Ep. 49 Combat Test Part 5

The instant Kane called "Begin," Maya erupted into action. Unlike the cautious approaches of previous challengers, she immediately conjured a ring of fire around herself, the flames casting dancing shadows across the platform. The temperature in the chamber rose noticeably, and I could see beads of sweat forming on Kane's forehead—not from exertion, but from the sheer heat Maya was generating.

"Interesting," Kane muttered, his wooden sword held at the ready. "Most fire mages your age can barely light a candle."

Maya's response came in the form of three rapid-fire projectiles, each one a condensed ball of flame that streaked toward Kane from different angles. He dodged the first two but was forced to counter the third with a blast of air that dispersed the flames across the platform.

Before the embers could even settle, Maya pressed her advantage. She launched herself forward using the propulsion of her flames, her body wreathed in fire as she closed the distance. Kane raised his wooden sword, surrounding it with wind magic—a necessary precaution against Maya's flames.

Their first clash sent sparks flying across the platform. Maya's fire-enhanced strikes forced Kane to constantly maintain a barrier of wind around his blade to prevent it from burning to ash. Each impact released a burst of steam and heated air that made the very atmosphere shimmer.

"Not bad," Kane grunted, parrying another flaming strike. "But let's see how you handle this!" He spun in a complete circle, generating a tornado that threatened to snuff out Maya's flames.

But Maya wasn't about to let her fire be extinguished so easily. She planted her feet firmly and focused her magic, causing her flames to burn even hotter. The collision between wind and fire created a spectacular spiral of orange and blue energy that rose toward the ceiling.

"You're strong," Maya acknowledged through gritted teeth, "but fire beats air!" She poured more power into her flames, forcing Kane's tornado to widen as the hot air expanded.

Kane's eyes narrowed. "In nature, perhaps. But magic isn't quite so simple." With a sharp gesture, he suddenly inverted his wind's direction, creating a vacuum around Maya that threatened to steal the oxygen from her flames.

Maya's eyes widened as her fire briefly flickered, but she recovered quickly. In a move that drew gasps from the spectators, she concentrated her remaining flames into a single point before detonating them outward in an explosion that forced Kane to abandon his vacuum technique and leap backward.

The platform now bore scorch marks from their exchange, and the air was thick with heat and tension. Kane's wooden sword showed signs of stress despite his wind protection, its surface darkened in places where Maya's flames had licked too close.

"Time to end this," Kane declared, gathering his magic for what felt like a final attack. The air began to swirl around him with unprecedented force, creating visible distortions in the air.

Maya matched his preparation, her flames condensing into a pure core of heat that made my skin prickle even from a distance. "Bring it on!" she shouted, her voice full of determination.

Their final clash was almost too bright to watch. Kane unleashed a concentrated cyclone while Maya released a beam of intense flame. The two forces met in the center of the platform with a thunderous boom that shook dust from the ceiling.

For several seconds, neither seemed to gain ground. Maya's fire held strong against Kane's wind, the point of impact between them creating a swirling inferno. But gradually, inevitably, Kane's greater experience and power began to tell. His wind started to split Maya's flame, creating gaps in her defense.

With one final surge of power, Kane's attack broke through. Maya managed to dodge the worst of it, but the disruption to her magic left her open. In a flash, Kane closed the distance, his wooden sword—somehow still intact—stopping an inch from her throat.

The chamber fell silent except for the sound of heavy breathing from both combatants. Maya's flames flickered out, but the fierce pride in her eyes didn't diminish one bit.

Kane lowered his sword, a genuine smile on his face. "Exceptional," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "You pushed me further than anyone else today. Your control over fire magic is remarkable for your age, and your tactical thinking is impressive but your experience in battle is lacking and that was painfully obvious in our match. C class combat ability."

Maya's eyes widened in surprise, and I could see the mix of emotions on her face—pride in her performance, yet frustration at not achieving her goal of reaching B class. Still, as she walked back to join us, her head was held high, and I could tell from the determined set of her jaw that this was far from her last attempt at proving herself.