Chapter 21: Upcoming danger in the 1st competition (2)
As we exchanged blow after blow, I pretended to be exhausted. My breath came in heavy pants, sweat dripped from my forehead, and my knees looked like they could buckle at any moment. The crowd watching the match was stunned, their eyes wide in disbelief.
The one fighting me—Leon—refused to accept defeat, especially in a close-combat duel against a mage. Though he didn't hate me, I could feel his frustration boiling. He had always taken pride in being a knight. And now, with so many eyes watching, his pride was being tested.
I was truly surprised when he finally unleashed his full power. His aura burst into brilliant light, and both his swords shimmered with energy. He looked like a hero out of legend. His strength... it was no joke. It was comparable to a mid-layer 3-Star warrior. My eyes lit up in excitement. This boy has talent... real talent.
In that moment, I knew—I wanted to recruit him. With the danger looming on the horizon, talents like his were rare and valuable. But right now, I have huge surge to win, I couldn't afford to lose. Yet deep inside, I kept thinking... This boy must be on my side when the time comes.
As our clash intensified, I found myself being pushed back for real. My fake exhaustion was becoming genuine. Leon's strikes were heavier and faster. I became more cautious, silently activating the mental spell Calm Sea, a mind-focused technique that helped me maintain focus and control.
Enough playing around.
I raised my hand and began manipulating twenty floating swords around me. With a swift chant, I summoned my Shadow Sentinel, a mid-level spell and high-level spell that required some alot mana and precision.
The crowd gasped audibly. Shock rippled through the spectators. They hadn't expected me to wield such advanced magic. Most ordinary people wouldn't even be able to comprehend high-level spells in their entire lifetime—no matter how hard they tried. Without talent, understanding it was nearly impossible.
And Leon... Leon wasn't backing down either. He might not be able to use magic, but his knight skills were on par with my own. He dodged the twenty swords with incredible agility, weaving through their deadly dance, and even deflected some of the twin shadows launched by my Sentinel. He kept up, exchanging blow after blow, refusing to yield.
Lucy and Elizabeth watched with wide eyes. They had never expected me to possess such trump cards. I could feel their gazes piercing into me, suspicion growing in their minds. What else is he hiding? they must have been thinking.
Thankfully, they couldn't sense the Calm Sea spell. It existed only in the mind, invisible to those not attuned to spiritual magic. Unless they specifically scanned my inner body, they wouldn't notice it.