The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 281

Chapter 281

Chapter 281: Once In a Lifetime

I felt somewhat bad.

Chief Mason’s son, Braxton, had won the striker’s tournament, meaning he would be sent to Aramoor City to become a student at Stormcove Academy. Any other day, Braxton would’ve been the center of attention for his victory and the target of envy of his peers and even the parents of those peers. Not only Braxton, but his entire family’s status would be elevated within Maerin and—if he did well at Stormcove—all of Aramoor City.

However, after Cromely had congratulated Braxton on winning the tournament and half-heartedly expressed that he was looking forward to seeing him at Stormcove, the old representative practically pushed the poor boy off stage and announced a ‘once-in-a-lifetime event’ for the citizens of the four towns gathered here today.

The crowd quickly forgot about the exhibition and erupted into cheers as his two students and I entered the stage with Cromely standing between us. Workers moved the raised platform that they had used for the student’s fighting stage since we’d need more space, leaving only the leveled dirt floor of the arena.

“Thank you for agreeing to spar against us,” Pallisun called out from about a dozen yards away as he stood beside Aphene. “We were afraid you would decline.”

“The pleasure is mine,” I said with a smile, ignoring the haughty undertone in his gratitude.

Both he and his companion had changed from their more formal wardrobe. While their armor looked more like a fashion statement than functional battlewear, their weapons told a different story.

Pallisun withdrew a coffin shield that was nearly as tall as he was and twice as wide from his dimension ring. Aphene, meanwhile, gripped a claymore with a pearlescent blade in her right hand while a silver bracer covered her entire left arm.

“Following the standard rules of non-lethal duels, weapons are permitted but must be blunt,” Cromely announced as he stood between us to moderate.

The three of them waited silently for me to withdraw my weapons but I waved my hand. “I’ll fight bare-handed.”

Aphene stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “Are you looking to blame your defeat on the lack of a weapon, Ascender Grey?”

‘Nnngh! They’re so cheeky,’ Regis growled, bristling with anger within me.

“I promise to blame only myself upon defeat,” I replied calmly before turning to Cromely. “Now, can we begin?”

The old man let out a cough before he began stepping back several paces, holding his right hand high in the air.

“Begin!” Cromely belted as he swung down his hand.

Immediately, the crowd began to cheer as Pallisun held up his shield to cover both him and his partner while studying me closely.

Now that I thought about it, they had no clue whether I was a caster, shield, or striker.

After a brief pause, the two charged forward. Though both were hidden from view behind the large shield, I could sense Aphene preparing for an attack using the ambient aether around them.

Taking a dueling stance with both arms relaxed at my sides, I pondered how to approach this. By the visible manifestations of mana flaring out from the two of them, it was safe to assume that their levels rivaled that of an A-rank adventurer—probably more.

With my mana reserves barely at the ten percent mark, there was just enough danger to keep me on my toes.

Pallisun kicked up a storm of dust behind him as he continued his charge toward me. Sidestepping out of the way was simple enough, but Aphene was waiting for that, brandishing her claymore.

Aphene’s dark hair fluttered in the wind as she swung a broad arc, following up with a lunge.

Meanwhile Pallisun made a sharp turn aided by precise bursts of wind until his shield glimmered just a few feet away like a bull rearing its horns. “You’re going to have to do more than just dodge!” the shield-wielding student roared.

Their movements were well-practiced and without blatant openings. Aphene used Pallisun as protection—and an obstruction to limit my view on her—while she launched a series of attacks. With the two of them fighting like this together, I wouldn’t doubt their ability to rival even a veteran AA-rank adventurer.

Unfortunately, with my experience supplemented by the inhuman reflexes I had inherited, they might as well have been calling out their moves.

Pivoting on my front foot, I redirected Aphene’s next lunge with my hand against the flat of her blade. At the same time, I stamped my back foot into the ground just as Pallisun was about to tackle me.

With my foot obstructing Pallisun’s charge, he flew over my shoulder, barely able to hold on to his shield. Aphene had put most of her weight into that lunge, making her body lurch forward as her attack missed its mark. Making use of her imbalance, I hit her with an open palm square on her gauntlet.

Aphene toppled on the ground while barely able to roll to her feet. Pallisun fared better with his wind magic that allowed him to reposition himself in the air to land deftly on his feet.

It seemed that the structured magic emblazoned on his back in the form of either a crest or emblem allowed the broadly-built student to create quick and accurate bursts of wind.

My gaze lingered on the two naive students as their expressions shifted to that of anger framed neatly with the flush of embarrassment.

APHENE MANDRICK

“What’s with those faces?” the ascender tilted his head. “You should’ve expected this much from an ascender, right?”

I studied the man that had just completely countered all of our moves. Despite his toned but slender frame and unarmed state, I couldn’t help but begin to fear this man. His golden eyes, nonchalant expression, and charming manner should’ve come off as amiable, but he had all the warmth of a predator seeking blood.

Unwilling to show any weakness, I swallowed my emotions.

“We didn’t want to accidentally hurt you. My apologies for underestimating your prowess.” I stood back up and spoke through gnashed teeth. “It won’t happen again.”

Pallisun, next to me, abandoned his shield as if to punctuate my point. Realising that our opponent was clearly a striker, he withdrew the two plated gauntlets that he had inherited as the next-in-line of the Blather blood.

The wind hummed and hissed as he curled his fingers into a fist before dashing forth while I followed shortly behind.

Pallisun swung his wind-clad fist, hitting thin air as the ascender easily stepped back before kicking him the chest. Despite the weight difference between powerfully built Pallisun and the ascender, my partner doubled over, gasping for breath.

Not willing to give the ascender even a moment’s chance, I leaped over Pallisun and swung Harmony downward in a feint. My sword’s shimmering blade whistled as it cut through the air just in front of the ascender before I channeled a flood of mana into my sword arm in order to change the trajectory of my blade mid-swing.

My own sword’s motion was a blur and even I was barely able to follow it, but somehow, his pale hand had grabbed my wrist out of the air.

“Not bad.” Despite how thin and pretty his hand looked, he held my wrist in an iron grip, dodging nonchalantly as I caught Harmony with my free hand and swung.

“Try again,” he said as if he were my instructor rather than my opponent. The ascender released my hand—then pushed me square in my shoulder.

My whole body jerked back from the sudden force before I spun from the impact.

Pallisun managed to get out of the way before I tripped over him. As the two of us recovered, we stood side by side with weapons up to defend. However, the ascender merely stood there with that aloof—almost bored—expression of his.

“Cocky bastard.” My partner spat on the ground and straightened himself as swirls of wind encased his entire body.

He gave me a knowing glance and I nodded in understanding.

Just like how we’ve been practicing.

We burst forward once more at the ascender from different angles. I dug my heels and prepared to thrust Harmony’s point at him a few steps shy of reaching him while Pallisun ducked low and aimed for the legs.

However, just as I began to channel lightning through my arm and into my blade, the ascender had flashed past Pallisun and was right in front of me.

Moving with keen precision, he dodged my stab. Then the world suddenly flipped as I found myself in the air.

“Aphene!” Pallisun’s voice rang, snapping me out of my reverie.

A rush of wind oriented me enough to aim the spell that I had been channeling. I unleashed the voltaic spear from the point of my blade while I descended.

Yet, even the fastest element of all couldn’t catch the ascender off-guard as he blurred away from view.

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Wasting no time, I ignited my second emblem. _{frёeweɓηovel.coɱ}