Magical User Aozaki Aoko Case Files Chapter 222

The next morning, after breakfast, Aoko discussed with Lina and Gourry.

Aoko and Lina exchanged opinions and unanimously agreed that regardless of whether the Red Priest Rezo was telling the truth or not, he certainly hadn’t told them everything and likely had malicious intentions.

Gourry, on the other hand, had no objections. He knew he wasn’t particularly clever, so he left the team’s decision-making to Lina and Aoko, content to simply act as a guard.

As for Zelas Metallium, he was definitely connected to Rezo. Perhaps when they met, they would face a pincer attack, which would be dangerous.

“Leave that orb at the inn,” Aoko told Lina. “It definitely has Rezo’s tracking magic on it. If you carry it, he’ll always know our location.”

Lina nodded, placing the orb in a drawer in the inn room and setting a “invisible to ordinary people without magic” spell to prevent the cleaning staff from taking it.

The three set off again, their apparent route continuing towards Atlas. However, they were actually secretly approaching Zelas Metallium’s gathering or ambush point, based on a magical mark Aoko had secretly left on him earlier.

Regarding Rezo, Aoko felt she needed to confirm information with Zelas Metallium, regardless of whether the stone-headed individual was allied with Rezo or if they were rivals for the Orichalcum Goddess statue.

However, purely in terms of strength, Aoko didn’t believe Zelas Metallium was qualified to be Rezo’s opponent. He was too far below Rezo’s magic level, and Aoko herself, in her current state, wasn’t confident she could definitely defeat Rezo.

Aoko planned that once those guys appeared, she would beat them up first. As for whether to kill or torture them, she would decide after getting a clear understanding of the situation.

—Dividing Line—

“It seems we have some serious business to attend to,” Gourry said gravely, drawing his sword from its sheath. “Finally impatient enough to come out yourself, boss? Zegallude?”

“…” Gourry’s opening remark plunged the atmosphere into an awkward silence, forcing both sides to pause and consider how to respond.

“It should be Zelas Metallium, right?” Lina corrected Gourry.

“It’s Ze-las Me-tal-li-um!” The person himself corrected them again, clearly annoyed, but Lina was definitely doing it on purpose to mess with him.

“Hand over that statue,” Zelas Metallium said calmly. “If you refuse no matter what, I have no choice, so this time I’ve brought all my forces.”

“You don’t care about your dead subordinates?” Lina provoked. “Are you so confident you can defeat us?”

“That guy was a mercenary who lived by the sword,” Zelas Metallium said. “It’s natural for someone to be defeated and killed if their skills are inferior. I won’t hate you.”

“And the reason I brought so many people is precisely because I acknowledge your strength,” Zelas Metallium continued. “This is my full power. Let’s see who’s truly stronger!”

After speaking, Zelas Metallium drew his sword. In the deep forest surrounding Aoko and her companions, a large number of goblins, trolls, and mercenaries appeared. Beside Zelas Metallium stood a tall but seemingly unintelligent werewolf warrior.

“Demon Emperor Spirit Sword!”

Zelas Metallium chanted a spell in a low voice as he charged forward. His longsword glowed with a black and red light, which appeared to be some kind of enchantment spell.

Gourry, as Lina’s guard, engaged the charging werewolf warrior. The opponent was quite strong, and Gourry couldn’t instantly kill him.

Aoko, on the other hand, had already applied her buffs before approaching the ambush location. Now, she activated her magic circuits, and a vast amount of magical power once again enhanced her physical abilities, allowing Aoko to engage in close combat with a magic swordsman like Zelas Metallium.

The longsword and staff collided violently. Zelas Metallium was surprised to find that his enchanted sword striking Aoko’s “wooden staff” produced a crisp metallic clang… and this woman, as a spellcaster, actually had slightly greater strength than him, a swordsman.

Aoko gripped her staff with both hands, exerting more force and pushing Zelas Metallium’s body down slightly, revealing the villain’s signature insidious smile.

“Your magic swordsmanship isn’t all that great, is it?” Aoko teased, suddenly opening her palm on the upper part of the staff, pointing it at Zelas Metallium. “Empowered Spell – Burning Hands!”

“Wh-!” Zelas Metallium immediately felt the powerful magic gathering in Aoko’s hand, inwardly cursing, but his body struggled to react.

A fierce cone of flame erupted from Aoko’s palm, not only searing Zelas Metallium but also igniting a dozen or so goblins and trolls approaching behind him, causing screams to erupt.

“Ugh…!” Zelas Metallium cried out in pain as he retreated. His upper cloak and the mask covering his face were incinerated by Aoko’s spell, but his body wasn’t severely injured.

What was revealed was a grotesque figure with skin like bluish stone and silver hair that resembled countless hard steel wires. Was he, as the Red Priest Rezo said last night, a hybrid of monster and human?

Although Aoko felt things might not be that simple, she still thought it best to give this guy a good beating first; otherwise, he didn’t seem like the type to easily tell the truth.

Zelas Metallium didn’t act comically like those villains in novels who immediately lost their fighting ability upon having their ugly faces exposed. Instead, he immediately pulled out a dagger with engraved runes on its blade from behind him and fiercely threw it at Aoko’s shadow.

As someone with some knowledge of magic, Aoko naturally wouldn’t fall for such an obvious trick. She knew at a glance that the opponent’s magic was clearly a trick to restrain the body by pinning the shadow.

Aoko instantly transformed into a wisp of smoke and vanished from her spot. The dagger missed, sticking into the ground. Zelas Metallium immediately repositioned himself, vigilantly looking around.

However, Aoko had now roughly figured out Zelas Metallium’s combat style: primarily close combat, with various elaborate auxiliary spirit magic, making him a powerful magic swordsman.

Unfortunately, Zelas Metallium encountered an over-specifications magic user, and this magic user had already lost interest in playing with him.

Aoko’s figure reappeared in mid-air. She pointed her staff at Zelas Metallium, and numerous magic circles appeared around Aoko.

The next second, a massive barrage of magic bullets covered Zelas Metallium himself and his monster troops. After a series of explosions, all the trolls, goblins, and orcs were blasted into pulp, except for Zelas Metallium, whose life Aoko had intentionally spared.

Gourry had also finished his battle. With the buffs Aoko provided, he got used to the rhythm and cut off the werewolf warrior’s head with one swing. The surrounding trolls instantly scattered like birds and beasts.

Zelas Metallium himself lay on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. It seemed that even his stone skin, a result of his monster bloodline, couldn’t withstand such a scale of magic bullet bombardment.