"I guess I shouldn't use highly destructive spells that would destroy their training grounds."
With that in mind...
Judas moved, his feet as swift as a shadow.
A blur.
He launched forward, staff flashing like bronze lightning, his thrust aimed straight at her center.
But pain detonated in his midsection before he even realized what had happened.
A bone-crushing impact.
His ribs screamed. His vision swam.
Then he was airborne, crashing into a stone pillar hard enough to crack it, dust raining down as he slumped to the ground.
Silence fell over the training grounds.
Then, Alise's voice rang out, playful yet challenging.
"Come on, Judas, don't tell me you're out already?"
Judas coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
He looked up to see her standing there, sword resting casually on her shoulder as if she hadn't even tried.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Are you kidding?"
He cracked his neck, rising to his feet with renewed determination.
"I'm just getting started."
Judas wiped the blood from his mouth, his grip tightening around his staff.
His healing ability activated.
A faint glow surrounded him, dulling the pain.
The ache in his ribs made it clear... Alise was an opponent that should not be underestimated.
But that was fine.
He hadn't expected an easy fight.
In fact, he welcomed it.
Around them, the gathered Astraea Familia members watched with growing anticipation, their murmurs blending into a chorus of speculation and admiration.
Few adventurers could take a direct hit from Alise Lovell and still stand.
Judas exhaled slowly, sharpening his focus.
'If I fight her head-on, I lose. Simple as that. But a fight isn't just about strength... it is also about adaptability.'
He shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity.
His earlier charge had been just a way to test the waters, but now he was ready... not just to attack, but to counter.
'His eyes... I can see it... the determination to grow and achieve victory.'
Alise thought in her mind as she watched Judas closely.
"If you are not going to charge at me..."
The muscles in her legs tensed, causing the floor beneath her foot to crack.
"Then I'll come to you."
Her figure flickered, and in less than a second, she was already in front of him.
She swung her wooden sword and aimed toward his chest.
With beads of sweat dripping from his brow, Judas managed to barely dodge.
The tip of the wooden blade grazed the edges of his clothing, causing a tear.
Judas tried to counterattack by swinging his staff, but was immediately blocked by Alise with ease.
"Surely you can do better than that, Judas."
Crossing their weapons together, Judas' foot skidded across the floor while Alise pushed him forward.
Judas gritted his teeth, stepped to the side, and thrust toward Alise's shoulder, using his weapon's longer reach to his advantage.
"You are too slow!"
However, Alise was faster. With a single swing, she managed to deflect his staff out of the way.
Alise charged and made consecutive attacks which forced Judas on the defensive.
When their wooden weapons made contact, Judas was instantly pushed back.
'As I thought, the difference in our status is way too big.'
Judas thought as he felt his arms trembling.
The force behind Alise's attacks... even when he managed to block or redirect the impact... was still able to affect him.
"Hey... something is wrong."
Lyra commented as she watched the two exchange moves.
"Judas... why is he so weak? When we saw him fight the Juggernaut, he was much stronger than this."
Kaguya said with furrowed brows.
"Yeah... at first I thought he was just lowering his status on purpose, but seeing that struggling look on his face... it makes me think that isn't the case."
Lyra replied with squinted eyes.
"Isn't Judas a mage? I think it makes sense that he can't keep up with Alise in close combat."
Ryuu offered her opinion, but even then, she felt something was off about Judas.
The Judas that she remembered from five years ago was faster and stronger than the Judas she was currently seeing.
"I always found Judas' strength to be weird... five years ago, he was as strong as a Level 5, and back then, we all just concluded that he was an adventurer either hiding himself or maybe he came from outside the city."
"But when it was announced he ranked up to Level 2 in only four days, I knew something didn't add up."
Lyra said as she crossed her arms.
"There is no need to think much about it... that just means he wasn't blessed with a god's falna five years ago."
Kaguya said, her voice cutting into Lyra's thoughts.
"That's right... that means he was as strong as a first-class adventurer even before he got a falna."
Lyra said as she nodded her head.
"Just like those heroes from the ancient times... before the Age of Gods, before the gods descended to the mortal world and bestowed their blessings that granted us great power."
"They managed to pull off a miracle and fight off the monsters that invaded the surface world despite not having a falna."
Ryuu added with fascination in her voice.
"The greatest example of this is the hero Albert Waldenstein, who despite not being blessed with a falna himself, managed to gouge out the eye of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, a monster that destroyed the Zeus and Hera Familias."
"The Mercenary King, to this day, has no equal... someone who even the gods proclaim as the strongest mortal to ever exist in the Lower Realm."
Kaguya said with her eyes shining with faint admiration.
"But you can't also deny the contributions of the spirits who aided the heroes of the past."
"Don't forget that there were some heroes who contracted with a spirit to gain great power."
Ryuu added.
"Right, which leads me to two conclusions."
Lyra said as she raised two fingers.
"Either Judas has contracted with a spirit, or he is someone like those ancient heroes."
Her grin grew wider.
"But there is a hidden third conclusion..."
She held up one finger.
"Perhaps he discovered a new method to gain strength other than the falna, a totally different power system, a power outside even the gods' knowledge."
The air suddenly grew tense as Kaguya and Ryuu quietly stared at Lyra.
"Just kidding... there is no way that's the case."
Lyra said as she shrugged with her tongue sticking out.
A tick mark appeared on the side of Kaguya's head.
Just as she was about to smack the pink-haired pallum in the head...
"Ah, it is over."
One of the Astraea Familia members spoke up with a sigh.
The spar, which was already completely one-sided, seemed like it had reached its conclusion.
"Argh!"
A devastating kick to Judas' midsection.
They witnessed the scene of Judas getting sent flying across the training grounds as he bounced several times before finally crashing to a halt.
"You were stronger when you fought the Juggernaut."
Alise said as she slowly walked forward.
"I don't know what happened to you, but I think we should stop."
She spoke with worry in her voice.
Compared to Judas, who was a mess, Alise remained unharmed... not a scratch on her skin or clothes could be seen.
'Dammit... now I am being pitied.'
Judas could see the concern in her eyes.
After all, her last attack should have knocked the wind out of anyone below the status of a first-class adventurer.
Instead of being touched, Judas felt a sting to his pride.
'Haha... I guess even someone like me can have such childish thoughts.'
He slowly rose to his feet, groggy, smoke curling off his body as his healing skill activated.
Alise sighed after seeing him in this state and was about to call the spar off when his voice stopped her cold.
"Alise."
The air between them shifted.
"If you think I'm just going to let you kick me around... you are wrong."
"The first round belongs to you..."
"However..."
『Physical Boost』
『Sturdy Body』
『Strengthening Magic』
『Invigorate』
『Kinetic Amplification』
『Fortify』
"The fight has only just begun."
She felt it... a subtle, crushing weight pressing down on the battlefield.
Their eyes met, and in that moment, she saw it.
The same unwavering resolve, the same unyielding spirit from before.
His eyes never changed.
A smile returned to her face as the sunlight bounced off her white teeth.
"If that's the case..."
Her eyes blazed with determination as the ground beneath her feet cracked.
"Then come at me with everything you've got!"
-----
+15 chapters at patreon.com/drdedot