Chapter 29
The courtyard grew silent as space was cleared, every student ushered toward the edges where defensive barriers shimmered faintly, ready to block any stray attacks if the duel became too dangerous.
Excitement buzzed through the crowd, though it wasn't laced with fear.
The students didn't believe they were in any real danger.
To them, this was just another demonstration, another chance to watch a professor casually display his strength.
Whispers rippled across the gathered audience.
"They're really letting her fight him?"
"This is going to be over in a blink."
Most were convinced that Ava was simply being arrogant, thinking she could compare herself to Lucas.
Surely, they thought, the professor would only showcase a fraction of his true skill to remind her—and the rest of them—of the impossible gap between student and master.
Lucas, however, didn't project arrogance.
His expression remained calm, almost serene, as if the chaos around him didn't exist.
His piercing cyan-blue eyes, like polished sky crystals, never wavered as they studied the girl before him.
Ava stood across from him, her shoulders taut, her lips pressed thin beneath a determined smile that struggled to mask the storm of thoughts raging within.
Her heart pounded in her chest, echoing louder than the murmurs around her.
He's a Tier 3 Archmage… does that really matter? she thought fiercely, clenching her fists.
He already defeated two people. One was a Tier 3 Archmage, the other a Tier 3 Knight. That means it's possible. It has to be possible. If I use everything my brother taught me… if I don't hesitate… I could win this fight. And maybe, just maybe, I can avenge what he did to my father.
Her breath trembled as she drew it in, deep and steady, trying to drown her fear in resolve.
That one motion—the faint exhale leaving her lips—made Lucas smile.
His eyes gleamed, reflecting her determination back at her, as though daring her to take the step she feared.
Ava hesitated for only a second before she raised her hand, mana pulsing at her fingertips. Her voice rang out, sharp and resolute:
"[Light Spell: Spear]!"
The spell formed instantly, condensing into a radiant weapon of light.
It cut through the air like a blazing arrow, the energy within it humming with destructive force.
Students leaned forward, anticipation rising—yet Lucas didn't move an inch.
The shining spear collided with his barrier, and with a dull thrum of impact, it shattered into harmless particles, dissolving into nothingness before the smoke even cleared.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
Ava frowned, her brow furrowing in frustration.
She hadn't expected to break through his defenses with the first spell, but she had hoped to at least make him shift his stance.
Yet Lucas remained rooted in place, unbothered, as though swatting aside her magic was as natural as breathing.
He chuckled lightly, the sound carrying a hint of amusement, and turned his head slightly toward Assistant Professor Mike, who stood nearby.
"Mike," Lucas said casually, as though this wasn't a duel but a training exercise, "do you mind passing me a sword?"
The request sent confusion rippling through the onlookers.
"A sword? But… he's a mage."
"What's he planning to do?"
Even Ava's eyes widened for a brief second before narrowing again.
Lucas didn't seem to care about their reactions.
What he wanted to show here wasn't about magic—it was about reality.
About what would happen if mages ever faced knights in true combat, where speed and physical prowess often overwhelmed spellcasting.
Because Lucas wasn't an ordinary mage.
Even though he had reached Tier 3 as a mage, his body was anything but frail.
Thanks to his innate skill—Warrior's Body—his physical strength had grown far beyond what most would consider normal for someone of his path.
Unlike typical mages, his muscles carried the density of tempered steel, his reflexes honed and sharpened until they rivaled those of trained fighters.
His strength and speed could already match Tier 1 Knights, despite him being a mage.
And though the pace of his physical growth lagged behind theirs, he hadn't stopped climbing.
This was the truth few wanted to acknowledge: mages weren't incapable of becoming strong in body.
By Tier 3, most mages could rival Tier 0 Knights, and some, through grueling training, could even stand toe-to-toe with Tier 1 Knights.
Beyond that, the gap could close even further.
By Tier 4, mages could match Tier 2 Knights.
Knights, of course, had their own path.
They drew upon the life force within them, fueling growth and acceleration in ways mages often considered reckless.
This energy—Ki—was what made them formidable.
With Ki, knights not only strengthened their bodies but also extended their lifespans, cultivating their inner vitality until it formed a Life Seed, the very counterpart to the Mana Core every mage was born with.
Where mages began with cores and expanded them, knights built from nothing—growing that tiny seed into a blazing core of life itself.
And the more they advanced, the more frightening they became.
Some Tier 3 Knights, and many above that, awakened affinities for elements themselves, wielding powers that blurred the line between warrior and caster.
It was enough to make even Lucas pause, at times, and wonder: Aren't knights stronger than mages at that point?
But he knew the answer.
Not really.
Because the higher tiers shifted the balance again.
By Tier 5, every mage possessed the physical strength to rival Tier 3 Knights, and with their vast arsenal of spells, restraints, and destructive incantations, they often proved deadlier.
The difference lay in mana.
From Tier 3 onward, the quality of mana stabilized.
A Tier 3 mage wielded mana of the same caliber as a Tier 5 mage.
That meant the raw force of their spells—the base output—remained the same.
The true difference came in control, versatility, and mastery.
That was the unspoken truth: while knights chased strength through life force, mages chased infinity through mana.
And Lucas stood in between, his Warrior's Body letting him taste the strength of both paths.
So then why were Tier 5 Mages more powerful?
The answer was simple, and yet most students misunderstood it.
The difference between a Tier 3 Mage and a Tier 5 Mage wasn't just knowledge or experience.
It was the combination of physical growth and mana capacity.
Tier 5 Mages carried vast mana pools, oceans compared to the rivers of Tier 3.
Some spells—ancient, devastating, world-breaking spells—were simply beyond the reach of someone like Lucas, not because of skill, but because his mana reservoir couldn't sustain them.
And then there was the body.
The further one climbed, the more the body transformed under the pressure of mana refinement.
By Tier 5, a mage wasn't just an academic recluse hiding behind spells.
They were warriors in their own right, physically hardened to endure what their power demanded.
Stronger muscles, quicker reflexes, sharper senses.
That was the real advantage.
Lucas understood this better than most.
And that was why he wanted to make a point today.
Before pursuing the three paths of breaking one's limitations… before chasing the extremes of spiritual growth, mana control, or Ki mastery… one should start with the foundation: the body.
And, of course, a part of him simply wanted to show off.
He extended his hand just as Mike, still looking uncertain, tossed him a sword.
With smooth precision, Lucas caught it midair.
The blade hissed faintly as he wrapped his fingers around the grip, mana instinctively coating the steel in a shimmering layer.
"Come at me," he said simply.
A hush fell over the students.
Ava's teeth clenched, her face hardening as anger surged within her.
How dare he dismiss her magic so casually? As though her father's honor, her brother's teachings, her pain—meant nothing.
"Fine!" she spat in her mind, her body already moving.
She dashed forward, mana surging into her palms as her voice rose in a sharp chant.
Light condensed, taking shape again, but this time it multiplied.
[Light Spell: Multiple Spears]
Ten radiant spears burst into existence, each one gleaming with deadly brilliance.
They hovered for the briefest heartbeat before launching forward, streaking through the air like a storm of arrows.
The crowd gasped.
Even those unfamiliar with spellwork could feel the danger in those projectiles.
In a blink, Lucas shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity.
His chest rose as he drew in a long, deliberate breath—one of the Knight breathing techniques he had learned and adapted into his mage's body.
The first spear reached him, then the next.
Lucas moved.
He stepped aside, his body flowing with unnatural smoothness, and the light spear cut through empty air.
His sword flashed, cleaving the second spear in half, scattering fragments of light like broken glass.
He pivoted again, twisting his torso as another shot past him by a hair's breadth.
To the watching students, it looked impossible.
Each spear was fast—far faster than what most Tier 1 Adept Mages could produce.
Even a Tier 1 Knight would have been forced on the defensive if they faced this volley.
Light magic, at its core, was speed incarnate.
At nearly 10 meters per second, the spears closed the distance with terrifying swiftness.
And yet Lucas stood only ten meters away from Ava.
In two seconds, the spears reached him.
In the next heartbeat, he had already dodged half of them and destroyed the rest with flawless strikes, his blade moving as if it were guided not by sight but by instinct.
Each swing was coated in mana, giving the steel an edge that could slice through even condensed magic.
Gasps echoed around the courtyard.
"That's… that's not possible."
"A mage shouldn't be able to do that—"
"How is he keeping up?"
The students who had moments ago been whispering about Ava's arrogance now stared wide-eyed, their words caught in their throats.
What Lucas was doing broke every expectation of what a mage at his level should be capable of.
To them, it looked inhuman.
And Lucas knew it.
His lips curved into a smirk as the last spear dissolved into sparks of harmless light.
His sword hung loosely at his side, his stance relaxed, as though the entire exchange had been nothing more than a warm-up.
He tilted his head slightly, eyes locking onto Ava's.
"Ava," he said calmly, his voice carrying over the stunned silence, "what are you waiting for?"