RING!

For once, I was happy that evolving my spells didn't block me from using their first rank version.

Instantly coating my immediate surroundings with several layers of wide shields, I used them as a cover while casting the real deal.

One second. That's how long its cast time was, but I couldn't just hope that Veriel would allow me to do so! While one second doesn't sound as much considering how we were about twenty meters apart and he needed to time to use his abilities as well, one had to remember that this world didn't obey Earth common sense.

Halfway through my cast, I saw a flash and felt several of my shields shattering. The closer I get to finishing my weak shield.

While I get when the system is coming from by naming those abilities with adjectives like weak, poor or bad. With how far I have yet to train and exp to reach the true pinnacle of this world, it made a lot of sense to call the skills at the spiritual realm in this manner, but the fact that base level of any spell or ability didn't have any adjective at all, made it hella confusing.

Using barriers as a cover while casting weak barrier… Seriously, if I heard someone doing that in some MMORPG game, I would love to bet my entire equipment on duelling with him!

Crash!

I had to admit, Veriel power wasn't something to be scoffed at. It doesn't matter how did he obtain it so fast.

Just as I finished my very first cast, he finally broke through most of my barriers, leaving only ten of them between us, when one of my small gifts activated.

From the moment of reaching second rank of shockwave, I was capable of a lot more versatile uses of the first rank spell. Instead of splitting my focus for the sake of hindering Veriel's approach, I simply left a static shockwave locked tightly between my barriers.

As soon as the foreign energy shattered the delicate balance that kept the spell in a semi cast state, it suddenly erupted, knocking my dear cousin away.

"Is that all you've got?"

There is no fight with baiting and insulting your opponent. The angrier I will manage to get him, the more openings he will show, allowing me to retain some of my cards hidden.

"I'm just warming myself up!"

This time, he didn't have the will to spews more insults. I found it hard to believe, but looking at him, he was acting as if my small poke in his head with the shockwave managed to hurt him!

There is no way that he is so weak! That was just a way to hinder his advance, not real attack!

Not willing to take any chances, I backed off and started preparing several spells.

Enclosing myself within the shield, I was able to completely separate the two spaces. With that done, I could simply dry out the energy from the air and use this vacuum-like space to precast my serious spells, without unleashing them.

In normal fight, I wouldn't be able to take so much time doing so, making it rather unreliable tactic, but seeing how Veriel continued to feign weakness, I would be dumb to not use this opportunity.

But this action bore some risks with it as well. While I coated myself with one additional barrier, I didn't dare to use rank two spells on the innermost shield. By no means strong, they weren't weak either. Holding three rank two spells at one time between my normal and weak shield was already my limit.

Additionally, if I ever wanted to use those spells, I had to break my weak shield, exposing myself for an attack while risking the backslash from my own magic as well.

I guess this is just how real life works. The more power you gather in your hands, the more brittle it is.

"Come at me, you bastard!"

As my mind was mostly focused on maintaining my spells, I split my attention between Veriel and the rest of the arena. I would love to observe the tribunes as well to guard against any potential attack from there, but there was no way I would be able to control so many things at once.

Tightening my grasp on my mage's stick, I suddenly propelled my left hand forward, as if I wanted to smack someone in the face with the crystal on top of it.

Just as my movement was about to die off, I finished casting weak shockwave near Veriel.

This one wasn't a weakass shit that was supposed to distract him, but fully-fledged rank two spells!

Just to make myself clear, I didn't need to make any gestures to cast it. If not for the number of people that were bound to observe even my slightest movement, I would just stay motionlessly and cast it one by one, while adding some rank 1 spells in between to break the tempo and confuse both my opponent and those keenly watching me.

That's why I acted as if I was punching the air. Let all those damned experts break their heads while looking for clues what kind of ancient technique that might be!

Crack.

Compared to rank one, weak shockwave worked in quite a peculiar way.

Instead of instantly overwhelming everything around with a sudden burst of compressed air, it happened in two stages.

At first, a small sound of something cracking could be heard. When I was testing it in my room, it took me quite a long while to realise that it was a damn space ripping apart!

It sounds badass, not gonna lie, but in reality, it was just grain-sized hole opening. What was more interesting, was the effect that took place right then.

Since I was casting it back then solely for the sake of testing its prowess, it was hard for me to realise it with how much attention I paid to it, but when this cracking thing happened, everything that was in the radius of this spell, was actually unable to leave!

Not only would the attention to everyone affected instantly drawn to opening, but it was also soo small that it would additionally confuse my opponents! But the real magic happened right afterwards.

BOOM!

Barely half a second after the cracking sound reached his ears, a powerful wave of condensed air sent Veriel flying away!