BXBX NOVEL Chapter 213 212: Training
Of course, this made Anput blanch slightly when we all fixed her with a stern look, the Jackalkin gulping as she realized that a real long study session awaited her each night for the next week, and not the kind that she wanted.
As for Leone and I, we needed to study as well, but our grasp on the History material was pretty decent, and I still had a pass to just... excuse myself from a class due to my status as a servant.
Again, I still wanted to pass the test, so that I could unlock the ability to take Monsterology courses; since the March Asmodia was located along the border of the Labyrinthian, we were the first line of defense against any major monster outbreaks, and as such I wanted to get a deeper understanding of monsters and their weakness\', so that I could better prepare Jahi against the threats that we would be facing.
However, that was the future, and my main focus was the here and now; so, during each class, I tinkered with my Stealth skill, remaining as quiet as I could throughout the day, and keeping my footsteps as like as possible when we walked between classes.
I did the same outside of the Academy, and having such a large, eye drawing woman to \'hide\' behind in Jahi was certainly helpful.
Though, I had a feeling that I would need to start making nightly excursions throughout the city to really train myself...
Which, with the current political climate, was very dangerous...
When we returned home Jahi pulled Anput over to the kitchen, laying the history textbooks before the pouting Jackalkin before sitting beside her, forcing the girl to read the books aloud.
As for Leone and I, we went outside, as I had expressed interest in something that Vice-Headmaster Bijilo had talked about today.
Magic Dueling.
It was a specific spell that had been invented centuries ago, and the spell had been created because people wanted a way to gauge one\'s magical prowess without needing to be in harms way.
The spell wasn\'t strong enough to kill, and it made it easier for people to settle disagreements the same way those more physically inclined did; a spar.
Before this spell had been created, mages \'competed\' with their research or with their ability to \'summon\' and cast a powerful spell in as little time as possible.
Even today, one of the requirements to pass most of the Magic Courses at the Academy was to display your casting speed with a strong spell, both to gauge your precision with runes and how knowledgeable you were of magic.
However, some teachers also required you to go against them in a Magic Duel, as they wished to test how well you controlled and output your mana.
So, Leone and I stood apart from one another, tracing the runes needed for this basic spell.
It would create a bridge between us, connecting my mana to hers and vice versa.
Then, we would join our mana together in the center, before attempting to push the others back.
It was a simple task, and the only thing that felt like it was missing was a wand...
Since both of us were accomplished mages; that is to say, we know what we\'re doing with our mana, this duel was weighted heavily in Leone\'s favor, what with her element being \'superior\' to mine.
However, I insisted on trying it, as the worst case would be the Vampire across from me having to learn how to hold back her potent mana, or best case...
I win, and she needs to learn how to suppress my mana.
Nodding to her, I completed the spell circle in front of me and pushed my mana towards her, watching as the ethereal blue mana floated towards the vibrant red that Leone created.
Joining together, we took a deep breath before nodding to one another again, this time starting the duel.
Keeping my mana steady, I \'pushed\' against Leone\'s mana, watching with interest as the connected area fizzed and popped.
The vibrant fire mana tried to devour my ethereal ice, but it had to rear back as I poured some more mana into the spell, making the blue flare.
As the connected spot of our mana grew closer to her, Leone pursed her lips before grinning, her fire mana sparking as it easily enveloped my own, swiftly coursing over the bridge and rushing towards me.
Frowning, I made my mana pulse inside the \'mouth\' of Leone\'s mana, forcing it to stop as chunks of her mana was destroyed, replaced by my own.
The beam between us grew multicolored as the connected orb of energy returned to the middle; both ends were spotted with the others color, but now we were evenly matched.
Since Leone was relying entirely on Fire Mana, I could alter the Ice Mana to take on more of my Water then Wind, the freezing liquid dousing Leone\'s flames with ease.
The problem was the potency of her mana; even as I put out her Fire, she would simply raise the heat and evaporate my Water, returning our duel to an equilibrium; neither was able to truly push the other back by pure strenght, so...
Conceding some ground, I weakened my mana output gradually, which made Leone smile slightly.
As the connecting orb sparked and fizzled as it grew closer, I chuckled as I started pushing back again, switching from entirely Ice to only Water.
With the way my mana worked, when I used my Ice it was always surrounded by a sharp gale of wind, which was strengthening Leone\'s flames.
Now that that gale was gone...
Leone grit her teeth as she had to watch her flames be quenched slowly but surely, the orb being pushed back towards her.
Even as she poured a little more mana into the spell, she could only groan as the orb \'popped\' in front of her, signifying the end of the duel, and my victory.
Chuckling, I canceled the spell and approached her, grinning at the Vampire as she glared at me.
"Come on Leone~! I won fair and square, didn\'t I~?"
Leaning closer to her, I continued to grin as she pouted, letting out a huff as she turned away.
Before I could continue teasing her, Anput and Jahi walked outside, the Jackalkin storming over to the weapons rack, while Jahi just let out an exasperated sigh.
Moving to stand beside Jahi, I watched as Anput started swinging her blade, the wooden sword thunking against the training dummy, her tail and ears bristling with each swing.
"What..?"
Shaking her head, Jahi sighed as she explained, her voice low.
"I gave her a mini verbal quiz at the end of the chapter, and while her answers were technically right, she didn\'t explain anything at all, only giving short, concise answers... and when I asked for me, she got a little..."
Falling silent, she gestured to the woman, the sword in her hands a blur as she expertly, and angrily, beat on the training dummy.
"Annoyed, I guess? Well..."
We both glanced over at Leone, who had moved to sit on the large boulder at the back of the yard, her eyes shut as she started practicing her mana control, her face cold.
Sighing, I muttered "So is she..."
Giving one another a mildly frustrated look, we both shrugged as I said "So should we train as well? Start with blades, move to magic?"
Getting a nod, I grabbed a wooden dagger and a wooden sword, watching as the Demoness easily caught and spun the sword in her hands.
Moving to the center of the yard, we nodded to one another before beginning our spar, focusing more on improving the techniques we used then winning this mock battle.
I practiced on my precision and agility, deciding to go with hit and run tactics on the larger woman, who used my technique as a way to hone her blocking and parrying skills.
The sounds of our blades crossing echoed around the yard, and eventually we swapped what we were doing, allowing me to focus on my evasion and redirections while Jahi attempted to perfect her shorter, quicker attacks.
While we were fighting, Anput eventually managed to cool herself down enough to not have bristling fur, and when Jahi and I finished our exchange we opened a space for her, creating a hectic free for all.
Since I was more focused on speed and precision, I was the one attacking them both the most, while Jahi defended against me and attacked Anput, who was a solid in between of Jahi and I.
The day slowly passed, and when we finished I returned to Leone\'s side, going through some of the less fun Dual Cultivation with her for a half hour before starting dinner.
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Last two days have been tiring, hence the slower, SoL chapters; might do one more tomorrow depending on how I feel again, should be back to normal after that I hope~
Other books may or may not get updated today or tomorrow too, so if you read my other stuff don\'t be surprised if they\'re not updated...
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