Chapter 75: The fight begins

Evan stared at Alaric before glancing at Zephyr.

The dragon looked equally stunned, his golden eyes widening before his expression turned indignant.

“You want to fight both of us?” Zephyr asked.

When Alaric confirmed that he did, Evan considered the challenge more seriously.

He had lost their previous spar, but now possessed Minor Mastery of both the sword and blade, while Zephyr’s accomplishments in two Paths had allowed the dragon to fight him to a draw.

Does the Young Lord genuinely think he can defeat us together, or does he simply want to test his limits?

Zephyr had no interest in silently considering things like Evan, he simply snorted. “Don’t blame me when you get beaten!”

Alaric told them to continue resting before establishing the conditions.

They only needed to defeat him once, while Alaric needed to score a decisive hit against both of them. Zephyr couldn’t use invisibility or anything lethal, while Evan would rely upon blunted practice weapons.

The conditions favoured the pair, yet Alaric appeared completely serious. He genuinely believed he had a way to win.

Before Evan could ask how they should coordinate, someone knocked upon the training hall door.

Zephyr immediately vanished, concealing his body through his Divine Ability, while Alaric looked toward the entrance.

“Young Lord,” a guard called from outside. “Lady Sophia learned that you were training with your retainer. She requests permission to observe because she wishes to understand the people travelling with her.”

Alaric allowed her inside.

Sophia examined the damaged floor, Evan’s two practice weapons and the reinforced armour worn by both young men before asking, “Is the training already over? Am I too late to watch the fight?”

“We’re about to begin another one,” Alaric replied. “You may observe, but there are things inside this room which cannot become public. You’ll need to sign a Divine Contract first.”

Sophia became more cautious, although she didn’t refuse.

She read every restriction after Alaric wrote the contract and made certain none of its language was too broad.

She could discuss public information, but couldn’t reveal new secrets witnessed inside the hall.

Separate clauses protected Zephyr’s existence, race, powers and connection to Alaric unless either of them granted permission. The restriction applied even to her father.

Only after confirming that the contract contained no unrelated conditions did Sophia sign it.

Divine light crossed her name before sinking into her body, and Alaric finally looked toward the empty space beside her. “You can come out now.”

Zephyr appeared less than two paces from Sophia.

She stepped back as a small black dragon materialized from empty air, then sensed the dense mana inside him and the physical pressure belonging to a Knight. “A dragon?” she asked in disbelief.

“Obviously,” Zephyr replied as he spread his wings with pride.

Zephyr had once feared that anyone discovering his race would look at him as his captors had, as though his body contained materials waiting to be harvested.

House Orlen had taught him that most people reacted with awe, excitement, and fear instead.

Sophia’s expression contained awe, making him raise his head higher.

Alaric introduced them and briefly explained that he and Zephyr shared an oath of cooperation rather than command.

Sophia had considered Evan the most remarkable young person gathered around House Orlen because even her father praised his talent.

Now she had discovered that Alaric had also convinced a dragon who practised both the Magic and Body Paths to cooperate with him.

That alone would have justified the Divine Contract. Then she learned what they were preparing to do.

“You’re fighting both of them alone?” Sophia asked, looking from Evan’s two weapons to Zephyr.

When Alaric confirmed it, she could hardly believe him.

This is insane. Defeating either one would be difficult, but challenging them together is ridiculous.

Being a highly accomplished Mage, Sophia knew the natural talent dragons possessed in the Magic Path, while Evan had earned praise from a Paragon whose standards surpassed those of ordinary instructors.

She couldn’t decide whether Alaric had become overconfident or possessed some trump cards.

Alaric fastened several blunted throwing knives around his waist and activated his armour’s protective formation.

A training collar carrying a similar formation was secured around Zephyr’s throat, while Evan activated his armour before taking his sword and blade.

Once Sophia moved behind the observation barrier, all three entered the marked area and waited for the formation’s countdown to end.

Evan advanced the moment the signal appeared, while Zephyr moved toward Alaric’s left.

They had never fought together, but both knew that giving someone with Minor Mastery of throwing knives room to attack freely would be a mistake.

Alaric sent one knife toward Evan’s shoulder and another toward Zephyr’s wing.

Evan’s sword deflected the first while Zephyr twisted away from the second, and that brief separation allowed Alaric to move sideways until Evan stood between him and the dragon.

Evan attacked with his sword while his blade guarded against the knife in Alaric’s other hand.

Alaric avoided the first cut, struck the flat of the blade with a short activation of Mountain Grip and retreated before Evan could trap him between both weapons.

Body Technique — Return Step

Alaric crossed several paces instantly, yet stopped at exactly the distance he needed.

A knife left his hand the moment his feet touched the floor and forced Zephyr to abandon the spell he had been constructing.

He was only practising that technique a few minutes ago, Evan thought. How is he already using it during a real exchange?

Zephyr flew above him and tried again.

Spell Model — Earthen Grasp

Stone hands erupted beneath Alaric, but he sent only enough mana into Return Step to move beyond their closing fingers, then smoothly reduced the flow before the technique carried him into the wall.

Sophia nearly missed the transition. She knew little about Body Techniques, but she understood mana control well enough to recognize how difficult it was to alter the output of an active technique while two opponents were attacking.

Could I control one of my spells that precisely under the same pressure?

For the first time since learning that Alaric intended to fight them both, Sophia could no longer answer with confidence.

Thank you for reading!