After giving Pallas the thing she longed for. Secessus returned to Alessia and Cornelius, they don't ask where he has been, and he has no intention to tell. And so 3 months pass by. Alessia has grown surprisingly strong as her physical state improved drastically since the mana life force has been fixed. She looks like an experienced knight, both physically and in the way she fights. Her mana had some troubles, spells not really her thing. However, it seems that combining the mana with her swordsmanship was a stroke of genius. Using the mana purely in that way feels more natural for her. If she were to reapply now, even she would definitely make bronze and probably be recommended to gold as well.
Now the last day of training, Kir and Pallas arrived. To see if she's ready for the mages. Secessus and Alessia stand before each other on the wide sparring ground, both their weapons ready.
"Do you remember the first day of training, Alessia?"
"Of course, it's when we reawakened my mana." She replies dutifully, as she often does during training hours. A stark contrast from how she behaves afterward.
"And before that?"
"Euh, you mean the theory you explained."
"Before that."
"Euhhm… Wasn't I in bed?" She replies, scratching her head as she slowly backs up. Her sharpened senses now warning her of some upcoming danger.
"You were twenty-three minutes late. So as our final training I will for 23 minutes not hold back whilst dueling you. So I do hope you are in good form today." Sol says with an innocent smile that causes Kir and Alssia to shiver.
"Of… Of course." Alessia replies hesitantly.
The shade demon, using that as an affirmation now rushes toward Alessia at full speed. Thrusting his blood-bound spear was way harder than he has ever done before. Alessia wielding her Armsword manages to deflect the spear as her transparent white grayish mana surrounds the weapon.
Sol continues to strike the Alessia with a lot of skill and power, showing his experience in combat. Alessia holds her own decently well, it's clear that she can't go on the offensive as she's already struggling simply defending. But still, her moves show promise and determination whilst finally not being brought down by her some lacking strength.
"Is this Sol at full strength? I can see why you recommended him in gold." Pallas says to her husband, watching this one-sided duel.
"If he went full strength, the battle would've been over." Cornelius replies to Pallas's words, scoffing at her suggestion.
"Didn't he say he would go all out?" Kir asks, seeing the 2 individuals fight way above his pay grade.
"He simply said that to intimidate her. You don't go all out in a battle where the goal isn't to kill the opponent. That would be counterproductive."
"How much is he using of his full strength? If you had to guess?" Pallas asks this time as she's also quite interested in the matter.
"Aren't you supposed to be able to determine that? Even moles would be able to see it." Cornelius replies, annoyed by the incompetence of the puny humans.
"As a receptionist, I can make an estimated guess about their potential, however if someone's purposefully hiding their ability then it will be hard to properly determine." Pallas explain, showing a shortcoming in the general ranking system.
"How unpractical."
"Not everything can be decided by practicality, a strong warrior who's also a danger to his party is also often times rejected from the adventuring guilds. Power does not define a human, the human defines the power he wields. I hope you keep that in mind, Cornelius."
"If I had to guess, then Sol would at the moment be using 20 or 30 percent. He's doing quite the effort wielding his spear, but he hasn't used any mana yet. A feat that not many will ever surpass." Cornelius decides to respond to Pallas's previous answer as she has given a proper explanation.
"Do you believe this to be his peak?" Pallas asks again out of curiosity.
"No." Cornelius replies short and firm, disgusted by the thought itself.
"Then how much more can he improve?"
"He's not like that. He doesn't have a barrier. Any barrier in his way he will be able to overcome. Every day, he breathes, he grows stronger. There is no peak for him." Cornelius says whilst shooting daggers at Pallas.
"That's possibly one of the stupidest things I've ever heard." Pallas replies, not hiding her words behind any elegance as she usually does.
"We live in a world where even the greatest amongst of us have perished. Those who could split the sky, killed by their hubris and faults. Even our gods battled and showed their imperfections. And you expect me to believe that there is someone who has no peak. A peak is not merely a definition of strength. It's also a definition of character, and no one has yet manage to overcome that peak. It is nice to see your support for your friend or whatever your relationship is. However, do not let your blindness cover his faults. It will only drag him down quicker."
"Then you will have your first exception soon enough."
"I highly doubt it."
The discussion that turned into a war of words ends. Both participants recognizing that the other will stick with their belief and convinced the other is wrong. During this exchange, the duel has continued one-sidedly. Alessia does show promise and capability, however none of that could stop her being beaten up by Sol.
The 23-minute duel ends with Sol having not even a scratch and Alessia's body entirely beaten. Some bones may even be broken as she lies on the hard ground, looking like a corpse.
"You're not normal." She manages to say as the training has ended. The teacher and student relationship no longer in effect.
"I'm not quite standard, but I'll tell you something. When you're done training with the mages, and you believe you've surpassed me. Come find me so that we can put that to the test." Sol says as he reaches out his hand toward Alessia.
Alessia grabs the hand of Sol and pulls herself up.
"I'll make you experience this twice over." She says jokingly, but also as her promise to herself.
"Really now? We'll see." Secessus provoking Alessia even further as the inevitable goodbye comes closer.