164. Today We're Not Mocking [Bloodline]
Stepping into the arena, Leoz cracked his knuckles, his expression growing serious.
Although he hadn't truly mastered spells, his understanding of magical theory was thorough enough. Countering spellcasters was second nature to him.
Diaran stood opposite him, her demeanor slightly odd. She glanced at Leoz and said:
"Are you ready? This may be a path of no return—"
"Stop babbling like a woman. Are you fighting or not?"
Leoz impatiently retorted:
"We're already here. Do you think I'd back out now?"
"… I understand."
Diaran took a deep breath, looked toward the magic brain referee, and nodded.
The referee's synthesized voice announced:
"First-year student Leoz versus first-year student Diaran."
"According to the school's "Duel Law", the match rules are as follows:"
"Both participants will receive special magical reaction shields. Points are awarded based on the areas struck."
A layer of magical film immediately enveloped both Leoz and Diaran before fading.
"Head: 5 points; torso: 3 points; joints: 2 points; limbs: 1 point. For full-body attacks, only the initial impact location is scored."
Huh… these rules, huh?
Leoz rubbed the chin of his armored head.
This was right up his alley—like combat sports, where points depended on targeted strikes.
However, under these rules, precise hits yielded more than indiscriminate firepower. His initial plan to use construction magic to alter the terrain was out.
"Participants may use any magic freely. Fatal attacks will be blocked by the magical reaction shields, but spiritual bodies must not be targeted."
Diaran lifted her golden eyes, gazing deeply at Leoz as she inhaled.
"The match is limited to 15 minutes. The highest score wins."
"Countdown—start!"
Bang!
With a single toe press, Leoz launched himself forward. His [Bloodline] granted him immense power, allowing him to achieve speeds far beyond the Delta tier. By leveraging reaction forces to propel himself, he crossed the distance to Diaran in an instant.
"Force Spell!"
Leoz bluffed a spell name, raising a fist and slamming it down fiercely!
Boom!
Dirt flew, erupting like a battleship's cannon blasting the ground. Dust rolled, and the deafening shockwaves reverberated through the arena, echoing across the space.
"What's going on? Who's dueling?"
"That's quite a commotion. I've got to check this out."
Diaran's gaze sharpened as she quickly retreated, her fingers weaving spell models at high speed.
Input variables—calibrate firing trajectory—initial velocity 1200 m/s—high-speed projection.
She adjusted the coefficients of the spell model as she retreated. The moment her back foot touched down, Leoz tore through the dust cloud like a descending tiger, his fists aimed directly at her head!
Activate model—output!
Diaran stood firm, raising her left hand to block in front of Leoz.
[Arcane•Energy Rejection Shot]
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In an instant, arcane energy converged and detonated against Leoz's face, forcing him backward. Diaran promptly adjusted parts of the formula, continuing her output.
Engage arcane protocol—redirect spellflow—set firing direction—initial velocity 780—area saturation attack.
In essence, magic was a language. Casting spells for combat was akin to programming.
The more adept a mage, the better they adapted spells to the situation, avoiding rigid reliance on existing models and instead tailoring them to battlefield needs.
[Arcane•Rainfall Spikes]
The newly arranged spell formula unfolded swiftly. Leoz had barely landed before a magic circle opened above him, unleashing needle-like projectiles that rained down like a storm, dealing penetrating damage.
Leoz was unfazed. He raised his hands to shield his head, ensuring only his limbs—worth the lowest points—were struck. Meanwhile, he advanced relentlessly, charging straight back toward Diaran.
Diaran's eyes flickered as she pressed a hand to her chest, activating the glowing magical tattoo on her hand.
[Arcane•Cleansing Dust Storm]
Arcane energy immediately drained the arena's central air. Leoz was suddenly trapped in a vacuum.
"A vacuum field? Smart move."
If he were an ordinary mage, his fragile body would have suffered severe, if not fatal, damage. But for someone trained in cosmic combat—this was his domain.
Without air resistance, his strength was fully unleashed.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
"Huh?"
Diaran darted backward, dodging Leoz's ferocious punches. The gusts from his blows were aggressive, disrupting her casting. She had to keep ducking, her casting rhythm repeatedly broken.
"How are you maintaining such high-frequency attacks while staying this powerful?!"
Leoz didn't answer. Diaran's spellcasting was too refined; even a brief pause on his part would let her take control.
Leoz didn't know magic.
Diaran continued attempting spells, but every time she was about to cast, Leoz lunged forward, unleashing a flurry of punches that disrupted her at the critical moment.
Casting failed.
Diaran was forced to retreat, preparing another spell.
"Earthquake Spell!"
Leoz stomped the ground, his sheer power sending shockwaves that threw Diaran off balance.
Casting failed.
Stabilizing herself, Diaran pressed her hands to the ground for support, readying another arcane spell. Just as she bent down, Leoz launched himself like a cannonball, crashing down forcefully!
Boom!
Dust and debris erupted. Once again, Diaran's casting failed. Leoz seized her wrist, pulling her over his back and slamming her to the ground.
Bang!
Points accumulated steadily.
[Heh, this is the [Conqueror]'s combat style! Using physical prowess boosted by Omega Energy to overpower opponents. ]
The [Conqueror] path is considered the [Dominion] archetype's [Warrior]. Though lacking finesse and versatility, its raw stats never disappoint.
When one punch isn't enough, add more power. If brute strength isn't enough, unleash tenfold energy.
That's the [Conqueror] path—brute force and unyielding resolve.
Its advantage? Tremendous tolerance for error.
As a [Resonator] who couldn't learn magic, the [Conqueror]'s muscle-bound tactics suited Leoz perfectly.
Each punch carried ripples of resonance energy.
These ripples couldn't be blocked by Higgs fields.
His earth-shaking blows created relentless shockwaves. Diaran, unable to avoid them, felt the accumulating reverberations.
Initially, she dismissed the tremors as mere shockwaves.
But by the second impact, her body clearly felt the pressure. Her muscles began to tremble and weaken.
Before the third strike, Diaran quickly took to the air, conjuring a cluster of spell missiles to launch a saturation bombardment on the ground. Leoz could only block, unable to counter.
—But even so, she scored only minimal points.
While currently leading, Leoz remained cautious.
Unable to counter spells, he knew stepping into a prepared trap would leave him no chance to escape.
Fortunately, all his time practicing as a [Warrior] alt hadn't been for nothing.
Enduring the storm of projectiles, Leoz charged forward. His movements incorporated the [Warrior]'s footwork. Each step barely touched the ground, propelling him with astonishing speed.
While his lack of [Dexterity] prevented aerial maneuvers or precise positioning…
[Strength] was more than enough.