# Chapter 28: Difficulty
Aiden took a fighting stance. His expression was calm, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes—the look of someone who had long trained under merciless discipline and knew that a duel, no matter how friendly, was never to be taken lightly.
The faint wind sweeping through the garden carried the scent of wet soil and the burning mana left from earlier training. It rustled through his dark hair. The air was still, heavy with the kind of tension that only comes before two forces crash together.
In the blink of an eye, Aiden suddenly vanished. He had used **Blitz**.
The faint crackle of lightning echoed through the air as he reappeared to the left side of Elizabeth. His movements were sharp and smooth, a perfect mix of speed and intent.
In that very moment, he made a **Lightning Blast** in his right palm. The spell's glow flickered across his determined face, outlining his young but strong features. Then, without waiting, he threw it at Elizabeth.
The attack shot through the air like a roaring storm. The faint blue light of pure lightning cut through the garden's calm feeling, striking forward with deadly aim. But Elizabeth did not move. She stood completely still, calm and collected, her gaze unshaken.
The moment the attack was about to hit, an earth wall shot up from the ground, blocking the lightning in a burst of energy and dust. The ground shook faintly. Pieces of soil scattered in all directions.
The shockwave rippled through the air, bending the nearby grass. The smell of scorched earth filled the area as Aiden's attack was completely stopped.
But Aiden, who had learned from Rayan to be ruthless in every duel, did not even blink. His mind was clear. His instincts were sharp. He vanished once again—using Blitz.
A streak of light flashed across the ground. In the next instant, he appeared behind Elizabeth.
His face was unreadable. He raised his hand—and made a **Light Ray**.
It formed instantly—an almost blinding beam of tight mana, so pure and sharp that the air around it hummed.
He shot it toward Elizabeth. The beam was incredibly fast, nearly invisible to the eye, cutting through space with terrifying precision.
Elizabeth moved—barely—dodging just in time. The beam grazed her side, slicing through the sleeve of her dark dress. The ground behind her erupted in a thin, scorched line where the light struck, leaving behind the faint smell of ozone.
But just as she steadied herself, the ground beneath her shifted violently. **Earth spikes** burst from the soil like jagged teeth, rushing to stab her from below.
Elizabeth's sharp eyes caught the motion in time. She twisted her body mid-step, dodging one spike after another.
Her movements were elegant, almost like a dance, as she wove between the rising spikes that cracked the earth under her feet. Each dodge was precise—her control absolute.
It was not that she could not crush Aiden's spells easily. Instead, she had chosen to use only Stage One spells, to make this duel fair.
She refused to rely on her greater strength. She matched Aiden's level, testing him, measuring him. That restriction made every defense harder, every counter more meaningful.
Meanwhile, Aiden was relentless.
He moved without stopping. His mind was fully in the rhythm of battle. His heart pounded with intensity—not fear, not hesitation—but purpose.
Every move carried the ruthless precision Rayan had beaten into him. There was no pause, no mercy, no wasted time.
He vanished again—using Blitz—leaving behind a faint static ripple in the air. When he appeared, he was already behind Elizabeth.
This time, he made a metal sword. Its silver edge gleamed under the morning light as he filled it with lightning mana. Sparks raced along the blade, wrapping it in a veil of energy. He swung toward Elizabeth.
The attack was fast, smooth, controlled, and full of deadly intent. Elizabeth dodged, barely avoiding the slash, but Aiden did not stop. His movements were continuous, seamless—slash, turn, vanish, reappear.
Each strike was sharper, faster than the last. Elizabeth dodged again and again, her eyes narrowing a little with each pass.
Then, just as she was about to get her footing back, a burst of light filled her vision. A blinding flash. **Flash**, a light spell.
Her sight vanished into white. Her instincts screamed. She raised her arm, shielding her eyes, her body reacting on pure experience. The world around her was light and nothing else. But Aiden was not blinded—this was his chance.
He used Blitz again, his body vanishing in a streak of light. In less than a breath, he appeared directly in front of her. He knew she could not see, could not react. So he decided to cheat.
His heart raced—his instincts told him this was the deciding moment. But instead of rushing in recklessly, he changed his plan.
Without warning, Aiden activated **Flight**—a fire mana spell—and lifted himself swiftly into the air, completely silent. Elizabeth did not even realize that Aiden had used a Fire Mana spell.
He rose several meters above the ground, just enough to get a better view. He moved with smooth precision, his body steady as he made a bow and arrow, both made from tight earth and metal.
The air crackled as he filled the arrow with lightning mana. The arrow hummed violently in his hand, light flickering from its tip. Then, he let it go.
The arrow flew like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the air toward Elizabeth.
But Elizabeth, though still half-blinded, felt the surge of mana pressure from above. Her instincts flared—she made an earth wall, shielding herself just in time. The arrow struck, exploding into a shower of sparks against the wall's surface.
Aiden did not stop. He made another arrow—then another. One after another, he fired. His pace quickened. The ground trembled with each hit.
Elizabeth dodged between earth walls and dust clouds. Her shape flickered in and out of sight as mana flashed around her.
Finally, she made a dome-shaped earth wall, enclosing herself in layered protection.
Aiden hovered in the air, his breathing sharp and controlled. His eyes narrowed as he watched the earthen dome harden. He did not wait. He began his assault—**Lightning Rain**, **Light Ray**, **Lightning Blast**—all let loose in rapid fire.
The sky turned white with streaks of energy as bolts of lightning and tight light struck the dome. The earth shook violently under the impact.
Dust rose in thick clouds, hiding the garden from view. The air burned hot, alive with leftover mana. After some time of continuous attacking, the earth wall was destroyed.
Aiden came down slowly, landing in the middle of the dust. He could barely see. His breath came heavy. His mana was nearly gone. The remains of lightning still danced faintly around him, flickering along his arms.
But as the dust cleared, his eyes widened a little—the dome was empty. Elizabeth was gone.
His instincts flared again as he kept his guard up. The faint hum of mana filled the air. He could feel the shift—the earth beneath his feet was no longer still. It was moving, alive.
In an instant, earth spikes shot up around him, forming a prison. They grew and locked together, jagged and sharp, surrounding him from all sides.
He reacted immediately, preparing to use Lightning Blast to destroy the prison. But just as his mana surged, he saw earth walls forming around the outer surface of the spikes, layering over them like armor.
He used Blitz to escape—or tried to—but the moment his body flickered, a powerful kick struck his back. *Bang!*
The impact sent him crashing forward, back into the prison. His breath was knocked out of him. For a moment, the world spun. The faint echo of Elizabeth's movement still hung in the air.
He forced himself up, his arms shaking, his body bruised and burned from the mana strain.
He turned toward the still-forming wall. The gaps were closing. Through the final open space, he saw Elizabeth standing outside the prison—calm, her eyes gleaming faintly with pride.
She smiled and said, "Good luck, Aiden, with destroying this prison. I will make some more earth walls to make it more exciting for you."
Before he could reply, the final section sealed shut. Darkness wrapped around him. The air was heavy with mana and dust.
He clenched his fists, calling up every last drop of energy left in his body. Lightning flickered faintly across his skin—blue, bright, defiant.
He let loose Lightning Blast, Lightning Rain, and even Light Ray. Each spell shook the walls around him. The sound was deafening. The prison trembled, cracks forming along its surface.
Sweat poured down his face. His breathing was harsh. Every muscle screamed in tiredness, but his will did not break. With one last push, he gathered all remaining mana into his hands and released it in a massive Lightning Blast.
The explosion was blinding. The whole prison shattered in a burst of light and stone pieces. Dust filled the air once again.
Aiden stumbled forward, barely standing. His arms trembled. His body was exhausted beyond measure. He was soaked in sweat. His mana was completely gone. His breath came shallow. His heartbeat was getting faster and faster.
Then, he slowly straightened. He looked at Elizabeth and said with a tired but composed voice, "I lost."
Elizabeth smiled softly. Her eyes showed both pride and warmth as she said, "You did really well. If you had more fighting experience, you could have beaten me in a Stage One mana spell duel."
She paused for a moment, then continued in a gentler tone, "Okay, today your training of Earth and Light mana is complete. I will stay here for a few days, then I will go back to the capital. So when I leave, do not slack off or waste your talents. Train hard, so you can become one of the strongest mana cultivators in the world."
Aiden nodded seriously, his voice quiet but firm. "Okay, Aunt Elizabeth."
The faint evening breeze swept through the garden, scattering dust and petals across the broken ground. Aiden stood there, his body exhausted, but his eyes still burned with determination. The duel was over, but his path had only just begun.
Author's Note: Aiden pushed himself to his absolute limit, even breaking the rules of the duel in a moment of brilliant cunning. And with his training nearly complete, what will stir next in the darkness beneath his feet? The final lessons are often the most dangerous. Make sure to add this to your Collections to learn the truth before Elizabeth leaves!