Ch10 - Boiling Point

Author's note:

After rereading the previous chapter, I think I can do a lot better so for this chapter I'm gonna lock in.

***

"Next up! Sen Karum vs Ceciliaaa Von Windshire!"

The announcer spoke, I had been led me to my position around ten minutes ago. 

I tightened my grip on the hilt of my katana and slowly walked forward into the arena. 

I let out a sharp breath and readied myself for combat raising my katana into my battle stance.

On the opposing end sat a certain white-haired princess I had met a day before I came to the academy. 

"Funny seeing you here, Sen."

She said, a devilish smile flourishing upon her face.

"Likewise, Cecilia, we didn't get to talk much last time we met."

"Yes, it was quite the shame."

Unlike me, she had a casual stance as if she didn't have any worries about the battle. 

The announcer counted us down, but neither of us moved when he said, "Go."

She just sat there with an irritatingly condescending look. 

"You know, you're quite interesting."

I instinctively backed up as she slowly walked towards me. 

"Kneel."

I felt a heavy force weigh down on me as if gravity had gotten ten times heavier,

Yet I remained standing, my sword had lowered, but not my body. 

I used aura to reinforce myself and as the force wore off, I launched myself at Cecilia.

"So predictable."

She said boringly yet in her eyes I could see a sense of amusement.

[1st Art: Calling of The Fragrant Flower]

Blossom petals flew as my sword glided across the air, but my blade never reached her. 

She simply put her hand out and I had been pushed back by a seemingly invisible force. 

"Is this really all that you got? I expected more from the youngest of the Karum Family."

'Why's she acting all rude all of the sudden?'

She taunted me attempting to get into my head and before I could even recover even a little bit,

she launched herself at me at a speed that I could barely keep up with. 

In an instance, she used the palms of her hand to punch me square in the stomach. 

Just like before I had been launched back by some invisible force the moment her palm met my body.

"Wow, you really are quite weak."

'Damn cheat skill. She's nothing without that ability of hers.'

I let out a sharp breath and picked myself up once more. 

'Complaining isn't going to fix anything.'

I stood and my sword raised in an unfamiliar stance; I was completely relying on instincts. 

I looked unfazed and unhurt, but only I knew that my body burned almost everywhere.

"Can't you just give up? We all know you're gonna lose."

She said amusingly as she saw me get up.

"You might even get a funny nickname after this humiliating defeat. I could ask Micheal to spread "The Failure of the Karum's."

"You know you really piss me off."

She paused for a moment at my statement. 

"Born with all this, it's unfair. What gives you the right to treat others like garbage, throwing them away without a care in the world?"

"What gives me the right?"

She asked as if she heard the dumbest thing ever.

"It's simple, my title, my strength, everything about me that makes me superior to people like you."

"My right? My right was given to me the moment I was born."

[Unique Skill: Spirit is reacting heavily.]

A flowing flame of pure Aura bursted out of me, the Aura kept pulsating out in every direction setting the floor seemingly on fire.

It didn't stop, it kept multiplying and multiplying as if the flame was being fed by wood.

"People like you. I'm done having tolerance for."

That flame-like Aura continuously erupted forth not even slowing down in the slightest.

The flames completely engulfed the floor and pushed against the sides of the stadium.

Those flames like waves began targeting Cecilia surrounding her from all sides. 

Cecilia looked a bit surprised, but she simply pushed away all the Aura away from her using her skill.

"Hah..."

'My art is completely useless here. I wanted to become stronger, but I can't even land a hit on her. On her? It's so so so frustrating.'

I let out another sharp breath.

'Why am I in this position? I'm fighting, but I just can't win. I can't win at all.'

The flames grew hungrier and hungrier like a bursting inferno. 

Cecilia's skill couldn't keep up the moment the flames neared her she'd push them back, but even that was slowing down. 

Yet I could still see that same smile on her face.

That smile that mocked and taunted me throughout the entire battle.

I wasn't mad at her. I was mad at myself.

I trained and I trained, and I trained days without end and yet I couldn't hold a candle to her. 

'Why am I so fucking weak? And just when I thought I had made some decent fucking progress.'

'Why... WHY? Am I so fucking useless? Why can't I change, why can't I win? Why can't I alter my fate?'

I was utterly lost in thought, but when I came to my senses,

Steam had completely clouded my view, but where did it come from?

[Warning: Unique Skill: Spirit is reacting heavily]

I looked around and all I could see was this flame-like substance. 

It was deep red; it had the qualities of fire and yet it looked nothing like real fire. 

'What is this?'

I reached out towards it, and it had no effect on me. 

And yet on the floor dripping down me was a blue-like substance that was water-like and yet looked nothing like water.

[Warning: Unique Skill: Spirit is reacting heavily]

'Huh, I forgot about that, but what does that have to do with anything?'

Hot steam, fire, and water completely encased us in the mana barrier that the academy set up. 

'From the outside, it probably looks like a giant ball of red.'

[Warning: Unique Skill: Spirit is reacting heavily]

I suddenly dropped to my knees and felt incredibly weak.

'My mana reserves, why are they so low?'

The weird substances began to subside and then I saw her.

"Cecilia..."

She looked as if she had gone through war. She was completely sprawled out on the floor and her condition looked horrible. 

Soon the medical staff of the academy came and carried Cecilia away on a stretcher. 

I was completely too weak to even move a muscle and yet the announcer counted it as my win. 

'Shit, what happened to her?'

I stared blankly at the spot that where Cecilia was laying, and I still recalled her injuries.

Burns, thousands of burns that ran across her back. 

I couldn't say in words what I felt, but somehow, I knew it was my fault.

Who else could it have been?

Author's Note:

So many of these, but shorter chapter. The MC will still be kinda struggling at the start and now you guys can see why he has that unique skill.