Ch. 31 Challenging A Warrior

Level 5 Mage? Could the school have made an error during the level evaluation? Why was their junior, who had only been enrolled for a few months, listed as a level 2 Hunter?

"..." Clayton stared at Gwen in disbelief. Just the previous night, he had ordered his most trusted commando to investigate Gwen. According to the academy's records, Gwyneth Hall was classified as a level 2 mage with telekinesis magic. Yet Clayton knew something wasn't adding up. Gwen had already demonstrated her illusion abilities during their first encounter when she 'kidnapped' him. But why wasn't this on record?

Then the girl said she was a level 5 mage, and she possessed the power to control gold? How could this be possible? It was one thing for someone to have multiple attributes, but telekinesis combined with illusion magic and gold attributes? It raised far too many questions. If she truly possessed both powers, wouldn't the upper world be too selective in granting such extraordinary abilities to a single individual?

"You? Level 5 mage? Why are you still studying here?" Heidi, a fellow student, was standing nearby. At eighteen years old, she had been attending Wisdom Academy for three years since awakening her powers. She was still struggling to reach level 5 herself. For someone as young as Gwen to have reached level 5 at just seventeen was shocking.

"I can't create elements, but my physical body is capable of using tier 5 elemental magic," Gwen explained, her tone calm and measured. She pulled out a gold crystal stone from her storage bracelet—a gift from her father.

Earlier, her father had gifted her with twenty flying pig crystal stones. She had summoned a golden spirit and infused its power into these stones, so she could use it without using her power. While she had considered using fire or lightning spirits, she feared that the combination of multiple attributes might raise suspicions. So instead, she chose to focus on the gold attribute, which offered both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Cain, a student known for his arrogance and affinity for physical strength, scoffed, "It's not like a mage's physical body can become stronger just by borrowing the power of the elements." He crossed his arms and studied her critically.

"Is that a challenge, senior?" Gwen responded, her voice laced with challenge.

"Cain, this kid's illusion magic seems formidable," Zak, an assassin known for his sharp senses, added. "You can't even feel any mana fluctuations."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding students turned their attention to Gwen. Previously, Zak had challenged Gwen and lost badly, unable to understand how she had managed to outsmart him. But after learning that she possessed illusion magic, the loss made perfect sense.

"Interesting. Let's see what you've got." Cain's voice was full of determination as he released his mana. A surge of warrior aura flooded the room, forcing the onlookers to quickly activate defensive spells.

"Good. Only through combat can we truly gauge each other's strength," Teacher Harvey, the supervising instructor, said approvingly. He signaled for the secondary team to join them in the arena.

Gwen stepped forward, taking one of the gold crystal stones. With a single motion, she broke it in her hand. A golden glow enveloped her fingers as the gold magic surged around her. With expert control, she molded the liquid gold into the shape of a long spear. In an instant, the seemingly unassuming girl exuded an aura of overwhelming power.

Her stance was flawless. She gripped the spear with both hands and spun it above her head before positioning it under her arm, assuming the stance of a seasoned spear warrior. To the astonishment of everyone, her energy radiated like that of a fifth-level warrior.

"How strange," Cain muttered under his breath. "Why do I feel like I'm facing a fifth-level warrior?" He could hardly comprehend it, but before he could gather his thoughts, Gwen shouted.

"Here I come!" She leaped forward with astonishing speed, her movement almost a blur. Within a split second, she covered the 50 meters that had previously separated her from Cain. The team members, who had underestimated her, were frozen in disbelief.

"Is she really a mage?" Raylee, who was usually calm and composed, couldn't help but ask. "Why does her aura feel like Cain's?"

Clayton, standing off to the side, recalled what Gwen had told him. "My father is a warrior." It was no wonder that she inherited the strength of a warrior. This mysterious, beautiful girl seemed to have more secrets than he initially realized.

From the intel Clayton had gathered, Gwen had telekinesis magic, but she was unable to control it once it was activated. This was why she was classified as a level 2 mage despite her telekinetic power being equivalent to a level 7. However, this only explained part of the puzzle. In addition to telekinesis, Gwen seemed to have illusion magic equivalent to a seventh-level mage. She also wielded a subtle, yet unmistakable control over gold—an element typically difficult to manipulate. Clayton was now convinced that Gwen possessed even more hidden talents.

He suddenly realized that the girl might be a Space Master. If that were true, everything started to make sense. But there was one glaring problem: could a Space Master survive while simultaneously using telekinesis magic? The answer was uncertain. Telekinesis and space manipulation both tapped into the same mental and spiritual reserves. If the two powers were used together, it would cause the body to destabilize, potentially leading to a catastrophic rupture in space itself.

Clayton recalled the seal he had sensed on Gwen's body when he tried to uncover the secret of her powers. Someone might have sealed off her space abilities to prevent them from manifesting fully. If this were the case, it would explain everything.

'It seems I'll have to summon Shadow,' Clayton thought. Only a Space Master could see Shadow in its shade. If Gwen could see it too, then she definitely should not be part of this tournament.

Unbeknownst to them, five minutes had passed. The outcome of the match between Gwen and Cain was already clear. Cain, known for his impressive defensive abilities, was struggling to keep up with Gwen's relentless attacks. Despite his formidable defense, maintaining it required a constant drain on his mana. Meanwhile, Gwen appeared tireless, her stamina and focus unwavering.

"I admit defeat," Cain finally said, his voice strained. In any other context, he would have fought until the end. But since Gwen was a member of his team and merely wanted to prove herself, he saw no reason to waste more mana.

The moment he conceded, Heidi, Kai, and Raylee crowded around Gwen, their faces filled with awe. "Gwyneth, how did you do that?" Heidi exclaimed. "You're amazing! Are you really a mage? You should be in the warrior class!"

Zak, still recovering from the shock of Gwen's unexpected performance, could barely form a coherent thought. The illusion magic he had expected to see had never materialized. Instead, Gwen had relied on raw strength to corner Cain—a level of power he had never anticipated.

"Is it possible for someone to have two roles?" Zak muttered to himself, his mind racing. While it was common for a Hunter to possess multiple attributes, having more than one class or role was unheard of.

Clayton pondered the thought. There were only a few rare individuals who had been known to excel in two roles. He himself was a knight and a mage. There was also the legendary Beast King, a shapeshifter who could heal with his blood like a priest. It was rare but not non-existent in the upper world. Clayton couldn't shake the growing suspicion that Gwen was no ordinary mage, or perhaps... she came from the upper world!

The more he considered it, the more convinced he became: Gwen was undoubtedly connected to the Space Master. Whether she was one herself, or simply linked to one, he could no longer ignore the overwhelming evidence.