Magic power concentrated further in the raised arms.
Borrowing power from the Earth elemental spirits, the greater magic power was amplified.
“Take this, the strongest magic of the Earth attribute!”
“Interesting! Then I shall respond with the strongest Wind attribute magic that even felled a Minotaur!”
Barnabas thrust out his still-functional right arm towards Jared, amplifying his magic power.
Without any thought of holding back, Barnabas roared, his sole objective being to kill the enemy before him.
Around him, one could see not only the surging magic power but also wind spirits being forcibly pulled towards it.
Unlike their relationship with Jared and the Earth spirits, their bond was not one of cooperation but of sad dominance through sheer force, and it pained his heart.
Many magicians cannot see or hear the spirits, nor can they interfere with them. Modern magicians are those arrogant individuals who believe they can wield magic simply by possessing magic power, disregarding the spirits. He didn’t want to lose to such magicians.
His magic power surged, but his stamina was at its limit. He could fight by relying on the overflowing magic power, but if he unleashed this experimental magic, he would likely be unable to even stand.
However, if it meant defeating Barnabas, then it was acceptable.
He would win, and then he would return to those he held dear.
With all his might, he swung his arms down.
“—Wail of the Earth Dragon.”
The amplified magic power and the Earth spirits were unleashed together.
The magic power twirled, petrifying everything as it rushed towards Barnabas.
“Receive it—Frenzied Gale Inferno!”
What Barnabas unleashed was a swarm of wind blades, each clad in flames, numbering well over a hundred.
The wind blades were not fired directly but attacked Jared from all directions—from above and from behind.
Wind blades wreathed in flames slashed at his back, legs, shoulders, and arms, sending crimson blood splattering.
“Uooooooooooooooooooh!”
Enduring the pain, he focused all his concentration on the unleashed vortex of magic power.
He resigned himself to the attack from behind, which had rendered him completely defenseless. He would accept it. It was enough as long as Barnabas was defeated.
Seeing Jared spraying blood, Barnabas smiled.
At the same time, he knew that the opponent would be faster if they unleashed their magic simultaneously. His miscalculation was that Barnabas, who should have been a wind attribute magician, manipulated fire. However, that was not a significant problem.
The attack from behind was likely intended to immobilize him. Indeed, the remaining wind blades were coming from the front.
However, he was confident that those attacks would never reach him.
“I win! Be devoured by fire and wind!”
Barnabas, certain of his victory, shouted with a distorted smile. But his smile froze.
“Wh-, what?”
Barnabas, uttering a brief question, saw the wind blades that should have reached Jared turn to stone and fall to the ground.
Everything caught in the vortex of magic power was petrified, without exception, equally.
Barnabas’s instincts screamed a warning, and he instinctively created a wind wall. But even that wind wall was petrified and shattered with a clatter.
“Impossible…”
The vortex of magic power reached Barnabas, and his toes began to petrify with a clattering sound.
“This cannot be!”
Petrification reached his knees, and he could no longer move.
Barnabas, unable to escape, could not even think of running.
All his thoughts focused on his body turning to stone.
“Do you know what you have done! This is—Petrify Magic, lost hundreds of years ago!”
His lower body finished petrifying, and the petrification began to creep up to his abdomen.
If it reached his chest, his breathing would stop.
Even so, Barnabas showed no fear. Rather, his questions as a magician were far greater than any fear.
“Jared Murphy! How and where did a child like you learn this magic! With such power, why are you—”
“I have no obligation to answer you. Barnabas Kaif—you were a magnificent magician. However, the sin of straying from the path and killing innocent people is heavy.”
“Stop—”
“Petrify Magic is not about turning into stone. It is a magic that transforms and kills people into stone. There is no pain, but you will apologize to those whose lives you took, during the time from the beginning of petrification to its completion, with your consciousness unbroken.”
“Don’t mock me! I cannot die here! I felled a Minotaur! I must kill a Court Mage myself and become the new Court Mage to reclaim my glory!”
Even as the petrification reached his chest, Barnabas continued to shout.
Once unleashed, the Petrify Magic could not be stopped, not even by Jared.
As he slowly turned to stone, Barnabas spat and hurled curses.
The petrification spread, and even his arms turned to stone.
Now only his head remained, Barnabas’s eyes began to waver with despair.
He must have realized that resistance was futile. It was too late to resist. He should have dealt with the petrification before he could even vent his anger.
“I can’t, die, here… Please, help, me.”
“Goodbye, Barnabas Kaif.”
A tragic young man, a brilliant magician whose life was ruined, turned Avenger.
If Count Brauer had not set him up for his son, or if Adelina Bischof had possessed even a little courage to stand against nobles, he might have served and contributed to the country as a Court Mage.
However, there are no ‘what ifs’ in life.
He was a victim, but he indulged in being a victim and used it as a free pass for his wicked deeds.
He could have looked down on those around him or aimed to become a Court Mage again, but he simply chose the easy path of revenge.
He could understand the feelings. He could sympathize. However, he could never accept the fact that he killed unrelated people.
Barnabas’s body, completely petrified from head to toe, slowly tilted backward.
With a crash, his body hit the ground without anyone to stop it and shattered to pieces.
“Barnabas Kaif, I will not forget you. May you rest in peace after death.”
He heard that the afterlife is equal. Therefore, he hoped that Barnabas would forget all resentment and desire for revenge and find peace. He also wished for the souls of the victims Barnabas killed to find peace.
Jared looked at the shattered remains of Barnabas with sorrowful eyes and offered a brief silent prayer.
However, without opening his eyes, Jared also collapsed to the ground.
