"Fireball!" Kirche, unwilling to accept defeat, swung her wand once more. The fire elements lingering in the air quickly gathered again, forming fireballs at an incredible speed.
As the fireballs rained down once more, this time Wood didn't stand still but started moving rapidly.
Now, everyone could clearly see why Wood had emerged unscathed from the previous sea of flames.
Kirche had impressive control over her magic; each fireball accurately targeted Wood's position.
However, the martial arts skills Wood displayed were even more astonishing!
The basketball-sized fireballs whizzed toward him, yet Wood easily dodged them with subtle movements—tilting his head, twisting his body, or even using a backbend.
Not only was he avoiding the magic with minimal effort, but he also maintained incredible speed as he continued to advance toward Kirche and Tabitha.
As Wood closed in, reaching the range where his sword could strike, Kirche's face showed clear panic.
But at that moment, the girl beside her, Tabitha, blew a whistle, summoning a large blue dragon to dive down from above.
The dragon used its wings to create a gust of wind that blew Wood back. Then, it swiftly swooped down, grabbing both Tabitha and Kirche, lifting them into the air.
Since the magical training ground was indoors, Tabitha's Sylphid, a wind dragon, couldn't fly very high.
Sylphid was a type of dragon with high intelligence and the ability to learn languages, and it could even use some ancient magic and transform into a human.
Although Tabitha's Sylphid was still young, it was already over five meters long. Carrying two people while flying was strenuous, but with the advantage of flight, ordinary humans wouldn't be able to reach them.
Wood's combat prowess had exceeded Kirche and Tabitha's expectations. Initially planning to hold back, Tabitha now took the battle seriously.
She raised her oversized staff above her head, causing the air temperature to drop suddenly as the moisture in the air quickly condensed, forming ice spikes around her.
As she swung her staff, the ice spikes rained down like a sudden shower from the sky!
Compared to Kirche's fireballs, Tabitha's ice spikes were faster, more numerous, and more concentrated.
Even in terms of spellcasting speed, Tabitha was clearly far superior to Kirche.
As the overwhelming barrage of ice spikes descended, everyone thought that this time, Wood wouldn't be able to defend himself.
But once again, Wood shattered their expectations of what a swordsman could do.
Using just a low-quality sword made from earth magic, Wood moved it so quickly that it created a nearly impenetrable defense. His sword swung so fast that the onlookers could only see the afterimages of his arm.
With a series of sharp clinks, Wood deflected hundreds of ice spikes, sending them flying!
"No way! Is this guy really human? I've never heard of a swordsman being capable of such feats."
Even Kirche, riding on Sylphid, now looked at Wood with a mix of shock and fear.
Tabitha was no ordinary opponent; her casting speed and power far surpassed Kirche's.
If Wood had dodged her fireballs with speed, that could be explained by quick reflexes. But for him to block all of Tabitha's attacks with his sword, his martial arts skills had to be beyond human.
"My attack isn't over yet..."
Compared to Kirche's panic, Tabitha, who had been through countless tough battles since childhood, remained calm.
Seeing Wood perfectly defend against her magic did surprise her a bit, but she quickly regained her composure and proceeded with her next attack.
As a magician, staying calm under pressure was crucial—only by keeping one's wits could the tide of battle be turned.
The ice spikes that Wood had deflected earlier didn't disappear after hitting the ground. Instead, they formed a thin layer of frost that spread quickly across the ground, soon freezing Wood's feet in place.
Seeing Wood immobilized, Tabitha, floating in the air, raised her staff once more, preparing to cast a more powerful spell.
"Impressive, as expected of the girl called 'Tabitha of the Gale.'
What appeared to be a fierce offensive was actually a feint, with the true goal being to restrict the movement of the swift swordsman, creating the time needed to cast a powerful spell that could crush the enemy in one blow."
Professor Colbert watched the blue-haired girl in the sky with satisfaction, silently noting that this student might already have surpassed many of the kingdom's elite magicians.
The cold air continued to condense in front of Tabitha, gradually forming a massive ice spike about ten meters long.
The girl didn't immediately hurl the ice spike at Wood. Instead, she calmly looked at him and said in an emotionless voice, "This duel is over. You've lost."
The magic Tabitha had gathered was undoubtedly at the "Triangle" level, powerful enough to pierce even strong monsters easily.
If Wood could move, with his previous speed, he might have been able to dodge.
But now... All things considered, in the eyes of Tabitha and the others, Wood had no chance of winning.
Tabitha didn't want to kill anyone, and this was just a practice duel, so she urged Wood to surrender.
"Don't underestimate me. This level of magic won't take me down. To be honest, I've been waiting for you to make your move.
Being immobilized and facing an opponent who can fly might be a desperate situation for a regular swordsman, but don't forget—I'm not completely without long-range attacks."
Wood's words momentarily stunned Tabitha. She had been treating this as a duel against a swordsman, but she had forgotten the "sword energy" technique Wood had displayed earlier.
During her spellcasting, Wood had several chances to attack, yet he hadn't done so.
This meant that he had been holding back, giving her enough time to cast her spell.
"I see. Then take this!"
Facing an opponent who had deliberately held back, Tabitha didn't hesitate any longer. She unleashed the powerful spell she had been preparing for so long.
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 200+ at patreon.com/Betek.