After the lightning struck down, the training ground was covered with dust clouds and debris went flying everywhere.
And while all of that was happening...
"Glad my plan worked..."
Raven dashed back and put a distance between him and Ruby.
[Did you get her?]
Sariel appeared and asked him.
Then Raven just lightly shook his head in response...
'She wouldn't get hurt just because of that.'
And he added.
Raven might seem calm at the moment, but his body actually aches a bit and his whole left arm is numb.
Anyway...
Seconds after, the dust cloud settled.
And Ruby's figure was fully revealed!
She's just standing where Raven left her while holding the hilt of the training sword she was using.
Though, the blade of her sword was nowhere to be found.
Ruby looked at Raven, then with a fake frown...
She pointed at her sword.
"You always break my weapon whenever we spar."
Ruby grumbled.
Raven then smiled at her...
"Breaking your opponent's weapon is a good strategy after all."
And he declared that.
After hearing his words, Ruby smiled too.
Then she pointed at her left shoulder using her broken weapon...
"Well, you definitely got a lot stronger than before."
And she stated that!
Raven looked at where Ruby was pointing...
Then he saw a tear on her top!
And that's not all, Raven can also see some mild burn around Ruby's left shoulder!
"Huh, seems like I did get a lot stronger."
Raven mumbled.
And at that same moment...
Bam-
Ruby kicked the group and propelled herself!
She disappeared from Raven's sight, and reappeared in front of him in an instant!
Raven, who momentarily let his guard down, was surprised!
Bam-
He instinctively dashed backward to get away from Ruby...
Shhhh~
And that's when Raven saw a blade made of ice growing from the hilt of Ruby's broken weapon!
"Shit!"
Raven cursed.
Shing-
And Ruby just simply swung her sword toward Raven!
Raven's left arm is still numb, so he can't use it to block the incoming attack, it just wouldn't do shit.
Luckily though...
Fwoosh-
One of [Celestria]'s functions, <Auto Defence>, activated!
The majestic wings on Raven's back moved on their own and placed themselves in front of Raven!
They then hardened...
TIIIIING–!
And stopped Ruby's sword from reaching Raven!
Swoosh–
Though, Raven was still flung away by Ruby's sheer strength!
"Krrgh..."
Good thing Raven landed on both feet.
After Ruby's attack, she didn't follow up with a new one.
Raven thought it was weird, so with curiosity...
He looked toward Ruby.
"!"
And he was surprised at what he saw.
Ruby was standing nonchalantly while looking at him with a mischievous smile.
And around her...
A bunch of <Ice Spears> were floating!
And all of them are threatening to launch off and attack Raven at any moment!
"Haha, seriously?"
Raven asked dumbfoundedly.
"Hey, at least I didn't attack you when you were blown away."
And Ruby playfully replied.
"Well, thanks, I guess."
Raven said with a sarcastic smile.
Then...
He suddenly boosted the effect of <Thought Acceleration>!
And after that, he utilized one of his traits, <Understanding>, to understand how Ruby's <Ice Spear> works!
<Thought Acceleration> and <Understanding> have a great synergy...
So Raven achieved his goal in almost an instant!
Then, using the principle behind <Ice Spear> as a reference...
Bzzt- Bzzt- Bzzt-
Zzzzzzt–
"<Lightning Spears>"
Raven improvised a spell of his own and summoned his own group of magical spears!
The only difference is that they are made of electricity!
"Wow..."
Ruby mumbled in disbelief at what she was seeing.
She knows that Raven is weird(talented) and that <Ice Spear> is a simple spell...
But she didn't expect Raven to try and copy it and succeed in one go!
"You're really something else."
Ruby said.
"But that's still just an imitation."
Then she added.
Raven smiled at her words...
"Why don't we find out if it's any inferior to the real thing then."
And he spat out a provocative statement!
"I'll accept the invitation."
Ruby replied.
Swoosh–
Then multiple <Ice Spears> went flying toward Raven at a terrifying speed!
'<Insight>'
Raven, on the other hand, activated one of his skills to predict the <Ice Spears>'s trajectories.
And after doing so...
"Go."
Raven voiced out a simple command!
Bzoooom–
And his <Lightning Spears> moved, intercepting most of Ruby's <Ice Spears>!
Boom!
Baam!
Explosions echoed through the whole training ground as Ruby's and Raven's magic collided with each other.
Though Raven's <Lightning Spears> are inferior to Ruby's <Ice Spears> in terms of power...
BZOOOM-!
They're superior in terms of speed!
"You're holding out pretty good, looks like your mana capacity expanded."
Raven heard Ruby as their magics cancel out each other, she sounded really relaxed...
"Heh, this is nothing."
So Raven replied in the same manner.
He's bluffing though, he's using a lot of his skills and his mana would soon run out.
Raven is nervous about it, he's not just letting it show on his face by smiling mischievously!
Then...
Swoosh–
One of Ruby's <Ice Spears> got past his <Lightning Spears>, and it's heading toward him!
"Fuck."
Raven mumbled.
Shing-
Then he swung his sword upward, and cut the <Ice Spear> in two.
Resulting in it missing him by an inch.
'The difference in our rank is now showing.'
Raven thought, then he looked at Ruby's face.
She's still smiling like an idiot.
'She knows it too.'
Ruby can produce more magical spears than Raven, and she's also very familiar with this spell.
So if this exchange continues, Raven would definitely lose!
'And I know that.'
Raven thought.
(Bruh, did he just hear my narration?)
Anyway, Raven stored [Nyx] back in the [Quick Slot]...
Then he took out [Black Dagger] from it.
After that...
Swoosh-
Raven threw that same dagger to Ruby.
Ting-
And Ruby just deflected it with her sword like it was nothing.
"Tsk."
Raven clicked his tongue.
And Ruby just frowned.
'Is he getting desperate now?'
She thought.
Bam-
And that's when Raven propelled himself toward Ruby while holding [Emmeranne] with both of his hands!
Shing-
Shing- Shing-
Raven cut all of the <Ice Spears> that blocked his path.
And not long...
TIIING–!
His sword once again collided with Ruby's sword!
"Let's start our second and last bout."
Raven declared.
"<Vicious Lightning Sword Technique>"
"<Dance of the Lightning God>"
Swoosh-
Then he used his strongest sword technique!
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