"Haa... Haa... Haa..."
The sound of violent panting echoed through the training grounds, which were now riddled with craters and traces of explosions.
Ethan collapsed to his knees, one hand propping himself up against the ground to keep from face-planting. The state of the 'Son of Mana' was utter wretchedness. His shirt was torn in long strips from being slashed by Wind Blades. His pitch-black hair, once perfectly styled, was now a mess, covered in dust and soot. His body was covered in scrapes and bruises. The face that once held high-headed arrogance was now twisted with pain and exhaustion.
On the other hand... looking across to the opposite side.
Princess Alicia still stood tall in almost the exact same spot, barely having moved from where she started.
Her pristine white training suit remained 'spotless,' without a single speck of dust clinging to the hem. Her long silver hair still fell in orderly waves, untouched by chaos. Those beautiful violet eyes remained calm, her breathing steady and soft, as if she had just taken a stroll through a flower garden, not just finished a fierce battle with a 3rd Circle mage.
The difference was stark... stark to the point of pitifulness.
Throughout the three exchanges, Alicia's defense was perfect, like a fortress of steel. The massive spells Ethan poured his mana into creating, whether it was the firestorm or the Earth Spear, were all deflected, destroyed, or even absorbed and dissipated by her with ease.
In contrast, her counterattacks—though seemingly simple, like Wind Bullets or a Water Wall—were incredibly powerful and precise. Ethan could only roll clumsily to dodge or erect magic shields at the very last second until his arms went numb.
Why... Why!?
Ethan gritted his teeth until they ground together audibly. Confused thoughts tangled messily in his head.
She is also at the 3rd Circle... I can sense her mana level is equal to mine... So why!? Why is the result as different as heaven and the abyss?
He had always believed that 'Mana Quantity' was everything. But what Alicia demonstrated was 'Understanding' that was leagues above. She knew exactly how much power was just right. She knew the rhythm of mana flow. She knew the structural weaknesses of the magic he created. While he was like a child swinging a giant hammer wildly, she was a swordmaster striking the vital point in a single thrust.
"I can't believe it... Young Master Ethan lost completely." "The Princess... is she a monster or something?" "I guess the rumors about the genius of the White Tower were true."
Whispers from the servants and guards leaked into Ethan's ears. Every word felt like a knife slicing through the center of his heart. The pride he had accumulated all his life was crumbling right before his eyes.
Humiliation surged until it turned into rage.
I am Ethan Orwin! I am the Son of Mana! I cannot lose to a girl my own age like this! I won't accept it! I absolutely won't accept it!
"End of the duel!"
Roger's announcement rang out like a bell signaling time's up. The one-eyed man walked to the center of the field. "Three rounds are complete according to the rules. The winner is..."
"Wait!!"
Ethan shouted loudly, trying to force his trembling legs to stand. His crimson eyes shone with madness. "I... I ask to go again! Just one more time!"
Roger frowned. "Impossible, Young Master. Rules are rules, and your condition right now is not suitable to..."
"Shut up!" Ethan barked, interrupting him. "I can still fight! I haven't even gotten serious yet! I was just a little careless earlier!"
He whipped his head around to look at the grandstand, sending a pleading, desperate gaze toward his father.
"Father! Will you let the duel end like this? Will the dignity of House Orwin end in defeat like this!? Give me one more chance to redeem myself!"
Duke Orwin looked at his son's condition with eyes full of disappointment mingled with pity. He sighed heavily before turning to the friend beside him.
"Your Majesty..." The Duke spoke softly, considerate of his friend. "What do you say..."
The King of Veria smiled thinly. He didn't answer immediately but turned to look at his daughter on the field.
"Ask Alicia. The decision lies with her. If she doesn't want to fight, I won't force her."
All eyes fixed on the silver-haired young woman.
Alicia stood still, her expression remaining unchanged. She looked at Ethan, who stood swaying as if he were about to collapse, before answering in the same flat tone.
"Fine."
She continued, "If that will help Lord Ethan accept reality... Please, launch one more attack. I will handle it."
That permission was the final straw. Ethan sneered, a smile that was twisted and uncharacteristically malicious.
Good... Very good, benevolent Princess... You gave me this chance yourself.
Ethan began gathering the last dregs of mana remaining. His red eyes glowed with a sinister glint. He no longer cared about the method. As long as he could erase this image of defeat, he would do anything.
This time... I'll make sure you never smile again!
Ethan took a deep breath, focusing all his concentration on the core of magical power in his body. The darkness in his mind transformed into fuel.
The atmosphere around him began to distort... The once bright sunlight seemed to dim. A chilling cold radiated from the young man's body, even though he was about to use Fire Magic.
"Devour all creation... Pitch-Black Inferno!!"
Fwoosh!
Pitch-black flames erupted on both of Ethan's palms. It was not a fire that gave warmth, but a fire of death that swallowed the surrounding light until it twisted. The smell of sulfur and the stench of burning death wafted through the arena.
Gasps echoed everywhere. People scrambled back in fear. Instinct told them this was no ordinary magic.
"Hahaha! See that!? This is my true power!" Ethan laughed maniacally, his red eyes widening until they almost bulged. "With this fire... no one can withstand me! Not even you, Princess!"
"You fool!!!"
Duke Orwin's shout thundered louder than a lightning crack. The Duke's face went pale as he screamed at the top of his lungs in a panic no one had ever seen before.
"That is Forbidden Magic! A body at your level can't possibly control it! Stop immediately, Ethan!"
"No! Watch me, Father! I will..."
Ethan was about to hurl the fireball, but then...
Crack!
His hand froze. The pitch-black fire that was supposed to obey orders began to vibrate violently. The magical power, packed beyond its limit, lost its balance and triggered a 'Backlash.' It exploded right on his palms and rapidly spread, devouring Ethan's arms.
"W-What!?"
"ARGHHHHHHH!!"
A scream of agonizing pain howled through the air. Ethan thrashed wildly. The black fire began to eat away at his skin and tendons. The pain was not just heat; it felt like his soul was being torn apart from forcing the use of incomplete magic.
"Help! Father! It... It's burning me! I can't stop it!"
Ethan cried without shame, tears streaming down mixed with blood. All arrogance vanished, leaving only a small boy facing death.
"Roger! Stop it, quick! My son is going to die!" The Duke shouted a frantic order.
"I can't make it in time, Master! At that distance, if I go in now..." Roger gritted his teeth tight. He knew well that the fire was too dangerous to extinguish in time.
Ethan saw the shadow of the Grim Reaper right in front of him. His arms were turning into charred stumps. He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing to accept his fate.
I... I'm going to die...
Whoosh!
In the fraction of a second between life and death, a white silhouette dashed past Roger and the Duke with a speed the eye could barely follow.
Princess Alicia stood before Ethan, who was being engulfed by flames, just an arm's reach away.
She showed not the slightest fear of the hellfire. Those violet eyes shone brighter than ever before. She clasped her hands together, then spread them out rapidly, unleashing a massive magical power that suppressed everything in the arena into submission.
"Eternal Coffin!"
Crack! Snap!
The sound of ice crystals forming pierced the ears.
Instantly, the temperature in the stadium plummeted to freezing. A blast of pure white cold exploded from the young woman's body, crashing violently against the black fire.
There was no explosion. No prolonged clash.
There was only silence... and a chill that halted all existence.
Alicia's cold didn't just extinguish the fire; it 'froze' the pitch-black fire in its entirety. The raging flames were stopped in time within a block of clear ice, spreading all the way to Ethan's body.
Click...
When the smoke cleared, the image that appeared before every pair of eyes left everyone breathless.
Ethan's body stood frozen stiff in a screaming posture, covered in ice from feet to neck, leaving only his head free so he could still breathe. The black fire on his arms was frozen into a sculpture that was simultaneously horrifying and beautiful.
The hellfire that was said to never extinguish... was now completely subdued under the palm of a single young girl.
Alicia slowly lowered her hand. Faint cold vapor still drifted from her breath. She turned to look at Duke Orwin, who stood jaw-dropped, and spoke in a tone as flat as if nothing had happened.
"He is safe now... but please hurry and get a doctor to treat his arms. Hellfire poison is no joke."
In that second, no one dared to doubt her ability anymore.
This wasn't just the 3rd Circle... This was clearly a monster level.
Princess Alicia... was the real deal.