The safest form of a mock duel between two magic users always had a support mage nearby for their spell of shielding, and whoever struck the first strike would then be declared the winner right then and there. In order to keep safety an utmost requirement, the use of spells would be banned and the repercussions for breaking the rules were harsh and heavy on the perpetrator.

It was the very same for Gregory’s and Viran’s duel, yet it was unknown to Viran. He hadn’t ever seen a duel in front of him before after all, he was naive to many things.

Even so, no call was made to end the match there. The guards and Nobles only stared aghast save for Spion, his gaze turned steely as soon as he noticed the crimson mana leaking out of Viran. The extreme force that Viran had put onto Gregory was preposterous were it through his own strength and technique, yet they all knew that was simply impossible.

“What do we do?” Baron Ohrid whispered to Spion.

“This is fine. They don’t need to fight again, this much will convince Lord Idicium enough.” Spion responded. “Go send word-!”

“NO!” The thunderous roar leaked out of Gregory cutting off Spion.

“HE CAN’T BEAT ME! HE CAN’T!”

“ANOTHER FIGHT! ANOTHER! YOU WANT TO USE SPELLS? THEN I WILL TOO!”

Gregory’s gaze was filled with a hate towards Viran, a similar bloodlust crept up into him. The very same bloodlust that had faded had spouted again. Not perturbed at all Viran nodded his head and stretched his arms a bit before walking a few steps back.

‘Damned sore loser.” Viran thought.

Receiving a signal, the guard quickly started the match once more. Yet the crowd this time around became slightly restless, many were promised of Viran’s inferiority to Gregory yet that proved to be false in only a single bout. They could only sigh to themselves however, they had already thrown in their lot with the conspiracy. Leaving was not an option anymore.

Once again a single wrap of embroidered cloth floats up into the air as Viran throws his entire body weight forward. It was a reckless move, yet Viran was confident in himself. His sword once more stabs towards the gut of Gregory, yet it was easily evaded. Returning a counter attack Gregory slashes diagonally towards Viran’s neck, an attack hard for Viran to dodge in any capacity.

Seeing this Viran quickly spins to push his body weight against his sword to block- yet he phases through nothing. His body falters forwards as he can feel a force behind him, it had been a feint. A feint was something that was new to Viran, something Sir Renault never had the chance to show him.

Tightening the corners of his eyes, Viran is filled with more hate towards Gregory. A hate as toxic hate that he couldn’t completely understand, somehow Viran knew that Gregory was the cause for Sir Renault’s punishment.

He couldn’t quite remember, but he knew still. Something was telling him, someone was.

Throwing his body weight forward still Viran is able to evade the attack still through sheer luck. Dumdfoundedly Gregory backs off a few steps as he looks closely at Viran.

‘How did he dodge that?’ Gregory thought.

The spectators themselves were just as confused as what had happened, Viran should’ve lost in that moment yet he was able to successfully evade. Something like that shouldn’t be possible from someone who only had a teacher for a week, Viran was almost practically self learnt.

“Spion, you told us that the boy barely knew how to fight.” A Noble coldly said to Spion.

Hearing this a crease forms on Spion’s face as he ignores the Noble and continues to stare directly at Viran. The fight continued yet Viran was able to barely hold on, it was something that was mysterious and shouldn’t happen at all.

Viran’s hands begin to peel from how tough his grip is on his sword. Though he was bigger and stronger than Gregory in many ways, Gregory was still able to hold on with a cool expression. Time and time again the spell Ignition Palm would try to strike Viran from multiple angles, yet it seems the mana that Gregory held was limitless. Droplets of sweat began to coalesce in his hair and through his clothing, the time kept dragging on.

It became evident to everyone present that Viran would keel over eventually, Gregory’s technique, experience, and mana trounced everything Viran had in him. Impatience plagued the heart of Viran because of this, the anger he held for Gregory was something familiar yet unfamiliar with him.

With another parry Viran drops back a few steps as he breathes in and out. His arms shook and his blood trembled. The sword felt like a crushing weight that threatened him every moment, as time went on it felt harder to carry and harder to strike.

A small metallic sound rings out in front of him. Across the field from Viran stood Gregory slowly tapping the sword’s tip directly into the soil.

“Just give up.” Gregory’s voice was flat and expressionless, yet still held just a touch of anger.

Viran’s ears buzzed when these words came out, an anger began to fill up inside of him. He needed to lash out in wrath at Gregory, he needed to slash through the bravado that Gregory showed in front of him. Gregory could never be forgiven for the things he had done.

“I… I cannot be deterred from this Gregory. I don’t know what I did to offend you, but I can tell- no feel that you want to kill me… Why?” Viran’s voice was filled with discontent, he had truly become resentful of Gregory.

In response Viran receives the full brunt of a dull sword. There were many sayings and teachings that Sir Renault had always bestowed onto Viran during his one week training, most of the things were nonsense nonetheless but one thing still stuck close to Viran. Sir Renault had the idea that one way to gain a true grasp onto someone’s personality, emotions, and mentality is to simply fight them. He believed a sword was able to perfectly transmit the raw feelings of the wielder, and Viran had simply pushed that off as rubbish… Until now.

Viran could feel the inferiority Gregory feels, the anger, the fear, the distrustfulness, and a deep betrayal he feels.

Every swing and every stab of the sword of Viran transmitted the raw feelings of the wielder, and Viran felt he had finally seen the true visage of Gregory.

“If only that much would make me forgive you.” A listless whisper leaves Viran.

Viran stabs sharply towards Gregory’s right flank but is parried off, and with the momentum on his side Gregory continues to strike; continuing to push Viran into the defensive. Gregory’s face turns into one of contempt, and glee. His eyes show the true happiness Gregory feels when besting Viran, eyes that feed off his very misery at that moment. Viran’s face is one filled with a fierce determination and an agonizing hatred, a hatred that makes him push on through the fight. A hatred not just towards Gregory, but for the perpetrators that have pushed him this far already. The servants and guards of the estate with their ornamental pity. The “teachers” that refused to offer him any tutelage. Gregory who had ruthlessly beaten him and mocked him for no apparent reason. The Father that had ordered it all, the very same Father that had never called Viran by the name that had been given to him long ago.

Each strike Gregory throws at Viran threatens to crush him in that very moment, yet he holds on with a sliver of strength left. Gregory’s eyes flare as he hits Viran’s sword up into the air and begins to swipe towards his waist. Gregory’s victory was within arms reach at this point.

Seconds feel like hours as Viran sees the sword swinging towards him, he has no time to block or dodge. The sword descends further in a clean arc, and the hit lands. Silence descends throughout the entire arena.

Feeling a large jolt in his side Viran closes his eyes in contemplation. He resisted with every membrane in his body the urge he felt to yell, and scream. He resisted the urge to strangle Gregory right there.

'I guess I lost…' Viran thought with a sigh.

Viran had fought harder than he ever had before, he had fought with all of his might. Viran fought to win, yet experienced a crushing defeat. Viran's emotions were flaring, he wanted to yell and scream but he knew nothing would change, in the end he still lost when it counted. But having an outburst like Gregory earlier would result in only him being looked down upon by the crowd and onlookers.

Opening his eyes Viran can see the crowd of Nobles in front of him with appeased expressions on their faces, it was evident what their opinions towards Viran were. Smirking just a small bit Viran is able to console himself, though he lost today it won’t be like that very soon. Very soon he will be able to get revenge on this and beat Gregory. Viran could already feel his heart go, and his adrenaline was rising. He wasn’t that far behind Gregory, soon he will be able to beat him.

‘This is what it means to change your own world, huh.’ Viran thought.

As Viran contemplated his loss over, he was completely oblivious to the fuming young boy next to him. A second later the boy feels the mana course through his veins as he thrusts his fist out towards Viran- only for it to be caught by a large pale hand.

“Gregory wins this match, haha!” Spion laughs while raising Gregory’s hand up towards the sky. Earlier he had seen what Gregory was about to do and was luckily able to stop it before Gregory lost control. Committing such insensible and rough actions would only hurt the Noble’s trust in Gregory… Unfortunately their trust already waned a great deal.

Spion looked out into the crowd and saw suspicious eyes put upon himself and Gregory, the Nobles there all knew that they had been lied to. Days before Spion had used many ways to convince this large number of Nobles to conspire together to get rid of Viran, and one such promise was that Viran was a good-for-nothing and talentless person who had attacked Gregory many times before. He had used a great deal of tactics to win the support of the Nobles here whether it be threats, bribes, or lies. This was all to serve Spion’s and Gregory’s goal; to kill Viran.

Unfortunately, the duel between Gregory and Viran was only supposed to add legitimacy towards the conspirators next step in their plan, yet it seemed it backfired a small bit. How was Spion and Gregory supposed to know Viran had grown this much in such a short amount of time? They had seen Viran’s true capabilities in front of their very eyes, yet it still seemed unreal to an extent.

“No matter.” Spion muttered. Spion was used to lying, bribing, and threatening Nobles since he was a young lad, it seemed luck would have it that he learned his talent in espionage and intrigue when he was younger.

To Spion, this small setback wouldn’t matter. Viran would be dead once the Nobles present go and meet with Lord Idicium to give a final ultimatum. Spion’s eyes were filled with no empathy towards the young boy, afterall Spion was used to watching dead men walking.