It had been five months since my journey in the dungeons had started taking me deeper and further into danger. In that time, my growth had been astronomical, and now I was nearing my eighth birthday. However, I was currently focused on something else entirely.
"Hooo, okay, let's try this one more time," I muttered, standing before the punch pad in the training hall.
With a deep breath, I tightened my fists, drawing on every ounce of my physical strength. Then, with a shout, I let loose a punch that crashed into the pad like a thunderclap.
BOOM!
The room quaked violently, faint cracks spidering out across the reinforced walls. This was no ordinary training room—it was equipped with the latest mana-reinforced materials to withstand attacks from even advanced warriors. Despite that, the impact of my punch sent visible shockwaves rippling through the space.
The machine whirred and beeped, displaying the results of my effort:
«100,000,000 Points of Damage Recorded.
Assigning Rank… 50%… 100%… Rank 3 Transcendent.»
I sighed, shaking out my hand. "Rank 3 with just my physical strength alone. Not bad, I guess."
It was impressive, no doubt. To even touch Rank 3 without channeling mana or using arts was unheard of, but it still wasn't enough. I knew I could do better—this was just raw power. Still, it was a step forward.
Satisfied with my progress, I left the training hall and headed back to the main house. There was talk of a guest arriving today, and I had a suspicion it wasn't a casual visit.
---
As I approached the grand hall, I heard a voice call out.
"Ah, hello there. You must be the Young Lord Arax."
I turned to see a boy, maybe around twelve years old, standing in the doorway. He was well-dressed, exuding an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance.
"Yes, that would be me," I replied, keeping my tone polite. "How may I help you?"
The boy gave a short bow. "The name is Raven. Jarl Raven. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Master Arax."
The name clicked instantly. Raven—one of the high families of the Republic. Their lineage was known for producing skilled mages and warriors. But what was a scion of their family doing here?
"It's fine," I said casually, though my guard was up. "What brings you to my family's estate?"
Raven smirked. "Word travels fast, Master Arax. Rumors say you're a prodigy of both magic and strength. Some even claim you've been clearing Tier 2 dungeons at such a young age."
He paused, his smirk widening. "I wanted to see it for myself. A friendly duel, if you don't mind, of course."
Ah, there it was. This wasn't a casual visit—it was reconnaissance. The Raven family wanted to gauge my abilities, perhaps to confirm whether the rumors were true or exaggerated.
The boy carried himself with a certain confidence that made it clear he wasn't just an average young noble. His mana signature wasn't weak either; I'd estimate him at Rank 1, maybe even nearing Rank 2. That kind of power at his age was impressive—prodigy-level for sure.
I considered his request. It wasn't a bad opportunity to display my strength, and I didn't plan on hiding my abilities too much. A duel could be entertaining and beneficial.
"Sure," I said, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "If you'd like, we can have one right now."
---
"Ah, Arax, I see you've already met Young Jarl," my father's voice interrupted as he entered the room with my mother.
They were accompanied by another man, roughly my father's age. He carried himself with a similar aura of authority, though his mana signature wasn't quite as overwhelming. Still, he was strong—probably a seasoned warrior or mage.
"Well, son," my mother said gently, "it's up to you. If you don't feel like fighting, we can arrange something else."
I shook my head. "It's fine. I don't mind a spar."
"My son may look twelve, but he's actually nineteen," the man—Raven's father, no doubt—said with a faint smile. "His power level is quite high for his age, but we can adjust for that if necessary."
So this was planned. My parents must have arranged this as a way to give me experience against strong, talented individuals. They likely noticed that the dungeons, while challenging, hadn't truly pushed me to my limits.
I glanced at my parents, who both gave me encouraging nods.
"It's fine," I said confidently. "I can take it."
---
We moved to the estate's sparring grounds, a massive arena built to handle high-level duels. It was reinforced with multiple layers of mana-resistant barriers to protect the surroundings from collateral damage.
Raven stood across from me, his smirk still in place. He looked eager, as if he'd been waiting for this moment for a while.
"Ready when you are," I called out, settling into a relaxed stance.
Raven didn't respond verbally. Instead, he raised his hand, summoning a blade of pure mana. The air around him shimmered as his power flared to life.
Without warning, he dashed forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. His speed was impressive, but I'd seen faster.
I sidestepped his first strike, feeling the mana blade graze the air inches from my side. Before he could recover, I retaliated with a punch aimed at his midsection.
Raven's reflexes were sharp—he conjured a barrier just in time to absorb the blow. Even so, the force of my attack sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground.
"Not bad," I said, shaking out my hand. "But you'll need more than that to land a hit."
Raven's smirk faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. He raised his blade again, this time channeling wind magic into it. The blade elongated, becoming a whip-like weapon that lashed out toward me.
I dodged the first few strikes, then decided to meet him head-on.
"Mana Shield."
A translucent barrier formed around me, deflecting his attacks as I closed the distance. When I was within reach, I grabbed the blade mid-swing, shattering it with a burst of raw mana.
Raven's eyes widened, but he wasn't done yet. He jumped back, summoning a barrage of fireballs that rained down toward me.
I raised a hand. "Wind Wall."
A gust of wind erupted from my palm, scattering the fireballs harmlessly into the air.
"Your spells are impressive," I said, walking toward him. "But you rely too much on raw power."
Before he could respond, I disappeared from his view, using mana to enhance my speed.
I reappeared behind him, my fist crackling with lightning.
"Thunder Strike!"
The blow landed squarely on his back, sending him tumbling across the arena. He rolled to a stop, groaning in pain but still conscious. He got back up rather quickly.
Raven slowly got to his feet, clutching his side. Despite the clear pain, he gave me a nod of respect.
"You're as strong as the rumors say," he admitted, a wry smile on his face. "Stronger, even."
"You're not bad yourself," I replied
To be continued....
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