Overwhelming Firepower

Lysette Crowlorne was one of the few who only started watching the tournament on the sixth day. Even though she, too, was a student of the Royal Academy and was an aura user at the second mantle, she did not join the tournament.

It was better for her that her abilities remain hidden. Besides, she understood that she likely wouldn’t have made it past the fourth day, especially if she met the true monsters of the younger generation.

Based on the information she had gathered, she had pretty much guessed who would reach the quarter-finals.

As she predicted, those monsters had reached the quarter-finals, but when she watched the matches in person, she understood that the information she heard, though accurate, looked completely different when she saw it with her own eyes.

The air itself trembled with each roar from the stands. The clash of aura, steel, and spells carried a weight that reports could never capture.

She could feel every strike in her chest, as though the shockwaves resonated through her bones.

Watching from afar was one thing, but here, under the blinding sun and screaming wind, power had a presence that ink could never describe.

The powerful divine blessing granted to an apprentice holy knight was quite the sight to behold.

It made Evander Judicar look like justice incarnate, untouchable, unyielding, one that could not be harmed.

Of course, that was just the effect of his aura mantle being golden, which shone even brighter with divine blessing.

Despite the great defense of the combination of the two given his body, it was still something that could be harmed. Yet, that was something hard to do with the current level of the other competitors.

Now that’s why Elyra Runescar was someone incredible. In theory, no one at the same level of aura could bypass Evander’s aura mantle, boosted by divine blessing. Yet she was able to do it, with her skills.

As expected of a Runescar, she was able to cut down everything in her path. She also did it with rather fiery techniques that made her look like a mage a few times. Not to mention, each of her techniques was quite beautiful to look at.

Lysette had her eyes wide open as she watched that battle. She already knew that her abilities were nowhere near the ducal heirs, but she did not know it was by that much.

’Even the youngest ducal heir, Mireya Aeromont, was much more of a monster than I could have imagined. I already knew she was a genius of illusion spells. I also understood that as an Aeromont, she was knowledgeable about all sorts of spells, especially elemental spells. But to see a second-circle mage use all those low-level spells in such quantity and quality.’

Mireya Aeromont’s elemental bombardment was a sight to behold, especially when she added illusion spells in the mix.

’Not to mention she was also pretty good at using her staff alongside physical enhancement spells.’

There was also the ducal heir she was most interested in. Lucen Thornehart, the man who had many monikers as of late, but now he was famous as the ruby-eyed monster.

He had won each match overwhelmingly. He had not received even a scratch since the start of the tournament. Even among the ducal heirs, he felt like he was above them all in sheer power.

Lysette, who had watched Lucen’s match against the black mage, felt like he was still holding back.

’Well, I guess it’s because the opponent was not strong enough. Lucen hasn’t faced any of the other ducal heirs yet. So his true strength is still a question mark.’

A beautiful smile appeared on her face as she was thrilled to find out that the more she knew about Lucen, the more she understood how many more things were hidden.

To her, Lucen Thornehart was the most interesting person she had seen. Most of the time, she was thinking about him and the other secrets he was hiding.

It wasn’t simply his strength that drew her interest. It was the quiet certainty behind his every move.

Most people sought victory. Lucen expected it. That kind of confidence didn’t come from arrogance; it came from knowledge, as if he had already fought these battles in another life.There was something unnerving about that.

It was also very interesting. This was one of the few things that made Lysette’s heart and mind race, as she wanted to know more.

Lysette shook her head. The second she thought too deeply about Lucen, she would start thinking about other things and would not be able to focus.

For now, she needed to focus on watching the upcoming match. Seeing as the next match was the one she wanted to see the most. The match between Lucen Thornehart and Eisen Terre.

The coliseum buzzed with voices, half in awe of the battle they’d seen, half in anticipation of the one about to begin.

’The only commoner to reach the semi-finals, Eisen Terre, known as the mage of the earth. This person is also quite interesting. I gained quite a bit of information about him, a few I could not believe at first, but the source was reliable. To think such a person was just a first circle mage...’

Lysette remembered when she first saw the information and needed to double-check. Still, now that she thought about it, maybe she should not have been that surprised.

’Yeah, he never did use any other spells except for two, and they were the most basic spells of telekinesis and earth wall. Most people thought he did that because he did not need to use any other spell; turns out he did it because he could not use any other spell.’

Lysette sighed as she too like the other people, had the same idea about Eisen at first.

’I should have known better. Of all people, I should never forget that the truth often wears a mask. To think he has a constitution that gave him an incredible amount of mana, but because he gained it not through training and understanding, he did not know how to control it, making an amazing gift into a demerit instead.’

Lysette closed her eyes and then looked at the blue sky. ’Still, with such limitations, he was able to reach the semi-finals, beating every other student.’ Lysette leaned back slightly. ’That just shows that he, too, is a monster like the ducal heirs.’

She remembered the earlier rounds. Eisen never overextended, never tried to impress the crowd with grandeur or flair. Every spell he cast was measured, precise.

He did not use his overwhelming amount of mana simply to spam spells, seeing as he could only perform two. Instead, he used calculated movements to win matches.

Most mages were intelligent people, as learning the structure of spells before being able to use them was something they needed to do. Yet, there were only a few mages who fought with such calculated precision as Eisen.

’In some ways, he is similar to the mad alchemist Robert Duskwell, but at the same time, the exact opposite of him.’

Robert pursued madness through discovery, pushing limits even when the results endangered him.

Eisen, however, was someone who, despite his limitations, used those limitations to the best of his abilities.

’Both are geniuses, but their paths diverged because of the different gifts they received... Well, I guess I can’t really be sure that they are different. I know too little about Eisen Terre.’

Lysette then looked at the stage that was being restored. Once it was finished, the last match of the day would start.

Everyone was excited to see if the commoner Eisen Terre would be able to win and be the first commoner to reach the finals, or if the ruby-eyed monster, the son of the Iron Duke, Lucen Thornehart, would put a stop to Eisen’s rise.

To most, this was just an exciting match to watch, but to a few others, this was a match between the heir of one of the oldest noble families in Norvaegard against a gifted commoner.

Lysette leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. Her eyes, calm yet bright, locked onto the young man walking toward the arena.

Lucen Thornehart had that calm smile on his face, with those unreadable ruby eyes looking ever forward.

’You look perfectly at ease, even now,’ she thought. ’As if none of this matters to you. As if you already know the outcome.’

Ever since the day she met Lucen again after he had changed drastically, she had this feeling that Lucen was able to see through everything. It was like he was able to see through not only her mind but through the future.

There was also the fact that ever since he changed, the rumors about him were all about his victories. It would seem that no matter what he did, victory was assured.

’I wonder what kind of future you see through your eyes...’ Lysette had a gentle smile on her face as she looked at the stage that was repaired, and the two contestants were about to take the stage.

’I also wonder if you will remain ever-victorious.’

She whispered to herself. Perhaps no one could win forever, not even him. But if anyone could challenge that truth, it would be Lucen Thornehart.

Under the golden light of dusk, in Lysette’s eyes, Lucen’s figure looked less like a young noble heir and more like a symbol, one that promises that victory is always at hand.