To say the training ground was packed would be an understatement it felt the entire academy were here to see the spectacle of a teacher duelling a second-year student.
Alex had joined Kayla for a light breakfast before heading to the training field holding hands as they strolled leisurely to the destination, noticing who it was the crowded made way for the, stepping into the field he saw Mrs Shrewt standing there with the dean, Alex nodded calmly to him and turned his gaze to the annoyance.
"So, the coward finally chose to show up" her voice squawked out, "Ready take your beating boy?".
Alex eyes narrowed slightly at the insult and his handed tightened around hers briefly, "Single or dual?" he quietly asked Kayla.
"Dual", she replied, "You need the practice".
Alex snorted "I doubt she is going to give me much of a challenge".
Letting go of her hand he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her fiercely. Kayla blushed and felt her heart hammering at her ribcage as if trying to escape.
Squeezing her waist he whispered in her ear, "Be right back kitten"
Kayla's ear flicked as she felt his breath on it, hot damn her boyfriend was sexy when he was angry.
Letting go of Kayla Alex stepped onto the field and with a flourish two short swords appeared in his hands. A mutter ran through the crowd.
"Is he a space mage:
"Nah must be an item of holding that he pulled them out of"
Dean Hammerhand stepped out this will be a dual until one party is either unconscious or surrenders. Please refrain from trying to kill main or otherwise cripple your opponent.
"I know that", snapped Mrs Shrewt
"I was asking him not to do that to you" the dean responded back.
Godfrey nodded to the side to raise the barrier, as he joined the other mages in raising a protective barrier for the spectators.
Alex just calmly started walking forward as if he were on a stroll through the park not in a duel, the twin short swords held loosely in his hands and almost feral grin on his face.
"Let's wipe that smile of your face first shall we", she chanted out fireball and launched it at him, with almost lazy swing of his right arm the fireball was sliced in half long before it reached him.
She launched another and another each fireball sliced in half before getting anywhere near him, and he continued to walk slowly towards her.
Outside the barrier, Kayla was watching the scene when she heard the people next to her muttering to each other.
"How is doing that?" Boy
"I dunno but he has cut down like 6 fireballs and hasn't done anything aside from swing a sword" Girl
Kayla turned slightly to look at them the boy looked to be around 15 same for the girl so probably third years, they were holding hands shoulders touching leaning in to mutter to each other, they were a cute couple. Kayla was already good at spotting fakes and phonies from her time living among mercs so she didn't strictly need to come to the academy she just did it to spend time with Alex.
Kayla leant over to them and in a quiet tone told them he is launching spells from his swords
Both looked at her and in unison asked, "How do you know?".
The girl then squeaked and said in a soft tone, "You're that girl he gave that super hot kiss to before the match, right?".
Kayla blushed a bit at that but nodded her head.
"That was so romantic, he basically declared to the whole academy that you're together" the girl crooned, then elbowed her boyfriend, "Why don't you do something like that", the boy straightened up and replied, "Yes ma'am I shall go find a teacher immediately and challenge them to a duel".
The girl giggled and hugged the boy, "You're such a moron you know that don't you".
Kayla stared at the two who had gone into a little world of their own, choosing to just ignore them she turned her attention back to match which should really be renamed to one sided slaughter.
Mrs Shrewt was starting to feel a little panicked, she had drained a third of her mana reserves to no perceptible gain, the boy still casually strolled towards her.
She changed spells, "Icicle Wall", she yelled out feeling a big dip in her mana at the use of this spell.
Seeing the icicle wall appear he just grinned and the largely unnoticed green hue around his swords turned orange. Holding his swords up to either side with them pointing up he pivots on one foot a full 360 degrees then without even a break in stride continues forward as a wall of fire springs up around him keeping him in the centre no matter where he moves.
She knew firing the icicle wall would have no effect on the flame barrier but she couldn't maintain it for long before she ran dry, yelling out in frustration she released the spell at him, the icicles vaporized before even hitting the flame.
A voice echoed out, "Seriously this is all you can do, two copied spells and you're on your last legs pathetic, you know the hardest problem I have facing off against you is?"
"It's holding back enough so that I don't instantly vaporise you, let's end this"
The fire barrier faded away to reveal the young man inside he accelerated suddenly only using an application of wind steps to improve his speed it almost looked like he had vanished to some of the crowd. Mrs Shrewt didn't know what happened except a very sharp object was being pressed against her neck.
A cold voice entered her ear, "Do you surrender or do I beat you unconscious, your choice.
"I surrender" She yelled out desperate to get away from him.
"Good choice" Alex removed his blade from her neck
Alex flourished his hands and both swords vanished, he nodded to the dean who was looking on with a wry smile as they dismissed the barrier.
Once the barrier was down Alex joined Kayla who was standing with what was a couple having a moment.
"Who are they?", Alex asked
"No idea" replied Kayla, "But they did say they wanted to talk to you about imbuing magic into items".
Alex looked at them and turned to Kayla "Are they even moderately serious about that, they look like an idiot couple with nothing on the brain but each other".
Kayla giggled "Honestly it does seem that way"
"Well they have ten seconds, then I'm going, while I enjoy our own little moments, I don't plan on watching theirs".
As if on queue they suddenly looked at Alex, "Oh the fight is done?" the girl chirped. Excellent let me introduce myself I'm Lynette and this is Dominic my boyfriend, we are both in training to become adventurers, "I'm the backline" she smiles, "I'm the meat shield" quipped Dominic
Alex lets out a genuine smile at their antics. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"That thing you did with your sword could you do it with arrows?", asked Lynette?
Alex frowned as he thought it through and slowly shook his head, what I do with my sword is cast a spell through it not on it, the moment you loose the arrow you lose contact with the spell so you cannot make adjustments. At best you could imbue the arrowhead with the spell but then there isn't much point over just casting the spell aside from the surprise aspect of them not expecting the arrow to fire off a spell when it hits. There must be some material that can help lock a spell in. Damn I wish Lily were here she would know.
Suddenly Alex had a dejected look on his face and sighed
Lynette whispered to Kayla, "Who is Lily that got him so bummed out?"
She whispered back "His girlfriend"
"No way, aren't you jealous?" Lynette asked
"Nope there is also Anna, and I expect in the future there will be more but that's for the future" smiled Kayla, "Of course we have to vet every girl who wants to get close to him"
Lynette looked over to Dominic who was listening in, "Don't even think about it".
Dominic just shrugged his shoulders "You're more than enough for me sweetheart". Which earned him a hug from Lynette.
Kayla walked up to Alex who was lost in thought she wrapped her arms around him an gave him a peck on the cheek, "I miss them to, but they wouldn't want you to be all down and depressed over them".
Alex smiled warmly at her and returned the hug, "I'm glad I've got you here by my side kitten.
"We should probably get back to class, my points have been made" said Alex
"Oh what points would they be?" Kayla questioned.
"That just because I choose not to fight doesn't mean I'm incapable of fighting, and the most important point that you and I are together so hands off".