Kai’s spell repertoire was vast. Fire and wind—his primary elements—were his domain, and he had mastered most spells up to the fifth circle, with knowledge that stretched even beyond that. He prided himself on being an all-around Mage, capable of adapting to any situation. But raw power wasn’t everything.

Most spells at his level required a certain level of precision. They demanded either direct contact or careful aim, both of which were nearly impossible against an opponent like Shakran. The blood drinker flickered in and out of existence, vanishing mid-motion and reappearing from unpredictable angles. It wasn’t as if Kai lacked counters, but the ones he had were costly. Spells layered with countermeasures drained mana at an alarming rate, and he couldn’t afford to waste resources on something that might not work.

Not that he had time to consider his options.

A whisper of displaced air. A shift in the ambient mana.

Kai turned—too late.

Shakran materialized inches from him, his crimson-stained blade arcing toward Kai’s throat, aiming for a decisive end.

But this time, he was ready.

The moment Shakran reappeared, the spell structure that he already made, flared to life. A swirling maelstrom of fire erupted all around him, roaring into existence with a force that warped the air. Not just a simple flame spell—this was fire given form, an inferno crafted into a storm, equal parts shield and weapon.

Shakran’s blade never met flesh. Instead, his robes caught fire instantly, blackened and curling from the heat. He let out a sharp, unearthly scream as the flames devoured fabric and flesh alike.

But in that same instant, Kai saw it.

Blood, moving like a living thing, slithered from Shakran’s body, stretching out to shield him. A defensive instinct, not unlike Kai’s own countermeasure, but darker, almost parasitic in nature. It was disgusting to say the least. The blood pulsed unnaturally, forming a protective shell that smothered the flames before they could do more damage.

Even so, Kai didn’t escape unscathed.

Pain lanced through his shoulder as Shakran’s blade, undeterred, slashed into him before the blood drinker vanished again.

Kai gritted his teeth, glancing down at the wound. A deep gash, but not enough to cripple him. He looked up, his gaze locking onto his opponent as Shakran reappeared several paces away.

The blood drinker’s cloak was in tatters, burned down to rags. Angry, blistered burns marred his arm and torso, the raw flesh beneath glistening in the firelight. But the bastard was still smiling.

Hovering over his twin blood-forged blades, he chuckled under his breath.

“Next time,” he murmured, voice like a promise, “it’ll be your neck.”

Then he moved.

The floating droplets of blood around him trembled before twisting into a new shape. The crimson liquid elongated, shifting with unnatural grace until it took the form of a massive, jagged-mouthed beast—a shark, its eyes glowing with hunger. With a silent command, Shakran sent the creature surging forward, its maw opening wide to devour Kai whole.

Kai reacted instantly, ice coiling around his fingers as he launched a barrage of frost-laced spears. They struck at his aim, freezing sections of the blood construct mid-motion, but the shark wasn’t like Shakran’s previous attacks. It resisted, its form shifting and reforming almost instantly.

This wasn’t a mere distraction.

This was a true third-circle spell, bordering on the fourth.

And it wasn’t just an attack—it was a hunt.

He braced himself, knowing that while he battled the shark, Shakran would be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Still, he couldn’t give up. He moved slowly, channeling a surge of mana into an ice barrier that rapidly encased the shark. The cold, crystalline wall shimmered into existence, a temporary prison meant to slow his foe. Before the barrier could fully form, Kai unleashed a gust of wind, aiming to shatter the construct and scatter the fragments of blood that clung to Shakran’s essence.

But then, a subtle movement—like a hush in the wind—alerted him. Spinning around, Kai barely intercepted an attack aimed at his back. He sidestepped, the near miss sending sparks of adrenaline through him, and retaliated with a blazing fire spell.

The searing magic struck Shakran squarely in the face, igniting his features. A shriek erupted from him as he staggered backward, his eyes wide with a mix of fury and disbelief. In that moment of vulnerability, his form wavered and then dissolved into thin air.

Kai’s instincts told him that the next assault would come with even greater ferocity. He paused only for a heartbeat to gather his strength, casting spells in both hands as he stood poised. Suddenly, a ripple of movement below him signaled Shakran’s return.

Before Kai could fully react, Shakran materialized mere inches away, his blade aimed at Kai’s exposed stomach.

Reacting on instinct, Kai unleashed a massive circle of fire, “Astrum Langotra!”.

The cascade of fire engulfed Shakran like a warm hug—maybe a little too warm. The heat seared through flesh and blood, forcing him to recoil as the inferno consumed his very essence.

Seizing the moment, Kai darted backward, putting enough distance between them.

Yet the battle was far from over.

These burnt, sizzling pain meant nothing. He knew his opponent would just recover with time.

With a swift motion, Kai modified the spell structure in his left hand, expanding its reach before unleashing it. A freezing beam of light burst forth, striking Shakran’s chest right on the left side. The impact was immediate—Shakran’s form stiffened as layers of ice coalesced around him. Locked in a frigid prison from neck to legs, he struggled futilely, his movements growing ever more labored as the ice held him captive.

Aware that such a hold could not last indefinitely, Kai began to cast another spell—a risky fourth-circle incantation that would leave him just enough mana to retreat if the gambit faltered.

As the threads of mana wove into an intricate pattern around his outstretched hand, Shakran’s voice cut through the tense air.

“How do you know where I was going to attack from? You didn’t know it before,” Shakran taunted, his voice filled with incredulity even as he strained against his icy bonds.

Kai’s lips curled into a wry smile as he replied coolly, “I don’t have to tell you.” With that, he murmured the incantation.

“Infernal Astrum Veins Pyros!”

In the split second that followed, Shakran shattered free of the ice construct—only to be met by Kai’s next assault. From the palm of his other hand, a single orb of flame materialized.

It pulsed with an inner fire as it hurtled toward Shakran, a burning promise of retribution aimed to end the blood drinker’s relentless, annoying onslaught.

Shakran twisted mid-air, trying to retreat, but the orb of flame grazed his arm. The fire clung to him, licking up his sleeve and charring his skin. He gritted his teeth, then exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

“That was your ultimate spell?” His voice carried the slightest hint of disappointment, a smirk tugging at his burnt lips. “I didn’t even feel anything by this point. Especially with such a weak attack.”

Kai smiled. A slow, knowing grin. “You’re an idiot.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Shakran’s expression flickered. A shift, almost imperceptible at first, like a disturbance in still water. Then—

He inhaled sharply, his body stiffening. His hands twitched. His breathing turned ragged. And then, in front of Kai’s eyes, the impossible happened.

His blood began to boil.

Not metaphorically. Not in rage or exertion. Physically.

Steam curled from his skin. His veins pulsed and bulged unnaturally as if something inside him fought to escape. His eyes, wide with realization, filled with red. Not just bloodshot—but literally bleeding. Crimson streaks leaked from the corners, rolling down his cheeks like molten tears. He staggered.

“What… did you do?” His voice was hoarse, raw with something more than pain—dread.

Kai looked at him emotionlessly. “It’s a banned spell. A taboo in the fire spell directory. Just because of how gruesomely it kills.” He exhaled, watching.

“It’s called [Infernal Veins].”

Shakran’s body convulsed. His hands trembled as he tried to grip something—anything—but his fingers no longer obeyed him. His arms ignited from the inside out, burning like paper catching fire at the edges. His flesh darkened and cracked, glowing ember-red beneath the surface.

“Your blood will burn from within,” Kai continued, looking at him carefully. “Breaking you down. Until there’s nothing left but a puddle of molten blood.”

Shakran screamed.

It wasn’t the sound of a warrior in pain. It wasn’t the cry of someone resisting death. A horrifying sound to ears. His body twisted in agony as the spell took full effect. His legs buckled, the flesh melting and sloughing off his bones. Blood dripped in thick, bubbling globs, eating away at what remained of him.

Kai stood still, watching. He had seen death in many forms, but this… this was something different. Even for him.

Then—

A jolt ran through him.

A warning bell—no, an entire chorus of them—screamed in his mind. His instincts, honed through countless battles, flared to life, screaming at him.

Something was wrong.

This should have been over. He should have won. But he hadn’t.

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the remnants of Shakran’s disintegrating form. And then—he saw it.

In the mess of melted flesh and searing blood, something moved.

A squirming, writhing mass. It pulsed, nestled where Shakran’s heart should have been, covered by layers of half-melted tissue.

Recognition struck Kai like a bolt of ice. A parasite.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Just like the one that had turned Vermorga.

His stomach turned. Was it the same one? Or another? He didn’t know. He didn’t care. Because the battle wasn’t over. The parasite twitched, then sprang to life, latching onto the melting remnants of Shakran’s body.

And in that instant, Kai understood.

This wasn’t just a man he had been fighting.

It was something far, far worse.

And it was still alive.

Kai gasped as he propelled himself through the air, the wind whipping against his face. Below him, Shakran’s form had completely transformed. Patches of dead mana spread across his body like a creeping disease, turning his skin a sickly, charred black. Even the blood that had coated him shifted—morphing into something darker, something unnatural.

If Shakran had been terrifying before, now he looked like something pulled from a nightmarish legend. A beast spoken once and never again just because how terrifying it looked, the kind that children were warned about—but no one truly believed existed.

Then—

A gust of unnatural wind erupted from his back.

“I WILL KILL YOU!” Shakran yelled, his voice guttural and inhuman. His maw twisted into a grotesque sneer, fangs bared. “I WILL EAT EVERY SINGLE BIT OF YOUR FLESH!”

Kai had no time to react. The blood drinker charged, his movements blurring into a streak of black and crimson.

Too fast!

Kai forced his body to move, barely escaping Shakran’s grasp. A clawed hand grazed his side, close enough that he felt the unnatural chill of dead mana seeping from his opponent’s skin.

I need to get higher—!

He gritted his teeth, twisting mid-air. A burst of wind magic surged around his legs, propelling him skyward just in time. The momentum sent him soaring, his body cutting through the night air like an arrow.

His Mana heart throbbed painfully. He had barely enough mana left to keep flying for a few minutes, and that was if he didn’t waste any more on attacks.

A bone-chilling screech shattered the air.

Kai glanced down.

Shakran stood below, his monstrous form quivering with raw, unstable energy. The parasite had latched onto him completely now, pumping so much dead mana into him that it was a miracle his body hadn’t already collapsed under the strain.

But unlike Actra, who had lost himself to corruption, Shakran was different.

His body could handle it.

Which meant Kai couldn’t wait for him to rot from the inside out.

Shakran moved.

Blood erupted from his fingertips, turning into jagged tendrils that shot toward Kai like a volley of lances.

Kai dodged, twisting in the air, his mana straining to keep him aloft. The crimson spikes barely missed him, but as they struck the ground below, explosions rocked the battlefield.

Craters formed on impact.

Kai’s heart pounded.

If even one of those hits me… I’m dead.

Gritting his teeth, he forced more mana into his wind spells, squeezing every last drop from his Mana heart. His speed increased—just barely—but it still wasn’t enough.

No matter how fast he moved, Shakran kept up.

Kai knew something had changed. Shakran’s movements felt sharper now, the parasite—whatever it was, had enhanced his instincts along with his strength.

Kai swore under his breath.

He was running out of options.

He looked around. A gorge loomed ahead, a yawning maw carved into the mountainside. Kai surged forward, his breath ragged, mana flickering weakly in his core. Behind him, Shakran’s voice echoed like a curse on the wind.

“You won’t escape! I’ll tear this place apart!”

A crimson arrow shrieked past Kai’s ear, embedding itself into the rock face with an explosive burst. Stone splintered, debris raining down as the gorge trembled from the impact. He twisted midair, dodging another projectile, the scent of corrupted mana thick in his lungs.

The narrow canyon walls shielded him, giving him cover as he weaved through the tight space. But Shakran followed.

More arrows streaked toward him. Kai gritted his teeth, body sluggish, every wingbeat of wind magic costing him more than he could afford.

Then, pain erupted as one of the arrows grazed him by.

The sharp, searing burn of flesh filled him. A sickening crunch. His body lurched mid-flight, his left shoulder jerking back as something tore through it. Blood spattered against the rock.

His control wavered. “Fuck!!” He barely caught himself, and forced his body forward, deeper into a cave in the gorge.

As soon as his feet hit the floor, his breath came shallow, barely making it out of his lungs. His body screamed in protest as he pressed his back against the cool stone wall of the cave. His shoulder throbbed where the blood arrow had struck him, dark mana seeping into his wound like poison.

With shaky fingers, he fumbled for a potion, biting back a wince as he forced the bitter liquid down his throat.

Soon, he felt the pain dull, but only slightly.

He knew that his body was still on the verge of collapse.

And then—

A suffocating wave of power crashed against his senses, making the very air in the cave feel heavy.

Shakran landed at the entrance, his monstrous form fully lit up by the moonlight filtering in from outside. Up close, he looked even worse—his flesh was peeling away in places, revealing something grotesque underneath. His veins pulsed with an eerie, dark glow, patches of dead mana crawling across his skin like a living infection.

But what caught Kai’s attention the most was the thing embedded in his chest—the pulsating mass of writhing tendrils, thick with pitch-black ichor.

The parasite.

Shakran’s lips twisted into a bloodthirsty grin as he took slow steps toward Kai. He darted his tongue out in amusement.

“You were a hard prey to catch. I’ll give you that.” His eyes gleamed with something wicked. “You even managed to destroy my body. If not for a precious gift I hid in my heart, you would have won.”

Kai’s jaw clenched, fingers twitching as he considered his next move.

Shakran chuckled darkly. “Fortunately, Mistress Regina made sure I always have ways to come back from death.”

Kai scoffed, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Gifts from people like Regina don’t come without burden. You are just a servant of Maleficia.” His voice dripped with mockery.

Shakran’s eyes flickered with something—surprise, then amusement. He inclined his head. “I’m impressed. You know the name.” He took a slow step forward, his presence pressing like a stormfront. “Then you should understand the honor of dying by the hands of a follower of the great Malefic. Perhaps in your next life, you will serve him as well.” His grin widened, revealing the dripping blood. “Consider yourself lucky. I won’t make this painful. I have no time to waste—I must return to Mistress Regina.”

Kai let out a breathy chuckle. “I don’t think you’ll be doing that.”

Shakran stilled. His gaze narrowed, scanning Kai’s exhausted frame. “Bold words. And who exactly is going to stop me? You?” He tilted his head, mockery lacing his tone. “You can barely stand. Your mana is gone. You—”

Kai’s smile didn’t waver. “I know.” His fingers curled at his side, hidden in the dim light. “That’s why I made preparations.”

Shakran’s smirk faltered, just for a moment. His eyes flicked to Kai’s hands—too late.

With a sharp flick, Kai swung his arm forward, sending a spray of his own blood splattering against the ground between them.

A golden flare erupted beneath Shakran’s feet. the blood-soaked earth igniting in a burst of golden light.

Arcane symbols spiralled outward, carving themselves into the stone with an eerie hum. The ritual circle snapped to life, its glow searing against the darkness.

Kai soon started chanting the incantation for the ritual to activate.

Shakran lunged back, instincts flaring—too late. From the burning sigils, golden ropes shot upward like striking vipers. They coiled around his legs, his arms, his torso, yanking him down with a force that cracked the stone beneath him. He snarled, struggling, but the bindings only tightened, shimmering with divine energy.

A low chuckle echoed through the cave. “You thought well, kid.”

Shakran’s head snapped to the side just as a figure stepped from the shadows—a squat, broad-shouldered dwarf with his arms crossed, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Tharnok.

Then another voice, this one a tone deeper came out as a minotaur revealed himself, Balen. “Lord Arzan always has his plans.”

Shakran’s eyes widened, but not at them. His gaze locked onto what they held—massive, gleaming contraptions humming with raw power. Mana cannons. Two of them.

Kai exhaled weakly. “Fire.”

The world exploded into white.

***

A/N – You can read 30 chapters (15 Magus Reborn and 15 Dao of money) on my patreon. Annual subscription is now on too. Also, pre orders for Volume 1 are live.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep