Chapter 61

The moment Gale's fist shot toward my face, time seemed to slow. The intensity of the blow was evident—I barely tilted my head in time, his strike grazing past my cheek. Even the displaced air stung my skin. He was fast—much faster than I'd expected.

But I wasn't about to let him have all the fun.

Pivoting on my heel, I spun around and aimed a sharp kick at his side. However, Gale had already anticipated my move. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a glowing magic circle mid-air and vanished into it, reappearing behind me in an instant.

I grinned. So, he's going all out, huh?

For a brief moment, I considered using my full strength, my instincts urging me to counter his speed with power. But then I hesitated. If I really fought seriously, this match would end far too quickly. Where's the fun in that?

Instead, I adjusted my stance and swung low, swiping my leg in a sweeping motion meant to trip him. He reacted instantly, leaping into the air to dodge.

Gotcha!

As he was mid-air, unable to adjust his trajectory, I launched a punch aimed squarely at his torso. Gale, ever the strategist, managed to react in time, intercepting my fist with his own.

The collision of our punches triggered a blinding flash of energy, a shockwave rippling out and sending Gale hurtling backward. He barely managed to land on his feet, skidding to the edge of the ring before regaining his balance.

Gasps echoed from the audience as the dust settled.

"Whoa..." murmured Erica.

The teachers were visibly impressed, their expressions a mix of awe and curiosity. But Ganth's keen eyes narrowed slightly as he observed me.

Something was off.

I stood motionless, seemingly unaffected by the recoil. Yet when I glanced down, my expression shifted to one of confusion. My arm—my entire arm—was gone.

"Huh?" I muttered, blinking in disbelief. I quickly summoned my healing magic, regrowing the limb in a flash. My heart raced as I realized how close I'd come to disqualifying myself. This human form can't handle my full power... I really should've trained it better.

I glanced around, hoping no one had noticed. Luckily, the lingering dust from our clash provided enough cover to mask what had just happened.

But Gale wasn't about to give me a moment's rest.

Through the cloud of debris, he surged forward, his wooden sword gleaming with faint magical energy. It was a surprise attack.

I tried to dodge, but as I moved, he slapped a glowing magic circle onto my face.

"Mmmm! Mmmmm!" I tried to yell, my voice muffled as I struggled to pull the paper off. But Gale didn't give me a chance to catch my breath. He pressed his assault, forcing me to dodge his relentless strikes while the circle remained stuck to me.

Desperate to create space, I leaped backward with all my strength, the circle still clinging to my face. But before I could peel it off, it burned away, its magic activating.

Suddenly, my movements became sluggish, my body heavy as if weighed down by invisible chains.

Gale didn't waste a second. He charged toward me, his intent clear: to land the decisive blow and send me out of the ring.

But then I grinned, my expression startling him mid-charge.

"What—" he began, confusion flashing across his face.

Before he could react, I cast a spell, enveloping us both in a massive sphere of water. The sudden change in environment caught him off guard. His momentum faltered as he struggled against the overwhelming force of the water.

Thinking quickly, he slapped another magic circle onto himself, creating an air pocket that allowed him to escape the sphere.

As the water dissipated, I staggered to my feet, feigning exhaustion.

Man, this kid is really something else, I thought. He's pushing me to my limits—well, my self-imposed ones, anyway.

But Gale was panting for real. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he fought to steady his breath.

"Let's... haah!... end this in the next round," he said between gasps.

I nodded, appreciating his resolve. Despite his exhaustion, his spirit burned brightly. If only he had more stamina... He's one of the most skilled warriors I've ever faced.

As we prepared for our final exchange, the teachers began to speculate.

"Who do you bet on?" Ganth asked, leaning casually against the ring.

"Aleena," Maria said confidently. "She's Alfred's daughter, after all."

"I'd agree," Erica added. "But now that I think about it, Gale might've been holding back against me... so I'm not sure."

"Gale," Bargue declared. "He's trained his body extensively. He's probably stronger than Aleena physically."

"I'm with Gale too," Ganth muttered with a smile. "But this doesn't feel like a fight between two toddlers... It's something else entirely."

---

Meanwhile, Gale and I charged at each other, our movements synchronized. His blows were relentless, a flurry of strikes that tested my reflexes at every turn. I dodged, weaved, and blocked as best as I could, but the intensity of his attacks left little room for error.

Then it happened.

One of his punches, charged with elemental magic, broke through my defenses. Sparks of light, wind, and water spiraled around his fist as it collided with my shoulder.

Snap!

My bones shattered on impact, the force sending me flying backward. But since I was holding onto Gale's hand, he was dragged along with me.

As we soared through the air, time seemed to stretch.

Our eyes locked, and something shifted. My heart raced—not from adrenaline, but from something deeper, something unfamiliar.

I saw the same recognition in Gale's gaze. His expression softened, the intensity of battle giving way to something else.

We hit the ground, rolling together across the grassy outskirts of the ring. When we finally stopped, we were still holding hands.

Neither of us moved.

We just stared at each other, the world around us fading into silence.

It was true...

We were...