"It's been a while pal, do you remember me."
The heavy smoke slowly died down and the mage behind it came into view.
"I said we'll meet again for the battle we couldn't fight at the entrance assessment, and I am here for it." Damian said with a cold sadistic smile.
"Zain Green, I challenge you for a duel!" Damian declared, not wasting any more time.
Ding!
The familiar sound was heard like a single ring of a bell and following it, a white glow radiated from Zain's wrist.
The stat sticker, he made this am official declaration which I cannot decline.
Zain Green, let's head to the combat ground for our battle.
***
"Hmmm, it's happening now." Harry spoke to himself as he stared from the rooftops at the duo, Damian and Zain walking off along with a massive crowd behind them despite it being the dead of the night.
"Seems like the intensive training is going to end up as a blessing to him."
"Their dirty plot won't work, I already prepared Zain for this. Harry declared, staring at them with a smirk. They won't succeed in killing Zain."
***
Arriving at the fighting arena, it was less crowded than expected, Zain was greeted with a familiar feeling.
Hopping on to the nearest platform, Damian signalled Zain to come in as well.
As soon as Zain climbed on to the platform, the countdown began on both of their stat sticker simultaneously counting...
3!
Zain and damian took their stance
2!
They both activated their magic.
1!
Fight!
The platform was quiet and the duo motionlessly stared at each other. "Let me be straight, I'll be going off with with my aim really quickly Zain." Damian spoke.
"My aim is why I requested this battle in the first place, to decapitate you!"
Zain was taken aback by what he heard. "You requested this fight with the intention to kill me!"
"Why!?"
"Easy pizy." Damian continued. "So I can fufill my master's wish and elevated in rank and status in his clan."
Zain tilted his head to the side taking a moment to process the whole thing into his head.
"You stated that you are here to kill me, I hope you know that I don't take threats likely."
"And I do not take it easy on who wants to end my life, you clearly stated your intention and I can tell you where being honest from your demeanor alone."
"You just gave me a reason to go extra mile, I will beat you Damian, I mean it." Zain declared, for the first time since he landed at this mage world, he was damn serious with an unwavering serious expression.
Seems like it is impossible to live happily with nothing to worry about. Problems must pop up.
With a smile, Damian started. "Do you have any idea what rank I am at Zain." Damian question rhetorically.
"Or have you forgotten that I wasn't assessed during the assessment."
Zain, I am at the common rank, level-8 of the mage classification.
My magic is not one to laugh at either. Magic of flame.
"Damian," Zain replied, his voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through his veins. "You've always been one for theatrics. But if it's a duel you want, then a duel you shall have."
The crowd that had gathered around them murmured in anticipation, their eyes darting between the two mages. Zain could feel the energy coming from Damian... No... he could see it.
'This guy is way stronger than every single student I've come across so far since I've learnt this technique. His aura is greater than all I've seen so far but it isn't all that strong.'
"Let's make our own countdown since we didn't use the former countdown."
On the count of three," Damian said, his voice low and menacing. "One… two…"
"Zain's heart raced, and he could feel the energy around him crackling with potential. He is ready."
"Three!"
The duel had begun, and there was no turning back.
*Flame magic activated*
*Over head flame sun*
*Maximum output strike*
The air around them shimmered as a blazing orb of fire materialized above Damian's hands, casting a warm glow that flickered against the shadows of the surrounding trees. The heat radiated outward, causing the ground beneath them to sizzle slightly.
Vwooom!
Flame exploded above Damian palms before slowly condensing Into it's designed shaped and expanding.
"The heat coming from that, is intense!"
Someone mumbled from a distance away and soon, all the students started heading towards their platform to watch the duel.
"Is that guy even even supposed to be in the basic rank mage department." Another questioned out loud.
"No mage at the basic rank can do this, this guy is clearly a common rank mage, a strong one perhaps."
"The flame ball expanded and condensed, just the heat intensity from it already made Zain clothes to be drenched in his own sweat."
'Nice first move, plan the win me as soon as the fight begins, interesting.'
*Energy ball*
Zain chanted as he stretched his palm to the side. 'Ever since I trained with Harry, I became capable of seeing inside my body better than most x-ray sight magic possess because I'm not limited to seeing the tangibles in my body, I can see my energy flow as well.'
'All thanks to that, I have a better understanding on channeling my magic through my body and outside, I know what to do to avoid my last mistake.'
Stretching his left hand sidewards, he opened his palm wide, as he nonchalantly stood like an expert, casting his energy ball.
No basic rank mage can cast this without immense concentration and practice, they'll even need to close their eyes in order to summon it yet, Zain casted it like in a nonchalant manner like it was no big deal.
Unlike the regular, as the pure energy ball came out from his hands, the pressure of the room was instantly altered, killing all the intensity that Damian was exuding.
Both Damian and his readied attack felt invinsible in an instant, Zain and the onlookers couldn't tell but Damian could. Regardless, he still sent his attack.
With caution, Damian descended his flame ball downwards while Zain ascended his green ball of energy upwards.
Booooooooooom!!!!
As both forces collided, shockwaves were sent as well as the vibration of the area the stood. Most students couldn't even hold their ground as they staggered.
'Our both attack are not of equal strength,' Zain realized. 'If this attack was an horizontal attack, someone would have died.'
The priceless expression on Damian face made Zain smile. "Are you horrified!"
The concrete roof of the building had a wide hole at the size of a cannon ball pierced right through it, it burst through it completely that they were able to see the sky.
Zain attack was the one directed upwards, this is the work of his energy ball, not only did it deflect Damian attack, it still destroy the ceiling of the building and continued ascending upwards into the sky, unshaken.
'Just how can an ordinary energy ball be this strong.'
'Seems like it was a good choice taking this fight seriously, I'm gonna go harder than this.' Damian decided.
*Flame expand*
Vwoom!
The platform the were standing on turned red instantly.
'Oh shit! This is bad,' Zain realized, 'he expanded his aura through this platform trapping me, it is like I am in his domain... like his little world were I have no where to run to.'
'I am trapped!'
This is the disadvantage of the duel of the school is that it is giving an upper edge on people who are not too strong but can make powerful small scale attack, while giving disadvantage to people who cannot make such attack and plan to dodge.
This platform is just a square five meters stone tablet, I have to stop him from casting any attack with this ground because any attack he make with it, will guarantee a hit.
Stretching his legs backwards Zain did something he've never done before. He channeled energy into his leg from his core and condensed it, not allowing it to flow outside but be concentrated inside.
'I'll call this move,'
*Inner command*
Swoosh!
Zain body blasted forward, closing the distance between him and Damian at lightning speed.
Gasp!
Damian gasped, this clearly was unexpected from him.
Stretching his hand backwards, Zain threw a full strength punch right at Damian's guts but unfortunately... missed.
'No!'
'I was starting to get impressed, too bad Zain.' Damian palm rested on Zain's chest. 'Too bad.'
*Flame rushing blast*
Booooooooom!!!
Another explosion was heard which shook the room raising up black smoke.
'The attacked clearly hit, but did that kill him.' Damian wondered. 'I hope it did.'
As the smoke settled, a figure could be seen, panting.
A figure that made Damien cursed. 'I hate this brat!'
Zain's shirt could be seen, already burned off and his chest painted in black scorching mark.
'How the hell are you still intact! His body is supposed to be in pieces, not in piece... Or peace!'
Acting faster than Zain could react, Damian took the offense gear again.
*Distant flame beam*
*Ten bang*
Damian stretched both palm towards Zain as aura dance in front of, then fired.
*Bang*
*Bang*
*Bang*
I don't know how you bypassed that one, but i don't care to know.
*Bang*
*Bang*
*Bang*
All I want is for you to die.
*Bang*
*Bang*
*Bang*
Just diiiie!
*Bang*