[Inside the Inner Realm]
- It's starting. says Dull. His Demonic Instinct got a voice.
[Back in the arena]
{Demonic Instinct}
"Aren't you tired of this ridiculousness? Dont you want to let go, destroy everything in sight"
{Noah}
"..."
{Demonic Instinct}
" You don't have to hold it in anymore. Juusst let it aaalll out."
An enormous smile forms on Noah's face, his left eye turns red and his pupil sharpens.
- I... I...
{Kramptus}
" Noah Arcadios is strong. The proof of that is that he faced opponents that are considered gifted yet won while completely dominating them. Nobody saw him fighting with his full power ever since his fight with Darius. However, all of his opponents overlooked one thing: in almost every fight he had, Noah used the spell Body Of Speed. He relies on that spell an awful lot, so obviously, the best move to execute against an opponent who relies on speed and movement is..."
- ... To seal their movement. whispers Kramptus.
[In the stands]
- Who do you think will win, teacher? Gancelot asks Turo
- Hmmm... Gancelot?
- Yes?
- Everybody else listens!
The students gather towards Turo
- In a fight between a recently contracted Contract Holder who uses a spirit and a one-heart magician who would win?
- It depends on how much prana the Contrat Holder has. says Juliana
- Let's take these two down there for example. A magician with one mana heart and a Contract Holder with 10 years worth of prana. Who would win?
The students all start thinking but none seems to be able to come to an answer. Juliana raises her hand. Turo points at her.
- No matter how much I think about it, there are too many factors that come into play.
- Factors? Big words for your age. says, Turo
Juliana frowns at him
- Jokes aside, In a normal fight where both are completely equal, the Contract Holder would normally take the win home. Let's see... Right, Juliana, you fought Sunev who is a Contract Holder who uses a spirit.
- Yes so?
- Why do you think a magician would lose to a Contract Holder that uses a spirit if they both are equal in all aspects?
Juliana starts putting her brain to work.
{Juliana}
" Think, Juliana. Think! What advantage does a Contract Holder have over a magician? Spirits? No. The higher the rank of the spirit the higher the amount of prana they need to summon and keep them around them. So what could it possibly be?..... WHAT IS THE ANSWER?"
[Back in the arena]
- What do you think they are doing? Why aren't they starting the countdown? asks Kramptus
-...
- I guess you are not much of a talker?
-...
[In the stands]
- Are you not able to come to a conclusion? Turo asks Juliana
- Give me a bit more time, sir.
- 20 more seconds since these two are waiting down there.
{Juliana}
" Right! Down there! I have been looking at this from the wrong perspective! Instead of what advantage a Contract Holder has over a magician, I should have thought about it from my own experience! What made Sunev so hard to defeat, if she actually had fought seriously!"
- I think I know, teacher.
- Go ahead then.
- I think it's because of the spirits.
- Why do you think that? asks Lyria. As you already know to summon a spirit and to keep him you need prana and the higher the spirit is ranked the more prana you need. So why do you think that spirits are the answer?
- It's because of the way spirits and magician fight, in other words, their different fighting styles would be the decisive factor in a fight between a Contract Holder and a magician.
Lyria looks at Turo and smiles.
- Elaborate. Lyria tells Juliana
- When a magician fight, they use spells, however, spells are restricted unless it's Mana spells. When using an Affinity spell there are requirements which are the amount of mana, the knowledge, and the right amount of mana hearts. If you don't meet all three requirements then the spell will fail. When a magician has one mana heart then can only use first-tiered affinity spells and unfortunately there only exists one first-tiered affinity spell for each element. The only exception is origin spells that can be used regardless of the three conditions however the three conditions affect the strength of the spell.
- You are correct about the magician part. says Turo while nodding
- Now what about the Contract Holder who uses spirits? asks Lyria with a smirk
- Contract Holders who use spirits, summon the spirits in order to fight but spirits don't use spells. That's all I know.
Lyria smiles
- You are right! The difference between a Contract Holder who uses a spirit and a magician is their fighting style. Spirits, to fight, uses nature. In more elaborate terms, they insert their prana in whatever they manifest in order to control it. Let's take, for example, Kramptus's earth fairy; to fight the fairy will insert its prana into the earth which will then allow them to control the earth. However, named spirits are able to control nature without inserting their prana, and spirits kings and queens are able to create natural phenomena. says Lyria
- Now that that is settled we will finally be able to see these two fight. says Guro while smiling
Turo starts the countdown
- 1...
- Finally! says Kramptus. Summon! Earth Spirit!
A tiny brown ball appears and starts floating around Kramptus.
- 2...
{Demonic Instinct}
" Destroy everything! Do whatever you truly want! Let it all go!"
{Noah}
"..."
-...
- 3... Go!
- Spirit Art! Earth Spirit! Binding Ground!
The ground under Noah starts moving up and it completely covers him from his feet to his stomach making him completely unable to move.
[In the stands]
- That definitely was a good decision to make against an opponent like Noah whose fighting style is based on speed and mobility. He might actually win this.
{Turo}
" But what is this feeling? This... uneasiness?... I feel like something bad may happen."
{Gancelot}
" Master! What are you doing?!"
[On the arena]
- Speechless, huh, Arcadios!?
-...
Noah still isn't moving. Absolutely no reaction to the predicament he might be in.
- Really? says Kramptus. Fine! Spirit Art! Earth Spirit! Rock Barrage!
The ground starts shaking and breaking and the parts that broke start floating around Kramptus. With a movement from his hand, all the rocks head toward the restrained Noah. The rocks keep hitting Noah but he still doesn't do anything.
- I KNEW IT! YOU ARE NOTHING SPECIAL, ARCADIOS! HAHAHAHAHA! says Kramptus while laughing hysterically.
[In the stands]
- What is wrong with the kids of this generation? asks Turo
- uuumm... Teacher Turo... maybe we should stop this one. says Lyria
- Why? asks Guro
- Isn't it obvious? Noah can't do anything against Kramptus!
- What do you think, Turo? Guro asks
- It's incredible isn't it? says Turo
- What are you two talking about? asks Lyria
- Teach, I also don't think we need to stop this fight. says Gancelot.
- Ooohh. Why do you think so, Gancelot?
- Because none of the rocks has actually touched, master.
- What do you mean, Gancelot? asks Abel
- I noticed something when I looked at the ground. There is not a single piece of rock!
- The ground? asks Lyria. How can you see it all the way from here?
- It's because he was born weird. says Juliana.
- I see. You were born with mana pupils, wasn't he Juliana? concludes Turo
Juliana frowns
- Don't worry I don't want them. says Turo while waving left-right with his hands
- That's... right. says Juliana with hesitation
- What are mana pupils? asks Abel
- Mana pupils are pupils that can, by sending mana in them, improve a person's vision. explains Turo. It's rare and it's a useful ability, so people born with them often got their eyes taken by other magicians to study them or other people that simply want to sell them for a hefty sum.
- Back to the matter at hand, after noticing that there was nothing on the ground I looked carefully at what was happening at the point of impact and what I saw were sparks, lightning sparks.
- Are you saying that each time a rock is about to touch him he uses a spell to destroy them? asks Lyria
Gancelot nods
- I knew that there was no way master was gonna lose against this guy! says Gancelot.
- But that doesn't change the fact that he can't move. says Lumia that was listening to the conversation. What is he gonna do, Gancelot?
- I... I don't know. he answers
[Back in the arena]
The garage of rocks stops
- *Huff* What do *Huff* you think *Huff** Huff* about that. says Kramptus
{Kramptus}
" I am running out of prana."
-...
- Still nothing!
{Kramptus}
" Wait! Now that I look at him... This bastard doesn't even have a scratch on him!"
Noah finally starts moving. With nothing but raw strength, he breaks free one of his hands, then the other after that it is his leg then the other. After completely breaking free from the earth that was restraining him, he starts walking toward Kramptus.
[ In the stands]
- He broke free? asks Lyria. How? What spell did he use?
Turo frowns
- None.
- What! says Guro. That's not possible! You would need to be a trained martial artist to do that with nothing but raw strength or you would need to use Reinforcement.
[In the Arena]
{Demonic Instinct}
"KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL"
Noah keeps walking toward Kramptus
{Kramptus}
" Wha... What is this feeling? I... I NEED TO STOP HIM!"
- Spi... SPRIT ART! EARTH SPIRIT! ROCK BARRAGE!
Once more, the ground starts shaking, rocks are floating, and once more, with a movement of his hand Kramptus makes the rocks head towards Noah but this time Noah clearly stops them
- Lightning magic. Lightning Bolt. Noah says calmly and with a terrifying tone that froze everyone present
All the rocks are reduced to nothingness because of the bolt of lightning. And Noah keeps walking toward his opponent that has now run out of prana, making his spirit disappear
- Wai... Wa... Wait! I... I... I surre-
- Body Of Speed. Lightning. Noah says in the same tone
{Turo}
" That's quick casting!"
Noah uses Body Of Speed. Lightning and moves at an incredible speed. He grabs Kramptus by the neck right before he finishes his surrendering declaration. Kramptus looks down with difficulty to see the face of his opponent and when he sees he is terrified because Noah had the hugest smile on his face, one of his pupils was sharp and that eye was red.
- Lightning magic. Lightning Palm.
Lightning is charged in Noah's palm and he discharges it all on Kramptus. Due to the pain received from Noah's spell, Kramptus loses consciousness.
{Kramptus}
"I... I am gonna d... Die."
{Demonic Instinct}
" KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL"
- Lightning Spear.
Noah's whole forearm is covered in lightning.
[In the stands]
{Turo}
" Bloodthirst!"
- Guro!
- I know!
[In the arena]
Noah swings his arm covered in lightning toward Kramptus