The cloudy skies draped over the open plains of Utgard, where we had gathered. A cold wind swept through the area, carrying with it a biting chill.
I stood in the center of the field, ten meters away from Linnie. The girl looked small compared to the vast expanse around us, but her eyes gleamed with determination and courage—a stark contrast to the timid girl I first met.
"Don't hold back, Linnie," I said in a low voice. "If you hesitate, I won't go easy on you."
Linnie bit her lower lip, gripping her staff tightly. She took a deep breath and met my gaze with unwavering resolve. "I'm ready whenever you are, Yatagarasu!"
Yeah, today was the day for our magic combat training—a way to test how far we'd progressed. The idea came from Loki, curious about the power I'd gained after undergoing the oath-tattoo ritual a few days ago.
It was also a contest to determine which magic was superior: Linnie's traditional methods or Loki's innovative techniques taught to me.
At the edge of the field, Fenrir sat against the roots of a large tree, her wolf-like tail flicking restlessly—a sign that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the situation.
Next to her, Aqua and Crimson played with large bones that Loki had given them. Occasionally, they lifted their heads to watch the battle about to unfold.
Loki stood calmly in the distance, arms crossed over his chest, his mysterious smile ever-present. "Remember," he said, glancing at us, "I want to see your full potential. Don't hold back from making a mess. The area is already surrounded by barriers."
I exhaled deeply, rolling my shoulders. "Let's do this, Linnie. Show me what you've got."
Linnie didn't need to be told twice. She raised her staff, and in an instant, magic pulsed from her body. Her lips moved, chanting a spell so quietly that I couldn't make it out from this distance.
I could feel the waves of energy emanating from the magic circle beneath her feet. The wind picked up, and shards of icy stone began to form and float in the air.
"Isspyd!"
As soon as she shouted the spell's name, the shards shot toward me at blinding speed.
But my body instinctively reacted, leaping to the side to evade. It wasn't a far jump, but enough to avoid the direct line of her attack.
While airborne, I transformed a feather into a blade and hurled it toward Linnie.
"Vindskjold." Linnie reacted swiftly, conjuring a barrier of wind that deflected my feathered dagger.
Using a spell called Akselerasjon, I temporarily boosted all my physical stats and dashed around her to target her blind spot. I had already prepared a fireball in my hand, concealing it as my surprise attack.
"I knew you'd use Akselerasjon to flank me, Yata! I won't let you!" Linnie slammed her hand to the ground and shouted her signature spell, "Rise, Issøyler!"
The earth trembled as icy spires erupted from the ground, radiating outward from Linnie as the center.
I skidded to a halt, then pushed off with one foot, launching myself backward to escape the spell's range. The towering ice formations reached for me, but I used them as stepping stones to put more distance between us.
"Tch, he's too nimble," Linnie muttered from afar.
But the fight wasn't over. I quickly hurled the fireball in my hand. It streaked through the air toward her, weaving between the icy obstructions she had conjured.
Unfortunately, Linnie easily deflected the fireball with a single swing of her staff.
"I figured that wouldn't do much," I muttered, landing at what I considered a safe distance from her magic's reach.
"You think such magic can harm me, huh?" The girl pointed her staff at me. "Don't underestimate me, Yata. I'm no longer the weak mage you once knew. Even in just a few weeks, I've grown immensely."
From the sidelines, Fenrir stood up, waving both her hand and tail excitedly. "Get him, Linnie! Show him who's boss!"
Aqua and Crimson weren't much different, their tails wagging as they joined in the cheers.
I grimaced. "Instead of cheering for me, you're rooting for her to beat me?" I quipped, glancing at Fenrir and the baby spinosaurs.
"Seeing you get humbled by a girl would definitely tone down that irritating attitude of yours," Fenrir retorted with a smirk.
I sighed, speechless.
In that moment of distraction, a miniature ice spear shot toward my face. I narrowly dodged, but not without a shallow cut on my cheek, leaving a bead of blood trailing down.
"Please, stay focused. We're still in the middle of a fight," Linnie murmured in a low, steady voice.
Her small warning was enough to snap me back into concentration.
As my focus sharpened, Linnie raised her staff toward the sky, chanting a spell. A large surge of magical energy poured from her, creating a powerful gust of wind.
When I looked up, a massive magic circle began forming in the sky, filling the heavens as though she planned to rain destruction from above. The sight made me clench my jaw tightly.
This was bad—she was preparing something dangerous.
Without hesitation, I dashed toward her using Akselerasjon. My legs moved swiftly, weaving between the remaining ice pillars that littered the field.
Above us, the sky began to glow with a bluish light as her spell approached activation.
"I need to stop her before it's too late."
I quickened my pace, but the icy terrain was a major hindrance. Without second thoughts, I leaped upward, intending to run through the air using the aerodynamic magic I'd developed.
My feet landed on the magic circles I conjured in midair, using them as stepping stones to bypass the icy spikes below.
Before long, the distance between us had shrunk considerably. I was confident I could reach her before she completed her spell.
"W-what? How is that possible?" Linnie gasped, her eyes widening in panic as she saw me running through the air.
She twirled her staff frantically, murmuring a wind spell to push me back, but it was too late. Before she could finish, I lunged forward and kicked her staff out of her hands, sending it flying far away.
Without wasting any time, I spread my palm, preparing to deliver precise strikes to take her down and dispel her magic.
"It ends here."
I pressed my index and middle fingers together while curling the others into a fist, then struck Linnie's solar plexus mercilessly. But as soon as my hand made contact...
"What?"
Linnie's body suddenly transformed into a clump of snow before shattering into pieces like a broken snowman.
"Damn it, I've been tricked!"
My eyes darted around, searching for Linnie's whereabouts, but the towering ice crags obstructed my view.
A sudden echo of laughter from above snapped me to attention. I looked up and saw Linnie floating near the ceiling, standing on a glowing magic circle beneath her feet.
"I can't believe you fell for such a cheap trick, Yata." A sly smile spread across her face—something she rarely displayed except during a fight.
I clicked my tongue, fully aware of the precarious situation I was in.
The light in the sky grew brighter as she raised her staff, seemingly preparing to unleash the magic she had been building up.
"This will end it all." She paused, taking a deep breath. With her staff pointing downward, she shouted the name of her spell.
«Gråt av elementene!»
The massive magic circle dominating the sky shattered into thousands of smaller circles. From each one, elemental magic rained down relentlessly, striking the ground with the force of an unstoppable storm of destruction.
I ran with all my might, my body constantly moving to evade each attack that crashed into the earth with explosive force. Every step was accompanied by deafening booms and the cracking of ice.
I caught a brief glimpse of Loki forming a large barrier to protect Fenrir, Aqua, and Crimson. His hand was steady, but his eyes betrayed his amazement at his daughter's power.
"How could she create magic this insane?" Loki muttered, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos.
I didn't have time to ponder how Linnie pulled it off. All I knew was that every second I survived felt like a miracle.
I tried to control my breathing, but the magical downpour left me no chance. All I could do was move, dodging every strike aimed to tear me apart. The towering ice crags offered some cover but could just as easily collapse or block my path.
"Damn it, I need a way to strike back," I muttered, forcing my brain to work.
When the magical storm finally slowed, I spotted a small opening. In one swift motion, I transformed Muramasa into a bow. The bowstring felt heavy in my grasp, as if it knew I only had one shot.
I pulled it back, channeling all my energy into a magical arrow, and aimed at Linnie, who still floated in the sky, surrounded by the lingering magic circles.
But as if sensing my intent, Linnie focused her magic on me. Every time I aimed, her magic rained down directly to disrupt me.
I was forced to abandon my aim and dodge again. Her magic seemed to anticipate my every move, leaving me no room to breathe.
"Damn it, that girl knows what I'm trying to do."
I tried to conjure an ice wall to shield myself, but her magic shattered it effortlessly. Every defense I built was destroyed in seconds. All I could do was keep moving, waiting for the smallest opening.
"There's no point in resisting. You're just wasting your mana and energy. You should surrender now, Yata."
"As if I'd ever surrender to you, little girl."
"Ugh, since when did you start calling me a little girl?"
"Since I realized you're still a kid."
Unconsciously, our conversation seemed to distract her, creating a small gap in her barrage. My eyes caught the rare opportunity clearly.
A wide grin spread across my face. "Perfect," I murmured under my breath.
In an instant, I spun around, drawing my bowstring taut and pouring all my energy into the arrow. I took aim and released it in one fluid motion.
The arrow shot through the air, piercing straight into Linnie's chest. I saw her stagger in the sky, the magic circles around her gradually fading. The magical downpour ceased, leaving silence to replace the previous chaos.
Linnie's body fell from the sky, plummeting rapidly. But even as she fell, I saw her lips move, whispering a final spell.
I heard the sound of ice cracking, and before I could react, my feet felt frozen. Looking down, I saw ice encasing both legs, anchoring me in place.
I tried to pull free, but before I could, the remnants of Linnie's magic struck me. The energy from her magic circle exploded around me, slamming me into the ground.
When I opened my eyes, I was sprawled on the ground, my body heavy as stone. My movements were limited, and my legs remained trapped in ice that bit into my skin with its piercing cold.
"Damn it, what just happened?"
I turned my head with difficulty and saw Linnie lying not far from me. She was motionless, save for her labored breathing, which indicated she was still conscious.
Loki approached his daughter swiftly, his face calm yet full of concern. Fenrir ran toward me, her tail wagging rapidly, her eyes filled with worry.
"Yata!" she called, her voice clear despite my ragged breathing.
She knelt beside me, attempting to free my legs from the ice. Aqua and Crimson, as usual, were full of energy despite the grim situation. They jumped onto my chest, curling up as if to reassure me I'd be fine.
I gazed at Linnie from where I lay. Her face was exhausted, her body trembling, but a wide smile shone on her face. Her eyes gleamed with undeniable pride.
"You... were incredible," I murmured, almost as if speaking to myself. Linnie let out a small laugh, her breaths still shallow.
The match ended in a draw. I hadn't won, but I hadn't lost either. And even though my body felt like lead, I knew this battle proved one thing: Linnie had surpassed her old self, and I had to be prepared for more surprises from her in the future.