Impossible...
He felt the blond woman’s skill after she took the potion. From the look of things, the boss had not even entered the violent stage yet.
Even though he was not sure of the effect the potion had, but, if it could greatly increase the strength of a person, then, Benjamin trying to blow the person away was not going to work anymore.
In this kind of situation, Benjamin could only use the steam and try to take his opponent’s potion from her, chant his spell, and try to conjure up the water bombs again.
He was not afraid of staying, but he needed to stop his opponent; only then can he interrogate her about Augustine’s whereabouts. This was also the only reason why he was yet to use the icebreaking spell - he was afraid of killing her.
As he was trying to stop her from drinking the potion, his opponent firmed her resolve. She didn’t even bother to open the bottle, and could only hold onto the bottle in a death grip, moving her mouth closer to her hand. Very quickly, with a shatter, the bottle was crushed in her hand. The green potion mixed with her red blood. But she still very quickly sucked it all, including the glass, into her mouth.
Benjamin was dumbfounded.
The blond woman’s actions were odd, the steam could not find a gap to grab the potion. When she put the bottle into her mouth, she spat out the glass, splattering the floor with her blood. After which she acted like nothing had happened – her face not showing any signs of pain.
After seeing this, Benjamin did not even have the time to exclaim at his opponent’s actions. He failed at trying to stop her, and could only use this opportunity to and throw about ten of the previously conjured water bombs.
Bang!
As the bombs exploded, the power it produced was still quite considerable, the walls of the room even started to crack. But in the midst of the buffeting steam., a thin and small blond silhouette actually stood up.
"Re, Rebecca..." Sidney who was frozen in ice was also surprised, her voice weak, not sure if she was excited or sad.
She watched the steam become a gale, and the blond woman acting like she had switched bodies with a Saiyan [1]. Her whole body was emanating a faint green light. The water bombs that hit her body caused nothing but bruises - she didn’t even lose consciousness.
When the blond woman raised her gaze, the blue eyes had become a light green... it gave others the impression that she wasn’t even human.
Benjamin could not help but take in a breath of cold air.
Truthfully, he was quite knowledgeable in potions but he had never seen anything like this. In all likelihood, it would be a potion master’s precious work, in one country they might only be a few bottles of it.
She actually had such an item?
Benjamin felt tricked. Seriously... someone who can get this kind of potion, was actually kidnapped to become the wife of the head bandit? It was definitely on purpose right?
Obviously, Benjamin could not stay his hand anymore, if he doesn’t do something he might end up in danger. And so, when the blond woman prepared to rush him, he had no choice but to use the ice breaking spell.
Accompanying the low chant of the spell, countless pieces of ice crystal powder answered in unison as a faint light started to surround Benjamin.
Benjamin used the new method that he had learned, and adjusted the water element in the ice crystal’s internal components, strengthening the pieces of ice. He then directed the ice fog to protect him. This was his best move.
"Hmm?"
Just as the ice fog appeared, the blond woman’s face changed, and suddenly she halted her movements. She stared at the ice fog surrounding Benjamin, as though she sensed something dangerous. Her eyes flashed but did not move any closer. From the looks of things, she could sense the power of the ice fog and did not dare to make her move.
When Benjamin saw him, he let out a sigh of relief.
Honestly, he did not want her to rush into him. If she did, regardless of how powerful that potion was, the blond woman would definitely have become riddled with holes – nothing could protect her. Then, he would not be able to ask her any questions.
Thinking about this, he separated a small lump of the ice fog, and increased its freezing power to its maximum, and hurled it at her.
When the blond woman saw this, she leaped a few steps away and dodged the projectile.
"..."
Benjamin was getting impatient.
Seeing the blond woman dodging the ice fog effortlessly, he suddenly realized that the situation was now at a stalemate. His opponent did not dare break through the ice fog to attack him, and as such, was also unable to get past him to save Sidney. On the other hand, his magic was having a difficult time attacking the agile blond woman, even the pillar of steam was unable to blow her away.
The fast-paced battle from before had slowed down considerably.
But the current situation seemed to be very beneficial to him. He smiled as though he had a card up his sleeve.
"Your potion… how long do its effects last?" he looked at the shining blond woman as he softly asked, "this level of potion, how many can you take, Dame?"
Upon hearing this, the blond woman looked astonished.
"Maybe you thought that because you are quick, I wouldn’t be able to stop you." Benjamin went on, "but look at your friend. If she continues being trapped in this state, and if something goes wrong and she is frozen to death, don’t blame me."
He looked back at Sidney who was still on the ice.
Sidney was not as alert as before like when she still had the energy to yell at the blond woman. Now, her eyelids were drooping, her teeth chattering. She and looked as though she was about to lose consciousness.
Benjamin couldn’t help but think that if she continues frozen in the ice, she may end the same as the Titanic.
"Sidney!" the blond woman yelled frantically, to no avail. She could only glare hatefully at Benjamin, before nastily snarling, "What do you want?"
He didn’t know why but when he saw this, Benjamin felt as though he was the villain. Their sisterly relationship was so deep, but he was destroying it, using people’s friends to threaten them.
How did things become like this? He was the victim!
Of course, suddenly becoming the villain, he noticed he had the desire to speak a lot of nonsense. But, he suppressed the urge to chatter unnecessarily and replied: "What do I want? Do I need to say it? You took someone from my camp, where is he?"
"Your camp?" the blond woman looked confused. Only after a while only did it dawn on her, "you...you are the leader of those mages?"
Benjamin snorted when he heard this, and replied sarcastically, "Your memory is quite good, seeing as how you just remembered."
"I... he, he is not here." The blond woman’s face suddenly changed and became very strange. She began to stutter, as though trying to hide something.
"Not here? Is he still alive? Did you kill him?" Benjamin asked.
The blond woman shook her head.
As long as he is still alive...
Just as he was about to ask for Augustine’s location, the blond woman looked as though she remembered something. Her face changed again but this time she looked calm. She looked at Benjamin "You are standing so calmly here, yet you are only one mage. The situation outside, are you not scared?"
Benjamin raised his eyebrow.
"Afraid? Why should I be afraid?" he couldn’t understand what the blond woman was trying to say, she should just tell him what is was. Beating around the bush will only make him, the supposed villain, talk too much.
No matter if it was in films, television shows, or cartoons, he has seen too many instances where the villains let their guard down. He would not make the same mistake.
"Icor has changed sides, are you not scared?" now it was the blond woman’s turn to laugh as though she had something up her sleeve, "the Kingdom of Helius has been planning this for a long time, purposely inviting her Majesty, the Queen and the army to the Crusader’s Gateway. On the day of the celebration, they took the opportunity to launch a coup, and imprisoned a large number of mages - even the leader of the Mages Guild has been put in the prison."
As she said this, she took two steps forward, and through the ice fog, aggressively looked at Benjamin: "now Regina, is controlled by the kingdom’s church, and you’re still not afraid?"
Translator’s note
Saiyan: from the Dragon Ball Z franchise, the Saiyans are a warrior race from the Planet Vegeta.