Alan rushed to stand in front of Alice at an even faster speed.
Alice glanced up and down at Alan, just about to speak, when the sound of rushing wind filled the air.
A muscular young man, his upper body bare and carrying a long spear on his back, charged over.
"Hey there, beauty, care to go shopping with me?"
His slightly flirtatious voice had barely landed when Alan stepped in front of him.
"She's not free, and neither am I. You'd better find someone else to bother," Alan said coldly.
Alice looked at the young man, then back at Alan, her expression calm and indifferent.
The young man, now blocked by Alan, glared at him with anger, sneering arrogantly.
"Who do you think you are, stopping me from flirting? Eat shit!"
With that, a powerful gust accompanied his punch, aimed straight at Alan's chest.
A strange black mire surged around the fist, emanating an eerie suction force.
Alan countered with his own fist. Carrying the essence of [Blade Spirit], his punch tore through the air with a force that seemed to twist reality itself.
Boom!
When their fists collided, the deafening sound of an explosion erupted, as if a powerful bomb had gone off.
Shockwaves rippled outward, sweeping away fallen leaves and branches, leaving the ground trembling.
Both fighters' feet sank into the earth, creating visible cracks that spread out like a spiderweb, accompanied by clouds of dust.
Alan took three steps back, each step leaving deep imprints on the ground.
The young man, on the other hand, stumbled back seven steps, his arm trembling slightly.
Flexing his sore arm, the young man's previously careless gaze turned a bit more serious.
"You're an interesting one, aren't you?"
Saying this, he drew the bright silver spear from his back. As he brandished it, its silver hue darkened into an eerie black, exuding a gravity-like pressure that bore down on Alan.
In response, Alan gripped his staff-like sword tightly and swung it toward the young man.
The sharp gleam of the blade was almost blinding.
Clang!
The clash of metal resounded. Though Alan struck the heavy spear with enough force to send it flying, the weapon returned with lightning speed, aiming straight for his chest.
At the same time, the gravitational pressure emanating from the spear suddenly intensified tenfold.
Alan's pupils contracted sharply as he sensed the overwhelming danger from the young man's attack.
This opponent not only had solid fundamentals but also wielded an exceptionally strange elemental power.
An ordinary mage would have been caught completely off guard by such a sudden and powerful assault.
But Alan wasn't just any mage—he was a magus.
As the danger drew near, the earth element beneath Alan's feet surged like a tide, propelling him backward. At the same time, concentrated earth energy, boosted by an explosive burst of fire energy, struck the young man's chest like a battering ram, forcing him back dozens of steps.
The young man steadied himself, staring at Alan in astonishment.
"A magus! You're actually a magus!"
"Now that you know, you should leave," Alan said calmly, not wanting to escalate the situation further.
However, after confirming Alan's status as a magus, the young man's eyes lit up with a fiery [Battle Spirit]. He looked at Alan with a serious expression.
"A magus, huh? You don't meet many of those in a lifetime! Come on! I, Francis, have never backed down from anyone. Let's have a proper fight!"
Before he could finish, Alan's staff sword emanated a unique mind power that rippled outward.
Under the influence of Alan's mind power, the environment around Francis underwent a dramatic transformation.
First, roaring flames descended from the sky, turning the air unbearably hot and sealing off Francis' escape.
Francis had no choice but to defend himself, his body enveloped in an impenetrable layer of black energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flames collided with Francis repeatedly, producing deafening explosions. Then, wind blades, shards of ice, and earthen spikes followed, assaulting him relentlessly.
As the intensity of their battle reached terrifying levels, a figure flashed into view. Gayle appeared at the scene, observing the two fighters locked in combat.
"Enough! Stop this right now!" Gayle commanded.
But neither fighter paid him any heed. Instead, their clashes grew even fiercer.
Seeing this, Gayle refrained from speaking further and instead turned to Duke Alice, who stood nearby. Smiling, he remarked,
"You seem to hold Alan in high regard, Duke Alice, coming here personally for him."
To Gayle, this was highly unusual.
After all, Alan and Alice were worlds apart. Even if Alan had remarkable talent, it shouldn't warrant this level of attention from Alice.
Facing Gayle's inquiry, Alice replied calmly,
"What I value is not just his talent but also his character. A man who can face the Barton Kingdom's army without flinching, a man who dared to stand up for his kingdom—he has earned my respect and the right to be my friend."
The Duke's friend?!
Gayle was stunned, unable to believe his ears.
In the Plantagenet Kingdom, countless people dreamed of befriending Duke Alice, but very few were ever deemed worthy.
While Gayle was still in shock, a thunderous explosion rang out in the distance.
Both Alan and Francis were sent flying, landing apart from each other.
This time, neither resumed their attacks.
Gayle assessed Francis and said, "That's enough sparring for now. From today onward, you're both students of Sirius Academy. Get along with each other!"
"Sirius Academy students?"
Alan and Francis exchanged looks of surprise.
Francis stared at Gayle.
"What the hell? You're telling me he's a student at Sirius Academy?"
"Why not?" Gayle replied.
Francis scratched his ear, clearly frustrated.
"Old man, how many students does your academy even have?"
Gayle said, "Counting you, three. Another one is on their way."
Three students?!
This… this was practically a scam!
"Old man, you lied to me! You said your academy was prestigious. Forget it—I'm going to Lioncrest Academy! That's the real deal!"
Gayle responded calmly, "You're free to go wherever you like. But as for the last few volumes of the Eightfold Spear Arts, I'll have to say sorry."
"You're threatening me?!" Francis narrowed his eyes, but realizing that Gayle held the key to the magic scrolls he sought, he deflated like a punctured balloon. With a look of resignation, he muttered,
"Old man, this academy barely qualifies as one. You tricked me! You said Sirius Academy was on par with the best. This is outright fraud!"
Gayle chuckled.
"Aren't all academies in the Plantagenet Kingdom equal in status? What's there to complain about?"
Francis trembled with frustration, feeling utterly scammed.
If he had the strength to take on Gayle, he'd have stabbed him with his spear right then and there!
"I know you're upset, but look at this." Gayle's hand glowed as he conjured an ancient parchment scroll.
When the scroll unfurled, shadowy figures of spear techniques flickered across its surface.
Francis' eyes widened in awe.
"Become a student of Sirius Academy, and this will be yours," Gayle said, tossing the scroll lightly in his hand.
Francis let out a long sigh, his anger dissipating. Like a defeated warrior, he trudged over to Gayle.
As he passed Alan and Alice, he paused and said,
"When I've mastered this spear art, I'll come back, and we'll have another fight!"
Alan nodded.
"Looking forward to it."
Francis was one of the strongest peers Alan had ever faced.
For now, Alan could only gain a slight edge but couldn't decisively defeat him. A worthy opponent indeed.
"Master the world? Who dares claim such a thing? This is the capital. Whether or not you succeed, you must stay humble and stop being so arrogant," Gayle admonished.
Francis smirked.
"I'm here to create miracles. Across the Plantagenet Kingdom, I'm the finest talent. Everyone else is just a stepping stone on my path to greatness."