Chapter 1741: Battle [3]

Dragons found beauty in the internal structure of mana. The way they wove their concepts, the way those weaves came together to form a spectacular picture, and other similar aspects were what dragons saw as pure beauty that could not be imitated.

However, that was only possible because dragons inherently had such a good perception ability. Humans didn't gain a similar level of ability until they'd reached a high level, so they could not share the same interests.

For humans who had yet to become Divinities, the beauty of mana came in its form. People were able to manifest things that they could only see in their imaginations, using mana to bring their dreams to reality so they could achieve their dreams in reality.

It was a bit more materialistic, sure, but wasn't that the nature of humanity? Why did it matter if it was materialistic in the eyes of others if it was beautiful in the eyes of those who mattered?

Humans loved using mythical creatures and weapons more than anything else. As these two concepts were close to both dreams and reality and unmistakably represented power, they were the easiest visualizations to imagine and use in combat.

When August, a mythical creature himself, used visualization instead of more draconic forms of manifestation...

Well, the sight would have been somewhat comedic to Damien if he had seen it.

Rather than mythical creatures or weapons, what August summoned was a "human."

A man made entirely of mana, a blue projection of sorts that bore a striking resemblance to a certain purple-eyed Supreme, separated from August's body and shot towards Wilhelm.

The mana creature almost contradictingly used physical power alone. It was like August's version of Estavian.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOOOOOOM!

The sounds of the sudden physical onslaught that Wilhelm had to deal with mixed with another explosion that came from behind.

August used his awareness to find its source instead of turning around, but he was forced to see it with his own eyes due to the shock he received.

Estavian, who was just a problem for him to deal with, was now slammed against the same wall where he was. Melania stood in front of him with her fist still raised, making it obvious who was the cause of this incident.

August grinned.

'I'll have to properly thank her later.'

He didn't know exactly what was going on in his surroundings since he'd been focused on the crown, but he knew that Melania was fighting for his sake and keeping some of the other intruders back with the rest of his group.

For her to abandon that battle for this one, so that he could reach his goals...

Melania was probably one of the people August valued most in this life. She was his most trusted comrade and someone he could almost see as family.

He didn't have any qualms with turning his back to her, because he knew that she would never let it get stabbed.

Returning all of his attention to Wilhelm, his grin widened.

'He's quite weak physically, huh.'

His mana visualization, a form that, in August's mind, symbolized absolute power, was pressuring Wilhelm better than he ever hoped it would.

That gave him more than enough time to prepare.

August focused on a nearby wall, a place that bordered the underwater ravine and was far away from any of his allies.

Concentrating on the water on the other side, he created a drill out of that mana and started to break through the wall.

The water in that ravine contained extreme pressure already, so it wasn't hard at all.

It made a sound like hissing, but it was covered up by everything else that was happening.

So, when that portion of the cavern became a cavity leading into the underwater ravine, nobody took note.

August put up a film of mana in the cavity to keep the ocean from flooding in.

'Good.'

It was simple when he decided that all he wanted to do was banish Wilhelm rather than kill him.

His plan relied on a fact that was just as simple.

The twisted nature of the Liqua Clan's water made it distinct from any specific type of water body.

The Liqua Clan who called themselves a clan of Azure Dragons were not dragons of the ocean at all.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Wilhelm could not defeat the mana entity. His attacks were made to cause pain and devour living beings. Against a being of pure mana, he had to try other means.

The problem was the speed of the mana entity. It seemed to move on its own sentience despite the fact that it didn't have anything like spirituality. Because of the nature of the visualization, it had a different type of power than what Wilhelm was used to seeing.

He knew that he needed to attack the caster to get rid of it, but August was nowhere nearby.

Not until now, at least.

The second Wilhelm saw him, he aggressively dodged the mana entity's attack and threw his mana towards the other genius.

The termite-like mana seemed to chatter as it rushed at him, eager to taste his blood.

However, August had been preparing for this.

He slammed his foot on the ground and created a mana wall to block everything. At the same time, he summoned several swords of ice and sent them flying back towards Wilhelm.

The Liqua Clan genius had to once again move out of the way, which put him in the mana entity's path.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Without realizing it as he attacked and defended, Wilhelm was led to the perfect spot, a place in line with the cavity August had created.

That was the end of this battle.

August dashed into Wilhelm's blind spot and used countless icicles to draw his attention.

Wilhelm easily blocked as he had easily blocked everything else that August threw at him, but he wasn't expecting the attack to not be aimed at taking him down.

Instead, it was nothing more than a cover.

In that very same instant, the mana entity got in close and cocked its fist. From mere inches away, it put all of the mana that went into its creation into an attack.

It dispersed in the same breath, but its job was already done.

Its purpose was only to transfer momentum.

August made sure that the attack carried an extreme amount of momentum despite not being unreasonably forceful, and the result was exactly what he wanted.

BOOOOOOM!

Wilhelm went flying backwards. He tried to stabilize himself, but in that moment, August struck him with even more force to keep his body moving backwards.

Wilhelm turned his eyes and looked behind him with gritted teeth. He could see the cavity, but he had no idea what was on the other side. He put his arms out so he could grab the walls and keep himself from falling in, however, that wasn't quite what happened when he reached it.

August's layer of film had two effects.

First, it kept the water from flooding into the cavern.

And second, it created a suction force in the outside water as if the cavern was a pressurized cabin.

The instant Wilhelm got too close to the force, his body became prey to it.

He was sucked into the cavity like a rag doll without sentience and thrown into the underwater ravine's powerful currents.

He was fated to be pushed and pulled by the forces of the ocean until he could find a way to escape.

But, since he was not an ocean dragon, it would not be easy for him.

By the time he returned, August would already have the crown, and that was all that currently mattered.

Estavian's head was sticking out of the earth comically, but that was only because Melania used her power to contain him before killing him.

There was only one other obstruction.

August stared at her for a moment, that dark genius who stood at the back of the cavern and watched everything unfold, before making a rush through the final few meters that separated him from the crown.

Once again, she did not move.

The thoughts in Eris' head that were only privy to her...

It seemed like she had no desire to stop him.

One meter...two meters...then three.

August lunged through the air and extended an arm, grabbing the pure white light with everything he had.

As the attention of everyone in the cavern turned to him, he placed the crown on his head.

And once again, the situation changed.