Rank Promotion - Part 2

A total of six graveyards have been made. All of the villagers standing and praying in front of them. Some cries some just stand there silently.

The victim's relatives can be seen crying harder than the others. Their cry feels like a knife that shreds my heart.

I see Alexander two meters from my position. He put his knees on the ground while cupping both his hand together. His eyes are closed, and his mouth never stops chanting a prayer.

When the prayers are done. One-by-one the villager go back to their house. They need to clean the rubbish in the village.

Suddenly a boy is hugging me from the side. He is Forn, the boy who guides us to the Anderhall Village.

"Brother, thank you." Forn is crying. I pat his head.

"Sir Cory and madam Aura?" A wounded old man with a stick is coming to us. "My name is Param, the head villager of this Village. This is my wife, Lila."

Both Param and Lila are old. They are like calm grandpa and grandma in your house.

"I heard you take care of Forn. Thank you."

Param looks at one of the graves. His eyes look tired and sad, like all the weight of life weighing him down.

"That is our son." Param looks at the grave with glistened eyes. "And Forn's father. Thank you. Thank you for letting his soul free."

Param hugs me very closely. I believe he wants to hug me tightly, but he has no more energy and is already old.

I can feel my shoulder wet and hot due to his tears.

Lila wiped her tears which never stops. Every time she wipes her tears another drop comes out. Then suddenly, she hugs Aura while her cries broke out.

Not knowing what to do, Aura looks at me. I just nod my head and Aura hugs her back and is patting her back.

***** ***** *****

"Are you sure you want to do this? You can step down." Boris said.

"Let's finish this up, the atmosphere is not quite right for this," I said to him.

I feel this is not a proper time to do a duel.

"Yes. It will be quick." Boris snickered.

Shawn is walking in the middle of the field between us.

"No killing. Using your weapon or magic, or both are legal. No one should interfere or help the side. The winner will be decided if the opponent can not fight again or surrender. If you want to surrender, throw your weapon." Shawn explained the rules to us.

We are using a real weapon but if it is too dangerous Shawn will stop the fight and decide the winner immediately.

Boris takes out his battle axe. It is a big battle axe, the size of two meters. He licks the sharps side trying to intimidate me. He swing it easily in the air, and the gushing of wind was created.

Rather than being intimidated, I feel like vomiting.

How could he lick that?! There are still bacteria in it.

"Alright, on position!" Shawn throws his handkerchief mid-air.

When the handkerchief touches the ground, the battle should be started. But on the other hand, the opposite happened.

"What are you doing boy? come at me."

"No, I will be bullying you then."

"What a b*llsh*t, you want to taunt me? Come at me, I will give you chances. I will teach you how a liar will be treated in the guild." Boris flicks his index finger at me, urging me to attack.

"Magic is allowed right?" I asked Shawn once again, in case I make a mistake.

"As long as it doesn't kill," Shawn said.

Confirmed.

I put a small fireball on my palm, the size of a sphere of marble. I pressed it tightly, making it unstable.

Boris prepares himself with a stance while looking at me sweating and trying hard to make a fireball.

After I finish making the fireball, I gesture my hand doing the shooting using a gun and push the marbled fireball slowly toward him.

The movement is slow that even a normal eye of an ordinary person can see it.

Aura, Reis, and Klim suddenly run behind a tree trying to take cover. Shawn who sees their action also takes the same action.

Meanwhile, Leira and Alexander stand there without any idea what the four of them are doing.

"BWAHAHAHA!"

Fahad on the other side, laughing uncontrollably. He touches his stomach.

"What! What happened?" Boris got confused.

"I...I can't." Fahad is still touching his stomach. "They mocking you Boris! BWAHAHA!"

"What the f*ck! Do you guys think this is funny?!" Boris got angry.

Leira makes a small hole with her hands, looking at the marbled fireballs through the gap.

Meanwhile, I squat and put up a wooden shield in front of my body.

Boris who got angry raises his axe and tries to slam the marbled fireball with his axe.

"Don't!" Leira shouted at Boris.

It was too late. The axe splits the marbled fireball, and the condensed unstable energy inside it pours out everywhere like a tsunami.

It's like a grenade. An explosion occurred after that, and the impact of the wind and fire tossed Boris far away until he got slammed into the tree.

Fahad jerked away and is gripping a stuck-out root of the tree. His body is like a kite hanging and flying mid-air due to force. The air flaps his cheek like a sea wave.

Fortunately for Leira. Alexander was responsive to the danger. He grabs Leira on her stomach and put a big shield in front of them. The wind is split by the shield and Alexander is trying hard to hold his metal shield.

The explosion is so violent. All of the trees in the forest surrounding us are dragged away. The impact almost rooted out the trees near us. The ground near the explosion is shaken and lifted.

Five seconds long is the duration of the explosion before it dies down.

The surrounding is so quiet, that you can hear birds flying away scared.

Aura, Reis, and Klim already knew beforehand the magic I cast. They come out from the trees together with Shawn.

Shawn urged Reis to go to the unconscious Boris and heal him.

"Winner! Cory!"

"Wha...What?" Fahad looks at the surroundings, confused and dazed.

Leira looked at the exploded ground with disbelief looks on her eyes.

----- ----- -----

Name: Cory Grieves

Skill: Whirlwind slash sword, Mana sword

Mana cap: 10X Dark Turquoise

Magic: Fireball, Blue Fireball (Divine Flame), Healing, Air-suspended magic, Multicast, Whirlwind, Tornado, Fire Tornado, Fire Grenade

----- ----- -----

Name: Nia

Skill: Auto body repair, body adaptation, auto mana regulator, extreme body battle mode.

Connection skill: Full Connection

sub-connection skill: Partial connection, non-human connection

Movement: Blood medium, Water-medium