'Troublesome...'
In front of the half-destroyed watchtower, as Riezel and the mysterious priest exchanged cold stares, this identical thought surfaced in their minds.
Needless to say, that last exchange of attacks had already made them realize how troublesome and powerful the other was.
'His last strike... It was clearly an exceptionally fast and powerful swordsmanship... He isn't just a magician with extraordinary mastery over magic combat but also a formidable swordsman...'
Staring coldly at Riezel, the priest's expression turned grave.
'What's more? He's used that teleportation magic more than once... Space magic? An Imaginary System Magician? What a pain!'
Having this thought, what the priest didn't know was that, in Riezel's mind, they were just as much of a pain.
'A magic mirror that can reflect magic attacks.'
'A robe that can defend against physical attacks.'
'So basically, neither swordsmanship nor magic works on this guy?'
Riezel's gaze swept over the pure white robe the priest was wearing, and as he recalled the multiple times they had unleashed those meteor-like flashes of light, his brows furrowed slightly.
'What the heck is that magic anyway?'
During their previous exchange, Riezel had tried to dispel the priest's flash magic using Magic Destruction, but it had failed.
At first, he assumed it was because the priest's magic prowess surpassed his own.
Yes, Magic Destruction could indeed erase the magic of the caster's target, but if the target's magical prowess was higher than the caster's, its effect would be weakened or even completely nullified.
Because of this, when Magic Destruction failed, Riezel immediately grew cautious, instinctively considering the priest was a magician stronger than himself.
However, from their battle just now, while the priest had indeed displayed extremely powerful magical prowess, it didn't feel like they were outright superior.
In other words, if those meteor-like flashes could resist Magic Destruction, it was probably due to their own unique properties rather than the priest's magical prowess.
Moreover, when combined with the remarkable power and speed of those meteor-like flashes, so fast that even a Sword Saint might struggle to react, the priest's balanced offense and defense made them a real headache to deal with.
In the end, Riezel and the priest both felt that the other was a troublesome opponent.
However, there was one difference.
What was the difference?
Riezel still had a trump card.
*BOOM!*
As if sensing something, the priest suddenly launched another attack as they raised their golden scepter, unleashing streaks of flashing light that shot forward like meteors, cutting through the air.
"Greater Teleportation!"
In an instant, Riezel vanished, reappearing behind the priest.
"You're not getting away!"
Realizing Riezel was behind them, the priest spun around sharply and pointed their scepter, making the meteor-like flashes immediately change course, surging toward Riezel once more.
Unfortunately for the priest, Riezel had already activated his trump card.
"Penetrate Magic - Time Stop!"
Yes, Riezel's trump card was none other than time magic, a magic that could stop time, freezing everything in this world in place, undoubtedly a terrifying trump card.
And so, as the time came to a halt, not only was the world solidified, but even the meteor-like flashes flashing across the city froze in midair, unable to move forward. Naturally, the priest was caught in this absolute stillness as well, frozen in place with their scepter raised high, completely motionless.
In this frozen world, except for Riezel, no other living being, or even non-living thing, could escape this effect—at least, that was how it was supposed to be.
*Kacha!* *Kacha!* *Kacha!*
Suddenly, the space around the priest began to waver as a magic mirror appeared in front of them, its surface reflecting a strange glow as the frozen time began to crack like shattered glass, forming countless fractures.
"Seriously... even time magic can be reflected?"
Seeing this unfold, even Riezel couldn't help but let out a low murmur of surprise.
If he hadn't anticipated this possibility beforehand and strengthened Time Stop with Penetrate Magic, it might've been completely reflected back by that magic mirror in an instant.
'What a dangerous guy...'
Riezel narrowed his eyes, locking onto the priest as cracks continued to spread through the frozen space.
Even though the priest still couldn't move, it seemed like their consciousness had returned, proven by the obvious shaken look in their eyes.
'Time magic?! Damn it! How is this even possible?!'
Now aware of their situation, the priest was panicking internally as they took in the frozen world around them.
'Even for an Imaginary System Magician, this kind of magic is way too broken!'
Indeed, time magic was definitely broken since having it basically meant being invincible.
Even in YGGDRASIL, a game filled with max-level players equivalent to Level 7 or higher, once one reached Level 70, preparing countermeasures for time-based powers became essential. Otherwise, no matter how strong one was, if they faced an opponent who could use time-based magic or special skills, there was only one outcome—getting destroyed.
In fact, the priest should be grateful since their magic mirror was one of the rare magic that could counter all types of magic. If not for that, they wouldn't have even been able to put up a decent resistance against Riezel's time magic.
Naturally, even against enhanced time magic, the priest's struggle still seemed futile, and what made it worse for them was that Riezel's trump card wasn't even over yet.
One should know that seamlessly linking attacks together was the true purpose of using Time Stop, so all Riezel had to do now was launch a perfectly timed delayed-cast magic against the priest, and it would be over.
Magic mirror's reflection?
As soon as Time Stop was lifted, as long as Riezel's timing wasn't off, his magic would hit his target immediately, leaving no room for reaction.
Robe's defense?
Riezel seriously doubted that the priest's robe could withstand 10th-Tier Magic capable of slicing through space itself like Reality Slash.
In other words, this was checkmate.
However, Riezel hesitated for a moment since killing this priest outright with Reality Slash didn't seem all that beneficial because he had way too many questions he wanted to ask them.
If that was the case—
'Use Energy Drain to lower their level as much as possible and make them lose their resistance.'
As Riezel made his decision, he took a step forward and appeared in front of the priest before reaching out and pressing his hand against their chest.
Energy Drain was a contact magic, so without direct touch, it couldn't activate.
However, the moment Riezel made contact, he realized he might have been too hasty.
"..."
Silence filled the space between Riezel and the priest.
Riezel lifted his gaze and looked at the priest, almost as if he could see fire burning in their eyes.
After another brief silence, Riezel finally spoke.
"You're a woman?"
As soon as Riezel said this, he could clearly feel the priest's gaze—or rather, the priestess's gaze, turning from fiery to downright murderous, like she wanted to cut him into a thousand pieces.
"Delay Maximize Magic - Energy Drain."
Riezel didn't hesitate any longer and cast a delayed Energy Drain before immediately canceling Time Stop.
*BOOM!*
Almost at the same time, the meteor-like flashes in the sky suddenly changed direction under the priestess's control and came blasting toward Riezel with enough force to reduce him to dust.
"Energy Immunity - Light."
Riezel instantly cast a new magic spell—just as its name suggested, it was a magic spell that nullified light-attribute attacks.
*BOOM!**BOOM!**BOOM!**BOOM!*
As the meteor-like flashes struck Riezel, they sent him flying.
Riezel tapped his toes against the ground multiple times, leaving several craters before he finally stabilized himself and came to a stop.
"Die!"
Yelling, the priestess's voice now had changed—it was now the mature voice of a woman, confirming what Riezel had just said that she was indeed a woman.
However, just as the priestess was about to summon the maximum number of flashes of light she could summon to bombard Riezel from all directions and obliterate him, she suddenly realized that her strength was draining at an alarming rate.
On the other hand, Riezel's body was glowing with surging magical energy, his strength visibly increasing by the second.
"Interference System Magic?!"
Realizing what had happened, the priestess immediately reached into her robe and pulled out a crystal.
Seeing this, Riezel instantly understood—she had prepared a magic item capable of counteracting debuff magic that interfered with her body.
"I won't let you!"
Riezel's figure flickered, and with his enhanced, overwhelming speed, he shot straight toward the priestess.
"Ngh!"
Seeing Riezel approaching, the priestess finally panicked, gripped the crystal in one hand and a golden scepter in the other, summoned meteor-like flashes, and launched them at Riezel.
Unfortunately for the priestess, because of Energy Drain, her strength had already dropped significantly, so the meter-like flashes she summoned were reduced to just two, and both their power and speed were also far weaker than before.
For the current Riezel, they were as slow as snails, but even so, the fact that the priestess could still fight back after getting affected by Energy Drain that was enhanced by Maximize Magic was impressive on its own.
One should remember that those magic dolls—ones Riezel had rated as troublesome even for Level 7—dropped straight to Level 1 after being struck by Energy Drain, nearly losing all their strength.
Meanwhile, even though this priestess had lost most of her strength as well, she could still resist, still cast magic, and still react to Riezel's charge, which alone was pretty amazing.
Right now, the priestess probably had strength around Level 3 to Level 4—way stronger than those magic dolls, but sadly, for the current Riezel, an opponent with only strength around Level 3 to Level 4 was as fragile as thin paper.
Riezel completely ignored the meteor-like flashes, letting them explode across his body as he powered through the impact without slowing down, charging straight toward the priestess.
*Pa!*
A crisp sound rang out as Riezel slapped the crystal out of the priestess's hand before reaching out and snatching the golden scepter from her grip, completely disarming her.
"You damn thief!"
Yelling angrily, the priestess refused to give up, so she immediately started chanting another magic.
Riezel, in response, casually chanted one of his own.
"Touch of Undeath."
Just like Energy Drain, this was a contact magic that inflicted negative status effects through touch.
As soon as Riezel knocked the crystal from the priestess's hand, an eerie, sinister-looking magical energy swirled around his fingers—moving neither too fast nor too slow, he reached for her forehead, now just inches away.
In an instant, before the priestess could finish her chant, Riezel's hand already touched her forehead.
"Eh... Ahh!"
Letting out a muffled groan, the priestess's entire body shuddered before her strength gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
"Paralysis!"
As an experienced magician, the priestess instantly realized what had happened to her as she felt the sensation of lightning surging through her body, making her muscles twitch and rendering her completely powerless.
"Yeah, it's paralysis." Riezel responded calmly as he looked down at the priestess from above.
Hearing this, the priestess glared at Riezel from beneath her mask.
"Cheating!"
"How is this cheating?" Riezel chuckled and shook his head. "Inflicting paralysis on an enemy is a perfectly legitimate Interference System Magic. If that counts as cheating, then what about all those cheating magic spells of yours? Wouldn't those be even worse?"
Upon hearing this, the priestess let out a furious laugh before shooting back.
"Me? Cheating? Take a damn look at yourself?!"
Space magic, time magic, and all sorts of magic with bizarre effects—this man actually had the nerve to call her magic cheating magic?
He was the one cheating!
"I curse you! In the name of the Great God, I curse you! You damn magician, you're breaking the rules!"
Seeing Riezel's calm face, the angrier the priestess got, to the point where she blurted out such words.
"If you wanna know what being cursed feels like, I don't mind granting your wish."
Riezel responded nonchalantly, remaining completely unfazed.
He had learned over a thousand magic spells from the world of Overlord, and among them, there were definitely contained magic that was capable of giving curse.
"If you don't wanna suffer, then just be honest."
Riezel toyed with the priestess's scepter while casually activating All Appraisal Magic Item on it.
"Who are you? And why are you here?"
Hearing Riezel's question, the priestess's body began to tremble before she spoke with rage.
"You seriously have the nerve to ask me that?! You're the ones who barged into someone else's territory like thieves! I should be the one asking who you are and why you're here!"
"Oh?" Riezel raised his eyebrows, his eyes narrowing. "So, you're saying this place is your territory?"
Hearing this question, the priestess snapped.
"Obviously! This city is under our Great God's protection, and my mission is to guard it! All of you are intruders!"
As soon as Riezel heard this, an incredible thought sparked in his mind.
"Wait... are you from the ancient magic civilization?"
Blurting out this question, Riezel's eyes on the priestess instantly changed.