Overpowered Wizard

Chapter 172: B2: C72: Bearing Gifts 2

Zarian noted how Hannah was done with studying the Spatial Satchels now. She’d turned her attention to crafting on the fly by turning mundane earth and stone into enchanted objects made of numerous cubes.

She made spears. She made swords. She made axes of all kinds. Then she pushed herself to make near-instant cannons with a cannon ball already loaded that would get shot by layers of explosive enchantments.

She worked on perfecting her designs to the most miniscule detail. It was nearly impossible for anyone without powerful perception abilities to tell that everything came from tiny, tiny cubes. She used enchantments to smooth over the issues with that so her blades would come out super sharp and her cannons could shoot smoothly.

She practiced hard while defending against Zarian and Para’s divergent uses of Aura Mastery. But it didn’t seem to matter much when Hannah faced off against Naomi, who was Hannah’s main sparring partner.

Naomi was Hannah’s biggest weakness outside of facing Zarian. Naomi’s Mind Spike +2 scrambled Hannah’s focus before she could create something, and because Hannah had to move offensively to make use of her major body-enhancing skill, she had to run straight into the punches and kicks from the Rumble Psion while still trying to craft and enchant on the fly.

It almost seemed like Naomi was the hardest on Hannah, which even made Bianca and Gilbert uncomfortable. The two sat on the rune cart, trying to recover from their beat down of each other while enduring Zarian and Para’s divergent auras bearing down on them.

“Whoa, whoa, Naomi. This is going too far!” Gilbert shouted.

“Hannah, are you okay?” Bianca asked.

Naomi waited while standing over the crater she had body-slammed Hannah into. The tough-as-hell Rumble Psion said nothing, ignoring the healer and princess.

The once Alabamian and now proud Floridian woman lay curled up and battered at the bottom of the crater. Their legendary gear could take a huge amount of abuse and divert most of the damage. But Naomi’s training required them to break past those defenses and rend flesh and turn bones to powder before they could really lean into pushing themselves.

The gear had the self-repair and self-cleaning enchantments, and their bodies would recover because of Gilbert being a powerful healer. But the psychological damage could be immense from such harsh and soul-crushing training.

Hannah shivered. She straightened her body and slowly staggered to her feet. She was so badly beaten it was hard to look at her.

Even Zarian felt bad and wanted to ask Naomi to lighten up, but that would be a mistake. Naomi knew what she was doing. And Hannah could decide for herself.

“I can keep going,” Hannah said. “I have to keep going. I want more power. I want more control. I want it all.”

Naomi grinned from ear to ear. “I know. You’re like me in your own way.”

They continued training, but Naomi lightened up a little. She gave Hannah just enough room and time to fully craft some hasty weapons and put them to use.

Hannah thrust forth two spears with tips that burst out with bolts of lightning. Naomi punched each lightning bolt and snapped the spears with karate chops.

Hannah swung an enormous axe with a mighty and heavy blade that could hurl out a freezing and sharp crescent. Naomi snapped her head forward. She gave the frigid ice crescent a headbutt that smashed it into mystical smithereens that fell as glittery shards or dispersed into the aether. Then she kicked the axe out of Hannah’s hand and snapped the head off from the haft.

Hannah fell back, dropping the buffs from her rush tank skill. She made cannons in the background with their ball shots. Then she had them blast their load as quickly as she could. Naomi slapped each cannonball out of the air.

Naomi crashed through everything Hannah could craft on short notice. No matter what Hannah threw at the Rumble Psion, Naomi proved unstoppable.

Naomi only gave a little ground for Hannah to pick up momentum offensively and show off her stuff with her rush tank skill. That was all the grace Hannah would get.

Then Naomi crushed Hannah into the ground again and again. She let Hannah up. She had Gilbert heal her up. Then they continued, letting Hannah practice and try out new things before getting her ass beaten again and again.

Hannah didn’t quit.

Naomi smiled as she eventually reached a point where she took more care and evaded some crafts that came out far sharper or would strike with more damaging force. Things looked up for Hannah until the Runic Engineer collapsed, her stamina depleted, her body unable to keep going.

They didn’t talk any further that night. A few night monsters tried to attack, but the spectral spiders saw them first. The spiders either dealt with them or directed Slip or some other skeletons to the problem if they were decent enough threats.

Only once did the spiders have to get Naomi to jump in and kick a monster into oblivion. She did it while still holding her gravity boulder and restricted by her own abilities.

There were still no adequate threats compared to what they had fought in the Chimera Tyrant Lair. Still, they remained as vigilant as they could be while on the grind.

Some time later, Late Spring arrived, and so did Empress Ruvaria.

Zarian couldn’t contain his own excitement when the petite and elven woman appeared. He used Void Waltz to get ahead of Bianca and swept Ruvaria into a big, whirling hug.

Bianca grabbed him up from behind. She used her newfound Strength from Super Serene Rampage and squeezed both Zarian and Ruvaria with a tight embrace.

Once they finally let go of each other, Ruvaria looked a little miffed at how her waterfall of platinum gold hair came out in slight disarray. Her shining emerald eyes narrowed as she glowered at the giddy Madness Wizard and Light Princess duo.

Then Ruvaria let out a puff of air and gave them a faint smile.

“Well, it is a pleasure to see you as well,” Ruvaria said, floating in the air above their rune cart.

Naomi, Hannah, and Gilbert gathered behind the wizard and the princess, everyone looking up to the empress while she wore a simple brown and green gown, her feet left bare. She held her hands behind the small of her back as she gazed down at them.

“I found myself with some time off and thought of paying a direct visit,” Ruvaria said.

Zarian crossed his arms and gave the elf empress a cocky smile. “You sure it’s not because you missed your dear student?”

“Well, yes, I miss you and our secluded sessions,” Ruvaria said.

Bianca let out a shriek of glee. Gilbert coughed into his fist while mentioning something about slaying gilfs or some nonsense like that.

Naomi smacked Gilbert on the side of the head before laying upon Zarian’s back a glare that he could feel. He ignored them for now, because he sensed the visit from Ruvaria had a purpose.

“I also needed a break from the village and the children you’ve placed me in charge of,” Ruvaria said wearily. “I will return to them soon, since I’m not one to forgo my duties, especially if it’s helping with something that my dear student finds precious. But I must admit it is draining being so ... active in public settings. I’ve been mostly a recluse for nearly a thousand years, you know?”

Zarian floated up and placed his hand on Ruvaria’s head. He gave her a few head pats and combed through her long hair.

“I appreciate it a lot,” Zarian said kindly. “I know you’re exerting yourself for my sake and for the sake of those I care about. You don’t have to. But you are. So please understand I am eternally graceful and I owe you a lot, perhaps forever.”

Ruvaria was tense while accepting Zarian’s adoration. A bit of color painted her cheeks. Then she relaxed as she looked down at her feet.

“Stop it,” she mumbled. “You keep reminding me of my father.”

“Oof,” Bianca said.

Zarian retracted his hand.

Ruvaria combed through her hair and took a moment to recompose herself. Then she floated a little higher so she could look down upon Zarian again. He gladly floated down and returned the focus to her.

“Before I was interrupted, I had more to say.” Ruvaria sniffed. “I’ve come to you all bearing gifts.”