Deadlock

'There have been countermeasures prepared a long time ago in case the shield breaks.' 

There just wasn't any room to use it in the port. 

The attack unleashed by the bandit-like man was not just enough to break the shield, but was enough to bury Leo in the ground. 

It was more urgent to get out of that place than to rotate the shield. 

Eventually, the mount, having failed to penetrate Leo's shield, quickly identified a retreat route and moved. 

Only then did Leo finally see what weapon Mount was holding. 

It is not a blade, but an elongated awl resembling a drill. 

A bright blue magical light was leaking out from between the slowly rotating blades. 

Woohoo..!! 

Was it possible to break through the shield in an instant with a weapon that focused on penetrative power like that? 

It was also clear that Mount's skill in handling such a unique weapon was formidable. 

But after the failure of the first surprise attack, I have no intention of giving a second chance. 

"… … . Tsk." 

Leo swung his magic low, looking at Mount, who was reluctantly retreating while licking his lips. 

Tsk tsk tsk...!! 

In an instant, the ground you were standing on freezes, creating a pure white sheet of ice, and blue, lightning-like waves begin to crash over it. 

The three foxes that jumped out of Leo's hand resonated violently, narrowing Mount's radius of action with a net of lightning, and Leo's auxiliary magic with his revolver filled the gap. 

Tata tata tang!! 

Although it is difficult to say that firearms have much significance against superhumans, it is a different story if you stack auxiliary magic with each shot to accumulate damage. 

Blood spurts from Mount's thigh, dulled by being struck by a lightning net on the slippery ice. 

The moment when a crack appeared in his normally calm expression. 

Kwaaaaang!! 

A pure white object appeared out of thin air, shattering the ice that Leo had created and landing on the ground. 

Leo, who was gathering his magic power to respond immediately, stopped moving when he saw that sight. 

Because the appearance of the pure white object Trisha was riding was so bizarre that it was difficult to look at. 

Something that looks like a deer, but has no skin at all, only bones, and makes a rattling sound. 

Trisha, riding on what seemed like a creature that could hardly be called a living thing, looked down at Leo and exuded a murderous magic. 

"If you ask for the blueprint, do you think it's something that just pops out of your pocket? Damn, let's just do it until someone loses it!!" 

The ten or so threads spread from her two hands and clung to the skeletal body of the deer, and the deer immediately began to run towards Leo. 

Doo doo doo doo!! 

Not only is the speed extraordinary, but the weight that can be felt from a distance is also extraordinary. 

Although it was smaller than the old car from earlier, the approaching force was even greater. 

Leo had no intention of just sitting back and watching. 

Pull out [Gravity Bind], place it on the deer's front paw, and pull it. 

Phew!! 

As expected, the deer itself is very heavy, so as soon as it is tied to the whip by gravity, its movements become noticeably slower. 

Trisha seemed to grit her teeth, as if she hadn't expected her movements to be hindered by a single spell, but the situation didn't change. 

One can feel the deer's struggle as it rushes forward, digging the ground and trying to pounce on Leo. 

Leo had some idea why Trisha was being so brash. 

Since manipulation magic generally requires extremely sophisticated techniques, there are cases where the magic is interrupted even if the external environment changes slightly. 

Trisha now intends to end the fight by pressing Leo head-on, thus completely cutting off his magic. 

But that's a tactic that can only be established under the premise that Leo is a manipulation type magician like her. 

And vice versa, it was a formula that could be applied to Trisha herself in any case. 

If it has come this far, there is no need to watch it any longer. 

She extends her magical power as if she were taking control of space, and grabs and twists all the magical powers that Trisha extends. 

Magic interference used against wizards. 

Wood crunch!! 

As expected, it was not difficult for a magician to interfere with the revealed manipulation series that directly affected the implementation of magic while requiring delicate control abilities. 

Boom boom boom!! 

The figure of a pure white bone deer crumbles like a doll that has lost its joints as the manipulation magic wears off. 

Even the sight of Trisha glaring in disbelief amidst countless crumbling bone fragments. 

From the moment you lose your mobility, combat is no longer possible. 

Leo, who had raised his magical power and injected three electric shocks, swung his five fingers fiercely. 

The magician who sparkles between the knuckles of the fingers, sparkling through the night air, 

At the same time, Trisha's car, which had been pushed out by the first collision, came running with its headlights flashing and hit its owner, who fell to the ground. 

Kwaaaaang!! 

"Ugh…!!" 

Although she let out a groan of pain, Trisha's complexion looked fine even after allowing the body of a car weighing well over a ton to crash. 

The moment the bone deer collapsed, he used manipulation magic to instantly transform the bone fragments into a giant bone shield, cushioning the impact. 

Leo's eyebrows twitched as he confirmed the swift yet delicate magic manipulation ability. 

This is the first time that a follow-up attack has not succeeded even after using magic interference. 

This is proof that Trisha has excellent magical power control and situational coping skills. 

Leo, who had raised his alertness to the maximum, immediately took out the revolver from his waistband and pulled the trigger. 

[Aiming Correction] [Fire Acceleration] [Enhanced Rapid Fire] 

Tata tata tang!! 

Six bullets fired in an instant, emptying the revolver's magazine. 

However, in the meantime, Mount, who had quickly run in and blocked Trisha's path, blocks half of the attacks, and the other half hides behind the bone shield that has lost its strength and collapses, evading. 

"… … … ." 

You can tell just by watching that perfect breathing. 

Skilled people. They are veterans, which is hard to find among freelancers. 

He opened the cylinder and slowly loaded the bullets while staring at his opponent. 

The two men, realizing that Leo was no ordinary wizard, were also looking at him with sharp eyes. 

"Tricia, focus." 

"I'm breathing slowly," Mount said. 

"That thing is a monster." 

"Fuck… I know." 

Trisha wiped the cold sweat running down her forehead and spoke in a trembling voice. 

"You must kill me here, no matter what. You can't escape twice." 

"...okay." 

Mount answers briefly and slowly steps forward. 

Trisha, who had spread her magic widely, naturally began to assemble the broken bone fragments behind him to create something. 

Woohoo!!! 

In response, Leo slowly turned his magic power again. 

'… … It reminds me of when I was at a pharmaceutical company.' 

2 vs 1 against the vanguard and rearguard forces. 

The positions are the same, but the difference in level between the opponents is clear. 

But Leo's head was still spinning coldly. 

'I've used Magic Interference once, so I won't be able to use it easily the second time. But it's not like there's no way.' 

His magical power spreads out widely, quickly scanning all directions, and finding the most effective and lethal tactic in the current situation. 

'Kill one, capture one. Timing is everything.' 

As soon as the thought is finished, the two people move first. 

As Mount charged forward, Trisha's hands began to move busily around. 

In an instant, a giant bone spear rose from behind her and shot towards Leo. 

Wood crunch!! 

Before Leo could react, it spread out in all directions like an umbrella, pinning his body to the ground and forming a bone cage, restricting his movements. 

And as the magical power of the mount that had set its target precisely began to vigorously shake, the sharp blade he held began to spin madly. 

Madame 

Wheeeeeeeeing…!!! 

Mount's upper body, holding the blade in reverse, tilts back sharply. 

The bent upper body bounced up powerfully like a spring, and a blue beam of light shot out from the end of the swung arm, leaving behind only an afterimage, and raced towards Leo. 

Wheeeeeeeek!! 

And Leo, who had been reading the timing precisely with his magic sense, immediately slammed his magic power down onto his feet. 

[Upper Ground] 

The ground that Leo was standing on suddenly rose straight up. 

Kugugugugu!!! 

Mount's javelin, fired with all his might, cuts through the air in vain, and the bone prison that Trisha had delicately manipulated loses its support and collapses. 

Leo, who had destroyed the two people's plans with a single spell, continued to increase his magical power. 

Hold it in your hand. 

A powerful image becomes an intangible will and changes into a light that brightens the night sky. 

A bright blue lightning struck, shattering the moment. 

[Thunder Calling] 

Kwaaaaang!!! 

Trisha couldn't avoid it. 

The destructive power, visibility, and attention are all powerful enough to take a person's soul. 

However, it is a firepower magic that is easy to lose if used incorrectly, as it has some foreshadowing right before casting and forcibly grabs attention. 

That is why Leo has always wielded this magic with precision, knowing exactly when to use it. 

To bring a definitive end to a battle that has already ended. 

Or a split second that determines victory in a fierce battle. 

It's a one-shot to grab attention right now. 

Phage, phage, phage!! 

"Ughhhhhhhhhh!!!" 

Mount, who had been looking up at Leo from afar, suddenly began to tremble and scream in pain. 

He, who had never suffered much damage even from the electric net using three electric foxes, fell to the ground and began to tremble like an electrocuted animal without even being touched by Leo's magic. 

A very faint strand of magic was stuck to his neck, and it was emitting the [Volt] magic that Leo was sending out with its original firepower. 

By turning his gaze to [Thunder Calling], he succeeded in subduing the mount by casting a bolt on a single strand of magic power pulled out by Leo. 

"Eww…!!! This, dog…!! Eww!!" 

Only then did Mount notice the magician attached to his body and struggle, but Leo instead pulled out a shock spell and struck the back of his head. 

Kwaaaaang!! 

Only after seeing Mount foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes did Leo slowly begin to control the magical power he was spewing out in all directions. 

"Phew… ." 

He slowly approaches the fallen Mount, flips him over with his feet, and rummages through his arms. 

A few crumpled bills. A few consumable artifacts that seem useful in various situations. A small dagger and a sleek pistol. 

It's a setup that a freelancer might carry around, but isn't particularly unusual. 

I emptied my pockets and even my shoes, but all I found was a strange bottle of nutritional supplements. 

"… Did I get it wrong?" 

I thought it would be on the mount side if the blueprints were hidden, since the wizard seemed to be stepping forward, leaving the vanguard behind, but it seems I over-estimated it. 

I was half-confident in that, so I deliberately tried not to use excessive magic on Mount… .. Was my sincerity in vain? 

Since it has come to this, I have no choice but to ask Trisha, who has Thunder Calling installed. 

Luckily, Trisha somehow survived the lightning strike that Leo dropped. 

As soon as the signs of a lightning strike were confirmed, the steel bars lying on the ground were dismantled to create a lightning rod in the air, dispersing the destructive power of the lightning. 

Of course, if Leo had not let go of control to capture Mount, she would have been reduced to ashes along with the lightning rod, but it was true that her improvisation was effective in the end. 

Although I was unable to die and ended up living, I was still able to avoid death. 

"Coolook…!!" 

Although it is a mixed-blood, its firepower is strong enough to melt a werewolf's head with a single attack. 

No matter how much you disperse the power by making lightning rods, even if you weaken it in that way, it is impossible to come out alive. 

As if to clearly show that fact, Trisha's whole body was a mess.