The trio exchanged confused glances but obeyed, turning their attention back to the arena.
To their surprise, Charles wasn't celebrating his apparent victory. Instead, he was sprawled on the ground, barely holding on.
The truth was that Charles had overextended himself. Maintaining control of multiple tracking curses had drained him completely. The moment his final spell landed, his mana reserves hit empty, and he collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
Alex walked onto the field, standing between the two fallen duelists. After a brief pause, he clapped his hands loudly. "Well done, both of you," he said, his voice carrying a mix of approval and amusement.
Higgs, still struggling to sit up, glared at Alex. "What's so great about getting tossed like a ragdoll?"
"And I'm barely standing," Charles muttered weakly.
"Well, it seems Higgs is the winner," Alex declared, his tone calm but firm.
The three bystanders immediately rushed over to check on Charles, relieved to find that he was merely fatigued. "It looks like I lost," Charles admitted with a wry smile, his voice tinged with both exhaustion and admiration. "Higgs, you've improved so much—it's incredible."
Charles had entered the duel with confidence, largely because he'd trained a year earlier than Higgs and had previously beaten him. He believed he had a psychological advantage. However, Higgs's remarkable growth had caught him off guard. His agility, mastery of Transfiguration, and strategic use of concealed spells were all executed with precision and calm, earning Charles's respect.
"No, I should've lost," Higgs replied, shaking his head sheepishly. "I'm two years older than you, and you haven't even fully mastered the Iron Armor Charm yet, have you? You never used it during the fight. I had every advantage, but I still pushed myself to the brink of collapse. It doesn't feel like a victory."
"If you won, you won. Don't overthink it," Alex interjected, crossing his arms as he looked at the two of them. "By your logic, if you face someone younger than you in a real battle, should you just surrender out of guilt? That's ridiculous."
Higgs scratched his head awkwardly, realizing Alex had a point. He hadn't considered this earlier when challenging Charles.
"Senior Charles, your five consecutive tracking spells at the end were amazing! Can you teach me?" Bill suddenly chimed in, his excitement cutting through the serious atmosphere.
Hearing this, Charles couldn't help but flash a proud smile. "Haha, Alex taught me that technique, but I'm still working on getting the hang of it. The turning angles are tricky."
The technique required intense focus and precise control, which Charles had spent countless hours practicing. However, his smugness was short-lived as Alex promptly kicked him lightly in the shin.
"You know you're still bad at controlling it, so why use it recklessly in a duel?" Alex scolded, his voice stern. "It's not enough to just know a spell—you need to adapt it to the situation. Using it without thinking is just showing off, and that's not what I taught you." Grabbing a piece of chalk, Alex ushered everyone into the nearby classroom. He quickly sketched out key moments from the duel on the blackboard, dissecting each move and mistake with precision.
The group, who moments ago had been basking in the thrill of the fight, now looked thoroughly chastened. Even Bill and David, who weren't involved in the duel, stood stiffly, heads bowed as Alex pointed out various flaws.
Realizing he might've pushed them too hard, Alex sighed and softened his tone. "Alright, that's enough for today. You all put in good effort, but there's still a lot to work on. I'll gradually increase the intensity of training. Bill, David, that includes you, so be ready."
The group groaned inwardly but dared not protest. Alex's no-nonsense expression left no room for negotiation, and they reluctantly nodded in agreement.
After dismissing them, Alex stayed behind. He pulled out a small recording board with the names of Higgs, Charles, and the others written on it. Next to each name were numbers and notes that reflected their progress.
"The data from basic training routines is almost complete," Alex muttered to himself, jotting down observations. "Next, I need to gather results under extreme conditions. It's a shame magic reserves can't be quantified yet. If only I could measure them directly, it would make the data far more accurate. For now, estimates will have to do."
Alex had been working on research into "magic sensitivity" for years as part of the Charms Club. Through rigorous experimentation, he'd developed ways to enhance magical sensitivity, but quantifying magic reserves remained elusive. He dreamed of compiling his findings into a book once his research reached a breakthrough. "Maybe Professor Flitwick will have some insights," Alex decided, tidying up his notes and heading out.
Professor Flitwick looked up from the parchment he'd been grading when Alex entered his office. "Quantification of magic reserves?" the tiny professor repeated, his curiosity piqued.
Alex shared his thoughts with Professor Flitwick, who listened intently. "Your idea is unique," Flitwick said, leaning back in his chair thoughtfully. "Are you looking to study how training affects a wizard's mana reserves? It's an uncommon subject in the wizarding world. Most wizards have enough magic for daily life, so there's little focus on quantifying mana. I haven't done any research in that area myself."
After a brief pause, Flitwick's face softened. Not wanting to discourage Alex's enthusiasm, he continued, "But I can offer some suggestions. Have you tried using runes to monitor and measure a wizard's magic reserves?"
Alex nodded. "I have, but the manifestation of magic in a wizard's body is subtle. The measurements aren't accurate enough."
Flitwick tapped his desk, thinking. "In that case, you might have to consider using blood magic."
Alex tilted his head. "Blood magic?"
"Yes," Flitwick replied, his tone cautious. "It's a unique branch of magic that examines the physiology of magical creatures. Many wizarding families dabble in it, often for curse-related research. It's a difficult field, involving many in-vivo experiments."
Flitwick hesitated for a moment, then locked eyes with Alex. "But I must warn you—it's as dangerous as black magic. Some forms of blood magic are outright evil. If you pursue this, you must tread carefully."
Alex absorbed the information, his mind already calculating. He recalled the books he'd acquired from pure-blood families, realizing some of them contained mentions of blood magic. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?
Sensing Flitwick's concern, Alex reassured him. "Professor, I understand the risks. I won't act recklessly. If I encounter difficulties, I'll report back to you immediately. I won't dive in blindly."
Flitwick studied him for a moment before nodding. He had come to see Alex as cautious and determined. "Alright, but be careful."