Ana would have preferred they not take the combat so seriously, but all she could do was watch as the two settled their wager.
Fulfilling her part of the bargain, the girl began to explain what she had done.
"I have no idea why only women receive gifts. Nor do I know why you're the only man with one," she began. "But there's one thing I do know about gifts: the people who use them aren't capable of understanding how they work. Unless…"
She and Ana exchanged a quick glance, but that didn't matter right now.
"And it's precisely because your gift activates automatically that you probably don't know this, but you don't erase or nullify magic. You just stop its flow."
"Stop the flow?" Nolan asked, confused.
"Yes." Emily began to move gracefully again, mana glowing around her.
In this world, mana was a truly fascinating subject. It seemed to be present everywhere and could do anything. That said, even the science that constituted modern civilization wasn't capable of understanding it. In fact, humanity had never even developed a way to observe or measure mana.
"But there is one thing we have known since time immemorial," Emily recited the knowledge passed down through generations of magic masters. "Mana only acts if it is flowing."
"All around us, there is a nearly infinite amount of mana, but it's dormant," Emily said, and as her hand passed through the air, she seemed to gather it. "It is only when we set mana in motion that it has the power to generate magic."
As she finished explaining, she swatted the air, launching a bluish gust at Nolan, but the strike vanished as soon as it hit his field of action.
"And I can stop mana by force?"
"Yes." Emily's eyes lit up with interest. "All the mana within ten meters of you is paralyzed, as if something is holding it in place."
"It's like a great, impassable wall," Emily explained. "But what happens if a car hits a wall?"
"It breaks…?" Nolan murmured.
"Yes, but what if it hits so hard that it breaks through the wall?"
It was a strange logic. More importantly, it should be impossible.
Then, time stopped for an instant.
[User, her explanation is mostly correct.]
[The system must operate within the limits of this dimension. Mana is a fundamental part of this world and cannot be erased.]
[According to the system's calculations, no gift exists that is capable of functioning against your magic nullification.]
[However, the system must inform you, with regret, that pure mana abilities can endure for a few moments.]
And after Nolan read all of that, time resumed its flow.
"And that's why I'm going to defeat you," she made a 'V' for victory with her fingers, smiling excitedly.
"I admit it's impressive, but a few moments aren't enough," Nolan declared, already advancing.
He had already understood that Emily could somehow condense the mana around her to create simple objects. But would she be able to gather that mana inside Nolan's radius?
The truth was, neither of them knew. The answer came quickly. Emily tried and failed.
As long as she was within ten meters, Emily couldn't do anything against him.
"Let's begin, then."
Emily slid back, her feet barely touching the ground, and a current of mana exploded under her heels. The impact created a bluish wave that launched her like a projectile, pushing her away from Nolan's nullification field. "Unfortunately for you, this arena is huge!" she yelled, smiling as she already formed new mana spears.
The ethereal weapons multiplied around her, floating like luminous serpents. With a gesture, Emily launched them in sequence.
Nolan reacted calmly, his reflexes seeming almost superhuman. He dodged with short, precise movements. The spears shattered against the stone floor, disappearing in sparks of light. One passed centimeters from his face, leaving a faint trail of heat on his skin.
"It's just a matter of time," he murmured, pressing forward.
Emily sensed the danger and tried to keep her distance, casting quick spells to buy time. The problem was that manipulating mana that way required enormous concentration. And she couldn't concentrate, run from Nolan, and try to attack him all at the same time.
The ten meters were an invisible prison, and he was getting closer.
"Damn it… don't come near me!" she yelled, leaping back and firing another spear.
But Nolan understood her rhythm now. He leaned his body, let the projectile pass over his shoulder, and, in a single fluid motion, crossed the remaining distance.
The air around them seemed to compress as the nullification field completely enveloped her. The magical lights of the arena flickered for an instant. Emily tried to invoke another technique but felt only emptiness. It was like trying to breathe underwater.
Her mana was still.
He grabbed her wrist, twisted it firmly, and, in a swift motion, threw her to the ground. The impact echoed on the stone floor.
Emily screamed in pain but still tried to resist, kicking out at him. Nolan grabbed her foot and pinned her to the ground with his weight.
The girl lay motionless for a moment, chest heaving, her gaze fixed on the arena ceiling. Then, with a sigh, she tapped lightly on his arm.
"Alright… I yield," she sighed, exhausted.
Her wrist was broken, her whole body ached, and her mind was exhausted. She was clearly at her limit.
Nolan was fast, invincible in close combat, and moved with incredible speed. It was almost as if he were impossible to defeat. And thinking about it made the girl's heart beat even faster.
Three chances remained, and she already knew she would have to surpass herself to win this challenge. Her soul burned with determination, and she tried to stand despite her injuries.
Ana, who had already run over to them, stopped her. "At least let me heal you first, you crazy woman," the blonde scolded, worriedly.
Immediately, her eyes took on a greenish glow as she began to regenerate Emily. "And be gentler, please," she turned to Nolan, scolding him for breaking her best friend's wrist.
Right after, she also healed him completely, closing his small cuts.
However, the two combatants didn't seem the least bit inclined to end it there.
"Ready for round three?" Emily asked, her eyes shining with determination.
"Of course. But to be fair, I'll give you a 30-second head start to get some distance."
"Thanks, but that won't be necessary."
Emily smiled confidently, just as a red glint faded from her eyes. She had taken advantage of Nolan deactivating his nullification field for Ana to heal them, and had used the gift she inherited from her paternal grandmother.
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