TBATE: Black Will

Meanwhile, Claire and Darius were methodically dismantling the remaining opponents, using their elements in perfect harmony. The water mage, weakened by Claire's relentless attacks, could no longer put up a fight, and his ally was cornered.

Seizing the opportunity, Claire dashed toward the enemy crystal at full speed. Concentrating her magical energy into a single point, she unleashed a powerful stream of fire that crashed into the crystal. The stone structure began to crack and crumble under the relentless force of her flames.

"No!" one of the opposing mages shouted, rushing toward Claire, but it was too late.

The enemy crystal shattered, consumed by fire. Their defense collapsed, and the battle was won. Cheers of triumph and groans of disappointment mixed in the crowd, but the most important thing was clear: our team had emerged victorious.

Claire turned to me and Darius, her face glowing with satisfaction.

 "Great job, everyone," she said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "We did it."

Darius scoffed, but he couldn't hide the pleased smirk on his face. We left the field while the mages cleaned up and prepared the arena for the next participants.

The opponents had been weaker than I expected, or perhaps we were simply much stronger. Maybe the training with Virion and Alea had paid off.

Either way, it didn't matter. I now had a rough idea of the strength of my potential opponents.

Claire's technique was impressive. Her fiery shot intrigued me because, at the dark-orange core stage, such a quick attack shouldn't have been possible. However, I was starting to understand the mechanics of her technique. She condensed mana into a narrow focal point, which then sprung out like a coiled spring, increasing the range and power of the attack. At least, that's the conclusion I drew based on my knowledge of magic, both from this world and from my past life, after reading countless manga and novels.

I wondered if she had figured it out herself or if someone had taught her. Bladehart—why did that surname feel familiar?

"Bladeheart..." I muttered under my breath, trying to recall, but it felt like I was missing something obvious.

Unlike Claire, Darius lacked creativity in his techniques. Sure, his spells were massive and powerful, but the amount of mana they consumed was far from efficient.

We walked off the field, and I continued analyzing my observations. Claire and Darius, though different in their combat styles, formed a balanced team. Claire's explosive mana and strategic approach directed their attacks effectively, while Darius held the line with his massive earth constructs, creating walls and barriers where needed. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that Darius's potential remained untapped.

"What are you thinking about, Lucius?" Claire asked, looking at me. Her question startled me slightly.

"Just thinking," I replied with a faint smile. "Your skills are good, but I think both you, Claire, and Darius could refine your strategies further. For example, Darius, your spells use too much mana for their effect. If you reduced the scale and increased precision, you could achieve the same results with less effort."

"Think I don't know that?" Darius snapped, though his tone lacked real anger. It was more frustration with himself. "I'm used to solving everything with power."

"And it shows," Claire chimed in, winking at him. "But Lucius is right. Try working on your mana control."

The dwarf grumbled but seemed to take my comment seriously. He was stubborn but not foolish—he knew he needed to improve if he wanted to progress.

"Claire, your fiery shot technique is interesting," I added. "You condensed mana into a point and released it like an arrow. Pretty impressive for your stage."

"Oh? You figured it out so quickly? Smart for your age," she said, smiling with surprise in her eyes. "My uncle taught me that technique."

She admitted it easily.

"And you, how did you handle that enhancer so effortlessly? It felt like your movements were restrained, like an adult sparring with a child," she said, narrowing her eyes as if assessing me.

I hesitated briefly, choosing my words carefully. Claire was observant, much like me.

"Thanks for the compliment, but I really was giving it my all," I said, scratching my cheek awkwardly. While I wanted to help them with advice for the events to come, I didn't want to reveal too much about myself.

"Hmm..." She fell silent, clearly unconvinced. "Alright. Let's watch the remaining teams for now."

Agreeing with her suggestion, we moved to the stands and watched as the next teams were called to the field. This was the last battle of the first stage, and I was curious to see the others' abilities. Unfortunately, the protagonist wasn't in these matches. He had passed this stage without fighting and awaited us in the finals, making it harder to confirm his identity.

In the first team were Feirit Ivsaar, Theodore Maxwell, and Nika Earthborne. The second team consisted of Lenser Inzess, Charles Axin, and Alexander Zelevan. Their battle lasted longer than ours, but I was particularly intrigued by the first team's abilities.

Feirit, responsible for protecting the crystal, occasionally launched water bullets at opponents and erected water barriers around his allies. While their teamwork wasn't flawless, they gradually gained the upper hand. However, what caught my attention most was the muscular guy who occasionally glanced at his teammates. His calm, serene expression suggested he wasn't giving it his all.

His magic was unique, and his movements were agile, as if the earth itself propelled him forward. He swiftly closed the distance to an opponent, flipping him over with a well-executed jamba throw. When he accelerated, the ground beneath him cracked like a spiderweb, and he reached the crystal, shattering it with a single punch.

"Theodore Maxwell," I muttered, observing the muscular guy from the first team dismantling his opponents. His actions were precise and confident.

Claire noticed my focused gaze and turned her attention to Theodore as well.

"Theo is different from the others. He's a deviant with a gravity element," she said, smiling.

I nodded, silently thanking her for the valuable information. Gravity? That explained his unusual movements and why the ground beneath him seemed alive.

Theodore's team emerged victorious, and the arena erupted in applause. They left the field with the same calm demeanor, showing no signs of fatigue. Even Feirit, who had borne the brunt of the defensive work, seemed confident. I made a mental note of each of them—potential opponents in the next stage.

Synthia Goodsky appeared as if from nowhere, standing in the center of the arena to announce the results of the first stage.

 "The first stage of the youth tournament has concluded," she declared, her voice echoing across the arena. "Congratulations to the teams advancing to the finals. Now, we'll move on to the adult category. All participants, please prepare."

We continued to observe the adult mages, studying their techniques and strategies. The visible barrier erected around the arena felt like a tangible wall, containing the destructive power of their spells and highlighting the level of the fighters in this stage.

The fights revealed a stark difference in power between the younger participants and the experienced mages, whose skills were honed through real battles. Today's matches had given me plenty to think about. Tomorrow, the finals awaited, and the stakes would be higher than ever.

In the first match, Nida Silva, Mikhail Kachinsky, and Valentina Snowback claimed victory. Their teamwork was nearly flawless, with coordinated actions allowing them to quickly neutralize opponents and defend their crystal. In the second match, Bairon Wykes, Sivara Novskaya, and Adelina Bikmullina stood out. Their victory was equally decisive, clearly demonstrating tactics that went beyond the standard approach to combat.

"Interesting…" I muttered, noticing a familiar figure. One of them was particularly remarkable. I hadn't expected a future Lance to participate in this tournament. Bairon Wykes had a reputation as an incredibly powerful mage whose strength and skill far surpassed those of ordinary mages at his stage.

I observed his powerful techniques and coordination. Despite his high level, he acted with such precision and composure that it seemed as though he anticipated every move of his opponent. Watching him, I pondered the future: what it would be like to face mages of that caliber, especially if my goal was to become one of them—or even surpass them. At this moment, I felt an immense gap between us. He was no less formidable than Alea or Virion.

This stage of the tournament demonstrated just how vast the difference in power was between mages of our age group and those who had already gained experience and honed their skills in real battles.

After finishing our observations, we headed back to our rooms. The arena was now empty, with only traces of magical combat serving as a reminder of the fights that had taken place. We walked in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The next and final stage of the tournament was set for tomorrow, giving all participants time to recover. I pondered who I might face in the finals and how best to prepare for the upcoming battles.

"Tomorrow, we might end up as opponents. Best of luck to us all," Claire said, waving goodbye. Her voice carried not a hint of worry, only confidence and determination.

I smiled back at Claire, but the thought of potentially being on opposing sides tomorrow lingered in my mind. Darius had already disappeared from view, and each of us was mentally preparing for the next stage. Today's victory showed that my teammates had potential, but tomorrow, they would give it their all, knowing that a place among the best was at stake.

With Claire, I might not have much trouble in close combat, as her strength lay in long-range techniques and controlling distance. Her fiery shots could pose quite a challenge, requiring quick reflexes and precise dodging. Facing Darius would be tougher—his area-of-effect spells could cut off escape routes and force me to adapt my strategy on the fly. However, the most problematic opponents were Theodore Maxwell and, of course, Arthur Leywin. While I could envision victories against Claire and Darius, predicting the outcome of battles against these two was far more difficult, given their unique abilities and combat experience. One was a gravity deviant, and the other a quad-elemental mage with a dragon. That is, if Arthur had indeed inherited Sylvia's Will…

Upon reaching my room, I immediately focused on recovery. Preparing for the final battle required not just physical training but also a clear mind. Mana restoration, strategizing, and analyzing opponents were just as important as practice. I unsheathed my sword, running my fingers over its cold steel, and mentally envisioned tomorrow's fight, planning every move and potential counter.

"Tomorrow will decide everything," I thought, closing my eyes and sinking into meditation. Ahead lay duels that would determine the best of the best. I couldn't afford to make a mistake and had no intention of missing my chance to show everything I was capable of.

P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 23+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01

Thanks and don't forget to give a power stone for many bonus chapters