The training ground of the Twilight Manor was more than three times larger than the one at the Court of Stars. The floor was covered with specialized shock-absorbing material, and the perimeter was lined with various training apparatuses.
By now, the edge of the field was packed with people.
Almost all members of the Loki Familia had gathered, and other guests had flocked over upon hearing the news. The members of the Astrea Familia stood on one side of the field, their expressions varied.
In the center of the arena, Solon and Ais stood facing each other.
Seven-year-old Ais Wallenstein, Level 1, held a wooden sword with both hands, assuming a flawless starting stance. Her posture was steady beyond her years, and her amber eyes were locked firmly onto Solon.
Solon, meanwhile, stood with empty hands, wearing no weapons at all.
"You aren't taking a weapon?" Ais asked, her voice clear.
"My weapons are here—and here." Solon pointed to his head, then raised his palms. "I need a moment to prepare. Is that alright?"
Ais nodded, waiting patiently.
She watched as Solon did not chant long, rhythmic incantations. Instead, with extreme speed and a flow as natural as breathing, he uttered a series of short, sharp terms.
"[Mage Armor]." "[Expeditious Retreat]." "[Longstrider]." "[Jump]." "[Bless]." "[Heroism]." "[Shield of Faith]." "[Protection from Evil and Good]."
A cascade of halos from the buffing spells flashed across Solon one after another before fading into his body. His aura didn't change drastically, but the "feel" of his presence was entirely different—he seemed lighter, more grounded, and his gaze grew increasingly clear and sharp.
In just a few seconds, he had stacked eight enhancement states on himself, covering defense, mobility, attribute boosts, and specific protections.
At the edge of the field, the members of the Justice Familia exchanged glances. Solon was doing this on purpose; he was only displaying spells that looked like standard enhancements to mislead the other Familias.
Alise crossed her arms, a proud smile on her face as she whispered to Ryuu, "See? I told you Solon is terrifying when he gets serious. With that kit active, who in his level could possibly tank him?"
Ryuu nodded slightly, a spark of approval in her jade eyes. "He has clearly decided not to engage in close-quarters combat."
Kaguya leaned against a pillar, the corner of her mouth curving. "Establishing the maximum advantage with the minimum expenditure."
Lyra stood on her tiptoes with excitement. "Go for it, Solon! Show Master Finn what you can do!"
On the Loki Familia's side, the reaction was more complex. Many younger members stared with wide eyes; they had never seen such rapid, dense self-buffing.
"What kind of casting speed is that?!" "Just how many states did he put on himself? Does he even have enough Mind for that?"
The Prum Hero narrowed his azure eyes. "Interesting..." he whispered to Riveria and Gareth beside him. "There's none of the usual stagnation associated with a mage preparing a spell. Every magic is light and swift, as if it comes to him effortlessly."
Riveria, the beautiful High Elf, had a face full of scholarly inquiry. "Those are ultra-short incantations. And to chain them so continuously while keeping the mana fluctuations so stable... that is..." Her slender fingers unconsciously brushed the hilt of her staff. "Even for me, at Level 2, it would have been absolutely impossible to complete that so easily."
Gareth's boisterous laughter rang out. He stroked his thick beard, his eyes full of surprise and admiration. "Hahaha! So that's how you play with magic! Look at his stance and positioning—after every enhancement, his center of gravity and line of sight undergo micro-adjustments. He's staying in the optimal state to react to little Ais. He's a natural-born warrior, even if he is a mage!"
Loki had squeezed her way to the front row at some point. Her squinted scarlet eyes curved into crescents, her face alight with the excitement of someone who had discovered a rare treasure. "Haha! This is too much fun! Aiz-tan has run into a different kind of monster this time!"
In the arena, Solon finished his final preparations. He exhaled slowly and looked at Ais. "I'm ready. We can start whenever you like."
Ais nodded.
The next second, she moved.
Fast! Incredibly fast!
Solon had expected this. With [Longstrider] boosting his movement and [Expeditious Retreat] enhancing his agility, he was ready. Even so, Ais's explosive starting speed was top-tier even for a Level 1.
The golden-haired girl's figure was like a flash of golden light tearing through the air. The ten-meter gap seemed non-existent as the wooden sword hissed through the wind, forming a straight line aimed directly at Solon's throat!
Simple, sharp, and without flourish, it pushed speed and precision to their limits.
But Solon's preparation now proved its worth. The supernatural agility from Expeditious Retreat allowed him to slide backward and pivot at a near-impossible angle; the wooden sword brushed past his shoulder by a hair's breadth.
Simultaneously, he waved his left hand.
"[Grease]!"
The ground on Ais's charging path instantly became incredibly slick. Her momentum was too great; her feet slipped, and her balance faltered.
However, a genius is a genius because of their abnormal adaptability and body control. In the moment she lost her footing, Ais used the tip of her wooden sword to tap the greasy ground. Borrowing that force, she performed a rapid, dance-like spin, converting her lost balance into horizontal movement.
She landed steadily three meters away, her movements as fluid as running water, carrying a strange sense of beauty. She looked up, the surprise in her eyes deepening.
"Strange magic," she whispered, confirming her thought before launching again.
This time she changed her strategy. She no longer sought a straight-line thrust at maximum speed. Instead, she approached in a flickering, Z-shaped zigzag. Her wooden sword vibrated slightly, the tip covering multiple vitals on Solon's upper body, while her footwork remained nimble, ready to change direction at any moment.
Solon still didn't meet her head-on. As he retreated to maintain distance, he rapidly cast interference spells.
"[Web]!" A sticky magical web unfurled in front of him, attempting to restrict Ais's movement. "[Color Spray]!" A burst of dazzling lights exploded to interfere with her vision. "[Thaumaturgy]!" He created the sound of strange footsteps right beside her.
Ais's rhythm was inevitably affected. She had to blink to dodge the Color Spray, maneuver around the Web, and distinguish the real sounds from the fake. Although her incredible perception and intuition always allowed her to choose the correct path, her speed was no longer as unstoppable as that first strike.
Solon was like a master chess player, using each minor spell as a pawn, cleverly placing them in the path of Ais's offense to force her into constant decision-making.
He was draining her stamina and focus. Intermittent uses of [Mage Hand] to tug at her balance or [Ray of Frost] to harass her ankles made her increasingly frustrated.
Ais's swordsmanship was bold and sweeping; her speed and power were at the pinnacle of Level 1. Solon, however, was like a grand strategist controlling the board. He hovered on the edge of the engagement, weaving a web of "minor tricks" to constantly bind, delay, and mislead her every move.
"It's like fighting a cloud of mist that can cast spells!" a beastman warrior from the Loki Familia grumbled.
"But every one of his spells hits right when Miss Ais's old strength is spent and her new strength hasn't gathered, or at the exact moment she's making a judgment," Alicia, a core member of the second-tier team, noted with a heavy expression. "He's kiting her—guiding her rhythm and making her follow his pace without her even realizing it."
Ten minutes passed.
Ais stopped, her hands resting on her knees, her small face flushed red. Her petite chest heaved as she panted. Her grip on the sword remained steady, but the continuous, high-intensity changes in direction and bursts of speed had clearly taken a massive toll.
She lifted her gaze, her amber pupils locked onto the figure twenty meters away whose breathing was still perfectly calm.
Solon didn't feel much of anything. For his current Level 2 self, continuous casting and maintaining multiple buffs was no problem at all. Compared to Ais's physical exhaustion, he felt quite relaxed.
"You... keep avoiding me. Why won't you fight me directly?" Ais gasped, her voice carrying a hint of frustration and the confusion of someone encountering this tactic for the first time.
"This is my way of fighting," Solon replied calmly. "Fighting on my terms—controlling the distance, disrupting the rhythm, and creating openings."
He paused, looking directly at Ais. "If this were a battle to the death, the moment you first lost your balance, or when I distracted you and your movements faltered for even a second, I would have aimed a lethal spell at your vitals."
Ais stared at him in silence. She looked at the hilt of her wooden sword, slick with sweat, and then at her slightly trembling calf muscles. She slowly stood up straight and brought the wooden sword to her side.
"I lost." Her voice was soft, but it carried clearly across the silent training ground. she had frankly admitted her defeat.
"Haha! That was brilliant!" Loki's laughter broke the silence. "Aiz-tan didn't lose for nothing! That got my blood pumping! Justice Class Rep, you've really picked up a treasure!"
Finn's eyes were full of both admiration and deep thought. "Creating the maximum amount of trouble with the minimum cost... that guy is definitely hiding something."
Riveria remained in a state of shock, murmuring, "It's not just the ultra-short incantations. The diversity of his magic is beyond my imagination. This child's talent and control over magic... I truly wish to have a deeper discussion with him."
Gareth wore a subtle expression and nodded. For a melee fighter, this kind of battle was extremely unpleasant to watch, but he had to admit it was effective. "I felt a bit stifled watching it, but I have to admit, he fought a smart war."
On the Justice Familia side, Alise stood with her hands on her hips, a smug "I told you so" expression on her face. Ryuu's lips curled up slightly, and Kaguya gave a soft huff. Lyra was already jumping for joy.
Loki squeezed over to Astrea and nudged the Goddess of Justice with her elbow. She grinned mischievously. "Astrea-chin, how about you let me play with this kid of yours for a couple of days? I promise to return him in one piece!"
Astrea replied with a gentle but uncompromising smile. "Goddess Loki, Solon is my child. He is currently walking his own path of justice."
"Stingy~" Loki puckered her lips, but when she turned her gaze back to Solon in the center of the field, her scarlet eyes shimmered with intense interest. "Still... with a variable like this in Orario, things are bound to get more and more fun! I'm already looking forward to the next Denatus!"
In the middle of the training ground, Solon nodded to the panting Ais and offered a friendly smile.
Ais stared at him for a few seconds, then said very seriously, "Next time, I'll be faster."
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (60 Chapters – Ongoing)
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