“Oi, what happened to you, lizard? You look dead even before the match started,” Leona called, her ponytail swaying in the morning mist.
That’s because I hadn’t slept a wink. My eyes burned, my body felt like a zombie’s, but I stood in the clearing, the forest alive with chirping birds and the faint rustle of leaves. Silkzesta had no pity, escorting us to the duel site at dawn. Leona had greeted the feudal lord and gotten permission to “mess around.” Great.
“Master… will you be okay?” Rusalka asked, her ears drooping, her small hands fidgeting with her gear.
Leona Ironwill. Strongest Aura Core user in the Empire. Strongest swordswoman. Aside from maybe the Magic Tower Master, no one could face her one-on-one. Except, maybe, me.
“I probably am the only one who can challenge her in a one-on-one fight and win,” I said, my voice steady despite the exhaustion.
“Rusalka, go beside Silkzesta. You’ll be protected by the magical barrier. Please observe this fight carefully.”
I didn’t want this fight, but I wouldn’t go down easily. In RPG terms, Leona’s build was optimized—level 300, battle-hardened. I’d prepped all night, banking on my knowledge, higher level, and dragon blood. It had to work. Power and experience were different beasts, though—she’d crush raw stats alone.
“Are both of you ready? I will give the signal for this match,” Silkzesta said, her small frame tense, her hair glinting as she raised a hand.
“Wait!” Leona shouted, grinning.
“Oi, lizard, you’re a mage, right? It would be boring to cut your neck in one go. If you’re a mage, you need to cast your buffs beforehand. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“Hou? That’s very generous of you, Leona-sama. I’ll take you up on that offer.” My claws tightened on my staff, the wood cool under my scales.
“Come, Staff of the Storm Ruler!”
The staff materialized, its runes pulsing, boosting all buffs by 120%. I began casting, my voice steady. “Triple Life Saver!” A green glow enveloped me, my scales shimmering.
“Come on! Is that all you’re gonna cast?” Leona taunted, tapping her sword.
“Forgive me. Then I will speed this up.” I gripped the staff harder, my tail stiffening as mana surged.
“Accel Boost, Leprechaun’s Luck, Phantasmagoria, Reinforce, Mana Amplification, Shock Absorption, Darkness Cloak, Aura Shield, Umbral Eclipse, Phantom Body, Great Scourge, Unbound.”
Lights assaulted me, each buff layering with a pulse of energy. Rusalka’s eyes widened, clutching Silkzesta’s arm. Silkzesta’s expression tightened, her pointed ears twitching in shock. Even Leona tilted her head, amber eyes narrowing.
“The hell? Never seen a mage casting that many buffs before.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, but I assure you, I will make it worth your time.”
“Fine. Pipsqueak, you can give the signal. Let’s get this over with,” Leona said, smirking.
Silkzesta ignored the jab, raising her hand higher.
“Are both parties ready?”
“Ready!” Leona barked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, my heart pounding.
“Then… begin!”
“Yoosh!!” Leona roared.
She dashed, a blur wreathed in bloodlust, her sword draw amplified by her lunge. The air screamed as her blade arced for my neck, fast enough to kill before anyone blinked. Sword Saintess, indeed.
“Huh!? What the…!!?” Leona gasped.
My head didn’t fall. No feedback on her sword. I’d bet on her opening strike, casting Phantom Body to counter her speed. My body turned ghostly, physical and magical attacks passing through for five seconds. Invulnerable.
In that window, I’d prepped my spell. “5th tier magic… Hellfire of Destruction!”
A massive explosion of flames erupted, the heat searing, engulfing us both. The ground trembled, the air thick with scorching warmth.
.
.
.
Sizzling filled the air, like a torch hitting water. I’d lost control of the output again. Even without seeing a 5th tier spell before, I knew this was stronger than intended. The blast charred a perfect circle, leaving a dead zone of blackened earth. Outside, the forest was untouched—trees green, birds still chirping. Inside, only ash and ruin.
I was safe, having dodged with a skill, but my feet stung, the heat seeping through. Without my scales, they’d be gone. “Ouch~oooch! Hot.”
“Bastard! That really hurt!” Leona growled, stepping forward, her boots crunching on charred ground.
How? She was unscathed, her red ponytail swaying. I knew she’d survive, but no damage? Her Red Flame Aura flickered, a mane of transparent flames.
“Kuh. Guess it wasn’t going to be that easy, huh?” I muttered, my staff heavy in my claws.
“Red Flame Aura?” I asked, catching my breath.
“Correct,” Leona said, smirking.
The Red Flame Aura, the core of Aura Core users. All living things had mana, and though they couldn’t cast magic, their reserves often dwarfed mages’. This technique concentrated overflowing mana, forming the lion’s-mane aura. Leona was 8th tier, her aura a barrier that shrugged off my flames. Impressive didn’t cover it.
“Your legs look like they’re made of jelly. Don’t tell me you gambled everything on that one move?” she teased.
“Do I really look like that? Then I suppose I will have to change that perspective, by having you kneel in submission before me.”
“Ahahaha!! Ooh, how scary~ Well, let’s see if you can back up those words!”
She charged, faster than a gale, the scorched earth exploding under her steps. Bloodlust rolled off her, her laughter trailing like a storm.
“It’s dangerous to step there, you know?” I said, tapping my staff on the ground.
“!?”
Rock Fang! A pillar of earth erupted at her feet, the impact launching her skyward with a thunderous crack.
“I’m not done yet! Dark Sphere!” I hurled a spinning vortex of hyper-intensified darkness, its hum ominous as it chased her airborne form. Even Leona wouldn’t shrug this off.
“Interesting… this is starting to get fun!!” she shouted, twisting midair to land on her feet. Her sword swung with brutal force, colliding with my spell. The sphere bent, twisted, and vanished in a burst of shadow.
“Hmm? You can slice through magic?” I asked, my tail stiffening.
“You think you’re the first mage I faced? I’m pretty confident in finding a spell’s weak point and slicing through it! But I must say, your spells are on another level. Is it because of your staff? Or perhaps you yourself? Regardless, it seems like I’ll be able to fully enjoy this. Almost makes me not want to kill you anymore.”
Her eyes gleamed with genuine admiration, her voice warm. Praise from Leona was rare, boosting my confidence. The real fight started now.
I just hoped I could keep up, or I was history. Don’t fail me now, body!