Masteria Online: Shattering the Dark God's Grand Scheme-Chapter 36 - Combat Scenario!

The three knights immediately spread out, beginning to channel magic. Lumi had a single second at most before there was magic on him. Less than that, even.

Lumi narrowed his eyes. He was sure they expected him to spam his teleportation skill.

To use teleport repeatedly was indeed the way magicians did things. That was their primary method of movement, and so of course that was how they evaded.

That included Lumi.

But if that’s all he did, he would be caught in no time.

I can’t teleport, not if they expect me to!

Lumi dove sideways as a lance of fire scorched where he’d been standing. Three explosions rang out in three prime teleportation spots which Lumi didn’t go to.

The primary issue with any sort of novice teleportation spell lied in its rigidity. Whilst magicians of extreme power could teleport anywhere within their range, that was not the case for most magicians.

Teleport, and its variations, all worked on similar principles.

Teleport X distance, in one of six directions. North, South, West, East, Up, Down. That meant it was very easy to know every possible teleport location a magician enemy might have and predict it.

A barrier of fire erupted in front of him, trying to box him in. Simons was already casting something that made the air ripple with heat. Jenkens had vanished entirely, invisibility or exceptional positioning.

Lumi jumped just a bit into the air, and used Light Leap for the first time this life, launching himself up into the air. Midair, he saw below. It was like a firestorm was about to erupt.

Every direction was covered, except...

Flash!

He teleported directly in front of Merkle’s face, his wand already coming to her face.

But he wasn’t casting a spell, no, Merkle was already casting, and she would finish before him.

Instead...

Bonk!

He hit her face directly with his metal wand, sliding around her body as if he was a thief about to backstab. The hit barely phased her, but it did distract her for just enough time that by the time she turned around to cast that ball of fire, he got to complete his spell to teleport again, shifting to the left.

Teleportation was his primary method of moving and dodging, yes. But by incorporating body maneuvers, he could have slight movements in a different axis than what he was teleporting in.

Lumi began to analyze the situation.

Merkle to my right. Jenkins to my back right. Simons to my left.

I can’t win this.

But that’s not what’s required nor expected of me. Alice simply wants to see how long I can survive, and if I can pull a surprise move on her knights.

Or perhaps she wanted to humiliate me.

Regardless, survival was something I’ve gotten very good at.

He gazed at the ground and- "Light Shower!"

He cast it at some of the glass streaks on the ground, not to destroy it but to create a blinding reflection. The spray of light bounced off in a thousand directions, forcing some eyes to be averted.

This instantly infuriated Alice who couldn’t help but yell out. "I’m ashamed to call you my knights! Where is your Magic Guard!? Are you seriously telling me that you didn’t cover your eyes with it!? Or was your will so weak that you couldn’t just keep your eyes open! Which one is it, you useless mages!?"

In that instant of distraction, Lumi sprinted left, using both the blinding light and Alice as a distraction he could exploit.

Jenkens appeared behind him.

Of course, flanking while the others drew attention.

But you are slow, slow compared to thieves. Teleportation might be the fastest way to move, but when it comes to actions, thieves perform them the fastest bar none.

He dropped flat as a bolt of fire passed overhead, then rolled forward as the follow up struck where he’d fallen.

Yet the knights were adjusting to his method of movement. Spells were beginning to be AoE on his current location, and only a few spells were being sent to try to catch possible teleport locations. Soon there would be nowhere to dodge.

He charged straight at Simons.

The knight, surprised by the suicidal assault, hesitated for a fraction of a second before casting. Lumi used that hesitation to slide between his legs, coming up behind him just as Merkle and Jenkens launched their attacks at where Lumi had been.

Lumi teleported directly upwards-

Boom!

[HP -90]

[HP -49]

[HP -51]

[HP: 249/439]

"Ugh."

I had assumed that with his teammates’ spells on the way, Simons would have teleported out of danger. Instead, he continued to cast a fire explosion around him.

The magic from Jenkens and Merkle exploded on Simons, who was just below Lumi. This caused a massive AoE effect, causing all three spells to hit Lumi too, instead of just whizzing by and exploding elsewhere.

"Red team wins!" Alice announced, sounding furious. "I hate you all!"

The knights stared at each other in disbelief. What was the problem? Simons turned, looking more confused than angry.

Alice didn’t respond to anyone, instead immediately taking action as she teleported in front of Lumi’s face and stuffing her wand down his throat.

A cool wave shimmered through him, refreshing his energy, organs, muscles, bones, and even his burnt skin directly peeled off and new skin grew. She removed the wand from his now thoroughly violated throat, turning back to glare at her three subordinates.

"What is your problem!? You almost killed him!"

"W-what?" They were all taken aback. Jenkins tried to argue, "But Chief! We all held back! We only treated it as a spar!"

"Shut up!" Alice raged back, "A spar!? Treated it as a spar!? AGAINST FUCKING WHO!?"

She stuffed her wand directly into Jenkins chest. "You are all Second Rank! He’s First Rank! And you treated it as a spar against an equal! Where is your self control!"

"B-but Chief..." Merkle tried getting a word out, yet Alice immediately glared at her. Merkle tried to continue. "It was... an accident! We never expected him to be hit by three spells at once!"

"Maybe YOU weren’t." Alice replied harshly, then snapped to Simons. "But it was you who was responsible for that. It was you who positioned things in such a way that he would be hit by Jenkens’ and Merkle’s spell, and you cast another on top. Explain."

Simons stiffened. His expression wasn’t guilt, he wasn’t that type. Instead, it was calculation. He was trying to decide if explaining would dig him deeper or let him off. Lumi, meanwhile, sat up with a groan, still slightly steaming.

"I didn’t expect him to teleport up." Simons said, voice clipped. "Given the pressure we were applying, I assumed he’d break to the left or right. That way, he’d only be grazed by my own spell. But gravity moved him down closer to me, which caught him in a much worse blast than I anticipated. I miscalculated."

"Damn right you did." Alice snapped, her voice sharp as a whip crack. "And you compounded that miscalculation by not retreating when you knew you were inside your allies’ line of fire. What kind of knight ignores the battlefield just to land his own spell?"

Simons didn’t answer.

"No answer? Or do you need me to shove the wand down your throat next?"

Simons’ face darkened. "...No, Chief. I take full responsibility."

Alice stepped back, nostrils flaring. She was livid. This was the kind of anger that came from fear. She glanced once at Lumi, who was now sitting on the ground, wiping a bit of blood from his lip and watching the exchange silently.

Lumi didn’t interfere at all. To a player, this was nonsensical. He hadn’t even lost half his health, how had he "almost died?" Not to mention, it was instantly restored with a spell, so there wasn’t any lasting damage. Further still, even without a healing spell, he could have used a health potion.

But that was the perspective of a player. Someone who could respawn. Someone who could measure damage with game logic.

The people of this world didn’t have a system. Nor did they operate on video game logic. In fact, in many aspects, Lumi himself didn’t, despite the system.

What Alice saw wasn’t simply the damage. It was how easily it could have been fatal. Could have collapsed his lungs, burnt heart tissue, rattled his brain too much...

Sure, Lumi could respawn.

But did Alice know that? He wasn’t sure that Divan had told her. And even if she did know, it wasn’t like those knights knew.

And even beyond that, even if everyone knew he could respawn, it wouldn’t mean that anyone, including Lumi himself, would be okay with it. Not to mention it was training, and most people wouldn’t be players.

Alice clapped once, sharp and loud. "At least we got something out of this! Jenkens, what was your mistake?"

"I... committed to the attack pattern without checking if teammates were clear?"

"Bitch!" Alice responded immediately, "At least you know that! Why are you launching magic in the direction of your teammate! And just as importantly, and I repeat myself, you are fighting someone at First Rank! Dial down your magic! Merkle, speak your mistake!"

"My attacks were too strong..." Merkle looked down, ashamed. "I..."

"On with it!" Alice whipped out.

Merkle took a breath and continued. "I made an incorrect unconscious assumption. I saw him dodging in ways and effectiveness I have never seen someone do at his rank, and I started treating this as fighting an equal."

"Now you’re learning." Alice turned then turned to Lumi. "Not bad. There’s only so much you can do when facing three people much stronger than you. You were unconventional, borderline reckless, but effective. You fight like someone who’s faced death regularly."

"More than I’d prefer." Lumi admitted.

"Haven’t we all." Her expression softened marginally. "You can stay for the full session. Try to learn whatever it is you want. I’ll focus this lesson on magic control, since apparently not only do you need to cast magic faster, but some idiots need a better grasp on their magic."