These Demons Do it for Free

*Swish!*

Viola’s sword sliced right across the professor’s nose bridge.

She had approached, planning to unleash an aura blast and obliterate his head entirely. However, the professor’s defensive magic blocked her attempt.

**“Word Fixation.”**

Word magic, after all, was instantaneous magic. That made it particularly vulnerable against defensive spells that needed to be constantly maintained, but the professor had already surpassed such limitations.

The professor countered this vulnerability by layering his word magic with another casting, anchoring it firmly. It was a feat of absurd difficulty—a double casting—yet he did it as naturally as breathing.

The issue was that, no matter how skilled a mage the professor was, a second consecutive hit from Viola would be fatal. The first strike would shatter his defensive magic; the second would cost him his life.

Balanced on the razor’s edge between life and death, the professor found moments to speak in between Viola’s relentless attacks.

"Isn’t it strange? Given that the third-layer gate is open, there aren’t nearly enough monsters in this maze."

Viola ignored him.@@novelbin@@

The pressure from her straight-edged blade shook the square.

Amid the quaking space that seemed ready to collapse, the professor lectured, almost proudly, as though explaining to a student.

"Preparation was key. Monsters from the third layer are, unfortunately, all biological. Not only are they hard to manage, but if we’d just packed them all in here, they’d disrupt the ecosystem, devouring each other until they eventually wiped themselves out."

The professor spoke as if he were truly remorseful.

Viola didn’t respond. She didn’t need to; the professor was the one at a disadvantage.

If this word mage wanted to keep wasting his breath, she’d let him.

Let him talk all he wants. Meanwhile, she’d take his head.