Free Web NovelChapter 49: Chapter 49: A Duel of Prodigies (1)
Chapter 49: A Duel of Prodigies ( 1)
A gentle breeze swept across the training grounds.
The morning sun hung high above the estate, bathing the arena in warm golden light. Soldiers, knights, and instructors gradually gathered around the sparring field, curiosity evident on every face. Word had spread quickly through Darkmoor Manor.
The Young Master of House Darkmoor...
Was about to duel Lady Seraphina Valebright.
Two heirs.
Two prodigies.
The future of two Great Ducal Houses.
Even those in the middle of training had quietly laid down their weapons to watch.
Near the edge of the arena, General Selene Vaelthorn folded her arms across her chest. Her crimson eyes shifted between the two young nobles standing several meters apart.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"This should be interesting."
Seraphina stood calmly in her pristine white dress. Although she carried no weapon, there wasn’t the slightest hint of unease in her expression. Her sapphire eyes remained fixed on Andras with quiet confidence.
As a pure mage, she had no need for a sword.
Her greatest weapon was magic.
Opposite her, Andras rested one hand on the hilt of his black longsword.
His expression remained as composed as ever.
Neither arrogance nor nervousness could be seen on his face.
He simply observed his opponent.
The soldiers instinctively retreated another few steps, giving the two of them ample space.
Silence gradually settled over the training grounds.
Selene stepped forward.
"This duel will continue until one side admits defeat or I determine that continuing would become unnecessarily dangerous."
Her sharp gaze swept across both combatants.
"Understood?"
"I understand."
"So do I."
Selene nodded once.
"Very well."
She raised one hand.
"...Begin."
---
The instant her hand fell—
Seraphina moved first.
Mana surged around her body in a brilliant azure glow.
Several intricate magic circles bloomed into existence behind her like celestial constellations.
Without hesitation, she pointed a slender finger toward Andras.
A dozen razor-sharp mana lances shot forward.
They tore through the air with astonishing speed.
Whoosh!
Andras disappeared.
Echo Step.
His figure blurred to the side just before the first lance reached him.
The projectiles slammed into the stone floor behind him.
Boom!
Fragments of rock scattered in every direction.
Several watching soldiers widened their eyes.
"So fast..."
"She cast twelve spells almost instantly."
Before anyone could recover from their surprise—
Seraphina calmly waved her hand again.
The remaining mana circles shifted.
Another volley appeared.
This time...
Twenty mana blades.
They attacked from different directions simultaneously, leaving almost no room to evade.
Andras narrowed his eyes.
Echo Resonance.
The world around him seemed to slow.
Every ripple of mana...
Every fluctuation...
Every trajectory became vividly clear.
His body moved instinctively.
One step.
Two.
Three.
He slipped between the incoming attacks with astonishing precision.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Each blade passed within inches of him.
Not one struck its target.
The watching soldiers collectively held their breath.
"Impossible..."
"He’s avoiding all of them."
Selene’s crimson eyes narrowed with interest.
Excellent perception...
Much better than before.
Andras continued advancing.
Every step brought him closer to Seraphina.
Ten meters.
Eight.
Six.
The moment he entered striking distance—
He drew his sword.
Shing!
A streak of black steel flashed beneath the sunlight.
Black Thorn Sword Style—
First Thorn.
His blade thrust forward with ruthless precision, aiming directly toward Seraphina’s shoulder.
Rather than retreat...
She calmly raised one hand.
A translucent mana barrier materialized instantly.
Clang!
Steel collided against condensed mana.
The barrier rippled but did not break.
Without wasting a single movement, Seraphina snapped her fingers.
The barrier exploded outward.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave forced Andras backward.
His boots carved two long trenches across the training ground before he regained his balance.
She had counterattacked in the same instant she defended.
Seraphina lowered her hand gracefully.
"You’ve much stronger than I expected."
Her voice carried genuine admiration.
"And your swordsmanship is impressive."
Andras simply adjusted his grip.
"So I’ve been told."
For the first time...
A faint smile appeared on Seraphina’s face.
She extended both hands.
The mana surrounding her suddenly became denser.
The air itself seemed to tremble.
Dozens of azure magic circles unfolded behind her.
One...
Five...
Ten...
Twenty.
Each circle rotated at a different speed.
Each contained a different spell.
The pressure radiating from them caused many nearby soldiers to instinctively step backward.
One young knight swallowed nervously.
"How many spells is she preparing...?"
"No idea..."
Andras watched everything in silence.
Celestial Codex...
An S-Rank Talent worthy of its name.
Her mana control bordered on perfection.
She wasn’t simply casting multiple spells.
She was maintaining every spell simultaneously without the slightest instability.
An ordinary Fourth Circle Mage could never accomplish something like this.
The circles brightened.
Then—
The battlefield erupted.
Streams of mana, razor-sharp wind blades, blazing fire lances, and condensed ice spears descended together like a relentless storm.
The attacks overlapped perfectly.
Each spell forced Andras into the path of another.
It was a flawless combination.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Explosions echoed across the training grounds.
Dust filled the air.
The ground cracked beneath the relentless bombardment.
Andras vanished again and again, using Echo Step to escape the incoming attacks.
Yet even with Echo Resonance enhancing his perception...
The pressure continued to mount.
A fire lance grazed his sleeve.
The fabric burned instantly.
Moments later, a wind blade sliced across his shoulder.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Then an ice spear clipped his left arm.
Another mana bolt struck his side.
He avoided the fatal attacks...
But he could no longer evade them all.
The difference in cultivation realm was becoming increasingly apparent.
She was simply overwhelming him with superior magical power.
Selene watched quietly.
He can still fight...
But he’s being forced entirely onto the defensive.
Seraphina maintained her barrage without a trace of arrogance.
Her expression remained calm.
Focused.
Every spell was calculated.
Every movement deliberate.
She gave Andras no opportunity to counterattack.
Another explosion erupted beside him.
Boom!
The shockwave threw him several meters backward before he landed on one knee.
A shallow cut ran across his cheek.
His breathing remained steady...
But everyone watching could tell the truth.
For the first time since the duel had begun...
Andras had been completely suppressed.
The training grounds fell silent.
No one spoke.
The battle had only just begun...
Yet the overwhelming advantage clearly belonged to Seraphina Valebright.
