Vlad pushed Noah to his feet with a firm grip.
"Aghh... Man, what are you made of," Noah groaned, holding his other hand, its fingers now turned an ugly purple. "My fingers broke and my wrist dislocated."
"Why did you let me win?" Vlad asked, his tone serious, his crimson eyes searching Noah's face.
"Tch, what made you think I let you win," Noah retorted, irritation flashing across his features. "I went all out and this is the result."
He pointed at his fractured hand, the swollen knuckles already darkening with bruising.
"You didn't use mana," Vlad revealed. "Since you are a repeater, you must have formed a core already. Yet you didn't use mana once."
Noah blinked, trying to figure out whether Vlad was thankful or irritated. The silence between them stretched for a moment, both of them looking for answers from each other.
