Julian said, his tone sharp yet calm, "There are three types of magic casting: incantation, verbal and nonverbal. You've done two of those. Based on my earlier estimation, you should have been a fighter rather than a mage. Yet, you saw through my mask. I'm sure you're not the same person as before."
Ray's gaze sharpened, a flicker of curiosity passing through his otherwise composed demeanor. "What do you mean by 'previous person'?"
Julian smirked, his voice tinged with amusement. "I don't think I should explain that to you." He stepped closer, his staff glowing faintly as if responding to his inner thoughts. "Are you two twins? You should have been someone else entirely, yet you share the same face, voice, and movements as Liam. It's uncanny."
Ray smirked back, his confidence unwavering. "I knew you'd see through me, but your skills have improved. You might claim second place sooner than I thought."
Julian tilted his head, the curiosity now evident in his eyes. "Then what's your name? Can't you just show us your face?"
"My name is Ray," he replied coolly. He adjusted his wand in his hand, his grip tightening slightly. "As for my face—my true face can only be seen by someone incapable of love or affection."
Julian raised a brow, intrigued. "Is it a curse, then?"
Ray's voice softened, almost a whisper. "You could call it an incurable curse."
Julian turned his attention briefly to Sanala, who stood victorious against Rachel, her breathing heavy but her stance proud. "Shall we continue our battle?" Julian asked, his tone laced with anticipation.
"I don't mind," Ray said, shifting his focus back to his opponent. His wand twirled once in his hand before he gripped it tightly, his stance lowering slightly, ready for combat.
The two stared each other down, the air between them thick with tension. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the arena, rustling their cloaks and stirring the dust at their feet. Ray smiled faintly. "This is your personal magic, isn't it?" he asked, his voice steady.
Julian's expression flickered, his smirk growing wider. "Are you royalty?" he probed. "You seem to know more about me than others."
Ray chuckled softly, a knowing glint in his eyes. "I know more than you think."
The wind intensified, lifting Julian into the air as if the very arena obeyed his will. Ray's grip on his wand tightened as he raised it, his voice ringing out clearly. "Almoria Glossa!" A surge of water materialized around him, coalescing into several shimmering orbs that flew toward Julian with unerring precision.
Julian didn't flinch. With a casual wave of his staff, a powerful wind current swept the water aside, scattering droplets across the arena. Ray's wand twitched, and the water orbs froze midair, transforming into razor-sharp icicles that hurtled back toward Julian at blinding speed.
Julian's eyes narrowed as he pointed his staff forward. A shockwave of air erupted, shattering the icicles into a fine mist.
Ray reached out, his fingers brushing against the falling snow. His voice was calm, almost playful. "I guess I should get serious now."
Julian smirked, his voice dripping with challenge. "Then show me what you've got."
Ray's voice rang out once more, resonating with power. "Raglanca Valgenia!" Flames erupted around him, forming multiple fireballs that began to orbit him like miniature suns. Julian's sharp eyes analyzed the spell, noting the way the fireballs moved to intercept any incoming attacks. Testing his theory, he conjured a wave of water and hurled icicles at Ray, but the fireballs swiftly moved to block and nullify them.
Ray slammed his hands onto the ground, creating ripples that spread out like a miniature earthquake. The arena trembled underfoot, cracks forming as the ground shifted unnaturally.
"What are you doing?" Julian asked, his tone cautious yet curious.
Ray glanced up with a sly smile. "Nothing," he replied simply.
Julian began chanting under his breath, his words laced with power. The ground beneath him shifted suddenly as a spike of earth erupted, aiming to impale him. With a burst of wind, he flew higher, narrowly avoiding the attack. "Castevara!" he shouted, summoning a glowing javelin of light. It crackled with energy as it charged, growing brighter with each passing second.
Instead of aiming directly at Ray, Julian pointed the javelin skyward. It soared high before splitting into dozens of smaller spears that rained down toward Ray like a deadly storm.
"I know its weakness too," Ray said calmly, raising a hand. A blue barrier surrounded him, shimmering like water under moonlight. The spears struck the barrier but dissolved upon contact, their light fading harmlessly.
Julian smirked despite himself. "You know too much about me. Are you my mother?"
Ray chuckled, his voice low. "Not just you. I know about your grandfather too."
The mention of his grandfather made Julian's smirk falter. His eyes widened slightly as he tried to mask his surprise. "If you know about him, then you'd have defeated me already."
"You know why," Ray replied, his voice steady. "It's about your mana pool."
Julian chuckled, though his expression remained wary. "So that's it. You think I should surrender?"
"You will when you see this spell," Ray said, his confidence unwavering.
Julian frowned, his eyes narrowing. "What spell?"
Ray began chanting, his voice resonating with an otherworldly power. Julian's eyes widened in recognition as he heard the familiar incantation. "That spell… it can't be…"
"Lumantica," Ray finished, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. Four bright blue crosses materialized around him, glowing with an intense light. They shot upward with blinding speed, piercing Julian's shield effortlessly. One grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, as the barrier shattered. Julian gasped in shock before collapsing unconscious.
Ray moved swiftly, catching Julian midair. He cradled his opponent gently, his expression unreadable. "I know what others don't," he murmured, his voice soft yet firm.
Walking to a nearby wall, where Julian's javelin had embedded itself, Ray muttered a strange incantation. The remnants of energy in the arena—the water, the earth spikes, even the broken branches—began to glow and dissolve into streams of light, flowing into Ray's body. "I can't afford to waste my limited mana pool," he said quietly.
Turning to the center of the arena, Ray encountered an invisible wall. He placed a hand against it, a faint smile on his lips. "Divine Shield—attribute: Sound Lock. It blocks sound transmission in and out," he explained to himself.
Suddenly, Ray's attention snapped to Natalia, who had been hiding, her invisibility faltering. She charged at him, but a gust of wind threw her back against the wall. Dazed, she tried to recover, but another powerful gust pinned her in place.
"Sleep well," Ray said coldly. "I was the one who eliminated your two elder sisters."
As Natalia slumped unconscious, Ray turned his attention back to Julian in his arms. His gaze softened slightly as he whispered, "Now, let's unlock Soul Mark."