Upon returning to his dorm room, Aurelius found himself sinking into the comfort of his bed. The adrenaline and excitement from his training began to wane, leaving a sense of fatigue in their wake. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the exhaustion wash over him.
However, amidst the weariness, Aurelius couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in what he had accomplished that day. The progress he had made with the Arcane Blade ability was more than he had expected. He knew that mastering this power would be crucial for his future strength.
As he lay there, Aurelius began to feel his stomach start to growl. Realizing how hungry his body was, Aurelius got up, making his way towards the cafeteria of the academy campus.
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Entering the cafeteria, Aurelius looked around taking note of his surroundings. It wasn’t that busy being roughly 1 in the afternoon, but Aurelius still had time to look for good lunch food options. Hurrying, towards the counter, he did exactly that.
Once Aurelius had his tray of food, he looked around, finding a spot to sit. Surprisingly, he spotted some familiar faces: Rourke, Arlo, and Valen sitting together at a table. Rourke was the first to notice Aurelius and waved him over with a wide grin.
“Aurelius!” Rourke called out as Aurelius approached. “I'm glad you're here. This is a very special occasion.”
Aurelius raised an eyebrow, asking, "How so?"
"Well, today," Rourke continued, "is the day I match your Tournament of Elite points and then surpass you!" He said it with a triumphant expression.
Aurelius glanced at Valen, who was enjoying a sandwich.
Valen looked up and said, "We were about to go watch Rourke participate in a duel."
Aurelius nodded, understanding the situation, and replied, "Sounds like fun. Can I come along?"
Rourke grinned even wider, clearly pleased that Aurelius wanted to join in on the action. "Of course! The more, the merrier," he said, motioning for Aurelius to take a seat at the table.
Aurelius settled into the seat beside Rourke, placing his tray of food in front of him. The aroma of freshly prepared meals filled the air, making him hungrier than before. He took a moment to dig into his meal, replenishing his energy after the intense training session earlier. As he ate, the conversation between the three friends flowed effortlessly, catching up on each other's day.
"So, Aurelius, are you also going to be participating in a duel today?" Arlo inquired.
Aurelius shook his head while swallowing a bite of food. "Nah, probably not today. My muscles are super sore right now."
"Unfortunate," Rourke said with a slight frown. "It would have been fun to watch you participate."
Valen butted in, "Were you sore from that practice dueling thing, or whatever you were telling me you were going to do this morning? Is that what you've been doing?" Valen questioned.
"Yeah," Aurelius replied, "I was practicing some of my swordplay and getting used to weapons I'm not really familiar with," he added, with a half-truth.
"What about you two, though?" Aurelius redirected the conversation back to Arlo and Valen. "When are we gonna see you guys participate in the tournament?"
Arlo spoke up, letting out a long sigh. "They wouldn't let me participate. I would probably wipe the floor with any opponent I face," Arlo said nonchalantly.
Aurelius looked at Arlo, surprised at his sarcastic comment, as Arlo wasn't usually the one to crack jokes. Valen just rolled his eyes, a slight grin on his face.
"Yeah, right," Valen said. "You would have a hard time running for 10 seconds, much less participating in a duel for that long."
Arlo looked back at Valen. "Well, that's where my magic comes in. I don't need to run. My mana and magic are effective, unlike someone I know," Arlo retorted right back at Valen.
Aurelius shook his head at the two friends bickering, enjoying the moment. The banter continued for a while as they finished their meals.
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After lunch, they made their way to the colosseum where the silver ranked duels were taking place. Aurelius, Valen, and Arlo walked to the back entrance, finding a spot amongst the stands to watch the upcoming duels. Meanwhile, Rourke entered through the front, registering himself to participate in an upcoming duel.
Surprisingly, a lot of the seats in the stands were occupied with spectators. Aurelius guessed that since it was a weekend and students had time off, many of them had come here to watch some of the matches.
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As the duels began, the atmosphere in the colosseum became charged with excitement. The clash of blades, the casting of spells, and the display of various combat techniques were mesmerizing to watch. Each duel showcased the participants' unique abilities and strengths, making the audience cheer and gasp with every move.
Aurelius watched attentively, studying the different fighting styles on display. He observed how the duelists combined their magic and weapon skills, taking mental notes on their strategies and tactics. It was always helpful to learn from others and adapt their techniques to improve his own abilities.
Among the duels, Rourke's turn finally arrived. Aurelius watched intently as Rourke stepped into the center of the colosseum, preparing to face his opponent. The mage across from him had a calm and composed demeanor, his piercing blue eyes reflecting an affinity for water magic. Aurelius could sense the energy of the arena intensify as the crowd awaited the beginning of the duel.
Rourke gripped his longsword with determination, his eyes locked on his adversary. Aurelius knew that Rourke had to be vigilant; a single misstep could lead to defeat. As a mundane, stepping into a duel against a skilled mage would always require precision and quick thinking.
The signal was given, and the duel commenced. Rourke darted forward with a burst of speed, closing the distance between him and his opponent. Aurelius nodded, approving of Rourke’s opening moves. Against mages it was always good to close the distance and engage in close combat, places where their long-range magic would be difficult to use.
However, the water mage was equally swift; he deftly evaded Rourke's initial strike, manipulating water from the air to form a shield that absorbed the impact.
The water mage retaliated, unleashing a torrent of water towards Rourke. The water swirled and twisted, moving with a fluidity that was both mesmerizing and deadly. Rourke's keen reflexes allowed him to leap back just in time, avoiding the cascading wave. The water splashed harmlessly against the ground, but Aurelius could see the arena floor had become slightly slick, making the footing more treacherous.
Not to be deterred, Rourke pressed on. He launched himself into a series of calculated strikes, each blow aimed precisely at the water mage's defenses. But the water mage was not a Silver-ranked opponent for nothing; he countered each attack with equal precision, shaping the water into ethereal barriers that seemed almost untouchable.
Aurelius observed the growing tension in Rourke's expression. He was an extremely talented swordsman, but facing an opponent who could manipulate the very element around them was always going to be a difficult challenge. Yet, despite the odds, Rourke's determination did not waver.
Rourke adjusted his strategy, incorporating swift feints to keep the water mage on his toes. He managed to find a momentary opening and struck with all his might. The longsword sliced through the air, approaching the water mage's chest. But just before the blade made contact, the water around the mage shifted and formed a last-minute defense, narrowly deflecting the blow.
The crowd gasped, impressed by the water mage's resourcefulness, while Aurelius felt a mix of admiration and concern for his friend. Rourke's opponent was proving to be formidable, and it was evident that he would not be an easy opponent to defeat.
As the duel continued, Aurelius noticed beads of sweat forming on Rourke's forehead. The physical exertion of the intense combat was evidently taking its toll. But Rourke refused to show any signs of weakness, pushing forward with unwavering resolve.
As the duel continued in the colosseum, Aurelius found himself on the edge of his seat, watching Rourke's match with intense focus. Rourke, being a mundane swordsman, didn't possess any mana, but he more than made up for it with his exceptional swordsmanship and physical prowess.
The crowd was captivated by Rourke's display of skill. Despite not having any mana to fuel magical attacks, he showcased his mastery of the blade, parrying and countering the water mage's spells with precise sword strikes. Aurelius admired Rourke’s talent with the sword. Despite his large and burly frame, he had a noticeable grace when moving with his longsword.
As the duel progressed, Aurelius noticed Rourke's strategy. He wasn't trying to overpower the water mage's magic; instead, he was slowly wearing down his opponent by forcing him to expend mana on defensive spells. Rourke was using his mundane abilities to their fullest advantage, exploiting every opening and flaw in the water mage's defenses. While other mundanes might have been overwhelmed by the magical prowess of their opponents, Rourke was adaptive, making the most of his own strengths to compensate for his lack of mana.
As the duel entered a crucial phase, the water mage's attacks became more erratic and less controlled. His mana was visibly dwindling, and Rourke's strategy was paying off. He could sense the frustration in his opponent, who was now trying to land a decisive blow before his magical abilities completely ran dry.
Rourke, on the other hand, remained focused and composed. His movements were precise, and he had an uncanny ability to predict the water mage's attacks based on subtle shifts in his stance and gestures.
With a burst of determination, the water mage attempted one final powerful spell, seeking to finish the duel with a decisive blow. However, his remaining mana was not enough to form the spell properly. The mana backlash from the incomplete spell caused a sudden explosion of magical energy around him.
The arena trembled as the mana erupted in a dazzling display of light and energy. Aurelius, Valen, and Arlo shielded their eyes from the intense glare. When the light finally subsided, they saw Rourke standing at the edge of the platform, his sword raised defensively, shielding himself from the explosion.
As the smoke cleared, the water mage lay on the ground, visibly weakened and disoriented from the mana backlash. His defeated expression spoke volumes, realizing that his own reckless actions had led to his downfall.
The referee, who had rushed towards the mage during the explosion, approached the water mage and assessed his condition. Seeing that he was unable to continue, the referee raised his hand and declared Rourke as the victor of the duel.
As the cheers erupted in the stands, Aurelius locked his gaze on Rourke, a subtle but determined smile gracing his lips. Observing Rourke had kindled a fierce resolve within Aurelius, his competitive spirit shining brightly. Assessing the situation, he laid out several objectives for the upcoming weeks.
First and foremost, he must strengthen himself. To achieve this, Aurelius aimed to evolve both his Arcane Artificer class and Chronomage class.
Secondly, he sought to enhance his proficiency in creating runes, becoming more at ease with the art. He wanted to be able to carve runes into swords or armor in the future.
Lastly, and with a twinkle in his eye, Aurelius was determined to leave Rourke eating his dust in the tournament of elites, leaving no doubt who was the reigning champ in the group.