In the trial arena, Dick engaged in a fierce battle. This time, his opponent was not Harvey or Alina’s acquaintances but an unfamiliar second-year student. The rule was simple: the loser pays the trial fee, and for a penniless and frugal person like Dick, this battle was a do-or-die affair.

Despite securing third place in the annual combat examination, Dick faced numerous peers who doubted his combat prowess. Dick had never underestimated other magic practitioners of his level, for his own practical combat experience was woefully inadequate.

"I won!" Dick declared, though he was wounded. Despite not suffering any broken bones, his opponent's gold-element magic spear had struck him. Thankfully, Dick’s forged steel short sword provided some defense against magic, mitigating the damage inflicted by the spear.

"Consider yourself fortunate. Next time, if my magic spear is even more substantial, your short sword will be ineffective against it. Hmph!" The potency of magic increases with its density, so accumulating magical power is crucial. The opponent's talent in magic and his proficiency with the magic spear were evidently impressive.

It appeared that Dick had underestimated the noble offspring. In terms of practical combat ability, Dick was currently outclassed by these aristocrats.

In terms of magical application, Dick's accumulation of magical power was on par with his opponent's, but in battle, he was always less agile and skilled. Frustratingly, despite his diligent efforts, this discrepancy remained.

"Hmph! You improve, but does that mean I will remain stagnant? If you're dissatisfied, we can fight again next time!"

According to the rules, the loser pays, which was a small consolation for Dick, who considered it a payment for being a sparring partner. Sparring partners were beneficial, and battling opponents of high skill levels provided valuable combat experience.

At the Royal Magic Academy, Dick was an anomaly, excelling in both magic and martial arts. In truth, he faced little prejudice from his peers. This was a world where strength mattered above all; the so-called discrimination of mages against warriors was merely a matter of aristocratic bias. In the magic-centric academy, respect was earned through prowess.

Noble students were not foolish; after advancing to the second rank, they were required to train in the Monster Mountains, where the beasts did not adhere to any rules, resulting in life-and-death struggles. Unlike warriors who practiced combat techniques predominantly after reaching the second rank, mages began honing their magical combat skills from the first rank.

In reality, a second-rank mage rarely used second-rank magic in combat due to its slow casting time. Instead, second-rank mages often relied on rapidly deploying first-rank magic to counter and attack. The adaptability of first-rank magic in battle was crucial for a mage.

Combat trials for first-rank mages at the academy were intense. Battling a formidable opponent in the trial arena served to enhance one's practical magical abilities and facilitated the absorption of impurities caused by resource-intensive training.

From a certain perspective, Dick’s status as a penniless yet strong opponent made him an ideal sparring partner for many noble first-rank mages.

Dick did not mind being used as a sharpening stone by others, as it provided him with more free combat opportunities.

The academy had a strict rule: failing to advance to the second rank within three years meant expulsion. This was based on scientific principles. Even a prodigy like Alina, who seemed on the verge of becoming a second-rank mage, faced significant challenges.

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This time, Dick’s opponent was a third-year student, also a first-rank mage. This adversary’s magical power was evidently more substantial than Alina’s, highlighting the disparities in first-rank magical skill.

Dick could feel the strain on his forged steel short sword as it struggled against his opponent’s magic stone blade. This diminished his speed and impact in combat.

Dick’s current combat relied heavily on magic, as he was only a first-rank warrior and not suited for practicing combat techniques. However, due to his habits, he tended to use his fighting aura as his main attack method.

In fact, his opponent, a earth-element mage, had a robust magical shield. Even with water and fire-element magic attacks, it was challenging to break through the earth-element shield.

If it came to exhausting magical power, Dick's reserves were clearly inferior to his opponent’s. The only strategy was to seize an opportunity to close in and defeat the opponent with powerful aura strikes.

As it became evident that he could not outlast his opponent, Dick decided to go all out. He activated a dual-layered water and fire magic shield, wielded a short sword in his left hand and a great sword in his right, and charged forward, avoiding the primary attacks of the magic stone blade.

Despite the opponent’s magic stone blade striking quickly, Dick’s left-hand short sword deflected part of its force. The magic shield took the brunt of the attack. Despite shattering Dick’s dual-layered shield, the opponent’s strike could not repel Dick’s final assault.

With a loud crash, Dick, in a disheveled state, crashed into his opponent with his great sword, delivering a blow that shattered the earth-element shield. The force of the impact sent the opponent flying, who fell to the ground, bleeding profusely.

"You’ve lost!"

"Hmph!"

Dick's chest felt like it was cracked, and his injuries were severe. His opponent’s magic stone blade had proven formidable, and his dual-layered magic shield was inadequate. This was the disparity in magical power accumulation.

However, Dick felt his fighting aura training had significantly progressed, increasing his strength and resilience. If it had been half a month ago, he likely would have been completely overpowered by the opponent’s magic stone blade, losing his final chance for a counterattack.

Feeling his progress, Dick remained excited. For a practitioner, injuries were a minor setback, especially when his opponent was more severely wounded.

After this battle, Dick spent seven or eight days recuperating.

Was it truly impossible for a warrior below the second rank to practice combat techniques? As he rested in his dormitory, Dick pondered this question. Given his unique situation as a practitioner of both magic and martial arts, perhaps with magical support, he could attempt to learn combat techniques.

With his injuries healing, Dick decided to give it a try.

He retrieved the martial arts manual left by his mother. The techniques available to a second-rank warrior were numerous. Considering his current situation, Dick reflected that the "Fire Cloud Step" technique was most pertinent to his combat needs.

In his current battles, Dick often charged recklessly in a straight line, making it easy for opponents to target him. Could he advance quickly without moving in a straight line? Dick began studying the "Fire Cloud Step" technique, reviewing his mother’s notes on the technique’s practical application.

The first layer of the "Fire Cloud Step" technique was "Counterattack with Leverage."

The concept was that being struck by the opponent’s attack would accelerate one’s charge. How could this be possible?

A warrior wields a weapon, and "Counterattack with Leverage" involves using one’s weapon to absorb the majority of the opponent’s attack while utilizing the opponent’s force to aid in rotating and advancing.

It seemed… not entirely impossible. If the opponent’s attack caused him to rotate with the weapon’s force, whether this force would lead to retreat or advance…

Dick immersed himself in the jade pendant space, finding clarity after enduring its trials.

After multiple battles in the trial arena, Dick had gained significant combat experience. He repeatedly rehearsed "Counterattack with Leverage" in his mind, recognizing that the crucial factor was the angle at which he resisted the opponent’s attack with his great sword.

Drawing from his mother’s experience with the "Fire Cloud Step," he had a solid reference for learning.

However, the key issue lay in the steps of the "Fire Cloud Step" technique, which seemed to follow a specific pattern.