Absolute Mana Dominion: All My Talents Are SSS

Chapter 51: 51 - No Second Chance

For several seconds after the three bodies hit the street, nobody moved. Adrien kept Umbral Root raised while the last traces of Lightning Mana crawled over the wet stones, and across from him, Léon stared at the dead men as if the fight had suddenly become something very different from what he had planned.

Vikir broke the silence first. His mana rifle fired, and the nearest attacker dropped before he finished raising his sword. The rest reacted at once, two rushing Vikir while three went for Adrien and another tried to circle toward Ariane.

"Stay behind the carriage for now," Adrien said.

Ariane looked offended immediately. "I can still fight."

"I know you can. You’ve already done enough." She started to argue, then her legs nearly gave under her. The remaining Clairmont guard caught her arm, ending the discussion for her.

Adrien turned as the first man reached him.

[Ice Wall]

The wall erupted between them at an angle. One attacker slammed into it while Adrien stepped around the edge and drove a [Frost Lance] through the second man’s chest. The third got inside casting range, sword already swinging.

Umbral Root shifted in Adrien’s hands. He caught the blade against the staff, let the strike slide aside, then fired another [Frost Lance] from barely a pace away.

A rifle shot cracked behind him. Vikir had dropped one of the men charging him and was already tracking the next.

"Move left, my lord. I’ve got the one behind you."

Adrien moved without asking why. A sword passed through the space his neck had occupied a moment earlier, and he formed a short wedge of ice beneath the attacker’s front foot.

The man lost his balance.

Vikir shot him before he hit the ground.

"That’s useful," Adrien said as he turned back.

"I do what I can."

Léon finally moved.

Mana surged around his body as he drew his sword and crossed the distance far faster than a normal swordsman could. More mana gathered along the blade, sharpening the edge until the air around it seemed to vibrate.

Adrien barely got Umbral Root up in time. Steel crashed against the staff hard enough to numb both hands, and Léon followed with another strike before Adrien could fully recover.

Then another.

"You really think learning one new spell changes anything?" Léon snapped as he pressed forward.

Adrien gave ground and caught another blow. "You brought ten men into my territory to kidnap my sister because you couldn’t get over losing a duel."

"Shut your mouth."

"Yeah. That still bothers you."

Léon’s sword flared with mana and came down harder. Adrien slipped aside, but the edge still cut through his coat and opened a shallow line across his ribs.

’Fast.’

Léon was dangerous up close. Whatever Adrien thought of him, the man was still a Spellblade who had trained for years to fight with both his body and mana together.

It didn’t matter.

Adrien wasn’t One Star anymore either.

[Frost Lance]

Léon twisted away from the projectile and charged again. Adrien fired a second, forcing him left, then another that made him move exactly where Adrien wanted.

Léon realised it a second too late.

[Ice Wall]

A thick wall of ice exploded from the street behind him. Léon’s back struck it hard enough to knock the air from his lungs, and before he could push himself away, Adrien raised one hand.

[Frost Lance]

The first lance punched through Léon’s right palm and buried itself deep into the ice behind him. His sword slipped from his fingers as a scream tore out of him.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The second [Frost Lance] went through his left hand before he could pull free. Both arms were pinned against the wall now, and the colour drained from Léon’s face as he finally understood that Adrien wasn’t trying to capture him.

"Adrien!" Ariane called from behind them.

Adrien didn’t look away.

Léon strained against the ice, panic replacing the anger in his face. "You can’t fucking do this. I’m an Arquenay."

Adrien stared at him. "And she is a Clairmont. You seemed to forget that when you decided to drag her away in chains."

Another [Frost Lance] formed beside him.

Léon’s eyes widened. "Wait. Adrien, we can talk about this."

"You had plenty of time to think before coming here."

The lance drove through the side of Léon’s abdomen and buried itself in the wall. Another followed lower, pinning him completely as the mana around his body disappeared and his Spellblade enhancement collapsed with it.

Adrien stood in front of him, breathing harder than he wanted to show. There was no satisfaction in what he was doing, but there wasn’t much hesitation either.

Léon had crossed into Clairmont territory with armed men. He had attacked Ariane, tried to kidnap her and planned to use both siblings against Evelyne if he got the chance.

Adrien had already let him walk away once.

That had taught him nothing.

Another rifle shot rang out behind them, followed by silence. Adrien looked over his shoulder and found Vikir standing among the remaining bodies with his rifle still raised.

One attacker remained alive on his knees near the carriage, his weapon several paces away.

"That’s everyone?" Adrien asked.

"Everyone except him. I thought you might want one breathing."

Adrien nodded once. "Good call."

Behind him, Léon made a broken sound as his head sagged forward. Adrien turned back and removed the Frost Lances one by one, and by the time the final one came free, Léon had stopped moving.

His body fell from the wall and landed heavily on the wet stones.

The surviving soldier stared at it, face drained of colour. Adrien walked over until the man had no choice but to look up at him.

"You’re going back to Arquenay. Take Léon’s body with you and bring it to his father."

The soldier swallowed. "You... you want me to tell Lord Gaspard what happened?"

"I want you to tell him everything." Adrien glanced toward Léon’s body. "Tell him his son crossed into Clairmont territory with armed men, attacked my sister and tried to take her hostage because of whatever documents he thought we had."

The soldier nodded quickly, and Adrien continued before he could speak.

"Tell him I already gave Léon one chance after Oathday. This is what he decided to do with it." Adrien stepped aside and gestured toward the body. "Take him home. You’ve been given more mercy than he was."

The man did not need telling twice. He hurried toward Léon’s body while Adrien watched him for a moment, then turned toward Vikir.

The Ranger lowered his mana rifle and waited.

Adrien looked toward the road leading away from the city before speaking.

"Vikir, I need you to do something for me."

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