The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 35

Ten nights hence, in the deep hours past midnight, Alavin sat cross-legged upon a monolithic boulder twice the height of a man. His body was crackling with erratic bolts of lightning. The dazzling flashes illuminated the ancient forest, casting light upon the shadows. His brow furrowed, and his aura climbed to new heights. With fluid movements, he wove different arcane gestures, channeling the magic within to coalesce into thunderous energy that layered upon itself around his form.

Terrifying arcs of electricity grew more intense, threatening to engulf Alavin completely.

"Indigo Viper! Seventh Sequence, Serpent's Roar!" Alavin suddenly bellowed, and the boiling storm of lightning released instantaneously, wildly surging around his body before coalescing into a formidable Shockwave Cobra that entwined him completely. Its head reared majestically, a sight to behold. The form of the Shockwave Cobra was vivid and lifelike, its red glare piercing. It seemed a living thing, coiling around Alavin, and its head issuing a fearsome hiss that echoed through the woods.

The Indigo Viper was concentrated and unyielding. The Seventh Sequence was perfected!

Alavin's eyes snapped open. A glint of determination flickered within as the Shockwave Cobra roared and burst forth from his body. It danced wildly as it surged forward like a thunderous bolt, carrying with it a blinding light and immense power that struck an ancient tree ahead.

The Shockwave Cobra's dance was fierce and unrelenting. The tree's trunk splintered with a thunderous crack, and its path was unchecked, wreaking havoc as it shattered the trunks of five massive trees, snapping them at the waist. Their remnants mixed with lightning and scattered in all directions, striking a great boulder behind the fifth tree, and reducing it to rubble.

Creak... boom...!

The crowns of the five great trees fell thunderously, their branches flew chaotically, and stone debris littered the ground.

The forest fell into a brief silence. The fierce light was replaced by profound darkness.

Seated upon the boulder, Alavin's breath was slightly ragged. A sense of exhaustion from overexertion washed over him. He sat quietly for a moment, his lips slowly curving into a satisfied smile. He had finally mastered it; from gathering the energy to unleashing the Shockwave Cobra, it took but five seconds. Half the time of his first successful attempt, and its power had increased significantly.

With the accumulation of the six sequences, the seventh was transformed. The transformation yielded a power most wondrous, the highlight of the Indigo Viper technique.

In ten days' time, Alavin had not only mastered the Indigo Viper to perfection but also fully integrated the 'Earthtorrent Greatblade' from the Grand Arcanum of the Blade.

Aside from his morning deliveries, he had trained tirelessly, day and night. With the aid of the Restoration Mantra, he could maintain his vitality at all times. His daily practice was worth two days for any other. The Indigo Viper and Earthtorrent Greatblade, these two sets of Combat Magic, not only greatly enhanced Alavin's strength but also 'collaborated' to push his realm to the Novice Mage Stage V! This was not a breakthrough forced by sheer will, but one that came naturally, in due course.

The following afternoon, Alavin, with twenty newly sharpened throwing knives and the Dawnedge Blade on his back, arrived at the cliffs next to Botanic Haven. He found a secluded spot, whistled towards the cliff, and tossed pebbles into the ivy.

Scores of great pythons and venomous snakes, disturbed from their slumber, began to lazily wind their way beneath the thick ivy.

In the energy realm within him, the Shadowbringer stirred once again.

Soon enough, the Golden Serpent reappeared, glaring and flicking its tongue in clear annoyance. "You again!"

"Come down! Come on," Alavin beckoned to the Golden Serpent.

The serpent, coiled around the Viper's Berry, and regarded him with icy detachment.

"Come down," Alavin said, flinging a throwing knife.

Hiss! The Golden Serpent spat forth a golden light that shattered the knife.

"Come down," Alavin insisted, launching two more knives with a cunning twist. He shot to the left and right, the wind howling with their passage.

The Golden Serpent tightened its grip on the Viper's Berry, repeatedly emitting golden light, precisely shattering the flying blades.

The shattered knives scattered in all directions, their fragments whirling through the air.

"Too afraid to come down, are you?" Alavin called softly, his hands unfaltering as he continued to hurl knives.

Enraged, the little Golden Serpent thought, "Insufferable human, is this never-ending? What do you take me for!"

"Come on," Alavin urged, soon throwing fifteen knives. During this, several Protégés passed by, and he quieted for a moment, as did the small serpent. But once the Protégés had passed, Alavin resumed his assault, provoking the little Golden Serpent.

The serpent watched as Alavin lifted a massive stone, hundreds of pounds in weight. Unable to bear it any longer, and feeling the insult to its serpentine pride, the little Golden Serpent issued a piercing shriek, and the great pythons and venomous snakes slithered out from the ivy, streaming down the cliff face into the dense woods, swarming towards Alavin.

Alavin swung his blade to slash, swiftly slaying them all; these great pythons and venomous snakes posed no threat to him. The moment after his victory, he threw another five knives, once more targeting the little Golden Serpent on the cliff.

The Golden Serpent had had enough; if it could speak, it would have cursed aloud. Clinging to the Viper's Berry, it pulled into a nearby hole and then, from a height of fifty meters, leaped from the cliff like a bolt of lightning towards Alavin. Its mouth opened repeatedly mid-air, and golden light streaked forth to strike at him.

Alavin dodged in quick succession, rolling to land before leaping up again. His blade sliced toward the Golden Serpent.

Having just used its golden light to fend off the knives, the serpent's magic was significantly depleted, yet it remained ferocious, lunging repeatedly with astonishing speed.

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