Arthur didn't take out the Element-M sword but drew Shadowfang, the sleek black sword glinting under the sunlight.
Garrick grabbed a standard training sword from the rack, his expression still unreadable.
Unlike the brutal, close-quarter exchanges from before, this was different. A fight with swords was about control, speed, and form.
Arthur took the first step, closing the distance and launching a swift diagonal slash.
Garrick parried effortlessly, redirecting the blade with a slight flick of his wrist before countering with a thrust.
Arthur sidestepped, avoiding the strike.
Then, he attacked again, faster this time.
Their swords clashed repeatedly, the metallic clang ringing through the training grounds. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows, each strike met with an equally precise defense.
Arthur increased his speed, unleashing a flurry of slashes. But Garrick's movements were flawless, blocking and countering each attack with minimal effort.
"Good…but you need to change between your stances quickly enough to take advantage of your opponent's opening," Garrick said.
Arthur clicked his tongue.
He changed his approach, switching from pure offense to a mix of feints and footwork. He shifted his rhythm, deliberately leaving small openings to bait Garrick into attacking.
And it worked.
For the first time in the match, Arthur managed to slip past Garrick's defenses, landing a shallow strike on his shoulder.
The watching students gasped in shock.
Garrick, however, simply let out a low chuckle. "Not bad. If it was someone who you were fighting for the first time, then it would have been a fatal blow."
Then, he stepped forward.
Arthur barely had time to react before Garrick's blade blurred.
Clang!
Arthur's sword was sent flying from his grip, landing several feet away.
Before he could move, Garrick's blade stopped inches from his throat.
Silence.
Then, Garrick pulled back his sword. "You've improved, but you still have a long way to go."
Arthur exhaled, shaking his head. "Yeah"
Garrick rested the blade on his shoulder. "Your fundamentals are solid now. Your adaptability is better, and you finally stopped relying purely on brute force."
Arthur arched an eyebrow. "Finally?"
Garrick smirked. "Three months ago, you were all power and no finesse. Now… you're actually using your head more while fighting."
Arthur chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Garrick nodded, satisfied. "This concludes our training."
The students clapped, murmuring among themselves about how intense the fight was.
Arthur walked over to retrieve his sword, rolling his shoulders.
Garrick gave him one last look. "You've come far, Arthur. But don't get complacent. You've still got much to learn."
Arthur nodded. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
As the training session ended, Arthur and his friends said goodbyes to the instructor and left for their classes.
…
Arthur walked through the academy halls, his thoughts drifting as he checked his status screen.
His recent progress had been significant. Months of training, both physical and magical, had strengthened him far beyond what he was when he first arrived at the academy.
He opened his interface and quickly scanned the numbers.
//--------------------//
[STATUS]
Name: Arthur Sully
Designation: ECHO
Rank: 2nd Circle Mage
Age: 27
Height: 6'3"
Mana: 1835.7 Units
Strength: 57.76 Kilotons
Speed: 613.3 m/s
Durability: 211.3 GPa
[ABILITIES]
[Reactive Evolution] [Superior Regeneration] [Toxin Immunity] [Gene Lock] [Technopathy (Lv3)] [Energy Absorption (Lv3)] [Mana Manipulation (Lv3)]
[SPELLS]
[Mana Bullet] [Mana Shield]
[TECHNIQUES]
[Astral Flow Technique]
[EQUIPMENTS]
-Spear Of Heaven
-ECHO Mk II Armor
-Element-M Sword
-Obelisk (Interdimensional Artifact)
-Shadowfang (Dark Steel Sword)
-Stormpiercer (Mithril Spear)
//--------------------//
Arthur nodded slightly to himself. He was close to breaking into the 3rd Circle. His mana control had improved drastically, and the recent spar with Instructor Garrick only confirmed how much sharper his movements had become.
Still, there was much more to learn.
…
Arthur and his group reached the lecture hall just as the clock struck eleven.
A moment later, Professor Elaine entered, the students quieted as she walked to the front, placing a few books down on the desk.
Elaine looked over the class. "Starting tomorrow, your classes will change."
Murmurs spread through the room.
Elaine continued, "You will still have common classes on mana theory and magical training, but now, you will also attend specialized classes based on your elemental affinities."
Arthur listened intently, though he knew this part didn't apply to him. He had no affinity for any of the elemental schools of magic.
However, Elaine then turned her gaze directly to Arthur.
"Arthur," she said, her voice carrying across the room, "you may also choose to attend any of the specialized classes if you wish. Even though you lack a magical affinity, you can still study the theories."
A few students glanced toward Arthur knowing that Arthur does not have an affinity for any element.
Arthur met her gaze and gave a small nod. "Understood. Thank you, Professor."
Elaine gave a curt nod before continuing the lesson.
Arthur wasn't particularly interested in elemental spells, but the theories could still be useful. He had already realized that even without an affinity, understanding magical principles could help him manipulate mana in new ways.
For now, he would observe the classes and see if anything useful came up.
…
After the classes ended, Arthur was preparing to leave for the orphanage when Finn, Leon, Eva, Natalya and Sophia approached him.
Finn grinned. "Hey, Arthur. Mind if we tag along?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "It's been a while since you guys last visited."
Leon stretched his arms. "Yeah, we've been too busy with training."
Natalya smiled slightly. "The kids probably miss us."
Arthur chuckled. "Alright, let's go."
The group left the academy together, heading toward the eastern district where the orphanage was located.
When they arrived, the children immediately noticed them.
Lisa, the small girl who always ran to Arthur, bolted toward him with a bright smile.
"Awuthur!" she called out, throwing herself into his arms.
Arthur caught her easily, lifting her up as she giggled. "You're getting heavier."
Lisa pouted. "No, I'm not!"
Leon and Finn laughed, while Natalya knelt down to ruffle the hair of one of the younger kids.
For the next hour, they played with the children, checked on the facilities, and spoke with Butler Hudson about the orphanage's current needs.
Arthur was glad to see that, despite Elaric's failed attempt to sabotage them, the supplies had returned to normal thanks to Rhys' intervention.
After some time, Arthur looked at his friends. "I have something to take care of. You guys can stay as long as you want."
Finn nodded. "Alright, see you later."
Then, he left the orphanage and headed toward the forest.
…
Deep in the dense forest, Arthur stood in a wide clearing, his body completely still.
The moment he raised his right hand, five glowing spheres of pure mana instantly formed above his palm.
Arthur watched them hover for a moment before flicking his wrist, the bullets shot forward at blinding speed, piercing through the thick tree trunks like paper.
Boom!
The ground trembled slightly from the impact.
Arthur sighed. 'Five mana bullets… under one second. That's my new limit.'
His control had advanced drastically over the past month. A month ago, forming two mana bullets had been a struggle. Now, he could form five almost instantly.
However, his absolute limit was eight mana bullets. But forming them took too much time, making it impractical in battle.
Arthur clenched his fist. 'I need to reduce the casting time further.'
His next goal was to reach instantaneous casting for all eight mana bullets.
…
In the past month Arthur had also asked Rhys to look for attributeless spells for him. And as his training session ended, Arthur took out his communication device that Rhys gave him and checked his messages.
It had both voice and messaging functions, a construct created through long research in magitech. But its range is not so great, it can only receive and send information between the pair within a range of 100 Km. (62 miles)
{Rhys: I'm still searching for attributeless spells, but it's difficult. They're rare and not in demand. I'll let you know when I find something worthwhile.}
Arthur frowned slightly.
He had expected this. Most mages had affinities, so attributeless spells were not commonly researched or sold.
Still, Rhys was well-connected. If anyone could find something, it was him.
Arthur sent back a short reply: {Understood. Keep me updated.}
Then, he stood up, dusted himself off, and began his walk back toward the city.
…
Arthur returned to his room before curfew. It had been a long day of training, but there was always more to do.
Just as he was about to begin mana cultivation, the familiar voice of the Guardian AI echoed in his mind.
[Commander, the golem has completed its metamorphosis.]
Arthur's eyes immediately showed interest.
Without hesitation, he projected his consciousness into the Spear of Heaven.
And he saw, in the center of a largest chamber, stood the golem.
Arthur's eyes widened slightly.
The creature had changed drastically.
Before, it had been barely over three meters tall. Now, it had grown into a towering behemoth, standing at nearly ten meters tall. Its body had become more refined, less of a crude construct and more of a battle-hardened machine.
But what caught Arthur's attention the most was the faint aura of mana emanating from its body.
'It can use mana now.' Arthur thought, intrigued.
The golem turned its massive head toward him, its glowing violet eyes pulsing. Then, with an unexpected display of enthusiasm, it thumped its massive fists on its chest, the metallic sound reverberating through the chamber.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "…You look different."
The golem let out a low, guttural sound, almost like a pleased growl. It stepped forward, the ground trembling slightly under its weight.
Arthur extended his senses, focusing on the mana flowing through its body.
'Most of the mana is concentrated in its core, but… how does the golem use it?'
Arthur then took out a pile of mid-grade mana stones from his storage and tossed them in front of the golem.
The golem stared at the mana stones for a moment, then…Chomp.
It devoured them all at once, swallowing them into its body.
Arthur blinked. "Well… at least you're still the same when it comes to food."
The golem suddenly paused, its body trembling for a brief moment before it let out a deep, satisfied rumble.
Burp.
The Guardian AI, ever the observer, spoke up. [It appears that the golem's core is refining the mana it absorbs. Its internal structure has evolved to handle magical energy.]
Arthur nodded. That made sense. But the real question was, how could it use this power?
He looked at the massive construct. "Alright, big guy. Let's see what you can do with that mana."
The golem tilted its head, as if contemplating his words.
Arthur stepped back, gesturing toward an open area within the chamber. "Try doing… something. Anything with the mana inside you."
The golem let out a low hum, its violet eyes flickering.
Then…A faint blue violet spread across its body.
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he watched strands of mana weave through its frame, almost like a protective layer.
'A natural mana barrier?'
The Guardian AI confirmed his suspicion. [The golem has instinctively created a passive defense using mana. This suggests its control over magic is more instinctual rather than learned.]
Arthur crossed his arms. "So it's more like how mana beasts use magic."
[Correct. However, further testing is required to understand the extent of its abilities.]
Arthur tapped his fingers against his arm. "I'll take it out for testing tomorrow. I need to see how it performs in actual combat."
The golem stomped its foot lightly, the action almost eager. It was as if it, too, wanted to test its newfound power.
Arthur smirked. "Alright, then. Get some rest, big guy. Tomorrow, we will put you to the test."
As he withdrew his consciousness from the Spear of Heaven, Arthur sat back in his chair, thinking.
The golem was not from this world and still it was able to use mana, maybe it was due to the reason it was birthed from Element-M. He would have to see for himself what more was the golem capable of.
***
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