Above the mage!

Chapter 620 Obtaining the Badge Again
With this opening move by Loran, Gao De was almost certain that Loran's cultivation method was a metal cultivation method, rather than the water-based method more common among coastal mages.

This also seems to be a characteristic of the elite military mages of the coastal counties.

Water-based cultivation methods are one of the mainstream systems in coastal counties, and also the largest group of mages. However, the elite mages in each county often tend to favor another school.

For example, in Etherland, water and light practices are the mainstream practices of local monks.

However, the military mages of Etherland County are named after the Lightforgers, and most of the mages within the organization practice light-based magic.

The same is true for Lorraine.

However, his combat strategy was quite in line with God's limited understanding of the mages of Forthshire:

Despite the obvious level advantage from the mage, Loran's initial move was not a hasty and aggressive attack, but rather a solid defensive setup.

In a sense, Gaode cannot agree with this approach of using French troops.

An overly conservative playing style is like being bound by an invisible framework.

Although they were able to defeat opponents who were not as strong as themselves in a methodical manner.

But they have forever lost the possibility of overcoming the strong with the weak and creating miracles.

But when it comes to defending a title, this approach is perfect.

Because defending a title doesn't require miracles, it requires absolute consistency—steadily defeating every opponent you should win against, leaving no chance for a comeback.

Faced with Loran's defensive posture, God simply raised his right index finger and lightly traced a line in the air with his fingertip.

There was no dazzling magical light, no powerful magical fluctuation that made the surrounding air tremble, yet the spell had already been cast.

This is the privilege of zero-ring magic; no preparation is needed, it's instantaneous.

Gao De cast the zero-ring universal trick [Magic Trick].

The effectiveness of [Magic Tricks] is extremely limited; at most, it can only accomplish some trivial tasks.
At this moment, Gaode Maps has chosen the lighting and shadow effects.

Where the fingertip traced the path, a rainbow halo exploded like shattered gemstone dust, quickly spreading into a rainbow light curtain.

The light curtain refracted colorful light as it moved, as gorgeous as fireworks at a celebration, but without any real destructive power.

Upon seeing this, Loran's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He was already poised to unleash his attack, waiting for Gao De's offensive spells to appear so he could immediately activate defensive spells or even launch a counterattack.

However, Gaode's response completely exceeded his expectations.

A magic trick, a magic trick without any offensive power, creates a halo of light.

In this crucial legal battle, Gaode certainly wouldn't do anything pointless.

Therefore, Gaode Maps must have had a purpose in creating this halo.

His mind raced, and he instantly came to the most logical conclusion: Gao De was trying to use this dazzling halo to conceal his spellcasting actions!
The core advantage of the mages of Forthshire lies in their profound understanding of all kinds of magic:

They memorized the aura color, magic fluctuation frequency, casting method, and even common gestures of every common spell.

This allows one to predict the type of spell the opponent uses in the shortest possible time, and then make the most accurate and cost-effective response.

All of this is predicated on a clear vision and accurate perception.

Gao De's move could disrupt his predictions, and the price he paid was merely an instantaneous trick.

"He's definitely a seasoned French Bulldog," Loran thought to himself.

But he didn't dwell on it for long.

Although he couldn't predict God's next spell.

However, in Loran's view, given Gaode's actions, his next spell must be extraordinary, and it will most likely be one of Gaode's signature spells.

Unable to determine what kind of spell it was, Loran chose the safest approach.

He took a deep breath and activated an extremely complex spell model within his own magical star sea.

Three-ring protection spell [Spell Counter].

An extremely powerful spell, which could even be considered one of the signature spells of the defensive magic system.

It can interrupt a creature from casting a spell.

If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, the spell fails and has no effect.

Whether you're casting a crowd control spell, an attack spell, or a buff spell, interrupting your spell is the safest and most reliable option!

However, after [Spell Counter] was cast and precisely targeted God, Loran felt a strong sense of disappointment.

He was stunned for a moment, then his pupils dilated slightly as he finally realized that he had fallen into an extremely simple trap:

After Gaode released the rainbow halo of [Magic Trick], he did not cast any further spells!
He simply stood in the halo of light, staring at himself without moving, staging a perfect "willing victim" scenario.

The problem is, he actually took the bait.

This is equivalent to Gaode using a [Magic Trick] with almost no cost to trick him into using a third-level spell with extremely high cost.

It's no wonder he fell for it; who could have imagined that Gaode would dare to make such a bold, almost insane move as leaving the round empty in such a situation?
If he hadn't chosen to cast [Spell Counter], but instead used another spell, then God's Empty City Stratagem would have been equivalent to giving up a valuable spell turn for nothing.

The problem is that there are no "what ifs," and Gaode's "bold" choice has yielded huge profits.

Before Loran could recover from feeling "scammed," he noticed Gao De's hand making a slight movement and shaking.

Of course, the halo surrounding his hands had not yet dissipated.

In an instant, Loran found himself in a dilemma:

Is Gao De really preparing a spell this time, or is he just using the same old trick to trick him into handing over a second spell?
Gao De keenly caught Loran's momentary hesitation, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

This is one of his French fighting strategies.

The characteristics of the Forthshire Mage are extremely strong defense, invincibility in attrition warfare, and cautious tactics, with every step carefully planned.

As an elite military mage, Loran excelled in these areas.

Gaode's strategy was to use this unconventional "fraudulent" approach to completely disrupt their rhythm.

Their proud predictions and plans have become shackles that bind them.

Just as Loran hesitated, a cold glint flashed in God's eyes, and the spell was already cast.

This time, it's not an empty city ploy.

A burst of white, cold air suddenly exploded within the rainbow halo.

The chilling air precisely enveloped the metal barrier that Loran had previously constructed using the alloy flooring in the arena.

Chi Chi Chi.

In an instant, the metal plates emitted a piercing sound.

A thick layer of white frost instantly condensed on the surface, visible to the naked eye, and the originally smooth metal surface was covered with spider web-like cracks at a visible speed.

The magical energy emanating from the shield suddenly became chaotic.

That wasn't all. At the same time, Loran felt a bone-chilling cold emanating from the metal barrier, enveloping him.

Second-circle transformation spell, [Frozen Metal]!
This spell precisely infuses extreme cold magic into the target's metal objects or metal-attribute magical structures, causing their temperature to plummet and resulting in severe brittle cracks and frostbite. With the enhancement of True Ice magic and Intermediate Ice Protection, the power of God's [Frozen Metal] is comparable to that of a level-up spell.

Loran involuntarily shivered.

His carefully constructed defenses have now become weapons that harm himself.

However, he was very decisive. The moment he realized that something was wrong, he made the drastic decision to dismantle the metal wall that he had created using the [Activate Object] spell.

The twelve heavy metal plates lost their magical power and immediately scattered in all directions, flying away in all directions under Loran's control.

The chill that had made him uncomfortable then dissipated.

The cost was that the protective measures constructed by Loran were also lost.

Just as Loran was out of danger, God had already seized the fleeting opening and cast his next spell.

Loran suddenly felt everything go black.

The once clear view was instantly swallowed by endless darkness.

[Blinding Technique]!
Loran felt a tightness in his chest, but he didn't panic and reacted immediately.

A pure white light burst forth from Loran's body, instantly enveloping her entire being. The darkness that had blinded her receded like a tide, and her vision immediately returned to clarity.

[Dispel Spell] is cast, quickly removing the blindness effect.

But as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the mocking smile on Gao De's lips.
The "Blindness Technique" is just the prelude; the real attack follows immediately afterward.

The space above Loran's head suddenly distorted, and a viscous, grayish-white spider web cascaded down like a waterfall.

Spider silk is thicker than ordinary hemp rope, with an oily sheen and a faint fishy smell.

【Spider Web Technique】.

Once you're entangled in the sticky magical web, it's not easy to break free.

Loran's pupils contracted sharply; he was in an open area with nowhere to hide.

He gritted his teeth, suddenly raised his right hand, and condensed blazing fire magic at his fingertips.
This time it's the [Burning Ray].

Three crimson flame rays, like burning spears, shot out from his fingertips and accurately struck the cascading spider web.

The flame rays instantly burned through the core of the spider web, and the sticky spider silk melted into ash under the high temperature.

Before he could even catch his breath, Gao De pressed on relentlessly, casting his next spell.

【Overgrown with icethorns】!
Dozens of pale blue ice crystal spikes and icy tendrils emerged from the gaps in the metal plate, piercing towards Loran.

Although the terrain, being made of metal plates, is unfavorable for [Ice Thorns], God only needs to use [Ice Thorns] to restrict and control Loran's movement; the reduction in power is tolerable.

A look of seriousness flashed across Loran's eyes.

Faced with [Icethorns], his choice remains [Burning Rays].

Another scorching flame ray shot out, hitting the foremost ice spike precisely.

The collision of ice and fire produced a sizzling sound as water vapor rose.

However, Loran discovered that the ice thorns and ice vines created by God were, for some reason, exceptionally tough and extremely difficult to melt.

This was another situation that was beyond his judgment and expectations, and he had no choice but to increase his magical output.

The ice vines melted into ice water, and a faint white mist filled the air.

However, Loran's expression suddenly changed.

Sparks, spewing forth from the flames, fell to the ground.

The ground was covered with a very thin, almost transparent layer of grease.

From the moment Gao De tricked Loran into using Counterspell with [Magic Trick], to the subsequent barrage of [Blindness], [Web of Shadows], and [Icethorns], he consistently traded low-level spells for high-level ones from Loran.

The fact that low-level spells consume far less mana than high-level spells is secondary; more importantly, the high frequency of switching between low-level and high-level spells gives him an extra casting time for low-level spells.

Gaode Maps, on the other hand, chose the "Greasy Technique".

This high frequency of spellcasting left Loran with no time to catch his breath or perceive his surroundings.

This allowed Gaode to unknowingly create a greasy terrain around Loran.

The moment the spark landed on the grease, a deafening roar erupted, and flames shot up like lurking fire serpents, forming a ring of fire that licked at Loran.

This is Gaode's real calculation:

Use [Ice Thorns] to force Loran to use [Burning Ray], then use the flames and the grease from [Greasy Spell] to cause secondary damage, making him play with fire and get burned.

The combination of grease and fire is something Gaode is already very familiar with, but this time he has innovated again.

Fortunately, as the third guardian mage of the Fous Magic Academy, Loran still possessed genuine skills.

Despite the perilous situation, he remained remarkably calm in the emergency, and just as the flames erupted, he managed to unleash [Protective Energy - Flame].

A faint halo enveloped his entire body.

The flames licked at the halo, making a sizzling sound, but they could not break through the thin halo.

A look of seriousness flashed in Loran's eyes, which were enveloped in the halo of light.

He had realized that he was being dragged step by step into a fast-paced war of attrition that Gaode had meticulously designed.

The opponent's magical attacks came one after another like a storm.

Each spell cast was accompanied by completely different elemental fluctuations and attack methods, forcing him to react passively without any room to breathe.

This fast-paced, close-quarters combat completely thwarted any possibility of Loran's carefully orchestrated strategy.

He had hoped to resolve the crisis with minimal mana consumption by relying on his precise control over the details of the spell.

But now they are forced to use the powerful force of high-level spells to counter the seemingly insignificant low-level spells of the Highlord.

Moreover, prolonged defense inevitably leads to defeat. If, amidst this relentless onslaught, one were to suddenly encounter a spell that cannot be immediately countered, all previous defenses would crumble instantly, and one might even be plunged into an abyss of no return.

Loran had to admit that Gao De's tactical approach was indeed extremely ruthless.

His opponent saw through his strengths in defense and his expertise in operations, and thus used this method of speed over speed and quantity to completely disrupt his rhythm.

But he did not panic.

He was confident in his profound understanding of various protective spells, from elemental protection to physical barriers, from energy shields to mental barriers; there were almost no protective measures he could not skillfully execute.

As long as he remains calm, he can completely counter every move and steadily withstand Gaode's every attack.

Once Gao De has used up his initial three-pronged attack and his offensive falters, that will be the moment he launches a swift counterattack and seizes control of the entire situation.
Loran thought to himself.

As for Gao De, just as Loran had predicted, another new spell was cast in an instant.

However, this spell consisted of only a subtle yet extremely penetrating magical fluctuation, silently sweeping towards him.

Loran felt a chill run down her spine.

His extensive experience led him to make a judgment almost subconsciously:
This is by no means a physical or elemental attack, but a mental attack spell specifically targeting the soul.

That is indeed the case.
Second-circle Prophecy spell, [Mind Spike]!
(End of this chapter)