章 30: Ethan VS Leon. Serpent Vs Wolf.

Ethan slid to a halt, skidding roughly 7 meters from the initial clash with Leon. His muscles ached, but he remained standing. Across the stage, Leon was thrown back about 3 meters, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. Ethan was stronger than he had imagined, but it wasn't enough to unsettle him.

With a flick of his wrist, Leon conjured a dozen spiked ice balls, each the size of a basketball, their jagged surfaces gleaming with frost. They hurtled toward Ethan, cold and deadly. Ethan sprinted forward, weaving skillfully between the projectiles with remarkable speed and fluidity. The ice balls shattered against the stage behind him, leaving deep gouges in the ground.

As Ethan closed the distance, he threw a punch with all his might. Leon blocked it, but the impact sent him flying off his feet, crashing onto the stage floor. His eyes widened as he pushed himself up. How is he this strong? The punch carried an unexpected force, far beyond what he anticipated.

He's tougher than I thought, Leon mused, his smirk fading. But it doesn't matter.

Without wasting a moment, Leon surged forward, his body a blur as he infused his leg with ice magic. He swung a devastating kick toward Ethan's side, his foot surrounded by a frosty blue aura. Ethan barely managed to block, bracing himself as his arms absorbed the blow. The chilling energy from Leon's leg seeped into Ethan's bones, causing frostbite to creep up his forearms, while cracks formed in the bones beneath the skin.

Leon grinned at the sight of Ethan wincing, his breath clouding in the icy air. Now, the real fight begins.

Ethan staggered back, shaking the frost from his hands. So, he was holding back until now.

Dropping to a crouch, Ethan's posture shifted. Bright blue energy flared around him, and his eyes glowed with a faint azure hue. The air around him vibrated as remnants of Leon's earlier ice attacks lifted from the stage, floating around Ethan in a swirling storm of debris. The space within 10 meters of him was under his control, manipulated by his telekinetic abilities.

Leon's grin faded, but he remained unfazed. With a cold sneer, he summoned a massive snowflake above his head. It hovered ominously for a moment before raining down a blizzard upon him. His energy surged as the falling snow empowered him, reinforcing his strength and heightening his control over the cold.

In the blink of an eye, both fighters disappeared from their positions, reappearing at the center of the stage with another resounding *boom*. The clash of their fists and powers sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, the floor cracking under the intensity of their strikes.

Leon's punches were heavy, each infused with ice affinity that froze the air around them. His attacks were precise, the product of ancient martial arts passed down through his family. Each movement flowed effortlessly, his body a weapon honed by years of training. His strikes were near flawless, designed to crush any opponent with raw power and perfect technique.

Ethan, on the other hand, fought with a strange and unconventional style. His movements were unpredictable, his martial arts a mix of styles that seemed both familiar and alien to those watching. However, despite his skill, Ethan's technique had noticeable flaws—his timing was slightly off, and certain motions left him exposed. His martial arts had been hampered by the system, sealing half of his abilities. Even worse, he wasn't just fighting a beast this time—he was facing an Advanced Rank mage. Leon fought with the mindset and cunning of a human, which made him far more dangerous.

After several heated clashes, Leon found an opening. With a swift roundhouse kick, he struck Ethan square in the stomach. The force of the blow lifted Ethan off his feet, sending him hurtling across the stage. He slammed into the ground, skidding to a halt as cracks spiderwebbed beneath him. His energy suit flickered and groaned under the pressure, cracks forming along its surface.

What the—? Ethan's eyes widened in confusion. He quickly accessed the system's interface, and Zark, his AI guide, appeared with an explanation.

"The system has limited the power of your energy suit to match the parameters of this battle. It is likely that your suit will be destroyed before the duel ends, but it will not be permanently damaged."

Ethan grimaced. So, this was part of their plan all along?

Despite the pain coursing through his body, Ethan pushed himself up, his breathing ragged. Leon stood at a distance, his energy suit showing minor dents from their exchanges, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Leon's expression darkened. "Now you've really made me angry, and you'll pay for it."

Ethan smirked through the pain, "Cringy. You've been angry since the day you were born."

Leon sneered at the retort, refusing to be baited any longer. With a snap of his fingers, he summoned his Spirit Beast. A swirling blue portal opened behind him, releasing a wave of icy air that chilled the arena. From the portal, a massive white wolf with glowing blue eyes stepped forward. The beast was imposing, standing at 6.5 feet tall. A snowflake-shaped mark glowed on its forehead, while a silver claw tattoo adorned its chest.

The wolf let out a deafening howl, its breath freezing the air in front of it.

Ethan watched, unshaken by the appearance of Leon's Spirit Beast. Time for Angitia.

Without a word, Ethan summoned his own beast. Angitia, the bronze-horned serpent, uncoiled from around his neck and slithered to the ground. She shifted into her full form, a 5-foot-long serpent with the thickness of an elephant's trunk. Her bronze horns glinted in the sunlight, and the rune on her forehead mirrored the one that glowed on Ethan's brow. A surge of bright blue energy surrounded both of them as they prepared for the next phase of the battle.

The transformations on both sides left the audience stunned. Leon's hair had turned spiky and white, his skin pale as ice, while ice-like horns sprouted from his wolf's head. On Ethan's side, Angitia coiled protectively, her glowing horns ready to strike.

Even the commentators and senior mages in the audience were speechless. Leon's strength was expected, but Ethan's prowess shocked them. A first-year student wielding this level of power was unprecedented.

Leon sneered, the familiar aura of his Path filling the air. His ice affinity surged to its peak, combining seamlessly with his martial arts. He now had enough power to easily crush Ethan, Angitia, or both at once.

This is bad, Ethan thought, recognizing the energy of Leon's Path. Even if it's a weak Path, it's still beyond my current level.

The stage was now divided. Leon's side was buried under a layer of snow, while Ethan's side was cloaked in blue energy, crackling with telekinetic force. It was as if two realms had collided, each fighter claiming their territory.

Without warning, they clashed again, both vanishing from their spots in a blur of speed and power. Leon attacked with brutal precision; his hands spiked with icy shards that froze the air around them. Every punch and kick left trails of frost, his movements fluid and deadly. Ethan used his Telekinesis to block and evade, but Leon's relentless assault was overwhelming.

Ethan took several hits—his suit cracking further, his helmet shattering as blood trickled from his mouth. Yet, he fought back. His Telekinesis allowed him to create small openings, and every now and then, he managed to rip a piece of Leon's energy suit, but it wasn't enough.

Meanwhile, their Spirit Beasts were locked in combat. Leon's wolf was fast and ferocious, enhanced by his Path. Its claws and teeth were sharp, its movements almost a blur. Angitia, though smaller and nimbler, managed to dodge most attacks and strike back when she could. But it was clear she was struggling to keep up with the wolf's ferocity.

The battle raged on, each side pushing their limits. Ethan was holding his own, but the toll was evident.

Suddenly, Leon landed a devastating blow. He slammed Ethan into the ground, creating a small crater where he crashed. Before Ethan could recover, Leon was on him again, kicking him out of the crater and sending him tumbling across the stage, crashing into Angitia. The serpent caught him, but the impact hurt them both.

Leon landed a few feet away, his head held high with arrogance. "I'll give you credit—you're strong. But you're still weak. Too weak to fight me. Too weak to protect your Spirit Beast. I don't know what happens to Spirit Beasts when their masters fall, but I guess we'll find out today." He smirked, raising his leg, which now glowed with an icy blue light, ready to kick Angitia.

Ethan's eyes flared with anger. "You will do no such thing!"

A burst of blue energy erupted from Ethan, clashing with Leon's leg. The shockwave blew both fighters and their Beasts backward, their auras flaring. Ethan recalled Angitia, the serpent returning to the tattoo on his back. She resisted, but she knew her master's command was final.

Leon and his wolf regained their footing, but Ethan was thrown across the stage, hitting the ground hard. His energy suit was now in tatters, only the lower half remaining. His upper body was exposed, his muscles taut and chiseled, sweat mixing with

blood. He was pale, breathing heavily, clearly on his last legs. The recent burst of power had drained almost all his energy.

Despite his exhaustion, Ethan grinned, his bloody face twisted into a determined smile. He wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes locked on Leon.

"Come on then," he rasped. "Let's finish this."