Chapter 56: Alexander Thorne (I)

  The clamor of the excited crowd echoed around the arena, bouncing between the tall walls. In the center of this arena stood a raised platform of spotless white tiles, and Claire stood on one end with her eyes closed. She raised her head to the sky and inhaled a long breath through her nose.

  The air is warm and dry today. Not optimal conditions for my wind.

  She lowered her head and opened her eyes, her gaze settling on her opponent. He was clad in Violet Mist robes.

  Sixth seed, huh? I guess the atmosphere won’t really matter too much. Let’s finish this quickly.

  A confident smile, along with her clear, sparkling eyes, brightened her expression. She did not crouch down like her usual starting stance, and instead remained standing straight with her arms held behind her back.

  Her opponent, on the other hand, withdrew a long, gnarled staff adorned with a large sapphire. He held it with both hands and lowered his body into a battle-ready stance. He had his right leg lunged forward and his back leg positioned at a slight angle to his body, prepared for either a quick dodge or to brace against a strong force.

  He had studied Claire’s battle in the previous round, and he was not afraid. Though Claire’s screech attack was dangerous, it had been negated by the changes made to the protective artifacts. The new bracers would prevent her from using a similar tactic, meaning he only had to defend against the powerful bursts of wind she controlled.

  The main Adjudicator was the middle-aged man Damon was familiar with. He stood between the two contestants with his arm raised high. He glanced at both the participants before dropping his arm and yelling, “Start!”

  As the Adjudicator retreated to a corner of the stage, the man from Violet Mist pushed his staff forward, and a rapid stream of mini barriers formed in front of him. The moment they were created, they fused into a thick wall of shimmering blue arcane energy. He looked up with a satisfied smile, only to see Claire still standing in the same spot. Though confused, he raised his staff higher and began chanting a spell.

  Claire moved for the first time in the duel. She raised her right arm and pointed her index finger at her opponent, with her thumb pointing upward. At the tip of her slender finger, a tiny twister of compressed air spiraled into existence with the sharp end directed at the man.

  The whirling wind shot forth without warning, growing larger as it moved through the air. By the time it reached the blue barrier, it was the size of a fist and spun rapidly like a drill. A harsh, high-pitched screech rang out from the point of contact as it dug its way into the wall. After boring through half the barriers, the wind dissipated.

  Just when the man was about to sigh in relief, he saw his doom flying toward him. Not just one, but multiple wind drills crashed into the barrier wall in the same spot, one by one. Before he could even finish casting his spell, the small vortexes broke through the layers of blue light and rammed into his chest.

  The bracers on his arms flickered madly with verdant light and also released a sharp whine as the vortexes ground through the barriers they created. Just as the fifth layer was punctured and the bracers broke in half, two bulky figures appeared on either side of him and pushed out with their palms. The spiralling wind vanished immediately, and the main Adjudicator landed between the two combatants and declared Claire’s victory.

  Damon stood with the others from the Assembly behind Claire. He looked up at her back, curtained by her swaying golden hair. A small smile formed on his face, and his eyes glinted with a shrewd light.

  That technique… It’s similar to my Ice Spears. She figured out how to incorporate it into her own combat style. Now she can fight from a distance as well. It’s not just me who’s constantly learning and growing. She is as well.

  He glanced at Thomas standing next to him. Thomas must be growing, too. This is so much fun.

  His lips curled further until his white teeth became visible and the corners of his eyes crinkled. A wide grin settled on his face.

  “Did you see that, everyone? Now that’s what I’m talking about! Let’s give a massive round of applause for Claire as the first victor of the day! Hooray!” Wesley bounced in his spot with both hands grasping the crystal orb in front of him. The desk still had four screens showing the singular arena from different angles, allowing them to see every single detailed movement made by the contestants.

  The majority of the audience exploded into thunderous cheering and clapping.

  Alan shifted his chair away from Wesley slightly. “Yes, that was a very clever and masterful display of her control over the wind. Doesn’t that remind you of another participant's attack?”

  “Another participant’s attack? There haven't been any other wind cultivators! Who might you be talking about?” Wesley’s face contorted in exaggerated confusion.

  With a smirk, Alan replied, “It’s Damon from the Arcane Academy. Remember his victory with a single arrow?”

  “Oh, that! Wasn’t it because the arrows had been dual-enchanted by him personally? I believe it was reinforced with the ‘pierce’ and ‘fast’ runes.” Wesley flipped through a notebook atop the table, where he had written down notes of the previous battles.

  “No, it wasn’t just because of the runes, though they played a crucial role. All of his piercing attacks spin through his delicate arcane control ability. It is what gives them the increased penetrative power. I believe Claire has incorporated the technique into her own.”

  “Really? Wow! It’s always good to see our apprentices grow through the process of combat duels! But to think so much thought has gone into Damon’s attacks… He is definitely a stand-out Initiate!”

  Alan’s smirk grew into a lopsided, smug grin. “Of course. Who do you think nominated him for the Convergence? I am his combat class teacher, and I’ve seen his talents bloom from the first day.”

  Wesley made a weird face at Alan. His co-commentator had always been reserved and hoarded his words like a dragon hoards its treasure. Why did he have so much to say now?

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Anyway, let’s move on to the next duel. The participants are the second and third seeds from the Violet Mist and Argent Flame, respectively. The girl from Violet Mist, in particular, was the one who defeated the fifth seed from our Arcane Academy. Their names are…”

  At this point, Alan interrupted Wesley. “Does anybody care? Let’s just analyze Damon and Alexander’s upcoming fight instead.”

  The audience burst into uproarious laughter, and the two apprentices on the stage turned beet red due to embarrassment. The Towers did not bring a large entourage with them, so almost all of the audience were locals to Tradehaven, and the independent cultivators and visitors from other states or kingdoms laughed along as well.

  Glancing back and forth between the crowd, the stage, and Alan, Wesley finally sighed and said, “Fine. This match is probably going to end up being boring anyway. Now, as you said, we should analyze the fight after this. The one between Damon and Alexander, who is the first seed from Argent Flame. Who do YOU think will win? Will it be a close match?”

  “I can’t predict the exact outcome as I am unfamiliar with Alexander’s combat prowess. However, I believe Damon has a good chance of victory. His abilities are truly versatile, and he can adapt to sudden changes during battle.”

  “Wow, that is glowing praise from the current top combat Disciple from the Arcane Academy! It looks like we can look forward to an incredibly exciting match very soon! As soon as these two stop dawdling and finish up their current duel!”

  More laughter rang out from the audience, and the movements of the current duelists became hurried.

  “That was a good match, Claire.”

  “Thanks, Thomas!” Claire grinned at Thomas as she settled in with the group from the Assembly.

  “It was thanks to Damon! I tried copying the spinning technique you used, and it happened to work!”

  Thomas looked at her with his mouth wide open. “Wait, you hadn’t trained that?”

  “Nope! I thought of it on the spot! I’m glad it worked.” Claire’s shiny teeth reflected the sunlight and blinded him.

  “It was impressive! You are incredibly proficient at wind control, so it wouldn’t have been difficult for you. You’ve started the day with a good match. I’ll have to show off a little bit during my match, too.” Damon smiled at his two friends.

  Suddenly, someone smacked Damon’s back. Wincing, he turned around. A tall girl with bright orange hair and amber eyes looked at him with a grin.

  “You’re Damon, right? The one fighting that Alexander boy next? Such a pity. I would’ve liked fighting against that pretty boy. In fact, you’re not too bad yourself! A battle between the pretty boys. Heh. You reckon you can win?”

  “Lilith… Right? Nice to meet you, I am indeed Damon. Yes, the plan is to win.” Damon replied as he tried to rub the stinging pain away from his back. However, he could not reach it because it was right in the center. Claire walked closer and massaged his back for him.

  “Nice. I like your confident voice. If we keep winning, we might be able to fight in the finals or for third and fourth place. You’re an interesting one. Let’s meet on the stage.” Lilith held her hand out to him.

  Damon hesitated for a second before shaking her hand. Lilith shook his arm up and down roughly and then walked away. She was headed to the group from Argent Flame.

  When she arrived, she slapped Alexander on his back too and began chatting with him in a friendly manner. Damon stared at her dumbfoundedly for a while. What an interesting person.

  Alexander also looked incredibly taken aback by the outgoing girl who had just assaulted him. He glanced toward Damon, and their gazes met again. Fires burned in both of their eyes.

  “Finally, the second match of the day has concluded! Unsurprisingly, the second seed from Violet Mist claimed victory without much trouble. Now… It’s time for the biggest match! There they are, walking up the steps onto the platform now. It is Damon Fletcher and Alexander Thorne! The seventh seed from the Arcane Academy and the darkest horse of the tournament against the first seed from Argent Flame!”

  Wesley was exhilarated due to his own anticipation for the match. He was a weirdo who loved to watch others fight. Alan shook his head and looked down at Damon, who looked excited even as he faced the first seed from a Tower. Not a hint of trepidation was visible on his face.

  “This should be a good duel. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled lest you miss any important moment.”

  “Yes, that’s right! Damon has displayed his prowess in runes with his enchanted arrows in the last duel! They are so fast that if you blink, you’ll miss everything! Oh, what’s this? He doesn’t seem to be using any artifacts for this duel? Alan, what is your opinion on that? Alan?”

  Wesley looked over while calling his name, yet Alan was completely focused on the arena. He rubbed a little wooden token with his hand hidden in his sleeves. The words ‘Damon to win. 100 second-tier essence stones.’ were written on the token.

  You’d better win, Damon. Or you’ll have hell to pay for it.

  Damon and Alexander stood in front of the main Adjudicator. He asked, “Which artifacts will you two be using for this match?”

  Alexander withdrew a longsword with a single-sided blade. He grasped the sword by the middle of its sheath and presented it to the Adjudicator for inspection.

  After a curt nod, he turned to look at Damon, expecting his usual bow and arrows. Instead, Damon lifted his left hand and showed him his five bronze rings.

  A flash of surprise and curiosity glimmered in the Adjudicator’s eyes. After a moment, he nodded and raised his arm high as he prepared to signal the start of the duel.

  “Good luck, Damon Fletcher. Let’s see how strong a dual cultivator from the Assembly is.” Alexander said his lines and then immediately turned to walk back to his side.

  His words shocked Damon immensely, but it did not show on his face. Only the slightest trembling of his pupils gave away his momentary disturbance. However, after thinking it through, he understood. Argent Flame had the misconception that he was an Auron when they pursued him. He didn’t reply, turning around and walking back to his side with fierce determination.

  The Adjudicator waited for the two boys, still teenagers, to arrive at their allocated sides. Once he confirmed they were ready, he swung his arm down and yelled, “Begin!” He retreated to his corner of the platform as the crowd cheered loudly.

  Damon narrowed his eyes as he watched Alexander closely. In his previous battle, Alexander had used solely flame-based spells to wear down and defeat his opponent. He did not reveal any special techniques or abilities, so Damon was preparing to face a rapid barrage of powerful attacks by quickly forming numerous rotating barriers. However, it did not come.

  Instead, Alexander lunged forward and crouched low while holding his sword to his waist. One hand held the hilt, and the other held the sheath. His head was lowered, and his eyes were set on the white tiles of the platform. He slowly raised his head and met Damon’s gaze. His thin lips curled.

  A rush of dread washed over Damon when he saw Alexander’s expression. Just as he moved his barriers to stack before him, Alexander drew his sword. All Damon saw was a blinding flash of light before it vanished. The tip of Alexander’s long sword shone under the bright sun as he held it up high, still in the same stance as earlier.

  Damon looked down. His barriers were bisected and slowly breaking apart into motes of blue light and disappearing into the atmosphere. The bracers on his forearms buzzed as they radiated bright verdant light. All five barriers had been activated, and two of them had already been cut straight through, breaking apart and disappearing, similar to his own barriers earlier. The other three barriers vanished as the bracers deactivated from sensing no more incoming danger.

  He raised his head again, Alexander’s dissatisfied expression entering his vision. So, he expected his one attack to immediately defeat me? That was dangerous. I wasn’t expecting such a fast attack. But now… It’s my turn.