The Genius Mage Was Reincarnated Into A Swordsman Family-Chapter 143: Three Monsters

The forest’s thick canopy filtered sunlight into shifting patches of gold and shadow, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere. The air was heavy with the scent of moss and damp earth as Sarah and Kurt pressed onward toward the fourth checkpoint. Despite their determination, their movements were laborious, their breaths coming in sharp bursts. Sarah wiped the sweat trickling down her temple, her legs aching as though weighted by invisible chains.

Kurt, the demi-human, wasn’t far behind. His beastly endurance and raw strength helped him maintain a steady pace, but even he wasn’t immune to the strain. "We’re close," he muttered, his sharp ears twitching as he scanned the path ahead. The checkpoint glimmered faintly through the trees, a small beacon of relief in this grueling test.

Further back, Myre, Ken, and Keryl Lionhart were locked in a tense rhythm. The three of them, part of the prestigious Lionhart lineage, found themselves struggling to maintain their composure. The runes etched into their bodies created a subtle resistance, like trying to run through knee-high water. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to wear them down over time. Myre, his face pale, glanced at Ken. "This is ridiculous. How are we supposed to finish if the checkpoints keep getting farther apart?"

Ken gritted his teeth, his pride as a Lionhart collateral member refusing to let him falter. "Just keep moving. Complaining won’t get us there any faster."

Behind them, the rest of the trainees lagged even further, their faces etched with exhaustion and frustration. The trial’s difficulty was evident, but to them, it still felt somewhat fair. None of them could imagine the brutal challenge faced by Klaus, Alex, and Nicholas.

***

Klaus stood in the shadow of the fifth checkpoint’s obelisk, his breathing steady but his mind sharp with focus. The toll of the runes gnawed at him, pulling his strength into the relentless mechanism. Yet, he was undeterred. Ahead lay the sixth checkpoint, its faint energy signature pulsing like a distant beacon. It was time to move.

He closed his eyes, letting the remnants of his strength center in his core. The fourth eye of the Ten Eyes Mantra burned brightly in his mind, illuminating the path forward. Every detail of the forest around him sharpened: the faint ripples of energy from the obstacles, the scattered auras of other trainees, and, most importantly, the glowing signature of the next obelisk.

"Third Circle Magic: Blink," Klaus murmured.

Space twisted around him, pulling and compressing as if he were threading himself through a needle. The world reassembled in an instant, and Klaus found himself standing before the sixth checkpoint. The obelisk loomed tall, its runes already beginning to react to his presence.

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Placing a hand on its cold, unyielding surface, Klaus braced himself. The mechanism roared to life, and the familiar sensation of his strength draining surged through him. This time, the toll was greater. His legs trembled slightly as the weight of the runes bore down on him.

"Featherweight," he muttered, the Second Circle spell activating in a muted glow. He immediately followed it with another layer, "Featherweight x2. Featherweight x4."

The spells eased the burden, though not entirely. His body still felt the toll of the runes, but he could move with relative ease. Klaus straightened, his expression calm, though a flicker of determination burned in his eyes.

Unknown to Klaus, far behind him, Alex was closing the gap to Nicholas. Empowered by the rune of pride etched into his forehead, Alex’s speed was unnatural. Each stride carried him with a force that seemed to defy the limits of his body. He was a blur in the forest, his aura surging as he bore down on Nicholas’s lead.

Nicholas, meanwhile, was unaware of Alex’s rapid approach. He believed Alex and Klaus were still struggling at the fourth checkpoint. A faint smirk played on his lips as he ran. To him, this trial was his to win. He had bypassed the fifth checkpoint entirely, using his own method to sidestep the rune mechanisms. In his mind, Klaus and Alex had no chance of catching up.

Alex, however, thought differently. In his mind, Klaus was still lagging behind at the fourth checkpoint, struggling against the runes as Alex had seen earlier. A surge of satisfaction filled him. He didn’t need to worry about his cousin anymore. All he had to do was pass Nicholas, and victory would be his.

But neither of them knew the truth.

Klaus had already left them both behind.

As Klaus adjusted to the new toll on his body, he let his senses expand again. The map of energy unfolded in his mind, stretching across the trial grounds. Nicholas’s aura burned brightly, his position near the sixth checkpoint clear. Alex’s fiery presence was catching up fast, his newfound power propelling him forward.

Klaus’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "They think I’m still at the fourth checkpoint."

The irony wasn’t lost on him. Both Nicholas and Alex had underestimated him, blinded by their own assumptions. It was a mistake they wouldn’t realize until it was too late.

Turning his attention back to the path ahead, Klaus began to strategize. The trial’s design was clear now: a relentless gauntlet meant to sap every ounce of strength from its participants. The diminishing returns were brutal, reducing even the strongest trainees to mere shadows of their former selves by the later stages.

But Klaus wasn’t playing by the rules.

He shifted his focus to the seventh checkpoint, the obelisk’s energy signature glowing faintly in the distance. With the fourth eye guiding him, he mapped out the obstacles between him and his target. The path was treacherous, riddled with traps and energy-draining barriers. But Klaus had no intention of taking the conventional route.

"Third Circle Magic: Blink," he whispered.

The world distorted once more, and Klaus reappeared near the seventh checkpoint. He landed in a crouch, his muscles protesting slightly from the repeated strain of the spell. Rising to his feet, he approached the obelisk, his hand outstretched. The runes flared to life as he touched the cold stone, and the toll hit him like a wave.

This time, the drain was overwhelming. Klaus staggered, his legs threatening to buckle under the weight of the mechanism. Sweat dripped down his brow as he fought to stay upright.

"Featherweight x4," he muttered, reinforcing the spell. The pressure eased slightly, allowing him to regain his footing. Klaus clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. The runes wouldn’t break him.

***

Far behind, Nicholas felt a flicker of unease. He couldn’t shake the sensation that something was off. His pace slowed briefly as he glanced back, his sharp instincts warning him of a shift in the trial. But when he scanned the path, there was no sign of Klaus or Alex.

"They’re still behind," he muttered, reassuring himself. "They can’t possibly catch up."

Alex, however, was gaining ground rapidly. The rune of pride on his forehead pulsed with energy, fueling his every step. His thoughts were singular: surpass Nicholas. The idea of Klaus catching up didn’t even cross his mind. To Alex, his cousin was an afterthought, a minor obstacle already left behind. Experience new tales on novelbuddy

But Klaus was neither behind nor struggling. He was already planning his next move.

As the seventh checkpoint’s toll settled into his body, Klaus allowed himself a brief moment to assess his progress. Seven down, five to go. Each step forward brought him closer to the finish line—and closer to proving himself.

He focused on the eighth checkpoint, its energy signature flickering faintly in the distance. The obstacles ahead were even more treacherous, designed to test the limits of endurance and cunning. Klaus’s eyes narrowed. He wouldn’t falter now.

"Third Circle Magic: Blink," he whispered once more.

The distortion of space enveloped him, and Klaus reappeared near the eighth checkpoint. The process was becoming more taxing, each jump pushing his limits further. But Klaus didn’t hesitate. He approached the obelisk, his hand steady as he activated the mechanism.

The toll was brutal. Klaus dropped to one knee, his body trembling under the weight of the runes’ power. The Featherweight spell strained to counteract the effects, its glow flickering slightly.

Klaus gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "You won’t stop me," he muttered, his voice low but resolute.

In the distance, Nicholas reached the sixth checkpoint. He slowed as he approached the obelisk, his expression confident. To him, victory was assured. He placed his hand on the stone and activated the checkpoint mechanism, although the mechanism did not have any effect on him anymore.

Behind him, Alex’s fiery presence surged closer. The rune of pride burned brightly, its energy propelling him forward. Nicholas’s smirk faltered as he sensed Alex’s approach. He glanced back, his eyes narrowing.

"Alex?" he muttered. "How is he catching up so fast?"

Neither of them realized that Klaus was already far ahead, nearing the ninth checkpoint. His unconventional methods had turned the trial into a game of strategy, and Klaus was playing to win.

As he prepared for his next Blink, Klaus allowed himself a small, triumphant smile. They could underestimate him all they wanted. By the time they realized the truth, it would be too late.