Veronica leaned forward in her seat, eyes fixed on the fight between Casper and Rain with rapt attention.
Although Rain [Thanatos] was ranked C grade according to the arena rankings, he had risen to the top 50 in just a few days.
Still, Veronica didn't see it as a big feat. She knew plenty of people who could do that.
As the two fighters circled each other, Veronica's brow furrowed in contemplation.
She couldn't help but wonder what Rain had in mind when he sent that message and those ancient scrolls to her.
"It's like he knows too much about me." That's what she concluded from current affairs.
"Show me your worth, [Thanatos]," she stared at Rain, who was trapped in Casper's domain. "Otherwise, I will surely destroy you."
Once one became proficient in controlling mana, they could create a domain around themselves.
Veronica's mind drifted to her own experiences with mana control, remembering the first time she had created her own domain.
These domains varied from person to person because they reflected the individual's nature.
To the uninitiated, a domain might seem like a simple bubble of energy around a person, but in reality, it was much more complex.
A domain was a manifestation of a person's inner self, a reflection of their unique personality and traits.
It was a projection of their willpower, shaped by their experiences, emotions, and beliefs.
In other words, a person's domain was a physical representation of their soul.
As for Rain, he was currently trapped within Casper's domain, a dark and foreboding space that seemed to suffocate and constrict him at every turn.
Veronica watched with a mix of fascination and concern, wondering how Rain would fare against such a powerful opponent.
Veronica watched with bated breath, curious to see how this battle would play out.
***
As Rain found himself engulfed by Casper's domain, he realized that his sight was impaired by the thick darkness.
He couldn't see his opponent or even his hand in front of his face.
"Oh, isn't this mana domain?" Rain mumbled. He didn't think Casper would use mana domain in the fight.
He took a deep breath and focused his senses on the flow of mana around him.
He knew that Casper was manipulating the mana to create this domain, and that meant he had to disrupt it to break free.
Rain's training as a mage had taught him to sense the flow of mana in his surroundings. He could feel the mana pulsing around him, like an invisible current of energy. But now, he had to use this sense to find any disturbances in the flow of mana.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on the mana, letting his other senses fade away.
[Elemental Transmutation Breathing]
He could feel the mana rushing past him, like a river in the darkness.
Then, he felt a subtle disturbance in the flow of mana to his right. It was like a ripple in the water, indicating that something had disrupted the flow.
Rain opened his eyes and turned in the direction of the disturbance.
He could see a faint glimmer of light, like a distant star in the darkness.
"Is that it?" He was curious.
He focused his attention on the glimmer and started moving towards it, following the flow of mana.
As he got closer, the glimmer grew brighter, and he could feel the energy of the mana becoming more intense.
Finally, he reached the source of the disturbance - Casper, who was in the process of teleporting away.
"Wow, I didn't expect this," Casper exclaimed.
Rain reacted quickly, drawing his daggers and throwing them at Casper's back. However, Casper was quick to react, blocking the attack with a shadowy shield.
Even though Rain used "Twilight Mist Sword Art", Casper was able to block his attacks.
Rain realized that he needed to focus his senses even more if he wanted to defeat Casper.
He closed his eyes again and let himself be guided by the flow of mana, searching for any other disturbances.
Like this, Rain kept finding Casper and Casper teleporting at the moment Rain tried to attack him.
Finally, Rain detected a slight disturbance in the flow of mana to his right again.
He turned in that direction and caught a glimpse of Casper's shadow slipping away.
"Not this time," Rain knew that he had to act quickly. He focused his energy and channeled it into his legs, giving him a burst of speed.
With a quick dash, he closed the distance between himself and Casper, who was still in the process of teleporting.
Rain's dagger gleamed as he swung it at Casper's back, but at the last moment, Casper turned and blocked the attack with a shadowy shield.
The impact of the block caused Rain to stumble, but he quickly regained his balance.
Casper grinned, his eyes flashing with amusement. "Impressive," he said. "But you still have a lot to learn."
Rain sighed, taking his sword out from empty space. "I guess you're right. Looks like we can't continue like this," he said, unsheathing his sword with a smile.
"Stop the flimsy talk and attack," Casper grumbled, raising his hand and channeling dark energy from the abyss.
[Abyssal Surge]
With a flick of his wrist, Casper sent a vortex of black flames hurtling toward Rain.
However, Rain remained calm, focusing his mana and pouring it into his sword. His sword began to glow with an eerie blue light.
"Shadow Sword Style, 2nd move - Reflection Dance," Rain whispered, swinging his sword with fluid and graceful movements.
The technique involved deflecting the incoming attack with a circular motion, allowing the sword to reflect the energy back toward the attacker.
By pouring his mana into the sword, Rain was able to amplify the reflection, causing the flames to rebound off the blade with greater force.
As the black flames rebounded off his sword, Rain could feel the impact vibrating through his body.
But he remained focused, his eyes fixed on Casper as he continued to press the attack.
While the students in the academy were busy with the practical exams, Rain had spent countless hours perfecting the Shadow Sword Style, and he had learned all twelve moves.
His fight with Casper was a chance to test and hone his skills.
"Show me some results, my guinea pig," Rain smiles wickedly as he thought.
"Why do I feel something ominous behind your smile?" Casper was puzzled.
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l