Rien gently applied the Water Healing Technique to the faint bloodstain on his face.
Upon hearing Damon's words, his initial confusion was resolved, only to be replaced by new doubts.
The Magic-Nullifying Stone was so expensive—how could the academy afford to equip so many?
Rien narrowed his eyes. It seemed the Mick family was behind this.
As the crowd's roars echoed, cheering Damon's name, a spark of madness ignited in Rien's heart.
The mages had been silent for too long. It was time for them to witness what true magic was, to feel the full force of a mage's might.
Damon's eyes gleamed with the arrogance of a cat toying with a mouse, but Rien's expression remained calm, indifferent.
Gradually, his body was enveloped in a soft, radiant light. His mage robe became adorned with golden borders, exuding an air of nobility and divinity.
Rien began to levitate, rising higher into the sky, his smile carrying a hint of madness as he surveyed the awe-struck crowd below.
It seemed that the long-lost magical technique he had exchanged all his energy for yesterday was finally going to shine today.
Magical Technique: Instant Casting.
The moment the technique was activated, it was as though countless magical arrays appeared in Rien's eyes, deepening the clarity of his gaze.
He raised his right hand, and in an instant, countless ethereal spears of light appeared above the arena, each one exuding a chilling, dangerous aura.
With a burst of power, the light spears swiftly took form.
The intense brilliance emanating from the spears was like a cluster of miniature suns, instantly lighting up the entire arena.
The brightness was so intense that the onlookers could no longer keep their eyes open, tears welling up as if pierced by needles.
The arena's protective barrier flickered into place to shield the crowd, allowing them to witness the duel in full clarity.
The air was now filled with the menacing presence of countless light spears hanging above like judgmental blades, awaiting their moment.
Rien's gaze fell upon Damon, who stood defiantly with his shield raised. His lips curled into a mocking grin.
In that moment, the atmosphere shifted dramatically, and the crowd that had cheered Damon into the arena fell into stunned silence.
Rien's current form was too wild, too overwhelming—a display of sheer force that silenced the spectators.
This was nothing like the mages they had read about, the ones who wilted after casting a few spells.
Even the senior figures in the stands sat up straighter, a flicker of unease crossing their expressions.
Despite the warriors and knights in the audience being unfamiliar with the intricacies of magic, they were still taken aback by the scale of Rien's power.
Though most of the senior figures kept their thoughts to themselves, a chorus of exclamations rang out from the mages.
"My heavens! What in the world is this!? Is that… Instant Casting?!"
"And so many light spears! Rien has an enormous amount of magical power!"
"Does he have a mentor? Huh? Tell me! I want to take him on as my personal disciple! I'll marry my only granddaughter to him!"
The dean, Tangwood Ever, exchanged a glance with Rien's teacher, Jonah. Both recognized the storm of emotions in each other's eyes.
Tangwood rose and walked over to Jonah. "This kid… Did you teach him?"
Jonah, still confused, shook his head.
"I've only taught him the theoretical part. What he's using now… I haven't taught him that. I don't even know how."
"All I can say is that this kid is not only exceptionally gifted but also incredibly fortunate. He's found a long-lost magical technique—Instant Casting."
Jonah's eyes sparkled with envy.
Tangwood nodded. "Not only that, but the fact that he can manifest so many light spears as a First-Class Mage is astounding. His magical power is easily ten times greater than that of a typical mage at his level."
"And what's even more astonishing isn't his magical power…"
Jonah interjected, "It's his magic recovery speed."
"Exactly. As a mage with all elemental affinities, he draws magic from all attributes. I can even feel the magic from the entire arena flowing toward him, replenishing his power."
"What do you think—can my son win against him?" Ahanason, who had unknowingly crept in, asked.
He placed heavy emphasis on the word "son," making it sound almost possessive.
Tangwood and Jonah exchanged exasperated glances.
"Why are you still calling him that now?" Jonah muttered.
Jonah turned to Ahanason, "At this point, with Rien's levitation and that terrifying magic recovery speed, he's already unbeatable."
Ahanason's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Holy cow, this kid really does have something up his sleeve?"
He had initially planned to comfort Rien after the duel, but now he was wondering how he could help Rien claim Freya as his.
The sight of Rien's overwhelming power left Ahanason, Tangwood, and the mages deeply stirred, but Brant's brow furrowed in concern.
"Hmm~ Brant, why do you look so unhappy? Is it because Damon is about to lose?"
Ahanason walked over, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Brant took a deep breath. "Lose? Damon isn't going to lose. Not with these little light spears."
"You stubborn old fool. Let's see if you're still so calm when Damon is the one on the ground."
Back in the arena, Rien dropped his right hand with a forceful motion.
"Damon, dance for me!"
The suspended light spears above came crashing down in a hail of magic, targeting Damon from all sides.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang...
Hundreds of light spears rained down, their speed and precision unrelenting.
Damon, a First-Class Advanced Warrior, was skilled in evasion, dodging the incoming spears with swift movements.
But the sheer number of spears was overwhelming—he couldn't avoid them all.
For every spear that struck him, Damon was forced to block, each impact sending him reeling backward, as though struck by a siege engine.
The force of the blocked spears was staggering.
Even the ones that were deflected left deep, jagged holes in the ground before fading into faint glimmers of light.
As the barrage of spears began to diminish, Damon sneered,
"Hahaha, Rien, your little stunt looks impressive, but it's no more than…"
His words were abruptly cut off as Rien summoned another storm of magic. Hundreds of thunderbolts crackled into existence in the sky, the air around them thickening with the energy of lightning.
The weather itself seemed to shift, and the arena darkened as clouds gathered, as if preparing for a storm.
Thunder rumbled, and Damon was forced to endure a new wave of magical onslaught.
Before he could even catch his breath, a series of fiery swords, water lances, and other elemental attacks followed in rapid succession.
For a brief moment, Damon felt as though he was fighting against nature itself, against the world itself.
The spectators could only stare in awe at Rien's magical prowess. Even Sophia, watching from the sidelines, felt an overwhelming pressure building within her.
Is this… what a true mage is?
The academy students, who had previously been gossiping, now fell silent, their eyes glued to Rien in the air. Slowly, someone began to speak.
"Is this really the same guy? The so-called 'useless' noble son? If he's useless, then what does that make me?"
"Rien has hidden his power so well. He's been studying magic for two years without showing his skills, but now… he's a sensation."
"Ah! Rien, you're the most handsome! Go, Rien!"
In the face of such overwhelming strength, even the most mischievous habits were now praised as signs of brilliance.
"Sisters, when I bathed, I swear Rien saw me. Maybe he's got a thing for me. Tomorrow, I'll have my father go to Ahanason and see if we can arrange a marriage."
"Ah, why wasn't I seen? Maybe I'd have a chance too! Waaa!"
Rien called down from the sky,
"Damon, you're truly unfortunate. My teacher just told me about Magic-Nullifying Stones yesterday, and here you are, trying to use them against me. How fitting—it's like lighting a lantern in a toilet—seeking death."
"Magic-Nullifying Stones are potent against mages, but they can only absorb so much magic. Once they exceed that limit, they lose their power to nullify magic."
As soon as his words fell, Damon's left shoulder guard shattered under the relentless onslaught of Rien's spells.
Damon's expression shifted to panic.
"Impossible!"
"How do you have so much power? This isn't what the books said! Did you take some forbidden drug before the duel?"
Damon's disbelief and madness were palpable.
"The books are the books, and I am I."
Rien crossed his arms, looking down at Damon with cold disdain.
"I, Rien, a mage with all elemental affinities in this age of
magic's decline, will bring magic back to the pinnacle of this world."
As Rien spoke, the clouds above began to part, revealing a massive, majestic sword descending from the heavens.
The Sword of Damocles hung in the air, its ominous presence casting a long shadow over the arena.