"Lightning Storm!"

The twins' 5-Star spell consolidated successfully. At the sky, forming compact dark lumpy clouds where thunders flashed and roared between them, producing calamitous sounds. A heavy wind started to thrash against the trees as their branches bent towards one direction. The sound of the wind and rustling leaves were persistent.

In the midst of this man-made calamity, a burst of vengeful laughter can be heard. I looked at the origin and found two pairs of eyes glaring at me with contempt. Their mouths spoke at the same time.

"You may be a genius mage, but even you can't stop this while shielding someone."

The twins raised their staves together, using them as the catalyst to control the spell. Rotated three times before they were pointed at me.

The clouds started to accumulate a much denser light.

"Ryu?"

"Princess? What are you doing outside? It's dangerous!"

Her pale face somewhat recovered. The color of her skin returned to normal. Her panting also calmed down. Though she still leaned on the wall to support and reserve her strength.

"I just wanted to watch. That's all. Am I bothering you?"

How can you be a bother? Instead of cowering at the very end of the cave while worrying that something bad might happen, the Princess showed trust. Who would get mad at someone that gave complete faith in your words?

"No."

"Then."

"Yes, the Princess can sit there and watch."

She gently smiled and slowly sat on the dirty ground. A typical noble would nitpick about this situation. But she just calmly stayed there and watched. Her eyes were filled with excitement.

'Alright, let's do this. As yparchei aspida!'

Bzzzzzzzt! Boom!

One lightning went down and directly struck the magic shield I made, breaking it instantly. I successfully defended but used one-tenth of my mana in the process. Measuring my remaining magic power, I still have enough to defend for three to four strikes.

"We can see that you are becoming weak, little bug!"

"That's just one from a myriad of lightning to come. There will be plenty more where it came from!"

What the twins were saying was true. Considering that my mana will be depleted after the fifth lightning strike. Made me in a bit of a mess.

Pondering about it, a spell at this level should have limitations.

"A wide magic like that wouldn't be easy to control."

The corner of the older brother's mouth slipped upward as he quickly raised his staff and pointed at me.

"Really? Then how about this!"

Bzzzzzzt! Boom!

Another lightning struck. But this time, I slid three meters backward after being hit. The swords that I used as an additional shield dispensed an electric current that conducted through their blades, creating a buzzing sound that generated a visible plasma that lingered for a few seconds.

Bzzz... Bzzz... Bzzzt...

"That's two strikes, and you can't defend anymore. Hahaha!"

They celebrated. Seeing how I was struggling. Waiving their mage staves around and danced like kids. Even the leader of the assassins was covering his mouth in an attempt not to laugh.

I yawned. Wiping the tears that came out from my eyes. Then I joined laughing with them, making them halt in surprise.

"Older brother, the bug still had the boldness to mock us!"

"The bug went crazy, younger brother."

"Twin elders, let me help."

The leader of the assassins went into his battle position holding one unique dagger. It was like a rusty old military knife. So much corrosion that it looked poisonous. But to my surprise, the edge of this knife was still deadly sharp. And I felt an evil vibe lingering around it.

"This dagger's name was Damascus. You're not the only one who has a good weapon, kid."

The twins also moved to prepare for another lightning bolt. So I quickly chanted earth magic.

"Afiste to edafos na kinithei!"

The leader of the assassins dashed towards me, it was so fast that it looked like teleportation.

Clang!

The Damascus clashed against the ice sword. The dagger tried to corrode the sword but it was stopped by the power of ice.

"I'm not done yet."

While in the air, he turned his body around and when his foot landed on the ground, he disappeared. My battle sense told me that the enemy went to the rear and I realized that his real target was not me.

"Oh no, Princess!"

I jumped and threw the fire sword just outside of the cave entrance, commanded it to create a pillar of fire to block the enemy from going forward.

In response, he jumped and flipped backward, to evade being burned.

Bzzzzt! Boom!

Without warning, a lightning bolt struck me, making me plummet and roll a few times into the ground.

"Ack! Blegh!"

I was lying on the ground when I felt some liquid trickled down the corners of my mouth. I touched it with my hand and saw a red stain. It was blood. Hopefully, the Princess wouldn't be alarmed since the pillar of fire was blocking her vision.

The twins succeeded in damaging me with a lightning bolt while I was preoccupied with the sudden threat that went over to the Princess. Luckily, my mana prevented me from having a more serious injury. However, it still took a great toll on me.

'I need to deal with that lightning storm."

Think Ryu... Think...

What did the people in my previous life make to prevent lightning...? Ah! When I thought about that question. An idea came into my mind.

"Younger brother, let's prepare another lightning and finish him off!"

"Preparing another lightning, older brother!"

Clang!

A sudden backstab by the leader of the assassins. This time, I was able to block it because I learned my lesson. Using the ice sword, I overpowered him that forced him to back away from me.

At the same time, the twins continued to formulate another attack.

No! With the current fire pillar and the lightning that struck into me, I only have enough mana to block it two more times. I need to use my plan.

"Afiste to edafos na kinithei!"

The ground trembled! I used half of my remaining mana to form a tower from soil and rock. It was thick enough to support itself and high enough to break a neck just by looking at the top from below.

"Afiste to spathi na vgei!"

The Gravity Rune Sword appeared. I hurriedly grabbed and threw it at the apex of the tower, hoping for it to reach the peak before another lightning arrives.

Bzzzzzzzzzzt!

Another lightning struck. But this time, there was no explosion.

It seems I was right. I learned this from the first time when the twins' lightning bolt directly hit the swords in my waist. Magic loves magic weapons. With the help of the rune sword that was susceptible to magic and applying the things I learned from my previous life, I created a tower high enough to force the bolt to hit it instead. A perfect lightning rod—I mean tower.

Bzzzzzt!

One bolt.

Bzzzzzzzzzt!

Two bolts.

Bzzzzt!

Three bolts, and so on. But every time the bolt hit, the sword absorbs enough for the ground current not to affect us. It might be different and dangerous if I'm holding the sword instead.

The bolts that were directed by the twins were also forced to hit the sword, which made their mouths gasp in admiration.

"How is this possible, older brother?"

"This bug is dangerous! We need to kill him off, quickly!"

The twins landed on the ground. Removing their control of the lightning storm, making the bolts hit random places. They began to focus more on me and started casting lesser magic.

"As yparchei anemos kai fotia!"

3-Star wind magic and 3-Star fire magic. A fire tornado. It came out directly from the tip of their mage staves and fired horizontally towards me.

The leader of the assassin used this chance to attack me from the side.

Swiiish!

I brandished the ice sword carving a line on the ground to create a wall of ice, blocking the fire tornado. At the same time using the same attack to deal with the leader of the assassins.

Clang!

I successfully parried. When the ice wall started to crack. We both jumped high enough in a different direction.

Boom!

"Impossible!"

"If this continues, our magic will also be depleted. What're we going to do, older brother?"

"We need to get rid of that sword!"

When the leader of the assassins heard about the sword in the tower, he grinned at me and dashed off.

"Twin elders, let me get rid of that giant sword!"

The twins and I exchanged magic spells while he swiftly climbed the tower by running around it. Using his dagger from time to time to gain balance by stabbing it in and using it to pull himself skillfully. With this, he almost reached the peak.

"Hahaha! This is too easy!"

"Nicely done! Just grab the sword and threw it on the ground!"

"Yes, throw it! So we can control the lightning storm again!"

The leader of the assassins joyfully rushed to the top like a kid, smiling. The twins' smiles also became too wide, like those people who think they already won the world championship.

"Almost... I can almost reach it!"

"Wait, this is weird."

"What do you mean, older brother?"

"The bug is just staying there, doing nothing."

It seems the older brother was wise enough to know that I did plan something. But it was too late.

"Wait! Gustaf, come back!"

"Gustaf, it's a trap!"

Gustaf, the leader of the assassins, didn't hear what the twins were saying because of the loud noise the gushing wind was producing. At this moment, he reached the top where the rune sword was located.

"I got it! Hahaha! Now face your doo—Eh?"

Once there, he tried to pull the sword but failed. The twins who were watching were doubtful. But I believe that the one at the top was the most confused.

"What are you doing?! Hurry and pull the sword out!"

While holding the sword, he placed both feet on the tower and attempted to pull it again with greater strength. He even shouted.

"Argh!"

Bzzzzzzzzt! Boom!

As expected. No one can wield the rune sword other than its master. Well, Kaori once lifted it with her unbelievable strength but still failed to maintain it for long, so I'm clearly sure that this guy wouldn't succeed either.

I was planning on increasing the gravity when he arrived at the top. I can control the gravity as long as the rune sword was connected to the ground. But I don't know if that was enough to kill him. Favorably, a lightning bolt struck, giving him a fatal blow.

"100 times gravity!"

Bam!

Gustaf who was struck by lightning crashed on the ground. Is he dead or alive? No one was willing to know.

"Your Majesty!"

Finally, Felix and the Shadow Assassins arrived. Surrounding the twins who were currently struggling with the immense gravity.

I looked at them and smiled.

"Now, the tables have turned."