“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! There it is, once again! The same devastating attack that paved a path amid the Labyrinth of Gniemra! I must say, I don’t believe anyone would be able to come out of that unscathed. Nevertheless, we shall see this through and through! Once the dust settles—will our sneaky mage come out of this alive? I’m at the edge of my seat!”

Yojim stood with his blade in sheathe, yet his hand hadn’t been removed from the hilt. He remained with a strained expression, stone-faced and internally puzzled. His eyes then met his sleeve, one drenched in seemingly water that had appeared from thin air shortly earlier. His blade had connected with something, but not his desired target.

A liquid shield was it...? Is that their influence then...? It managed to block an Aether Skill of all things...

His eyes returned back toward the unsettled clouds of dirt that encircled his target. He could feel his slight movements as the stray winds alerted him that the Wizard was still alive. Slowly, a silhouette appeared and with it, Yojim shot forth once more.

I won’t allow him any more time. I’ll be finishing this here, Wizard.

“Skill: [2nd Facet – Flower of Distant Shores].”

Three concise and free-flowing strikes of undiluted prowess. A practically invisible attack that any normal person wouldn’t be able to counter, dodge or block. Especially when he held the intent of landing said strikes. Yet, his weapon—his attacks—had connected with another weapon. More than anything, there was an eerie feeling that arose within him upon impact.

“Sorry about that, you caught me earlier. It definitely should have been your win there. That being said, I’ll be sure to face you properly this time.”

The Wizard’s voice was starkly different than before. Yojim felt as if the man before him was far calmer and more collected now. And as the Wizard pushed upon Yojim’s blade, that same blade quickly prepared an additional and successive assault in response. Yet, it was greeted this time by an even heavier connection somehow.

What is going on here...?!

Suddenly, the Wizard muttered something just loud enough for Yojim to hear clearly.

“Casting: [Condensed Coating: Forceful Wind], Skill: [Scaling Bole] – Release!”

An unforeseeable—unnatural—amount of force slammed against his blade, propelling him backward like never before. Catching himself along the ground by stabbing his blade within the arena’s floor, he could feel his body shaking slightly in reaction to the sudden attack. He was certain as he looked over his unbroken blade; had it not been an Empyreal ranked weapon—it would have shattered.

“What exactly happened to him within those few seconds...?”

The clouds of dust had completely cleared, or more so, it had been replaced. A black-robbed priest was currently strolling toward Yojim through the slow rain of black petals. In the Wizard’s hand, his staff was consumed in a violent, grey aura as the tips of his weapon seemingly held palpable, swaying strings of wind on each end. Yojim felt unnerved at the Wizard’s sudden change.

“Earlier, you asked what I thought about it all, right? Being potentially the main reason as to why Aerith’s prior peace would be disrupted. And I was unable to answer then, hell, I don’t think I still properly can.”

The Wizard was suddenly pulled into thought as he continued.

“Yet, the war at the northern border persisted without me here, didn’t it? The destruction of the Elven of Dusk happened long before I arrived—or any of the current Effigies. This world, Aerith, is abundant in mystery for even someone like myself, and that’s why I don’t believe I’m the sole reason. There has to be more that we’re both unaware of.”

There was a strange resolve and strength embedded in his bitter smile.

“Even so, if I have the ability to push Aerith toward a better, yet destined future—I will attempt to do just that. There are people here that I want to protect after all.”

“The ramblings of an idealist, one that is simply attempting to dismiss the lingering consequences of their threat-coated appearance. You’re blind to the bigger picture, it seems, Wizard.”

Yojim remained in disapproval toward the Wizard’s sudden dismissal of who they were. He held every intent on still vanquishing the uncertain threat as Yojim himself kept his desire to protect someone aside and hidden. The Wizard’s attempt was of a paltry, sugar-coated and unwarranted words—and him existing was evidence enough as to why he needed to be killed for a better future.

“Ah. You’re probably correct. But you see, who would ever want to continue seeing themselves as a potential villain? And maybe that does make me a hypocrite too. I’m sure by understanding and proceeding nonetheless only furthers that.”

The Wizard lifted his staff toward Yojim, his expression now solemn and without even the slightest hesitation.

“But I want to live, Yojim. Even if it means wrapping this world in a vague, enshrouding of uncertainty. There’s no helping that desire, and I have no intention on allowing anyone to rob me of that chance or freedom.”

In a sudden swing of his staff back toward his side, a stray, powerful gale kicked forth—once again allowing the black petals to dance over the two.

“Come at me, Yojim. If you’re so convinced that you need to kill me, then I have every right to fight with the intention on killing you. I can’t have her scolding me again after all. I’ll set aside my own morals, my own subconscious desire to keep these hands of mine remaining stainless. So, if you don’t come at me with an even stronger intent than before; you will be the one to die this time.”

It was an unsmiling taunt, one that, unlike before, Yojim now deemed worthy of meeting his blade. Yojim was driven forward by the wind once more as he began dragging his blade against the ground. Sparks encircled his blade as they mended with the wind, he had now reached the Wizard.

“Skill: [1st Facet – Scarlet Bloom].”

Yet before he could connect his blade with the Wizard, the man suddenly smiled as he aimed the bottom of his staff toward the ground.

“Casting: [Condensed Force Push]!”

A sudden explosion of debris consumed Yojim’s entirety. Something like that was pointless in the long-run for him though.

This again. As long as there’s stray winds—I can feel you, Wizard.

Shortly after locating him within the resumed dust clouds, Yojim continued forth with his skill toward the Wizard. Another enshrouded, but heavy clash of weapons. One that immediately alarmed Yojim as he instinctively leapt back. And a mere second later, a sudden gust of wind smacked against the arena floor—clearing away the field of clouds once more.

How annoying. He keeps—?

Yojim’s eyes absorbed his surroundings. The Wizard was nowhere to be seen—not in front, behind nor at his side. Using the guiding wind, his line of sight was immediately pulled above him.

“Grit those teeth, Yojim! I’m coming in hot! Skill: [Scaling Bole] – Release!”

Descending from above, the Wizard’s staff was laced with another violent display of a grey aura. And instead of dodging, Yojim decided to meet it head on.

“Skill: [0th Facet – Budding Riverbed]!”

A blade covered in his own aura-filled gleam. The fervent connection of the two imbued weapons split the grounds of the arena underneath Yojim upon impact. He now sat defending against the Wizard’s onslaught of pressure inside of a crater amid the black and flowing flowers.

“I’m not done yet! As long as I keep you still, you’re a non-issue, right?”

His shouts carried a questioning thought to Yojim. He hadn’t noticed until that moment. As he struggled against the Wizard’s attack, he caught the glimpse of three separate figures moving in the distance from the corner of his eye. A floating eye, a pair of hands and a spectral wolf holding an eerie staff with a black orb. He didn’t have another second to guesstimate on what that meant as his legs suddenly began to sink within a thick mud. Not only that, three additional, spectral wolves were now headed their way.

I need to move from here immediately. His attack is beginning to weaken, so I’ll—?!

“I’m not letting you off that easily, Yojim! Casting: [Condensed Force Push]!”

An additional weight of pressure overcame Yojim’s ability to move any further. The three wolves then descended upon the crater, yet they then suddenly became formless as three waves of water drenched his entirety. The Wizard didn’t miss a beat as his assault suddenly stop, almost catching Yojim off guard.

“Casting: [Collapsing Cloud: Freeze]!”

Mid-air, a cloud formed above the Wizard as he then adjusted his staff above him. He seemingly snatched at the cloud with the string-like wind that sat at the end of his staff. Swinging it forward, he had created a flail-like weapon with the cloud as he swung downward upon Yojim. That minor moment was all Yojim needed though, as a glass tonic appeared within his hand. Quickly coating his blade in a faint, blue liquid, he struck at the air before.

“Skill: [Magic Break]!”

An attached wind, imbued with the blue liquid then greeted the cloud as it suddenly dispersed before impact. Yojim continued as he then slammed his blade within the muddy pool, scattering the spell. Pushing back, he allowed the wind to grasp him and create distance between him and the Wizard.

“As expected, you really won’t go down that easy, huh?”

The Wizard coated his staff once more as the two rushed at one another.

❖

The clash continued as we exchanged blow-for-blow, meeting each other’s strike with every bit of force we could muster. I had used [Divination] and [Self Accelerate] immediately after leaving that timeless realm. If it hadn’t been for that, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up. All the while using the scattered clouds of dusts as a means to set up every other tactic I had used so far. They weren’t successful in the end, but they were at least causing him to toil away. Yojim was, without a doubt, the strongest opponent I had faced as of yet.

There’s only one way to put him down for good after all. This will be a battle of attrition if we keep going like this. I need to force him to use one of those. I need to keep putting pressure on him in the mean time! Casting: [Wheel of the Firebug]!

Dual casting amid our exchanges, I created a form of cover fire from my stave in the distance. Keeping Yojim distracted, or more so, forcing him to acknowledge that he needed to do more. And he had finally decided to bite as I could see his action beforehand and began to prepare.

Now! Casting: [Point of Absorption]!

“Casting: [Coating: Mud], Casting: [Condensed Force Push]!”

I began casting in a whispered tone as Yojim suddenly pushed himself toward the sky with a force of wind. I immediately followed suit as I aimed my quarterstaff toward the ground, releasing my spell and following him above.

“I’ve obliged you long enough, Wizard. I’ll end this here and now. Die for the sake of a better future! Aether Skill: [Transgression of the Approaching Eternity]!”

He held three separate vials between his fingers as he drenched his blade in an unknown liquid. Yet, as he did, a sudden shiver was sent down my spine. The blade held a distorted coloration now, black with an oozing, flickering line of haunting white. It slowly extended to the tip of the blade, and when it did, the blade and everything beyond it seemed to waver—as if it were all an illusion. A protrusion of white needles even extended from the line. My [Divination] was signaling me one simple warning—do not come in contact with it. Any form of contact with it had become a blur, yet I couldn’t stop here.

I have to bet it all on this! Casting: [Point of Invulnerability]!

Our weapons finally connected once more, as a relentless flow of strikes greeted my quarterstaff. It was a swarm of ominous needles, sporadically scattering as the only thing protecting me was a muddied quarterstaff imbued with [Point of Absorption] and [Point of Invulnerability]. Yet, it was working, holding out better than I expected. And I had noticed the possible reason why as I glanced toward Yojim in between the flickering white. His face was strained, hesitant even.

Hold it. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it.

Nevertheless, my resolve was solidified. Waiting for a single opening as I readied my spells in succession. Due to having the two preemptive spells from earlier fail before being able to properly cast and take shape—I still had two remaining. And as his blade that was warped in white and black finally began to pull back slightly, I initiated my final maneuver.

Combining [Coating: Wind] with [Condensed Force Push]! Casting: [Flash Bullet]!”

“Casting: [Condensed Coating: Forceful Wind]!”

A bullet imbued with light; a simple spell targeted at Yojim in order to further pull his attention away from me. And as the bullet whizzed past his face during the spare moment he was preparing to re-engage, he shut his eyes for a mere second.

“Skill: [Scaling Bole]!”

Sending the bottom of the quarterstaff, one saturated in a countering aura from the Aether Skill, [Transgression of the Approaching Eternity], I could make out the signs of cracking amid the quarterstaff. Even so, I pushed forward. An unusual grating sound enveloped the air as I dragged the devastating blow forward at Yojim’s side. It connected, as I further strove to push him downward. In response, I could feel a sudden and yet clumsy display of a counter as his blade randomly dug into the skin near my collar bone.

“This is the future I’ve decided upon for myself, Yojim! No one deserves to die because of an uncertain threat that plagues them! If that were the case...”

Eru herself would have to be killed simply because of an ominous unknown she held. I would deny such a way of thinking without hesitation, no matter what.

“It’s your loss, Yojim! – Release!”

With that final word, I further drove the end of my quarterstaff into his side as he was sent flying far away from me at [Scaling Bole]’s true activation. I was pushed away in the process as my body slammed against the arena’s field of black flowers.

“Haa.... Haa...”

Yojim now sat in a crater outside of the arena. I clutched at my neck as I could feel a slow ooze of flowing blood. Despite his frantic counter at the end, he had dug rather deeply into my skin.

“What a pain in the ass... Aha...”

I had survived, and only because I was given a second chance. If it hadn’t been for Haifalaura, I wouldn’t have even been allowed another attempt. And as I looked to my side, I was greeted by the spectral wolf that had been near my stave.

“Good work out there...”

Gently patting the practically non-responsive, in regard to its animation, summoned wolf, I then slowly lifted to my feet by propping myself against my quarterstaff. Yet, the moment I did, the center then broke into two, causing me to almost fall forward. I held one end of it in my hand as the other now sat crumbled on the floor.

And that goes triple for you, [Spiritstaff of the Auburn Giant]. Thank you for coming this far with me...

It wasn’t able to completely hold out against parrying the damage of an Aether Skill after all. I closed my eyes in thought as a sudden, annoying voice then enlivened the arena once again.

“THE WINNER IS.....EUUUUUUUUUUUUULEEEEEEEEEER!!!!”

At the announcer’s enthusiastic screech, a wave of cheers erupted throughout the arena. I had actually forgotten that we were being watched that entire time. Yet, I wasn’t able to give it much thought as something suddenly caught my attention. It was as if the sun was completely blacked out as the field of black flowers was eclipsed by something. My eyes looked above, and the moment I did, the descent of a giant, red creature landed onto the field.