The next few days were a blur for Magnus, but not for the usual reasons. It wasn’t because the days were dull or uneventful—far from it. The real issue was that Magnus had been running on barely four hours of sleep each night. When he first asked Eveline for help with copying different types of magic, he’d naively assumed it would be straightforward. But he had severely underestimated two crucial things.
First, the sheer depth of Eveline’s knowledge. It was as if she knew an endless number of spells and had mastery over nearly every category of magic. When he thought they were done with one category and ready to move on, she would peel back another layer. It would have even been impressive if he wasn’t too utterly exhausted to appreciate it. As for his second misjudgment, it was not thinking how someone like Eveline would act when placed in the role of a teacher.
The soul-binding between them might have prevented Eveline from physically harming him, but it did nothing to stop her from completely taking control of his learning process. Within hours, Magnus found himself practically imprisoned in her vast library for two straight days, with little chance to do anything else. Even when he tried to reason with her, she just shook her head with a grin.
“There’s no time for you to eat! I’ve already selected the most useful forms of magic that fit the criteria for replication. We need to optimize how many forms you can master in a ten-minute window and work down from there.” The relentless pace would have been unbearable if not for Celia, who, acting as his savior, managed to intervene.
Despite how driven Eveline usually was, she had developed a bit of a soft spot for Celia since they began working together on their project. And it was Celia who managed to convince Eveline to give Magnus breaks and time to eat and bathe. But even with these small mercies, Magnus had essentially vanished from the academy grounds for the past two days.
The only time he was allowed to leave the library or his room was for the Live Examination. It was a mandatory event for both him and Eveline—he as a participant, and she as a member of Takerth Academy’s Council. But just like the last round, it was fairly pointless. No one was surprised when the students set to face Cain, Jalud, Luden, and Seraline dropped out before even stepping onto the field.
And so, as time passed, the day everyone had been anticipating finally arrived.
"Never again... I am absolutely never asking Eveline for help again, that damn she-devil," Magnus groaned as he lay on his bed. Despite wearing fresh clothes and having just gotten out of bed, his face was a mess, with bags under his eyes. Even now, he could still hear Eveline’s voice echoing in his mind, pushing him to memorize more and more forms of magic, giving him a headache.
"Oh, come on, Magnus, Eveline isn’t that bad,” Celia remarked as she walked over to him.
“Traitor… You only say that because she’s nice to you,” Magnus shot back, sitting up and glaring at her.
“What? No…” Celia responded, avoiding eye contact.
“I see how it is… In that case, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind running that errand. You know, since you’re still technically my maid and all?”
“Huh? What errand?” Celia asked, confusion spreading across her face, which made Magnus grin to himself.
“Oh, I’m sure you remember. Someone convinced me to go out and join in the Netherwave Festival, saying we could pick up my clothes while we’re at it, knowing full well that Hisel’s shop would be closed during the celebration.” Magnus’s words made Celia let out a nervous chuckle.
“Oh… right.”
“Yeah, so I’m sure you wouldn’t mind heading out and grabbing my clothes for me while I head to the Live Examination.” Celia wanted to argue, especially since she still had things to work on with Eveline. But in the end, she was a maid first and an assistant second, so she sighed.
“Fine.” Seeing her give in, Magnus looked satisfied. Walking over to his desk and grabbing his mask, he seemed to remember something else and added, “Oh, and make sure you put them away neatly. They’re brand new, after all.” Celia couldn’t help but shoot an annoyed look his way as she nodded.
“Of course…”
And with that, Magnus left, leaving Celia alone in the dorm room. Standing there, she kicked at the air, wanting to vent her frustration without accidentally breaking anything.
Ugh! He acts like such a brat sometimes!
The very same "brat" Celia was complaining about was now making his way to the Academy Arena. From the moment Magnus stepped out of the dorm building, he could sense it—the tension that had been missing for the past two days had returned. But this time, it was for a completely different reason.
There were only two factions left in the Live Examination, and only one could come out on top. Even though most of the students watching were participants who had already lost or factions that had dropped out, the final outcome would have significant implications. The winner would determine who others might need to ally with in the future.
On top of that, this was one of the few Live Examinations that affected more than just first-year students. Many Adept-level students in their later years, who had initially come to watch for fun, now found themselves drawn into the competition. The abilities that Cain and Jalud had displayed during their matches had already surpassed what was expected at their level.
As things stood, if they weren’t careful, faction leaders like Luden, Resir, and Zilen could quickly catch up to the best of them—and that wasn’t even considering the sheer talent of someone like Seraline. It was as if this entire Live Examination was filled with dark horses that no one had predicted.
Since Magnus had been so drained after dealing with Eveline, he left later than usual. Most of the student body was already at the Academy Arena, so he wasn’t expecting anyone to be waiting for him. But someone was, and it was one of the last people he would have expected.
Leaning against the entrance Magnus usually took, he spotted Blair from afar. A moment later, Blair noticed him too and waved him over with a sly smile. Magnus still wasn’t sure how he felt about interacting with Blair after learning what his family did for a living, but that was a Magnus issue, unrelated to Cain, so he did his best to push it aside.
“Took you long enough to get here. You’re usually pretty early. I was starting to think maybe I was at the wrong entrance,” Blair commented as Magnus walked up.
“What is it?” Magnus replied, getting straight to the point. Blair’s expression shifted instantly, his usual friendly charm fading as his smile flattened.
“Tell me something—how confident are you that you can beat Jalud?” It wasn’t a question Magnus had expected, but it was one he didn’t have to think long about. He had already asked himself the same question multiple times.
“It will be a bit rough, but I'm confident I'll win.” It wasn’t the answer Blair had expected. He looked taken aback for a moment before breaking into laughter.
“I see… Then maybe I was getting all worked up for nothing. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to know his weakness, right?” Magnus’s eye behind the mask widened slightly at the mention of a weakness, prompting him to clarify.
“Weakness?”
“That’s right. Though it’s more like his magic’s weakness than his own. It took me a while to figure out, but after thinking back to our fight, I’m fairly confident. And either way, knowing would help you, right?” Magnus didn’t have to respond—Blair continued speaking, telling him the weakness of Jalud's magic. Magnus listened carefully, but as he did, another question formed in his mind, one he decided to ask once Blair finished.
“Why are you telling me this?” Magnus inquired, causing Blair to laugh.
"What do you mean? We’re in the same faction. Why wouldn’t I-" But Magnus cut him off.
"We both know that’s a lie. You hate the twins, and you hate Luden, despite how much you try to hide it. And if that’s the case, I’m sure you hate me as well." His words seemed to freeze Blair’s expression entirely. Even though Magnus’s eyes were hidden behind his mask, it felt like his gaze had pierced straight through Blair, peeling back all the layers to reveal the plain truth.
“I see… I guess I’m a pretty lousy actor. Or maybe you’re just too observant. Well, either way, let’s just say my hate pales in comparison to the benefits I’ll reap if you manage to beat Jalud.” It boiled down to that—a simple matter of weighing benefits against personal feelings.
After their talk, the two of them headed directly into the Academy Arena, making their way up the stands. Luden and the others had already taken their seats, and as Magnus walked over, he could feel thousands of eyes on him. Eyes belonging to both students and academy staff alike, all watching his every move.
“Huh? Oh, look who finally showed up. Did your nerves get to you or something?” Syrna was the first to speak up, greeting Magnus as usual. However, her excitement waned when she saw Blair walking behind him.
“You two arriving together, that’s unexpected,” Luden observed, causing Blair to chuckle as he responded.
“We just had something to discuss, no big deal.”
“I see. Well, the matchups are about to be announced, so take a seat,” Luden noted. Magnus and Blair did as he suggested, taking their seats. Aside from a few murmurs, the Academy Arena was almost eerily quiet.
“Who would’ve thought two people could create such an atmosphere?” Sylas muttered as he looked around.
“It just shows how important this is,” Seraline added, and Sylas nodded in agreement.
After a couple of minutes of waiting, Eredim teleported onto the field in front of everyone, clearing his throat before speaking.
“Welcome, everyone. Today marks the fourth round of the Live Examination, one that I’m sure many of us have been eagerly anticipating. In light of the potential matches ahead and the ones we’ve already seen, we’ve taken extra precautions and enhanced the runes engraved into the arena’s walls.”
Everyone knew exactly what Eredim was referring to. Since the students wouldn’t be fighting in the Alternate Space anymore, their battles on the field could potentially put others at risk. Initially, this wasn’t a major concern—the runes on the Academy Arena’s walls could handle even Master-level spells. Yet, in Magnus’s match against Gozif, a single kick from him had completely bypassed the runes, prompting the academy to strengthen them further.
“Now, then, for the matchups,” Eredim announced, holding out his hand and forming a sphere of light in his palm. Just like before, he tossed it high into the air, and as it flew, everyone knew the moment had arrived. Depending on what appeared on the projection, the match everyone had been waiting for would happen either today or tomorrow. So, whether it was those in Luden’s Faction or Jalud’s, they watched silently as the sphere expanded.
A brief silence fell over the arena as everyone looked up, broken only by sharp breaths.
So, it’s happening today. Good, I’ve been looking forward to this.
Magnus couldn’t help but smile slightly as he stared up at the projection where the matchups were revealed.
Luden Rilhawk vs. Seraline Sostenza and Cain vs. Jalud Creseya.
Everyone knew that Seraline was part of Luden’s Faction, so she would naturally drop out, leaving only one match that truly mattered—the one they had all been anticipating. Seconds after the matchups were announced, Magnus stood up, and across the Academy Arena, he saw Jalud do the same.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment before turning to head down to the field. As Magnus walked, he heard Luden’s voice as he passed by.
“This is the final hurdle, so make sure to put on a good show.” Magnus gave him a silent nod as he made his way to the stairs. Even as he walked, he could still hear Eredim’s voice making the announcement.
“Seraline Sostenza has decided to forfeit the match, making the winner Luden Rilhawk!” The stage was completely set. Soon, Magnus found himself walking through the long hall that led out onto the field. The light from outside was as blinding as before, but this time the crowd was silent. Stepping out onto the field, Magnus’s eyes remained locked on the figure emerging from the opposite entrance.
The two of them slowly approached each other, stopping only a few meters apart with Eredim standing between them. Jalud was the first to speak; his tone was as calm as ever, but there was something different in it. Unlike how he spoke to Blair or even his own faction members—with clear disinterest as if speaking out of obligation rather than desire—there was now a spark in Jalud’s golden gaze. It was a sign that he considered Magnus an opponent worth trying against, and his words only reinforced that.
"I have to admit, when I first saw you during the faction meeting, I didn’t expect you to be so talented. If it weren’t for me, you would’ve taken first place in this Live Examination.” Hearing that, Magnus couldn’t help but raise a brow behind his mask, but it didn’t stop him.
“However, before we start, I want to make you an offer.” Magnus didn’t need to hear the rest to predict what Jalud wanted to say, so he cut him off.
“Instead of an offer, how about a deal?” Since they were no longer in the Alternate Space, every knight and mage could clearly hear their conversation despite the distance, and Magnus’s words immediately caught their attention.
“A deal? What kind of deal?” Jalud asked.
“It’s simple. We’re both strong, and it would be a waste for us to keep going against each other after this match. So let's make things simple. If you win, I’ll join your faction. But if I win, I want you to join Luden’s.” His words immediately caused an uproar. The students, who had been so silent you could hear a pin drop, erupted into discussion. The members of Jalud’s faction shot to their feet, staring down at the field.
“This isn’t good! This is a trap!” one of them exclaimed, with the others around him nodding in agreement, with tense expressions on their faces. They were confident in Jalud’s victory; after all, they knew his abilities firsthand, and they surpassed nearly anyone’s. But there was always a chance of losing, and no one would make a deal like this without being certain of victory. If Jalud accepted the deal, there was now a chance their faction could fall apart in an instant.
All the work and effort they had put in, with Jalud as their center, would be for nothing.
“But... if Jalud wins and we get Cain on our side, won’t we be unstoppable?” One of Jalud’s faction members mumbled, causing the others to take in a sharp breath. He was right; the risks were enormous, but the rewards were just as great, if not better. On the other hand, where Luden and the others were sitting, none of them could believe what they had just heard.
“My... my ears must not be working right. What did Cain just say?” Syrna asked, looking over at the others. Her brother seemed to still be processing what he’d heard, and even Seraline’s expression had turned to one of shock. Meanwhile, Blair clenched his fist so tightly that he was shaking slightly as he glared down at Magnus.
Is that bastard insane? I may have told him Jalud’s weakness, but who knows if he can capitalize on it? Does he have any idea what will happen if he loses?
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Immediately, Blair turned to Luden and spoke in an urgent voice.
“Luden, your dog’s off his leash! You have to stop him now!” And for once, even the twins seemed to agree as Sylas spoke up as well.
“He’s right! There’s no reason for us to take a risk like this-” But before Sylas could finish, Luden raised his hand with a calm smile on his face.
“There’s nothing to worry about. He won’t lose.” There was absolute confidence in his words, leaving both Blair and Sylas speechless.
“Hahaha... Hahaha! I can’t remember the last time we had a Live Examination this thrilling! I’m certain of it now. That kid, the moment he leaves Arlcliff City, the entire kingdom will change.” Zedem’s words and laughter echoed around him, while Eveline giggled to herself, clearly finding the thought amusing as well. On the other hand, Vlaslor’s gaze darkened as he glanced over at the Headmistress, who still watched in silence.
He knew Zedem was right. Right now, Magnus’s influence and impact were limited to Takerth Academy and, at most, Arlcliff City. But the moment he left, who knows how things would spiral out of control, especially when the other academies and the Royal Court caught wind that he was an ancient magic user? Their eyes would surely turn toward Takerth for an explanation, assuming they didn’t simply act first.
But, as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t make a move without the Headmistress’s permission. So, as the shockwave from Magnus’s words rippled out, the source remained as calm as ever, not caring one bit about the commotion around him.
“You want me to join Luden’s Faction if I lose?” Jalud clarified as he tilted his head slightly, to which Magnus nodded. There was a brief pause before Magnus saw Jalud smile ever so slightly for the first time.
“Alright then,” Jalud agreed, sending another storm of discussion among the spectators. Seeing that the two of them had come to an agreement and were done talking, Eredim didn’t wait any longer.
"Let the second match commence!" The moment Eredim made his announcement, two things happened almost simultaneously. First, Eredim himself teleported away, and second, Magnus used [Self Body Puppetry] to break into a dash that brought him right in front of Jalud in less than a second, one arm already poised to strike.
"Transfer." Jalud immediately activated his evasive maneuver, dissolving into particles of light and reappearing a couple of meters behind Magnus. But Magnus didn’t halt his attack. Unballing his fist, his fingers took the shape of a claw as he buried his arm into the ground, piercing straight through dirt and rock. Without so much as a backward glance, he lifted his arm and swung it at the space behind him.
The ground was torn apart by the sheer speed and force of the movement, sending a hailstorm of rocks hurtling toward Jalud. The largest of these was nearly three times his size, yet despite the onslaught, Jalud remained unfazed, calmly utilizing his magic.
"Reflect."
Before the rocks even came within meters of him, their velocity reversed. There was no warning or gradual deceleration—the rocks Magnus had launched at Jalud now came flying back toward him.
Going up against him like this is really different than just watching. His magic is just too convenient.
Magnus raised his hand slightly, activating his [Arcane Matrix]. Immediately, the air around his hand began to freeze. Sensing this through his sensory magic, Jalud quickly used Transfer, breaking apart and disappearing from his spot just as Magnus waved his hand at the incoming rocks. Instantly, a bone-chilling cold engulfed everything, and in the next moment, all that could be seen was ice.
Massive, jagged spires of ice stretched out from where Magnus stood, extending all the way to the borders of the field, stopping only when they hit the arena walls. Just like that, nearly a quarter of the field was frozen solid, including the rocks that had been flying at Magnus. Jalud watched from above, floating high in the sky as he looked down at the frozen earth below.
So he can manipulate more than just fire and water. Good; it would be boring otherwise.
"Crush." With a single word, an immense force crashed down onto the entire field. It felt as if gravity had suddenly increased a hundredfold. The ice Magnus had created cracked in the first second and shattered in the next. The larger pieces of rock left over from Magnus’s attack immediately began to crumble, while the smaller rocks were crushed into dust. The field itself started to crack as if straining under some invisible weight.
Yet, despite all this, Magnus didn’t budge. While everything around him was torn apart by the sudden force, he remained completely unaffected. Seeing this, Jalud couldn’t help but be a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected to take Magnus out with that attack, but he had anticipated at least a reaction.
Is he resisting with pure physical strength or enhancement magic?
From the outside, it appeared so. But in truth, Magnus was using the Command Console to root his upper body in place. The crushing force soon dissipated, leaving the two competitors staring at one another—one looking down from the sky, the other up from the ground. It was a standoff, each waiting for the other to make a move. After half a minute passed, Magnus was the first to take the initiative.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of mana spheres began to form, as strands of mana created from nothing interwove with one another. Floating just half a meter off the ground, they covered the entire field. With a single mental command, they took flight, streaking through the air toward Jalud, who immediately used Transfer to escape just as the first wave was about to hit.
As if on timers, over a hundred mana spheres erupted, creating a violent explosion of white and black mana powerful enough to easily wipe out a chunk of a forest. The air vibrated with such force that the shockwaves reached the ground where Magnus stood, causing the barrier surrounding the field to become visible to all students watching as it blocked the violent rush of mana spreading in every direction.
As the explosions continued, Jalud reappeared on the ground. Magnus immediately commanded the remaining hundreds of mana spheres to turn in mid-air. They almost seemed to block out the sky as they rained down, targeting not just Jalud but the entire area. Seeing this, Jalud didn’t run. Instead, he used Transfer to appear directly behind Magnus. Without even turning around, Magnus quickly surrounded himself with a fifteen-layer mana shield.
"Reject!" Jalud's voice reverberated through the arena, echoing like a shout in a ravine. It was the same move he had used when Blair made him bleed, but this time, all of its force was concentrated in a single direction. Immediately, Magnus heard the sound of cracking as all fifteen layers of the barrier surrounding him shattered like glass, and the force struck his body directly.
As the mana spheres Magnus had created slammed into the earth in rapid succession, they upheaved tons of dirt and rock, creating craters everywhere they touched. Meanwhile, Magnus was like a deflated balloon, sent flying through the air at such a speed that his figure blurred.
He only became visible again when his body crashed into the opposite wall of the arena from where he had been standing. On impact, Magnus instantly lost consciousness, coughing up blood that dripped down the inside of his mask. For a moment, it seemed like he would collapse to the ground, but his legs moved to catch him at the very last second.
Basker had quickly jolted Magnus awake, using [Self Body Puppetry] to keep him upright. The pain was utterly unbearable, to the point where Magnus couldn’t even think. If not for reinforcing his skeleton, that attack would have done more than just shatter his bones—it would have killed him. In fact, the only reason he didn’t suffer brain damage was because he had instinctively protected his head using the Command Console the instant he hit the wall.
Still, Magnus could tell something was seriously wrong. There was a sharp pain deep in his body that made it hard to breathe; his organs had been damaged, and he was suffering from internal bleeding. [High-Speed Regeneration] kicked in immediately, but even that would take time to heal such severe injuries. Jalud, however, had no intention of giving Magnus a chance to recover.
Feeling a sudden change in temperature, Magnus looked up through his still-hazy vision and saw a wall of fire barreling straight toward him.
With Basker taking control for a moment to allow Magnus to collect his thoughts, he leaped into the air. As Magnus escaped the flames, Jalud watched him effortlessly leap over sixty meters into the air before coming to a stop. Immediately, Jalud—and everyone else watching—felt a sense of familiarity. Magnus was floating in the air, just like Jalud. As for how, the answer was that he was repeatedly using the Command Console on his own feet, adjusting their positions ever so slightly and rapidly, making the movements virtually unnoticeable.
By constantly moving, his feet were essentially rooted in place, allowing him to float. Magnus shook his head, finally clearing his thoughts as his body fully healed. He used the sleeves of his clothes to wipe away the blood.
Damn... He’s even stronger than I thought. I can’t afford to take any more hits like that one, especially not multiple. I need to end this before he gets the chance. But first, I have to stop him from moving!
Down on the cratered earth, Jalud watched as Magnus held out both hands toward him. Having been in a match against Blair at the time, Jalud didn’t recognize Magnus's stance, but Reimun and everyone who had witnessed Magnus’s previous match certainly did—they knew what was coming next. In a vibrant display that made even the sun seem dull in comparison, bright, whitish-blue flames erupted from within Magnus.
The flames engulfed everything, blotting out the blue sky above and instantly causing the temperature in the Academy Arena to skyrocket. If not for the barrier surrounding the field, everything would have likely melted away. But that protection only applied to those outside the barrier. Inside, Jalud could already feel the intense heat and understood just how dangerous the flames—large enough to cover the entire field—were as they descended toward him.
"Extinguish!" Once again, Jalud's voice echoed as an invisible, formless force shot out from him and met the ceiling of flames falling from above. The two forces clashed—flames hot enough to melt anything in their path against a force whose sole purpose was to extinguish them. The sound that erupted from their meeting was hard to describe; it was as if the very air itself was rumbling.
Even though Jalud was stopping the flames, the heat remained unbearable. He had no choice but to cast an incantationless mana barrier around himself to block out the ever-rising temperature. At the same time, both Jalud and Magnus were pouring even more mana into their opposing forces, causing the air to go from merely rumbling to outright boiling.
The sudden difference in pressure alone caused violent shockwaves to ripple out, making it feel as though the entire Academy Arena was shaking. All around Jalud, the field itself began to heat up, and any debris, even rock, started to melt. Watching such a scene, even the Adept-level students couldn’t help but look on in awe, muttering to themselves.
"Is this... really a battle between first years?"
"If this is them now, how much stronger will they be in the future?" It was a question that remained unanswered, but the very thought made their throats dry. But such a clash couldn’t last forever; something had to give. High in the sky, still releasing a violent torrent of flames, Magnus’s hands and arms began to show the strain—the heat was burning him, peeling away the top layers of his skin as they charred. He continuously healed himself, forming new layers of skin to counteract the heat that was scorching his body.
Still, healing or not, the reality was that Magnus was burning himself alive by maintaining this onslaught. Even with his pain tolerance, he was just barely holding back the urge to scream, letting out pained grunts instead.
"Agh..."
This... should be enough of a distraction... Basker, did you memorize his position!?
[Yes, Master, I'm ready when you are.]
Do it, do it now!
Acting on Magnus’s orders, Basker quickly visualized the plan, and Magnus executed it using the Command Console. At that moment, down on the ground, Jalud, who had noticed the flames pouring down on him starting to grow weaker, suddenly became aware of mana gathering at eight different points around him. The mana condensed so rapidly that he barely had time to react before eight massive pillars of rock, formed through earth elementrix magic, took shape.
Each pillar was as large as a fully grown tree and hurtled toward Jalud, causing a flash of panic to cross his face.
Just how wide is his formation range? He's so high in the sky, yet he can still use elementrix magic so close to me.
Jalud couldn’t use his Transfer ability in this position; if he did, he would have to give up holding back the flames. That left him with only one option: deal with the spires directly.
"Reject!" Jalud called out as a violent force shot out in all directions from his body, meeting the rocks head-on. The spires were immediately shredded, reduced to dust that completely engulfed Jalud, blocking his vision. Almost simultaneously, the flames he had been resisting completely lost their force. The sudden cutoff stunned Jalud for a moment before he quickly realized his predicament.
He used my own counterattack to cut off my vision!
Meanwhile, still floating in the sky, Magnus seized the opportunity, capitalizing on the weakness Blair had shared with him. Magnus had always wondered why Jalud never used his Transfer in certain situations during his match against Blair. Blair had puzzled over the same thing. If Jalud had used his Transfer, he could have avoided getting hit by his Verdant Colossus. And so, in the end, Blair had come up with a single theory.
Your magic's weakness is line of sight!
Unless Jalud's magic resulted in an AOE effect like Reject, his word magic was limited by what he could see. He couldn’t affect something entirely unless he had a clear view of its whole form. Likewise, he couldn’t Transfer unless he could see where he wanted to go. That meant, at this moment, Jalud had no way to dodge anything Magnus threw at him. But, of course, Jalud was aware of this, and having already been caught off guard by Blair due to this weakness, he acted quickly.
"Gust!" With that single word, a violent wind burst out from Jalud's body, pushing away the dust surrounding him as he tried to clear his view of the area. At the same time, Magnus was stretching out his hand, looking as if he were trying to grab the air in front of him. Off to the side, Eveline, who was observing through her sensory magic, had her eyes light up.
By the time Jalud’s efforts managed to clear away the dust, which had also begun turning back into mana under the suppression effect of the spirits, it was too late. The moment his eyes landed on Magnus, Jalud suddenly felt his perception of the world begin to twist and turn, his sense of balance going with it as he was hit with an extreme sense of vertigo.
Space Manipulation!?
Having experienced this sensation when being transported in and out of the Alternate Space, Jalud could immediately identify the phenomenon, but it didn’t lessen his surprise.
Using his own rooted feet as a platform, Magnus tucked his legs and then rocketed himself straight toward Jalud, who was trapped within the now-warped space. He landed directly in front of Jalud, hitting the ground with enough force to make it seem like it shattered. Upon seeing Magnus, Jalud's face twisted in alarm as he quickly attempted to back away, but how could his speed possibly match Magnus's?
Not to mention, at this moment, both he and Magnus were essentially stuck inside a cage of warped space. Just ten meters away from them, the space was so distorted that Jalud couldn't tell up from down. But when he saw Magnus clench his fist, gearing up for a punch, Jalud's expression grew grim as he uttered a command.
"Transfer!" Due to the warped space, he couldn’t see exactly where he was transferring to. But even if he ended up somewhere undesirable, as long as he gained some distance from Magnus, it would be fine—or so he thought. The next second, Jalud’s eyes widened in shock as he realized he had Transferred to exactly where he had already been standing. Confusion filled his mind, but he pushed through it and quickly acted.
"Halt!" He used his lineage magic on Magnus, while simultaneously casting a mana barrier in front of him without an incantation. To save time, he only formed half of the barrier instead of a full circle. Both of these measures together could have stopped even an Apprentice-level knight's strike, but against Magnus and his [Self Body Puppetry], they were futile.
What-
Jalud didn’t even have time to process his shock as the invisible force attempting to bind Magnus was ripped apart, and the barrier he created shattered, its protective properties bypassed.
Magnus’s fist slammed straight into Jalud’s face, producing an audible sound that everyone in the arena could hear. Although Magnus hadn’t punched at full force, knowing it could kill Jalud, the blow was still more than enough to break bone. Jalud was sent flying through the air, and as he soared, the space around them slowly began to normalize under the suppression effect of the spirits.
Even a knight's senses and sensory magic had difficulty penetrating warped space, so for those below the Master level, that last part of the fight had been entirely obscured. It was only when the warped space returned to normal that everyone could see Jalud lying on the ground with blood on his face.
Transfer works by breaking down the user's body into particles and then using magic to change the properties of those particles into something akin to light. The process is then automatically reversed once the user reaches their destination—wherever they are looking. It’s similar to Luden's ability, though more limited, and carries more risk if something goes wrong. But, it comes with the bonus of allowing one to move close to the speed of light.
Magnus had to thank Eveline for explaining exactly how it worked; otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken him to devise a plan like this. The speed of light was the limit of all physical things, a constant that nothing with mass could surpass. On a non-cosmic scale, moving at the speed of light might as well be teleportation to any living creature. After all, Luden's match had shown what the speed of lightning alone was capable of.
But in the end, teleportation is achieved through piercing through space, and with enough mana, it could have easily bypassed the space I warped. But, if your main move for dodging essentially turns you into light, then all I had to do was create a cage of warped space around you. Like a laser in a dome of mirrors, as long as I warped the space just right, all the light would simply bounce back to its origin.
In such a tense situation, how could Jalud have realized that the place he intended to Transfer to was exactly where he was already standing?
I have to admit, I was a bit iffy if I could pull it off.
If he hadn’t managed to cut off Jalud's ability to move freely at that moment, who knows how long their match would have dragged on? It would have ended with either Jalud running out of mana and getting caught by one of Magnus’s attacks, or Jalud landing enough heavy blows that even Basker would have been forced to focus on regeneration instead of keeping him conscious.
"D-Did Jalud... lose?" A member of Jalud's faction uttered the words in disbelief.
"No, wait!" another suddenly called out, pointing to the field. Everyone saw Jalud’s body twitch slightly before he started to move. Magnus, in particular, was the most surprised. He knew exactly how much force he had put into that punch. It was enough to knock out any normal person, and at the very least, it should have broken Jalud's nose or even fractured the front of his skull. He shouldn’t have been able to regain consciousness so quickly.
But as Jalud fully picked himself up and turned around, Magnus understood what was happening. Jalud’s face was covered in blood, his golden eyes hazy but still carrying the same spark they had been when the match started. Right now, willpower alone was keeping Jalud on his feet.
Not bad... I thought all he had going for him was his family's magic, but it looks like he's got some serious willpower too. Still, if you're not a knight, willpower can only take you so far.
"Re-Reject-" Before Jalud could finish speaking, something shot out from Magnus's hand. It struck Jalud in the stomach, knocking the air from his lungs as he fell back, and completely lost consciousness. Flying even faster than Jalud’s body was falling, the projectile section of Rokshaata reconnected with the coin-like structure in Magnus's hand. With how fast Jalud could dodge using his Transfer, there was little chance of Magnus hitting his [Bullseye] under normal circumstances.
But in his half-conscious state, Jalud had stood perfectly still, making him an easy target. As he put Rokshaata away, Magnus stared down at Jalud on the ground while Eredim teleported onto the field. Casting a glance between Magnus and Jalud, Eredim made his announcement.
"The winner of the second match is Cain!" With the announcement made, Magnus glanced up at Luden in the crowd. He held up his end of their deal—he had won in a way that no one could dispute, and as a bonus, he had even gotten Jalud to agree to join them. Well, assuming Jalud was someone who kept his promises after a loss.
Well, either way, it’s nothing I need to worry about.