"So, this is supposed to be the warmup for tomorrow?" Alex asked as they entered the dueling room.
"Yup, if you can't defeat us while being assisted with magic, then you won't stand a chance against him without it." James said to Alex and Taylor. Taylor's face was filled with concentration.
Alex nodded in confirmation before walking up to Taylor. "If we can't take them out on our own, then we'll work together." He whispered to Taylor.
Taylor nodded as he let some of his tension release. He and Alex have dueled a lot over the past couple of weeks, they were completely in tune with their fighting styles. It was to the point that they knew what the other was going to do before they had even made their move. If it weren't for Taylor being significantly stronger he would have lost all of the duels, but now that Alex awakened his light affinity that advantage was now gone.
Taylor didn't care though. 'The stronger he is the better.'
"Alright, system summon the weapons for the students present. Go ahead and set the teams to Alex and Taylor versus James and Tom."
[Confirmed, teams have been set. Please grab your chosen weapons.]
Alex saw his and Taylor's weapons, but he also saw a set of daggers and a sword and shield.
'They fit them perfectly. Daggers for the fastest student in the school and a sword and shield for James, who likes a balanced lifestyle.' Alex thought while looking at the weapons.
"Is everyone ready?" Michael asked.
They all nodded as they grabbed their weapons.
"Good take your positions and the system will begin the Countdown."
The four stood across from each other, staring intensely as they waited for the countdown to begin.
[3….. 2….. 1]
The tone sounded and the two teams flew towards each other. Taylor was immediately put on the defensive, as Tom circled him like a vulture taking pecks at him and trying to break through his defenses.
Alex charged to James who was using his flames to propel himself forward.
When he was within striking distance he threw out a scythe to see how James would react.
James simply moved the shield and blocked the scythe as it approached him, he then dashed forward and stabbed his sword straight at Alex.
Alex reined in the scythe as he dodged James's attack.
James quickly went for another attack, this time he boosted his speed as he delivered his attack.
Alex quickly retreated and threw another scythe towards James to slow him down.
After a while, he realized he wouldn't be able to break through his defenses.
He used his spacial detection to see how Taylor was doing. He frowned, he was being toyed with. Alex's frown turned into an internal grin as he slowly backed away from James, moving towards Taylor.
Tom saw that Alex was approaching him with his back towards him. He grinned as he prepared to get a sneak attack in.
Alex suddenly threw a scythe towards James. The attack was high so James just ducked under it.
This was exactly what Alex wanted him to do.
"Watch out Alex!" Taylor said as Tom broke off and charged towards Alex. Taylor chased after him and tried to intercept him but failed to do so.
Alex's scythe continued flying through the air, but Alex didn't pull it back to him, instead, he grabbed onto the chain with both hands and spun speeding it up to an insane degree.
Tom who was about to get a good hit on Alex panicked as he saw what was happening.
The chain wrapped around Tom holding him in place, when the blade landed it released a large amount of ink onto his clothes.
"Finish him." Alex said as he turned around and used the remaining scythe to block James's heavy swing.
He was pushed down onto one knee as he attempted to block the sword with his light weapon. James then thrust his shield forward knocking Alex off of his feet.
Taylor caught up to Tom, who was also thrown to the ground as Alex who was holding tightly onto the remaining scythe was tossed back, and he quickly delivered a slash to the tied-up captain.
A tone sounded.
Taylor jumped forward and delivered a heavy strike to the sword that was about to connect with Alex.
James's sword bounced back as the heavy weapon collided with his. He brought up his shield as Taylor quickly delivered another attack. A loud smack was heard and he was thrown back.
"You did good." Tom said to Alex who was lying next to him.
"I didn't even think that you were drawing me in. I'm definitely going to have to try that later on in the paired fighting section this year." He said as he removed the chains from him.
"Go ahead, I'll even teach you a few more if you want to." Alex said as he watched Taylor disarm and defeat James.
"You dummy I'm supposed to be the one who teaches you, but if you're serious then I will take you up on that offer. No take-backs." He said before laughing.
[winners, Taylor and Alex! The duel has finished, please return the weapons before leaving.]
"Congratulations. Alex managed to win with perfection." James said as he walked over to the rest. "I didn't manage to land a single blow on you with my sword."
Alex looked over to Taylor, he had several small splotches that were fading.
"Very good work from all of you. Alex and Taylor might just have a chance to defeat Daniel. In all of the nearly twenty years that we've been working here, he has remained undefeated, by students and teachers that is." Michael said to the students who were conversing amongst themselves.
"No one has defeated him in all that time?" Taylor asked.
Michael nodded in confirmation.
Alex understood that the fight was going to be incredibly difficult.
"We have to get going, I'll see you in a bit Alex." James said as he and Tom left the room.
'Oh, they are planning something.' Alex thought as he picked up small leaks from their facial expressions.
Alex decided to visit the potions club early for the first time in a few weeks.
'Please don't be watching videos on potions.' He repeated in his head as he walked up to the club room door.
Alex knocked loudly on the door and waited for Lockhorn to give him the all-clear.
A noise of someone fumbling with something resounded before he heard a cart moving.
"Ahem, you can come in." Lockhorn said as the noise subsided.
Alex opened the door and entered.
"Oh it's just you Alex, I almost had a heart attack thinking that I was about to have another surprise inspection." Lockhorn said releasing a heavy sigh.
"I was just working on a new potion recipe." Lockhorn said trying to cover up his actions.
"Is that coffee?" Alex asked while looking at the liquid in the vial in front of Lockhorn.
"Errr, yes it is. But it's a completely new recipe." Lockhorn said, hoping Alex wouldn't pry.
Alex only nodded. 'Smells just like regular decaf. He must've just poured it into it.' Alex thought while sensing the empty coffee mug in the sink.
"I came to deliver some more of the material from the list." Alex said as he pulled out some filled vials.
Seeing the vials with labels on them, Lockhorn smiled widely.
"You have learned well, they are perfectly prepared. Oh yes, these will do very well." Lockhorn said as he read the labels on the vials.
"You may be the first to ever finish the list within a year, very good." He said as he opened and sniffed the vials.
"Tell you what, seeing as you are the only one from your grade providing me with rare materials, I will let you pick one tier one potion for free. If you manage to get them all I'll brew a tier-one potion for you and allow you to watch the process." He said after he had inspected the vials closely.
Alex nodded thoughtfully as he looked at all of the tier one potions.
"You know, next year I hand out an even more difficult list of ingredients. The rewards will be even better then." He said hoping to entice Alex with the prospects of better rewards.
Alex nodded in response. "I'll do my best to find them for you." Alex said as his eyes landed on a certain potion. A purification potion if enough were taken it was very likely that your affinity would increase to a grand affinity.
'I would need hundreds if not thousands though. It's better to just take a strengthening potion. If I finish getting the ingredients on the list, maybe I could learn how to create the purification potion. Besides I'm pretty sure that only works for basic elements.'
"I'll take a strengthening potion." Alex said as he finished deciding.
"We'll then take it. What do you think this is a restaurant?"
"Is the cabinet not locked?" Alex said, looking at Lockhorn questioningly.
"No. Locking things up makes it harder to get them out. Besides no one would dare to steal them." Lockhorn said matter of factly.
Alex just accepted what Lockhorn said. Somehow that was one of the less crazy things the potions instructor had said.
He opened the panel of the cabinet and pulled out a strengthening potion.
"Go ahead, drink it. I can't wait to hear your words of praise as you taste one of my creations." Lockhorn said, watching Alex with an excited expression.
Alex opened the vial, a foul smell assaulted him as he opened it. He quickly pinched his nose and drank the potion. He struggled for a few moments trying not to gag as he swallowed the concoction.
Alex was about to start coughing, but he stopped himself as he felt the mana within the potion spread and made his entire body fill with warmth. He didn't know how to explain the feeling, all he knew was that he felt stronger.
"Pretty good right? It's much more potent than the strongest steroids. In fact, the first few interactions of this potion had a high chance to cause cardiac arrest." Lockhorn told Alex.
"They what!?" Alex exclaimed.
"Don't worry, my potions are perfected, the chance for that happening is nearly impossible, and the fact that you already are stronger than the average man makes that chance even lower." Lockhorn told him.
'Has he ever seen me fight? How does he know my strength?'
——————
Alex and Taylor were breathing heavily as they leaned against a large bear. This was the third master class beast that they had fought. They had gotten a lot stronger since the first one and yet they still used up almost all of their energy when fighting the beasts.
Dylan and the rest had broken through to the Adept class and soon they would be able to hunt on their own.
Alex noticed Tom swiftly place two objects in his and Taylor's bags.
He scanned the objects, one was a compass and the other looked like a map with some words scribbled onto it. 'Come alone.' With a signature reading as 'SSOD'.
'Ah, an invitation. It says to come alone they expect us to both travel alone.'
'That is if Taylor is able to notice it before he goes to bed. Well, we have a change of plans for the night.'
"You two can head home." James said as he handed Alex a compass and map showing him their current location.
Alex and James got up and began heading home.
"Hey Alex, Taylor! I almost forgot to tell you that the racing club begins tomorrow, you are both free to try out if you wish."
The two nodded and continued on their way.
"I won't be able to do the extra training today." Alex told Taylor. "Something else came up."
"That's fine. Some extra sleep never hurt anyone." Taylor replied.
Alex only gave a light smile in response. 'If only you knew.'
Alex accompanied Taylor to his house. He pretended to leave before returning hiding in the shadows. 'Good thing I waited. He was actually ready to just go to bed. Alex removed the map and compass from Taylor's bag and placed them on the bed.
He found it hard to contain his laughter as Taylor spotted them and checked under his bed to try and find an intruder.
He left as he saw Taylor put his shoes back on and began heading to where the map told him.
'He will probably arrive a few minutes after me if he is able to read the map correctly.' Alex thought as he reentered the woods following the map to where it directed him.