Aurora Silverlight

  I stepped out of my chambers with a quiet breath and a calm stride, but inside, my heart was quickening with each step, as I marched forward.

  The halls were quiet at this hour, lit by soft daylight spilling through tall windows. I walked at a measured pace—shoulders straight, chin high—just as I was raised to. Still, I couldn’t quite keep the lightness from my steps.

  Today was different.

  We were heading to the southern training grounds—where Brigade Zero was waiting.

  More importantly, about the bout I was about to witness.

  I turned the last corner and entered the portal chamber.

  The atmosphere shifted the moment I stepped in. The air was heavier with energy, thick with the magic of the compass spinning at the centre of the room. Faint golden glyphs circled its core like a heartbeat, slow and steady.

  They were all here.

  Grandpa Ramus stood near the Compass, tall and proud, his presence steady as stone. His silver hair was pulled back neatly, his gaze fixed on the magical device like he could see beyond it. He didn’t speak as I entered—just gave me the briefest nod of acknowledgment. I returned it with a gentle bow of my head.

  To his left stood Lady Ariem, my grandmother. She held herself with the kind of grace I could only hope to mirror, a soft smile playing on her lips, though her eyes missed nothing. She looked at me the way she always did—like she saw every part of me at once, the princess and the adventure loving girl beneath.

  Grandpa Camus leaned against one of the stone pillars, his longs bangs covering his eyes, slightly revealing the scar on his forehead. His arms were crossed, looking like he was bored out of his mind. But I knew better. He was always alert—always watching. He lifted a brow at me, the way he used to when I was little and snuck sweets from the royal kitchens.

  And then…I looked toward the others.

  Mordian stood off to the side, arms folded. His golden eyes gleamed beneath the light, quiet and unreadable as always. Even in his human form, he had that same calm intensity, like a storm held tightly beneath still water. His wheat-blond hair framed his face, untouched by the heat radiating from the portal’s forming magic.

  He looked at me for the briefest heartbeat, then turned toward the compass.

  And beside him—Shun.

  I felt my steps slow just a little.

  He stood quietly, his profile calm, focused on the compass. His black hair caught the light, strands of white threaded through it like snow brushed against ink—tied into a low ponytail resting over his left shoulder. He had always been handsome—but now, there was something different about him. Something stronger, deeper.

  His face had sharpened. His eyes, usually so unreadable, held more weight to them now. The Shun I remembered had always carried quiet strength—but this version of him felt… grounded. Complete.

  He looked up just then and met my gaze.

  My heart gave the smallest skip—but I didn’t let it show.

  “Good morning,” I said smoothly, my tone as even as ever.

  “You’re glowing,” he said, tilting his head slightly, a smirk over his sharp features. “Excited?”

  I lifted my chin just a little. “It’s not every day one gets to visit the southern grounds, and witness the war goddess fight.”

  He smiled faintly. “True.”

  It wasn’t much. Just a simple exchange. But I felt it—something new between us. Subtle, unspoken, but impossible to ignore.

  The compass flared, brighter now. The air hummed, and the portal began to take shape—light folding in on itself until it formed a perfect, shimmering arch. The stone beneath our feet pulsed with life.

  Grandpa Ramus gave a firm nod. “It’s time.”

  Grandpa Camus stepped through first, his cloak fluttering behind him. Grandma Ariem followed with quiet grace. Mordian walked forward without a sound, like the air parted around him.

  Shun glanced at me once more before stepping into the portal. I waited a heartbeat, then followed.

  ***

  The shift was immediate.

  The air on the other side was warm, dry, and smelled faintly of scorched rock and iron. We had arrived in a stone chamber beneath the coliseum—a place set up to receive guests arriving through compass.

  The stone walls rose high around us, carved with markings from past ages. Torches flickered with blue flame, casting tall shadows that danced along the ground.

  We moved forward through a carved hallway, the stone beneath our feet smooth from centuries of passage. Above us, I could hear it—distant echoes. Voices. The sound of spells bursting. Blades striking. Energy crackling like thunder.

  Perhaps, others soldiers were training in the meantime we got here.

  We reached the spiral stair that led upward, and I kept my pace even with everyone else, though my fingers itched to move faster. Waiting to see Beatrix, my mentor who helped me get stronger in the last six months.

  Thanks to her, I was able to master several of my spells and integrate better with my nature deviant magic, which she tutored me over.

  Quickly, we stepped into the light.

  And I forgot how to breathe for a moment. I had been hear a few times, but every time left me in awe.

  The coliseum stretched out before us—vast and ancient. Towering stone pillars circled the arena, some broken, others scorched. The ground was rough, marked by hundreds of battles. And in the centre, elven warriors trained, spells lit the air, and the very ground seemed to remember every fight that came before.

  I heard the grunts that travelled through the air, the wind carried the scent of scorched stone and oil—strong and sharp. Just by looking at how the soldiers trained diligently, it was a determining sight.

  “Feels like a furnace out here,” I muttered, lifting my hand to shield my face.

  Shun turned slightly, eyes half-lidded. “You say that like you haven’t stood in a savannah far worse than this.”

  I let out a soft laugh. “At least that place had the decency to glow. This just smells like sweat and pride.”

  That earned a faint smirk from him.

  Even Mordian allowed the barest twitch of amusement—almost a smile. From him, that might as well have been applause.

  Shun walked ahead again, quiet and composed. But watching him now, I felt that familiar ache rise in my chest. The last time I saw him, he’d been injured—barely conscious. I didn’t get to say goodbye before Grandpa Camus took him and disappeared to the blessed springs for recovery.

  And now, six months later…he was here.

  Whole again.

  Stronger.

  Still Shun—but different.

  And as I walked behind him, I realized something I’d tried to ignore for a long time.

  He was starting to feel less like a friend, and more like something else.

  Something I wasn’t sure I was ready to admit yet.

  But it was there—quiet, steady, undeniable.

  Shun didn’t speak another word, but I could feel the tension in his aura now. Coiled. Quiet.

  He had jokingly challenged Beatrix to a bout and just by the look of confidence in his eyes, I could already tell that he had recovered fully to challenge the strongest mage in the elven world.

  I don’t know what had happened in the last six months, but it seemed like Shun had changed, in a way I couldn’t tell.

  Shun led us,—his demeanour was controlled and commanding, the moment his boots touched ground, he seemed to own the entire place. And behind us, Grandpa Camus—my ever-disapproving, sharp-tongued grandfather—trailed with the expression of someone who regretted being born into nobility, alongside him grandpa Ramus walked, holding a steady conversation with him.

  “How much do you want to bet this time?,” Grandpa Camus grumbled, mostly to himself, shooting him a smirk.

  Grandpa Ramus gave him a knowing look, like both brothers were on the same frequency. Wherever this was going, I didn’t like it.

  Honestly, we were here to witness and duel. Both here he was, my ever bored grandfathers, betting like it was a normal occasion.

  As we crested the rise, the full force of Brigade: Zero came into view, standing between the soldiers, all of them stood with quiet grace, their demeanour sharp and auras sizzled around the coliseum, making the air even denser.

  They stood in formation, weapons sheathed, they turned to us, Beatrix saw us all approaching, her squad approaching in step behind her. This was Beatrix’s elite personal.

  From the side, I recognised Tessa Vaelorin, sharp-eyed and silent, her silver-green hair flowed with grace, her wind-beaten leathers barely rustling as she sized us up. Beside her, Korran Daevel, a wall of stone and the shield of the squad stood, his quiet presence more intimidating than any war cry. An upright elf, his skin was darker, more tanned, but the mana exuding him made him seem unapproachable.

  Beatrix brought her hand close to her sternum and gave a respectful bow to us. Elder Ramus raised a hand, acknowledging their greeting with a smile. Grandma Ariem greeted them with a smile.

  Brigade Zero did the same, the soldiers behind them followed their lead, they bowed and then dispersed from the training ground, leaving behind only us.

  Slowly, I met eyes with the other members of Brigade Zero. I smiled as I walked closer to them.

  I saw Nira, opening her arms, she pulled me into a friendly bear hug, it was firm but not suffocating.

  “Nira, you’re being disrespectful to the Princess.” I recognised the voice, Caelus, hovering just a few feet away, bowing his head in my direction, a grin on his face.

  I returned his bow with a nod, feeling Nira turn me in her grasp, hugging me from the back this time. She seemed possessive in the way she held me. A pout, then she glared at Caelus. “Just because you can’t make any friends doesn’t mean I also don’t have to. You freaking loner.”

  She brought her tongue out in a childish way, Caelus was left perplexed for a moment, unsure of what to say, frozen in his position. “She’s trained with us for six months. We did get close didn’t we, Aurora?”

  I looked at her, her eyes looked so exaggerated, like the reference from Shun’s world—puppy eyes that can melt even a heart turned to stone.

  I patted her head and comforted her. “Of course, we are friends. Even, Caelus. He too, is a friend.”

  Caelus’s head straightened immediately, I could visibly see dog like ears materialize on his head, moving in a way that seemed comically impossible, making it harder for me to hold back my laughter.

  But from the side, I saw Shun looking at Lance, the moment their eyes laid on to each other, there was a visible spark between them. I saw it clearly, the hostility they shared since they met.

  Like oil and water. Boys and their stupid pride and rivalry.

  Lance’s jaw twitched. His hand pulsed, mana flexed and eased—intentional, of course.

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  “Still breathing, I see,” Lance said, voice low but loaded. “I thought the last battlefield had buried you under your ego. But to even defeat a seraphim, I have to say, fate is truly on your side.”

  Shun’s obsidian gaze turned colder. His face seemed sharper than a sword, like a man looking down at someone from above.

  I could feel why his expression had changed like this. The things that he had witnessed when both of them had fought Amanises, what Jiwoo and Mordian had to go through after that. Not many were aware of the truth of their battle, but I, who knew about it, felt angry over Lance’s stupid remark.

  Before I could speak, Shun straightened further, his demeanour like a firm fortress wall.

  “Unfortunately for you, I was lucky enough that time,” he replied, soft and dangerous.

  “Enough,” Beatrix snapped, stepping between them like a guillotine blade just in time when things were getting heated. She turned to Jiwoo, not hostile, calm and composed, her tone measured but it cut between the tension like a blade. “Jiwoo, please save it for the spar ahead. I don’t want unnecessary trouble between you and my team.”

  Mordian moved slightly closer to Shun—not protectively, just present. His form shimmered faintly beneath his glamour, reacting to the rising tension.

  I could see Lyressa close to Lance, holding back the urge to strike Lance with a good old smack to his empty head.

  Grandpa Camus muttered, “Should’ve brought wine if this was going to turn into a lovers’ quarrel.” He crossed his arms.

  I stifled a laugh.

  “Tessa,” Beatrix continued, ignoring the snide air around her, “Korran. Nira. Caelus. You’ve already been briefed. This is Seo Jiwoo. He’s here today on my request for a duel.”

  “Under duress, I assume?” Caelus said with a wink. “He looks like he wants to kill half of us already. And, to be hand trained by Elder Camus, he must be good. He doesn’t just train anybody.” Caelus added with a knowing tone, Grandpa looked happy over the boasting.

  I wanted to face palm looking at his cringe expression, knowing his ego was growing just as high as the sky.

  “No, I wouldn’t want to cripple your brigade just for my selfishness for a good battle with competent mages.” Shun murmured with a grin, offering a challenge to the other mages of brigade zero.

  Lance’s smirk turned brittle, a glare touching his eyes, his gaze tightened further.

  Beatrix’s voice cut again. “If you have time to talk, I am guessing you’re prepared for our duel.”

  Caelus made a sound close to intrigue. Nira also looked at Shun with a palpable curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

  Korran just nodded once, his eyes examining Shun thoroughly.

  I stepped forward, sliding up beside Shun and Mordian, arms folded.

  “I don’t want this to end in blood, but, I’m betting two silver coins on Shun,” I said cheerfully. “Sorry, Lady Beatrix. You’ve got your team to cheer for you, I think we need to even the odds for Shun, so he wouldn’t feel left out.” I added with a sheepish smile, smoothing the atmosphere.

  Shun gave me a raise of his brow, I gave him a knowing look in return.

  Grandpa Camus hummed from behind, a glint of fang peeking from his grin—smelling the interest develop further. “I will supervise the bets. If anyone wants to place a bet, come to me. I wouldn’t mind taking a cut. Easy money.”

  “I don’t need you two betting on my sparring match,” Shun said flatly.

  “You don’t need a lot of things,” I replied, nudging him gently. “Like a better haircut. But look at you—still surviving.”

  I saw Grandpa Ramus hand Grandpa Camus a gold coin from the side, Shun definitely saw it, looking at him in disbelief for a split second before turning away, getting an awkward smile from the old elf.

  He exhaled softly—but reluctant amusement tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  Brigade zero watched us all with varying degrees of confusion and judgment.

  They may have heard about Shun’s achievements, but I knew, they would be surprised once they saw what he was truly capable of.

  ***

  Seo Jiwoo

  I stood in the middle of the coliseum’s training ground, I cracked my fingers, stretching my muscles, looking at Beatrix taking the other side of the training ground.

  I wasn’t nervous. I knew that she was one level above me, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t fought opponents stronger than myself in the past. Beatrix, the famed War-Goddess of the elves and leader of Squad Zero—from what I had heard from Camus in my time training, she achieved phenomenal results since a young age, being a prodigy for mana manipulation, a conjurer who was an impeccable talent.

  Just from some of the stories, she had once dismantled a demon legion all on her own, bringing back the general’s head in only hours, which normally would’ve taken mages below her several days of fighting.

  The air was electric with anticipation. Beatrix stood before me, her short dull green hair, cut into a neat bob fluttering in the light breeze, framing her sharp features, her long ears peeked through the gaps of her strands.

  Her green eyes were still, impossibly calm, like this duel was just simple practice for her like any other day.

  She was clad in a white military-style uniform that spoke of discipline and power, her posture exuding confidence yet carrying a friendly air. Her lips curled into a smile—the first I’d seen—and I matched it.

  “I apologise for my subordinate’s rude behaviour, Jiwoo,” she began, her tone light, “as a leader, I believe I still have a long way to go.”

  I shook my head. “No. Being a leader teaches us to handle all kinds of individuals in the team. You cannot expect everyone to do as their told.” I gave her a calm stare. “But, handling that pressure and frustration makes a good leader.”

  She was stunned for a moment, didn’t hold her expression for long as her lips pulled slightly. “Thank you.” She said, as she took a stance.

  “Ready to give me a proper workout?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, unable to suppress my excitement. Ever since my recovery, I’d been itching for a real challenge—a chance to test my growth against a worthy opponent. And who better than Beatrix, a legend in her own right?

  I glanced around the training ground, noting the gathered audience—guards, elders, and trainees alike. It was impossible to ignore the murmurs of interest and speculation. “Before we start,” I said, meeting Beatrix’s gaze again, “what are the rules for this bout?”

  Without any time wasted she elaborated on the rules.

  “Simple.” Beatrix raised a hand, summoning a small gust of wind that swirled playfully around her fingers. “We’ll stick to basic elemental spellcasting and martial arts,—but to keep things interested, you can use one deviant of your choice. No advanced techniques or domain-level spells. Only the elements we control. Agreed?”

  “Fair enough,” I nodded. “I’ll limit myself to two elements for this fight.”

  Her eyebrow quirked. “Oh? Not all four? I was hoping to finally duel a quadra-elemental mage in my lifetime. If I say I am not disappointed, that would be a lie.” Her smirk was teasing, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity. “You wouldn’t mind if I forced you to use them, right?”

  I chuckled. “Sure, if you can. But, let’s keep things interesting. You’ll find out which ones I picked soon enough.”

  “Fair enough,” she echoed, her tone almost daring me. “And don’t forget—body augmentation with mana is fair game. We’ll need it if we’re going all out.”

  I rolled my shoulders and planted my feet, feeling mana surge through my veins as I prepared. “Ready when you are.”

  Her smile widened, and in the blink of an eye, she launched herself forward.

  ***

  Mordian Astrionyx

  The clash was immediate and thunderous, sending ripples of mana through the air. Jiwoo and Beatrix moved like two storms colliding, their speed leaving afterimages as they fought mid-air. Jiwoo’s earth spell erupted beneath Beatrix, jagged spikes reaching for her. With a sweep of her hand, a mass of vines emerged from the ground, shielding her from the assault.

  “He’s testing her defences,” I muttered under my breath, Ramus Silverlight stood beside me by a few shoulders, arms crossed in excitement.

  Beatrix countered with a burst of wind, sharp as blades, but Jiwoo twisted mid-air, avoiding the attack with fluid precision. As he dodged, he retaliated with a blast of scalding heat. The temperature in the arena spiked as the flames roared toward Beatrix.

  Undeterred, she raised her arms, and a dense wall of plants sprung forth, their vibrant green almost glowing as they absorbed the heat and shielded her. She emerged unscathed, her smirk intact, but the vines smouldered by the blue flames. They landed back on the ground, their gazes locking, before charging at each other in hand-to-hand combat.

  Neither gave an inch. Beatrix’s strikes were swift and calculated, but Jiwoo matched her blow for blow, his movements precise and efficient. Mana-enhanced punches and kicks echoed across the arena, their strength shaking the ground beneath them, mana wheezed in the air, jerked violently as Jiwoo conjured a flame spell, blue flames erupted like wildfire consuming all places around the ground.

  I could feel the force the spell exerted on Jiwoo, his arms quivered slightly, but with a wave, the flames took a better hold around the arena.

  Beatrix leapt in the air, a wind spell already forming in her palm, targeting the source of the fire. Her spell sprung forth, disrupting the flames, Jiwoo holding control, but she commanded the wind like a part of her own body.

  The flames were sliced in several places, weakening Jiwoo’s defences, as he let the fire disperse and allowed the ground to shake, forming several spears, with a swift movement of his wrist, they all launched at Beatrix, forcing her to swiftly move mid-air.

  She used her own wind magic to siphon through them, using the wind like a barrier around her, one made it past her defences, a broken shattered piece, but it only ripped the uniform from her shoulder.

  Beside me, the murmurs of the audience grew louder. Elders, guards, and trainees exchanged bets and opinions. Their eyes filled with awe and excitement.

  Some spoke that Jiwoo was matching Beatrix blow for blow. Keeping up with her rhythm completely, neither giving away an inch to the other.

  “Lady Beatrix will win,” one of the trainees declared confidently. “She’s our pride, the strongest mage of our race after Lord Camus.”

  “But look at her opponent,” another retorted, one of the brigade zero, Caelus, his tone rational, but the awe in his voice was evident. “Jiwoo may be young, but his strength is undeniable. He isn’t struggling at all. Just look at his stance and control over his mana. That isn’t something you gain overnight.” He said, everyone listened carefully. “I can’t even come to thing just how many years of training it took him to spell cast like that.”

  The debate grew heated, but my attention remained fixed on the fight. The way Jiwoo controlled his mana and balanced his movements spoke volumes. But after recovering, he was moving faster and more precisely than he did six months ago.

  Ramus, standing respectfully beside me, broke the silence. “Lord Astrionyx, whom do you think will be the victor?”

  Without looking away, I answered, “Both are formidable mages. But if I had to choose...I place my bet on Jiwoo.”

  Ramus tilted his head, curiosity evident. “Is it because he is your bond? I do believe he is an impeccable fighter, but Beatrix is on the Integration stage—a stage above him.”

  “No,” I replied evenly. “It’s because he’s holding back significantly. He hasn’t shown any of his trumps yet. He is currently using his weaker elements, and he hasn’t even used any of his skills.”

  The skill part was vague on my end, but Ramus didn’t ask further about it.

  Ramus’s looked at with a dumbfounded knit of his brows. “What? Jiwoo is using his weaker elements?”

  He looked short of breath as the realization dawned upon him. “Then, what would he be like fighting with his other elements? He is a quadra-elemental mage after all.” Ramus stated, more to himself in thought than me.

  I glanced at him briefly before returning my gaze to the fight. “But don’t underestimate Beatrix. She’s an incredible fighter, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she forces him to reveal at least one of his hidden cards. But, this battle can change just by a moment’s carelessness.”

  In the arena, Jiwoo launched another attack—a surge of water magic which froze at the end, weaving between her defences and forcing her to step back.

  I felt amused slightly, Beatrix had forced Jiwoo to use another element beside the one he had choose. He was beginning to struggle. He made some distance, I saw Beatrix smirk, Jiwoo mirrored her expression, feeling the brunt of the match.

  Beatrix responded with a counterstrike of razor-sharp wind, her arms moving gracefully through the air, Jiwoo pulled at the mana around him, forcing walls of earth to erupt around him, stopping the blades, as he rushed through the air, forcing Beatrix to move a few steps back, defending from a lance formed from blue fire.

  He was handling fire magic well. After that incident, he has gotten better at handling normal fire magic.

  The crowd watched in awe, their cheers rising with every exchange. The outcome was still uncertain, but one thing was clear: neither side was willing to lose.

  ‘You aren’t getting anywhere like this.’ I sent, Jiwoo moved mid-air his legs turned at an almost impossible angle as he avoided Beatrix’s sharp vines, coated with wind magic to accelerate its speed and power.

  ‘I am getting to it.’ He grunted back, forcing more mana to move as the air pulsed and shook, everyone moved back a few paces, wind magic collided with fire, the heat radiating like a sun let loose, searing the ground and blinding the sky.

  He landed on the ground, shifting from fire to earth magic in a symphony, allowing the seared ground to work to his advantage.

  Jiwoo conjured the earth into tiny bullets, allowing the mana to move and shape, both of his hands moved in quiet grace.

  I put all my focus on the shifting mana. He was dual casting. He had gotten proficient enough to do this without Ruler’s Authority assisting him.

  He wrapped fire tightly around the bullets mid-air, shooting them at Beatrix all together.

  “I commend your approach. Dual casting isn’t an easy thing to do, but that won’t work on me, Jiwoo.” Beatrix said, her words carried against the wind.

  “I know,” Jiwoo returned just in time as Beatrix avoided one bullet, but just as she dodged, Jiwoo waved his wrist, and the fire around the earth bullets burst forth like stars collapsing, releasing a wave of extreme heat to combust in the air, the rest followed, doing the same, as Beatrix was caught off guard.

  Jiwoo took this moment and leapt, reaching her in a split second, moving like a serpent, controlling the flames mid stance and striking her right in her abdomen, sending her crashing into the ground.

  Burst strike! I thought. That technique of his has gotten better. Speed and power.

  But it left his arm in a ruined state, which quickly recovered.

  A mushroom of smoke rose in the air where Beatrix landed, Jiwoo stood firmly in the air, his mana radiated calmly, looking down at her.

  Cheers and murmurs burst in the crowd. Disbelief, surprise, but most of all, Camus Silverlight’s voice.

  “Holy mother of—,” he said, his mouth slightly agape. “He used the method of vortex strike like this. Just much did he practice to do something like that? It’s near impossible to hold the shape and intent of the mana for that long, and he was able to do it.”

  Aurora looked at Camus, unsure of what that implied, but she too caught on to it.

  The surprise on Camus’s face was serious. He looked in awe as Jiwoo spoke in my mind. ‘Did you like that?’

  ‘It was a good approach to catch your opponent off guard, but your technique was still very unstable. It could’ve collapsed even before reaching her.’ I returned. ‘That technique is risky to begin with, and to use it in real combat...’ a breath. ‘But it works well as a distraction.’

  From the dust, we saw Beatrix emerge, her uniform dirtied, but the smile on her face didn’t move an inch. She was enjoying this duel.

  Jiwoo and Beatrix locked eyes. Feeling the tension grow, Jiwoo slowly landed on the ground.

  “I have to say, I did underestimate your capabilities to a certain degree, Jiwoo.” Beatrix said, her tone apologetic. “You honestly didn’t disappoint. But, from this moment forth, I don’t think I can hold back if I want to win. Your unpredictability in battle is refreshing to watch.”

  “Just what I’d ask for.” He returned.

  I saw Aurora glued to her seat, her eyes not moving an inch from either of them. Her face looked childishly exhilarated but serious, her excitement palpably written over her face, seeing Jiwoo and Beatrix clash once again.

  But this time it was Jiwoo’s turn to take the hit.

  Beatrix’s speed suddenly two folded as she rushed through the air, appearing right beside Jiwoo. My bond ready, augmented his body, engaging her in hand-to-hand combat.

  She didn’t give an inch to him, she conjured vines from the ground below Jiwoo, fire magic resisting her approach but she blasted his attack away with more vines and a forceful gust of wind, restricting his movements, landing a few solid hits on him as he was jerked back into the towering wall.

  Beatrix moved her hand, blades of wind already formed on her command as she launched them at Jiwoo not giving him any time to stabilise.

  Instead, he conjured a barrier around him, coalescing as much mana into it as he could to avoid the strike.

  The barrier stopped the first few strikes, but that gave Beatrix just enough time to conjure several more. She cracked the outer layer of his barrier, wind blades striking a single point, not letting Jiwoo reinforce the barrier or try another approach.

  He had restricted himself quiet heavily in this duel. He didn’t manipulate any of his skills that he usually would. With Leap, he could’ve have easily escaped this predicament.

  Then suddenly, one tore right through, grazing his shoulder, blood seeped from the open wound as Jiwoo blindly swarmed in the air with a burst of flames.

  Beatrix pulled a few steps back, Jiwoo approached with his breathing strained. The wound on his shoulder already undone.

  Everyone looked at him in perplex. How his body had just stitched an open wound like nothing.

  “It’s finally getting interesting,” he shot her a smirk, I could feel his unrestrained excitement, he was enjoying this fight.

  Jiwoo took a step forward, in return, Beatrix unleashed a thundering wave of her mana, vines squirming around the entire ground as they attacked Jiwoo, giving him no respite.