A tall, beautiful woman stood before me, an enchanting, bewitching smile playing on her lips.
"Oh my, it has been quite some time since we had a guest, hasn't it?"
Between this bizarre space and the woman’s extraordinary aura, my skin began to prickle. It was the same sensation I’d felt when facing Shiunin, Verdict, or Shizel.
A primal fear.
She was undoubtedly another Will of the Ancient Magic.
Wait, wait, wait. Klaus said "The fourth petal of Tria Petal," so is this person the Ancient Magic sealed within that shield?! Does something like that even exist?!
"Are you also a Will of the Ancient Magic?" I asked.
"Ara ara, you are quite well-informed. Yes, that is right. My name is Florina."
The moment she introduced herself, she began to dance like a spinning flower. Her arms and legs moved with fluid grace as she spun toward me, rapidly closing the distance.
"The Ancient Magic dwelling within the shield Tria Petal—does that surprise you?"
Before I knew it, she had circled behind me and was whispering into my ear.
"In accordance with our contract, I shall kill you."
In that instant, the world shifted.
The scenery snapped back to the great hall of the stone house. My eyes immediately caught something streaking toward me from the front.
"Whoa!?"
My body reacted instinctively, and I narrowly avoided the projectile. But that wasn't all—four other objects were racing through the room at high speeds, flying at me one after another.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
Each time one of those things dove at me, I threw myself backward to evade. The tips of the objects—shaped like flower petals—sliced through the air where I had just been and pierced the floor.
Looking at those fragments, I realized the truth.
Wait, aren't these the pieces of the broken Tria Petal?!
I glanced at Klaus and saw that the shield on his left arm had indeed vanished. Instead, five fragments of Tria Petal, resembling oversized petals, were hovering weightlessly around him. They circled and swirled about his body.
I understood what I was looking at immediately. To describe it using memories from my previous life...
They’re funnels!
Ancient Magic was sealed within Tria Petal, and on top of that, it had a hidden "funnel" mechanic! Reincarnating in another world was the best decision ever!
As an Ancient Magic maniac, these items were enough to make me drool. They were definitely never revealed in the original game!
So cooool! I want that so baaaaaaadly!
"Good! Show me more!" I shouted, energized by the excitement as I took an intercepting stance.
"I'll skewer you! How dare you make me use this power, damn youuuuuu!"
Talk about misplaced resentment.
Well, in this Kingdom, Ancient Magic is technically a forbidden taboo. As a Knight who has sworn loyalty to the crown, it’s probably true that he didn't want to rely on it. But that has nothing to do with me, does it?!
The petals of Tria Petal danced flamboyantly through the room like blossoms scattering in a spring storm, devouring everything in their path like the jaws of a ferocious wolf. Furniture was pulverized, and the corpses of the Black Dawn members were ruthlessly shredded. They tore through the floor and the ceiling, whipping up a whirlwind of tattered debris.
If I get swallowed by that, I'm finished!
I desperately dodged the petals. Since they lunged at me from my blind spots and from behind, I couldn't let my guard down for even a second. I couldn't avoid them entirely, and shallow cuts began to mar my skin.
Moreover, that wasn't the only threat.
"I'll kill you for real this time, Albert!"
Klaus, his eyes seething with murderous intent, lunged forward to swing his Venom Edge.
Facing an expert Knight on top of five autonomous mobile weapons was proving to be a real headache.
—However, it wasn't as if there were no openings to exploit.
As annoying as the Tria Petal fragments were, they weren't invincible. Since they didn't anticipate Klaus’s specific movements, they occasionally got in his way.
Look, even now.
Blocked by one of his own petals, Klaus’s first step was delayed. While the five petals were perfectly synchronized with each other, Klaus—the most important element—was out of sync.
That discrepancy was the opening I needed!
Waiting for the moment his movement stalled, I used Thunder Beast Shroud to close the distance in a flash.
During that momentary pause, I concentrated my mind and released my magic power all at once!
"Thunder Emperor Summon: Chain Lightning of Divine Punishment!"
I usually stick to Thunder Emperor's Flash, but this was another spell gifted to me by Shiunin. It was the same one that had incinerated a swarm of Wyverns, if I recalled correctly. If you need to clear out multiple targets, this is the one!
The downside to this spell is that because it summons thunderclouds to strike from above, it’s usually only viable in an open field.
Well, judging by how the Tria Petal fragments were rampaging, the ceiling was eventually going to be blown away anyway, but I didn't plan on waiting.
So, how was I going to call down the lightning?
I already had a source right here—the Thunder Beast Shroud I had active.
Using the electricity present in the shroud as the medium, I activated the Ancient Magic. Five bolts of lightning surged from my shroud, arcing directly toward the five petals!
To be honest, the power of each bolt was incomparable even to a miniature version of Thunder Emperor's Flash. I wanted to blast Klaus too, but he’d probably die, and I couldn't have that...
The moment I triggered the spell, Klaus screamed.
"Fifth Petal Release: Reflect!"
The surfaces of the petals caught the direct hits, and they suddenly emitted a brilliant, metallic gleam.
Just like a mirror.
Hey, hey, don’t tell me it’s going to—
Just as I feared, the lightning was perfectly reflected. Five massive bolts, each lethal in its own right, surged back toward me.
My vision was dyed pure white.
Through the bleaching world, I saw Klaus baring his teeth in a triumphant, joyful laugh.
Without a moment's delay, a thundering roar erupted as five points of intense pain pierced my body. An impact that felt like it would erase my very existence assaulted my brain and limbs.
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
My scream echoed through the chamber.
I mean, it really hurt. It really, really hurt.
However, I suppose it was better than the alternative. Compared to the agony of the Thunder Prison: Heaven's Net that Shiunin had unleashed on me, my own lightning was still no match for a true master's.
Klaus’s face contorted with agitation as he saw me still standing.
"Impossible!? What... what on earth are youuuuuuuuuu!"
It was no wonder he was surprised.
Looking at my arms and legs, the Thunder Beast Shroud had clearly grown larger by "consuming" the reflected lightning. The energy coursing through my body was now immense.
It absorbed the lightning...? To think something like this would actually work.
I was honestly a bit surprised myself, but in a way, it wasn't that strange. This Thunder Beast Shroud had a track record of enduring the lightning of the original source, Shiunin. Consuming my own reflected bolts was probably child's play for it.
"Tch, you monster!"
Klaus leveled his Venom Edge at me. Simultaneously, the five petals of Tria Petal lunged for another strike.
"Too slow."
With those short words, I kicked off the floor.
Here we go: the triple buff of Frenzy x Thunder Beast Shroud x Lightning Boost!
My speed became astronomical, leaving the attacking petals in the dust. In the blink of an eye, I was on top of Klaus!
"Uoooooooooooooooooo!"
Klaus let out a roar, swinging down a slash that carried the weight of all his convictions.
However, faster than his blade, my fist buried itself in his stomach.
"Gah...!?"
His eyes rolled back into his head as Klaus smashed through the wall and tumbled into the next room. With a series of metallic clatters, the Tria Petal fragments fell lifelessly to the floor.
The Thunder Beast Shroud covering my body finally dissipated.
The shroud constantly consumes magic power, but under the effects of Lightning Boost, that drain was staggering. It really is a short-duration, decisive battle weapon.
"Phew... I managed to win somehow..."