Volume 5, Chapter 51 – Growth

The duel was ultimately held in the indoor training ground.

Because of Claire’s status, Nola did not just leave Fia and her group to their own devices, but invited them to stay at the acting chieftain’s residence, that is, her own. In addition, Claire had been invited by Ying, who hoped she could teach her some of her strange magic. Although Nola had also learned Claire’s magic and could theoretically teach people, she was not as eloquent as Ying, and her teaching would be a disservice.

Having hidden Claire’s companion weapon with the Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea—for some reason, it couldn’t be stored in a storage item and could only be housed in Claire’s own spatial magic—Fia, walking shoulder to shoulder with Tilulu, placed her hand on her shoulder.

「I’ll help you in a bit. Just deal with him as we practiced. Don’t answer me.」

Tilulu’s brother, Celesté, was right behind them. If he were to see through it, things would become troublesome.

Although Tilulu had the stone-shooting staff Fia had given her, and with the strangeness of spatial magic, even if Celesté was a warrior, he would be no match for her, but the beastfolk had the troublesome magic of [Ancestral Spirit’s Possession]. Just in case, it was better to use the results of their training.

As the dim corridor grew darker, the group of six finally arrived at a spacious indoor training ground. This was where Nola usually practiced her martial arts. An ordinary family would not have such a setup. As for why Fia knew this place, she had naturally asked a servant before coming. It was raining outside, so it was not convenient to use the Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea to hide herself.

[Light]

A dazzling white light rose from Fia’s hand, and the empty training ground instantly brightened. She stopped and turned around with a blank expression.

“Let’s end it here. If you lose, you will take your people and swear allegiance to Tilulu, recognizing her as queen.”

“No problem.”

Fia’s words made Celesté raise his head proudly. He was indeed no match for a witch, but he had the dignity of an old royal family. As a leader of a group, he should not act subservient even in the face of a strong enemy.

He took a short sword from his attendant, raised his right hand, and cut his palm.

“I, Celesté Amann, swear by the Ancestral Spirit, that if I lose to Tilulu Lujue today, I will take my clansmen and swear allegiance to her.”

After saying all this, his eyes were fixed on Tilulu, as if to remind her that it was her turn.

In the past, Tilulu would have surely been filled with fear. But now, she glared back defiantly.

Celesté gave her an indescribable feeling of disgust, as if the person standing in front of her was not her brother, but a lump of filthy mud. A voice constantly arose in her heart, telling her that she must kill this bastard who had insulted her mother. Without any fear, she took a short sword from her storage item, raised her right hand, and made the same motion as him, swearing to the Ancestral Spirit.

Celesté couldn’t help but be slightly surprised. The Tilulu he knew was timid and incompetent, without the makings of a queen. Yet now, she was like a beastman warrior. Even when the blade cut her skin, her eyes did not waver in the slightest.

Just a moment ago on the sofa, she had a timid and hesitant expression.

Could it be that she was bewitched by the witch? Or did this witch give her care before he did and win her trust? If it was the latter, things would be troublesome. Witches were too uncontrollable. He could cooperate with the high-ranking nobles of Silvar, but he would never associate with a witch.

At this thought, Celesté looked at Anastasia. Anastasia, who was clearly dressed as a guard, was standing behind Fia, her imposing figure making one not dare to be disrespectful.

A guard…

Suddenly, a thought arose in his mind, and his facial expression stiffened.

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Only a master would have a guard. From the attire of this elf guard, she must be from the high nobility of Silvar. The etiquette and pride she showed in her every move was not something a nouveau riche could possess. And since the person she was guarding was a witch, did that mean the witch might be a high-ranking noble of Silvar?

He couldn’t help but take another look at Fia. Her nation-toppling beauty, even if her figure wasn’t perfect, was enough to drive one mad. Her taste in clothing and her status as a high-ranking noble were a perfect match.

But how could a high-ranking noble of Silvar become a witch? Witches were known to all on the World Tree Continent. Everyone knew that only homeless desperadoes would choose to become one. Silvar was a powerful country. A single word from a high-ranking noble could get them what an ordinary person could not achieve in a lifetime. To say that these people would become witches was as ridiculous as saying that beastman men would like men.

That being said, Celesté still had some regrets. He shouldn’t have shown his fear and disgust for a witch from the very beginning. If this elf who called herself The Witch of Calamity Flame was really a high-ranking noble of Silvar, then he had missed a very stable backer.

At this thought, his mind became active. Now Fia was leading Tilulu and him to the center of the field. It was the perfect time to ask. He asked casually.

“May I ask if you, Lady Witch, are a noble of Silvar?”

“Yes, and no.”

Yes, and no?

The ambiguous answer was puzzling. Celesté could only boldly guess that Fia meant she had once been a high-ranking noble but her family had fallen on hard times and she had to become a witch.

Before he could continue to think, the three of them had already arrived at the center of the field. Fia used her eyes to signal the two of them to distance themselves, and then declared in a stern voice that everyone could hear.

“Unless one actively admits defeat, the duel will continue until one party is dead or unconscious. One can use anything they own in the duel. The moment the gold coin hits the ground, it begins.”

The moment her voice fell, Fia tossed a gold coin upwards.

The battle was on the verge of breaking out.

This was both a life or death struggle and for the future of their clan. Celesté did not hold back or probe. He immediately spread his magic power throughout his body. With a feeling of power filling him, the sound of his clothes tearing could be heard. In just two or three seconds, the refined Celesté was gone, replaced by a sturdy, three-meter-tall Tiger-kin covered in white fur.

The bulging muscles on his chest and his strong arms gave off an explosive force just by looking. His wild and fierce eyes made one feel a suffocating pressure. An invisible, violent atmosphere emanated from his entire body.

On the other side, Tilulu was not without a reaction. She did not use [Ancestral Spirit’s Possession] like him. Anastasia had said the same thing to her as she had to Milu: a duel required victory, not passion. To go head-to-head with an enemy when one’s own strength was inferior would often only lead to a miserable defeat. To attack the enemy’s weakness with one’s own strength was the way to win.

Therefore, she chose to distance herself from him and attack him from afar with magic.

First was an earth wall, two meters high, that rose from the ground, followed by the ground turning into a swamp.

Both spells were First-Tier. Although Tilulu couldn’t do it without a chant like Fia, it was not difficult for her to finish the chant in just three or four seconds.

With these two spells to restrict his movement, she could then use the [Sticky Fire] that burned on his fur—

Just as Tilulu was running, a loud bang came from behind her. She turned her head and saw the exaggerated scene he had created a dozen meters away.

An earth wall two meters high, combined with a swamp, would normally force a person to go around. But the beastified Celesté had kicked through the wall with one foot. The flying stone fragments shot at her like cannonballs. She subconsciously wanted to cast a low-tier magic shield, but the speed of the stones was much faster than she had imagined. In the blink of an eye, the rapidly enlarging stones in her vision had already reached her.

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I have to be calm!

Although she was about to be severely injured, she felt unusually calm in her heart—this was probably the result of her recent training, she guessed. Anastasia’s stormy attacks were far more oppressive than these stones.

She quickly searched for a countermeasure in her mind and finally set her sights on the stone-shooting staff in her hand.

A staff was different from a chanted spell. As long as magic power was injected, the inscribed magic could be released instantly.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and, at the last moment, turned around and pointed the staff at the stones.

[Rock Creation]

[Acceleration I]

A fist-sized rock instantly appeared at the tip of the staff. The two rocks collided violently, turning into smaller fragments and scattering.

Although some of the fragments still hit her, their power had been greatly weakened and could only cause some pain.

A rough and heavy shout mixed with praise came from the distance.

“Some skill, but not nearly enough!”

As soon as his words fell, Tilulu felt her body become heavy, and a faint, deep purple mist covered her vision.

[Slowing Curse].

Celesté did not intend to give her a chance to distance herself.

Normally, she should have used [Blessing of Agility] to dispel the curse. However, time did not allow her to slowly use the spell, because he was running towards her with great strides. The distance between them was only a few steps. She could even smell the unpleasant beastly stench on him. The trembling of the earth was like a death knell, making her heart pound with tension.

In that case—

A layer of fine sweat uncontrollably appeared on her forehead. Tilulu maintained a slow retreat and activated the stone-shooting staff again. However, this time, she aimed at his head.

The silver short staff once again condensed a fist-sized rock. At the same time, Celesté had also reached her.

In a competition of speed, she was no match for him.

“You dare to propose a duel with only this much? Courage without strategy will only lead to the death of all who believe in you!”

Laughing loudly, his fan-like tiger paw reached for her neck. His other hand was held in front of his face to block the magic condensed on the staff. To duel with an opponent of this level was like bullying a child. Even if he won, it would not be glorious. He just wanted to end the fight quickly.

As he had thought, the rock on her staff came straight for his face. He subconsciously cast [Fortitude] on his hand, but to his surprise, the rock did not follow its intended trajectory and smash into his palm, but suddenly disappeared and reappeared at the tip of his nose.

In an instant, his eyes shrank to the size of a pinprick. Panic made him secrete adrenaline like crazy, and the pores all over his body sweated profusely, to the point where he felt a stinging pain on his skin. However, the speed of the rock was faster than he had imagined. He could no longer evade or defend.

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Damn it!

Thud!

The curse had just formed when the rock slammed into his nose.

Just like any creature with keen senses being hit on the nose, Celesté’s expression instantly twisted. Due to the excessive kinetic energy of the rock, even though he had used [Ancestral Spirit’s Possession], his three-meter-tall body couldn’t stop from staggering back until, due to the intense pain, he fell to the ground with a thud.

However, because the pain was so intense, he just curled up and couldn’t make a sound. It wasn’t until several seconds had passed that he, his face flushed, finally opened his mouth and let out a shrill scream.

“Ahhhhhh! You vicious woman!!!”

However, Tilulu’s situation was not much better. The moment he realized he couldn’t defend in time, Celesté had changed the hand reaching for her neck from a grab to a smash, striking her right shoulder directly. She was like she had been hit by a speeding truck. The immense force sent her flying, and she rolled several times on the ground before she stopped.

The pain in her shoulder turned into numbness, making half of her body lose all sensation. She barely stood up by supporting herself with her staff. Then, without a second thought, she forced herself to endure the dizziness in her head and cast [Blessing of Pain Relief] on her body. Then, the intense pain finally came from her left shoulder like a tide. Gritting her teeth, she let out a faint whimper, and her eyes couldn’t help but squeeze shut.

If not for the blessing, she would have probably fainted from the pain.

She looked down at her left shoulder. Because his attack was rushed, it had only lost sensation and had not suffered irreversible damage. But even so, she shouldn’t expect her left hand to be of any use.

Feeling a little calmer, she gasped for breath and looked at her wailing brother in the distance. In just a short time, both of them were drenched in sweat, but his situation was clearly worse. If not for the [Ancestral Spirit’s Possession] that had greatly enhanced his defense, the rock just now would have been enough to take his life.

A hint of disappointment suddenly rose in her heart. Her purple eyes, looking at him, became sharper. Anastasia and Milu had already told her everything he had done. He just wanted to use her and had never treated her as a family member. The pain in her left shoulder was a constant reminder that this was a duel.

Pain usually gave rise to two emotions: fear and hatred. At this moment, she only felt the latter.

It was this filthy mud that was oppressing her, and even wanted to take her place by winning this duel, first pushing her aside, then standing in her position to contact Fia.

—A shameless usurper.

Her anger grew thicker and thicker. Unconsciously, a flowing blackness appeared in her purple eyes. She began to cast a healing spell on herself.

Theoretically, this was the best time to attack him, but she didn’t have the luxury. First, the stone-shooting staff could not be used continuously and densely, otherwise there would be a risk of the magic circuit being damaged. Second, she couldn’t move at this time. She could barely even stand, let alone run. She had to alleviate her injuries first.

At the same time, Celesté’s wails gradually stopped. He stood up and, enduring the pain, wiped the blood from his face. His bloodshot eyes glared at her with hatred.

“I won’t give you another chance.”

With those words, he was like a cheetah at full speed. An explosive sound came from under his feet, and his entire body turned into a white afterimage. It was so fast that Tilulu could not see his movements clearly. The panic of losing her target made her subconsciously dodge to the side.

This dodge was futile against him. He changed his trajectory in an instant and appeared by her side, a fist swinging at her head. The strong wind from the punch made an extremely strong sense of crisis rise in her heart.

It’s too late.

「Left side.」

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Suddenly, a voice appeared in her mind. It was like an epiphany, making her feel overjoyed. Muscle memory made her left arm extend straight up.

Clang!

A blue-purple light burst from the air. The punch that had been aimed at her was as if it had hit an invisible wall and was bounced back. The reactive force made his arm go numb.

However, he did not give up. He swung his other fist and smashed it at the shield again.

Then, another dull sound like a bell being struck.

Her magic shield once again steadily blocked him.

The one helping her was naturally Fia. Because his attendant was present, she couldn’t just disappear from the very beginning. She could only wait for the attendant to be focused on the battlefield to secretly become invisible and come to her side.

The days of training had shown their results today. Tilulu raised her stone-shooting staff and dispelled the [Bee-Shield Forcefield]. In its place were a total of three fireballs. They smashed at him diagonally from a distance of less than two meters.

Although the fireballs did not cause much damage to him, who had cast a defensive spell, the explosive shockwave forced him back more than ten meters.

I have Fia’s support.

With such power, a mere Celesté is nothing to be afraid of.

Her confidence greatly increased. She was no longer on the defensive, but took the initiative and raised her staff again. This time, it was a dual attack of [Dragon’s Fang] and [Wind Blade].

Her firepower instantly increased, which made him unable to adapt for a moment. He could only constantly dodge. Whenever he wanted to get close to her, she could use First-Tier spells—[Fireball], [Ice Bullet], [Wind Blade], [Dragon’s Fang], and even [Dark Erosion] and [Light Binding]. What was strange was that a large part of these spells were extremely inconspicuous in normal times and could not even affect his actions. But in her hands, they became extremely threatening spells.

For a time, their positions were reversed. He could only dodge from side to side and couldn’t even touch the corner of her clothes. In contrast, she was like she was playing with him, constantly using magic to bombard him from a distance.

This went on for a full minute. He finally realized that he couldn’t continue like this. He first narrowly dodged a [Wind Blade], then gritted his teeth and took two [Fireballs] with his thick-furred body. Only then did he risk his life and charge to her side.

As long as I get close, she is no match for me.

“Die!”

But the reality was not as he had imagined. She would not dodge in terror. On the contrary, what greeted him was her chilling smile—there seemed to be anger in her eyes, but also a sense of exhilaration, as if everything was a trap she had deliberately set for him.

The next second.

A powerful spell that had never appeared before appeared between the two of them. As she raised her staff, what greeted him was a particularly brilliant [Thunder Spear] that made his hair stand on end.

“You—!”

Without any words, a strong explosion echoed through the training ground.