Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz)

"Hey," old Tony chuckled when he recognized the face before him. "Isn't this Jonathan Griffin from the North? You must be really honored to come all the way to the capital for me at your age."

"You're not getting any younger yourself," the old man said, his staff glowing as he leaned on it. "I want to see just how capable the guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild really is."

"So," old Tony barked, "you three are teaming up to ambush me?"

He raised his wand sharply, unleashing a bolt of lightning from its tip, shooting upwards like a thunderclap from the ground to the sky.

The electric serpent struck something in the sky, and a muffled cough echoed through the air. The smell of burning lingered for a moment before being washed away by the rain. Clearly, someone up there had taken a hit.

Eddie looked up in terror and noticed a wizard hovering above them, using "Levitation." No wonder his uncle told him to ditch the umbrella—"Watch out for the dragons in the sky."

The hovering wizard had been well hidden, blending in with the storm clouds, but now had to light up a defensive spell around himself.

"Kid, if you want to ambush someone, you should act faster," old Tony laughed. He glanced at the defensive spell in the sky and assessed that this flying wizard was a Mid-tier wizard capable of using 3rd Tier magic.

Despite old Tony's effort to appear relaxed, he knew the situation was dire. The enemy had two high-level wizards and a flying Mid-tier wizard, while they had only one high-level wizard and a mage apprentice.

"Eddie, step aside," old Tony commanded. "They're here for me."

"No... Uncle, I want to fight alongside you..."

Before Eddie could finish, the robed men and the old man on either side of the street unleashed their spells, with swarming electric serpents on one side and dense ice spears on the other. Attack spells from high-level wizards closed in on them from both directions.

Lightning and ice spears collided with the protective magic barrier, resulting in a violent explosion that knocked Eddie back, sending him crashing into the rain-soaked ground.

Eddie scrambled to his feet and released two "Ice Spikes" towards the old man, but the slender ice spikes were shattered into powder before they could even come within five steps of him. 

At that moment, he realized he was truly useless in this fight, only a burden to his uncle. He suddenly resented his own laziness. If he had been more diligent before, his uncle wouldn't be left to face this alone now.

Old Tony stood straight amidst the ice shards, raising his hand to launch an ice spear at the robed man. He also pulled a scroll from his spatial ring and tossed it behind him, releasing the encapsulated magic to create a sturdy "Crystal Barrier" separating him from the old man.

He ran towards the robed man, calling out to Eddie, "Run, follow me to break through!"

Countless metal spikes constructed from magic erupted from the robed man's feet, wriggling towards them like a spiky caterpillar.

Old Tony had to stop and use "Disintegrate" to destroy the dense, sharp metal spikes at his feet. Behind him, the solid crystal barrier began to crack and pop, sounding like a glacier melting. The old man clearly had a plan for this.

A low, murmuring chant drifted down from above, and old Tony perked up, recognizing a few syllables. The hovering wizard was trying to cast a lengthy "Spatial Confinement."

If he completed that spell, it would be a big problem. Old Tony raised his wand, casting "Silence" to interrupt the chant, then followed it up with a 2nd Tier spell, "Scorpion's Touch," hitting the target perfectly.

A piercing scream echoed from the sky, followed by wails of agony. If the hovering wizard hadn't quickly dropped onto a flying carpet, he likely would have fallen by now.

Stronger spells often require longer incantations, and young wizards tend to chase after high-powered High-tier magic. Little do they realize, while constructing their spell circuits, that without teammates to provide protection, a few Low-level combo spells could end their lives.

If it weren't for the other two involved, old Tony would have already shot down this suspended live target.

The two robed men and the old man on either side of the street unleashed their spells again, their magical energies roaring towards him. Old Tony sidestepped to counterattack, the defensive magic barrier surrounding him absorbing most of the damage.

Spells flew back and forth, both sides engaging skillfully, with explosions and flames lighting up the dark street.

Although old Tony was being pressured, his robust defensive magic shield held strong, resulting in a stalemate.

The old man on one side said in a deep voice, "Your self-created resistance spell is quite powerful."

"Thanks for the compliment," old Tony chuckled bitterly. "My teammates when I venture out are a bunch of brutes who don't know how to protect a wizard, so I've had to put in extra work on my defensive magic."

His voice held a hint of weakness. Maintaining the defensive spell while countering the two seasoned high-level wizards drained a lot of his magical energy, yet he still held on without showing signs of fatigue.

This was the capital of the kingdom; no matter how powerful those wanting him dead were, they couldn't act without consequence. The sound of high-level wizards clashing could be heard for miles, and the knightly order must be rushing through the rain; he just needed to hold out until then.

Thunder rumbled ominously in the sky, lightning split the night, illuminating the situation of a few people in the street. Soaked to the bone in the torrential downpour, they looked like drowned rats, except for the old man, whose clothes were magically waterproof.

Still, they gripped their wands and staffs tightly, nerves taut, not letting their guard down for a moment.

The robed men and the old man knew they couldn't drag this out forever. They stepped closer, suddenly intensifying their assault.

Countless incantations whirled around, colorful magic scattering everywhere. The street erupted, becoming uneven, and cobblestone dust mixed with rainwater, flowing into a murky stream.

Old Tony gasped for breath, the rapid loss of magical energy and the cold rain sapping his body warmth made him feel utterly exhausted. He was no longer the young, strong man he once was.

The relentless bombardment of magic on either side left him no time to drink the vitality potion from his spatial ring. He had already poured most of his magic into defense; if he could just hold on a little longer, both he and his nephew Eddie would be safe!

Damn it! Where were the knightly order? Had the taxes they paid all gone to waste? His mind began to blur.

"Uncle! I'll help you!" Eddie shouted, standing in the rain and waving his wand, unleashing several 1st Tier attack spells. Although his spells were nullified by the opponent's protective barrier, he continued to chant. His pale face showed he was trying to lighten the load for his uncle with his meager magic.

The boy's youthful cries thundered in old Tony's ears, and old Tony pinched his thigh hard to sharpen his focus. He couldn't go down yet! He had promised at his brother's grave that he would raise Eddie!

The robed man and the old man closed in through the storm. The old man threw an ice-blue magic scroll, which was ripped apart by the wind, forming countless ice spikes from the rainwater that spiraled down like a vortex.

Old Tony swung his wand, creating a shield of flames to hold them off. In the torrential rain, the cold ice spikes turned into scalding steam, drifting like clouds in the air before being immediately scattered by the storm.

The old man threw a second dark scroll, which rolled away as if sinking into the dark clouds. Old Tony focused on the direction it vanished, suddenly sensing a malevolent aura.

In the darkness, the scroll unleashed its binding, and a surging null magic field rapidly expanded, sweeping over the entire street like a tidal wave.

In the torrential rain, old Tony, Eddie, the wizard in the sky, the old man, and the robed man—all their defensive magic shields suddenly extinguished, as if their flames had been drowned by an unseen flood.

Old Tony's eyes widened in shock; he hadn't expected this seemingly frail opponent to possess such a mad tactic.

The null magic field could drain all magic within its range, leaving only the magic contained in a wizard's body and rendering all spells and magical items useless.

This was a tactic used by non-magic warriors against wizards; for a wizard to use it was akin to a suicidal attack.

But now, in a two-on-one situation and without any protection, it was obvious who was in greater danger.

The null magic field only lasted for a brief moment; the opportunity was slipping away!

"Bang!"

Three guaranteed spells erupted simultaneously, slicing through the night sky like lasers.

Old Tony's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, blood pooling from his abdomen and dripping into the rainwater.

In that fleeting moment, he first cast an attack spell, shattering the robed man's arm, then used a low-level immunity spell to barely deflect the deadly curse aimed at him. However, the old man's needle spell from the other side pierced through his abdomen.

In pursuit of maximum casting speed, all three were using low-level magic. Old Tony wouldn't die immediately from the curse, but the tide had turned against him.

His magic and warmth seeped out with the blood from his abdomen, dissipating in the cold rain. The pouring rain battered his back, and from the pain, he curled up on the ground.

On either side of the street, the one-armed robed man and the old man stepped through the puddles, advancing closer.

"Don't hurt my uncle!" Eddie rushed in front of old Tony, shielding him. He gripped his wand tightly, like a warrior holding a sword with one hand.

"Don't you dare hurt my uncle!" Eddie shouted again, like a soaked little cat, teeth bared and fur bristling.

"Eddie, get away from me." Behind him, old Tony lay in the flowing filth, weakly ordering him.

Eddie wouldn't budge an inch; he stood tall, his soaked pant legs trembling slightly.

"Eddie, don't be disobedient; you've always… been too mischievous." Old Tony coughed up blood.

The robed man and the old man ignored Eddie's cries, wading through the shallow puddles, drawing closer to the uncle and nephew.

"Uncle, I'll be a troublemaker just this last time! From now on, I'll do whatever you say!"

Branching lightning flickered in the clouds, illuminating Eddie's frail and youthful face, which was filled with fear. Tears welled up in his eyes, flowing down his cheeks alongside the rain.

The one-armed robed man stopped in his tracks; he had never treated his severed arm, as if it wasn't even his own.

His hooded eyes locked onto the stubborn Eddie, his voice hoarse, "Little apprentice, don't stand in my way, or you'll die."

In the sky, the wizard lying on the flying carpet said, "The employer said there can be no survivors." His tone was venomous and cold, filled with resentment because he had been wounded by old Tony.

"Then let's kill them all. What a pity about the boy; he reminds me of my grandson," the old man replied casually. "Be careful of Tony Ulea's dying counterattack; a dying snake bites harder, especially a cunning adventurer."

The three reached a silent agreement. The robed man and the old man on either side of the street, along with the wizard in the sky, raised their wands and staffs. A golden light ignited, connecting their magical circuits, the golden beams linking them together.

The three formed a triangular magical formation, with old Tony lying on the ground and Eddie standing tall in the center.

Once the formation took shape, the destructive magic would obliterate them into ash in an instant, leaving no trace under the rain—an undeniably merciful death.

Eddie gazed up at the brilliant golden light in the sky, his small face filled with despair, yet he refused to take a single step back.

"Cough cough." Old Tony lay on the ground like a lump of mud, coughing up blood again.

His voice was thick with blood, muffled and unclear, "I always thought I'd die in the jaws of some monster, but here I am, falling at the hands of human. For an adventurer, this is a truly humiliating way to die. I once read 'The Mystery of Magic' and learned some interesting things…"

"The Mystery of Magic?" The old man with the golden staff looked down at him. "You've read that book? The legendary wizard Baharuth who authored it is dead, and the only copy has been lost."

"A friend lent it to me," old Tony said, his palm open; he could no longer grip his wand tightly. "From reading that book, I learned some interesting knowledge. We've always thought that high-tier magic, after crossing a certain threshold, would have its chanting time greatly reduced…"

"Is 'The Mystery of Magic' with you?" the old man interrupted old Tony.

"It's not here; I returned the book to a friend."

"Is that so?" The old man sneered. "Once you're dead, I'll search your spatial ring to see if you're telling the truth."

Even so, he slightly reduced the flow of magic he was channeling into the golden magic array. "What interesting knowledge did you gain?"

Curiosity is a trait inherent in every magician, and the old man was no exception. He was indeed interested in what this High-level magician's last words would be, so he gave old Tony a bit more time to speak.

"I realized something interesting. Cough!" old Tony lay on the ground, coughing up blood again. "We always thought that with higher-tier magic, once you broke through a certain barrier, the incantation time would significantly shorten. But in reality, the incantation time is still proportional to the magic's power. For those with poor talent, it takes even longer."

"Oh." The old man stared coldly at him. "Is that your dying wish?"

"However, higher-tier magic," old Tony continued, "is similar to the silent spells of the elves. 5th Tier magic can also be cast silently in one's mind!"

With that, he sprang up like a coiled serpent! Pressing Eddie to the ground, his previously limp arm now pointed skyward. In the midst of the howling storm, a small white light flared at the tip of his wand like a flame.

"OH NO!" The old man's pupils dilated in panic. He dropped his staff, trying to retrieve something from his spatial ring, but it was too late.

5th Tier Magic: Binding Thunder Prison!

Countless bolts of lightning, as thick as fingers, shot forth from the tip of the wand, weaving an impenetrable net of electricity. Thunder filled the entire space, electrifying the street.

The torrential raindrops became excellent conductors of electricity, making the night as bright as day.

As the dazzling lightning slowly faded, old Tony collapsed, his wand emitting white smoke. During the days he borrowed the Mystery of Magic from EeDeChi, he had devoted all his talent and wisdom to mastering this one 5th Tier spell. And that was enough.

"Splash."

"Splash."

"Splash!"

On either side of the street, two charred bodies fell into the rainwater, and from the sky, another blackened corpse dropped, shattering into pieces upon impact. The air was thick with the smell of burnt flesh, and no amount of pouring rain could wash it away.

Eddie crawled out from under old Tony, who had pressed him down to keep him safe from the onslaught of electricity. He hugged old Tony tightly, and old Tony wrapped his arms around him. In the downpour, a sense of relief filled their hearts, grateful to be alive.

Old Tony retrieved a bottle of vitality potion and a bottle of energy potion from his spatial ring. Mixing them together, he drank them down with the rainwater.

His magic and spirit began to recover slowly. He cast a *Healing Spell* on his abdominal wound, and the muscle and skin began to grow back, while the damaged organs healed themselves. For the moment, he was out of danger.

"Let's go home," old Tony said, ruffling Eddie's hair.

Suddenly, the ground shook for a moment, then again, like a giant was approaching them from the other end of the street.

Old Tony gazed into the dark curtain of rain, struggling to stand. "Could there be a troll in the capital?"

The footsteps, heavy like a giant elephant, grew louder. Old Tony raised his hand and cast a *Light Spell*, sending a glowing orb darting through the street. It collided with a "mountain" and was extinguished by a massive hand. Before the light vanished, old Tony caught a glimpse of the "mountain."

It was a towering warrior, wearing an iron mask and carrying a blood-red giant sword on his shoulder. The sword was covered in menacing black patterns, like tightly woven pine needles.

The "mountain" burst through the rain curtain and charged toward them, resembling a rampaging rhinoceros.

Old Tony's expression turned grave. He pulled five iron spears from his spatial ring and threw them onto the ground. Raising his wand, he began to chant a spell. A warrior charging straight at a wizard was like a live target.

After a slightly longer incantation, the five iron spears on the ground began to roll and gather in the air. Fiery heat shimmered and was soon washed away by the rain, quickly forging a sharp spear.

Enhanced by magical power, the spear whirled, buzzing, and launched with a "boom!" It shot through the rain at a supersonic speed, piercing towards "the Mountain."

4th Tier Magic - Godslayer Spear! Its power rivaled that of a giant siege crossbow firing an army-breaking bolt, capable of skewering a squad of knights clad in Adamantite armor. It was a pure physical attack, impervious to any anti-magic or magic-immune devices.

"The Mountain" held up a blood-veined giant sword in defense, and the Godslayer Spear shattered against the broad blade of the sword!

"How can this be!" exclaimed old Tony, but the warrior was already charging at him. He raised his blood-stained giant sword, swinging it like a mountain wielding a blood-covered glacier.

"Force field deflection!" As old Tony cast the spell, he awkwardly rolled to narrowly dodge the strike. A wizard forced into drastic physical evasions was indeed in a dire plight.

"Uncle, let's fight him together!" Eddie ran to old Tony's side, gripping his magic wand tightly.

"No, you need to leave now. I have something important to tell you," old Tony stood up and whispered into Eddie's ear.

"I won't go!" In the rain, Eddie shook his head vigorously.

"Haven't you promised me before that you would behave and not be naughty anymore? Now you need to obey! Complete the task I've given you!" old Tony fiercely ruffled Eddie's drenched hair and shouted:

"RUN!"

As the mountainous warrior charged again, old Tony used a "Force Ripple" to push Eddie several meters away. His thin arms, veins bulging, desperately held off the cleaving giant sword with a force field deflection, his slender ebony wand bending into an arc.

Old Tony stood up straight, his frail and aged body now roaring like a lion as he recited his spell.

Electricity summoned icy light, he exhausted all his magical power, spiraling into combat with the warrior.

In the boundless curtain of rain, Eddie wanted to run back, but old Tony roared again: "RUN! KEEP RUNNING! DON'T LOOK BACK!"

Suddenly, Eddie realized his uncle was at his limit. But uncle persisted, intending to use his life to hold off the fierce killer, to carve out a chance for his nephew.

old Tony was slammed hard against the wall, mud mixed with blood trickling down. He collapsed to the ground, casting a forlorn glance at Eddie, clearly saying: "Why aren't you running?!"

Eddie turned, tears streaming down his face. He clenched his teeth and moved his frail, rain-soaked legs, crashing into the dark, vast curtain of rain, running, running, never looking back...