How Riveria lost might have baffled the audience, but the Gods knew.
It was a pure power differential. Arthas's mana surpassed Riveria's—significantly. The match was decided from the start.
"Your turn, Ais."
Riveria, still slightly flushed, looked at Ais and whispered.
"I've been waiting for this."
Ais said excitedly.
Fighting Arthas fairly was something she'd looked forward to. She hadn't expected it to happen this way, in this place, under these circumstances.
To resolve her feelings and for the Loki Familia's honor, Ais Wallenstein couldn't lose.
"This… isn't a drill, Arthas!"
"Please, go easy on me."
Seeing Ais's serious, battle-ready demeanor, Arthas felt pressure.
Unlike Riveria, Ais was a swordsman, a supremely fast one.
Battles between swordsmen and mages could be decided in an instant.
As Arthas finished speaking, Ais moved. In an instant, she vanished from his sight.
Wind whipped past his ears; a sharp tearing sound. Arthas instinctively turned his head, seeing a slender sword in the frozen frost.
"Ruthless. You assumed I'd block it."
Arthas smiled wryly; the sword was aimed at his neck. If not for his instinctive reaction, he would have been killed.
Ais's face appeared clearly; she sniffed cutely, then spoke.
"If you couldn't defend, I'd have deflected at the last moment."
"I see… but to repay your surprise… I'll give you one too."
Arthas smiled; Ais sensed danger and tried to retreat, but it was too late.
Normally, if a mage is approached by a swordsman, it's disadvantageous.
Mages need time to chant, enough time for a swordsman to kill them many times.
But Ais, having fought alongside Riveria, knew mages used a simple, brutal method: close-range mana burst.
Instantly releasing mana without channeling it—a mana burst.
The explosive power was comparable to close-range spellcasting, but unlike spellcasting, you could use a shield and cast from your hands.
A mana burst wasn't spellcasting; it was releasing mana from every pore, causing immense destruction.
It was essentially a suicide attack, but highly effective in crucial moments.
Arthas hadn't mastered proper spellcasting; every time he used his power, it was a forced mana burst.
He forcefully released mana, transforming it into power!
Ais tried to retreat, but felt a strange sluggishness; her thoughts slowed. A white mist enveloped her, followed by intense cold.
Here it comes… again. This feeling of despair and helplessness.
Ais recalled her first encounter with Arthas; she'd been frozen without resistance.
But this time… I'm Level 6! I won't be defeated by frost again!
Wind blew through the near-frozen air.
Arthas's confident expression faltered; his magic was being disrupted? This was the first time someone had directly countered his magic.
Immense mana was compressed to the extreme, then exploded.
It started as a slight breeze, then intensified into a gale, shattering the frost restricting Ais's movement!
Crystalline powder scattered; Ais's skirt and golden hair danced in the wind. She stood in mid-air, overlooking Arthas like a Valkyrie.
Using her strength to break through Arthas's frost, overcoming her past trauma, Ais reached her peak Level 6 strength.
"Thank you, Arthas. But for the Loki Familia's honor… I must defeat you!"
Ais said coldly. Arthas chuckled, touching his nose; Ais winked.
"And about you and Riveria-nee… I won't stand idly by. I'll help you elope!"
Loki, elated by Ais's state, was about to boast when Ais's words almost made her choke.
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