Elion vs Dorian

After several fights, Dorian still looked completely unbothered, barely breaking a sweat. It was clear that none of his opponents had pushed him to his limits. To him, this was nothing more than a child's play.

"Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me?" Dorian asked, his voice echoing confidently through the hall as he scanned the crowd with an unwavering gaze.

His father, Lucius, stood at the edge of the room, a small smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't hide the pride swelling within him. Dorian wasn't just his son; he was a prodigy, a warrior beyond his years. 

Inwardly, Lucius thought, 'This boy... he's one of the greatest geniuses the Blackthorn family has ever seen.' His red eyes gleamed with satisfaction, knowing that his son's strength would secure the family's legacy for generations to come. 

The crowd murmured among themselves, some too intimidated to step forward, while others stood in awe of Dorian's raw power and precision. It was obvious to everyone that no child of his age present could match him.

[Looks like it's your turn, kid.] 

Valen's voice echoed in Elion's mind, nudging him forward.

'Wish me luck. I'll probably need it,' Elion replied.

Rising from his seat, he moved towards the weapon rack, his eyes scanning the choices before settling on a wooden sword shaped like a katana. With the sword in hand, he approached the arena, feeling the weight of the crowd's eyes on him.

'First time fighting with an audience, this should be interesting,' thought Elion

As Elion stepped into the center, whispers broke out again. The crowd wasn't surprised by his strength—but by the lack of it. Unlike the previous challengers, Elion's was a lot weaker. He was only at the peak of the third realm, far below the level of anyone else who had dared to face Dorian.

'Is this kid brave, or just an idiot?' thought Veronica as she recognized him—the boy she had chatted with earlier. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued but also expecting him to be swiftly defeated.

Dorian, noticing the crowd's reaction, sized Elion up, a slight smirk forming on his lips. "Interesting."

Elion stepped forward, offering a small bow. "Nice to meet you, Elion is my name," he said, his voice calm despite the growing tension in the air. Straightening up, he gripped his wooden sword, readying himself to face Dorian.

Dorian offered a slight nod, his expression cool and composed, acknowledging Elion's presence without any hint of disrespect.

The elf who had been refereeing the previous matches stepped into the arena once again, raising his hand to signal the start. "Both contestants, are you prepared?"

Dorian gave a casual nod, still exuding confidence. Elion, more serious, tightened his grip and met the elf's gaze, signaling his readiness.

"Then, let the battle begin!" the referee declared, his voice carrying across the hall as he dropped his hand to officially start the match.

In all his previous battles, Dorian had always waited for his opponents to make the first move, and Elion didn't expect anything different this time. Determined to respond to Dorian's courtesy with his best effort, Elion readied his stance. 

He focused inward, pushing his mana core to its full capacity. In a fraction of a second, lightning crackled across his body, sparking the air with raw energy.

The crowd gasped. A ripple of shock spread through the hall as Elion's dual nature was revealed—he wasn't just a warrior, but also a mage.

Dorian's eyes narrowed in intrigue, while whispers spread through the room. 

"A dual practitioner?" someone muttered in disbelief.

Most of the onlookers were taken aback. They marveled at Elion's rare talent, humans weren't known for their talent in mana cultivation, but it was tainted with pity. The path of dual cultivation—combining both mage and warrior disciplines—was notorious for its limitations. 

It was a well-known fact that those who pursued both arts often had to abandon one to progress further, or remain forever trapped beneath the barrier of the Soul-Strengthening Realm. 

Even in the rarest instances throughout history where someone succeeded in breaking through the Soul-Strengthening Realm in both paths, they remained forever bound to its lower levels, unable to advance further. The dual cultivation road, though awe-inspiring, was ultimately a path of limitation—a ceiling no one had ever shattered.

'What a waste of talent,' many thought, seeing in Elion the potential of a child doomed to mediocrity due to his divided path.

Elion ignored the crowd's murmurs, his focus solely on the battle ahead. He flexed and expanded his muscles, allowing lightning magic to surge through his body, enhancing his reflexes and speed. With a powerful burst, he launched himself toward Dorian, the force of his movement shattering the ground beneath him.

Dorian, though startled by the speed, wasn't overwhelmed. He had never seen a third-realm practitioner move this fast. 

With ease, he parried Elion's first strike, though a small current of lightning passed through Dorian's body, momentarily affecting his muscles.

"An impressive technique, almost like you're mimicking aura with magic," Dorian remarked, his voice calm. "But tricks like these will only get you so far."

The shock hadn't fully incapacitated him, but Dorian realized that if Elion were even close to his realm, the fight might've ended already. 

'Father was right. Never underestimate an opponent,' Dorian thought, growing more serious.

Elion relentlessly pressed the attack, unleashing two more strikes from different angles, hoping to overwhelm Dorian and land a decisive blow. His sword crackled with lightning, cutting through the air with precision and force.

However, Dorian, sensing the rising threat, expanded his aura to its fullest. The translucent aura enveloped him, effectively neutralizing the disruptive effects of Elion's lightning magic. With his aura now fully engaged, Dorian's defenses rendered Elion's lighting magic effect almost null.

As Elion prepared for a fourth strike, Dorian's superior speed kicked in. He sidestepped smoothly, dodging Elion's blade, and in one swift motion, countered with a precise spear thrust aimed at Elion's right shoulder. The attack came with such force and accuracy that Elion barely had time to react.

Elion braced himself for the impact, his muscles tensing as Dorian's spear shot forward with relentless power. The blow connected with full force, driving into his right shoulder and sending a jolt of pain coursing through his body. 

The sheer momentum pushed Elion back several steps, his grip tightening around his sword as he fought to steady himself, his shoulder now throbbing with pain.

"You're impressive," Dorian admitted with a grin. "I apologize for underestimating you. But now, prepare yourself—I'll be coming at you with full strength."

Elion smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "Good, you better—so you won't have any regrets when you lose."

Dorian let out a hearty laugh. "Confident, huh? I like that!"

With his full aura unleashed, Dorian lunged at Elion, the air crackling with energy. He struck with a flurry of powerful thrusts, each one aimed with lethal precision. Elion stood his ground, his expression focused. Instead of meeting Dorian's strikes head-on, he adjusted his stance, angling his sword to dissipate the force of the blows. 

Dorian's eyes widened in admiration as he recognized the skill in Elion's movements. "Impressive technique!" he called out, but he pressed on, not willing to back down. The two exchanged a series of rapid blows, each strike ringing out in the arena. 

With each clash, Dorian's confidence grew, but he remained unaware of Elion's cunning plan. As the fifth strike landed, Dorian anticipated another direct counter. But in a swift, fluid motion, Elion teleported behind him, leaving Dorian momentarily off-balance. 

Caught off guard, Dorian turned just in time to see Elion's sword slice through the air toward his back. The strike landed with a thud, sending Dorian stumbling forward, the impact reverberating through his body. 

Elion seized the opportunity, pressing his advantage as the crowd erupted in excitement.

This was the first time in all the matches that a challenger had managed to land a hit on Dorian! Regardless of the fight's outcome, this human child—who not only shared Dorian's age but also possessed the lowest realm level—had accomplished something remarkable.

He was the only one among the challengers to push Dorian and land a blow, something none of the previous opponents had achieved. The crowd buzzed with excitement, realizing they were witnessing an unprecedented moment in the arena.

"You'll have to be quicker than that!" he taunted, a determined glint in his eyes. Dorian quickly regained his footing, a mix of surprise and admiration on his face as he turned to face Elion once more.

"Lightning and space magic? Impressive! You've caught me off guard, but don't think it will happen again!" Dorian declared, determination sparking in his eyes.

Elion seized the moment, gathering energy in his hand to conjure a crackling lightning attack. With a swift motion, he hurled the bolt toward Dorian, who instinctively braced himself. Just as the lightning struck, Elion teleported to Dorian's side, positioning himself for a surprise attack.

With precision, he aimed his sword at Dorian's shoulder, hoping to capitalize on the momentary distraction. Dorian, sensing the shift in Elion's aura, reacted with lightning speed, pivoting to parry the blow just in time. The clash of their weapons sent a shockwave through the arena, thrilling the crowd as they witnessed the escalating intensity of the duel.

"Hehe, I warned you I wouldn't fall for the same tricks twice," Dorian said, flashing a confident smile.