Chapter 76: The conclusion of the battle

Evan and Zephyr adjusted quickly.

Evan began controlling the space into which Alaric could move, while Zephyr waited for the paired weapons to restrict Alaric’s choices before casting.

They’re learning to cooperate faster than I expected, Alaric thought. He couldn’t overpower them directly.

His best chance was to control their positions and make their attacks interfere with each other before they established a proper rhythm.

Spell Model — Detonation

The air exploded behind Alaric as Evan approached from the front.

Unable to retreat safely, Alaric rushed forward. Evan’s sword descended toward his shoulder while the blade cut across his waist, but Alaric deflected the sword with one knife, ducked beneath the blade and drove his reinforced shoulder into Evan’s chest.

The collision pushed Evan back, although Zephyr was already descending.

Body Technique — Titan’s Might

Alaric caught one reinforced claw with Mountain Grip.

He couldn’t stop the charge, but changed its direction enough for Zephyr to pass beside him and crash into the floor.

The dragon recovered immediately and stared at Alaric’s hand. He redirected me with one arm? Just how much mana can those channels carry?! He was a damn fucking dragon!

Body Technique — Obsidian Scales

Zephyr reinforced his body while maintaining Titan’s Might. Evan attacked simultaneously, forcing Alaric to defend against his two weapons while Zephyr’s claws and tail came from unfamiliar angles.

A claw scraped Alaric’s shoulder formation, missing a decisive hit by such a small distance that red light flickered before disappearing.

Zephyr immediately attacked the same side again, but Evan’s blade occupied the space he needed and forced him to change direction.

“Move your oversized knife!” Zephyr complained.

“Stop entering from the side I’m attacking,” Evan replied without looking away from Alaric.

Their coordination remained rough, but each mistake taught them something.

Evan began leaving openings above his sword for Zephyr, while the dragon delayed his charges until Alaric committed. The available space gradually narrowed.

Sophia leaned closer to the barrier. Alaric wasn’t displaying better weapon technique than Evan or matching Zephyr’s variety.

He was winning fragments of time through his insane reflexes and godly control of mana output.

Mountain Grip surged to deflect heavy attacks, then weakened before restricting his next response. Return Step sometimes moved him half a pace and sometimes carried him across half the hall.

Sophia had watched experienced Mages lose stability when changing a spell’s output too abruptly, yet Alaric repeatedly altered his flow while responding to two geniuses.

I saw his mana control in that training hall not long ago. Did he truly improve this much within a few minutes? What kind of comprehension is that?

Zephyr grew frustrated when another claw missed and decided to reveal the newest spell contained within his bloodline inheritance.

Spell Model — Shifting Ground

The stone beneath Alaric flowed sideways and dragged his feet apart.

It was Zephyr’s most complex Spell Model and filled his remaining capacity. Unless he progressed toward the Champion Mage realm, learning another would begin destabilizing the Spell Models he already possessed.

Evan attacked the instant Alaric lost his footing.

His sword drove toward Alaric’s chest while his blade blocked the easiest escape, and Zephyr rushed from the opposite side with both Body Techniques active. They had finally created a genuine trap without obstructing one another.

Alaric threw three knives.

The first forced Zephyr to protect his eye, the second shifted Evan’s thrust by less than an inch and the third forced his blade inward to defend his chest. That was the opening Alaric had been creating.

Body Technique — Return Step

Rather than fight the moving floor, Alaric turned with it and activated Return Step across his fall.

He passed beside Evan at an unexpected angle, then used Mountain Grip to knock the blade across the sword and tangle both weapons for a fraction of a breath.

A fourth knife touched the protective formation over Evan’s spine, causing red light to spread across his armour.

Evan froze. He had understood every movement, yet Alaric had used their combined pressure to decide where his weapons would end up.

The pair’s apparent opening had ended up defeating him instead.

Zephyr roared and launched himself forward before Alaric recovered.

Shifting Ground pulled at the floor while both Body Techniques strengthened his charge. With Evan gone, he trapped Alaric against the boundary.

At the final moment, Alaric pushed the maximum safe mana through Return Step and crossed a massive distance to create some gap.

Zephyr turned, but Alaric had already thrown his final knife toward the floor before him.

Zephyr climbed to avoid the ricochet and exposed the softer scales beneath his jaw. However, Alaric had predicted this and calculated his throw accordingly.

The weapon rebounded from the reinforced floor and struck the protective seal upon his training collar, causing red light to flash.

Silence filled the hall as Alaric stood with his armour still unmarked.

His breathing had become heavy and most of the knives around his waist were gone, but he had won.

Evan looked from the red formation across his chest to the red light around Zephyr’s neck.

They had repeatedly endangered the Young Lord, yet Alaric had dismantled them using a Body Technique he had begun practising minutes earlier.

What the hell is wrong with this Young Lord?!

“That doesn’t count!” Zephyr shouted. “We were exhausted since we already fought each other first, and Evan kept getting in my way!”

The protest came easily, but his thoughts were far less confident.

He beat both of us! That weak human actually beat both of us! When did he become this strong?

Then an even worse realization followed.

How am I supposed to keep calling him weak now? I need to become stronger! I want to keep the privilege of calling him weak!

While Zephyr was panicking, Alaric inwardly reflected upon himself that he couldn’t casually dominate either opponent.

They were tired, their teamwork was inexperienced and Zephyr hadn’t used invisibility.

Even then, one mistake would have ended the match. His reinforced channels, Mana Control, throwing mastery and Body Techniques had simply worked together better than expected.

Sophia barely heard Zephyr’s excuses.

She could only remember that Alaric had become a Knight several days ago.

Her father had brought her to House Orlen because the Central Continent promised greater opportunities, yet the most terrifying young talent she had ever witnessed was standing directly in front of her.

Just what kind of monster is Alaric Orlen?!

Thank you for reading!