I am the Archmage

Chapter 9 The Destroyer of Aircenk

In an instant, the entire space seemed to split apart, sharp and piercing as if the air itself was screaming. Parker suddenly felt the presence of multiple invisible, razor-sharp Blades of Wind slicing toward him. His expression changed drastically.

Recognizing it as the wind magic “Blades of Flight,” capable of cutting through steel and tearing apart anything in its path, he had no choice but to abandon his knightly composure. He threw himself to the ground just in time as the invisible blades whizzed past him, slicing through the wall behind him as if it were made of tofu.

Parker’s calm under pressure was impressive. Without hesitation, he planted his sword firmly into the ground and began chanting, “Source of life, great earth, open your embrace…”

I immediately recognized the incantation for the earth spell “Rock Spire Lance.” Seeing a knight capable of using magic, especially an intermediate-level earth spell, intrigued me—after all, knights rarely practiced magic. So, I decided to wait patiently for him to finish chanting his long incantation.

When the chant was complete, his sword pulsed with immense magical energy. With a loud cry of “Rock Spire Lance!”, countless sharp, spear-like stone pillars erupted from the ground.

But this was exactly what I had been waiting for. Just as the earth beneath me began to tremble, I punched the ground and coldly said, “Split open, earth. Earth Rending Lava Burst.”

This was an advanced earth spell so powerful that even among the seven Grand Mages of the Holy Magic Continent, only Eulis could cast it. The ground violently shook and split apart, spewing molten lava and searing flames. Parker’s stone spires melted instantly.

However, I failed to control the spell’s output properly, and the sheer magnitude of magical energy caused the entire city of Aircenk to tremble. The restaurant we were in was quickly swallowed by the surging lava.

Hovering in midair with Levitation Spell, Parker narrowly avoided disaster and exclaimed in shock, “Incredible! You can even use ‘Earth Rending Lava Burst’ without chanting? Not even Teacher Eulis can do that!”

Beside him, Livia let out a soft sigh. “Now do you understand why I tried to stop you? This freak’s magical power surpasses even my father’s, but his lack of basic knowledge and control always leads to results like this.”

I ascended into the air and saw Parker and Livia chatting amicably. My jealousy flared again, and just as I prepared to unleash another powerful spell, Livia flew straight toward me. Forgetting her usual shyness, she threw herself into my arms and whispered softly in my ear, “Wu Lai, you’re misunderstanding. Parker trained with my father for three years—he’s like an older brother to me. My heart… my heart belongs only to you. Don’t you understand that?”

Realizing my mistake, I silently cursed myself. But with Livia in my arms, confessing her feelings, even the embarrassment was worth it.

Holding Livia close, I descended to the ground with a contented smile. Looking at the wasteland of destroyed buildings, lava, and debris, I sheepishly stuck out my tongue. Maybe I overdid it.

Parker approached me with a smile and said, “Junior Brother, your jealousy is terrifying. Good thing Livia chose you—otherwise, this city might’ve been doomed.”

Ironically, his joke turned out to be prophetic. What history would later call “Aircenk’s Darkest Day” had just begun.

The destructive power of my “Earth Rending Lava Burst” was so overwhelming that Aircenk’s military believed the city was under attack. Knights, swordsmen, and mages swarmed toward us.

To make matters worse, one of the mages happened to be the brother of the restaurant’s owner. Seeing his brother’s establishment reduced to ruins, his rage ignited. Upon learning from fleeing diners that we were the culprits, he cast a Fireball directly at us.

His attack set off a chain reaction. The other mages, assuming he had identified the enemy, joined in, unleashing a barrage of spells. In an instant, countless magical attacks rained down on the three of us like a swarm of locusts.

This was real trouble. I quickly cast the Holy Light defensive spell “Divine Canopy,” forming a barrier to shield the three of us. The attacks exploded against the barrier in a dazzling display.

Being targeted by dozens of mages at once was an impressive sight. Livia, clearly worried, stammered, “What… what do we do now?”

Parker shook his head with a wry smile. I, meanwhile, opened a Hexagram Summoning Array in the air with my mental energy. Amidst a flash of crimson light, Chirpy Bird appeared, its fiery wings outstretched, raining fireballs upon the mages like a torrential downpour.

The sight of the legendary Fire Phoenix threw the mages into disarray. Having spent their days searching for mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes to lift Princess Olina’s blood curse, they were completely dumbfounded to see one appear before them. Their attacks weakened as they scrambled to dodge Chirpy Bird’s fiery assault, easing the pressure on me.

But now, the knights and swordsmen had formed a battle line and launched a coordinated charge toward us. After seeing our earlier display of power—mostly mine—they were cautious but determined.

The knights’ charge was unstoppable. As a fellow knight, Parker gripped his sword and shield tightly, chanting an earth spell he was skilled in. Livia also began preparing her own spells.

I maintained the barrier while casting two “Holy Lights” on them, enhancing their strength, speed, and defense. Coldly, I said, “These pests… let me send them home with an ultimate forbidden spell.”

As my thoughts guided the magic, the clear sky above us darkened. Thunderclouds rolled in, and fierce winds began to howl. This was the prelude to the ultimate lightning spell: “Cataclysmic Thunderstrike.”

This spell’s destructive power was said to be unparalleled, capable of obliterating anything. Eulis had learned the incantation but never used it due to his limited magical reserves. I had never tried it before either, but today I could finally unleash its full power.

Livia screamed, “No, Wu Lai, don’t hurt them!”

Her words brought me back to my senses, but “Cataclysmic Thunderstrike” was already in motion. At the last moment, I used my willpower to redirect its target.

Bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, blinding everyone with their brilliance, followed by deafening explosions.

I reinforced the Divine Canopy to protect us from the flying debris and shockwaves. Livia fainted in my arms, her beautiful eyes closed, while Parker, pale and trembling, stared at the devastation in disbelief.

When the chaos subsided, I looked around and couldn’t help but gasp. Nearly half of Aircenk’s buildings had been destroyed. The streets were littered with injured mages, knights, swordsmen, and horses. Thankfully, none appeared to have died from the direct impact of the lightning.

What a relief. Thank goodness for Livia’s intervention.

Parker, still in shock, muttered, “This… was all you? Junior Brother, you’re like a god of destruction.”

And so, I earned my first nickname on the Holy Magic Continent: “The Destroyer of Aircenk.” It quickly spread across the land, and in the minds of the people, I became even more terrifying than a demon.