Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

Eredman, as a magician, though not suited to become a Tactical Level Magician, did not have a poor aptitude for magic.

With a fourth-grade aptitude in Transmutation and Manipulation, and a first-grade aptitude in Interference and Construction, Eredman's magic aptitude could be considered quite exceptional, just a step shy from that of a Tactical Level Magician.

Although this step was as vast as the heavens and insurmountable no matter what, with fourth-grade aptitudes in Transmutation and Manipulation, Eredman could still be said to be sailing smoothly on the path of a magician.

Therefore, at the start of the duel, Eredman immediately took actions that could be described as exemplary.

First, he chanted the fastest magic defense spell he could, raising a barrier.

In a duel between magicians, erecting a magic defense barrier is the first action anyone would think to take, allowing oneself to withstand the opponent's magic attacks while also buying time to chant other spells.

If the opponent is a Swordsman, then the first thing to do is to create distance, or force the opponent to retreat, preventing them from engaging in close combat, and then attempt to erect a physical defense barrier. This allows one to be in a safe environment, slowly chanting powerful magic that can decide the outcome of the battle.

But against another magician, physical defense barriers are almost useless, and magic defense barriers are the most practical. As long as one can withstand the opponent's magic, then one can leisurely chant other combat spells.

As for defense magic that provides both physical and magical defense, such spells don't exist at the combat level, and only appear at the tactical level with powerful magic that secures both advantages.

Therefore, in combat, deciding which type of defense magic to use is a compulsory lesson for a magician, and one must not make a mistake.

Eredman took the most impeccable action, quickly raising a magic defense barrier, and then began chanting Manipulation Magic, summoning two mud golems from the ground in front of him.

The mud golems, about two meters tall with sturdy builds, looked like two small giants. They immediately charged towards Yuri with heavy footsteps upon being summoned.

At this time, Eredman had already started chanting Transmutation Magic, preparing to attack her with large-scale, high-powered elemental magic during the mud golems' entanglement with Yuri, aiming for a swift victory.

While it sounds complicated, all of this happened within just a few seconds.

Since the start of the duel, Eredman had been chanting spells smoothly, successively completing the erection of a magic defense barrier, summoning the mud golems, and imbuing magic power with attributes to form an attack. He made the use of combat-level magic seem incredibly natural and swift - calling it exemplary was not an overstatement in the slightest.

Indeed, Eredman's series of actions could be flawlessly incorporated into a textbook.

However, the problem lay exactly here.

"At this rate, Sir Eredman is unlikely to win," sighed a distinguished young noble from the royal capital on the special guest seats, casually making such a remark after just a glance.

"Huh?" The attendant was thoroughly enjoying the fight, even awed by Eredman's series of smooth spells when his own master suddenly interjected, leaving him astonished as he said, "Why? I think Sir Eredman is performing brilliantly."

"It's true that he's performing brilliantly," the noble young man didn't deny it, but he still seemed pessimistic about Eredman's chances, saying, "His combat is too rigid."

A textbook example of excellence may sound like high praise, but in the eyes of some, this was very much open to criticism.

Because battle is ever-changing, what actions to take and how to behave cannot simply be copied from a textbook.

"Lord Eredman's use of magic is very skilled, and one might even say it is quite sophisticated, being able to cast three kinds of different system magic in such a short period of time, and his magic power transitions so smoothly. The construction of his spells is done with effortless ease, without a hint of difficulty. Such magical proficiency, I'm afraid many tactical level magicians and strategic level magicians are incapable of achieving."

The noble youth shook his head as if lamenting.

"However, skill in using magic is one thing, employing it in combat is quite another."

The subsequent developments proved this point.

Faced with Eredman's textbook-level use of magic, Yuri remained calm from beginning to end, and at the moment Eredman took action, she did the same.

Only, she did not, like Eredman, set up magical defenses to protect herself but instead stood there casting magic without releasing any.

"Foolish!" Eredman exclaimed loudly, "As a magician, you don't first think of employing defensive magic, what are you thinking?"

Yuri's approach was like standing completely undefended in front of her opponent. Not to mention receiving the powerful elemental magic that Eredman was about to unleash, even a blow from a mud golem rushing at her would immediately result in severe injury and knock her to the ground.

Magicians are not like swordsmen, extremely frail in body. Even a hit from a common person can cause pain for a long time. Not employing defensive magic in battle is indeed akin to seeking death.

Yet, Yuri said nothing, even closed her eyes and continued chanting her spells.

Then, the change began.

"Boom!"

Just as two mud golems were about to reach Yuri, the ground beneath them suddenly exploded, swallowing them into two large pits.

"A trap!?"

Eredman's pupils constricted but he did not stop his chanting, continuing the spellcasting.

He still had the magical defense barrier, which could withstand Yuri's magic several times. Even without the feint attack of the mud golems, he should still have time to smoothly execute his own spells.

Eredman, with this in mind, never imagined that the magic Yuri would release next wouldn't need to target him personally.

"Boom!"

When a familiar purple wave flashed by, the ground beneath Eredman disappeared.

Indeed, the magic Yuri cast was not aimed at Eredman, who had set up a magical defensive barrier, but rather at the very ground on which he stood.

"Ah!"

Eredman suddenly felt weightlessness under his feet, and as he continued to chant his spell, he let out a cry of alarm. He fell into the pit, his chant interrupted, and he was left dazed by the fall.

Magic defenses couldn't protect against physical damage, and that fall almost broke Eredman's bones.

Just at the right moment, Yuli's voice rang out, reaching Eredman's ears.

"The way you use magic reflects you perfectly: rigid and traditional, incapable of any flexibility or adaptation. Even if you were to study battle level magic for decades more, your combat abilities would hardly improve," said Yuli as she successfully cast her next spell.

It was a swamp magic spell.

The Eredman, who had fallen into the pit, suddenly found his surroundings turning mushy.

Rocks turned to marsh, and soil flowed like water, slowly engulfing Eredman and trapping him in the swamp.

"This is bad!"

Eredman quickly chanted a spell to reduce his weight and added a levitation spell to free himself from the swamp.

But just as Eredman had escaped the swamp, a sandstorm poured down from above the entrance of the pit, hitting him like a cloudburst and sweeping him back into the hole.

Now Eredman was in a dire situation.

Below was the swamp, ready to swallow him if he fell in.

Above was the sandstorm, battering him so fiercely he couldn't break free from this spot.

And whether it was the swamp or the sandstorm, both were physically existing elements, against which his magic defenses for magic attacks offered no protection.

"No! I can't use the magic barrier anymore!"

Grinding his teeth, Eredman dispelled the magical barrier and chanted a spell for physical defense.

It was only when the physical defense barrier was raised that the sandstorm, cascading down upon Eredman from above, was split by the barrier, and the swamp below him likewise parted, finally granting him release.

So, Eredman hastily burst out of the pit, cleaving through the debris, and returned to the center of the arena.

"Wow!"

A wave of uproar immediately arose from the spectators' seats.

There was no helping it; the image of Eredman reemerging was quite different from before.

The Eredman of old was dressed impeccably, his attire fitting, like a middle-aged gentleman—dignified and dashing.

But the current Eredman was covered in mud, swamp water, and gravel, his appearance so disheveled compared to before that it was like night and day.

"Damn it!"

Eredman also seemed to feel the humiliation.

Unbeknownst to him, the reason the audience was making an uproar wasn't just because of his ragged appearance but also because a figure had already appeared by his side.

"Buzz!"

A purple ripple undulated upon a fingertip, touching Eredman's back.

Eredman stopped moving.

All those present once again fell silent.

"You were easier to deal with than I expected."

These calm and indifferent words deeply wounded Eredman's pride.

"You... when did you...?"

Eredman forced the words out through gritted teeth.

"Right when you fell into the pitfall I created with my magic," Yuli said with a sneer, "Don't look so shocked, I leisurely walked over here and waited for you."

"I knew you would use physical defense magic to escape this trap."

"But by doing so, you became vulnerable to my magic attack."

With that move, it was checkmate.

"Admit it, you're no longer keeping up with the times," Yuli declared.

"Whether it's your way of fighting, your magic, or even your thoughts and ideas."

"All are obsolete."

Having said that, Yuli turned and walked away.

"Second round, victory goes to Viscount Franzel."

Upon hearing this announcement, Eredman collapsed to the ground.

His face displayed nothing but despair.