Chapter 185: The Shift She Didn’t Expect
Lyra noticed her, as expected. Arthur had already planned for that.
Althea’s voice came again.
"Go!"
As a second glow wrapped around Nox, speed surged through her. Her body reacted instantly, her steps turning lighter and quicker as her eyes widened.
"...Oh!"
She didn’t slow down. If anything, she sped up.
"Coming through!"
As Lyra’s attention shifted, even if only slightly, it was enough.
Arthur’s eyes flashed.
Now.
As Nox closed in, she didn’t aim for the core, and she didn’t even look at it. Instead, she went straight for Lyra. Simple. Direct.
"Move!"
She pushed forward, her body colliding into Lyra’s space. It wasn’t strong or overwhelming, but it was enough to force a reaction.
Lyra stepped back. Just one step.
And Arthur was already moving.
As his hand lifted, fire gathered.. not scattered this time, instead he focused and condensed it. Manifest Intent!.
He didn’t aim at her. He aimed at where she would step.
"Taste this."
He released it.
BOOM.
As the explosion spread across that exact spot, Lyra’s eyes flicked to it, but she didn’t hesitate. She moved. Clean and efficient, but out of the circle.
Arthur’s lips curved.
"...Got you."
Behind them, Ryn’s eyes widened slightly.
"They forced her out..."
Nox turned quickly.
"one?!"
Arthur didn’t reply. As always, he was already thinking ahead.
She won’t stay out.
Althea knew it too, and she had already started casting. As her hands moved, mana gathered.
"Hold her!"
As Lyra tried to step back, the spell landed, Althea’s binding spell. it wasn’t perfect, but enough to delay.
The air around Lyra tightened, and for a brief second, she was held.
Nox’s eyes lit up.
"Wait..wait.. we can win this!"
Arthur spoke fast.
"Nox. Core. Now."
No hesitation.
Nox changed direction instantly.
"Got it!"
As she dashed in again, this time she aimed for Lyra’s hand.
This was their Plan B.
If they couldn’t hold her out, they’d take the core.
Arthur moved too, not to attack but to pressure. As fire gathered again in his palm, he stayed ready to force another movement if needed.
For a moment, everything lined up.
Lyra was outside the circle, bound. Nox was closing in. Arthur was ready to follow up. Althea held the spell.
It looked like a win.
Then.. Crack.
Althea’s expression changed.
"...No..."
As the strain hit her, hard, her control slipped.. and the binding broke.
Just like that.
Lyra moved, fast. As her body twisted out of the remaining hold like it had never been there, her hand came up just in time as Nox.
THUD.
Nox didn’t even react in time. She was lifted and thrown aside.
"Ah..!"
She rolled across the ground, stopping just short of the edge.
Arthur clicked his tongue.
"Damn."
Lyra stepped back, one step, returning into the circle. As her mana flared slightly, it felt stronger now.. more visible.
That lazy look she had before was gone.
As she looked at Arthur, her expression had changed. Focused. Serious.
Arthur met her gaze, still smiling.
"Looks like you’re taking us seriously now."
Lyra didn’t deny it.
"...A little."
Her grip on the core tightened.
Behind Arthur, Althea exhaled heavily.
"Sorry... I couldn’t hold it."
Arthur didn’t turn.
"It was enough."
Nox pushed herself up, rubbing her side.
"That throw was not nice."
Arthur chuckled.
"You ran into her."
"I was following orders!"
"Good. Do it again."
Nox blinked.
"...You’re serious?"
Arthur glanced at her.
"Very."
As he said it, there was excitement in his eyes.. real excitement. Not forced, not fake.
He was enjoying this. Every second of it.
Lyra saw it, and she smiled slightly.
"...You’re something else."
Arthur rolled his shoulders.
"I get that a lot."
As he stepped forward again, fire flickered in his palm, and Intent Skin wrapped around him once more... stronger this time, more stable.
"We’re not done."
Althea steadied herself behind him, while Nox took a breath.
"...Alright. Let’s try that again."
Lyra adjusted her stance too as she gestured.
"Come."
Arthur gave a small nod, nothing dramatic.
Althea caught it first, and Nox right after. They both nodded back too.
They understood.
This wasn’t over. Not even close.
Lyra watched them, calm but no longer relaxed. There was something different now. They still had that look in their eyes.. not the stubborn kind she had just broken from the last team, but something steadier, like they knew they hadn’t shown everything yet.
As her gaze settled on Arthur, a thought lingered.
What are you hiding...
But he moved.
Intent Step... Gone again.
But this time, she followed better.
As he reappeared above her, right above, her eyes caught him. His leg was already coming down.
WHAM.
She raised her arm and blocked, clean.
Their mana clashed as his Intent Skin pressed tight around his leg, dense and focused, while her own layer met it... stronger, and more refined.
The impact pushed air outward, a dull shockwave rippling through the space.
But she didn’t move.
Not this time.
She stood firm.
Arthur felt it immediately making him grin.
"Faster learner than I hoped."
Lyra’s lips curved slightly.
"You think you’re the only one learning?"
Arthur didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.
As his body kept moving, he twisted midair, using the force of her block to spin out. A second kick came, but not to hit.
Instead to create space as he flipped back.
And that was when Nox came in.
"On your left!"
As she dashed in, she was fast.. faster than before. With Althea’s buff, her movement almost blurred for a moment.
She didn’t hesitate or overthink.
She went straight for Lyra again.
Lyra turned, her hand moving...
Tap.
But Nox dodged. Just barely.
As she shifted, and slid past instead of getting stumbled this time.
"Ha! Missed me!"
Arthur landed softly behind them, watching, measuring.
Lyra didn’t chase Nox immediately.
Instead, her focus split.
Arthur saw it.
Good.
That was the point.
Distractions. Layered pressure. Nothing fancy.. just enough to force openings.
At the back, Althea stood steady, her eyes moving constantly. She didn’t rush her buffs. She waited, and watched..
Then.
A flicker of mana.
Arthur felt it.
Strength.
Again.
Right on time.