Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale-Chapter 54: Wrath of the Doomstaff

As the battle raged on, the atmosphere grew thick with tension and the acrid scent of ozone. Lightning crackled in the distance, illuminating the blood-soaked battlefield where steel clashed against steel, and magic tore through the earth. Count Gregor, standing atop the command post, surveyed the carnage with a chilling smile. His ambition, long contained behind a mask of patience, now burned unchecked in his eyes. The time had come.

His gloved hands reached for the ancient chest before him, its ebony seals pulsating with an ominous glow. A low, guttural hum filled the air as he unlatched it, unleashing a surge of dark, curse-laden energy. Shadows writhed and coiled around him, whispering secrets of devastation. The moment his fingers closed around the Umbral Doomstaff, a deafening shockwave erupted, sending tendrils of corruption slithering through the sky.

"You all leave me no choice," Gregor thought, his eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction. "I will let you feel what true power really is!"

The ground trembled beneath Gregor’s feet, and the air hummed with the raw energy emanating from the staff. Dark tendrils of mana coiled around his form, merging with his already formidable presence.

Kael’s mana sense flared in alarm, his instincts screaming danger. He took a step forward, intent on stopping Gregor before it was too late.

"No! Stop!" Kael shouted, but his warning was lost in the maelstrom of power that erupted as Gregor’s hand grasped the staff.

Dark energy coiled around Gregor’s form, merging with his already formidable mana. His five mana cores spiraled in sync, amplifying his magical presence to an overwhelming degree. The sheer pressure of his mana sent shockwaves rippling outward. Even the seasoned Valtieri soldiers, first-class mana users in their own right, crumpled to the ground, unable to withstand the suffocating force.

Gregor’s own men, loyal and steadfast, found themselves equally overwhelmed, their legs buckling under the crushing weight of his power. Their pained cries mingled with the chaos of the battlefield, a testament to the uncontrollable and indiscriminate nature of the dark energy unleashed.

"What’s happening? I can’t move!" one of Gregor’s soldiers gasped, his voice filled with fear.

"Lord Gregor, please! The power—it’s too much!" another cried out, struggling to breathe under the oppressive force.

From the Valtieri side, similar cries of desperation rang out. "We’re being crushed! We can’t hold on!" a Valtieri soldier shouted, his face contorted in agony.

"Fall back! We can’t withstand this!" Pietro commanded, his voice wavering as he tried to rally his assault team.

The ground trembled beneath Kael’s feet, the oppressive weight of Gregor’s mana pressing down like an iron vice.

With an eerie calm, Gregor cast a self-enhancement spell—Titan’s Leap. A translucent aura enveloped him as his physical strength skyrocketed three thousandfold. What should have cost five thousand mana points (more than half of his mana, about 56.18%) was drastically reduced by the staff’s ability, making the expenditure negligible for him.

Gregor grinned, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He vanished in a blur, a mere streak of darkness moving at an inhuman speed. Every Valtieri soldier unfortunate enough to be in his path was hurled away like ragdolls, their armor crumpling under the force of his movement.

Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Alice hovered mid-air, launching a relentless barrage of arcane projectiles to support Victor’s advance. Far from Gregor’s location, she remained unaware of the sinister energy emanating from the Count. In a heartbeat, Gregor materialized before her, his presence a chilling surprise.

With a malevolent grin, his palm crackled with infernal energy as he unleashed the same fifth-tier spell that Livius had used, Inferno Orb, at point-blank range. Alice barely had time to react before the devastating force of the spell surged towards her.

Calculating the imminent threat, Alice instinctively activated her defensive protocols. Her human instincts merging with her golem programming. She instinctively raised an energy barrier, her eyes wide with determination, but the orb’s power far exceeded her defenses.

The orb detonated with a deafening roar, sending Alice careening toward the ground. Her human features twisted in pain as she made impact, her golem enhancements struggling to mitigate the damage. A massive explosion erupted, engulfing the battlefield in searing flames.

"Alice!" Keira and Kael screamed in unison, their eyes widening in horror.

Meanwhile, Livius Gregor had barely managed to escape Keira and Alice’s combined attack earlier. He had utilized his Phantom Shift Ring’s teleportation ability in the nick of time, barely avoiding a devastating strike.

"That bitch dares challenge me?!" he snarled, his pride wounded. His gaze snapped to Keira. "That staff will be mine."

Without hesitation, he began speed-casting. As soon as his ring’s cooldown reset, he teleported above Keira, unleashing a barrage of third-tier fire spells.

Keira, still reeling from Alice’s attack, barely noticed the incoming assault. Her hastily conjured barrier shattered after the eighth impact, leaving her vulnerable to the remaining fireballs. She screamed as the flames struck her, the force sending her plummeting toward the ground. Her grip on the Veilbreaker Staff loosened, and the powerful artifact tumbled through the air.

Livius, already falling, didn’t waste the opportunity. He immediately cast Featherfall Breeze, using the spell’s wind burst to propel himself toward the staff. His fingers closed around the weapon mid-air.

The moment he grasped it, a surge of knowledge flooded his mind. Kael had designed the staff with an analytical enchantment to help Keira utilize its full potential. Now, that knowledge was Livius’s to exploit.

He grinned, marveling at its power. "Magnificent... This artifact is wasted on a mere girl."

Kael, moving faster than thought, caught Keira before she crashed. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Keira nodded weakly, her breath ragged.

"I’m sorry... I lost the staff," she said, guilt evident in her eyes.

"It’s fine," Kael reassured her, his voice steady despite the fury burning within him. "I’ll take it back from him." His mana flared dangerously, but he enveloped Keira with healing magic through his Arcane Gauntlet of Aetherium. As the soothing energy flowed into her, he gently put her down and stood up, his gaze locked onto Livius.

With slow, deliberate steps, Kael approached Livius. "Give the staff back," he ordered, his tone cold and unyielding.

The battlefield fell silent for a moment as the storm of mana swirled around them, heralding the clash that was about to begin.

Victor, seeing the tide of battle shifting, surged forward with both of his swords, Nightsbane and Dawnbreaker, crackling with arcane energy. He aimed to intercept Gregor’s path, swinging a devastating Crescent Fang attack at his midsection. However, Gregor, moving at an inhuman speed, anticipated the move. In a blur of darkness, he sidestepped the attack effortlessly.

Victor’s eyes widened in shock as his blades sliced through empty air. Before he could react, Gregor struck back with a swift and powerful counter, his fist enveloped in dark energy. The blow connected with Victor’s side, sending him skidding backward, struggling to regain his footing.

Gregor’s lips curled into a snarl. "You think you can stop me, Dalmont? Your pathetic tricks won’t work here."

Victor held his ground, eyes blazing with determination. "Then let’s test that theory."

As the battle raged on, Alice emerged from the smoke, her spirit crystal glowing ominously. Her wounds rapidly healed as she unleashed a torrent of raw magical energy. Her body began to shift, mechanical parts whirring as her form transformed into Golem Mode, reminiscent of a technological marvel. Armor plates encased her limbs, and her eyes glowed with a fierce determination, vengeance burning in her gaze.

Meanwhile, Kael and Livius circled each other in mid-air, their duel set to decide the fate of the Veilbreaker Staff. Livius twirled the weapon, already integrating its power into his own casting. He smirked. "You’re too late, Young brat. This power is mine now."

Kael’s response was swift and merciless. With a flick of his wrist, he cast Arcane Bind, attempting to lock Livius’s movements. But Livius anticipated it, countering with a Shadow Step maneuver that left a blur of afterimages in his wake.

"I have to help him," Keira thought, still recovering. She had already exhausted much of her mana by casting the powerful Proton Cannon trice, leaving her with only 30 percent of her mana. Despite her fatigue, she gritted her teeth and began chanting, summoning every ounce of mana left in her body. She wouldn’t let them fight alone.

"I can’t let you have that staff! The Young Master made that for me!" she yelled, her voice trembling with determination and desperation.

The air crackled with tension as the battle raged on, each side vying for control of the powerful artifact.

(To be continue..)

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Artifact 101:

Phantom Shift Ring

Wielder: Livius

This exquisite artifact, the Phantom Shift Ring, is a powerful and elegant accessory prized by adventurers and mages. The ring is crafted from a rare, enchanted metal, with intricate, swirling patterns etched along its band. At its center, a mesmerizing gem radiates an otherworldly glow, shimmering with hues of blue and violet.

Abilities:

Teleport: When activated, the Phantom Shift Ring allows its wearer to instantly teleport to a different location within a 100-meter radius. The activation requires a moment of intense focus, channeling the wearer’s mana into the gem, which then emits a brilliant flash before the wearer vanishes and reappears at the desired location.

Cooldown: The ring has a cooldown period of 30 seconds between each use, preventing overexertion and potential mana depletion.

Mana Conservation: The ring is designed to conserve the wearer’s mana, ensuring that teleportation does not drain their energy excessively.

The Phantom Shift Ring is often used for swift escapes, surprise attacks, or seamless infiltration, making it an invaluable asset in both combat and exploration.

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