Chapter 120: True Power Of Azure Spirit Lion’s Beast Essence

Brita stared at the majestic creature, her initial shock slowly giving way to a steely resolve. She regained her composure, her emerald eyes narrowing, focusing on Alaric.

’So he has a spiritual beast,’ she thought, a hint of disdain in her voice. ’Impressive, I’ll give him that. But a mere beast cannot stand against the power bestowed upon me by Lord Vortan.’

She clutched her staff tighter, the obsidian gem pulsing with dark energy. She was confident that her master’s gift would ultimately prevail.

“Very well, masked mage,” she said, her voice regaining its usual confident tone, though a slight tremor betrayed her inner unease.

“You’ve shown me your little pet. Now, allow me to show you the true power of the shadows.”

She raised her staff high above her head, the obsidian gem glowing intensely. She began to chant, her voice resonating with dark energy, the words echoing within the confines of the ’Silent Barrier’:

“From frozen tombs, where spirits wail,

Rise forth, shadows, pierce the veil.

Embrace the darkness, let chaos reign,

’Nightmare Descent’ bring forth the pain!”

Dark energy swirled around her staff, coalescing into a vortex of shadows that crackled with malevolent power.

Alaric watched her, a small smile playing on his lips beneath his mask. He could feel the power emanating from her staff, the dark energy swirling around her.

’She’s going all out,’ he thought, a hint of amusement in his voice. ’Good. I want to completely shatter her confidence. Let her unleash everything she has.’ He didn’t even bother to cast a spell. He simply stood there, allowing the attack to come.

The vortex of shadows erupted from Brita’s staff, hurtling towards Alaric like a swarm of demonic bats. The air crackled with dark energy, the very atmosphere within the ’Silent Barrier’ seeming to darken.

Alaric simply raised his hand, the azure light from the Azure Spirit Lion intensifying.

A wave of pure spiritual energy erupted from his palm, colliding with the incoming vortex of shadows. The dark energy dissipated like smoke in the wind, utterly obliterated by the sheer force of Alaric’s spiritual energy.

Brita’s eyes widened in disbelief. Her strongest spell, completely nullified with a single gesture? It was impossible!

’What… how?’ she thought, her mind reeling. She couldn’t comprehend the sheer power Alaric was displaying.

Undeterred, she pressed her attack, her voice rising in intensity as she began another chant:

“From frozen wastes, where blizzards roar,

Rise forth, ice, and evermore.

Envelop him now, in frozen might,

’Eternal Blizzard’ bring forth the night!”

The air temperature within the ’Silent Barrier’ plummeted, the very air freezing around them. A blizzard of ice and snow erupted from Brita’s staff, swirling towards Alaric like a raging storm.

Alaric simply exhaled, a stream of azure spiritual energy flowing from his lips. The blizzard dissipated before it even reached him, the icy winds turning into a gentle breeze.

Brita’s jaw dropped. She was starting to sweat, she was getting extremely nervous. ’This… this is insane!’ she thought. ’He’s not even using magic! He’s just… nullifying my spells with raw power!’ This was not going well for her. She had to do something.

She decided to unleash her most powerful creation yet, a spell that combined her ice magic with the dark energy from her staff.

She held the staff aloft, the obsidian gem glowing with an ominous light. She began to chant, her voice echoing within the ’Silent Barrier’, the words resonating with dark and icy power:

“From icy depths, where darkness sleeps,

Rise forth, dragon, from frozen deeps.

Embrace the shadows, with chilling might,

’Abyssal Ice Dragon’ claim the night!”

The dark energy from her staff coalesced, taking the form of a massive ice dragon.

The dragon’s scales were made of pure ice, its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, and its breath was a freezing blast of black magic energy.

It roared, a chilling sound that echoed within the ’Silent Barrier’, and lunged towards Alaric.

Alaric felt the tremendous power emanating from the ice dragon.

This was the first attack that he felt he needed to take seriously.

The Azure Spirit Lion roared in response, a powerful blast of azure spiritual energy erupting from its mouth.

The energy beam collided with the ice dragon, creating a massive explosion of ice and dark energy.

The ’Silent Barrier’ shimmered, but held firm, reinforced by the spiritual energy emanating from the Azure Spirit Lion.

As the smoke cleared, Brita saw that her ice dragon had been completely obliterated, not even a single ice shard remained.

Her eyes widened in horror.

She had unleashed her most powerful creation, and it had been destroyed with such ease!

Alaric looked at her, his expression unchanged. “Are you quite finished?” he asked, his voice laced with amusement. “Or do you have any more… party tricks?”

Brita, realizing that long-range attacks were useless against Alaric, decided to engage him in close combat, combining her staff techniques with her ice magic.

Brita lunged forward, her staff whirling in her hands with deadly precision. Her footwork was flawless, each step calculated to maintain balance and control as she closed the distance.

She was no amateur; Brita’s movements were fluid, unpredictable, her strikes aimed not at Alaric’s center but toward weak points—his joints, his blind spots, his balance. Her grip shifted seamlessly as she alternated between thrusts, sweeps, and overhead strikes, blending traditional staff techniques with bursts of ice magic to increase their lethality.

But Alaric saw through it all.

He sidestepped her initial thrust, the tip of her staff grazing past his ribs. His movements were effortless, almost casual, as if he were dancing to a rhythm only he could hear. When Brita transitioned into a sweeping arc aimed at his legs, Alaric simply leapt, the staff missing its mark by a hair’s breadth.

’She’s skilled,’ he thought, his sharp gaze tracking her every motion. ’Her form is almost flawless, and she’s not making any obvious tells.’

Brita pressed on, unrelenting. She shifted her grip and spun the staff in a reverse arc, aiming for his shoulder. Alaric raised his arm, intercepting the blow with his forearm. The impact reverberated through her hands, and she felt a jarring shock that ran all the way up to her shoulders.

’His strength… It’s monstrous,’ she thought, gritting her teeth as she tried to maintain control of her weapon.

Alaric twisted his body, his other hand snapping forward to grab the staff just below her grip. Before Brita could react, he yanked it with a sudden, brutal force, pulling her toward him. She stumbled slightly but recovered quickly, releasing the staff before he could use her own momentum against her.

Her hand shot out, palm glowing faintly as she conjured an ’Ice Spike.’ The sharp projectile formed instantly and shot toward Alaric at point-blank range.

Without hesitation, Alaric brought the staff up in a diagonal motion, deflecting the spike with a sharp crack. The shard of ice ricocheted off the staff and hurtled back toward Brita. Her reflexes saved her—she twisted her torso just in time, the projectile whizzing past her side and shattering against the wall behind her.

The exchange had lasted mere seconds, but her heart was already pounding. ’How is he this fast? This strong? I’ve fought stronger opponents before, but… this feels different.’

Alaric, meanwhile, tested the weight of her staff in his hands, spinning it once as if mocking her mastery over the weapon. Deciding he had no use for it, he let it fall to the ground, the sound of wood clattering against stone echoing faintly.

Brita clenched her fists, summoning magic to reinforce her body. She charged again, this time relying on close-quarters combat. Her fists and legs moved like weapons, each strike imbued with subtle bursts of ice magic that enhanced their speed and impact.

Her first strike was a feint—a high jab toward his head meant to distract him from the low kick aimed at his knee. Alaric, however, saw through the deception. He leaned back to avoid the jab, then shifted his weight to his back foot, raising his knee to block the kick effortlessly.

Brita spun on her heel, using the momentum to aim a roundhouse kick at his ribs. Alaric caught her leg mid-motion, his hand gripping her ankle with an ironclad strength. For a split second, their gazes locked, and Brita’s heart sank.

He pushed her leg back with enough force to send her stumbling, but before she could recover, Alaric was already moving.

He stepped into her space, his fist driving toward her midsection. Brita crossed her arms instinctively, conjuring a thin barrier of ice to absorb the blow. The punch shattered the barrier instantly, the force sending her skidding backward. She dug her heels into the ground to stop herself, her arms aching from the impact.

’His power… It’s unreal. That was a casual punch, but it felt like being hit by a battering ram,’ she thought, her breathing growing heavier.

Alaric didn’t let up. He closed the gap between them with a single, fluid step, his movements almost too fast to track. He swung his leg in a low sweep, aiming to take her legs out from under her. Brita jumped, her body twisting mid-air as she retaliated with an icy projectile aimed downward.

The shard flew toward Alaric’s head, but he tilted his head to the side, letting it sail harmlessly past him. As Brita landed, he was already there, his elbow driving toward her shoulder.

She managed to sidestep the strike, but the sheer force of his movements created a gust of wind that whipped her hair around her face. Her instincts screamed at her to retreat, but she knew that doing so would only give him more opportunities to overpower her.

She dropped low, spinning into a sweeping kick aimed at his ankles. Alaric hopped over the kick effortlessly, countering with a downward punch aimed at her exposed back. Brita rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, and thrust her palm forward.

A blast of freezing air erupted from her hand, frost spreading across the ground and forcing Alaric to momentarily step back. She used the brief reprieve to regain her footing, her eyes scanning for an opening.

But Alaric was relentless. He stepped through the frost as if it weren’t there, closing the distance between them once more. He struck with a series of rapid punches, each one precise and powerful. Brita blocked and parried as best as she could, but each impact sent shockwaves through her body.

Alaric’s casual attacks were not only breaking her spells, but also tearing her clothes, revealing more of her voluptuous body, especially her large breasts, to Alaric’s eyes.

Alaric, noticing this, smirked beneath his mask. “My, my,” he said, his voice laced with amusement, “you’re certainly… revealing yourself.” He then casually reached out and fondled her large breasts, his fingers lightly brushing against her nipples.

Brita gasped, her face flushing crimson. She couldn’t believe what was happening. This man was not only defeating her with ease, but he was also… fondling her!

“You… you pervert!” she screamed, her voice filled with rage. She tried to push him away, but he simply chuckled, his grip tightening on her breasts.

“Now, now,” he said, his voice teasing, “there’s no need to be so upset. I’m simply… admiring the view.” He gave her breasts a gentle squeeze, making her gasp again.

Brita was absolutely furious. She had never been so humiliated in her life. This masked man was not only toying with her, but he was also… taking liberties with her body! She felt a surge of rage, a burning desire to tear him apart.

Alaric continued his casual assault, his attacks becoming more playful, almost teasing. He would dodge her attacks with ease, then casually counter with a light tap or a gentle push, each touch sending shivers of both fear and… something else, something she didn’t want to acknowledge, down her spine.

He then casually reached out and fondled her breasts again, this time giving them a playful jiggle. “They’re quite… bouncy,” he commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Brita screamed in frustration, her face contorted with rage. She was completely overwhelmed, both physically and emotionally. She was panting heavily, barely able to stand.

She was the one now taking deep breaths, not Alaric, as she was barely holding on.

She had unleashed her strongest spells, her most powerful techniques, and they had all been utterly useless against this masked man. He was toying with her, humiliating her, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

~~

Brita’s chest heaved, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her emerald eyes, usually sparkling with confidence and mischief, were now wide with fear and frustration. Her clothes were torn in several places, revealing more of her ample curves than she would have liked. The burn mark on her chest, though quickly healing thanks to the black magic, was a constant reminder of Alaric’s power.

Alaric stared at her, a playful smirk dancing on his lips beneath his mask. “You know,” he said, his voice low and teasing, “you look quite sexy right now. All flustered and out of breath.” He chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t mind having some more… fun with that body of yours the longer this fight goes on.”

Brita’s face flushed crimson, her anger reaching a boiling point. “You… you…!” she sputtered, unable to find the words to express her fury. “You cursed, depraved, arrogant…!” She unleashed a string of curses, each one more colorful than the last, her voice filled with venom.

Alaric listened patiently, a hint of amusement in his eyes. When she finally ran out of breath, he simply smiled and said, “Such colorful language. I’m impressed.” His tone then shifted, becoming serious, cold. “But let’s get down to business, shall we?”

He leaned closer to her, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “If you don’t want me to make you my plaything, right here, right now, you’d better tell me how I can leave this auction hall without any trouble.” His eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. “Because I promise you, before anything else happens, I will have some fun with that body of yours.”

Brita’s heart pounded in her chest. She had never been so terrified in her life. The thought of this masked man touching her, using her… it sent shivers of revulsion down her spine. She didn’t want to lose her virginity to him, not like this. She had always imagined giving herself to only one man: her master, Lord Vortan. The thought of anyone else touching her in such a way was unbearable.

Terror gripped her, a cold fist clenching around her heart. She gritted her teeth, her mind racing. She had to find a way out of this. “I… I’ll tell you,” she stammered, her voice trembling. “I’ll tell you the way out… just… just let me go.”

Alaric internally let out a breath of relief. Finally! Now he could get Rowena, Petra, and Helena out of here. He didn’t want to harm Brita unnecessarily, but he had been prepared to do whatever it took to protect his companions.

He then reached out and grabbed hold of Brita’s shoulders, his touch surprisingly gentle. The azure glow from his hand intensified, and he channeled his spiritual energy into her body, effectively sealing her magic, even her black magic. He was confident that she wouldn’t be able to cast a single spell now.

He then stopped utilizing the Azure Spirit Lion’s Spiritual Beast Essence, the azure glow fading, the majestic lion disappearing into thin air. He looked at Brita, his expression now neutral. “I’ll be back in a moment,” he said. “I need to retrieve my companions.” He pulled out a set of intricately woven magical robes from a pouch at his side. They shimmered with a faint magical aura. “In the meantime,” he said, a hint of a smile returning to his voice, “I wouldn’t recommend trying to escape.”

He quickly and efficiently tied Brita to one of the large pillars supporting the stage, using the magical robes. He made sure the binds were tight, reinforcing them with a quick spell to prevent her from breaking free. He then strengthened the ’Silent Barrier’, ensuring that it would hold until he returned. Before leaving the enclosed area, he cast ’Veil of Darkness’ upon himself, rendering him completely invisible.

A few minutes later, Alaric returned to the ’Silent Barrier’, carrying the three voluptuous, paralyzed bodies of Helena, Rowena, and Petra. He had carefully draped them over his shoulders and arms, making sure not to jostle them too much. He placed them gently on the stage floor.

He then approached Brita, who was still tied to the pillar, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and resentment. He casually cut the binds with a flick of his wrist, freeing her. He then stared at her, his gaze intense. “Lead the way,” he said, his voice firm.

Brita hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting towards the exit. She clearly considered trying to escape, but the memory of Alaric’s power, and the terrifying threat he had made, kept her rooted to the spot.

With a defeated sigh, she turned and began to walk towards a hidden door behind the stage, her head hung low.

“This way,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible. ’I can’t believe this is happening,’ she thought miserably. ’I’ve been completely humiliated. And by some masked nobody!’ She glanced back at Alaric, a flicker of hatred in her eyes.

’I swear, if I ever see him again…’ She cut off the thought, a shiver running down her spine. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if she crossed paths with him again.

Not after what he had done to her.

Not after the way he had… touched her.

The memory made her cheeks burn with shame and anger. She just wanted to get out of this place, to escape this nightmare.

She just wanted to go back to Lord Vortan.