Vale was right.
He found Celina at the corner of the Assembly Hall, smirking at him. He wasn't sure when she appeared, but she seemed really satisfied.
'Is she happy because she thinks I'll be her Shadow Knight in the future?'
Vale vaguely guessed as he already had an idea of how Celina thinks of herself. Perhaps, she was feeling happy that her "future" Personal Shadow Knight was capable of winning against the top students of his batch.
As for the item she had given to Neil, it was probably a test for him… or perhaps, she really wanted him to be defeated by Neil so he could see the value of the Vermont Family.
Vale shook his head to erase his random thoughts as he stared at Neil.
Aside from the familiar Protector Amulet he was carrying, he still had three other Mystical Items on his body, making him threatening under normal circumstances.
***
The Assembly Hall buzzed with anticipation as Vale Chambers and Neil Sommerhalder stepped onto the stage. This will be the final duel, and everyone was excited to see the match and broaden their horizon.
Vale's unique fighting style truly opened their eyes. He seemed to be using support-type Spells that helped him boost his speed and strength, which was very uncommon among Spellcasters.
Watching his battle was always exciting as they gained insight into dealing with melee fighters like him.
'Is he not going to use his Spells again?' Professor Cyrus thought to himself as he saw Vale's preparations. In the end, he was also looking forward to how Vale would win now that Neil has several Mystical Items with him.
The crowd hushed as he raised his hand, signaling the start of the battle.
"Eat this!"
Neil wasted no time, his hand slashing through the air as he called upon the shadows to manifest his dark spells. He was using his bracelets to assist him with casting Spells…
Rotting Chains slithered from his fingertips, aiming to ensnare Vale and drain his vitality.
However, Vale was agile and nimble. He evaded the chains with graceful leaps and rolls. He relied on his keen reflexes and physical prowess to outmaneuver his opponent.
The crowd erupted into gasps and cheers as Vale showcased his acrobatic skills, narrowly dodging each ghastly chain.
This was really something they would never see in normal Spellcasters' duels.
With a flash of determination in his eyes, Vale closed the distance between them. His muscles tensed, and he launched himself at Neil, delivering powerful strikes and swift kicks. Vale's martial arts don't seem to be that good, but each of his strikes releases a powerful force.
That's right. Everyone could tell that Vale's kicking postures or close combat skills weren't at the level of a professional, but since he was strong and fast, his techniques didn't matter at all.
Neil struggled to defend himself, but since he was prepared for it, his other mystical item produced a Dark Barrier around him, protecting him from suffering severe injuries.
'Not good…' Neil gritted his teeth as he realized that he couldn't properly access his Spell Models while being relentlessly attacked.
His spells faltered as Vale's assault pushed him to the brink. He couldn't cast his Ghastly Ailment and Spirit Hands as he focused on defending against Vale's onslaught!
The crowd watched in awe as the battle unfolded before them. Vale's fists and feet became a blur of motion, each strike landing with precision and impact.
The Assembly Hall reverberated with the sounds of their clash, echoing the fierce determination of their rivalry.
Crack… Crack… Crack…
Neil's defensive mystical items started being destroyed as Vale continued with his attacks!
'Y-you…' Neil couldn't believe it.
Despite his possession of three Low-Grade Mystical Items, he found himself outmatched by Vale's sheer physicality and unwavering resolve.
'Just what kind of training did he do to reach this point?!' As he reached this thought, he felt his soul and everything in him being sucked!
As he was about to surrender, Vale delivered a final blow, a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him sprawling to the ground.
The Assembly Hall erupted into cheers and applause as Vale stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion and triumph.
Professor Cyrus immediately stepped forward to declare Vale, the winner and checked Neil's condition.
'Tsk… Not good… I should've stopped the battle before that last kick landed…' Cyrus thought as he realized that Neil's condition was really bad.
He immediately called Zara to give Neil some first aid before sending him to the infirmary.
***
In the meantime, in the corner of the Assembly Hall, a first-year student almost fell to the ground after witnessing the result of the duel.
"No... it can't be! How is this happening?"
Celina's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. The weight of her miscalculations bore down on her, and she struggled to maintain her composure. Just like that, three Noble Rank items in her collections were destroyed!
Her eyes darted around the Assembly Hall, searching for a glimmer of hope, a chance to salvage her wounded pride. But all she could see was Vale's triumph, his victory shining like a beacon in the sea of disappointment.
'I made a mistake… This Neil is too foolish… How can you be defeated by someone who's only using support-type Spells? Tsk…' Celina silently thought as she saw everyone congratulating Vale on his well-deserved win.
Her gaze narrowed, resentment burning within her. After a few moments, she started calming down.
'It's not my fault… Neil is just too weak.'
"This isn't over, Vale. You may have won this battle, but I'm far from finished."
As the crowd dispersed, Celina slipped away, her mind filled with a newfound determination. She would have to reassess her strategies and find new ways to assert her family's dominance.
The setback only fueled her desire for power and control.
With a steely resolve, Celina retreated into the shadows, plotting her next move.
The failed plan might have bruised her ego, but it had also ignited a fire within her, a burning ambition to prove her family's might and secure Vale as her Personal Shadow Knight.
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