The dust from the sparring ground began to settle as Raven slowly rose to his feet, shaking off the blow I had just delivered. His stance was a little shaky, but his spirit was unbroken. The smirk that had faded earlier began to creep back onto his face.
"Impressive," he said, his voice steady despite the pain evident in his movements. "But I'm not done yet."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. The power he'd displayed so far was admirable, but he had to know the gap between us was significant. Still, there was a spark in his eyes—an unyielding determination that I couldn't help but respect.
"Good," I replied, cracking my knuckles. "Let's see what else you've got."
---
The arena buzzed with energy as Raven took a deep breath and steadied himself. This time, his movements were more calculated, his mana swirling around him with precision.
"Mana Infusion: Dual Element Amplification."
His declaration was met with a surge of energy that pulsed through the arena, the air around him shimmering with the combined forces of fire and wind. His mana blade reformed, this time burning with a fiery edge and flickering with the speed of a gale.
"Interesting," I muttered, a smile playing on my lips. "Let's see how far that takes you."
Without hesitation, Raven charged forward, his blade slicing through the air with a speed that was nearly blinding. This time, he didn't rely on brute force alone—his attacks were fluid, weaving between slashes and strikes with an almost dancer-like grace.
I dodged the first few swings, my own movements a careful balance of observation and defense. When one strike came dangerously close, I raised my arm, reinforcing it with mana. The blade met my defense with a loud clang, the collision sending sparks flying.
"Not bad," I said, my voice calm as ever. "But you'll need more than fancy tricks to land a hit."
Raven didn't falter. Instead, he smirked and whispered under his breath, "Burst Slash."
Before I could react, an explosion of fire erupted from his blade, the force pushing me back several feet. I landed gracefully, brushing off the embers that clung to my clothes.
"Clever," I admitted. "But you're not the only one who can play with fire."
Raising my hand, I summoned a swirling sphere of flames, the heat radiating from it causing the air to shimmer.
"Flame Tempest."
With a flick of my wrist, the sphere exploded outward into a torrent of fire, engulfing the area around Raven. The ground beneath him turned black as the flames roared, their heat nearly unbearable.
For a moment, I thought I'd overwhelmed him, but then a gust of wind erupted from the center of the inferno, dispersing the flames.
Raven stood at the heart of the scorched arena, his mana blade dissipated but his expression fierce.
"Nice try," he said, breathing heavily. "But I'm not that easy to take down."
---
The duel escalated from there. Raven began to push himself, drawing on every ounce of his mana and skill. He conjured whirlwinds to counter my lightning strikes, used firewalls to block my wind blades, and even managed to land a glancing blow with a mana-imbued kick that sent me sliding back a few steps.
But for every move he made, I had a counter.
When he summoned a barrage of fire arrows, I conjured a water barrier to extinguish them. When he tried to trap me in a cyclone of wind, I broke free with a burst of raw mana. And when he charged at me head-on, I met his attack with one of my own, the collision creating shockwaves that reverberated through the arena.
The audience—our parents and a few of the estate staff—watched in silence, their eyes wide as the battle unfolded.
---
"Enough of this," Raven said, his voice firm as he stepped back. "I've been holding back, but it seems I'll need to go all out to stand a chance."
I tilted my head, curious. "Oh? You've been holding back this whole time?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes and began to chant, the words of his incantation ancient and powerful. The ground beneath him began to glow with runes, the air around him growing heavy with mana.
"Mana Convergence: Elemental Awakening."
The arena erupted with energy as Raven unleashed his ultimate move. The fire and wind he had been using fused together, creating a vortex of molten air that surrounded him. His blade reformed, now twice as large and pulsating with destructive energy.
"Let's see how you handle this," he said, his voice echoing with power.
I smiled, a thrill of excitement running through me. "Now that's more like it."
---
Raven charged forward, his blade leaving a trail of fire and wind in its wake. I met him head-on, summoning my own weapon—a spear made of lightning.
The clash was nothing short of spectacular. The impact of our weapons sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, cracks forming in the reinforced ground. The air was filled with the roar of fire, the howl of wind, and the crackle of lightning as our attacks collided again and again.
At one point, Raven managed to land a direct hit, his blade slicing through my mana shield and grazing my shoulder. The pain was sharp, but it only fueled my determination.
"Not bad," I said, channeling more mana into my spear. "But it's my turn now."
Raising my weapon, I summoned all the lightning around me, condensing it into a single, devastating attack.
"Thunderstorm Lance."
The spear erupted with energy, the lightning radiating from it so bright it was almost blinding. I hurled it at Raven, the force of the attack creating a deafening boom as it flew through the air.
Raven tried to block with his blade, but the lance shattered his weapon on impact, the resulting explosion sending him flying across the arena.
---
When the dust settled, Raven was lying on the ground, his mana spent and his body bruised but otherwise unharmed. He groaned, sitting up slowly as he looked at me with a mixture of frustration and admiration.
"You win," he said, his voice hoarse. "I can't beat you—not yet."
I walked over to him, extending a hand to help him up. "You're strong, Raven. Stronger than most people your age. But you rely too much on your elements. Balance is key."
He took my hand, standing with some difficulty. "I'll remember that."
---
As we left the arena, our parents greeted us with smiles.
"Well done, both of you," my father said, his voice filled with pride. "Arax, you handled yourself admirably. And Raven, you've proven yourself to be a worthy opponent."
Raven's father nodded in agreement. "It seems our families will have much to look forward to in the future."
I glanced at Raven, who gave me a small smile. Despite the outcome, I could tell he wasn't discouraged. If anything, he seemed more determined than ever.
The duel had been a valuable experience, not just for him but for me as well. It was an eye opener. There were no shortages of prodigies so i can't just relax i have to be better. Brute strength does not solve all after all his weapon or mana was of higher quality than even his slight graze would've drawn blood from me. Though i would've healed from it quite easily.