Taking a deep breath, Nox stepped forward, drawing his daggers from his Inventory and gripping them tightly. His gaze locked onto Nova, mind racing to formulate a strategy—he just needed to land a single hit.

  “You can star—”

  Before Nova could finish his sentence, Nox launched himself forward like a missile.

  ‘Fast.’

  Nova’s eyes tracked Nox as he weaved unpredictably, shifting directions mid-sprint to throw him off. But Nova smirked.

  ‘Not fast enough to lose me.’

  His gaze remained sharp, following every movement with ease—until Nox suddenly slammed his foot into the ground. A thick cloud of dust erupted around them.

  ‘He’s watched too many action movies.’ Nova chuckled inwardly. ‘But I have to admit—this works.’

  Closing his eyes, he focused, reaching out with his senses. He searched for the disturbance in Mana, expecting to pinpoint Nox’s position—but something was off. There wasn’t just one source of agitation, there were several.

  ‘Smart’ Nova’s eyes snapped open, scanning the battlefield. The dust cloud was thinning fast. If Nox didn’t act now, his window of opportunity would vanish.

  A sharp whistle cut through the air as a dagger sliced through the lingering dust on Nova’s right side. He turned his head just in time to see its tip streaking toward him. Instinctively, he deflected it with the spearhead—only to feel nothing. The dagger spun away, as if it had never truly been there.

  Another whistle followed, this one barely more than a whisper. Nova’s gaze snapped to his left, just in time to see a second dagger closing in.

  With measured precision, he struck it away using the butt of his spear—only to feel the same eerie lack of resistance.

  ‘Throwing daggers?’ He frowned. ‘That was the second one. He should be unarmed by now… What is he planning?’

  Before he could dwell on it, two more daggers tore through the thinning veil of dust—one from the front, one from behind.

  Nova’s eyes narrowed.

  For the first time, he decided to take this a little more seriously.

  Sweeping his spear in front of him, he pivoted on his right foot, striking the incoming dagger from the front. As his movement carried him around, his eyes locked onto the second dagger—the one that had been aiming for his back.

  Now, he was facing it head-on.

  [Spear Sweep proficiency increased]

  Effortlessly sidestepping, he watched the dagger whistle past—but something caught his attention.

  [Keen Reflexes proficiency increased]

  ‘A thread?’ Nova's eyes narrowed as he noticed something attached to the hilt of the dagger.

  Outside the dust cloud, the six generals observed in silence. Nox stood motionless at the edge of the dust, thin threads looped around both his index fingers, controlling the daggers with precise, fluid movements. His hands danced, guiding the blades like a puppeteer commanding his strings.

  “Think he got the Boss?” Malachi asked, his gaze locked onto the scene, unwilling to miss a single detail.

  Darius shook his head. “No. This might have worked against others, but not against him.”

  The others nodded in agreement. Hector sighed. “Only an assassin would come up with a trick like this.”

  As if on cue, the dust finally settled, revealing Nova—completely unscathed, an amused smile playing on his lips.

  Malachi exhaled, shaking his head. “Not a single scratch.”

  A collective sigh rippled through the generals.

  Meanwhile, Nova’s gaze met Nox’s. The assassin now gripped both his daggers, ready for what came next.

  "Your strategy was impressive," Nova said with a smile. "If my reflexes weren’t as sharp as they are, I might’ve died in that cloud of dust." Then, with a hint of curiosity, he added, "But why didn’t you approach me directly?"

  Nox met Nova’s gaze, his voice quiet but firm. "I treated this as a real fight scenario. If I had rushed in… my arms would’ve been severed before I even had time to react."

  Nova chuckled, tilting his head slightly. "You never know. Overestimating an enemy can be just as dangerous as underestimating one. But you did well this time." He gave an approving nod. "Keep working hard. You can go back."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Nox absorbed the words, making a mental note before nodding in return. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the others.

  "Good job"

  As soon as Nox rejoined the group, the six generals acknowledged him with a brief nod. A few quiet words were exchanged before Nova’s voice cut through the conversation like a blade.

  “Darius.”

  At the sound of his name, Darius took a deep breath, drew his sword, and stepped forward.

  “Think he’ll be able to land a hit?” Malachi asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

  Hector shook his head. “I doubt it.”

  Shira and Adira remained silent—one intently focused on the fight ahead, the other lost in her own thoughts.

  Malachi’s gaze shifted to Nox, prompting an answer.

  “No.”

  A single word. Nothing more. Then Nox returned his attention to the battlefield.

  Alaric, watching the two figures in the clearing, spoke without looking away. “Just watch.” Then he fell silent again.

  Resigned, Malachi muttered something under his breath—too low for anyone to catch—before turning his eyes toward Nova and Darius.

  Standing face-to-face with Nova, Darius felt the weight of the moment settle over him.

  "Whenever you're ready," Nova said casually.

  Darius’ grip tightened around his sword. His mind replayed the previous fights—one after another, all ending the same way. No openings. No chances. Just defeat. Now, standing in that same position, he couldn’t help but imagine himself suffering the same fate.

  Seconds passed. He didn’t move.

  Nova chuckled. "Don’t tell me you’ve got some kind of mental block too."

  “No, I’m just pumping myself up,” Darius said, his grip loosening slightly as his eyes sharpened with focus.

  With a single step forward, he launched himself at Nova, his speed nearly matching Nox’s.

  ‘Good speed’, Nova thought as a sword sweep came crashing in from his left, fast and relentless, like a rising tide.

  The sheer speed of the attack earned another silent nod of approval from Nova, but he remained unfazed. With precise timing, he angled his spearhead to intercept the strike, tilting the blade just enough to redirect its force and give himself room to retreat.

  But Darius had anticipated that.

  As his sword was knocked back, he drove his left fist forward, aiming straight for Nova’s chest. It was a calculated move—he had never expected his initial strike to land.

  The punch closed in, mere millimeters from its target—

  Then, in an instant, Nova’s left leg snapped upward.

  A sickening crunch echoed as Darius' right arm bent at an unnatural angle. Yet, no cry of pain escaped his lips. Without hesitation, he retreated to what he deemed a safe distance, releasing his grip on his sword.

  Without missing a beat, he reached for his broken arm, snapped it back into place, and—less than a minute later—his hand was steady once more, ready for battle.

  ‘Regeneration. I’m glad you have it’, Nova mused, a smile tugging at his lips as he waited for Darius to strike again.

  Darius exhaled sharply, grabbing back his sword and resuming his stance. “Those reflexes aren’t human,” he murmured before shaking his head, forcing himself to refocus.

  With a powerful stomp, he shattered the already broken ground beneath him and surged forward once more.

  This time, Nova saw something he hadn’t expected.

  Sparks of fire flickered along Darius’ blade as he swung downward.

  Nova’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. ‘Fire? After just six months, he can already wield fire on his own? But he’s only second…’

  Instinctively, his gaze flicked toward his generals—more specifically, toward Alaric.

  The generals didn’t look surprised.

  Alaric, however, looked… dissatisfied.

  ‘He can do better?’ Nova thought noticing that look, intrigue sparking within him. ‘I need to ask some questions later.’

  His attention snapped back to Darius just as the sword came crashing down.

  With practiced ease, Nova pivoted on his right foot, effortlessly slipping past the blade’s arc—his gaze never leaving the weapon.

  As the strike completed, he noticed something unusual.

  Just beyond the sword’s edge, flickers of flame extended outward—stretching the blade’s range by several centimeters.

  [Keen Reflexes proficiency increased]

  ‘Is this why Alaric wasn’t satisfied?’ Nova wondered. He had expected more from Darius, yet he hadn’t anticipated this development at all.

  Oblivious to Nova’s thoughts, Darius wasted no time, launching himself forward once more. From an outsider’s perspective, the battle resembled an intricate dance of fire, with Nova effortlessly weaving through every opening, slipping just beyond the reach of the growing flames.

  “I haven’t seen Darius use this in months, since the last time he sparred with Alaric” Hector remarked with a sigh.

  Malachi turned to Nox, curiosity in his eyes. “How far are you from this level?”

  Nox’s voice carried a quiet determination. “Soon.”

  Before the conversation could continue, Alaric’s voice cut in. “Keep watching.”

  Even Adira, who had been lost in her own thoughts, lifted her head, her attention locking onto the fight.

  Slowly, the flickering embers that danced along Darius’ blade began to expand, the flames creeping outward—gradually increasing the reach of his strikes.

  The battle continued for fifteen minutes, but after the six-minute mark, Darius’ flames stopped growing. His control had reached its limit.

  As Nova continued dodging, his Keen Reflexes sharpening with every passing moment, he noted that Darius’ flames hadn’t expanded for some time.

  Seeing no improvement for the past minutes Nova moved, deciding to end it.

  With no fear of injuring Darius—thanks to his Regeneration passive—he struck. His spear lashed out at blinding speed, colliding with Darius’ sword.

  This time, Nova used nearly all his strength.

  The impact sent the blade flying from Darius’ grasp, shattering his hand in the process while the sword crashed several meters away.

  “That’s enough,” Nova said, his gaze steady, a smile tugging at his lips.

  Darius halted instantly, panting as he struggled to catch his breath. Prolonged use of mana at this level had drained most of his stamina, and pain now wracked his body. His skin radiated intense heat—enough that an untrained hand would burn upon contact.

  Noticing this, Nova arched a brow. “Is that a side effect?”

  Between ragged breaths, Darius nodded. “Yes… I can barely sustain it.”

  “I see.” Understanding flickered in Nova’s eyes before he gave an approving nod. “You’ve surprised me. I never expected to see elemental control during this spar.”

  Then, curiosity sparked in his voice.

  “I have one question—where did you learn it?”

  Darius, pleased by his boss' praise, replied, “Alaric received a book detailing methods to use mana to generate fire from a Green portal. I’ve been studying it with him for the past three months.”

  ‘Alaric again?’ Nova mused inwardly. ‘I wonder what the name of that book is—Fire Basics, maybe?’ A soft chuckle escaped him, the sound light and amused. Darius paused, briefly confused, unsure if his words had triggered the laughter.

  Noticing his general’s puzzled expression, Nova quickly recollected himself. “We can talk later. Go back and rest.”

  “Yes, Boss,” Darius responded, giving a tired but respectful nod before slowly making his way back toward the other generals.

  ‘Now, onto the strongest,’ Nova thought, his gaze sharpening as it settled on Alaric.

  “Come.”

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