Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

[OP: ]

-Boooooooom!

The Naga's attack was just too sudden.

If it wasn't for the protective barrier he had cast around both of them earlier, both of them would have been seriously injured by that simple punch.

"Ughhh!"

They weren't hurt badly, but Eon, who was away from Rein casting the powerful spell to take down the creature of (Purple) rank, was thrown all the way back into a wall.

Also, at the same time, Rein was thrown down to the ground by another punch of the Naga that came out of nowhere.

"Akhum!" Eon coughed a mouthful of blood, but instantly regained his stance and used his skill to close his distance from Rein.

He then used his Protective skill, {Queen's castle}, that created a protective barrier resembling a small castle around the two and, blocked the very next attack from the Naga.

[{ "You alright?" }]

Both attacks from the Naga were powerful, but the two were not hurt badly thanks to the spells that he had cast on them, as well as because of the effects of their artifacts.

Rein had also blocked the impact of the attack with her Nept in the last moment so she was able to redirect a lot of impact.

[{ "This is crazy…" }]

The Naga had stopped attacking when he felt the effects of the skill that Eon employed.

He knew it was a deflective power that would accumulate all the attacks that he dealt to it and then get stronger with each one of them.

It was an absurd skill, but it was also simple and had limitations.

[{ "That bastard…" }]

The Naga knew he could not break the shield so he simply waited, and smirked at the two of them who could only use this skill one or two times from his guess.

[{ "This is not going to be easy, yes." }]

Eon had just used one of the only three uses he had for a skill that he could only use three times a month.

It was a territorial skill, but since he was not yet strong enough to use the complete invincibility of the skill, he was limited to only three uses.

He could usually use the skill more than three times, but due to the unique resource consumption of the skill, and the way it used up the energy inside of him, he knew he would not be able to use this skill more than three times during this fight.

[{ "The Naga is threatening, but we cannot ignore the rest of them." }]

There were many more creatures present there that could very well kill both of them while they were fighting against this one.

They knew the risk of having their attention divided, and they did not want to make the same kind of mistake that they had made many times during their practice matches against stronger opponents like the headmaster or their grandparents.

They knew how dealing with the stronger one was a priority only in the matches where one was fighting only that one strong entity.

In situations like theirs where they have to go against multitudes of beings, they could not avoid getting distracted.

[{ "Alright listen." }]

Eon could not maintain the skill for too long, and he knew just like them, the rest of the creatures out there were also preparing to get them.

They were going to be fighting them, and there was no way out of this anymore…

[{ "Alright?" }]

He told her about what they were going to do.

[{ "You're crazy." }]

And she found that plan absurd.

[{ "Welp…" }]

But she did not think of it as an impossibility.

If he had come up with it, she had complete faith in it.

[{ "Let's do that then." }]

What could be the worst thing that could happen to them? They would die? Nah.

She knew they were not going to die not because this was some kind of a trial that the snake with the green eyes was conducting but because she knew if it comes down to their survival, he would use things that he had swore not to use until the Right time arrives, and get them out of the situation even if he had to destroy the entire dungeon.

So, she knew their lives were not at stake here, hopefully.

[{ "Alright…" }]

She knew this was going to be very difficult, but they can do it.

They had a plan.

-Ooooooooooong!

Eon took out Gwen, his divine artifact harp that he had used during the war of Lakmer, as well as called out K, the artificial being that was able to play this Artifact with Ego.

"K, Security Protocol Override. Emergency (Level-1). Auto assist initiate."

{ "Command received." }

-Oooooooooooong!

The eyes of the giant, multi-handed mantis changed into a deep static blue. The arms also curved up and wrapped themselves all around the harp.

Then, Eon put back the magic bow that was almost on the verge of destruction and kept only Asta in his hands.

"Celes."

[{ "I am here, master." }]

He knew he was going to need everything that he had for this, so he even called out Celes, and asked Lucy for her help.

[{ *Please, be careful, master.* }]

This was not a battle that they could win in the first place so they were going to try and do as much as they could in order to make this as close to a victory as they could with their current powers.

The goal here was not to defeat a being that was on the same level as their grandparents but to show the one testing them what they had in store.

This was not a duel, but even though their lives were not at risk right now, they were not any less prone to fatal injuries as they would have been on an actual battlefield.

[{ "We shall start then." }]

The skill was lifted.

[{ "Khekhekhekhe. Ptsssss~. Now, shall we start again~?" }]

The Naga was pleased to see the prepared Duo.

The new flames in their eyes were the same as the flames that a knight prepared to die on a battlefield for his Values might have.

"Yeah. Let's play, mister snake."

But, that was not all to them this time.

-Ooooooooooooong!

[{ "...?" }]

< "Origin Release." >

A wave of dark energy surged forth from Rein, a force so potent that it seemed to ripple through the very fabric of reality.

-Zaaaaaa…!

As the eyes of those around her widened in awe and trepidation, shadows began to coalesce in the air, swirling and gathering around her like a tempest of night. The ambient light present in the vast room, once vibrant and cold, dimmed significantly, as if the world itself was retreating from the encroaching darkness.

-OOOOOOOONG!

Mana, the lifeblood of magic that usually flowed freely in the room, became overwhelmed by this strange and oppressive darkness. It was unlike any energy they had encountered before… it was thick and suffocating, yet oddly mesmerising.

"I, Maiden of Durk, command the night, the darkness, and the Brightest last light of Dusk…" Her voice rang out clear and resolute, echoing with an authority that demanded attention.

As she spoke, the darkness that enveloped her began to take form, coalescing into a magnificent suit of armour that shimmered with an otherworldly allure.

Each piece seemed to be crafted from shadows themselves, fitting seamlessly over her body as if it were a second skin.

"As the rightful master of this power…" she continued, her words imbued with an undeniable strength.

The Drop of Nir, Nept— her ethereal weapon- also transformed before their eyes.

What was once a formless entity lost its colourless appearance and was engulfed by the enigmatic darkness surrounding her.

-Zyup!

This shadowy fabric shimmered like the finest metalwork under starlight, creating an illusion of both weightlessness and strength.

"Help me take down the opponent in my path." With those words, a crown of darkness settled upon her forehead, completing her transformation into a battle maiden draped in the armour of night.

In the centre of the crown was a jewel of the finest and brightest light, a source of light that now overwhelmed the surroundings.

Stars twinkled within this shroud of darkness, each one a brilliant jewel against the black canvas of her crown: a testament to her power.

[{ "Oho?" }]

A murmur rippled through the onlookers as they witnessed this extraordinary spectacle.

Yet, Rein knew that this power came at a great cost; it drained her energy significantly, compelling her to reserve it for moments of dire necessity when all other options had been exhausted.

"Come, you snake bastard." Her voice was steady now, laced with determination and defiance.

She had not been able to wield this formidable power in Lakemr; she had been denied its use in Kaksha; and when Hiraani was besieged by those wretched thieves, it had remained dormant within her.

But today was different. Today she stood on the precipice of battle, with no choice but to unleash this formidable force…

[{ "It's not everyday that you see a sight like this." }]

The Naga though, was not fazed by this appearance of her one bit.

The creature, in fact, was now more excited than ever before.

[{ "Well…" }]

He did not have any weapons in his hands until now, but after seeing this transformation, he did not have any choice but to summon two curved blades in his hand resembling the crescent moon.

They were sharp, so much so that when he moved the blade of both the weapons against one another, sparks flew out of them.

[{ "This is better." }]

A lustful, excited expression was present on the face of the Naga warrior.

And similarly…

"Start, K."

An anticipating smile was present on the closed lips of the one who stood between the divine harp: the course of light, as well as the maiden of darkness: the companion of all matter.