Chapter 108: Chapter108-Owen’s Magnanimity
To Stanley, victory belonged to the strong.
Since he wasn’t Leslie’s match and would have died at her hands, there was nothing more to say.
But Leslie had shown mercy!
He couldn’t remember having any connection with Leslie and didn’t think of her as someone who would be merciful.
Meanwhile, the spectators, who had been watching the battle, stared wide-eyed at Leslie, who now held her spear pointed at Stanley’s forehead, their breaths almost held in suspense.
Just moments ago, the two had been evenly matched, the situation intense and deadlocked. How had it suddenly shifted to an overwhelming victory for Leslie?
The tip of her spear was so close to Stanley’s forehead that just an inch further would have pierced his skull.
After their initial astonishment, the onlookers shared the same thought as Stanley.
Leslie had chosen not to deliver the fatal blow at the critical moment.
It seemed like she was deliberately sparing Stanley.
But this wasn’t in line with Leslie’s usual behavior.
Under the puzzled gazes of everyone, Leslie said calmly:
“A true general should die on the battlefield fighting against the enemy, wrapped in their horse’s hide, not in the capital, killed in an internal conflict.”
“When you were very young, you fought against Kyrik. Your fate should be to die on the path to conquering Kyrik, not here.”
Upon hearing the first part of Leslie’s words, Stanley showed a look of deep agreement.
His many years in the military had ingrained in him the habits and spirit of a soldier.
The highest ideal for a soldier was undoubtedly to die on the battlefield against the enemy, wrapped in the hide of their horse, and return home with honor.
However, Leslie’s latter statement touched something deeper and made him wary. He stared at Leslie with a slightly cold gaze.
“Are you ordering me to march against Kyrik?” Stanley asked.
Leslie retorted, “Why not?”
For a moment, the atmosphere between them became tense and subtle.
…
As Leslie and Stanley determined their contest’s outcome, Owen and Otto’s battle had reached its climax.
Otto, being a diamond-tier mage, had deep reserves of mana, flowing endlessly like a mighty river.
In contrast, Owen, whether maintaining his Obsidify state or using his eyes to track Otto’s movements, required a significant amount of mana.
If not for his extraordinary recovery abilities and the support of his Basic Healing Skill, he wouldn’t have been able to last this long.
Even with the Basic Healing Skill aiding his recovery and providing continuous mana for combat, Otto grew increasingly fierce with each strike, adopting a strategy of trading blows.
Ultimately, Otto’s depth and experience far exceeded Owen’s.
If this continued, Owen was certain he would be the one to face a crushing defeat.
So, after withstanding a powerful axe strike from Otto, Owen seized the opportunity to retreat, creating distance between them.
Then, he summoned the Order of Fire in his left hand and the Order of Thunder in his right hand.
Two entirely different but equally dominant forces rose from his hands, transforming into towering flames and thunder.
These forces began to merge above his head, creating a powerful and awe-inspiring spectacle!
TNT!
At that moment, any mage who had their attention on Owen immediately recognized this technique.
The scene of Owen obliterating Tony with a single move had left an indelible mark on many in the imperial capital, especially the shockwave that had been visible to all.
Everyone remembered it vividly.
At the time, Edward had even asked Owen for the name of this technique.
TNT!
Though the exact meaning of the skill’s name was unclear, it was undeniably powerful and commanding!
Now, this terrifying technique that combined the power of two [Orders] was reappearing in Owen’s hands!
Immediately, the mages who had already maintained a certain distance from Owen and Otto began to frantically scramble further away.
The last time Owen used this move, he was only at silver-tier level 7. Yet, the resulting power had captivated the entire imperial capital.
Now, Owen had broken through to platinum-tier level 7!
He had essentially crossed nearly two major tiers!
Owen’s mana, mind power, and control over the [Orders] had all advanced significantly.
The explosion’s power from combining the two [Orders] this time would be unimaginably terrifying. They didn’t even want to imagine it.
But one thing was certain: if they stayed too close to Owen’s battle, they would be caught in the explosion and turned to ashes!
Many mages who had come to watch had already perished from the aftershocks of Otto and Stanley’s battles. They didn’t want to be collateral damage.
As they rapidly retreated, Leslie also sensed the dangerous fluctuation from the two [Orders].
Her eyes immediately turned towards Owen, a hint of confusion in her heart.
The power of TNT was indeed formidable, but by her estimation, the energy emanating from it wouldn’t be enough to kill a powerhouse like Otto!
Otto was a diamond-tier level 9 mage, just a step away from becoming a master-tier mage.
Moreover, as the Chief Elder, he undoubtedly had life-saving items at his disposal.
Owen’s TNT might be terrifying, and while it could heavily injure, if not kill, someone like Stanley, Otto was different.
What exactly was Owen planning?
He must be aware of TNT’s power and Otto’s strength!
This thought crossed Leslie’s mind but was quickly dismissed.
Although she didn’t understand Owen’s intentions, she had absolute confidence in him.
If he chose this course of action, he had his reasons.
Her role now was to steadfastly wait and welcome him back in victory, just as Owen had always trusted her.
“Is this your famous skill, TNT?” Otto asked, feeling the pressure from the two different [Orders] building up on him.
The mage robe he wore clung tightly to his body, and he felt a pinprick sensation all over.
However, his eyes showed little fear.
When Owen defeated Madelyn and first made a name for himself, the Council of Elders had already begun collecting information about him.
Thus, Owen’s TNT skill was no secret to Otto.
He knew it required significant power and carried substantial risks for Owen.
[Order], a rare and wondrous element in the world, was something that even Otto, nearing master-tier, respected and feared.
If the two [Orders] fused and exploded, the resulting power might not be as catastrophic as the blast that destroyed the Council of Elders, but it would still be immensely destructive.
Even facing the explosion directly could endanger his life.
But Owen had a trump card.
And so did Otto!
“It has been many years since anyone has forced me to this point. I thought I would only need to use this move against a master-tier mage. I never expected to use it against a platinum-tier mage. Fate truly has a sense of irony,” Otto remarked, shaking his head slightly, his gaze complex.
Light began to surge around him, and an ancient portal slowly emerged behind him.
Owen intended to use his most powerful technique for a decisive victory, and Otto had the same idea.
The longer this battle dragged on, the more his reputation would suffer.
He needed to eliminate Owen quickly to avoid unforeseen complications.
Moreover, Stanley’s defeat by Leslie was beyond his expectations.
He could not afford to waste any more time with Owen.
“Primal Gate!”
“Your most loyal servant calls upon you to descend!”
“Descend!”
As the portal’s shadow gradually materialized, Otto clasped his hands together like a devout nun, his prayers growing louder and more fervent, causing the surrounding mana to tremble.
“Primal Gate?”
Hearing Otto’s incantations, many mages looked on in deep confusion, not understanding what this technique was.
They could only feel that the sky behind Otto seemed to be supported by an ancient stone pillar, forming a portal that felt like the sole structure in the world, ancient and grand, filling them with a sense of dread.
Merely gazing directly at the portal’s shadow felt like blasphemy, a sin.
Many low-level mages, upon seeing the portal, immediately fell to their knees, bowing repeatedly like puppets, as devout as if they were witnessing their deity.
Even Edward, Andre, and others found their eyes drawn irresistibly to the portal, as if it possessed an inexplicable allure.
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