The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 67

After Galos strode more than a dozen paces forward, some of the Protégés furrowed their brows, and their attention was drawn to his gait. His presence was formidable, and yet there was a deft quality to it that went unnoticed.

Alavin braced himself, his own aura climbing as he, too, noticed the oddity in Galos' steps. Was this a pattern of Combat Magic?

Carlys lit the candle, waved her hand, and signaled. "Begin."

With a cold smirk, Galos suddenly leaned forward mid-stride as if stumbling, about to fall, but then he exploded forward like an iron arrow released from a fully drawn bow, lunging at Alavin with his aura surging, conjuring three phantom images in rapid succession.

The crowd gasped in amazement. Not only was Alavin momentarily dazed, but the thousands of Protégés around also felt a bizarre sensation of their vision being displaced.

Galos appeared swiftly beside Alavin, his movement unfathomable, as he struck with both palms. "Lightning Burst!"

Lightning converged in his palms, and before even touching Alavin, it exploded, sending arcs of electricity scurrying in all directions, the blinding light and thunderous roar overwhelming. His first strike was meant to weaken Alavin's vision and hearing.

Alavin, startled but not scattered, thrust himself backward with a large flip, avoiding the attack by more than ten meters.

Galos locked his focus on Alavin, swift as a raging wind, relentlessly pursuing him. His palms struck continuously with 'Lightning Burst' erupting from his hands, thunder and light echoing through the arena. Many Protégés hastily covered their ears and shut their eyes, their faces twisted in agony.

The battle had begun with fervor, igniting the entire assembly.

"Lightning Lances. Thousandfold Edge!" Galos gave a piercing cry, leaped from the ground and shot diagonally into the sky. His body crackled with extreme surges of electricity that detached and shot like dense, sharp needles, blinding in brightness, all aimed at Alavin.

Alavin somersaulted on the spot, his feet, elbows, and torso powering up all at once like a compressed spring suddenly released. Amidst gasps from the crowd, he sprang upwards five meters high, executing an exaggerated flip in mid-air, retreating significantly and narrowly evading the barrage of lightning lances.

Hundreds of electric sparks missed their mark, striking the dueling platform and scattering stones and dust.

Alavin landed steadily, but before he could rise, Galos broke through the dust, closing in with speed and footwork so incredible, it was as if he were a swift, venomous serpent, causing many Protégés to watch with anxious hearts.

"How long can you dodge? Thunder Fist!"

As Galos brushed past Alavin, he swung his tightly clenched right fist with tremendous force. The aura looked impressive as all the electricity in his body converged on his fist. In the blink of an eye, it formed a 'gauntlet' around his heavy punch, with lightning dancing wildly and light so bright it was near impossible to see. It would blind Alavin and fill his vision with light, leaving him unable to resist.

Alavin's brows were tightly knit, and without thinking, he closed his eyes and tensed his whole body, muscles bulging. He prepared to take the full brunt of the Thunder Fist rather than hastily meet the imminent impact head-on.

In the final moment, Galos altered the direction of his heavy punch from a direct hit to the face to a heavy blow to the abdomen.

It was a tactic; he had feigned a strike to the face, using the burst of light to blind his opponent, making it difficult to see the trajectory and forcing Alavin to react instinctively. Alavin would likely raise his fists in defense and inadvertently neglect other areas. A change in the direction of the punch at this moment would undoubtedly be a devastating blow.

Galos sought exactly this effect, honed from continual battle experience.

Boom! Crack!

The Thunder Fist struck Alavin's abdomen. The brutal electricity tore through his clothing and flesh alike. Alavin was sent flying, tumbling gracelessly. His chest roiled with blood, and a spurt of fresh blood was expelled before he even hit the ground. However, since his body was tensed and braced for a heavy blow, the injury was not that severe. Moreover, his constitution was exceedingly strong, the Restoration Mantra having forged his physical strength to near perfection.

"Not bad, you can take a hit," Galos said, somewhat surprised that the punch had not been as effective as he anticipated. With a snort of laughter, he attacked again, giving Alavin no chance to catch his breath He intended to win with absolute superiority and complete domination, leaving Alavin powerless to retaliate.

"That's brutal! Is he trying to cripple Alavin?"

"He's going straight for the kill. It's too obvious."

"Alavin's tough as nails. He can take a beating, ha!"

"Quite the spectacle, Alavin is full of surprises."

Some exclaimed in shock, while others sighed in awe, all watching with hearts racing.

"Celesse, I'm worried," Carlys said, sweating on behalf of Alavin.

Celesse, however, remained calm. The fight had only just begun, and Alavin was not going down that easily.

"That's the Blink Sprint!" Someone in the crowd identified the source of Galos' speed.

"Blink Sprint? No wonder." Nikulas and others frowned deeply. Was this part of the special training Galos learned from the Grand Elder? It seems he taught Galos the elusive Tier-2 Novice combat technique, Blink Sprint a magic not found in the Sanctum of Mystical Scrolls, but in the Grand Elder's personal library, typically only passed on to Protégés he deemed worthy and trusted. Blink Sprint was incredibly complex and not to be practiced alone, as a misstep could cripple one's legs; it required the Elder's strict guidance to be mastered successfully.