High above the ground, beneath a dark sky, Angela and Morvus continued fighting a battle that completely surpassed the level of the clashes scattered across the continent.
Both possessed the power of the Eighth Circle. A fight between individuals of that category could not be treated as a simple confrontation between ordinary mages, as every attack carried enough force to cause incomparable destruction. For that reason, the two had chosen to fight far above the surface, preventing their attacks from directly striking the continent.
Furthermore, they were in another dimension, not the original world. The difference was important: the original world could withstand confrontations of that magnitude without every movement immediately causing irreversible consequences. However, this dimension where the vampire continent was located did not possess the same resistance.
"Elyssar's Destruction!"
Angela raised her hand, and a column of purple magic appeared before her, advancing toward Morvus. The energy concentrated at a single point before exploding into a destructive wave, illuminating the dark sky and forcing the vampire to react immediately.
"Crimson Plague Magic: Foul Mist!"
Morvus opened both hands, releasing a mist of blood charged with mana. The substance spread rapidly, forming a dense mass that advanced against Angela's attack. When the two magics collided, the released energy expanded violently, producing a gigantic shock wave that swept across the sky and reached the entire continent.
For a few moments, the lower-level battles scattered throughout the region were interrupted. Even those who were focused on their own opponents felt the pressure caused by the confrontation between the two Eighth Circle mages. It was impossible to ignore a manifestation of power of that magnitude.
Angela did not take her eyes off Morvus.
"You should give up. All your Eighth Circle companions are dead."
Morvus remained silent for a moment. His body was injured, but he still maintained a cold expression, as if the information was not enough to shake his determination.
"...If they died, then we can just choose other, better councilors."
Angela narrowed her eyes.
That answer only confirmed what she had already suspected. The other councilors who remained in the territories must have been eliminated by the vampires of the rebellion, probably through surprise attacks. Since none of them had appeared to interfere in that battle, it was reasonable to conclude that the enemies had already managed to neutralize a large portion of the forces that could threaten them.
Morvus, however, did not seem to consider those losses a reason to retreat. To him, the councilors were replaceable, and the confrontation before him was not over yet.
"Hemopest!"
He raised one hand, scattering droplets of blood through the air. Within moments, the substance spread across a gigantic area, covering the space around the two and extending toward the continent. Then Morvus lowered his hand, launching all the droplets toward their targets at an astonishing speed.
The attack advanced like a rain of projectiles, each droplet carrying a dangerous amount of mana and poison.
'The attacks are mainly targeting the vampires of the rebellion...'
Angela knew very well what would happen if she were hit directly. She had already received that attack before and still remembered the sensation of her arm being paralyzed by the poisonous effect before she managed to heal it.
"Elyssar's Barrier!"
Angela pointed both hands downward, releasing her magic in a gigantic expansion. A purple barrier formed over the entire continent, covering the region like a protective layer. The droplets of blood struck the magical surface one after another, producing waves of energy that spread across the barrier.
Despite the intensity of the attack, the defense held.
Angela kept her hands raised, sustaining the barrier while assessing her opponent's next move.
Her healing magic allowed her to recover from the damage she suffered, but that did not mean she could indefinitely ignore the effects of the Crimson Plague. She needed to end that fight before Morvus managed to wear her down completely.
"Venomous Domain!"
Morvus spread his arms, and the blood mist that still lingered around him expanded once again. The area covered an enormous stretch of the sky, transforming the environment into a poisonous domain in which the vampire's very presence became a constant threat.
Angela immediately felt the effects.
Her cells began to be destroyed, crumbling into dust under the influence of the poison. She gritted her teeth and enveloped her own body with her magic, continuously restoring the affected cells to prevent the destruction from spreading. The pain was intense, but Angela did not allow it to interfere with her movements.
While she concentrated on keeping her own body stable, Morvus shaped parts of the mist into various weapons. Blades, spears, and other pointed forms appeared around him, all prepared to strike his opponent from different directions.
With a movement, he launched everything at Angela.
"You're not the only one who can create a domain."
Purple magic exploded around Angela.
Instead of simply blocking the weapons, the energy spread throughout the poisonous domain, swallowing the blood mist and clearing the space around her. The weapons were swept away by the magical expansion, losing their shapes before they could reach their target.
Morvus's eyes widened when he realized that his domain was being absorbed.
Angela closed her hand.
A hole opened in space behind the vampire, forming an opening surrounded by the same purple energy that enveloped her body. In the next instant, Morvus's magic, combined with Angela's power, was released from that opening in a devastating attack.
The energy struck the vampire's back and dragged him across the sky.
The name of this magic was Absorption Domain Magic: Angela could capture her opponent's power and incorporate it into her own magic, then use it to create even more destructive attacks. By transferring the absorbed energy into an opening created in space, she could return the power against its owner with terrifying force.
Morvus was thrown far away, and his body crossed the sky until he finally managed to regain some control over his own movements.
He tried to stop his fall, but his body was already covered in wounds. Blood ran down his skin, and the pain made every movement more difficult. Even so, Morvus turned his eyes toward Angela, gathering the strength he still possessed to attempt one final attack.
Angela appeared before him before he could advance.
"It's not over yet, bloodsucker!"
Morvus barely had time to react.
"This is the final blow."
Angela placed both hands against his stomach and, with a precise movement, twisted her arms. The applied force passed through the vampire's body, splitting him in half. Morvus let out a final scream, unable to withstand the attack that brought the battle to an end.
His body began to disappear, consumed by the energy that had struck him.
Shortly afterward, a gigantic explosion spread across the sky, reaching the two nearest territories. Angela, however, had controlled the direction of the released energy carefully enough to prevent it from hitting the allied vampires who still remained in the region.
When the dust and magical residue began to dissipate, a crater approximately seven thousand kilometers wide had formed beneath her. The hole was so deep that its bottom could not be seen, and the extent of the destruction made the power released in that confrontation evident.
Angela observed the result and let out a tired breath.
"Huff... Looks like I caused quite a disaster."
She looked at the crater for a few more moments, assessing the extent of the damage.
"Since there aren't that many vampires scattered across the continent, I was able to use quite a lot of power without worrying too much. Besides, they can regenerate."
The absurd regeneration of those creatures was one of the aspects that irritated mages the most, as it made every battle much longer and more exhausting than it should have been. Even after receiving attacks capable of destroying their bodies, many continued fighting as if they still had a chance to win.
Angela had already struck Morvus with many of those attacks during the battle, but he had insisted on continuing. To defeat an opponent of the same level, possessing powerful magic was not enough. It was necessary to accumulate enough attacks to overcome the opponent's resistance and regeneration, as well as find an opportunity to deliver a decisive blow.
"I already landed a bunch of those attacks in the sky... That's why I hate these vampires. They're so difficult to kill."
She discreetly massaged her own arm, remembering the poison that had paralyzed her movements earlier. Her body was completely covered in wounds, and the battle had demanded far more effort than she would have liked to admit.
Even so, Angela did not allow herself to rest.
There was someone whose safety mattered more than any injury she might suffer.
"Very well. Time to see how the young master and the others are doing."
Angela had placed a spell on the bracelet. The enchantment had been prepared to save him if his life was in danger, allowing him to survive even in a situation where he could not defend himself.
She did not know whether the protection had been necessary, but she needed to personally confirm that the boy was all right.
Angela began moving away, her body still injured and her mana considerably depleted. Despite her exhaustion, she kept her eyes alert, searching for any sign of danger that might have gone unnoticed during the confrontation.
When she finally managed to sense Enrico's presence within Elyssar's Domain, she felt the weight of her worry lessen a little.
"It seems you didn't need it..."
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"Good work, young master."