Three days had passed since Colin and Sapphire had found Lithium.
For almost twelve hours a day, they trained arduously in Brighid's simulated dimension, a plane that amounted to a green and sunny field.
Their focus was combat, and that was what Colin and Sapphire frantically trained while Brighid sat under a tree reading a novel.
After better understanding the form of mana and with Brighid's excellent assistance in training, both Colin and Sapphire were able to materialize their mana after a brief warm-up, making it take the form of weapons and objects.
Sapphire took about five minutes, while Colin took five hours until they completely mastered the technique.
Boom!
Two gigantic blows clashed, flames and sparks dispersed across that green field.
Sapphire jumped back and stretched out her arm, concentrating enormous Might at the tip of her index finger.
After fighting Bakurak and visiting Lithium, she began to be fully aware of what she was doing.
It was as if everything was just child's play.
[Flaming Shot].
An incandescent shot left Sapphire's fingers, heading towards Colin at a surprising speed, however, before reaching him, Colin's entire body emitted sparks, then, as if a ghost, he disappeared.
[Celestial Mirage].
His perception of mana was elevated, but not as elevated as Sapphire's perception.
Sapphire jumped back and immediately turned, preparing another shot.
She had already caught Colin's pattern; whenever he disappeared, he would attack from behind, but to her misfortune, he hadn't done that.
It was then that Sapphire felt a touch on her back. Colin hadn't changed his strategy, and Sapphire had simply turned her back on her enemy.
"That makes it 7 to 0," Colin said with a smile.
Sapphire lowered her hands and yelled in fury.
"Damn it! Why can't I beat you?"
"You did well, acted fast, caught my patterns, but I intentionally created these patterns."
Colin touched Sapphire's forehead with his index finger.
"You need to be prepared for anything; in this next round, I want you to push yourself. Have no doubt that you are powerful and have destructive Might superior to mine, so I try to compensate for that by combining strategy and speed."
Colin pointed with his chin to Brighid in the distance, reading her novel.
"Brighid holds immense arcane knowledge, even if it doesn't seem like it. What I mean is that it doesn't matter if I'm older or stronger than you. The secret to victory lies in anticipating your opponent. Try to intercept me this time. I'm an enemy who uses speed; find a way to stop me, okay?"
Sapphire nodded, excited.
"Great, then let's go for another round."
They moved away, far enough that they could barely hear each other's voices.
"Intercept his movement..." Sapphire murmured. "Right!"
Placing her hands on the grass, her arms ignited, and a huge mana circle formed beneath her.
Then, she clapped her hands and slowly moved them apart.
Flaming chains emerged from her palms with a serrated blade at the tip.
[Blades of Chaos].
Both Sapphire and Colin frequently visited weapon shops during their training breaks to memorize them and materialize them later in training.
They were able to do all of this due to their exceptional mana manipulation, which was only possible with Brighid's indispensable help.
They also used textbooks to expand visual memory.
Colin watched it all with a smile on his face. His training partner was serious this time, but he wouldn't make it easy.
Your magic circle is to sense my presence, and your blades are to attack me from a distance when you sense my presence. Alright, Sapphire, show me what you're capable of.
Colin's hands gained an incredible electrical discharge, and he also manipulated his mana, conjuring two daggers.
Vush!
As if teleporting, Colin moved into Sapphire's magic circle in seconds.
She sensed his presence a few meters behind, but she knew better than anyone that it would be impossible to reach him in time.
Analyzing the time Colin took to appear in the circle, it would mean that now he would indeed appear behind her in moments, so she turned, coming face to face with Colin preparing to stab her from behind.
She defended the thrust with one of the Blades and skidded a few centimeters. As she moved back, Sapphire forced a spin, launching her blade towards Colin, who deflected it away.
Clang!
Sapphire stretched out her arm and clenched her free fist; the blade Colin deflected disintegrated and descended in small flaming projectiles towards Colin.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
He dodged some and deflected others, but looking over his shoulders, he noticed Sapphire approaching.
Clever, but not that clever.
[Lightning Prison.]
The moment Sapphire would hit Colin, electrical currents shot out from the ground, holding her arms and feet.
"Looks like I won again," Colin said with a smug smile.
Sapphire was also smiling, and Colin realized she was up to something.
He looked around and then at Sapphire's magic circle, which glowed even more intensely beneath her feet.
"I got you!" Sapphire shouted.
[Tartarus Combustion.]
"Wait!"
Boom!
The circle exploded with both of them inside, an explosion capable of causing severe damage to several imposing structures if used in the city center.
After some time, the smoke cleared, and Sapphire revealed herself unharmed.
Sapphire was practically immune to any type of fire conjured by herself. Even if she were hit by an explosion, she would receive no more than a few scratches. On the other hand, Colin was not there; there was no sign of him.
Sapphire gasped and sat on the ground. That blow wouldn't kill Colin, only leave him badly wounded, but he had disappeared. That meant he had escaped, but how?
"Too slow," Colin said from behind her.
She just gave an awkward smile.
She looked up, meeting Colin's gentle smile.
"I thought I had discovered your pattern... again..."
"The pattern of power usage?"
"Yes... I noticed that after using one ability, you don't use another ability for about five seconds. I thought I had discovered your weakness."
Colin extended his hand to Sapphire and helped her up.
"That was a good analysis, but like last time... it was also a pattern I invented."
Sapphire put her hands on her waist and stretched.
"You're amazing, you know?! I didn't know anyone could create so many patterns in a serious fight."
"Well, sometimes I don't even know how it works; I just make it happen, you know?"
"I guess so..."
Brighid was engrossed in her book, unable to stop reading for even a minute. Colin and Sapphire approached her, and Brighid hadn't even noticed.
"We're done for today, fairy; take us back."
She lowered her book, looking at Colin.
"Can't you wait just half an hour more? There are about fifteen pages left, and Colin, you have to read it!" Brighid closed the book and looked at Colin, all excited. "It has drama, mystery, and romance; you'll like it, I'm sure! There's a girl who likes the protagonist, but he doesn't notice at all, even though she's giving all the signs..."
"Sounds boring, but okay, finish reading, and we'll train for another half an hour."
"Train more?" Sapphire was exhausted.
Colin went to her and ruffled her hair.
"Half an hour won't kill anyone, and after we're done here, I'll take you to that restaurant you like."
Hearing that was as if she had regained her energy.
Brighid leaned against the Heaving and raised the book to her eyes.
"Idiot..." she murmured.