Elara moved first, closing the distance with impressive speed. Her daggers flashed in quick succession testing strikes and robing for openings. Brennan's shield intercepted each attack with practiced ease, his sword darting out in short, economical counters that forced Elara to retreat.
I leaned forward, watching intently. Usurper stirred in my mind, beginning its analysis.
---
[USURPER ACTIVATED]
Analyzing technique: Defensive Shield Work (Rank C)
Analysis Progress: 23%... 41%...
---
Elara tried to circle around, looking for an angle past the shield. Brennan pivoted smoothly, keeping his defense oriented toward her. The shield wasn't just for blocking—he used it to control space, limit her approach vectors, even occasionally bash forward to create distance.
---
Analysis Progress: 67%... 89%... 100%
[TECHNIQUE ACQUIRED]
Defensive Shield Work (Rank C) → Enhanced Defensive Shield Work (Rank B)
Stored in Technique Library: [8/∞]
---
The knowledge flooded in. I now understood shield combat—not just the basic principles I'd copied from the guards yesterday, but advanced defensive positioning, timing, and how to turn a purely defensive tool into a weapon.
But Usurper wasn't done. It had shifted focus to Elara.
---
[USURPER ACTIVATED]
Analyzing technique: Speed-Based Dagger Work (Rank C)
Analysis Progress: 34%... 58%...
---
Elara was getting frustrated. Her speed advantage meant nothing if she couldn't get past the shield. She feinted left, then dove right, trying to get inside Brennan's guard. The veteran fighter saw it coming, sidestepped, and his shield edge caught her shoulder—not a killing blow, but enough to throw her off balance.
His sword came up, stopping an inch from her throat.
"Yield!" the referee shouted.
Elara grimaced but nodded. "I yield."
The crowd roared—apparently many had bet on Brennan. Money changed hands rapidly.
---
Analysis Progress: 81%... 95%... 100%
[TECHNIQUE ACQUIRED]
Speed-Based Dagger Work (Rank C) → Advanced Speed-Based Dagger Work (Rank B)
Stored in Technique Library: [9/∞]
---
Two techniques from one match. This was incredibly efficient.
"Good fight," Marcus commented. "Brennan read her perfectly. Experience beats raw speed if the skill gap is significant."
The fighters left the ring, and the announcer called for the next match. "Round two! We've got Derek 'Stonefist' Grant versus Lyra Ashwind! This one's special, folks—Ashwind's got an Authority!"
The crowd's energy changed immediately. Authority matches were the real draw.
Derek Grant entered the ring—a muscular man with wrapped fists and no weapons. The big guy I'd noticed earlier from the bar.
Lyra Ashwind followed, and my attention locked onto her. She was slim, maybe nineteen, with ash-gray hair and eyes that seemed to flicker with inner fire. She carried no visible weapons, just wore form-fitting combat clothes.
"What's her Authority?" I asked Marcus.
"Flame Genesis, if I remember correctly. Mid-tier combat Authority. Not the strongest, but versatile."
Flame Genesis. One of the Authorities I'd thought of when considering what students at the academy might have. This was perfect.
The referee gave the signal, and the match began.
Lyra moved first, extending her hands. Flames erupted from her palms—not wild, uncontrolled fire, but shaped streams that she directed with precision. Derek rolled to the side, the flames scorching the floor where he'd been standing.
---
[USURPER ACTIVATED]
Analyzing Authority: Flame Genesis
WARNING: Authority analysis requires significantly more observation than standard techniques.
Analysis Progress: 8%... 12%...
---
Derek closed the distance, moving faster than his size suggested. His fist drove toward Lyra's midsection—she created a wall of flame between them, forcing him to pull back or risk severe burns.
"Stonefist isn't an Authority," Marcus said quietly. "But his epithet comes from a body cultivation technique. Makes his fists nearly as hard as stone. It's not quite an Authority level, but it's close."
Lyra continued her assault, flames dancing around her like living things. She formed a whip of fire, lashing it toward Derek. He caught it—actually caught the flame whip with his bare hand—and yanked hard, pulling Lyra off balance.
The crowd went wild.
Derek rushed in while she was stumbling, but Lyra pivoted, flames erupting from her feet in a circular wave that forced him back. She was breathing hard now—maintaining that much fire was clearly taxing.
---
Analysis Progress: 27%... 35%...
---
The fight continued for another three minutes. Lyra's flames were versatile—she used them for offense, defense, mobility, even created barriers of fire to control space. But Derek was relentless, using his enhanced durability to push through flames that would have stopped a normal fighter.
Finally, Lyra made a mistake. She committed too much to a large flame attack, and Derek bulled through it, accepting burns to get close. His fist connected with her shoulder—not full force, but enough to send her sprawling.
She tried to rise, flames flickering weakly around her hands, but Derek was already there, fist raised for another strike.
"Yield!" she gasped.
"Match to Derek Grant!"
The crowd's roar was deafening. Apparently many people had bet against the Authority user, and their victory was unexpected.
---
Analysis Progress: 47%... 51%... INCOMPLETE
Flame Genesis requires 3-5 more observations to fully copy.
Current Understanding: 51%
Note: Basic flame manipulation principles acquired. Can attempt crude fire generation but lacks Authority's full capabilities.
---
Interesting. So I could partially copy Authorities, gaining basic versions of their abilities, but needed multiple observations to get the complete power. That made sense—Authorities were soul-bound and fundamentally more complex than learned techniques.
Still, 51% understanding of Flame Genesis from watching one fight was incredible progress.
"That was a good match," Marcus said. "Ashwind has potential, but she relies too heavily on her Authority. Doesn't know how to fight when it can't solve every problem."
I nodded, filing that observation away. It was a common trap for Authority users—becoming dependent on their power to the point where they neglected fundamentals.
I wouldn't make that mistake. Usurper gave me the ability to copy techniques, but I still needed the physical capability and tactical knowledge to use them effectively.
"Final match!" the announcer called. "This is what you've all been waiting for! Selene 'Frost' versus whoever's brave enough to challenge her! We've got... oh, looks like 'Silent Edge' is stepping up!"
The hooded figure I'd noticed earlier walked toward the ring. Now that they were moving into better light, I could see more details—average height, lean build, twin short swords strapped to their back. The hood still shadowed their face.
Selene Frost rose from her corner table, moving with lethal grace. Up close, she was striking—sharp features, cold eyes, and an aura of danger that made people unconsciously step back.
"This should be interesting," Marcus muttered. "Frost rarely fights in these matches anymore. She's beyond them. Silent Edge must have said something to provoke her."
Both fighters entered the ring. The referee looked nervous.
"Uh, standard rules apply! Ready?"
"Ready," Selene said, her voice cold and crisp.
Silent Edge just nodded.
"Begin!"
Neither moved immediately. They circled each other, taking measure. Then Selene's hand moved, almost casual, and the temperature in the entire room dropped.
Ice formed in the air—not as a single attack, but as dozens of crystalline shards that floated around her like a defensive constellation. Each one was sharp as a blade, refracting light into rainbow patterns.
---
[USURPER ACTIVATED]
Analyzing Authority: Frost Monarch
Analysis Progress: 11%...
---
Silent Edge drew both swords in one fluid motion and charged. Fast—faster than anyone in the previous matches. The swords became a blur, deflecting ice shards as they launched toward him.
Selene didn't move her feet. She just gestured, and more ice formed—barriers, projectiles, even a frozen patch on the floor that Silent Edge had to leap over. She was controlling the entire battlefield through her Authority.
Silent Edge closed the distance anyway, swords striking toward Selene's guard. She blocked with a shield of ice that formed in her hand, the swords bouncing off with metallic rings.
Then Silent Edge's swords began to glow with a faint red light.
"Oh," Marcus breathed. "He's got an Authority too."
The glowing swords cut through Selene's ice shield like butter. She looked surprised for the first time, stepping back quickly. Silent Edge pressed the advantage, swords moving in complex patterns that seemed to leave afterimages.
---
[USURPER ACTIVATED - SPLIT FOCUS]
Analyzing Authority: Unknown Sword Enhancement
Analyzing Technique: Advanced Dual Sword Forms (Rank A)
Analysis Progress: Frost Monarch 23%... Sword Enhancement 15%... Dual Sword Forms 44%...
---
Usurper was trying to analyze multiple things simultaneously. I could feel the strain—not physical, but mental, like trying to focus on three conversations at once.
Selene changed tactics. Instead of creating projectiles, she froze the moisture in the air around Silent Edge, forming a cage of ice walls. Silent Edge cut through them, but it bought her time to create distance.
The temperature dropped further. My breath was visible now, and frost formed on the tables around the ring.
Selene raised both hands, and a massive ice construct began forming above her—a wolf made entirely of frozen water, the size of a horse, with fangs like daggers.
"That's her signature move," Marcus said. "This fight's about to end."
The ice wolf lunged at Silent Edge with terrifying speed. Silent Edge's swords glowed brighter, slashing at the construct, but it was too large, too fast. The wolf's jaws closed around him—
And shattered. Silent Edge stood in the center of the broken ice, swords crossed, breathing hard.
His hood had fallen back, revealing features I hadn't expected—young, maybe sixteen or seventeen, with distinctive red eyes and black hair.
Those eyes. I knew those eyes from the novel.
That was Kael Draven. A minor antagonist who appeared around chapter 150, known for his sword skills and mysterious Authority. He was supposed to be at the academy already, not fighting in random mercenary guild matches.
What was he doing here?
Selene looked genuinely impressed. "You're stronger than you look."
"You're holding back," Kael replied, his voice quiet but clear.
"Because this is an exhibition match, not a real fight." Selene smiled, and it wasn't friendly. "But if you want me to take you seriously..."
The temperature dropped so low that ice began forming on the walls. Selene's eyes glowed with pale blue light, and the air around her seemed to crystallize.
"That's enough!" the referee shouted. "Match called! I'm not letting you freeze the whole building!"
Selene let the power fade, though she looked annoyed. "Fine."
"Match is a draw!" the referee announced, clearly relieved neither had actually tried to kill the other.
The crowd seemed divided between disappointment at the anticlimax and relief that the building was still intact.