TBATE: Black Will

"And when did you become so strong?" Alea said with a smirk, trading blows with me. There was a challenge in her voice, and I knew she had been taking me more seriously in our sparring matches lately. She swung her rapier, sending a powerful gust of wind my way. I managed to dodge at the last moment, channeling mana into my legs for a quick burst. Clutching the wooden sword in my right hand, I surged forward, preparing to strike.

Alea's eyes held a glimmer of self-assurance; she was confident she could block my horizontal strike. She raised her rapier for defense, but I had already planned differently. Making a feint, I executed a deceptive maneuver Virion had taught me. A moment later, I shifted diagonally to her right side.

Her smug expression quickly morphed into surprise as she realized her right side was now exposed. I swung, aiming for her ribcage, but I only reinforced my wooden sword enough to conserve mana—I knew that in an extended fight against Alea, I would be at a disadvantage.

Her eyes widened with realization, but in the next instant, she reacted with a speed I could only describe as inhuman. Pivoting her right leg, she slipped out of range of my strike and, almost instantly, dropped into a full split to avoid the blow. However, her maneuver didn't end there: as soon as she hit the ground, she executed a sweeping kick aimed at knocking me off my feet.

I barely managed to dodge by jumping back, but Alea didn't give me a moment's reprieve. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of brown—her wooden rapier. There wasn't enough time for a proper block, so I raised the hilt of my sword, calculating the clash precisely. Her wooden weapon struck my hilt, but at that same moment, an unexpected gust of wind knocked me off my feet.

Losing my balance, I flew backward, skidding across the ground like a flat stone skipping over water. Fortunately, I had fortified my body with mana beforehand; otherwise, the impact and flight might have ended in serious injury.

Groaning in surprise, I sat up slowly, rubbing my throbbing head.

"You promised not to use magic!" I grumbled in annoyance.

"An accident," she said, sticking out her tongue.

Alea was already standing in front of me with a satisfied grin, leaning on her rapier.

"What's the matter, little brother, tired?" she teased, twirling her rapier in her hand as if it were just a wand.

I got to my feet, feeling a slight dizziness but trying not to show it. Smiling in return, I brushed the dust off myself and assumed a fighting stance.

"Tired? No, just getting warmed up," I responded defiantly, channeling mana into my leg muscles, readying myself for another burst. But deep down, I knew my strength was slowly ebbing away.

"You should work on your defense," Alea continued, taking up a defensive stance. "You rely too much on speed and maneuvers. Against a more experienced fighter, that won't always work."

I nodded, knowing her words were true. In my past life, I had no experience with swords. But to my surprise, this body seemed to have a natural affinity for a sword, unlike other weapons such as a bow, axe, or spear. According to my sister's words, my love for swords came from our father, and our fighting styles were similar.

My style was a mix of what I had observed from Virion and Alea, as they were the strongest fighters I had encountered in this world. However, fully copying their styles was impossible. Virion had honed his skills for decades, if not centuries. Alea had trained since childhood, and her mastery with the rapier was near flawless thanks to her innate talent. But I resolved not to give up.

"Thanks for the advice, sister. But let's see who admits defeat first today."

We closed the distance once more, and this time, I decided to act more cautiously, taking my previous mistakes into account. Instead of charging in, I began circling her, looking for an opening. Alea watched my every move closely, but I noticed her smile falter slightly.

"The same old trick?" she smirked, raising her rapier in readiness. "You know that won't work..."

Before she could finish, I suddenly changed my pace, feinting an attack from the right before swiftly shifting left, hoping to catch her off guard. My wooden sword aimed for her side, but at the last moment, Alea intercepted it with her rapier. The weapons collided with a sharp crack.

"Almost," she said, and I noticed the gleam of excitement in her eyes. She had already started her counterattack, quick and confident. Her rapier flashed like lightning, each thrust precise, but I managed to block and dodge just in time.

However, her pace was relentless. One strike after another rained down on me, and I began to feel control slipping away. She delivered sharp lunges, constantly changing the direction of her attacks, and I found myself deflecting blows at the last moment more frequently. My heart pounded wildly, and I had to direct mana to sustain my muscles, but I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

Suddenly, she made a sharp lunge, and before I could react, I was on the ground. The sky blurred above me, and pain squeezed my lungs. Each breath came with difficulty, but I couldn't afford to pass out.

"Tch, lost again," I exhaled, trying to draw more air into my lungs. My voice sounded weak and tinged with disappointment. At that moment, I realized I had truly been bested. "Even considering the few weights you had on."

Alea leaned over me, her expression a mix of light sarcasm and sympathy.

"You held up well, little brother," she said, extending a hand to help me up. "But you still need to work on your balance."

"Balance? More like the wind in my head, not my legs," I joked, accepting her help and struggling to my feet. The pain in my chest was receding, but my body still ached from the blow.

"You focus too much on attacking," she continued, crossing her arms. "When you stop thinking about defense, you become an easy target."

I nodded, understanding she was right. We'd been training together for quite some time, and each session, she found something I could improve. And to think she hadn't even reached the rank of a Lance yet, and I was still nowhere near her strength.

"A hundred losses and one victory," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "How can I compete with my talented sister?"

Alea laughed, her voice ringing brightly, a reminder of her unyielding fighting spirit.

"And even that one victory was thanks to the element of surprise," she said. "Your tamer abilities are interesting, but they come with heavy consequences. So, it's best to use them only as a last resort."

I simply nodded at her words, recalling the aftermath.

"Alright, Lucius. You surprised me today, so I'll treat you to something special," she added with a mischievous smile. 

"But don't get too comfortable," she said with a smile, but her eyes grew more serious. "The tournament starts in a week, right? I don't know what level the participants will be, but it's always better to assume they're stronger than you. That way, you won't let your lazy ass slack off."

The tournament between the three races wasn't just a chance for me to prove my strength; it was an opportunity to leave home and start my journey in Xyrus. But Alea was right – this would be a real battle against those prepared to win at any cost. Elves, dwarves, and humans.

"May the strongest win!" I said, deepening my voice and pointing a finger upward.

These past few months had flown by, like a single breath, as I fully immersed myself in training with Virion and occasionally with Alea. We trained almost non-stop, honing both physical and magical skills. The most important achievement during this time was accessing the first phase of my beast will. I don't know why, but the asura relented. Although, since that conversation, we hadn't met again, no matter how much I wished for it.

However, the joy of reaching the first phase was overshadowed by the realization that I couldn't use it in real combat. It was too dangerous for my mana channels and veins.

Due to the intense training and activation of the first phase, my magic core hadn't advanced as much as I had hoped and remained at the dark orange stage. It nearly degraded to the light red stage after one use of the phase.

This was a particular disappointment, as I had hoped to achieve more during this period. Fate seemed truly unkind to me, granting me a will I couldn't fully harness.

However, there was one significant improvement: my physical body now surpassed that of a dark yellow stage mage in terms of strength and endurance. Virion often reminded me that, in the future, I would be able to strengthen this advantage even further.

He also taught me how to conceal my beast will from other mages so they wouldn't sense it. This knowledge was especially crucial before the upcoming tournament, where all participants would be watching for any weakness in their opponents.

Despite all the exhausting training, I tried not to forget about those close to me. My family and I often went on walks, making the most of our time together while I still could. Tess, with her boundless energy, always dragged me along whenever I had a free moment. She tried to create as many memories as possible before my departure. Her genuine affection touched me, and I didn't even realize how quickly these four months had passed, although they felt fleeting. 

Here it was, the day of my departure. Dressed in a simple white shirt with long sleeves and black pants, I stepped out of my room. The excitement washed over me in waves, but alongside it, I felt a calmness and determination. Ahead of me was a tournament, which would be the first step toward new opportunities.

After saying goodbye to my family, I headed toward the palace. The carriage was waiting there, and a few other tournament participants had gathered, along with me. At the carriage, I was met by Tess and Vyrion.

"Here comes our main participant! I'm counting on you, kid!" he said with a wink, radiating confidence. At the same time, it was hard to read Tess's mood—her expression hinted at something deeper. "Look out on the way, you might find another lost princess!"

"Uuuu... Grandpa!!!"

"Oh! Little one! It was just a joke!" Grandpa Vyrion exclaimed, rubbing his side as if surprised. "Alduin and Merial will travel in a separate carriage as the heads of this kingdom, and Tess and I won't be with you. So, make sure to show your best! And don't you dare return without first place!"

He gave me a tight hug, almost knocking the air out of my lungs.

"Come back soon, Luci! I'll miss you…" she sniffled, her eyes filling with tears.

I hugged my dear friend and patted her head.

"Well, well, crying princess. I hope, while I'm gone, you're not planning to find another boy to spend time with?" I teased with a grin, trying to cheer her up.

She weakly shook her head, unable to say a word, only clinging to me more tightly, and in that silence, I could feel the depth of our relationship.

After saying my goodbyes, I climbed into the carriage, which was already ready to depart. Other tournament participants sat beside me—some familiar faces and some newcomers I hadn't met before.

As the carriage began to move, I glanced back at Tess and Vyrion one last time. She stood still, watching the carriage leave, until Vyrion placed his hand on her shoulder. In that moment, I felt the weight of the journey ahead and the responsibility I carried. The tournament was not just a chance to prove myself, but also a step toward becoming someone greater—someone who could protect those they loved.

P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 15+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01

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