Moments into the Battle – Elowen Forest
As Kael clashed blades with the first wind core swordsman, he activated the passive skill he'd copied from Cynthia. A faint shimmer of pink aura pulsed from his body, subtle yet effective. Both opponents flinched ever so slightly, their movements losing just a bit of their sharpness.
Suddenly, a blue hologram blinked to life before Kael.
> Skill Leveled Up!
The Elarquist Debuff (Lv. 2)
– Passive Skill
– Slightly lowers physical resistance and stamina of those within close proximity.
– Proficiency capped at 50% due to incomplete bloodline compatibility.
Kael's crimson eyes narrowed with amusement. He smirked. "Now we're getting somewhere."
With newfound confidence, he burst forward, striking at the first swordsman. His attacks came fast and precise, the blade slicing through the air like a viper. The first opponent, though skilled, barely parried in time clearly feeling the fatigue creeping in from the debuff.
The second attacker leaped in, aiming to catch Kael from behind.
But Kael's mind moved faster.
> Skill Activated: Battle Perception
Predicts the movement of nearby enemies.
Time seemed to slow.
Kael turned his head ever so slightly, reading the incoming strike like it had already happened.
> Skill Activated: Enhanced Cognition
Increases mental processing speed temporarily.
Thoughts raced. Angles calculated. Strategy executed.
Kael pivoted on one foot, his cloak billowing as he slipped between both attackers with fluid grace. He raised his blade, now glowing with a dark mist as the shadows curled around it.
"Shadow Arts – Form 1: Whisper Fang."
In one motion, he disappeared into a blur of black his blade whispering through the air then reappeared behind both enemies.
The two wind core users stood frozen.
Then shhhk they collapsed, unconscious, vanishing into thin mist as the academy's emergency teleportation triggered.
> +20 Points Earned
Kael glanced at his watch, satisfied.
Then he turned toward Cynthia's side of the clearing. She stood tall, her rapier shimmering faintly with wind mana, her opponent downed beside her also disappearing into a wisp of light.
She didn't even look winded.
"Show-off," Kael muttered, smiling slightly.
Max, Jace, and Chloe were struggling with the last opponent. But with Cynthia now free, she dashed in gracefully, her rapier flickering like lightning.
In a flurry of precise jabs and swift footwork, the final wind core user fell pinned to the ground with a blade just shy of his throat.
He vanished moments later, defeated.
The group stood in silence for a moment, breathing heavily, taking in the aftermath.
Kael adjusted his coat and sheathed his blade. "Well," he said calmly, "I'd say we're warmed up now."
Cynthia looked at him, wiping a speck of blood from her cheek. "And people say you're cold. That was terrifying."
He smirked. "Wait until they see me serious."