's demons were instantly destroyed upon touching it. It seemed that nothing could block the gray snake's path.
Mayuzumi felt terror wash over her. She could have used her spirit Idelia to block the attack for her, but she instinctively realized that even sacrificing Idelia would be useless.
Only one thing was capable of blocking this attack…
A golden flash instantly appeared before her, transforming into a golden version of Seiji.
Seiji had reactivated his telekinesis clone!
Reversal spell, [Dragon Counterattack]!
Seiji had his clone stand right in front of Mayuzumi and cast his ultimate counterspell to block the gray snake and transform it into an attack sent back at its caster.
However…
Yakushi casually twisted the spell formation in his hand, creating a second giant gray snake from the mist. This snake pounced at an even greater speed towards another target!
He had more than one "Venom Grudge Snake" up his sleeve.
The second snake's target was the purple-robed girl who was currently fighting against one of the snake heads—Yukari!
She was currently busy with battling the snake head and didn't notice the gray snake attacking her until it was too late to dodge it. Neither was anyone else able to help her.
Yukari felt like she saw death itself when the gray snake's pitch-black maw approached her.
Dodge spell, "Paper Substitution"!
Seiji used one hand to activate the lifesaving magic spell he had prepared for everyone.
Right before the gray snake bit into Yukari, the purple-robed girl suddenly vanished, replaced by a small paper person that was devoured by the gray snake in her stead.
Yukari magically appeared next to Seiji's side.
Yakushi's expression didn't even flicker as he turned his gray snake towards another target.
At this moment, the Seiji clone successfully transformed the first gray snake into a golden divine dragon which pounced on the second snake!
*Boom!* The golden dragon and gray snake exploded together in a blinding explosion.
Yakushi remained calm and created yet another gray mist snake from his spell formation. Then, a second, third, fourth, fifth… he created a total of ten giant gray snakes!
All the snakes simultaneously pounced on different targets, causing everyone to feel danger.
Seiji narrowed his eyes as he created a hand seal.
The [Tremendous Light] spell formation lit up and shot out numerous golden beams of light which cleansed every single gray snake!
Yet, at this moment, Yakushi suddenly vanished.
He then reappeared close behind Seiji, and sent out countless smaller gray mist snakes which aimed straight for Seiji's back!
These were the true "Venom Grudge Snakes". Even if only a single tiny gray snake harmed the target, that would cause the target to be poisoned with a slow-acting poison which would be highly difficult to cure!
It was already too late by the time that Seiji noticed. It was too difficult for him to respond as he had just cast an ultimate spell… just kidding. Such a thing didn't happen at all.
Seiji had been on guard!
His telekinesis clone appeared behind him in the nick of time and released a large golden shield that blocked and cleansed all the tiny snakes!
Yakushi immediately had his snakes spread out for a fierce attack from all directions. He wanted to find a weak spot in Seiji's defenses.
However, Yakushi suddenly sensed danger.
*Bang!*
A white spiritual bullet arced in the air as it ambushed him from behind. This bullet pierced his barrier and accurately struck him in the back of the head!
Then a second, third, and fourth bullet all struck him… this succession of powerful bullet attacks sent Yakushi's body flying and distorting in midair from the impact. Then, his entire body shattered in midair!
"Cough…" Right before his body shattered, Yakushi appeared behind his snake monster. He coughed in obvious pain.
Just now, rather than his true body, his own telekinesis clone had been defeated.
Telekinesis was a common spiritual ability by which most users could create a clone of themselves by sending out a portion of their Mana. Seiji was only capable of forming a basic clone. However, Yakushi's telekinesis clone was far more exact and exquisite, allowing the clone to wield much greater power almost equivalent to his.
But, there was a price to be paid for this. If Yakushi's clone was defeated, his real body would receive a far more severe backlash compared to Seiji's backlash from losing a clone.
Yakushi had suspected from the very beginning that the enemy group might have some members in hiding, and now he had proven his theory correct. This succeeded in helping him learn that the enemy had a powerful sniper, so it wasn't a waste.
Yakushi created a new telekinesis clone!
He cast a hand seal which caused a yellow glow to appear right in front of him, swiftly forming another clone which was identical to himself.
The next moment, Yakushi's true body went invisible.
At this same time…
"Nice shot," Seiji said this in a mental communication spell to the sniper Mai.
"Thank you for your praise," Mai responded. "Unfortunately, I didn't manage to hit his real body."
"That's to be expected. He's one of the higher-ups in the Messengers, so of course he'd be powerful… You need to be careful. He'll probably try to locate you."
"I will act as proper bait."
"Hey, you…"
"I was just casually joking around. You'll protect me well, won't you, Young Master?"
"Of course."