"Alright, here's the plan," Mizar and the boys gathered to discuss their next move.
"We're going to lose; he's too powerful," Letto expressed his concern.
"What do we do? I don't know any spells," Ridley sighed, feeling helpless.
"Hey Vanta, what do you mean I have to learn now?" Mizar asked, seeking clarification.
Their voices overlapped as the boys brainstormed ways to defeat Abel. They could feel the tension starting to rise as they realized their opponent was a ranked mage.
"Boys, let's slow down and start by assessing what we have in our arsenal." Vanta sprang into action, determined to shatter the suffocating grip of their predicament. With a cool and collected demeanor, he soothed his anxious friend, while his mind raced to formulate a master plan. "Let's start with you, Mizar. Which spell can you use?"
"I can only use fireball; that's the only spell I know. I haven't practiced any spells yet. I've only learned the theory of blaze accelerator and a few other fire spells."
"That's okay. We'll start by mastering that spell now. You have forty five minutes to do it."
"Yes, sir" Mizar says with a salute.
Vanta then turned his gaze to his other friend, he looks worried the most at their predicament. "What about you, Ridley? What do you have?"
"I can use mana barrier and minor healing," he exclaimed, his voice trembling with both anticipation and unease. The sudden challenge caught him off guard, leaving him feeling ill-prepared. Yet, Vanta swiftly intervened, "That's great, thank you."
"But there must be a greater way I can contribute," Ridley retorted, his voice tinged with a hint of doubt. Vanta reassured him once more. "Your role is crucial. Take care of us; you're extremely important in this plan."
"Alright, I understand," Ridley conceded, his voice laced with a mix of understanding and a newfound glimmer of conviction. Vanta's persuasive words had managed to penetrate the walls of doubt, leaving Ridley somewhat convinced.
lastly, Vanta turned to Letto and ask a crucial question. "Next, you, Letto. What cards do you have available to use at the moment?"
"I have the same deck as our previous duel. I can gather more if needed. What do you require?" He asked back. Letto's Tulk cards will define the results of this duel. It has the power to turn the table in their favor.
"I need you to prepare four decks for each of us. Keep yours the same, but replace the stone bullet set with dispel and counter spell cards. That means thirteen dispel and counter spell cards in total. The rest is up to you."
He instructed Letto to prepare decks of Tulk cards for everyone.
"For me, include fifty systole chains and one arrangement card. And for Ridley, include as many healing cards as possible. As for Mizar, give him all kinds of speed-boosting spells."
"Understood."
Letto went to retrieve his cards. He had to inquire about the usage of those cards in advance to be able to use them effectively.
As for Mizar, he needed to learn a spell called Blaze Accelerator.
"Come here," Axel said, grabbing Mizar by the collar and dragging him to the corner. "We don't have much time. Forty-five minutes is impossible, but we might as well give it a try."
"I will do my best!" Mizar exclaimed.
Meticulously, Vanta coordinated everyone else into their respective roles, leveraging their unique quirks to maximize their effectiveness.
"Ridley, I will now explain the strategy. Here's what you need to do," Vanta said, prompting Ridley to lean in and listen attentively.
"You possess the second highest amount of mana among all of us. There's something important that I haven't yet explained. You have the ability to increase the size and thickness of your membrane by utilizing mana from your core," Vanta explained. Having been manaless before, he understood the challenges of properly utilizing the membrane.
"I, unfortunately, cannot do that. When mine breaks, I have no way to repair it. However, you all are different. You have the capability to create a new membrane or enhance it using your own mana," Vanta added.
Ridley raised an important question, asking, "What does this imply?"
Vanta proceeded to assign Ridley his role in the upcoming duel. "Ridley, your task is to protect us. Letto and I will engage in long-range combat, and your responsibility will be to guard us against any incoming attacks."
Ridley accepted the assignment, replying, "Okay, I will do as you say."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the duel venue...
"Correct. Now, follow my instructions," Axel instructed, demonstrating by creating a small candle-like flame using his own fire manipulation skills.
Mizar carefully observed Axel's actions and replicated them. He focused on channeling mana from his core and directing it towards the fireball. The fire voraciously consumed the mana to sustain its burning, and as Mizar poured more mana into it, the fireball grew in size, becoming larger and more imposing.
"Done. What's the next step?" Mizar inquired eagerly.
"Pay close attention to what I'm about to do," Axel advised.
Axel concentrated his efforts, directing his focused mind and releasing a burst of his mana into the fire. It was as if a furnace was being fueled by the flow of air, Blaze accelerator is to take this concept to an extreme degree. By constantly feeding the fire with a high concentration-high density mana to increase the temperature of the fire, the fire burn more intense and increase its destructive power.
"What does that mean?" Mizar asked, seeking clarification.
Sighing, Axel responded, "It means that the more mana you pour into the fire, the larger it will grow."
"Oh, I understand now," Mizar replied with a newfound comprehension.
As a result, the fireball expanded significantly in size, its flames burning with a heightened brightness and intensity.
"The only drawback of this technique is that it demands a substantial amount of mana to continuously sustain the fire's intense heat. Consequently, your mana will deplete at a much faster rate," Axel explained.
"But I've seen you use it for a longer duration," Mizar remarked.
"That's because I employ a spell called 'anti-drawback channel release,' which enables me to open all of my mana pathways without suffering the usual repercussions," Axel revealed.
"Ah, so that's why Letto utilizes that card," Mizar remarked, connecting the dots regarding Letto's choice of using the mentioned card.
"Yes, magicians often use the 'anti-drawback channel release' to utilize spells with short periods of effect and extend their duration," Axel explained.
"Now, give it a try," he encouraged Mizar.
Mizar attempted to employ the technique but could only manage a slight increase in the intensity of the fire.
"Don't push yourself too hard. It's challenging for a first try," Axel reassured Mizar, recognizing the difficulty he was facing in controlling the fire.
However, something unexpected occurred to Mizar. An idea sparked in his mind—what if he tapped into the unlimited mana source provided by his membrane? Acting on instinct, he activated his membrane and successfully ignited the fire, causing it to burn brilliantly like a star, illuminating the entire duel venue.
Axel stood there, bewildered and astonished at this phenomenon. Mizar had accomplished it on his first attempt, leaving Axel at a loss for words. He couldn't believe what his eyes were witnessing.
The same disbelief overwhelmed Abel as he witnessed his brother swiftly mastering such an advanced fire spell.
This was the surprise Vanta had mentioned. He had meticulously planned, carefully assessing the capabilities of his friends and strategizing accordingly.
However, Mizar realized the limitation of this technique.
"We're running out of time. Let's go," Axel hurriedly brought Mizar back to join the rest of the boys.
"But wait, I just mastered it," Mizar protested, eager to showcase his achievement.
"We don't have much time left. We've already gone overtime," Axel explained. Mizar's accomplishment of mastering the Blaze Accelerator in just fifty minutes was considered impossible, even for an expert.
They regrouped with the others who had been waiting.
"Took you long enough," Vanta remarked, displaying a hint of impatience.
Abel, on the other hand, waited with a smile, clearly anticipating their return.