Chapter 193: Date With Isabella Part 3
The air in the circus tent thickened with tension as the three-headed fox continued its savage growling, now fully untethered from its trainer's control.
People were already pushing and shoving toward the exits, their voices rising in frantic yells as panic spread through the audience.
Adrian, with Isabella still by his side, remained calm despite the chaos. His mind quickly shifted into battle mode as he surveyed the scene.
"Stay behind me," Adrian whispered urgently, pulling Isabella closer and positioning himself between her and the creature.
He could feel her trembling slightly, her earlier joy replaced with apprehension.
"Be careful," she replied, her voice tense, though filled with trust.
The fox lunged forward, its three heads snapping wildly. Each of its massive jaws dripped with fiery saliva, and its crimson eyes glowed with a savage hunger.
The beast was enormous, easily twice the size of any normal animal, and its fur was matted with a dark, unnatural sheen.
Adrian's muscles tensed as he extended his hand and conjured his enchanted dagger.
The weapon shimmered in the dim light, humming with the mana infused into it. He met the creature's gaze, ready for the inevitable attack.
With a low growl, the beast launched itself at Adrian, its claws outstretched. Adrian sidestepped with precision, his reflexes heightened by his combat training.
As the fox's middle head snapped toward him, he swung his dagger in a swift arc, aiming for the beast's exposed flank.
The blade grazed the creature, sending a spray of dark, tainted blood onto the stage.
The crowd's screams grew louder as the fox roared in pain, but Adrian's focus remained unwavering.
He could feel the creature's aura, its mana swirling in chaotic waves—unnatural, corrupt.
"This isn't normal..." Adrian muttered under his breath as he sidestepped another swipe from the fox's claws.
Just as he prepared to counterattack, he sensed it: a strange mana fluctuation, faint but unmistakable.
His eyes narrowed, and his instincts sharpened. The energy wasn't coming from the beast. It was coming from somewhere else in the tent.
"Something's wrong," Adrian muttered to himself, scanning the crowd.
He could feel the pulse of dark mana, its presence invasive and unnatural, weaving through the air like a poisonous fog.
His attention snapped back to the fox just in time to deflect another attack, but his mind was already working.
If the beast was under some sort of dark spell, then the source had to be nearby. And he wasn't going to let it go unchecked.
"Mom," Adrian said quickly, his voice firm, "stay hidden. I'll handle this."
Isabella nodded, stepping back to keep herself out of harm's way. She was still weak from having her level reset, and the worry in her eyes was clear.
Though her power had once been formidable, right now, she was vulnerable, and Adrian couldn't risk anything happening to her.
With another quick dodge, Adrian spun around, scanning the area. His gaze locked on a figure in the shadows near the edge of the tent.
The figure was cloaked in black robes, barely visible amid the chaos. Dark mana radiated from them like a storm, and they were quietly channeling something—something powerful.
Adrian's eyes widened as he activated his system's Appraisal skill.
Appraisal:
Name: Ruby
Race: Human
Class: Dark Magician
Level: 39
Affiliation: Cult of the Abyss
Adrian's heart raced.
A Dark Magician—someone skilled in forbidden magic, channeling corrupted mana to manipulate creatures and distort reality.
And more alarming, she was part of the Cult of the Abyss, a shadowy organization rumored to deal in dark arts and black rituals.
"This is bad," Adrian thought, tightening his grip on his dagger.
The fox lunged at him again, but now Adrian knew the source of its madness. His goal was clear: neutralize the magician and break the control she had over the beast.
"Hold on," he whispered under his breath, focusing his mana.
With a quick burst of speed, Adrian dodged the fox's attack once more, then pivoted sharply toward the cloaked figure.
His dagger pulsed with energy as he channeled more mana into it, preparing to strike.
The figure's hooded head turned toward him, sensing his approach. She raised her hands, summoning dark tendrils of magic that began to writhe in the air, reaching out toward Adrian.
The air around her crackled with malevolent energy, distorting the space between them.
Adrian's pulse quickened. The tendrils lashed out at him, dark and serpentine, but with a swift motion, he slashed through them with his dagger, cutting the dark magic apart before it could reach him.
Each cut sent sparks of corrupted energy scattering across the stage.
The Dark Magician hissed in frustration, her voice low and serpentine. "You meddling fool. You think you can stop me?"
Adrian didn't reply. He was already in motion, closing the distance between them.
His dagger gleamed with a sharp, azure light as he activated one of his skills—Dragon's Edge, imbuing the blade with draconic mana.
The weapon now radiated with lethal power, strong enough to cut through the defenses of even the most hardened opponent.
With a swift movement, Adrian slashed toward the Dark Magician, aiming for her chest. She barely managed to deflect the blow, summoning a shield of dark energy to block his attack.
The force of the collision sent a shockwave rippling through the tent, causing the crowd to gasp in fear.
"You won't stop me," the Dark Magician spat, her voice venomous. "I'll make you regret this interference!"
But Adrian was unrelenting. With a roar, he struck again, his dagger slicing through the dark shield with ease.
The force of his blow shattered the magical barrier, sending the magician staggering back.
Suddenly, a wave of energy burst from the Dark Magician's hands, and Adrian felt a surge of dark mana hit him like a hammer.
It was an attack spell—powerful and twisted. Adrian gritted his teeth as the force of the spell pushed him back, but he quickly recovered, shaking off the pain.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the three-headed fox begin to thrash wildly, its movements erratic and frenzied. Without the Dark Magician's full control, the beast was spiraling out of control.
Adrian knew he needed to finish this quickly. If the fox broke free completely, it would wreak havoc on the entire town.
With a burst of energy, Adrian dashed forward, his dagger glowing brighter than ever. He feinted to the left, drawing the Dark Magician's attention, and then, with lightning speed, struck from the right.
The dagger pierced through the Dark Magician's robes, sinking deep into her side. She let out a scream of pain, her magic faltering as blood spilled onto the stage.
In that instant, the control over the fox snapped completely. The beast let out a final, pitiful cry before collapsing, its body convulsing as the dark magic drained away.
Adrian pulled his dagger free, watching as the Dark Magician fell to her knees, clutching her wound. Her eyes were filled with hatred as she looked up at him.
"You… you'll pay for this… The Cult of the Abyss… will not forget…I won't forget about this."
Her body which was full of wounds, disappeared right there and was replaced by a creepy looking doll which was oozing out blood from the same place, Adrian had plunged his dagger into.