Once again, I stepped onto the platform—aching, burned, but steady. My next opponent: Liam Dexter.
Miles' close friend, a fellow alchemy prodigy, and someone who'd already earned a reputation for surviving what should've been killing blows.
His unique skill, [Ethereal Skin], allowed him to phase parts of his body into an untouchable state. Physical attacks simply passed through him, but only if he sensed them coming. Pair that with his Lightning Affinity and dual-blade style, and he was as fast as he was frustrating to fight.
I had fifteen Lux Orbs rotating behind me—residuals from my previous battle—and about 70 MP to work with. The pain in my right hand still throbbed from Ryan's halberd strike, but my grip was steady.
The signal beeped.
I moved first. Not recklessly—but fast enough to force him into reaction. My dagger cut low, angled for his ribs. For a second, I thought I had him—until he blurred, vanishing in a burst of blue sparks.
Lightning Dash.
He reappeared across the stage, hand already raised.
A Lightning Bolt snapped through the air before I could even brace.
[Dodge]
My body twisted unnaturally, movement guided by the skill itself. The bolt grazed my arm, searing through cloth and skin. Agony flared, but I was still upright.
Liam exhaled, lowering his stance—both blades gleaming. Calm. Focused. Dangerous.
I considered Lux Particulae to heal the arm but dismissed the thought. It would take nine orbs to fully mend it—too costly. I'd fight through the pain.
My MP ticked upward to 110. Just enough.
[Perception] [Mana Sense]
The world slowed. Mana currents, faint heat distortions, even the twitch of Liam's wrist—all became clear. His twin blades came alive, cutting arcs of silver and blue. I slipped between them, narrowly avoiding each strike.
If I'd been any slower, I'd have lost my throat.
No time for fancy moves. Soft Reversal or Falling Willow Grip both needed my injured hand. Evade, adapt, wait.
Then—an opening.
He lunged, both blades crossing downward. I ducked low and whispered,
"Fracta."
Three Lux Orbs detonated into shards of refracted light. The explosion wasn't loud—but blinding. Liam staggered, cursing.
I moved. Fast.
Dagger flashing, I struck—not at his center, but at the gaps his Ethereal Skin couldn't reach in time.
How did I know?
Mana Sense.
Unlike Perception, which enhanced normal sight, it gave me a different kind of vision—letting me see where mana clung thickly to his skin; those areas were untouchable. But his side and thigh had normal mana flow. Vulnerable.
I drove my blade into those weak points again and again. Sparks and blood flew with every hit.
We were both gasping now—burned, cut, and exhausted.
12 Orbs left. MP: 20.
Liam raised both blades skyward. "Try dodging this!"
Twin Lightning Bolts roared toward me.
"Hastae."
A golden spear burst forth.
Blue met gold midair—the explosion rocked the platform. When the smoke cleared, both of us were barely standing.
MP: 30. Orbs: 2.
I was almost dry. He still had mana to spare.
He steadied his breathing, lightning crawling up his arms again. His mana reserves had to exceed mine—well beyond the Alpha threshold, either temporarily boosted by an elixir or because he possessed a red stat like Mana Sense. At his current rank, his status couldn't display his total mana capacity.
Fine. I'd gamble everything.
Veiled Stride.
My form shimmered and vanished. I darted behind him, silent, unseen.
But Liam wasn't fooled—his instincts were sharp. His left blade swept backward, angled perfectly to intercept me.
He thought he had me.
He didn't see the Lux Orb hovering just behind my shoulder flicker.
"Hastae."
One orb detonated into a golden spear—it shot forward, slicing through my own shoulder before driving straight through Liam's chest, grazing his heart.
He dropped instantly.
The match was called.
I stood still, chest heaving, dagger trembling in my hand. My left shoulder bled freely, my right arm hung limp, but I was still conscious. Barely.
Healers swarmed the stage. Warm mana flooded my wounds, easing the pain. Across from me, Liam's breathing stabilized.
I was offered the right to challenge Raul Desmond for the 1st Rank.
I declined.
Not today.
Liam also refused his challenge against Nadia. Natasha declined to fight her sister as well—she didn't need to prove anything tonight.
And with that, the rankings were finalized:
1st – Raul Desmond
2nd – William Laurel
3rd – Nadia Lane
4th – Liam Dexter
5th – Natasha Lane
I left the stage in silence, the lingering glow of my Lux Orbs fading behind me.
Not victory lights—just remnants of exhaustion.
But still, I'd earned my place.