CHAPTER 145: MAGE AND THE SWORDSMAN.

Elysia’s movements became sharper, every slash carrying a faint aura of condensed mana, each strike testing Jenner’s defenses.

Meanwhile, Jenner’s casting grew more elaborate—chains of spells weaving together, fire blending into wind, lightning striking from ice shards.

The arena floor cracked and smoked, scorch marks and jagged ice littering the once-smooth surface.

Their breathing grew heavier, but neither gave an inch.

"You fight like a storm yourself," Jenner said between spells, a note of grudging respect slipping into his tone. "Wild, relentless."

Elysia smirked, blade raised high. "And you hide behind magic like a fortress. But even fortresses fall."

With a sudden burst of speed, she vanished from his line of sight, reappearing at his side with a powerful slash.

Jenner twisted, barely deflecting with another barrier, though this one cracked instantly under the force.

Sweat beaded his forehead. For the first time, his breathing hitched.

She’s pushing me harder than expected...

Elysia narrowed her eyes. I’m close. One mistake from him, and this ends.

The crowd cheered wildly, sensing the clash was reaching a dangerous peak. Neither fighter

showed signs of surrender, and both still had energy left to unleash more devastating attacks.

The air in the arena shimmered with residual mana and killing intent, every spectator holding their breath.

"Come, swordswoman," Jenner growled, raising his staff high as mana surged like a storm.

"Let me show you real magic!"

Elysia raised her blade, pointing it at him, her expression calm but sharp as steel.

"Then let’s see if your magic can withstand my blade."

Ten minutes into the match, neither side had managed to gain the upper hand. Steel clashed against steel, spells burst with crackling force, and the roar of the crowd shook the air.

Sweat gleamed on all four fighters, but their movements were still sharp, precise, and unrelenting.

Then, something changed.

Martis and Jenner, who had been fighting as if on their own until now, subtly adjusted their stances.

Their movements weren’t random anymore. It was slight—almost unnoticeable—but to trained eyes, it was a dangerous sign.

Edwin caught it first. His sword parried Martis’s heavy strike, but as he stepped back, he saw Jenner circling to the side, his staff glowing faintly.

"They’re trying to corner us!" Edwin shouted to Elysia, his voice cutting through the din of battle.

And he was right.

Suddenly, their opponents’ attacks were no longer isolated blows. They were flowing into each other like pieces of a larger design.

When Edwin narrowly dodged a sweeping strike from Martis’s massive greatsword, a lightning bolt from Jenner immediately flashed across his escape path, forcing him back into Martis’s deadly range.

On the other side, Elysia leapt aside to avoid a fireball that scorched the air with searing heat—only to find Martis rushing forward in the same instant, his greatsword whistling dangerously close as he cut off her retreat.

The coordination was suffocating. One attack seamlessly opened the way for the other, leaving Edwin and Elysia with less and less room to breathe.

The arena itself bore the marks of this escalating pressure. The floor was torn and battered—deep cracks carved by Martis’s powerful sword strikes, blackened scorch marks where Jenner’s flames had landed, and smoking trails of lightning etched into the stone.

Dust and fragments of rock filled the air, swirling into clouds that blurred vision and made every movement more dangerous.

It was no longer two duels happening side by side.

It was a trap closing in on them.

The battle had already torn the arena apart, but what came next made every spectator lean forward in shock.

Martis advanced with his massive greatsword, his eyes burning with focus. He swung high, the blade glinting in the light. Edwin braced himself, sword rising to meet the strike—

But it was a feint.

At the last instant, Martis shifted his grip and slammed the enormous weapon down into the stone floor with all his strength.

BOOM!

The impact thundered through the arena like an earthquake. The ground split in jagged lines, a shockwave rippling outward in a wide radius.

Dust and debris exploded into the air, blinding and choking.

Edwin was caught in the blast. The force rattled through his legs, knocking him off balance. His knees buckled, and he dropped down on one knee, his sword trembling as he used it for support.

"Damn it—!" he hissed under his breath.

Jenner’s eyes lit up at the opening. Without hesitation, he raised his staff and began chanting rapidly.

Words of power rolled from his tongue, each syllable pulsing with cold, biting mana.

Above Elysia, the air shimmered. In an instant, a massive spear of ice formed, sharp as crystal death.

Its edges glistened under the arena lights, freezing mist curling around it.

The crowd fell silent, their breath caught in their throats.

Elysia reacted swiftly, planting her feet and raising her staff. A glowing barrier of light flared into existence around her, humming with energy. She grit her teeth, focusing all her strength into holding it steady.

Then the spear descended.

It struck with terrifying force.

CRACK!

Her barrier splintered under the impact, fractures spreading like a web across its surface. Light scattered into shards, as though the shield itself were glass breaking apart.

Gasps erupted from the stands.

"Her barrier—it’s breaking!" someone shouted.

Elysia’s eyes widened. She dropped down and rolled, barely escaping as the spear crashed into the ground where she had stood.

The earth split, icy fragments scattering across the floor.

She hit the ground hard, rolling through dust and grit until she came to a stop. Her robes were torn at the sleeve, the fabric shredded.

A thin line of blood marked her arm, the shallow cut stinging from the cold bite of the ice.

The audience erupted in noise—some cheering for the overwhelming power on display, others crying out in worry for the narrow escape.

Elysia pushed herself back to her feet, chest heaving, her grip tightening around her sword once more.

Dust swirled around her as she glared at her two opponents.

The clash had shaken the arena. But the fight was far from over.

Every movement left streaks of power in the air, like ripples in water. Trails of dust and mana swirled wherever the fighters moved, fading almost as quickly as they appeared.