The voice, as intangible as a dreamy murmur, vanished in an instant, causing Glen to almost suspect that he had just experienced a hallucination.
He turned his head to look at Daof , who gave him a subtle nod in return.
It seems that this Gabe fellow isn't particularly popular among those present... Glen couldn't help but think as he turned back.
As the crowd voluntarily parted, a large expanse of open space emerged in an instant. Tables, chairs, and other furnishings were also moved aside.
Only Glen and Gabe remained in the open area.
Daof approached the Black Crow and his wife, raised his hand, and cast a spell. A faint, shimmering film of light enveloped the open space.
Some people in the vicinity cheered loudly, and Tia was among them. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted with such fervor that her face turned red and her neck strained, as if determined not to be outdone by others.
Glen casually performed a few stretching exercises, appearing unhurried and composed.
In contrast, Gabe lashed its long tail, and its body suddenly swelled to the size of an automobile.
Looking down upon Glen haughtily, it said, "It's not too late to beg for mercy now. It would also spare some embarrassment for the Black Crow and Legira, so I won't pummel you too severely!"
Glen did not respond. Instead, the muscles in his legs bulged, and he lunged forward with astonishing speed!
His right arm instantaneously transformed into that of a werewolf, expanding dramatically and disproportionately surpassing the size of his body by several times!
Gabe had not anticipated that the other party would attack without hesitation, and the speed was far beyond its expectations.
However, it did not panic unduly. In its view, with the opponent's strength, it was impossible to breach its scaled armor...
Boom——!
Before it could finish this thought, a searing pain, as if it were being torn asunder, coursed through its body from its abdomen.
Gabe felt as if its belly was being compressed so tightly that it was almost touching its spine, and its mind went blank.
Bang——!
The body of the white dragon descendant crashed heavily into the transparent protective barrier, nearly deforming it!
How could this be... so... powerful... By the time Gabe's body hit the ground, it only had time to register this thought before losing consciousness.
Instantaneous defeat!
Some of those who had been anticipating a protracted battle were taken aback, their expressions a mix of surprise and astonishment at Glen's prowess.
The Black Crow exchanged a glance with his wife. The latter seemed to have said something, and the Black Crow nodded expressionlessly in response.
"What a terrifying force! Did he really launch such an attack using only the power of his transformed arm? This isn't an ability typical of a werewolf, is it?"
Daof furrowed his brows, analyzing the situation without any clear direction.
In fact, this was the result of Gabe underestimating its opponent.
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If it had taken the opponent seriously from the start, Glen might not have been able to succeed.
After all, it still had many powerful dragon-descendant spells at its disposal, including some that could significantly enhance its defensive capabilities, which would have enabled it to barely withstand that blow.
However, there were no "what ifs."
When the protective barrier dissipated, several individuals carried Gabe to the side, where someone began to tend to it.
The others gathered around Glen, showering him with praises and expressions of amazement at his strength.
The little maid squeezed her way through the crowd and clung tightly to Glen's arm, as if fearing that someone would take him away.
Inevitably, some people asked Glen how he had acquired such strength, but he remained tight-lipped, simply dismissing them by saying it was his secret.
No one took offense; the excuse was quite reasonable.
As the event neared its conclusion, the guests who had attended the birthday celebration gradually bid farewell to the Black Crow and his wife and departed.
When only a few stragglers remained at the scene, Legira suddenly beckoned gently to Glen, who was engaged in conversation with the little treant. "Mr. Glen, could you come over here for a moment?"
Glen interrupted his conversation and approached Legira and the others. He asked, puzzled, "What is it, Mrs. Legira?"
Tia and several of the remaining guests also gathered around, curious to see what was happening.
Legira looked at Daof beside her and said, "Please test Mr. Glen's affinity for light elements."
"With pleasure, madam," Daof replied.
Could it be... that they're going to teach me magic? ... Glen thought with a hint of excitement.
"Don't be nervous. This won't cause any discomfort," Daof said with a kind smile.
"I'm not particularly nervous, just a bit expectant. I've been eager to learn magic for a long time," Glen said with a wry smile.
"You remind me of how I felt when I first came into contact with magic in my youth," Daof said. Then he extended his finger, which emitted a faint glow, and pointed it at Glen's chest.
Glen felt nothing, but Daof 's face registered a hint of surprise.
"His affinity for light elements is almost around 90%. We'd need specific instruments to obtain an exact measurement, but it should be fairly close," Daof said.
This statement immediately elicited a moment of astonishment from those around them.
"90% is comparable to that of some outstanding apprentices in top magic spires," Daof 's wife remarked.
"Indeed, he's a promising talent. Applying to any magic spire would likely earn him very favorable treatment," Daof nodded in agreement with his wife.
Light elements do not merely refer to light itself. They also encompass a range of positive elements such as fire, thunder, wind, water, and so on.
The original owner of this body was aware of this, but in Glen's view, these classifications were not particularly rigorous.
It was similar to how ancient Chinese believed that all things in the world were composed of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. They had yet to delve deeply into the essence of the elements.
Of course, this was a world of magic, and perhaps it really was composed of these elements. But until he could understand it fully, Glen maintained his own perspective.
While Glen was lost in thought, Daof was somewhat perplexed.
Although Glen had remarkable talent, it seemed unlikely that Legira would have specifically asked him to conduct this test without good reason.
Could it be that I've overlooked something? ... Daof wondered.
At this moment, Mrs. Legira suddenly spoke again, stunning everyone present: "Daof , please also test his affinity for dark elements."
Daof looked at Legira in shock, as if to say, "Are you joking?!"
Dark elements? Could it be that I'm supposed to learn dark magic? ... Glen naturally had this thought.
"Legira, you don't seriously think..." Meko, Daof 's wife, asked tentatively.
Legira did not respond but fixed Daof with a determined gaze.
The latter gave a bitter smile, feeling that his years of knowledge were being challenged, but he raised his hand once more.
This time, a wisp of black smoke curled around his fingertips as he pointed at Glen's chest.
Nearly a minute passed, and Daof remained motionless, save for a slight tremble in his hand.
Everyone harbored a wild suspicion in their hearts.
"Daof , dear, are you all right?" Meko stepped forward, looking concerned.
The finger that had been resting on Glen's chest trembled as it withdrew. Daof 's body went limp, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
Fortunately, someone nearby quickly caught him.
"What on earth did you discover?" someone asked impatiently.
Daof 's eyes were filled with a look of disbelief. He slowly said, "His affinity for dark elements... is also around 90%..."
Everyone gasped in shock.
According to common knowledge, if someone's affinity for light elements was 90%, their affinity for dark elements should only be between 10% and 20%. But Glen had shattered this conventional wisdom.
Amidst everyone's shock, there was something amiss with Daof after he spoke. His body continued to tremble, and his eyes were clouded with confusion.
This was the first time the old mage, who had always been composed in the face of adversity, had shown such a disheveled appearance.
His wife was no better. Her eyes were vacant, and she kept repeating her husband's words in her mind:
His affinity for dark elements is also around 90%.