Mayhem
Chapter 9. The Dark Prince: Sparring. Part 2
(Emil's POV)
— Emilia, not so hard! — I shouted.
— I am holding back, — she shouted back.
If this is what she calls "holding back," then how strong is she really?
I had barely managed to get up when Emilia suddenly closed the distance and tried to kick me. I dodged at the very last moment. Almost immediately, another attack followed.
She concentrated magical energy in her right hand and struck. I did the same and managed to block it.
Even so, a strong vibration ran through my entire body.
I don't know how large her mana reserve is, but one thing is clear — Emilia's level of magical energy burst is much higher than mine.
(Narrator's POV)
To evaluate a mage's strength, two main criteria are used.
The first criterion is the number and quality of techniques the mage possesses.
The second criterion is the level of magical energy burst.
These two criteria are inseparably linked. If a mage possesses a powerful technique but their energy burst level is insufficient, they will not be able to fully unleash the technique's potential. Simply put, the power of any technique directly depends on how much energy per second a mage can draw from the energy threads.
From the Sacred Book of Mages, it is known that mages draw their power from invisible threads of magical energy that cover the entire universe. There is a hypothesis that the cells of certain regions of the brains of people who possess magic are fundamentally structured differently. This is what allows them to connect to the threads of magical energy and draw power from them.
However, all of this is merely text from the Sacred Book, written about 1,700 years ago by one of the greatest mages in history — Artorius Montana.
…
Emil quickly retreated backward.
With a single wave of her hand, Emilia created several arrows, this time made of ice. Emil blocked them with an energy shield. Almost immediately, Emilia fired another volley.
Emil responded by creating a dense wall of flames. The arrows crashed into it and instantly melted.
Emilia stopped.
— Fight, Emil. You're boring me.
— I suggest we stop this, — he replied, breathing heavily.
— We've only just begun, — she looked at him with genuine confusion. — Fire and water magic are too boring. Let's move on to more complex magic.
A semi-transparent sword with a red glow appeared in her hands.
Emil froze for a few seconds.
— Fine, — Emil said, taking a stance. — Let's play seriously.
A similar semi-transparent sword formed in his hands, but with an orange glow.
This was a complex but fundamental technique that allowed mages to give magical energy any form they desired. Everything depended on the mage's imagination and their ability to clearly visualize the object.
Maintaining the form required a constant expenditure of energy, and the strength of such a construct directly depended on the mage's level of magical energy burst.
Emilia began to close the distance. Emil moved toward her. Within a second, their swords collided.
Emilia immediately seized the initiative. She pressed forward with a series of rapid strikes, leaving Emil — who was slower — no time to counterattack.
Emil retreated, blocking one strike after another. He already understood that Emilia surpassed him in almost every aspect.
Suddenly, she made a swing that was too wide.
Emil noticed it and instantly went on the offensive. But Emilia read his intention and raised an energy shield.
In the next moment, she went for a decisive strike, aiming straight for Emil's neck.
But at that moment, a dense and powerful stream of air struck her from the side.
Emilia did not expect it and failed to react in time. She was thrown back several meters.
— It seemed to me, — Kayr's voice rang out, — or were you really about to kill Emil?
Emilia took a heavy breath and slowly got back to her feet.
— It was just a friendly sparring match, — she said. — Why did you come here?
— I also arranged a friendly sparring match with someone.
— Then help Emil until your friend arrives.
— I won't refuse, — Kayr replied. — But just so you know, I'm stronger than Emil.
An energy sword appeared in Kayr's hand. It was bright red, just like Emilia's.
That meant they were currently pouring the same amount of energy into their swords. Their levels of magical energy burst were equal.
Emilia immediately dashed forward. Kayr also began closing the distance. Their swords collided.
But this time, Emilia failed to immediately take control. In terms of speed and strength, they were equal.
Emilia struck from the right. Kayr blocked the attack and immediately kicked her in the stomach with his left leg. Emilia fell to the ground.
— Forgot to mention, — Kayr smirked, — both of my legs are equally strong.
Emilia quickly got up and attacked again. But now, something had changed.
Her strikes became noticeably stronger, and her movements faster.
Kayr noticed this immediately and tried to accelerate in response.
He blocked another strike and swung his sword to counterattack, but Emilia suddenly attempted to kick him in the stomach. She had become even faster.
Kayr managed to react and created an energy shield around his stomach at the last moment. The blow hit it. That saved him.
Emilia stepped back.
At that moment, Emil came up behind her and tried to put her in a chokehold. But with a single wave of her hand, without even touching him, Emilia threw him aside. This time, about fifteen meters.
Kayr extended his sword forward. A dense stream of flame burst from the tip of the blade.
Emilia dodged the attack with a single roll and immediately sprang back to her feet.
She extended her sword forward as well.
Their attacks collided, waves of flame crashing into each other.
Suddenly, the color of Emilia's sword changed to bright yellow. She began pouring even more energy into it.
Kayr started to lose.
For a brief moment, he increased his energy burst to the maximum. He couldn't maintain it at that level for long. For just one second, his sword shone blue.
During that second, Kayr released the sword. It remained in the air for less than a moment, moving by inertia from the enormous amount of energy poured into it. That time was enough for Kayr to jump aside.
In the next second, the sword disappeared.
The stream of fire created by Emilia slammed into an invisible magical barrier in the shape of a dome that surrounded the entire arena.
— I heard this barrier was set up by Professor Grimveil himself, — Kayr said, sitting on the ground. — No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to break it.
— No need for unnecessary talk, — Emilia said. — Get up, and we'll continue the fight.
Unlike Kayr, she was breathing evenly and didn't look tired at all.
— I need to save my strength for the friend I planned to spar with, — Kayr replied, getting up. — Let's end it here.
— I'm not done playing yet, — Emilia said.
In the next moment, she rushed toward Kayr at tremendous speed. He didn't even notice it.
But at the very last moment, when Emilia had already swung,
her sword collided with another sword.
A person suddenly appeared between Emilia and Kayr.
Emilia didn't immediately understand what had happened. She was thrown backward, and the sword in her hands disappeared.
— If I hadn't interfered, — a voice said, — you would have killed him. Wouldn't you?
It was Toren.