"Frost Knight Phalanx!"

With Maurice's chant, a biting cold wind envelops the area, causing me to shiver from the sudden drop in temperature.

The chilling gust morphs into ten knights sculpted from ice, half wielding claymores and the other half armed with shields.

"Dominic, this is one of the signature spells of the Everheart family," Maurice explains with a smirk. "I once saw Louise Everheart in combat and replicated his spell from what I observed."

The revelation throws me off. I am under the impression Maurice's magic attribute is 'Spatial,' something he confirmed during our previous training session.

"Attack him!"

At his command, the five knights brandishing claymores charge toward me. For this session, it seems Maurice is adopting a combat style reminiscent of the Everhearts.

So, my best strategy is to close the distance between us.

Pointing my guns forward, I sprint toward the approaching icy assailants.

[Ironclad Barrage]

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I unleash a flurry of bullets as I advance.

Ironclad Barrage, a technique in Basic Gun Arts, focuses on raw power. The fighter stands firm, using the body's natural stability to enhance shooting accuracy while unleashing a furious barrage from both guns. This technique showcases endurance and demonstrates the ability to dominate through sheer firepower.

Two knights use their claymores to deflect the shots while the other three continue their charge.

To evade their horizontal slashes, I leap onto the flat side of one knight's blade, propelling myself upwards and aiming at the knights below.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

My descent is marked by gunfire, obliterating two knights, while the third manages to shield itself with its weapon.

Rolling to my feet upon landing, I resume my dash toward Maurice, keen not to let the knights distract me from my primary target.

The two knights that initially deflected my shots now advance towards me, one raising its claymore for an overhead strike and the other aiming for a horizontal cut.

I dodge their combined attack at the last moment, find a gap between them, and leap through, rolling upon landing to face their backs.

-Bang! Bang!

My bullets find their mark, causing the knights to dissipate.

!

Acting on instinct, I dive to the side just in time.

-Boom!

I glance back to see where the final claymore-wielding knight aimed its strike.

It charges at me, raising its weapon high.

[Tactical Tumble]

As it brings down the weapon, I execute a perfect backflip, using the momentum to aim my gun right at its helmet.

Tactical Tumble is a technique in Basic Gun Arts. Combining acrobatic rolls and flips with targeted shooting allows for dynamic movement across the battlefield, making the fighter a moving target while enabling them to engage from unexpected angles.

-Bang!

The knight shatters into nothingness, its form dissipating like mist.

“Icicle Lance Barrage!”

Maurice's voice echoes, prompting me to rely on my instincts again.

!

I sprint to the side, narrowly avoiding the onslaught of giant icicles hurtling toward me.

As I maneuver through the icy projectiles, I notice the five shield-bearing knights forming a protective barrier around Maurice, who continues his relentless assault.

Despite their solid defense, a small gap catches my eye—a potential weak spot in their formation.

Taking a chance, I aim through the tiny opening.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

One of the knights reacts quickly, adjusting their shield to intercept my shots.

-Clank! Clank! Clank!

The bullets are deflected, thwarted by the shield.

"Tch!"

Frustration bites at me, but I don't let it deter my advance.

Determined, I charge toward Maurice, planning to replicate the maneuver that served me well during my Stargate raid: vaulting over the shields to strike from above.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

As I prepare to leap, Maurice unleashes another volley of ice lances.

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-Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

My bullets collided with the lances, exploding and filling the air with a blinding mixture of smoke and ice shards.

Shielding my eyes, I push forward through the obscured battlefield.

As the smoke begins to clear, the silhouette of a shield looms directly ahead. I seize the moment and use the shield as a springboard, propelling myself over the barrier.

From my elevated position, I aim downward at Maurice, who waits with an amused smile.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Maurice moves with an elegance that belies the deadly nature of our duel, sidestepping each shot with a dancer's grace.

[Gravity's Gambit]

-Bang!

I redirect my guns, using the recoil to propel myself closer to him.

"Hump!"

Aiming for a confrontation, I attempt to kick him. Maurice meets my advance with his cane, parrying my strike.

-Bam!

Our forces collide, my kick against his cane.

Seizing the moment, I crouch lower, aiming my gun point-blank at his face.

-Bang!

The shot rings out, and to my horror, a hole appears through Maurice's head.

My heart stops, fearing the worst.

But then, Maurice's form dissipates into mist, leaving me suspended in a moment of disbelief.

Rolling to the ground to regain my footing, I scan the area, searching for any sign of him.

"Dominic, you were engaging an ice clone of myself the entire time."

Hearing Maurice's voice, I spin around, searching for its source.

As I do, the five shield-bearing ice knights around me fade into mist, their form dissolving as if they were never there.

"Everhearts are aware they're not adept at close combat, which led them to develop the 'Ice Clone' spell. It creates a clone that can replicate their ice magic abilities and even their appearance."

Maurice explains, his voice echoing around me, yet he remains unseen.

-Chime!

Suddenly, the slow-motion effect of the 'Chrono Pendant' ceases, and everything around me snaps back to its average pace.

The sky's clouds resume their natural flow, and the giant ice clock that materialized earlier vanishes without a trace.

I feel vulnerable to the pendant's effect, and Maurice's spell countered the effects of the Chrono Pendant.

Maurice's location is unknown, and anticipating a potential surprise attack sets my nerves on edge.

"Activate!"

-Tick-Tock!

I activate the pendant again, forcing my surroundings into a slow-motion state. My guns are aimed and ready for any movement.

!

Out of nowhere, I feel a sharp pain in my abdomen. Looking down in horror, I see Maurice's cane impaled through me.

"Blegh!"

Blood spills from my mouth as I felt Maurice behind me.

"Dominic, the Everhearts typically prevail by ambushing their opponent, striking when least expected," he whispers near my ear before harshly pulling the cane out and pushing me to the ground.

Clutching my abdomen in a futile attempt to stem the bleeding, the pain is intense, nearly unbearable.

"Dominic, I've noticed you rely heavily on instinct to dodge," Maurice comments, cleaning his cane with a cloth.

His observation strikes a chord. He’s right, my—no, Dominic's—high instinct stat has been my primary guide in avoiding attacks.

"You shouldn't rely solely on your instincts," he advises, tossing a healing potion to the ground beside me.

I quickly grab and drink the potion, feeling its effects instantly begin to mend my wound.

"To refine your evasion, listen more closely. Use your ears, not just your instincts."

Our session officially ends as Maurice sits beside me, staring at the sky.

QUEST COMPLETED! You once again survived Maurice's training!

You received 100 Stat Points!

Seeing the notification from the System, I sigh in relief, grateful to have made it through another rigorous training session with Maurice intact.

"Now, I want you to recall the lessons I gave you today."

I nod, summarizing the key points he emphasized.

"Everhearts are not adept at close combat, and reliance solely on instincts for dodging is insufficient. One of their signature spells involves summoning ice knights, and they excel in ambushes."

Maurice nods in approval. "Very good."

Even though I’m aware of Lumi’s weakness, I didn’t respond. Maurice might be suspicious of me if I already know Lumi’s weakness since I have not fought against her yet.

A quiet moment follows, allowing me to admire the serene beauty of the sky, its clouds drifting peacefully.

"By the way, where did you get that artifact?"

Maurice inquires, nodding towards the 'Chrono Pendant' peeking from my pocket.

The question catches me off guard, but I stick to a fabricated story.

"Dad gave it to me after I raided the [E] ranked Stargate last Sunday."

I choose not to divulge its true origin from the System rewards.

"I see." Maurice's attention returns to the sky, but not before adding, "Also, I didn't mention this earlier, but you've improved significantly since last Saturday. You managed to get close to me, which is commendable.”

"Thanks, Professor."

My gaze lingers on the clouds. As I do, I remember how Maurice stated that he replicated Louise's spell.

"Professor, how did you do it?"

Maurice glances at me, one eyebrow raised in question.

"What do you mean?"

"How were you able to replicate Louise's ice spells?"

The question has been nagging at me, especially given Maurice's supposed affinity for 'Spatial' magic, not ‘Ice’.

Maurice chuckles; a light, mysterious sound piques my interest even further.

"It's much better if you don't know about it.”

His response only deepens the mystery, making me more curious about the extent of his abilities and the breadth of magic in this world.

“Uhh…okay.”

"By the way, have this."

Maurice hands me an extra white shirt, an unexpected gesture.

"Why did you give me this, Professor?"

"Well, after you passed out during our last session, André and I had a bit of a spat," Maurice confesses, showing a rare hint of discomfort as he scratches the back of his head. "If he finds out I stabbed you today, he will challenge me to a duel without a second thought, and frankly, I'd rather avoid that."

"I see," I say, understanding the situation.

I quickly change into Maurice's clean shirt, feeling a bit more like myself despite the earlier events.

"You should head back to school; Arthur might be worried about you.”

"Can't you just teleport me back there?"

I am half-hoping for a quick return to normalcy.

"I can, but I don't want to. You're a big boy, and you can manage."

I let out a sigh, accepting the inevitable. "Fine. Where's the school from here?"

"It's right there," Maurice says, pointing into the distance.

Following his gesture, I can make out the middle school's silhouette, far but discernible from our high vantage point.

"You mean I have to walk there on foot? You've got to be kidding me."

I look back at him, hoping he might reconsider.

Maurice nods. "Consider it part of your training. The thin air here is good practice for managing your oxygen levels. Plus, dealing with the cold can teach you to adapt to different environments."

His explanation does little to hide that he prefers not to use his teleportation abilities for this purpose.

"That sounds more like an excuse not to teleport me."

Unperturbed, Maurice shrugs. "Take it as you will. But learning to manage in a cold environment is valuable training."

Lumi’s magic attribute is “Ice”. I know where Maurice is getting at. But I just got stabbed, I’m a bit tired to walk down.

But since this training is for tomorrow’s duel against Lumi, I have no choice but do it.

"Fine, see you tomorrow, Professor."

As I walk away, Maurice calls out, "Oh, by the way!"

I pause and look back, curious.

"Deactivate the effect of your magic artifact!"

"Uhh, okay."

Honestly, I’m unsure how to deactivate the 'Chrono Pendant' since it usually stops on its own.

"Deactivate?"

-Chime!

Surprisingly, everything snaps back to its regular pace.

Maurice nods in approval before returning his gaze to the skies.

With a heavy sigh, I resume trek through the forest, contemplating the journey ahead.

Despite the unexpected walk, Maurice's parting advice offers a new perspective on resilience and adaptability.

Nothing terrible is going to happen, right?