Blade of Ruin- Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 3

Episode 96: Making Oneself Useful

*Vermeil*

I wiped my tears and pushed myself up. An was waiting for me. I couldn't let him down by giving up.

My eyes widened as a barrier surrounded me. "Let me out!" I said, punching the barrier. "I want to help you."

"Sorry, Vermeil, but you're in no state to fight," Yanyu said, keeping her eyes on Lithdia.

The ground too was covered in a faint blue light.

"If something bad were to happen to you, An would be sad. So, please, don't do anything rash."

What could I do? She was right about me being in no state to fight. It took Lei using a spell with a long casting time to break through her barrier.

The HIerarchian raised a hand to her chin. "Another one? Just how many of you are there? It's starting to resemble an infestation."

"Well, you are in Sera!" I yelled. "You usurpers should expect a lot of enemies."

She smiled at me. "Bold words for a girl who can no longer fight. Does that barrier give you that much confidence?"

I gulped as she appeared in front of me with an earth stake in hand. A shock wave erupted, flicking the stake into the air where it burned up in deep crimson flames.

"What?" she said, stepping back. "This barrier, it's like Hew's."

"Indeed, but more durable," Yanyu said before swinging her arms. It was hard to see what weapon she wielded because of how fast she was. I assumed it was the axe she used during the games, but its reach seemed wider than before.

The Hierarchian ducked as Yanyu sliced the air. She aimed an uppercut to her chin, but passed through her.

An afterimage? Where was the real Yanyu then? My eyes darted around the area. It was hard to make out with droopy eyes. But I doubted fully opened and refreshed eyes would've helped.

Flashes of light rained down from on high, leaving behind holes in the ground.

"Lithdia!" the red-haired boy said as he evaporated a pair of water binds.

"Worry about yourself, idiot. This isn't anything that I can't handle," Lithdia said, avoiding the beams of light.

"Behind you!"

Lithdia gasped as Yanyu grabbed her neck like she had done with me. Stone spikes came out of her back. The woman yelled as another explosion pushed her back.

"You're going to break your back doing that," Yanyu said, snickering. My eyes widened as I stared at the weapon in her left hand.

"Wait, isn't that An's sword?"

Yanyu lifted it, pressing it against Lithdia's chin. "Indeed, it is. An lent it to me in exchange for me coming to help you out."

Lent? Why did she want to borrow it? Considering its value, wouldn't she want to retain it? Or did An exaggerate the importance of his family's line of swords?

Lithdia snickered. Yanyu's eyes widened as mud covered her barrier. She was dissolving like Ana had done.

"Yanyu!" I yelled as the mud went around her barrier-shield.

She trapped the mud in barriers like how Lithdia had done with my amber earlier, and jumped back.

"Attacking me like that is foolish!" Yanyu said, putting a barrier around the mass of mud.

The mud dropped to the floor of the barrier and remained there.

"Did you trap her head or something?" I asked.