Chapter 435 Winner
Cain had obviously noticed Vale's reaction to his preparation… To be honest, he was prepared to cancel his Spell the moment Vale made his move.
However, contrary to his expectations, Vale allowed him to finish with his Enchantments, and he even seemed amused by the Beasts he summoned!
'Tsk… He's underestimating me…' Cain silently thought.
Well, he was right…
During Vale's third year in the Academy, he had a subject called Twelve Arcane Paths that allowed them to study the other paths to their introductory level.
Vale could somehow recall that Beast Arts could summon the powers of mythical beasts in another realm… This was why he was a bit curious and wary about his opponent.
After all, he had no idea which Mythical Beasts could Cain summon. He may have to adjust his abilities depending on which Mythical Beast it was.
'T-that was it?' Vale sighed as he seemed to have forgotten that fourth-year students could not draw the power of Mythical Beast.
Because of that, Vale wasn't worried, even if he couldn't use his Dark Spells.
'Anyway, this will still be a good learning experience since Beastmaster at Sherman's level might also appear someday.' Vale thought as he watched Cain accumulating his strength.
'It's also a good time to analyze the Formation Art suppressing my Dark Spells…' Vale mused.
Whoosh~
As Cain finished consolidating the strength of the four beasts, Vale decided to let him take the initiative.
He wanted to assess Cain's tactics and gauge the full extent of his abilities. With a calm and focused demeanor, Vale braced himself for the incoming assault.
"Come…" Vale muttered, and with Cain's enhanced hearing, he didn't have trouble hearing Vale's provocation.
Cain, fueled by the strengths of the dog, falcon, crocodile, and swordfish, lunged forward with incredible speed.
"Look at my fist!"
His movements were a blend of grace and ferocity as he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one infused with the essence of the respective beasts.
Pah! Pah! Pah!
His attacks were swift and precise, aiming to exploit any opening in Vale's defense.
Vale, relying on his honed physical capabilities, evaded Cain's onslaught with deft footwork and agile maneuvers.
Of course, it was the footwork of the Shadowblade Dance…
Furthermore, with his current Agility Points, it made him easily anticipate and counter Cain's attacks. Despite not being able to unleash his Dark Spells, Vale remained a formidable opponent.
At this moment, the people who had placed the Formation Arts started sweating after seeing Vale's current movement. They could certainly tell that Vale already knew that he couldn't use his Dark Spells, but he wasn't panicking at all!
***
As the battle continued, Vale seized the opportunity to study Cain's technique and adapt his strategy.
He analyzed the patterns in Cain's movements, searching for weaknesses to exploit.
'So he could summon four beasts to strengthen himself, but he can't release their unique powers at the same time…' Vale silently thought after seeing how Cain would use the Falcon's Claw Strike, but he couldn't use the Dog's Charm Eyes at the same time.
It would probably be a perfect combination if he could use those two at the same time… It would be even more deadly if he could actually release four unique Abilities simultaneously!
With each dodge and parry, Vale learned more about his opponent's style and the limitations of his beast-enhanced abilities.
As Vale continued to suppress his strength and be at Cain's level, he realized that Cain's strength lay in his speed in switching the unique abilities and his physical agility.
'I guess that was it…' Vale thought as he felt satisfied with everything he had learned about the Beast Arts.
Learning this in duel had given him a deeper impression than the ones he learned in class.
Vale then decided to use his true Agility and Strength against Cain.
He waited for the perfect moment, watching for a slight opening in Cain's defenses. Then, with a burst of explosive power, Vale launched a counterattack.
With lightning-fast strike and precise movement, Vale's physical prowess was on full display.
A single blow landed with precision, delivering a powerful impact that tested Cain's defenses. The clash of their powers created a symphony of sound reverberating throughout the arena.
Boom!
It was such a powerful strike that Cain was almost dazed from a single strike!
However, the swordfish's phantom image appeared behind Cain, and it seemed to have brought him alive and regained his strength!
'Oh… So it had that ability…' Vale thought as he continued attacking. He wanted to see how much healing prowess this swordfish could provide to Cain.
Cain, though formidable with his swordfish's help, struggled to keep up with Vale's relentless onslaught. He tried to match Vale's speed and power by drawing more mystical energy from his crocodile but found himself still at a disadvantage.
'How is he so strong?! He's not even using any of his Dark Spells! How is this?!' Cain couldn't help but find this astonishing. The strength of the beasts he had summoned could only take him so far against Vale's unwavering attacks and refined physical abilities.
'Not good…'
Vale seemed to think that he didn't have to use his Dark Spells… or perhaps he was too dumb to realize what Dark Spell Vale was using against him.
"Aaahh!"
With one last battle cry, Cain summoned all his strength to trade blows with Vale!
However, Vale no longer wants to prolong this fight. With a final, mighty blow, he landed a decisive strike that sent Cain sprawling to the ground.
Thud!
The crowd erupted into applause, acknowledging Vale's prowess… Many of them expected him to win, but not in this manner where he didn't use any of his Dark Arts!
While Cain had put up a valiant fight, it was Vale's unfathomable physical prowess and strategic adaptability that secured his victory… at the very least, this was what the audience had seen.
As the announcement of the winner was made and the cheers subsided, Vale extended a hand to help Cain up… or that was what everyone thought.
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