Chapter 22: A Real Duel
After saying that, Rayan continued. His voice was calm but sharp, like the crack of thunder. "Okay, now I will tell you about the spells of Lightning Mana Cultivators."
He straightened his back a little, folding his hands behind him. His gray eyes flickered faintly with traces of lightning. "The first spell is **Lightning Blast**, which you just used. It is the basic form of Lightning mana—raw, direct, and explosive."
He pointed to the blackened spot on the ground where Aiden's earlier attack had hit.
"Then there is **Blitz**. This spell is used to get high speed. You use it by filling your whole body with Lightning mana—but do not let the mana leave your body. Instead, keep it pressed tight inside yourself."
"When you move toward your enemy, release the mana only in the direction you want to go. That will give you amazing speed—like becoming a streak of lightning itself."
Rayan paused, raising one finger as if to stress the danger in what he would say next.
"Then, there is **Lightning Cage**. To use this, you surround your enemy in Lightning mana and begin to shrink the cage inward until it touches their body. Depending on your control, this spell can hurt, trap, or even fully stop your enemy. But be careful—if your control slips, it might kill instead."
His tone darkened a little as he went on. "Next comes **Lightning Sense**. You can fill all your senses and even your mind with Lightning mana. This lets you see things faster, react faster, and think faster—far beyond normal limits."
"In battle, this skill can mean the difference between life and death. However… you can only use it for a few seconds. If you try to keep it going too long, you risk badly hurting your senses or even your brain. Your thoughts will overload, and you could pass out."
He stepped forward and tapped Aiden's forehead lightly. "So use it carefully. Lightning can be a gift—or it can burn your mind from the inside."
Aiden listened to every word closely. He could feel his heart pounding as he imagined all these skills—the speed, the destruction, the precision. Lightning mana was different from the others. It was wild, beautiful, and yet deadly.
Rayan's voice broke his focus as he continued. "And finally, there is **Lightning Rain**. In this spell, you make countless small lightning bolts and let them loose together—a shower of attacks that rain down on your enemy like a storm. When mastered, it can destroy whole areas."
He stopped talking for a short moment, letting his words sink in. Then, with a thoughtful look, he said, "Your father told me you can also use Wind mana. So, if you already know how to use it, I will also teach you Wind mana spells."
He folded his arms and tilted his head a little. The faintest smile formed on his face as he went on. "At your current stage, you can use **Wind Cutter**. It is like a blade made of air—invisible, fast, and able to cut through solid things."
"Your parents told me you can already use this spell, so I will help you make it perfect. The second spell is **Flight**. You can use wind to push yourself and move freely through the air, though at your level, you will only be able to keep it up for a few seconds."
"Still, it will be useful in a fight. And the third spell is **Wind Storm**. You can make a storm or a tornado and trap your enemy inside it—the spinning wind can crush, confuse, or hurt them badly."
He stopped talking and gave a slight grin. "Let us have a duel first, before we start training. I want to check your battle sense, your quick thinking, your ability to adapt—and how mentally ready you are for combat."
"From the results of this duel, I will plan your training. And remember, I will not go easy on you. I will attack as if you were an enemy. So, be prepared."
Aiden's eyes sharpened as he heard this. He nodded seriously, his posture straightening. His thoughts began to focus at once, clearing like still water. *So this is how it will be… a real test.*
He quickly thought about what he had. *I cannot use fire, water, or puppeteer mana right now,* he thought. *I can only use Lightning Blast and Wind Cutter—and maybe Self Healing.* That hit him hard.
It meant he was going into a duel with almost no fighting or support elements and their spells. But even so, he clenched his fists tightly, hardening his will.
*I will face him head-on.*
He took a deep breath and got into his fighting stance.
Sara, who was standing at the side of the garden, also realized that Aiden could not use any battle-related spells or elements. She could tell from Aiden's stance alone that he was not planning to back out of the duel—and she also knew that Rayan would not hold back either. Her face showed worry.
She opened her mouth to object, but before she could say anything, Jonathan gently took her hand and guided her to the edge of the garden.
"Let them fight," he said quietly, his tone calm but firm. "Aiden has to learn how to face sudden pressure. You know this as well as I do."
Sara frowned but did not argue. She reluctantly nodded, crossing her arms as she watched.
Jonathan then raised his voice and said loudly, "Start!"
The moment he said that word, the feeling in the air changed completely.
*Boom!*
In an instant, Rayan vanished. It was not teleportation—it was **Blitz**. The pure speed at which he moved left only faint electric streaks in the air.
Aiden's eyes darted around in panic—but before he could find Rayan, he felt something behind him.
"Too slow," Rayan's voice said coldly from behind.
A kick slammed into Aiden's back.
*Wham!*
The impact sent him flying forward. His body hit the ground and rolled, dust scattering around him. A painful grunt escaped his mouth as he forced himself up, coughing a little.
His entire back burned with pain.
But before he could even get his balance back, Rayan vanished again.
Aiden's mind raced. *"Where—?!"*
From the right side, another flash appeared. Rayan's shape came out once more, already mid-kick.
But this time, Aiden's body moved on instinct. He planted his hand on the ground and twisted, bringing his arm up to block the strike.
*Bang!*
The kick landed hard against his arm, sending him tumbling again, but he had blocked it. His forearm felt numb. The skin stung from the force of the blow. Still, it was a small victory—he had reacted in time.
Aiden's heart pounded wildly. *He is testing me. I have to think. If I just defend, he will keep overwhelming me.*
His eyes scanned the area. *He is using Blitz—he can appear anywhere. Behind, left, right… Where will he come next? I have to be ready.*
He gritted his teeth and steadied his stance again.
The air shimmered faintly.
Rayan suddenly disappeared as he appeared again, but this time he appeared—not behind, or to the side of Aiden—but directly in front of him this time, his fist already clenched.
Before Aiden could react, Rayan's punch slammed straight into his stomach.
"Guh!" Aiden gasped, the air knocked out of his lungs as he dropped to his knees.
Rayan looked down at him and opened his mouth to say something—but before he could, Aiden's right hand shot upward. Lightning began to crackle from his palm.
*Zzzzt!*
A blinding flash burst out as Aiden launched a Lightning Blast point-blank toward Rayan.
Rayan's eyes widened—not because he could not dodge, but because he had not expected the boy to fight back while still in pain.
He jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast. The lightning burned past him, scorching the ground where he had stood.
But before he could get his footing back, another flash appeared in the corner of his eye—a faint slice of air that shimmered like glass sliced through the surrounding air approaching him with high speed.
A **Wind Cutter**!
Rayan's pupils shrank as he thought. *He predicted my movement?!*
He twisted his body midair and barely avoided the invisible blade that sliced past him, missing his sleeve. The wind brushed the fabric as it missed its target.
As he landed on the ground, his eyes darted back to Aiden.
Aiden was already standing again. His breathing was heavy, but his body showed no visible wounds. He had already used **Self Healing** to recover. A faint, pale glow faded from his skin as he steadied himself.
Rayan stared at him for a moment—then let out a low laugh, half-amused, half-impressed.
He relaxed his stance and said, "Okay, that is enough for today."
The tension in the air faded slowly as the faint hum of mana spread out around them.
"You did pretty well," Rayan said, his tone now calm but approving. "At first, you were completely stunned—which is natural. You have never fought someone who attacked you instantly in a duel before. But then you adapted. You watched my movements and realized that I was left-handed."
He smiled faintly. "And the moment I hit you with my left hand, you fought back with a Lightning Blast, while at the same time making a Wind Cutter to my left—predicting that I would dodge in that direction. That was great thinking. It was truly brilliant for someone your age. Well done."
Aiden stood there, his rough training clothes slightly torn, his chest still rising and falling fast. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, a small smile appeared on his face.
He let out a long breath—a sigh of both relief and pride as he thought. *He praised me…*
Aiden bowed a little and said, "Thank you, teacher."
Rayan nodded once, crossing his arms again. His face became more composed. "Get some rest for today. Tomorrow, your true training will begin."
Aiden nodded as he said. "Yes, teacher."
He slowly sat down on the grass, tired yet satisfied. The pain in his muscles was real, but the learning fire in his heart burned brighter than ever. This was the kind of challenge he had been waiting for—a battle that forced him to think, adapt, and grow.
As Rayan turned to leave, the setting sun cast long shadows across the garden. The faint smell of flowers still hung in the air—the sign of spring.
Aiden looked up at the sky, where clouds slowly drifted across the fading orange horizon. He thought that from tomorrow onward, *I will master both wind and lightning. I will become even faster, sharper, and stronger than before.*
He clenched his fist lightly, feeling the faint hum of energy still flowing through him. It was only the beginning of his harsh training.
Author's Note: Aiden survived his first brutal test, using his wits to land a counterattack. But Rayan was clearly holding back. Tomorrow, the real training begins. What lethal spells will he learn? And with his mind now racing at lightning speed, what buried secret from the darkness beneath his home might suddenly become clear? If you want to see the shocking truth he uncovers, make sure to add this to your Collections!