CHAPTER 49: GOING BEYOND A SECOND [3]

Chapter 49: Going Beyond a Second [3]

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

Elisa stood there, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Her internal monologue from moments ago, that of utter shock, had now given way to her usual cold logic. The impossible had just happened. Her entire understanding of mana manipulation and cultivation realms was being challenged by a boy from Class 1-D. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, accept it. Her pride, her carefully constructed identity as the so- called academy’s top student, was on the line.

She had to analyze the skill in action. A single, controlled demonstration wasn’t enough. It had been too quick, too flawless. In a real combat situation, she was certain she could find a flaw, a subtle hint of mana condensation, a minute shift in his posture, anything that would reveal the secret behind his impossible technique. It was the only logical explanation. He had to be using some kind of treasure, and in the chaos of a fight, she could surely pinpoint it. She had to.

"I need to be in combat against the skill to truly know how it works," she said, her voice filled with glimpses of the frustration she had felt. She took a step back, her gaze fixed on him with renewed intensity. "Your little performance was impressive, but it was predictable. In a duel, my movements would be fluid and my strikes unexpected. Only then can I truly decipher your technique."

Arios watched her, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. He knew she was a lot stronger than him, but he also knew her character. Her swordsmanship skills in the anime were only second to Kyousuke’s, and even Kyousuke had admitted her sword style was more refined and technically perfect than his. She was a force to be reckoned with. Going against her was a risk, but it was a risk he had to take. He saw this as an opportunity, the ultimate test for his technique. He needed to know if he could blink against her refined strikes and still be able to shimmer the Azurine Blade in and out of his hands without her seeing it. If he could do that, then the technique could be called perfect.

A smirk formed on his face. He had come here to train, but things were taking a different turn— one he certainly wasn’t against. This was his chance to push his skill to its very limits, to make it truly his own. He would take on the undisputed top of Class 1-D and test his newfound abilities. He gave her a slight nod, accepting her challenge. "Alright, let’s do it."

Elisa bent down and picked up a fallen tree branch, its bark worn and its tip sharpened by nature. She held it with the same poise and grace as she would a magical sword. She bowed her head slightly. "In a combat situation, I will definitely be able to decipher your technique," she said with absolute conviction. "Do not disappoint me."

The duel began with a sudden explosion of motion. Elisa, her focus absolute, lunged forward. Her movements were a whirlwind of absolute precision , the tree branch in her hands becoming a sword for her. She was a master of the sword, her every strike a breath of calculated aggression, a flowing symphony of cuts and thrusts that should have been impossible to dodge. Her form was flawless, her footwork impeccable, and her speed was a testament to her talent. She was an artist of combat, painting a masterpiece of force and intent.

But Arios was too fast. He didn’t meet her aggression with a defensive stance; he simply let her come at him. He was like a ghost, then a flicker of light, his body a blur of motion. She swung the branch, a rapid, horizontal cut aimed at his torso, and he blinked, a silent spatial shift that left her hitting nothing but empty air. He reappeared to her left, his expression one of perfect calm. She pivoted instantly, her eyes wide with shock, thrusting the branch forward with all her might, but he was gone again, a faint azure shimmer the only sign he was ever there.

Elisa’s mind raced, her perfect form beginning to fray at the edges. She tried to anticipate his moves, to cut him off and to quickly trap him in a corner, but he was always one step ahead. Her attacks became more desperate and less refined. She swung the branch in a wide, sweeping arc, hoping to catch him off guard, but he simply blinked out of the way, reappearing behind her, his breath a warm whisper on her neck. She spun around, her face flushed with frustration, and tried a feint, but he was not fooled. He was like a ghost, maybe a shadow, probably a figment of her imagination. It seemed she was fighting a phantom, a being who defied the very laws of space and time. Her perfect form was useless against him, her every strike a futile attempt to hit him.

Elisa’s frustration grew with every failed strike. Her movements became more frantic, less controlled. She was so focused on hitting him that she was beginning to lose her form. Her swings were wide and predictable, a desperate attempt to land a blow on a ghost. She had completely underestimated him. This wasn’t just a simple teleportation spell; it was an instantaneous spatial shift, an impossible feat for someone at his level.

Arios, on the other hand, was in complete control. He was thriving in this environment, pushing his technique to its limits. He would blink with every strike, shimmering the Azurine Blade in and out of his hands. He would blink with his right hand empty and reappear with the blade in his left, preparing for another blink. He was perfecting his trick and the training was paying off. He was moving with a fluidity that was definitely magical, leaving her to strike at empty air.

He decided to take it up a notch. As she swung the tree branch at his head, he didn’t just blink away. He instead blinked with her. In a fraction of a second, he was gone, and he reappeared behind her, his hand wrapped around her waist. She tensed, her body stiffening at his touch. He held her close for a moment, the heat from his body transferring to hers, and then he blinked back to his original position. The entire exchange had taken less than a second.

Elisa fell to the ground, her heart thumping against her ribs. She was in a state of utter shock. Her entire body felt like it was on fire. The spatial travel had been intense, a nauseating rush of light and sound that had left her disoriented. But it was his touch that had truly rattled her. She had been held by a boy from her class , held with such perfect ease and control, and in a way that had made her feel a mix of humiliation and... something else, something she couldn’t quite name. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a new emotion, a mix of pure frustration and a spark of revenge. He had dared to touch her, to defy her, and she would make him pay for it.