Aura Affinity I

"This…"

Regis stopped running, much to Pandora's confusion.

He carefully laid the unconscious Killian on the ground as he racked his brain, thinking of possible ways to solve the situation.

"Brother, what's wrong? Why did we stop running?"

Pandora asked, only to see him shake his head in response.

"We can't outrun whatever that thing is."

The two of them turned around and saw Count Orpheus that was seemingly going under a transformation.

Aside from the mana that gathered wildly towards him to the point that it formed strong gusts of wind, wisps of pitch-black energy also started to erupt from him.

This pitch-black energy had accents of gray within it, emitting an intense aura of death.

They could see that his skin was starting to become reddish, while some of his bones began to come out of his body.

"Tsk, the news of his son's death didn't affect him as much as I thought it would…" 

Regis felt frustrated. 

A mage who had an unstable mentality wouldn't have the capacity to maintain magic spells, much less cast new ones.

It was what Regis wanted to take advantage of as magic spells normally had requirements when it comes to focus and concentration.

Of course, it was not like it had no effect whatsoever.

After all, Pandora was able to move again.

Nonetheless, Regis could feel that the barrier around them had strengthened.

"It seems like he's scared of being found out by the church too…" 

It was not like he did not think of attacking the Count while he was undergoing transformation, it was that he couldn't.

Just as the barrier that conceals them from the world strengthened, the new barrier that appeared around the Count was also repeatedly enforced by mana.

This made it so that they could not possibly do anything other than to watch the Count's transformation.

"You… dare… kill… my son!?"

At this moment, a deep voice that seemed to be a mixture of different voices sounded.

Regis and Pandora frowned as they looked at the grotesque monster before them that bore no resemblance of the Count's dignity.

Currently, Count Orpheus was two meters tall with reddish skin and what looked to be an exoskeleton that seemed to come out from his spine.

"You left me with no choice… I wanted to wait for my son so we could both welcome my wife's return. So that our family could be complete again. But now… You wretches left me with nothing!!!"

The giant monster known as Count Orpheus raided his reddish skeletal hand and waved it, making a large magic circle that encompassed the vicinity between the main gate and manor.

"He didn't use his wand this time. Besides, this spell, don't tell me…"

Much to his fear, countless balls of flames once again manifested. The numbers increased this time, looking as if it covered the whole sky.

Regis immediately looked at Pandora and the unconscious Killian, 'Looking at our current situation, running and dodging seemed to be out of the question…'

Pandora was a mage that hadn't learned any spell that enhances her speed.

Killian could manage himself and dodge the balls of flames without being hurt, but he was still unconscious.

Therefore, there was only one way they could survive this ordeal.

"Pandora, you've copied his barrier magic spell, right?"

"Yes , Brother!" Pandora answered promptly.

Regis nodded in satisfaction, "Very good."

Then, he approached the unconscious Killian and picked up his sword, "Cast it once the balls of flames in the sky started falling." 

"Such futile efforts! The power that the great being bestowed upon me is not something that mere mortals like you can handle!!"

"After I kill you, I'll complete my ritual and lay waste upon this fortress! Then I will be able to live a happy life with my fami-"

"Oh please!"

Hearing the white haired boy's shout, Count Orpheus's face froze.

"I don't care about what you plan to do! It's not like you're going to succeed anyways!!"

"U-Ummm, Brother…" Pandora had a shocked expression on the side as she witnessed what Regis was doing.

She trusts him fully, but she couldn't fathom as to what benefit they could gain from angering the Count further.

As expected, Count Orpheus didn't speak any longer and just casted his magic spell.

[High Rank Magic: Rain of Fire]

Woosh— Woosh— Woosh—

Seeing the countless balls of flames that rained upon them, Regis brandished his two swords.

"Now!"

Following his shout, Pandora waved her hand as a shield instantly encased them.

"Compress it. Make the enclosed area smaller in order to strengthen the defense."

"But how about you, Brother?"

Regis only smiled at her as he stepped outside the barrier, "Don't worry about me."

"I only made you cast the barrier for protection in case some of the fireballs got past me… Though I doubt that will be possible."

Seeing his small stature against the rain of flames that wanted to burn him to death, Pandora felt something stir within her heart.

"Let's do this!"

Regis shouted as the first ball of flame arrived in front of him.

A red dot immediately manifested at its center which was followed by a slash of his sword, all done in one smooth motion.

Woosh— Woosh— Woosh— Woosh—

Fwoo— Fwoo— Fwoo— Fwoo—

The sounds of fireballs cutting through the air and the sound of his swords turning them into wisps of flickering flames intertwined.

Regis repeated the act of casting his Weakpoint Creation followed by a swing of one of his swords.

His actions demonstrated perfect accuracy, as if he was a machine.

'Shit!'

Nevertheless, there were still some fireballs that grazed him.

Though it was beneficial for him since he could use his Perfect Adaptation, it would be bad if too much landed on Pandora's barrier behind him.

Therefore, Regis bit his lips as he tried to move past the limits of his body.

Since he knew of the gap between him and the Count, he didn't hesitate to use all his aura to keep up.

Now, he was trying to go beyond that.

"Faster… Faster… I just need to be a little faster…"

He continuously muttered as he seemed to enter a trance, his mind reaching the peak of concentration.

Pandora's ruby-red eyes shone as a thought surfaced in her mind, 'Beautiful… just like a dance…'

The way he moved his body was smooth with no unnecessary movements, reminding her of a dance that she saw back in Toran City.

At this moment, unbeknownst to the two of them, Killian's eyes suddenly moved.

It took a few seconds before he was able to open them slightly, only enough to see a glimpse of Regis's actions.

However, shock could be seen in his eyes.

'W-What…!?'

The state that Regis was in was all too familiar to him.

After all, he also experienced this state back when his aura first manifested the attributes of lightning.

'His aura is awakening an affinity…!!'