The library fell into a deathly silence. Master Varun's jaw dropped, and the other apprentices scrambled away, fearing the Prince's wrath. Kael was the son of a High Duke, a prodigy who had already awakened his mana at the age of twelve. Silas was just a 'nobody'—a commoner meant to dust old books.
"You... you dare insult the royal bloodline?" Kael's voice trembled with rage. He pulled out a polished wand encrusted with a red fire-gem. "I'll burn that tongue right out of your mouth, librarian!"
Kael began to chant. A ball of orange flame started to flicker at the tip of his wand. It was a standard Level 1 Fire Spark, but fueled by his expensive mana crystal, it looked twice as large.
[Warning! Incoming Magic Attack: Fire Spark (Low Grade).]
[Analysis: Predictable trajectory. 95% chance of dodging.]
Silas didn't move. He didn't even reach for a wand. He just stood there, his eyes glowing with a faint blue light.
"Die!" Kael screamed, flinging the fireball at Silas's chest.
The apprentices gasped, some closing their eyes to avoid seeing the boy get burned. But Silas simply tilted his body an inch to the left. The fireball whizzed past his ear, scorching a few strands of his hair, and slammed into a stone pillar behind him. Boom!
"Missed," Silas whispered, his voice cold.
"Luck! That was pure luck!" Kael roared. He began to gather mana again, but his movements were sloppy, driven by anger.
[Counter-Attack Opportunity Detected.]
[System Recommendation: Use 'White Flame Spark'. Target: Kael's wand hand.]
Silas raised his right hand. He didn't need a wand. He had the Optimized Formula etched into his very soul.
Concentrate... compress the mana... let the oxygen feed the core, Silas thought.
Instead of a messy orange flame, a tiny, needle-thin spark of pure white light appeared at his fingertip. It didn't look like much, but the air around Silas began to ripple from the intense heat.
"What is that?" Varun muttered, his eyes wide. "That's not a normal Fire Spark..."
"My turn," Silas said.
With a flick of his finger, the white spark shot forward like a bullet. It was ten times faster than Kael's spell.
Sizzle!
The white spark hit Kael's wand directly. The heat was so intense that the wood instantly turned to ash, and the red fire-gem shattered into a thousand pieces.
"AAARGH!" Kael screamed, falling to his knees as the backwash of the explosion knocked the wind out of him. His hand was singed, but the real damage was to his pride. His expensive wand—a gift from the Duke—was gone.
[Ding!]
[Quest Completed: The First Duel.]
[Reward: +50 EXP.]
[Level Up! Level 1 -> Level 2.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Mana Breathing (Passive).]
Silas felt a surge of energy rush through his veins. His senses sharpened. He could hear the heartbeats of everyone in the room. He could feel the flow of mana in the air like a cool breeze.
He walked toward the fallen Prince and looked down at him.
"The next time you call someone trash, Kael," Silas leaned in, his voice a low hiss, "make sure you aren't the one lying in the dirt."
He then turned to the stunned Master Varun. "The Level 1 scrolls are sorted, Master. May I take my leave? I have... a lot of studying to do."
Silas didn't wait for an answer. He picked up the charred "Trash Scroll" he had found earlier and walked out of the library, leaving behind a room full of people who would never look at him the same way again.