Chapter 11: Chapter 6: Friendly Duel

Was she still mad about my slip up with Elise? Or maybe she just wants to see if what I said about my strength was true. Maybe she didn't like my attempts at flirting with her. Well whatever the reason Alex was standing about ten feet away from me in what looked to be a casual stance, with one hand on her hip and the other resting by her side, but I knew better than that. There were no openings in the way she was standing.

Surrounding us were Elise, Masum, and every other knight and guard. All of which were cheering Alexandra on, save Elise and Masum who were just watching silently.

"The rules are simple. Whichever of us gets hit first will be deemed the loser. Blocking is allowed. Prepare yourself."

After hearing her words I got into my usual low stance, with my dominant foot out in front of me, and both of my hands positioned above my hips, palms facing forward.

Alex mumbled something I couldn't quite make out, and a moment later she nodded to signal the start of the fight.

Suddenly I felt a slight tingle coming from the right side of my head. I turned my head right, since I couldn't naturally see that way anymore, but I was too late.

"Kahk-"

Something collided with my face, and I fell straight onto my back. Well not before spiralling in the air that is.

I was more surprised than anything else, because someone had sabotaged our fight. Before I could voice any complaints Elise was once again only a few inches from my face.

"Are you okay? I didn't mean to throw it so hard..." She said.

I could only blink at the revelation. The sweet and innocent Elise threw a rock at the speed of light straight towards my head?

"I told her to. I also told her to announce her intentions before doing so." Alex said, which made me sigh in relief. Elise hadn't turned on me, it was Alex's fault!

"I don't know how, or why, but it seems you ignore everything that isn't the target of your focus. This explains why you lost to those goblins, and will also be the reason for your death. I suggest ridding yourself of this hindrance." Alex said. She had somehow found out about my small problem. The question was how? But the answer for that could wait.

'Pyra did I..?'

(...)

I clenched my fists that were resting on my thighs. I promised I wouldn't shut her out anymore, and I know for a fact she wouldn't have let me get hit by whatever I got hit with, which meant I had broken my promise.

A promise I had only made a few hours ago.

(Wait, Damian it isn't your fault! You have been fighting like that for years it's only natural you can't stop overnight.)

I stood up, fists still clenched, and faced Alexandra who looked a bit surprised by my new look of conviction if her raised eyebrows were of any indication.

'Pyra I need you to constantly speak to me. Be my right eye, tell me everything I can't see. Even if it's as mundane as a knight cheering. If I don't respond even once then let whatever happens happen.'

(I can do that.)

"Elise I am okay, I want you to keep throwing things at me for the duration of the fight, okay?" I looked her in the eyes, which I had to look down to do.

"A-are you sure? I don't want to hurt you too much..."

I only nodded and faced Alex. Elise went back to her place next to Masum and gathered a small pile of rocks.

"I see. Do you think you can face me while avoiding those stones?" A small smile spread across her face.

"Like I stand a chance either way." I also smiled at her.

"Very well. Then come at me Damian Solace. Hold nothing back!" Alex adopted a much more defensive stance, with her legs close together and her hands protecting her head. Really brings back memories...

'Alright Pyra, let's give them a nice show.' And with that I was off. 

I sprinted full speed towards Alex, intending to reach her before she could react.

(Rock incoming!)

But my mad dash was cut short. As I felt a slight tingle in the middle of my ribs. 

'There it is! That tingling sensation...'

I twisted my body doing a spiral of sorts and I watched as the rock glided harmlessly over my chest.

'So I was right...'

I used my hands to ensure I didn't fall on my back, and to regain my balance and resituate myself before continuing my rush towards Alex.

Upon reaching a foots distance from her I drew my fist back, and after getting a bit closer I let it fly. Alex was on my blindside now so Pyra informed me that she had sidestepped my blow.

"Overcommitment-" before she could continue her words, which most likely would have been some "don't overcommit and leave yourself vulnerable" bs, I spiraled in a similar manner as before and sent my right leg straight towards her face. Due to the lack of impact, and Pyra informing me, I knew I had missed my kick as well.

Unable to stop my momentum I continued going forwards and landed on my side. I rolled a bit before launching myself back into the air and onto my feet.

"That was reckless. Furthermore, I know that isn't the extent to your power nor skill. I said don't hold back, and I meant it."

Now that Elise was in my vision Pyra went about explaining my surroundings, from how the knights all looked shocked by my acrobatic display, to how a bird had perched in a nearby tree.

"Heh, nothing gets past you does it?"

To be truthful I had some inhibitions about going all out against her. In truth I felt it was wrong to even try at all against a woman. After all how could a gentleman, such as myself, ever lay his hands on a girl?

Shaking my thoughts away I used Martial Arts Mastery to boost my stats by 35% and walked the short distance towards Alex.

Once I reached just out of arms reach I took a traditional boxers stance, hands high and legs shoulder width apart, and took that last step.

Despite now being within punching distance Alex didn't make a move, so I did.

I sent a flurry of jabs, crosses, uppercuts, and hooks at her all of which she ducked, weaved, sidestepped or just blocked.

Thanks to Martial Arts Mastery my agility was 16 or, in other words, only eight less than hers, which meant I could keep some small amount of pressure on her.

Once my arms grew relatively tired I switched to kicks. I started with simple side and front kicks before moving onto the more flashy ones. But no matter what I did I couldn't land a single hit.

It didn't help that Elise was throwing stones every now and then either.

Ater sidestepping yet another stone Alex threw her first attack. The tingle returned, this time in the direct center of my chest and as a stinging sensation. Due to my awkward footing I didn't have any hope of dodging it, and recovering in time to prepare for a counter, and instead put my arms into a cross to block it.

'Please don't break. Please don't break. Please don't break!'

My arms creaked under the sheer weight of her hit and I was sent skidding on my back a few feet. 

I didn't waste a second in getting up, despite the numbness in my arms, which were now steaming.

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'Just how hard did she hit me?' my arms dangled in front of me while I waited for them to regain their strength. Luckily they seemed largely unharmed and definitely not pulverized to a fine powder.

(That isn't from her punch...) Pyra said within my mind.

'Then what is it then?

[Host, confirming creation of skill: Mana Enhancement (D)]

'Uh... Confirm?'

[Creation of skill: Mana Enhancement (D) has been confirmed]

[Skill: Mana Enhancement (D) has been unlocked]

-Mana Enhancement (D)

Mana Enhancement has been a necessary skill for mages of any kind since the dawn of creation. Mana Enhancement is one of many defensive spells within any wise magician's arsenal. Due to special circumstances, this skill has become more potent.

Increases all stats by 50%

Mana usage: 50/min

Suddenly a flood of information appeared in my mind. It pertained to the new skill, or rather how to use it.

I felt my lips stretch into an unholy grin. No, it was beyond that, it was the smile of a predator who had found it's prey.

I felt it. The power. This was magic. MY magic! I watched as the orange glow surrounding my body brightened and dimmed as I put mana into my form and took it away seamlessly. 

This was the power of a perfect affinity. This was my power.

"This is... You said you couldn't use magic." Alex pulled me from my thoughts.

I started blankly at her for a moment. I had completely forgotten we were supposed to be fighting.

"I couldn't..." I looked back at my fist, which I had been clenching and unclenching as I felt my newfound strength coursing through my veins. Strength that would one day rule this world...

(Damian you need to lock those thoughts away. You can't be consumed by this power. Remember what we talked about.)

'Ah, right, sorry this is all new to me.'

She was right. She had warned me about this before, about letting the power get to my head. Of course then she was talking about when she would fuse with my soul and I would fight Bahamut, but the same rules still applied here.

"Sorry we can get back to the fight now." I said relaxing my face, that had started to hurt from my previous smile.

"Yes. I will permit the use of Mana Enhancement, but you are not allowed to use any other spells."

I nodded my head, and once again dashed straight towards Alex. This time I was faster than I had ever been. Even Alex looked completely shocked by my display. She brought her hands up to block the punch I sent at her, which she did with ease. The thing was, she was slow. Too slow even.

'Wait, isn't her agility stat 24? Pyra what is my current agility?'

(It's 26.)

I nearly spat out the saliva that had been collecting inside my mouth, but before I could Alex threw a counter attack at me.

I dodged it with a centimeters distance from her fist, thanks to the powerful tingle I felt on my jawline. I may now have a higher agility but that didn't mean I could take her lightly.

I took a step back to create some distance from her. I needed to devise a plan to defeat her.

We started pacing in the opposite direction of each other in a small circle, both looking for openings in each other's defenses. Then after a moment, we charged at each other again.

Fists flew, and legs swung, yet neither of us could land a clean hit on the other. I was dodging most of her attacks thanks to the tingling sensation I kept feeling, and blocking the ones I couldn't, while she was blocking most of my attacks and only dodging to throw a counter attack.

The problem was I had less stamina than she did. Which meant if things continued this way I would lose.

I sent an uppercut her way with my right hand, which she sidestepped raising her fist to counter, but before she could I threw a left hook. She blocked my strike giving me the perfect opportunity to send a kick towards her face.

She saw my intentions and brought her free hand towards her face to block my path.

In response I changed the trajectory of my kick, and connected with a fucking brick wall her stomach.

She didn't even react to my hit, save her not doing anything at all. She didn't recoil, she didn't wince, she didn't even breathe the slightest bit harder.

I fell onto my knee, cancelling my Mana Enhancement since my MP was very close to 0 at this point, and started massaging my shin.

Alex looked straight into my eyes from above, completely silent. Matter of fact everything was silent. 

'Uh Pyra I didn't enter total concentration again did I?' come to think of it she went silent halfway through my fight with Alex. And seeing as how she didn't respond to me after a few moments I assumed I did it again.

(Y-you won...) Pyra finally said.

'Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I? Is that why everyone is quiet?'

Suddenly I heard a loud laugh from above me. Looking up I saw Alex holding her gut and laughing out towards the sky.

After finishing she reached a hand down to me. I grabbed her hand and she quite literally pulled me to my feet without breaking a sweat.

"I hereby announce you the winner of our fight. I was holding back, but even so anyone else here would find it difficult to land a hit on me."

My legs were shaking like they were about to give in, but it didn't matter, I had won. Sure I took more damage than she did, from my own attack, but the rules stated whoever got hit lost, which meant I had actually won!

"W-what are you?" I heard someone say behind me, turning around I saw it was just Elise.

"Depends on who you ask really." I said without really paying much attention to her. Until I saw her expression of mock horror.

My brows furrowed as I tried to piece together the situation but I couldn't come to a conclusion.

"Yes Damian we do need to have a talk, just not here. Elise come with us." Alex said grabbing my arm and pulling me away.

'What the hell did I do!?'

I didn't even notice Elise quit throwing rocks at me after I started using Mana Enhancement.

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