CHAPTER 38: SPARRING [2]

Gabby narrowed his eyes and thought, "He used his mana to shield himself from my kick. Impressive."

He smirked and said aloud, "Not bad, Sir Number One."

Jin clenched his fists. "If I hadn’t shifted my mana to my arms," he thought, "that kick would’ve wrecked me. His power is raw."

Suddenly, both fighters dashed forward.

Jin unleashed a flurry of fast jabs aimed straight at Gabby’s face. Gabby moved swiftly, weaving and parrying each strike with sharp precision. Not a single jab landed.

Jin pressed harder, fists flashing. But Gabby stayed calm, dodging and deflecting effortlessly.

Gabby spun and threw a heavy right hook. Jin ducked low just in time, the punch slicing the air above his head. As he rose, he flicked a handful of sand toward Gabby’s eyes. Gabby raised his arm instantly, blocking the trick.

Jin saw his chance. He shifted behind Gabby, into his blind spot, and gathered mana in his palm—purple lightning sparked to life. He drove the spell toward Gabby’s gut.

But in the blink of an eye, Gabby vanished from sight. A blur.

He had already created distance, standing far away.

Gabby studied Jin and thought, "Feels like I’m fighting someone who’s cheated death more than once. He reminds me of old man Ren Restes."

Jin’s eyes narrowed. "His aura... it’s so close to his skin. No wild surges, no bursts. That means he’s training to use it efficiently. Anyone else might mistake him for weak—but he’s hiding it. No fluctuation at all. That takes control."

Both fighters lunged forward, their figures blurring as they clashed in the center of the field.

Jin took the lead, unleashing a flurry of jabs and rapid-fire kicks, each move packed with relentless intent. He fought with the tenacity of a street brawler—quick, direct, and brutal.

Gabby raised an eyebrow mid-dodge. "Isn’t he supposed to be a mage? He fights like he is a brawler."

The exchange dragged on, Jin’s strikes becoming a storm of motion, his guard never slipping, his focus razor-sharp. Yet no matter how fast or precise, Gabby met every attack with calm mastery—dodging, deflecting, sliding just outside the arc of impact.

Blow after blow filled the air, but not a single strike landed clean. Gabby remained untouched.

Jin staggered back slightly. His breath grew ragged. Sweat beaded on his brow.

He thought to himself, "Mages don’t usually fight like this. We cast from afar, not trade punches in close range. But I trained for this—I shaped my body to endure blows, to thrive in close-quarters combat. But fighting Gabby... it’s like facing a walking nightmare. He’s not just dodging—he’s draining me. Letting me tire out until I can’t move anymore. And the worst part? He hasn’t even used his assassin strike yet."

Jin stepped back, exhaling slowly. "Time to fight seriously," he said, his voice steady but firm.

A surge of massive purple mana exploded around him, swirling like a storm. The air thickened with pressure as the ground cracked beneath his feet. He tried to drown Gabby in the sheer force of his power.

But Gabby didn’t even flinch.

His hair fluttered, and his red robe danced lightly—like caught in a strong breeze. No reaction. Just calm, unshaken eyes locked on Jin.

Jin narrowed his gaze. "Overdrive."

In an instant, four glowing magic circles appeared around him—each with different colors and patterns.

Gabby’s eyes sharpened and thought to himself, "He’s multi-casting?Speed, strength, vision, and defense... All of those are third-core magic, but casting them simultaneously? That’s seventh or eighth-tier mastery. It doesn’t make sense. Unless... he’s achieved Enlightenment."

Jin vanished into a blur of purple light, reappearing just inches from Gabby.

Gabby was ready.

He met Jin head-on, throwing a punch laced with emerald green aura. Their fists collided. The impact cracked the ground beneath them, sending tremors rippling outward.

Gabby pivoted with lightning speed, launching into a jumping horizontal spinning kick. Four rapid strikes burst forth, each coming from unpredictable angles.

Jin moved like water under pressure. Twisting, blocking, evading. Not a single kick landed.

Gabby narrowed his eyes. "That vision of his... it’s maddening. He sees through my movements."

Jin retaliated with a barrage of rapid punches, his enhanced speed making his arms blur like a storm of shadows.

But Gabby, now fully aware, shifted into his assassin footwork. His movements became impossibly sharp, fluid, and unpredictable. Every strike Jin threw met only empty air.

Gabby’s eyes narrowed. "Time to wrap this up."

His green aura flared, and in a heartbeat, he moved at such speed that three afterimages split off from him, dancing around Jin’s vision. The sudden illusions threw off Jin’s enhanced perception—just enough.

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Gabby launched a precise roundhouse kick. Jin’s instincts kicked in, and he leaned back, avoiding the full force—but the edge of Gabby’s foot clipped his chin.

Jin stumbled.

Gabby advanced again, this time with a clean, straight punch aimed for the chest.

Jin’s body hesitated. He tried to dodge, but his limbs wouldn’t respond.

Gabby tilted his head. "Multicasting burned through your mana too fast. Third-core magic circles weren’t made to handle it. You didn’t notice your stamina dropping. That kick to your chin—delivered with perfect timing—triggered a neural overload. Your nervous system’s briefly paralyzed."

Gabby’s punch connected.

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Then came a relentless wave of kicks and blows, each strike echoing through the battlefield like thunder. Jin was slammed into the far wall with bone-rattling force. Cracks spiderwebbed through the stone behind him.

Jin didn’t respond.

Jin lost consciousness—or so Gabby thought.

But slowly, Jin moved. He pushed one arm against the ground, then the other. His legs wobbled as he rose, bruised and broken. A swollen lump throbbed above his eyes, his breath shallow and each step was heavy.

A shockwave burst around Jin, vaporizing the dust. The purple mana pouring from him no longer flickered. It surged. It was controlled, dangerous and powerful.

From the core of his being, the remnants of his mana pulsed erratically. Then, shifted. The third core circle etched in his body began to burn. A fourth core was created. It was complex, furious, primal and emotional.

Gabby thought to himself:

"He made the breakthrough. He reached the fourth core circle,through pain and pride."

Jin looked up weakly. His voice was soft, barely a whisper.

"Thank you, Gabby."

And then, he collapsed and finally lost consciousness.

Gabby thought to himself, "I spent most of my childhood practicing swordsmanship, studying magic, and sharpening my mind through intense physical and mental training. Far more than what any kid my age should go through. That’s why I’m a bit stronger than most teens.

After all, I’m the only student of Ren Restes and his focused was darted to me. His skills as an eighth-class magician make him an unmatched teacher."