Gabriel's cry tore through the air as he soared over Lucian and Adrian, only brought to a sudden halt by a defiant tree, which crumpled beneath the impact.
The once-majestic tree stood shattered, its branches twisted and splintered witnesses to Gabriel's crash.
"Uff," Gabriel groaned, blood oozing from his head, creating a macabre mask that accentuated his determined eyes.
"Haa, haa," Gabriel panted heavily, the duel's toll catching up to him like a relentless pursuer.
Closing his eyes briefly, Gabriel took a deep breath, the quiet before the storm. As his eyes snapped open, he propelled himself forward, katana at the ready, closing the distance to Adbeel engaged in his spell.
Adbeel's spell was primed when Gabriel made his move, both combatants poised to unleash their attacks in a dance of lethal intent.
"Haa!" Gabriel roared, slashing downward with precision at Adbeel.
"Umbra Ward!" Adbeel's incantation wove shadows into a defensive barrier, a dance of ephemeral darkness designed to thwart descending strikes.
Adbeel foresaw Gabriel's strike, skillfully deflecting it, leaving his adversary exposed. Seizing the moment, Adbeel delivered an axe kick that left a visible mark—a crater etched by the clash of forces.
"Pua!" Gabriel spat blood, the crimson droplets falling to the ground, staining the once-vibrant grass.
"Cough! Cough!" Gabriel's body wracked with coughs as he expelled more blood, a visceral aftermath of their relentless sparring.
"Are you okay?" Adbeel asked, urgency in his voice as he rushed to assess Gabriel's condition.
"Cough! I'm fine..." Gabriel weakly reassured, a mere echo of his earlier vitality.
Severely injured, Gabriel insisted on a potion, prompting Adbeel to produce one with a sigh, a mixture of concern and annoyance on his face.
"Here," Adbeel extended the potion to Gabriel.
"Thank you, but..."
"Just take it!" Adbeel's insistence carried a sense of urgency, the reality of Gabriel's condition sinking in.
Gabriel complied, swallowing three large gulps before placing the now-empty potion on the grass.
"Sigh," Gabriel sighed as the healing elixir began its gradual work.
"Hey, how did you know I was going for a downward slash?" Gabriel, lying on his back, gazed upward at the shifting clouds.
"You don't have any special moves, just the basics. It was easy to guess," Adbeel explained, taking a seat beside him.
"Even with the basics, you weren't that bad. Gave me trouble at the start," Adbeel acknowledged, a rare nod of respect.
"Hmm, thanks."
"Okay class, Gather here, everyone," Alexander's soft and kind voice carried across the field.
The students, winding down their intense spars, gathered around Alexander.
Despite lingering frustrations, the students accepted the outcomes, a silent acknowledgment of the unforgiving nature of combat.
"All right, everyone's here," Alexander smiled.
"You've worked hard today. Though the temptation to continue is strong, time is against us. Feedback on your spars will come via the Nova app," Alexander instructed.
"That's it." Pleased with this class's performance, Alexander complimented, dismissing the class with a final nod.
Class 1-A bowed in unison, expressions of gratitude etched on their faces.
Alexander, the benevolent instructor, ensured safety during the intense spars, his feedback was like a guiding light for the aspiring mages and aura users.
The training field, emanating mana from the colossal tree in the middle of the field, stood as a testament to Alexander's care. They wouldn't even have known of its existence if not for Alexander.
As the students bowed in appreciation, Alexander responded with an genuine smile, bridging the gap between mentor and mentee.
Class 1-A hurried to their next class, their was break short and the distance from the school was relatively big.
All of class 1-A departed, except for four lingering figures. Gabriel's irritation was palpable, and Lucian, immersed in his inner struggle, remained silent.
Meanwhile, Adrian and Adbeel had a lively conversation that echoed with camaraderie.
"Uhhhh," Gabriel groaned, catching Adbeel's interest.
"What's wrong?" Adbeel inquired, concern etched on his face.
"I'm just tired," Gabriel explained wearily, fatigue clinging to his words.
"Did our spar drain you that much?" Adbeel teased.
"Sigh, kinda, but we still have 4 more hours of school!" Gabriel exclaimed, irritation tainting his voice.
"Yeah, this schedule is truly barbaric," Adrian chimed in.
"Even the second years don't have such a brutal routine. I wonder what happened," Adbeel pondered, gazing at the sky.
"Yeah!" Gabriel agreed, frustration evident in his voice.
As the trio conversed, Lucian, still having his identity crisis, finally spoke up.
"Hey Adrian," Lucian called out.
"Yeah?" Adrian replied.
"If I'm truly what you say I am, then how come I can't use Aura?" Lucian asked, seeking clarity.
"Well, you still haven't awakened it. Magic swordsmen don't just awaken mana and aura simultaneously. A condition needs to be fulfilled," Adrian explained.
"What? What are you guys talking about?" Gabriel questioned, perplexed.
"My question exactly," Adbeel added.
Adrian began explaining.
Lucian, in the midst of this revelation, felt the weight of his unique existence.
"Wait, how many magic swordsmen are there in the world?" Gabriel asked, curiosity piqued.
Adrian smirked, rising to his feet. "Currently, there's only one human magic swordsman," he declared.
Anticipation hung in the air. Adrian turned, pointing at Lucian. "And that person is you, Lucian." Adrian said, pointing at Lucian.
Lucian's eyes widened, revealing his beautiful golden eyes fully. "You're kidding... right?"
Adrian smiled. "Nope!"
Lucian, Gabriel, and Adbeel were stunned.
Lucian, recalling his bad past, felt a surge of realization. The revelation of his uniqueness hit him, and a smile crept across his face.
'I'm... special?' Lucian thought, memories flooding back—times of hardship, survival, and a past filled with challenges. The memories of becoming the king of streets played in his mind, and his smile grew wider.
'Huh, I guess I was always a little special'
Memories continued to cascade, and Lucian couldn't contain himself. Laughter bubbled up from deep within him, breaking free in infectious waves.
"Puhahahaha!" Lucian laughed, catching the others off guard.
"Oi, what are you laughing about?" Adbeel asked, a smile forming.
"Hahahahaahhaa," Lucian continued to laugh, spreading his infectious joy.
Gabriel got infected with the laugh, and even Adrian couldn't resist.
Laughter echoed across the field as their shared amusement reached its peak.
"Puahahahahah," Gabriel burst out laughing.
"Hey! Hahaha, what are you guys laughing about?" Adrian questioned, laughter punctuating his words.
Adbeel's smile widened.
"Puhahahahaha." In the end, they all got infected by Lucian's infective laugh.