Chapter 22: Regular Exchange System (4)
Arpina attended the duels of the Artistry-level magicians on the third day of the exchange event, just as she had done on the previous days. Despite her lack of expectations, Arpina was still one of the senior magicians of Widia, and the duels among Artistry-level magicians were undoubtedly the highlight of the event.
These duels were particularly intense because spells were exchanged with just a short incantation or even a simple activation word, making the battles swift and dynamic. With no need for memorized spells, the duels could continue for long periods without losing their intensity.
This was also why the duels were divided between apprentice magicians and Artistry-level magicians. It was generally agreed that no matter what tricks an apprentice might try, it would be nearly impossible for them to defeat an Artistry-level magician.
The consciousness of a magician at the Artistry level was fundamentally different, leading to a drastically shorter time for spellcasting as their mana manipulation became more refined. If an Artistry-level magician remained calm and simply waited for an apprentice to exhaust their memorized spells, the apprentice’s slim chances of victory would vanish entirely.
And then, there was the existence of "Artistry Magic." This powerful form of magic could be used once a magician reached the peak of the novice stage. Some even described the Artistry stage as a process of honing one’s Artistry Magic, which defined what it meant to be an Artistry-level magician.
“Bloom!”
Just then, a woman with light pink hair shouted from one side of the arena. It was her Artistry Magic, "Blossom of Ecstasy."
Flowers bloomed densely across the ground around her opponent, and as the petals began to flutter, they turned as sharp as blades, sweeping over her adversary. As her opponent struggled to respond to the storm-like onslaught, a nearby magician extended their hand.
Without any incantation, the thousands of petals froze in place.
“Roseline wins! With this, Protal School claims victory in the duel.”
The pink-haired woman bowed courteously and left the arena.
Arpina also stood up, as the defeated magician had been a student of Widia.