The air was tense between the two parties.
The Atomics stood tall, draped in confidence and pride, while Dilhaze held quiet strength and subtle tension. Despite the silence, the pressure in the atmosphere was palpable—as if even the wind dared not blow too harshly between the two forces.
The one in front, a young man with pale golden hair and sharp blue eyes, stepped forward. His aura was calm, yet brimming with a storm beneath.
"I'm Julius Comte. An A-rank adventurer," he spoke, his voice smooth, but firm like stone. He glanced at Raizo. "You there… are you Raizo? The one who got knocked down in the Forest of Alscort, climbed through hell, and came back?"
Raizo gave a simple nod.
Julius smiled faintly. "Impressive. I want to ask you something."
Beside Raizo, Fenra leaned closer and whispered nervously, "Raizo… I think he's going to challenge you."
Julius didn't keep him guessing. "You see… my dream is to become the strongest. And for that, I need your help."
Raizo tilted his head. "Help you? How?"
"I want to challenge you," Julius said directly, eyes narrowing slightly. "Right here. Right now. A friendly duel."
Raizo turned his gaze toward his three companions—Fenra, Silvia, and Ria. Each of them smiled warmly, nodding in quiet support. Raizo's chest felt lighter, the bond he shared with them stronger than ever.
With a calm smile, he looked back to Julius. "Sure. Why not?"
Julius's eyes lit up with anticipation. But before the battle began, he asked again, "One more thing. Why is your team… composed of demi-humans?"
The air stiffened slightly. Fenra's ears twitched, Ria lowered her gaze, and Silvia kept her expression unreadable.
Raizo answered without hesitation. "Because someday… I'm going to build a nation. A place where demi-humans and humans can work together. Live together."
Julius chuckled. "You don't see it? They're already working together—today, and every day."
Raizo smiled faintly. "I see it. But I want more. I want a world where they don't just work beside each other… but live with equal respect and dignity."
For a moment, Julius said nothing.
Then he smiled.
"Well said… So, are we doing this?"
Raizo smirked and gave a nod.
—
A few minutes later, both parties stood at the edge of a large open plain beyond Asteria's western gate—flat enough that no one would get hurt by accident. The Atomics and Dilhaze watched from opposite ends as Raizo unsheathed his blade, its edge humming softly with dormant magic. Julius, on the other hand, rested a long obsidian-handled scythe on his shoulder, its blade crackling faintly with residual energy.
Then—without a word—the duel began.
Their weapons clashed in a burst of raw mana, a shockwave rolling through the air like thunder. Sparks danced between them as sword met scythe, their magic-infused strikes resonating with their fierce wills.
The Atomics' mage quickly raised a barrier to protect both watching parties. Fenra nodded. "Thanks."
What Julius didn't know was simple—Raizo was holding back.
Raizo's sword met Julius's scythe again and again, deflecting each strike with measured control.
"Come on!" Julius shouted between strikes. "Fight me seriously!"
Raizo's eyes met his. "If you insist…"
He vanished.
Julius blinked—Raizo was gone.
"Behind me?!" Julius swung his scythe behind him, but Raizo had already moved again.
"This boy's fast!" Julius thought, his heart pounding. "I can't even sense his presence!"
Without hesitation, Julius struck the ground with his scythe, sending cracks spiraling outward.
"Mind's grasp, twin forces rise, psychic surge, lifted skies!"
[Psychic Magic: Telekinesis]
The shattered debris lifted into the air, glowing with a soft pink aura. With a single swing of his scythe, Julius hurled the floating boulders at Raizo like cannon fire.
Raizo danced through them effortlessly, gliding between the airborne rocks with an almost unreal fluidity.
"You're not bad," Julius said, panting slightly. His eyes flared with excitement. "But how about this?"
"Storm's edge, electric slice, thunder's wrath, slashing vice!"
[Lightning Magic: Lightning Scythe]
His scythe surged with crackling lightning. He slashed the air, sending a wave of electric energy hurtling toward Raizo.
The lightning tore across the field like a raging dragon—but Raizo moved again, sliding to the side at the last second, letting the bolt explode behind him.
Julius gritted his teeth. "Why the hell… won't he get hit?!"
Then Raizo whispered,
"Wind's fury, accelerate within."
[Wind Magic: Boost]
A sudden gust enveloped Raizo's body. His movements quickened even more, his footsteps lighter, faster.
Julius's eyes widened. "Wait… he wasn't using Boost from the start?!"
Determined to interrupt Raizo's next spell, Julius leapt forward, shouting as he unleashed another combined strike of lightning and psychic force. His magic surged, creating twin arcs of power that tore through the air like whips.
But Raizo… kept moving.
Even while chanting.
He dodged every attack—barely tilting his head, shifting his body, letting the mana skim his coat but never touch his skin.
Then his sword ignited with fire.
The air warped around the blade as Raizo lunged forward. Julius barely managed to dodge, but the impact of the sword striking the ground sent flaming debris hurtling toward him. He swatted some away with his scythe—but a few struck home.
"Gh—!"
Julius skidded back, bruised and burned.
His breath was ragged.
He looked at Raizo, whose chest rose and fell calmly.
"…This guy…" Julius thought, half-smiling through his pain. "He's not just strong… he's something else entirely."
And yet, despite the intensity of the duel, Raizo's expression didn't carry arrogance—only calm determination.
Julius grinned.
This was exactly the kind of rival he had been searching for.
Even after taking a direct hit, Julius stood back up, his expression burning with resolve.
"How about we end this?" he asked with a wild grin.
Raizo smirked. "Sure."
Julius's eye glowed with the distinct shimmer of Appraisal, scanning Raizo. But his expression shifted from confidence to confusion.
Why… Why can't I see his stats? he thought. Is he… stronger than me?
Raizo's calm voice cut through the tension. "Shall we finish this?"
Julius grinned, his muscles tightening. Electricity surged through his arms and into his scythe, lightning bursting from his shoulders.
"This feeling… This thrill... Is this the true spirit of being an adventurer? Facing a stronger opponent... it makes my blood boils with excitement!"
Raizo, gripping Voidbringer tightly, ignited it with roaring flames. The ground trembled beneath his feet as fire danced around the blade.
One of Julius's companions narrowed his eyes, noticing something odd in Raizo's flames.
Wait… Is that a spark of lightning inside the fire? How is that possible?
Suddenly, Julius spun his scythe at blinding speed, blue lightning crackling around him. The earth beneath shook violently.
One of Julius's party members paled. "Don't tell me… he's using that move."
Silvia turned, concerned. "What do you mean?"
"That technique… it's his strongest. He once used it to one-shot an A-rank monster."
Fenra, Shekiah, and Silvia tensed, concern for Raizo written all over their faces.
Julius roared his incantation:
> "Storm's fury, unleash the spark, thunder's roar, tear them apart! Lightning Magic: Thunderoar Surge!"
Electricity coiled around Julius like a living beast, his body transforming into a blur of pure lightning as he charged forward. The ground split open, debris launching in every direction.
But Raizo didn't flinch.
He held Voidbringer close, whispering his own incantation:
> "Helios' fire, unleash the storm, inferno's wrath, reduce to form! Fire Magic: Infernox!"
Flames erupted from his sword, growing so large the blade looked like a blazing greatclub. With a roar, Raizo launched forward, his momentum like a meteor falling from the sky.
The two collided.
BOOM!
Fire and lightning clashed, erupting into a violent tornado of red and blue energy. The shockwave sent tremors across the battlefield. The mage in Julius's party gritted his teeth, maintaining the protective barrier around both groups—but cracks were beginning to form.
Fenra, Shekiah, and Silvia could only watch in awe and fear.
Julius's assassin muttered, "Are you sure your leader is just a B-rank?"
The girls nodded.
"No way," the assassin whispered. "How can a B-rank fight evenly with an A-rank like Julius…?"
Amid the chaos, Raizo began to falter, pushed back by the sheer force of Julius's lightning. But then—
"I'M NOT DONE YET!!!" Raizo roared.
His sword flared again, the flames growing denser, more wild—burning with an unfamiliar intensity. Then in a flash—BOOM—Julius was launched into the air, crashing hard into a nearby tree.
Dust settled. Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Julius's party gasped. Their leader was down.
The mage quickly deactivated the barrier and rushed to heal him.
Meanwhile, Fenra, Shekiah, and Silvia ran to Raizo, praising him with wide smiles and sparkling eyes.
Raizo walked over to Julius and offered his hand. The scythe-wielder, still smiling despite the loss, took it.
"You're strong, Raizo. Really strong."
Later that evening…
At an inn in Asteria, both parties sat together, eating and laughing, the earlier battle now a shared memory.
Julius leaned in. "So, Raizo… What are your plans now?"
Raizo calmly replied, "We're leaving the city tomorrow."
His party gasped.
"Why?" Shekiah asked, clearly surprised.
Raizo smiled gently. "You know why."
Shekiah paused, then nodded with quiet understanding. In her mind, she remembered the Gem of Resurrection Raizo still carried—Lloyd's parting gift.
After finishing their meal, the Dilhaze party stood and headed toward their rooms. As they climbed the stairs, the archer from Julius's group turned to his leader.
"Julius… There's something I noticed during the battle. In Raizo's flames… there was lightning."
"What?" Julius asked.
The archer nodded. "It was faint, but real. I don't know what it means."
Julius closed his eyes. "I do. That boy… someday, he'll become the strongest adventurer of all time."
The mage beside him looked shocked. "Stronger than you?"
Julius opened one eye. "Yes. When we fought, I used Appraisal... but I couldn't see his stats. It was like staring into a void."
---
The Next Morning…
Inside his room, Raizo opened his eyes, jolted from a strange dream. Within him, he felt something… dark. A sinister flame growing in his core, whispering to be unleashed.
He sat up, trying to calm his breath.
Downstairs, Fenra, Shekiah, and Silvia were waiting.
"You ready, Raizo?" they asked in unison, cheerful but also a bit anxious.
Raizo nodded.
"Let's go."
And with that, the Dilhaze Party left Asteria behind, heading toward their next destination—toward fate, battle, and the shadows of Raizo's growing power.