"(Blood Domain: Torrents of Blood) (Blood Spirits)!" the Blood Spirit screamed fiercely. Shion Lan was startled by the sudden change in the speed of spellcasting and cursed, "Damn it!"
"Polter!"
But Solan Newman ordered the summoned spirit to attack. Polter glared angrily at the Blood Spirit.
"You ###! We meet again!"
Polter blocked most of the attacks with a simple domain, while Shion moved his sword and claws swiftly.
"(Star Tide)! (Cutting Stars)!"
After the Blood Spirits pierced through Shion's star vortex, he redirected the remaining strikes to stop them. Solan sat under his protection and gathered the spirits' power within the domain.
"(Spirit Gathering)!"
The spirits—or what remained of the domain—surrounded Solan as she released a four-circle spell:
"(Pure Spirit)!"
The evil force vanished from the spirits, and their power became hers. With the spell (Time Magic: Acceleration of Spells), it required almost no time—it was nearly instantaneous.
Solan said, "Shion, I'll handle the spiritual attacks. You deal with the blood attacks. Polter will engage the Blood Spirit directly."
Shion smiled. "I'm already an expert at handling this type of attack." But he heard a mockery from Shi Yun Lan but didn't react.
With Polter engaging directly and the spiritual attacks weakened, Shion managed to counter the blood assaults.
"(Star Tide) (Cutting Stars)!"
He moved freely around Solan to protect her. Solan looked at Shion. 'There's something about his soul. Though it has a luminous shell, inside that shell is an endless void.'
While seated, Shion spoke, "Aren't you going to destroy the magic circles?"
Solan replied, "Let's exhaust her first. At this rate, we won't be able to do anything."
Shion nodded but asked, "Why don't you take your physical form? Why remain in your spiritual state?"
Solan frowned. "I don't like anyone seeing me—especially those who didn't stand by my family at that time and let them die."
"Alright then."
Shion continued deflecting attacks, allowing some blood to seep into him as he communicated with Shi Yun Lan.
"How are things on your end?"
"If the Blood Sect saw this waste of blood, they'd kill that woman mercilessly."
"But I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Don't we have a dead spirit in the Vein Domain? Why not use it to block the spiritual attacks or kill the Blood Spirit?"
"If you do that, you'll be severely drained. You're already using two techniques simultaneously. Your aura will leak, and you won't be able to explain yourself."
"Fine."
Shion nodded as he watched the fierce clash between Polter and the Blood Spirit.
"You wretch!" Polter roared while facing the Blood Spirit, who laughed wickedly.
"Polter! Didn't you try to stop me before?! But you're just a failed guardian."
The Blood Spirit raised her hand, exploiting the magical circles.
"(Blood Spirits: Tornado of Spirits and Blood)!"
The blood spirits within the domain began rotating in a circular motion, forming a powerful tornado that surrounded everyone.
"You couldn't protect her before, and you won't be able to protect her again!" the Blood Spirit mocked, unleashing her immense power.
Polter shouted, "Shion! Give me the Spirit Sword!"
Shion didn't hesitate and threw his sword to him. When Polter caught it, the sword shifted into its spiritual form so he could wield it.
"(Storm Domain)!"
He raised the sword.
"(Neumann Duel Art:Evil Neutralisation)!"
A raging storm of water formed on the ground, lightning filled the sky, and both surrounded everyone, countering the blood spirits. With the dueling technique, most of the danger was eliminated, though a few weakened spirits slipped through.
"(Pure Spirit)!"
Solan raised her hand and cast her spell on the remaining spirits, who were freed joyfully from the Blood Spirit's curse.
As the storm and tornado collided, the screams of dispersing spirits echoed beyond Neumann Province, making all who heard them feel as though it was the end.
"What is happening?!!!"
The people of Griffon ran in mad and horror and a mess get out.
At the eye of the storm, Polter struggled.
"Polter!"
He looked toward Shion, who prepared himself.
"Leave the blood attacks to me!"
Polter was startled and about to object, but Solan nodded to him.
"Very well."
Polter allowed some attacks to pass through him. Shion prepared:
"(Star Vortex) (Star Claws) (Cutting Stars)!"
A modest energy surrounded Shion compared to the chaos around him, but he did not lose courage. The attacks pierced his vortex. With a single swing of his silver claws, nine cuts appeared, destroying some attacks while the rest struck his body.
'Now!' Shion muttered inwardly.
Inside, Shi Yun Lan activated his power. With the stellar aura masking it, no one noticed.
"(Art of Annihilation: Blood of the Dead)!"
Shion expelled all the blood and prepared for another round.
Outside, everyone who heard the spirits' screams saw a tornado colliding with a storm in a deafening clash. This was thanks to Director Tim Air,
'The Blood Spirit is no longer simple or weak. She's strong enough to fill the domain with blood, blinding everyone. With the scroll, no one but me can perceive what's happening inside. Using (Magic: Memories of the Past), I can display what I've seen to the others moment by moment.'
The director looked at them.
"I want you in position. I've decided to break in the area if Shion Lan loses."
Brad Sano said, "But sir, wouldn't that endanger Shion's life?"
"That's why I said only if he loses. As he'll die anyway if he loses."
The director thought inwardly, 'Will that person not take action?' He could no longer sense that ominous force. With Shion in danger, he had expected that he would appear—but he no longer wished to risk more.
'Even if he appears, what would I do? I didn't even dare enter its domain.'
He decided to focus entirely on Shion and Solan.
...
"Shion, are you alright?" Solan asked as she was worried about him as he was exhausted.
"I'm fine. But maintain focus. The Blood Spirit isn't attacking as fiercely."
Shion noticed the attacks had become fewer but more effective as if she tried to compensate the quantity by quality. But thanks to his knowledge of her techniques, he handled them better.
Ahead, Polter and the Blood Spirit clashed intensely, but she retreated.
"I must admit, the Pure Spirit's skills are impressive. She managed to weaken my domain slightly."
Thanks to Solan's four-circle spell (Pure Spirit), she reduced the evil spirits within the field, preventing the Blood Spirit from using them.
Solan stood.
"Polter, I've purified the spirits. You can use more power. The director's spell has ended, but if I can destroy even one circle, we can defeat her."
Everyone understood it all depended on Solan.
She looked at Shion.
"Shion, I am going to do it"
Shion glanced at the Neumann family Pure Spirit and spoke to Polter,
"Let's finish this!"
Polter hold the Spirit Sword,
"(Storm Domain)! (Neumann Duel Art: Slay Spirits)!"
Polter's aura changed. Weak, small spirits gathered around the Blood Spirit as he transformed into a storm and tornado threatening destruction. The sword was fully charged, abandoning its normal form to become spiritual, infused with water and lightning.
Shion watched without expression, though inside he felt intense excitement. Still, he assumed his other stance, knowing any collision might affect Solan. He readied his claws and strengthened his vortex with aura.
"Solan, do your work. I'll protect you!"
Shi Yun Lan shook his head in the domain, 'This idiot is trying to act cool again—but he really is impressive now.'
The storm and tornado collided once more in an even fiercer clash. A few attacks entered Shion's range, but he destroyed them easily.
The Blood Spirit thought as she cast spells, 'That girl has gained power. If she destroys even one circle, I'm finished… but… '
She hid a cruel smile, 'That's only if she can!'
Solan, seated and attempting to destroy the circles, failed.
'Damn it! These circles follow a specific sequence. I can't destroy just any circle. I must find the central one first and begin from there!'
She spread her power while examining them.
"Are you alright?" Shion asked while defending against another attack.
"These circles are unusual. They follow a specific order and—"
She realized something.
"Shion! How were you able to deal with the magic circles?"
He looked at her strangely.
"Shouldn't I ask you the same? You were the one who was capable of doing it in the incident ."
She shook her head.
"During the incident, I injured the Blood Spirit and interfered with one circle, sealing it into another. But afterward, she set that sequence. How did you break it?"
Shion felt helpless.
He asked, "Shi Yun Lan, what do I say?"
"Tell her it's because of the sealed spirit inside you. Also…" Shi Yun Lan paused. "Didn't you study all the Neumann family books and gain skills from my world? Work with her. Together you'll find the proper sequence."
Shion understood.
Facing her, he said,
"I possess the Inheritance of the Stars. There's a sealed spirit inside me. When I approached the circle, it became agitated and destroyed the system before entering."
Solan's eyes widened.
"Don't you have an incomplete inheritance? How do you have a sealed spirit? I didn't notice it!" But she thought, 'it may be that void!'
"..."
Shion couldn't argue, after cursing Shi Yun Lan he tried to change the topic,
"Forget that! You created a loophole! We can use it!"
And looked at her with a smile,
"Alright. Want help? I studied spirits too."
She smiled. "Yes."
She commanded, "Polter! I need you to withstand all attacks for now!"
"As you command, my lady!"
Polter braced himself with the sword, but he was surprised by the Blood Spirit's sudden calm.
'That bastard did it. Now he wants to destroy me!'
She looked toward Shion and Solan examining the papers under Polter's protection.
"I no longer have a chance at a fair fight, so…"
Her form trembled. She regained her beautiful appearance but looked extremely weak.
Everyone—Polter and those outside—watched uncertainly. But the director realized her intention.
"No!"
He forcefully broke in and succeeded. The Blood Spirit gathered all her remaining power and launched herself at Shion, bypassing Polter, touching Shion's forehead.
The director reached them as well, but—
Shi Yun Lan's voice intervened, reaching the director's ears, stopping him.
"Don't make another step"
So the director stopped in shock looking at Shion's face which was astonished.
"Huh?!"
Shion lost consciousness.