'That's—why is Finn here? Did he know Jonathan? No, their interaction in the story never said anything about it. This damn system is screwing over everything.' Daniela thought.
"But I have never submitted any requests for a job at Nexarion. Besides, I thought Nexarion never invited people with a 'damaged reputation'," Jack said, smiling as he let go of Shia's hand.
"We don't, but someone told me you have skills beyond your reputation. I was against this visit, but what can I say? I am also a bit curious," Shia spoke, gesturing towards Daniela, who seemed to be staring into thin air.
"But I don't have any special skills, and even if I did, no one has ever seen them—"
Jack was cut off by the Count. 'Just accept it, Jack. You aren't doing anything productive here either. I know you don't care about getting back your reputation or proving yourself to others, but how long do you intend to keep wasting time here?'
Jack looked at the Count, who was transparent and seemingly invisible to others, his eyes flickering with sadness yet, still smiling.
Finn waves at the display infront of him dismisively but it disappears at his gestures, which alarmed Finn, 'What the hell was that?'
'What's this situation? It seems he is having a hard time figuring it out. Should I offer some words of hope? But something is wrong. What was that thing in front of me, and why was it telling me the original scenario failed?' Finn thought, rubbing his chin.
"Mister—" Finn spoke, looking up at Jack.
"I... what is the test you spoke of, Mr. Shia?" Jack asked with a pleasant smile.
"Oh, you're interested, well it's not much, you just have to land a strike on me," Shia replied with a sly smile.
"Is this supposed to be a joke, how can I even go up against a seven-star?" Jack asked, his tone, serious.
"Come on this is a special event. I don't hire teachers like this, usually, there are a lot of procedures, but this is your lucky day. You can do it by any means necessary."
"Sister, Mrs Shia is going to fight, uh... sister are you alright you've been staring into the air for some time," Gabriel asked.
"I'm alright, just feeling a... It's alright, are you excited?"
"But I don't think they might fight, that man is hesitating. Why did you say this man can open the Sealix? Is he that skilled?" Wyge asked, Gabriel nodding in sync with her.
"He is strong indeed, if he had continued cultivating he could have broken through to the seventh-star."
"Him? Strong? It doesn't mean anything if he has no honour. If he had even an ounce of it he would have instantly accepted Shia's challenge after she came this far to meet him." Thomas interjected.
"Hey, I can hear you, and that was very rude of you. What would you do if someone challenged you out of the blue, would you just accept it?" Jack asked his voice laced with irritation and self-doubt.
'Hoho, this might get interesting. Shall I spice things up a bit?' Shia smiled slyly. "The test just changed, defeat Thomas and you pass."
"What's with you promoting violence? Can't we do this some other way, it's been years since I've last held a weapon and besides he looks like he's been waiting to beat me up."
"Are you scared? Does this mean those allegations were true? Why don't you beat him and prove it wrong." Shia spoke taunting Jack.
"Don't think I'll fall—for provocation that easily," Jack replied his voice stammering at the thought of having to confront himself.
For many the words "The only way to overcome fear is to face it head-on", are the only way to overcome their fears and insecurities, but it's not the case for everyone. Few are victims of the case, "Exposure therapy is a double-edged sword."
'This is bad, people with low self-esteem are hard to convince. Do I have to step in?' Daniela thought to herself.
"Mr. Jonathan, after the services you did for the empire, the sacrifices, you were never recognised, were you? This is an opportunity for you to do it. Prove yourself and others that you are beyond what everyone thinks you are." Daniela shouted out loud.
"Young lady, respectfully, I don't have to prove myself to anyone, do I? Besides you're the ones who came to me, an—" Before Jack could finish the Count shot him a look, telling Jack to accept the test.
The worst fear for someone who has never heard the words "well done" from anyone but themselves, losing or disappointing themselves is equivalent to torture.
'Jack, I thought you were bored with this life, do you remember when I asked you what is the meaning of life and neither you nor I had the answer? This is your chance, if you lose it, it's gone but if you take it you'll be able to sleep peacefully every night knowing you never gave up.'
"What's your choice?" Shia asked.
But at certain times the coping mechanisms the subconsciousness creates for the victims can be equally harmful.
Finn notices Jack's fingers fidgeting, just like when he figured out Jack was a knight. 'He is a softie, getting pushed around has him on the edge.'
'But, if I fight him I'll lose, and I'm scared of losing, if I lose I'm admitting that I am weak, that I'll never be enough, and... and I don't w—'
'Pfftt,' Jack was once more cut off by the Count, 'You lose? How? You are powerful and if push comes to shove you have 'that', and if even that isn't enough, I'll take over.'
Reliance on others hurts their consciousness but in the grand scheme, losing honour and part of themselves was better than disappointment.
"Fine, I accept. I just have to beat the knight, right?" Jack said.
"Just beat that knight, huh? Where did such arrogance come from," said Thomas as he walked towards Jack unsheathing his broad sword.
"I shall act as the judge, under the watchful eyes of Odin, Allfather of battle. This duel has been consecrated by the acceptance of both parties. Are you prepared to prove yourselves before the gods?" Han Shia declared.
"Yes," Thomas said, his voice booming.
"Yes," Jack mumbled, the words getting stuck in his throat.
'What's up with him? One second he is confident but the next he is scared. Is it the spur of the moment?' Thomas thought to himself.
"BEGIN"
Thomas points his blade towards Jack, "I'll let you have the first strike."
"I don't want it, I am still a knight and I have something, I can call pride, so please stop disrespecting me."
"Hmm, suit yourself."
'Sepulcher: Open," a black katana materialised onto Jack's palms, which he held up. Jack unsheathes the katana, revealing a plain blade beneath, which he holds up straight.
Taking his stance as Jack bends his knee slightly, his feet shoulder-width apart, holding the katana in a loose grip, pointing downwards.
Thomas's calves tensed up as he shot through straight for Jack, his blade searing through the air. Jack sidesteps the thrust, but Thomas abruptly changes direction midway and goes for a swing. Jack blocks it but the impact pushes him, the vibrations rippling through him.
'Uh, I feel like my palm is getting ripped off from a single strike,' thought Jack, his hands trembling from the attack.
He quickly regains his footing, pulling back before beginning incantation, "Calm, Serenity, Nihility, Void: Limitless Concentration," Jack muttered, his eyes glowing faintly yellow as the spell activated.
"Sword Qi," Thomas whispered , his blade now enveloped in a blue hue crackling. He once again dashes towards Jack without giving him any time to catch his breath.
"Radagar Original, First moon: Cresent," Thomas swung his blade in a large arc, but surprisingly Jack dodges, his movements lighter and sharper.
'Limitless concentration, huh? I thought only low star mages used it.' Thomas mused but critical, 'Doesn't matter, his movements are still sluggish.'
Finn sighed as he saw the fight unfold, 'Jack is getting pushed back, he can't react to even the simple strikes at all. If this keeps up he will lose. The knight's force seems strong.'
"What did you see in this man, Daniela?" Shia questioned, glancing at Daniela.
But Daniela paid no heed to her words, her own mind lost deep in thought. 'Will he lose? I just got here. I'll trust him.'
Jack's body was surrounded by a faint grey mana. As he whispered, "Arcane Blade," the mana seemingly flowed into the blade coating it. Jack's thighs tensed as he prepared to press his attack.
Jack disappears before appearing in front of Thomas, thrusting as soon as he materialises in front of Thomas.
'This guy can use Arcane Blade, I can't dodge, I'll block it,' Jack's thrust crashes into a blue energy barrier that formed around Thomas in a split second.
"Qi Guard," Thomas spoke as the blue sphere around him shimmered.
The barrier around Thomas vanishes as he advanced but to his surprise Jack charged head-on.
'CLANG'
The two blades collide, sending a small shockwave throughout the ground. Jack who recovered faster than Thomas, aims for Thomas's shoulder but is blocked just in time.
Thomas sensing a gap in Jack's defense raised his leg and kicks Jack in his abdomen, but to everyone's surprise his legs met resistance—a small circle of geometric figures shimmered.
'A barrier! When did he cast that?' Thomas's eyes widened.
"Basic Barrier: Mode Counter—Release," Jack commanded, and the shield shimmered before releasing a small burst of mana.
"Qi Guard", Thomas stood there, as the blue energy enveloped him once more, guarding him from the blast.
"I shouldn't have underestimated you, but your swordsmanship is still lacking." Thomas comments.
"Is that so, Mr Thomas of the house of Radagar?"
Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Oh! You know me?"
"Of course, white hair, the insignia of the Tara knights and the blue colour of your force. It's not that hard."
"Why don't you stop with the parlor tricks and show me something." Thomas asked.
"Well, forgive me if my Arcane Blade isn't enough, but unfortunately, all I have are tricks."
Jack then begins incantation, "Flow, Arcane Blade: Aqua magic: Wave Crash." He then swings the blade horizontally and a large wave of grey mana, mimicking the flow of water, threatened to engulf Thomas.
"Force Guard," Thomas roared as the large wave of mana crashed into him. He blocks it but is still pushed back from the force of the attack.
'Woah, there's no actual water, but he's using mana to mimic its flow. He's not following the elemental triad's rules—essence, property, and resonance—yet he's still manipulating mana with the precision of an elemental user. Without any elemental affinity, he's reshaping mana itself, turning it into a medium and altering its properties as it flows through pre-constructed mana pathways.' Finn was too stumped to speak, his mind trying to understand the technique.
"How is he doing that? He is breaking apart rules and using magic in ways we never thought was possible." Wyge spoke, her eyes shifting to Daniela.
"Discarding the elemental triad and focusing on a single rule, that requires high level understanding and incredible mana control." Gabriel responded in kind.
Daniela slightly relived after seeing Jack putting up a fight. She then turns to look at Han Shia who taunted her earlier to see her face making an unreadable expression.
'Ho, well it's not surprising since many of his principles and mechanics became the foundation for many more techniques later on in the story.' Daniela thought.
"Second Moon: Moonless," the hue that was seemingly fluctuating around Thomas calmed down as the energy stood still. He then jumps and goes for a vertical slash.
"Fourth Moon: Moon Drop."
"Aqua magic: Wave Crash."
The two strikes collided in a deafening crash, sending a shockwave across, the ground cracking up under the pressure.
Thomas lands back on his feet and rushes for Jack after spotting an opening, going for a single thrust. Jack blocks with his katana but the blade breaks apart, slightly nicking Jack's left shoulder as he sidestepped the thrust.
Jack throws away the broken blade and throws a punch, his fist coated in mana, straight for Thomas's face. Thomas brings up his whole knee to block the punch and retaliates with a low swipe. Jack, sensing an opening in Thomas's defense jumps and connects a kick on Thomas's abdomen, sending him sliding across, a few meters.
"Sepulcher: Open," this time a double sided battle axe appeared on his palms, which were bleeding from the stress.
"I'll tell you the reason I'm not that good with the sword. High aptitude but no talent. I can learn anything but never master anything."
'Is that why he said his talent assessment was a complete nightmare?' Finn pondered, 'But now he's holding up much better than earlier, he's even showing off some interesting magic, I'm pretty sure the principal is hooked now.'
"That is nothing but an excuse, you followed multiple paths instead of holding on and persevering a single path, suffer for your mishaps." Thomas retorted.
"Well, when you put it that way it seems like my fault, but hey I got more tricks, I'll show you, how was it? Oh! Yep, got it. Is this done like this? Moonless."
The mana around Jack calms down and settles. "This technique really is great, are these what you call advanced breathing techniques? By flowing mana in and out of the three Dan Tian, the mana obtains harmony, not seeping out, quite strenuous though."
Thomas seemingly enraged, roars, " Have you no honour? How dare someone like you copy the martial arts of a prestigious family without permission."
"Honour? What is that? Is it something I can eat? Maybe you should have made it harder to copy." Jack replied snickering.
'Huh, Jack is taunting his opponent, that doesn't really seem like him, the softie from earlier couldn't do that! Leaving that aside how did he copy the Radagar family's martial arts down to the mana flow?' Finn watched, puzzled at the events around him.
Jack then jumps up into the air and yells, "Moon Drop," aiming for Thomas.
"Eclipse Guard," a shimmering blue sphere enveloped Thomas, Jack's axe seemingly bouncing off the shield. Thomas swings his fist filled with force. Jack block, holding up the axe like a shield, but is pushed of quite some distance.
"Let's see if you can copy this. Martial Intent: Full Moon Garden." A large amount of force started leaking from Thomas, moving into five fixed points at the air. The force then compressed to form five moons around Jack.
"Each of those moons has its own gravity field, doesn't it? Martial intent, even if I am to copy martial arts, I can never copy the true essence." Jack replied his eyes narrowing.
"Where did that arrogance from earlier go? It seems you're all talk, but you did well holding on," Thomas sneered, "Now it's my turn."
With a flick of Thomas's fingers the moons start ejecting an aura. Jack felt like his skin was getting peeled off his body.
"Feels like your skin getting ripped off, doesn't it?" Thomas grinned in satisfaction.
Jack's grin returns through the pain, "Why are you getting all excited? I just said I can't copy the true essence, that doesn't mean I can't copy it at all. Iron Mountain Arts: Four Corner Prison."
Massive steel bars manifested around Thomas, forming an imposing prison. The cells towered Thomas, standing at approximately five meters tall, confining him but what caught Thomas by surprise wasn't the cells but rather the grey moon at the top of the open cell.
The moon was vast, its diameter, perfectly framed by the prison walls. The moon began to descend towards Thomas preparing to crush him.
"You...!" Thomas gasped, his smile faltering. "Eclipse Guard."
"So this is how you want it—a contest of endurance?" Thomas growled, his voice strained from stopping the crushing spell. "Let's see who lasts longer: me under the weight of your fake, or you, torn apart by mine."
****