Chapter 490: Trap in the terms
"I have another proposal," Michael suggested. "If you win the duel, then I will give you the step-by-step instructions I followed to create the automobile from scratch."
Immediately, Uncle Jack’s eyes flared up with excitement. He thought he was getting the opportunity of a lifetime.
But of course, Michael didn’t tell him the whole truth. He specifically said that he would give up the instructions on how to create the automobile. But he didn’t tell Uncle Jack that it was written in english, making it completely useless to him.
He still made sure that Uncle Jack would win nothing in the very unlikely event that he would lose.
"Hahaha, you’re making the duel very exciting for me boy. Tell me. What will I have to give up?" Uncle Jack said, rubbing his hands together. He looked just about ready to agree to any terms Michael presented just to make sure that he didn’t suddenly back down from the fight.
"You can agree that the instruction manual is very valuable, seeing as it contains the secret to my automobile, right?"
"Stop teasing me now," Uncle Jack muttered with a laugh.
"If I win, then I can have everything that you have right now in person."
Uncle Jack laughed. "I see...you must have seen my Mithril Relic," he said, bringing out the staff from behind him.
This was his weapon. It was a glowing violet staff with a mirrored ball at the very top.
"This weapon is indeed valuable...and in my opinion, it is equal to the instruction manual for your automobile. If that is the terms of our duel, then I accept!"
Michael smiled as he heard those sweet words come out of Uncle Jack’s mouth.
There was also another trap hidden within his terms. Uncle Jack thought that he only wanted the Mithril Relic he had on him. But in truth, Michael wanted something that was a lot more personal to him. It was so personal, in fact, that it could only be found in his heart.
He aimed for the GodForge pieces in Uncle Jack’s body!
There was no doubt in Michael’s mind that Uncle Jack had a Diva. It must be the reason why he was so confident in fighting against him, even when he revealed that he had an eight-element mastery.
In contrast, Uncle Jack thought that he had no Diva. The old man must have thought he only relied on magic and mana, which was why it never even occurred to him that Michael was targeting his GodForge pieces.
And of course, since Angela Montgomery was presiding over this duel, she would ensure that the terms of the match would be followed after its conclusion, which meant that Michael could legally obtain the GodForge pieces in his heart!
"Michael, do you accept the terms of the duel?" Angela asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"Now, we must move on to the venue of your duel."
Uncle Jack shrugged. "It has to be a Sanctum Duel, of course."
"Agreed."
Angela nodded. "Then please discuss the environment of the Sanctum."
Uncle Jack crossed his arms. "I would like a large cornfield farm. It has to have a big open area and tall stalks."
Michael smiled. "An open area? I have no problem with that."
Angela took their words and started to concentrate on her skill. She closed her eyes, and suddenly a bright white light emanated from deep within her skin.
Her body levitated a few feet off the ground before she started mumbling some unintelligible words.
Her words abruptly stopped, and right after, a swirling white portal appeared in between Michael and Uncle Jack.
"Let’s see that mystic talent of yours beat my power," Uncle Jack dared before he stepped into the portal and disappeared inside.
Michael took one last look back at his family, who gave him support and encouragement to, as his mother said, beat Uncle Jack’s ass.
He stepped inside, with a bright white light blinding him for a moment. And when he opened his eyes, he saw himself right in the middle of a cornfield.
Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but tall corn stalks blocking his way.
"Michael, boy...are you there? Can you hear me? I’m right on the opposite side of you!"
Uncle Jack let his location be known almost immediately. This completely ruined his advantage of having tall corn stalks in the first place.
Michael knew that something weird was afoot.
He used his Supreme Skill to look through the thick cornfield until he eventually saw the Light mana signature coming off of Uncle Jack. and just like he said, he was on the very opposite end of the Sanctum.
"Hahaha...are you wondering why I want you to see me?" Uncle Jack asked, his laughter reverberating through the open field. "It’s because I want to show you that your gift in the Mystic Arts is completely useless to someone who has my ability...or should I say...Aubility!"
Uncle Jack raised his staff, with its purple glow growing ever brighter.
A green venomous snake with great, big black eyes appeared on top of Uncle Jack. Strangely though, there seemed to be something off with this green snake.
It looked way too thick to be a snake. Not only that, but its head and its eyes were abnormally bulged outwards.
Upon first glance, it didn’t even look like it had fangs since it wasn’t hissing or unhinging its jaws like the other snake Diva he had seen before.
"HAHAHA! This is called a Diva. The power that it gives me triumphs even against someone like you. Four elements, eight elements...it doesn’t matter how many you mastered. Aubilities function completely differently than magic.
My Aubility, for example, allows me to become a Dragon! The legendary strength, speed, and fire of the Draconians will be under my command and there is nothing that you can do to stop it!"
ROAR!
With his Supreme Skill, Michael saw Uncle Jack’s body slowly transform into a four-legged creature. Wings suddenly sprouted out of his back and slowly unfolded.
His body grew larger and larger, with dragon scales spontaneously growing into his stretched-out skin.
His arms and legs tripled in size, turning crooked and gaining large claws at the ends of his nails.
His neck elongated and his face morphed into a terrifying dragon with whiskers along its nose. At the same time, a tail sprouted from his back and grew serrated plates on top.
In the end, his huge body became far too heavy to stand upright and he fell hands first into the floor, completing his transformation from a bipedal man into a four-legged Dragon the size of a four-story house!
The Dragon towered over the cornfield, allowing Michael to see it with his own eyes.
"HAHAHA!" Uncle Jack laughed, his voice large and echoey. "Witness the wrath of a dragon!"
The Dragon opened its mouth and breathed out a plume of fire that burned everything in its path. The cornfield went ablaze, increasing the temperature even more. The blue skies of the Sanctum turned dark orange.
"Did you know that Dragon Fire can even burn through magic? Do you feel the mana in the air start to weaken? Do you feel it start to burn away? Your invisible shield will be of no use!"