Liam’s gaze narrowed.
Perhaps he was being superstitious, but he couldn’t help but feel uneasy for some reason.
It definitely wasn’t from the fight. Liam had complete confidence in his new abilities.
Perhaps the age difference gave Rishe a slight advantage, but that didn’t matter too much.
Even the dual elements didn’t bother him.
Nonetheless, the feelings lingered.
‘It’s just paranoia. Too many eyes fixed on me.’
Although the situation was the same when he fought in the Regional Power Tournament, back then, he wore a mask.
‘So that’s what it is. Being seen by so many people at once.’
“Everyone make way!” Headmaster Reye shouted with a frown, instantly making the students disperse and create space.
Putting those thoughts in the back of his head, Liam approached the center of the field, alongside Rishe and the Headmaster himself.
“Rooting for ya,” Nord said from the back. Rin gestured the same.
Liam, Rishe and the Headmaster huddled in the center of the field.
“Lawrence. You have challenged Rishe Voist for the House of Honor. You may add nothing else as the initiator. I will judge fairly, as my Binding Oath demands,” the Headmaster clarified, before looking towards Rishe.
“What do you ask of the challenger?”
Rishe paused, a pensive look on his face. A moment later, he smirked mischievously.
“Five of his highest ranking techniques and spells. I get to choose.”
Reye nodded, then looked at Liam.
“Do you agree with these demands?”
Liam said nothing and casually nodded.
“Very well. You may exchange a few words if you wish. I will begin the duel once you find your mark.”
The Headmaster teleported away, joining the teachers. A wall of force formed around the two to block any eavesdropping.
“I have to say, I’m glad we can finally settle this debate of who’s stronger.”
Liam shook his head.
“And you chose to do it publicly? Are you the type to enjoy feeling humiliated?”
Scowling, Rishe chose that moment to try and probe Liam’s strength, but the latter promptly pushed away his mental waves.
Surprise and shock gripped the noble’s face.
“The rumors were true? You’re actually a Rank 2 Magus?”
Considering the average age of a Rank 2 Magus, the Voist family heir was already a prodigy in that regard, awakening at the age of 17 due to the usage of expensive pills his clan invested in him.
Yet a thirteen year old peasant with no family backing was on the same level?
How?
Liam said nothing as he walked to the opposite side of the field, leaving the noble dumbstruck for several seconds.
Frowning, Vishe eventually found his mark.
‘I have to take him down here and now. At least lessen his strength until a more permanent solution,’ he thought.
Within the Battle Halls, everything was silent.
The spectators didn’t blink as they watched intently.
Liam unsheathed his black blades as soon as he stopped at the field’s edge.
It was the last pair Rogan had left him, and he figured it was time to use them.
Heaving a slight breath, the air around Liam changed, becoming suffocating for the students near him.
The same thing happened on the opposite side. Rishe didn’t hold back his aura and let it burst forth.
Wind and water gathered at his hands and merged, freezing into two lengthy but sturdy ice spears as tall as his body.
Assessing the noble’s aura, Liam slightly grimaced. It was much more powerful than he imagined.
‘Directly living over an ‘Ora’ Well must have bolstered his progress by a lot. He’s probably stronger body-wise, too.’ ｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖
After that thought, Liam dispelled any unnecessary thinking and focused.
Silence ensued.
Liam’s eye fixed to Rishe emotionlessly as he waited for permission to attack.
Although subtle, the noble was unnerved behind the calm and collected mask he put on.
Inscribed lines started to glow beneath their feet, creating a defensive force around the field.
Silence.
Right as the tension rose to its peak, it burst like a dam as soon as the Headmaster’s voice rang out.
Solid darkness tightened around Liam’s feet and erupted him forward, making his form blur as he reappeared right below Rishe.
CHNK!
The noble barely managed to block the attack, crossing his ice-made spears against Liam’s swords.
In one fluid movement, Liam weaved in again and slashed horizontally against the noble’s waist, activating Piercing Blade. However, the mental attack didn’t pass through, as the latter used a defensive spell.
Rishe leaped back and deflected the strike, his speed bolstered by a wind spell yet Liam followed his movements and continued his assault.
CLING! CLANG!
Abruptly, Rishe’s aura grew cold, attempting to merge together with Liam’s mental waves.
Sensing the mental assault, Liam briefly let the coldness touch his sea of consciousness before activating Corrosive Mind.
In an instant, Liam’s golden walls blackened, corroding the noble’s mental waves and making him recoil with a low grunt.
As soon as he spotted the opening, Liam activated Vanishing Steps again and reappeared behind Rishe, his blades turning into thin streaks as they slashed across the noble’s back, forming two deep corrosive wounds.
Still, Rishe lessened their impact by pivoting around and hurling his spears, then sending a beam of condensed water at Liam’s chest.
Liam didn’t account for how fast and powerful the beam was.
As he evaded with Vanishing Steps, the spell wasn’t fully completed as the beam collided with his shoulder, ripping off a chunk of skin and shattering a bone on impact.
Liam let out a grunt of pain as he leaped backwards.
Rishe had found his footing, but looked genuinely pained as his back stung with every little movement.
Despite cultivating a Rank 4 body, it wasn’t a method that focused on regeneration, but increasing his spell usage and conservation. Even if he was at the upper-tier of the third Rank.
For that reason, he chose to bide his time until it naturally healed, smiling as he saw the Vagrant’s state.
Meanwhile, Liam held his mess of a shoulder. His deltoid was practically torn to shreds, and the bone beneath was freely jotting out.
‘Is it the scapula that’s broken?’ Liam frowned.
Even clutching his blades shot pangs of pain through the right side of his body.
Blood slowly gathered around his shredded muscles and began healing the mass of ruined flesh. However, his enhanced blood didn’t have the ability to fix shattered bones.
‘Never given a break, am I?’