October 6, 3109
Knights' Training Ground
"This is your equipment. Also, your starting point will be at a distance from both teams," Mr. Torlin told me, offering a black cloak in addition to my usual equipment.
My emotions, which had been disturbed since yesterday, had not calmed down. I felt that at any moment, I could explode and they would take control. Since that morning, I have had limited any contact with anyone until now. Now, I could allow my emotions to take control.
Taking my things from the professor, I put on the cloak, activating its adaptive camouflage function. It didn't hide me entirely, but it certainly made blending in easier.
"Don't have high expectations from her because the others will know your position almost the entire time, starting with the beginning of the fight," Mr. Torlin's hoarse voice informed me.
"Okay, thanks," I said, turning to the field. I headed to the right edge of the middle of the arena, where I sat down on the ground. The cloak shifted to a brown shade like my surroundings. It covered my body entirely; only a few things remained visible my shoes, bow, and the quiver with new arrows I had received from Mr. Michael.
Time passed, and more students gathered. Periodically, I felt some eyes on me, but most were preoccupied with choosing their teams. As usual, the leaders were Astrel and Nero.
It seemed that this time, my team ended up on Nero's side, but tis became completely irrelevant after Mr. Torlin announced the new condition for victory: my capture.
Immediately, all eyes turned to the figure in the middle of the arena.
One gaze carried a particularly sharp killing intent.
Astrel.
That was enough. Nothing else mattered. Yes, technically it wasn't personal but in my current emotional state, nothing about it felt neutral. As soon as Astrel's intent surged
Breathing Technique: Tempest Flow (4★)
1st Stage: Wind Circulation
I stood, placing the quiver on my back and gripping the bow in my left hand. With one fluid motion, I shifted into a fighting stance. A pulse of wind burst outward from me, lifting a few leaves off the ground.
2nd Stage: Wind Acceleration
Mana Armis – Left Foot + Hand + Right Shoulder + Head – 2nd Form: Condensation
My killing intent had already surfaced but now it burned stronger, fueled by the emotions clouding my thought what caused it to spread to everyone.
My uncontrolled aggression caused different reactions. Most instinctively activated their armor, including Astrel. Some, who until now hadn't even acknowledged my presence, suddenly fixed their gaze on me. I had become the star of today's event.
"YOU FUCKING GARBAGE! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!"
Astrel exploded in rage, drawing his sword and preparing to charge at me.
But after a few firm words from Mr. Torlin, Astrel turned his head toward him, then slowly returned the sword to its sheath. However, the armor he had summoned remained active.
I stayed where I was while the two teams moved to their designated positions.
"Let's begin choosing the map on which today's battle will take place…"
Mountain Forest.
Immediately, I felt myself rising above my previous level, lifted to a higher elevation while the teams moved away from me. I had been placed on the peak of the newly generated mountain.
START
I calmly reached for an arrow from the quiver and began charging it with aether. At the same time, I leapt onto the tallest pine tree nearby, which offered a panoramic view of the entire battlefield. I notched the arrow, drew the bowstring back to its limit, and aimed.
Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4★)
Combination Technique: Guided Arrow + Wind Slash (10 blades)
Wind Ripper
Ten wind blades spiraled around the arrow's sharp point as it launched toward its target Astrel.
Seeing the projectile aimed at him, he raised his sword and braced for impact.
Just centimeters before contact, nine of the wind blades split off from the main arrow, redirecting mid flight toward nine other individuals. Caught off guard, they were forced to react.
Astrel easily blocked the main arrow. Five of the others managed to block an unexpected attack, but four fell, their barriers shattered.
Astrel's rage erupted. Without issuing a single command to his team, he charged toward me. Also five others followed close behind.
I paid no attention to the stampede coming in my direction, they still had distance to cover. Ignoring the growing danger, I drew another arrow and continued terrorizing the members of Astrel's forces. As soon as I noticed someone straying from group formation or distracted, the next arrow flew directly into their exposed flank. One after another, I racked up points until the raging bull himself closed in on me.
Astrel made a horizontal cut with his sword, causing a wave of fire to knock down several trees, including the one I was standing on.
Movement Technique: Wind Kingdom (4★)
Stage 1: Territory Formation
Increasing the distance between myself and Astrel, I released another arrow in his direction, which he easily deflected. He then launched into pursuit, his legs blazing with fire, leaving a scorched trail with every step.
Holding the sword in both hands, he raised it above his head, enveloping it in a roaring flame. I easily recognized the technique, one I had practiced hundreds of times since childhood: Volcanic Ascendant Arts (5★): Sword Technique – Great Eruption (5★)
And this will come landing now.
Movement Technique: Wind Kingdom (4★)
Stage 2: Illusionary Redirection
My clone straightened its back just as I threw myself directly into the path of the sword. At that moment, Astrel, already unable to stop his technique, aimed the blade at me. As I closed the distance, I dodged to the left.
As soon as Astrel's sword struck the ground, a wave of fire burst forth, engulfing my clone in flames.
While he was still grounded from the attack, I kicked him in the jaw with my left foot, sending him flying. It didn't cause him much discomfort; as soon as he landed, he charged at me again. I kept my distance.
Suddenly, I felt the temperature spike. Astrel's speed increased drastically, and within seconds, he appeared in front of me, ready to cleave me in two.
You're not the only one who has such tricks.
Breathing Technique: Tempest Flow (4★)
Stage 3: Windstorm Transformation
A surge of energy flooded my body. The wind, as if recognizing me as an ally, responded, rushing toward me. I reached a speed I couldn't have perceived without my head armor.
Astrel, once again activating his technique, slammed his blade into the ground, triggering another eruption. But this time, avoiding it posed no difficulty for me.
In the blink of an eye, I was already five meters away from the area targeted by Astrel, a new arrow nocked onto my bow.
Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4★)
Stage 1: Guided Arrow
My attack was already aimed at Astrel, but unlike before, I didn't need to search for the ideal trajectory. The wind currents seemed to gather willingly around the arrow, as if responding to my intent.
Still, even though it was stronger than usual, Astrel didn't need much effort to stop it, he shattered the arrow into pieces.
He attempted once more to close the distance between us, but this time, the effort was futile. He had no chance of success.
Astrel also understood this. He gripped his sword with both hands, shifted into an inside-right stance, and funneled all his aether into the blade, charging it to its maximum. I, too, notched an arrow, grinned, and began transmitting aether into it.
We both knew—we were preparing our most powerful techniques.
Astrel raised his left foot and slammed it into the ground, causing a small quake. His muscles visibly contracted as he aimed his sword forward.
The wind around me, which usually ignored everything, now surrounded my bow, forming small eddies. I watched as countless wind currents converged toward my arrow. Then, the scene from yesterday replayed in my mind, the image of the spear, with all those currents gathering at its tip. It surfaced unbidden, almost compelling me to imitate it. And without conscious intent, my desire to replicate that moment directed ten currents to obey my will.
Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4★)
Combination Technique: Guided Arrow + Wind Slash (10 Blades)
Wind Ripper
As I released the arrow, it flew toward Astrel, the ten wind blades clearly visible, only this time, they were much longer than usual, nearly equivalent to arrow length.
A pillar of fire erupted from Astrel's sword. It was so tightly condensed it looked almost liquid.
When the two attacks collided, an explosion followed. The clash of wind and fire made it feel like the heart of a desert storm.
Neither force yielded, both locked in a fierce draw.
But I still had one card left to play.
Open.
The nine blades, as if understanding my intent, detached from the arrow and redirected themselves forward, targeting the flame pillar. Their shift disrupted the balance, tipping the scales. The arrow pushed forward.
Astrel, noticing this, didn't back down. Shifting his grip to one hand, he pointed his sword downward, then spun it in a circular arc, launching an overhead strike. The stream of fire followed the blade's motion and once again intercepted my arrow, this time, sending it crashing to the ground, fully neutralized.
Silence followed, broken only by the distant clash between the two armies. At that moment, Astrel and I locked eyes.
"How are you?"
Astrel was the first to break the silence.
But I said nothing.
Just then, the five people who had been trailing Astrel arrived at our location. One of them immediately lunged at me from behind, but he was sent flying from the impact of my left fist crashing into his face.
He slammed into a tree, snapping branches on impact, attracting the attention of others
But when they turned back toward me...
I had already vanished.
I deactivated Windstorm Transformation, returning to my usual state. The rest of the confrontation didn't bring any major changes, the dominant part obviously being Nero's side, due to Astrel being absent for almost the entire match.
I used the remaining ten arrows to gain a few more points while heading back toward my team's location.
By the time the winner was announced, I was already among Nero's troops. The cloak had been discarded somewhere along the way, and the armor was deactivated.
My breathing hadn't returned to normal. I was experiencing pronounced hyperventilation, overall, all my vital signs hovered at pathological levels. But I felt great. I had finally rid myself of the anger that had been gnawing at me from the inside. It was a relief to return to clear, focused thought.
After making sure Elysia and the others noticed me, I quietly left. Surprisingly Astrel was not in his state of uncontrolled rage that would be expected of him—and I didn't pay him much attention anyway. My priority was to reach a safe place. In theory, it wouldn't be difficult for someone to realize that the person in the cloak had been me, my bow and quiver were recognizable.
So, as soon as the opportunity arose, I headed to the unarmed combat lesson. That's when Elysia and Liam approached me. Nero, at the time, was still surrounded by his fans.
Liam bumped my shoulder and whispered,
"That was you."
Without showing any reaction, I replied,
"Who was I?"
"Come on, I know that was you!"
Liam said, absolutely convinced.
"Believe whatever you want."
I said, neither confirming nor denying it.
"Ha ha ha,"
Liam grinned like he had just solved the greatest mystery of his life.
And honestly… that grin really made you want to fix his expression using mechanical methods.
"And how was it? Did you win against Astrel?"
Elysia joined the conversation.
"You could say… it was a draw."