"You go back first," Song Jie said as he prepared to return the Wind Harnessing Eagle to the dimensional space.
"Coo! Coo!" The eagle shook its head stubbornly. This kind of injury was nothing to it.
When it used to be bullied by other Wind Harnessing Eagles, it had suffered far worse wounds.
It had long developed a strong endurance, so this level of damage wasn't enough to make it retreat.
"Don't force yourself. Winning or losing doesn't matter."
Song Jie patted the eagle gently on its back. Just from this persistence alone, he felt it was worth training further.
The Wind Harnessing Eagle gave a low "coo" in response. The next moment, its eyes gleamed fiercely—it locked onto the two opponents below!
Those two had been the ones to injure it. Now, it was time for payback.
When the two students saw the Wind Harnessing Eagle's glare, their expressions changed instantly.
Fear flashed across their faces, and they quickly prepared to defend themselves.
As the eagle took off, both of them completed their Star Tracks and began casting spells to intercept it.
But—
The Wind Harnessing Eagle was far too agile in the air.
If the five-man team from earlier were still together, they might have posed a threat.
But now, with only two remaining, they were no match at all.
The eagle easily dodged their attacks, then chose one of them and swooped down like lightning.
"Bring it on!" the student shouted, face set in determination.
Just as the eagle dived, he completed his Star Path and roared,
"Fire Burst!"
A violent explosion erupted in front of the eagle, engulfing both it and the student in flames.
The crowd gasped.
Even though he had hurt himself, that kind of resolve was admirable.
Song Jie saw it clearly and nodded slightly.
This is what it means to have a mage's courage.
He couldn't help but respect the student.
Moments later, the referee signaled for staff to carry the injured student away.
A healing mage rushed in to tend to his burns and ease his pain.
"Come on! I'm not afraid of you either!" Another student, inspired by his companion's bravery, shouted at the eagle soaring above.
Seeing this, Song Jie placed a calming hand on the eagle's neck.
"Don't be impulsive. He's trying to wear you down," he warned softly.
That previous attack had worsened the eagle's wounds—blood was now dripping from its flank, staining its feathers red.
"Go down first," Song Jie said seriously. "I'll send you back to the dimensional space and heal you after this."
But the Wind Harnessing Eagle's eyes showed no sign of retreat.
Its fighting spirit only burned brighter!
With a powerful flap, it dodged another barrage of Lightning Seals and dove toward the ground—
dropping Song Jie off before charging straight at the Thunder Mage!
"Wait—!" Song Jie called, but it was too late.
"Then come on!!" The Thunder Mage stood firm, completing his Star Path.
"Thunder Seal—Raging Strike!"
Thunder gathered from all directions and struck down as the eagle descended.
A deafening boom followed.
Both the mage and the eagle were blasted from the air, tumbling out of the arena.
Song Jie rushed to the eagle's side.
Despite its bloodied feathers, it was struggling to stand.
But… something about its aura had changed—it was growing stronger.
"What's going on?" Song Jie murmured.
Then realization struck him. "Are you… about to break through?"
"Coo!" The eagle confirmed it with a sharp cry.
"You're saying you're almost there?" Song Jie's eyes lit up.
The Wind Harnessing Eagle nodded firmly.
"So you think you can evolve by pushing your limits?" Song Jie smiled with relief. "If you can truly break through, then this injury is worth it."
"Is it really possible?" he asked again, just to be sure.
"Coo coo!" The eagle replied confidently, telling him not to worry.
Song Jie nodded. "Alright. But listen—if it becomes too much, I'll step in."
Even if the eagle's breakthrough would benefit him, he didn't want it to gamble recklessly with its life.
"There are only five left!" Mu Lei shouted from the stands, his voice full of excitement.
He was even more nervous than Song Jie.
Many others around them held their breath.
If Song Jie actually completed this one-against-two-hundred-and-fifty challenge, it would be a slap in their faces.
"His summoned beast's that injured—why hasn't he recalled it?" someone muttered.
"He's not seriously going to let it keep fighting, right?"
"That's too cruel! How could he do that?!"
For a moment, the crowd erupted with criticism.
Even Huang Xingli, who had once defended him, shouted angrily, "Song Jie's such a jerk! He's really letting his summoned beast fight like this?!"
Only Ding Yumian stayed silent.
From what she'd seen, Song Jie wasn't that kind of person.
Before long, the last five opponents entered the arena.
They looked at the battered eagle in disbelief.
"Song Jie, you're not seriously sending it out again, are you?" one of them asked.
Its injuries looked so severe that even they winced.
Song Jie gently patted the eagle's wing.
"Go," he said calmly. "Even if you can't break through, I'll use refined beast blood to help you transcend your limit."
"Coo!" The eagle let out a cry and readied itself as the referee raised his hand.
The audience frowned. Song Jie was really letting it continue!
"Since he wants it to die," one of the students sneered, "then let's help him!"
They all began forming their Star Paths.
As the referee gave the signal, the five unleashed their magic at once.
"Let's go together!"
The sky ignited like a sea of fire.
Lightning flickered through the flames, forming a deadly net that sought to trap the Wind Harnessing Eagle within.
Boom!
The eagle was struck mid-dodge, its feathers bursting into flames.
"Thunder Seal—Raging Strike!!"
The Thunder Mages seized the moment, their lightning twisting into ropes that crashed down from above.
The Wind Harnessing Eagle screamed, its body paralyzed by the shock.
But even so—it did not fall.
It was still holding on!
"I wonder how long you can last!" one of the Thunder Mages shouted, preparing to attack again.
That was when Song Jie's eyes sharpened.
He could feel it—the change in the eagle's aura was reaching its peak.
Without hesitation, he began to move!
...
Author's Note:
The first half (completed version) of Versatile Mage: My Magic Has Gone Beyond Limits! is now available on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your continued support! 💙