The library was astonishing. This remarkable place even housed arenas that could be accessed by entering a side room. The more they discovered about the library, the more they marveled at its wonders.
The arena was prepared, and Pinako was chosen to be the match referee.
"Welcome to our first arena fight. Edward 'Chibi' Elric and Donquixote 'Silent' Corazon," Pinako announced, clearing her throat.
"Chibi grandma, once I defeat you, I'll show you who the real chibi is," Edward shouted. Corazon, on the other hand, embraced his name, finding it fitting. Both Edward and Corazon eagerly anticipated their confrontation, relying solely on the magic they had acquired during the past three weeks. Though their knowledge was limited to the basics, it was crucial for them to practice and develop a deeper understanding of their newfound abilities.
Edward's words fell on deaf ears as Pinako rang the bell, signaling the start of the match. Excitement filled the air as everyone sat on elevated chairs, their eyes fixed on the arena. With focused intent, Edward extended his hands, conjuring an orange whip, known as the Eldritch whip—a fundamental magical skill. Infused with mystical energy, this whip remains unbreakable unless wielded by a weak magician or confronted by a more powerful one.
Confidently flicking his wrist, Edward sent the whip hurtling towards Corazon, aiming to ensnare him. However, Corazon, having honed his newly acquired abilities, raised his hand and summoned a shimmering astral shield, the Tao Mandalas. These defensive and offensive manifestations required skill to employ effectively, much like the Sorcerer Supreme's masterful control, resembling a boomerang-like proficiency.
The whip collided with the shield, its power absorbed and harmlessly dispersed, leaving Corazon unharmed.
Undeterred, Corazon retaliated with a gesture, conjuring ethereal chains that materialized from thin air. These chains, adorned with eldritch runes, darted towards Edward, seeking to bind him. Reacting swiftly, Edward summoned Tao Mandalas in both hands, effectively halting the chains in their tracks.
"Corazon's progress surpasses Edward's," remarked John, observing the unfolding fight. It was evident that Corazon had even mastered the creation of chains—a rudimentary skill. Within three weeks, his magical advancement was remarkable.
"Ed has been occupied with studying runes and delving deeper into their mysteries," Winry added. To illustrate her point, Edward stamped his automail leg on the ground. Suddenly, blue runes illuminated the automail, causing rocks to erupt from the arena floor, hurtling towards Corazon with impressive speed.
Corazon, taken aback, swiftly summoned a massive Tao Mandala to shield himself, shrinking his own body to fit within its limited coverage. But Edward wasn't finished yet. He extended his automail leg again, channeling a surge of arcane energy. From his fingertips, bolts of mystical lightning crackled and streaked toward Corazon. The lightning bolts weaved and zigzagged, aiming to catch him off guard.
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However, Corazon, with his newfound mastery of the mystic arts, gracefully sidestepped the incoming lightning bolts, employing his own magical agility to navigate the battlefield. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured two additional Tao Mandalas, causing the lightning to bend and disperse harmlessly.
The clash of their powers reverberated throughout the arena, eliciting gasps and cheers from the spectators. Even Pinako couldn't help but smile, amazed at how swiftly this young lad had adapted to a new form of technology, pitting himself against Corazon, who had been battle-hardened throughout his life.
She was certain that if Corazon utilized his natural abilities, it wouldn't be an easy battle for Ed. Both of them demonstrated that with dedication, newfound abilities could be harnessed and wielded skillfully, creating a dazzling display of magic inspired by the Marvel universe within the confines of the arena.
After a few more minutes of exchanging magical prowess, both combatants decided to bring the duel to a halt.
"This duel ends in a draw," Pinako declared. Ed and Corazon approached each other and shook hands. They had learned a great deal from this duel, but they knew that there was still much to discover and master.
"Ed has done well in runes. Maybe he will be enter the Pantheonic Magic." Arya mumbled. By this time everybody had understood what the other sections of the magic represented as they had been reading and learning so they could tell which section represent what kind of magic.
Although the knowledge was very rough, but they were getting there.
"Next fight is between Arya 'Piercer' Stark and John 'Dragon' Snow."
"Sister, I will not go easy on you." John said as he got up.
"We will see who goes easy on whom." Arya said.
Once again, they found themselves in the arena, with Ed and Corazon taking their seats among the audience. Arya and John stepped onto the stage, ready to engage in another intense clash.
Arya had made several preparations, adorning her boots with runes that enhanced her speed and agility. She gripped the Tao Madalas firmly in her hands, intending to utilize them in her attacks against John.
Meanwhile, John had a preemptive plan. He wielded whips in his hands as he lunged towards Arya. Swiftly evading his assault, Arya closed the distance between them in a mere second. John, realizing he had limited options, resorted to using the Tao Madalas for defense. However, Arya's exceptional agility allowed her to strike from an unexpected angle.
In that critical moment, John experienced a strange sensation. He couldn't discern if it resulted from his defensive maneuver or if something dormant within him had awakened. Suddenly, a vibrant crimson mystical energy materialized between Arya's attack and John, swiftly transforming into an actual sword—an authentic, tangible weapon!
Aoto's eyes widened in disbelief. He never anticipated this turn of events. It wasn't merely the fact that John had the ability to manifest objects through conventional magic, but rather the effortless manner in which he conjured the sword.
This was chaos magic.
"Is that...?" Shikuro, who had been closely observing the battle, sat upright, his gaze fixated on the red mystical energy. The others in the vicinity followed suit, captivated by the astonishing display. They were familiar with chaos magic, and its defining characteristic was the potent hue of crimson.
And now, John had just unleashed its power.