Chapitre 46: Exchange of blows (5)
Raphael Earhart
Once again, our blades clashed, creating a cacophony of relentless battle. Erin attacked with unwavering determination, each strike aimed at breaking through my defense. Most of her blows I parried with ease, while others I simply dodged.
I observed her closely. Tension was etched into her features; every move spoke of intense focus and effort. Yet, despite her tenacity, I knew she was still far from capable of fighting me as an equal.
Leaping back, I channeled mana and conjured five ice spears before me. Without wasting a moment, I sent them flying toward Erin. Each spear moved at a different speed, their trajectories unpredictable. It made evasion difficult and disrupted any attempt to mount a solid defense.
Erin quickly assumed a defensive stance, deflecting the spears one by one. But I had no intention of giving her a reprieve. As she worked to fend off my attack, I concentrated on the mana in the surrounding space.
My goal was to expand my influence over the arena, spreading my control across the battlefield. Channeling mana into my limbs, I sharpened my senses to feel every particle around me. Slowly, step by step, I extended my presence, striving to dominate the space we occupied.
With each passing second, I felt the mana respond to my efforts. My influence grew, and my connection to the environment deepened. Even with my eyes closed, I could see everything around me through the particles now under my command.
I noticed Renald and his friends watching our fight with keen eyes. Their gazes were filled with admiration, their quiet discussions audible even through the clamor of the arena. They were likely analyzing tactics and techniques they might one day use in similar battles.
Across the field, Erin continued to deflect my ice spears. The final two she repelled with remarkable precision, her movements reinforced by bursts of mana and aura that enhanced her strikes. She moved with grace, her execution so sharp it earned my silent approval.
But for now, her efforts were secondary to my larger objective. As my control over the arena's mana solidified, I felt beads of sweat trickling down my face. The strain mounted, my consciousness bending under the effort. It felt as though my mind was melting under the weight of pushing beyond my limits.
What I was attempting—a spatial manipulation on this scale—was theoretically achievable only at the Raging Flame stage, while I remained at the Smoldering Ember stage, third tier. The size of the arena far exceeded my current capacity. This endeavor, by all accounts, was reckless. If I were a few years older or more experienced, it might have been less grueling.
Still, the risk was necessary. Growth doesn't come without challenges.
Erin, having neutralized the last of the spears, charged toward me without hesitation, her resolve evident to everyone in the arena. But I saw every step she took, every shift of her blade. With the mana now under my control, her movements held no surprises.
Even without speaking, I understood her intent—to stop me, though she had no idea what I aimed to achieve. Yet, by the time she reached me, it was already too late.
My influence over the mana had spread to every corner of the arena. Drawing on it with a final burst, I felt the strain spike, the backlash forcing blood to rise in my throat. Coughing violently, I pressed forward.
In an instant, the entire arena was engulfed in icy cold. Frost erupted from my feet, spreading at an incredible speed and coating everything it touched. The smooth, reflective surface of the ice captured the dim light, transforming the arena into a radiant ice palace.
Erin, who had been mere moments away from striking, abruptly shifted tactics. Leaping back, she sought to avoid the encroaching frost. Her movements were swift, but the wariness in her eyes was unmistakable.
The others reacted similarly. Elvira summoned earthen platforms, Elias tried to fend off the ice with fire, Liana raised wooden shields, and Renald used wind magic to maneuver away.
But it was futile. Within thirty seconds, the ice had claimed the entire arena, creating what resembled a vast frozen chamber.
My eyes opened, and I glanced around as though in a trance. Icicles hung from the ceiling, while the floor was a solid expanse of ice and snow. Massive ice formations dotted the once-empty battlefield.
If I didn't know we were still inside a training hall within the tournament stadium, I might have believed I'd transported us to another world. Yet, this surreal transformation was entirely my doing.
The memory of my encounter with Sarik surfaced—a bitter reminder of my previous inadequacy in controlling mana. Manipulating the confined space of his shop had left me drained, a glaring indication that my current level wasn't enough to ensure victory in the upcoming tournament.
After crafting the mana-restorative pills from the berries and sharing them with Aurora, Alice, Harumi, Erin, and Kazemir, I had resolved to push myself harder. By consuming the pills and undergoing relentless training, I aimed to enhance my endurance and control over mana in preparation for the trials ahead.
Now, in this one-on-one duel with Erin, I saw the perfect opportunity to test my progress. Of course, five days of training was far too short a time for significant improvement—a truth reflected in how terrible I felt at this moment.
As I took a step toward Erin, a sudden wave of pain shot through my chest. My legs buckled, and I dropped to one knee.
— Cough... cough… — The sound tore from my throat, and I covered my mouth instinctively.
To my horror, I saw crimson streaks of blood staining my hand.
As if that weren't enough, a splitting headache followed, crashing into me like a hammer between anvils. It crushed my thoughts, plunging my mind into chaos and robbing me of focus.
My mind clouded. I couldn't think clearly or make decisions. The strain I had put on my body was taking its toll.
The necklace around my neck, a gift from my older sister, began to grow warm. Faintly, a voice reached my consciousness.
"Rap…ael!"
"Ra…el!"
The words were garbled, impossible to discern no matter how hard I tried. All I could focus on was the searing pain tearing through my mind.
In the corner of my blurred vision, I caught sight of a dark presence—a shadowy mist seeping from my body.
Before it could take hold, I forced my will into motion, channeling mana imbued with an icy attribute into my brain. A soothing chill spread through my head, dulling the agony and calming my frayed nerves. Bit by bit, I directed the mana through my blood vessels and magical circuits, cooling each hemisphere of my brain. The process required intense concentration, but I didn't allow myself to relax until the pain began to ebb.
Relief washed over me, and I exhaled deeply as the tension drained from my body.
"Raphael!" Harumi's worried voice rang out in my mind. "Are you all right? I could feel the dark essence trying to emerge again."
"I'm fine now. Don't worry," I replied mentally, injecting as much confidence as I could muster to ease her concern.
If not for my current control over the space around me, I'd never have been able to manipulate mana with such precision to cool my brain. This method was dangerous, demanding flawless execution. In a real battle, attempting such a maneuver could spell disaster—not only risking failure but also leaving me vulnerable at a critical moment.
Yet, through sheer determination, I managed to make this reckless gamble a reality. As my mind cleared, I realized there was still time to act.
Rising from my knee, I took in my surroundings with renewed focus. Elvira and Liana stood on raised platforms they had hastily conjured, while Renald and his companions hovered nearby, appearing lost and uncertain. Across the hall, Erin stood at the opposite end, her shocked gaze fixed on the transformed arena.
It seemed no one had noticed how close I had come to losing control of my own body. That was for the best.
My eyes met Erin's. Her furrowed brow betrayed her unease. Raising her sword, she began to advance again, though her movements were far more cautious than before. Her instincts told her that I posed a serious threat, even if she couldn't fully grasp the depth of my capabilities.
Right now, I commanded the mana throughout the entire hall. Every particle obeyed me—from the mana in the air to the energy Elvira had used to shape her platforms. Even Erin's protective aura lay within the boundaries of my influence.
The only limit was the mana within people's bodies, though I could feel that even this restriction was temporary. With enough training and further development of my abilities, I would one day overcome that barrier as well.
However, there was a problem. Maintaining control over this space was incredibly taxing. I estimated I had only a couple of minutes left before my strength gave out completely.
Deciding not to waste any more time, I moved my fingers, directing the mana. In an instant, the energy surrounding Erin dissipated. She froze mid-step, her face a mask of shock.
Her wide eyes and trembling lips showed her disbelief, though her voice was inaudible to me. Not that it mattered.
With a subtle gesture, I conjured a ring of frozen crystals around Erin, encasing the space within a three-meter radius. The shimmering ice caught her attention, heightening her wariness.
But, as expected of Erin, she quickly composed herself. Realizing I had disrupted her mana control, she shifted tactics without hesitation. Surrounding herself with aura, she assumed a combat stance. Even with her limited mastery of aura, she wielded it without doubt.
Her resolve, as always, was remarkable. Despite her inexperience, she never wavered. This quality of hers always stood out—her courage to take risks, even when the odds were against her.
I directed the icy crystals to hover mid-air before launching them toward Erin like shrapnel. The shards sliced through the air with a deafening whistle, converging on her from all directions.
Erin fought valiantly, dodging and deflecting as many shards as she could, but their sheer number created an almost inescapable storm. Her aura shielded her from the worst of the assault, yet several shards still pierced through, leaving tears in her clothing and scratches on her skin.
The attack lasted only ten seconds, but its impact was evident. Erin, once confident and composed, now appeared visibly worn. Her attire was tattered, and bloodied cuts marked her exposed skin. Yet, despite her labored breathing and visible exhaustion, a smile graced her lips.
She likely wasn't even aware of it, but she was enjoying the fight. The thrill of battle, the rush of adrenaline—it was something I understood all too well. I felt the same every time I faced Aurora.
The exhilaration of challenging a formidable opponent, the anticipation of the next strike, and the fiery surge of adrenaline—it made one bold, yet reckless. But it was a double-edged sword. Erin, driven by her battle fervor, had lost the ability to gauge her limits. If I wanted to, I could have ended her right then and there, and she would have been powerless to stop me.
It was time to end this sparring match before it resulted in real injuries. Focusing on the ground around Erin, I summoned ice serpents. They erupted from the frozen floor and lunged at her legs, ankles, and thighs, baring their crystalline fangs.
Erin channeled her aura into her blade, slicing through the serpents with precision, severing their heads and bodies from the ground they emerged from. Her determination was impressive, but I could see her energy waning.
Eventually, one of the serpents latched onto her thigh, its icy fangs sinking into her flesh. Erin let out a sharp cry, collapsing to one knee. The other serpents seized the opportunity, coiling around her wrists, ankles, and limbs, pinning her to the ground.
For most, this would have signaled defeat. But in Erin's eyes, I saw a glimmer of defiance—a belief that victory was still within reach.
Pulling on the mana once more, I created three frozen spheres three meters away from her. Recognition flashed in her wide eyes as she realized what was coming.
With a snap of my fingers, the spheres detonated. A shockwave and a burst of icy mist engulfed the arena.
As the mist began to settle, I approached Erin's fallen form. Pain flared in my chest again, and I barely managed to stay on my feet, coughing up blood. The ice I had conjured started to melt, my control over the space slipping away with my waning strength.
When the haze cleared, I found Erin unconscious, her body marked with cuts and bruises. I had detonated the spheres at a safe distance to avoid serious harm, but it was enough to end the match.
Truthfully, I doubted I could have continued for another minute. The spatial control had drained me completely.
My gaze met Mark's. He stood frozen, his disbelief apparent as he stared at the vanishing ice. Finally, he caught my look and stepped back slightly.
— I think it's time to call it, isn't it?
— Ah, yes… Erin is out. Victory goes to Raphael's team! — Mark announced.
Relief coursed through me as I released the last of my mana. My legs gave out, and I fell onto my back, drawing in deep breaths.
This battle had been an incredible experience, but it served as a harsh reminder of how far I still had to go.
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