Chapter 224:

Chapter 224:

Chapter 224: Victory

“That is...!”

“Louis!”

The loud exclamations from the crowd were clearly audible.

Surrounded by a golden aura, Louis took a moment to assess his current physical state.

‘Light.’

His body felt lighter than ever before. Not only that, but the energy carried by the mana he was channeling was exceptionally pure.

It wasn’t just an increase in the amount of mana he could wield. His efficiency in using magic had improved, and he felt as if he was in complete control of everything at this moment.

Awakening.

It had finally come to Louis’s life.

Whoosh─!

Of course, Clotte was still swinging his sword.

The sword paths of ordinary knights were single strikes, so avoiding one meant it was over. However, the path of Clotte’s sword stopped time, leaving no room for complacency even afterward.

This was why he was a Capital Knight. The thought of confronting him was overwhelming.

No, it had been overwhelming.

But now it was different.

Boom─!

Louis caught a fleeting glimpse of his own face reflected in the blade of Clotte’s second-hand sword. There was no trace of doubt in his expression.

As if to prove his thoughts were never wrong, he was smiling instead. Seeing this, Louis’s smile grew even wider.

“I knew this day would come.”

The day he would shoot out like a flash of lightning. He had always hoped to shine brightly and overcome his limits. And now he was certain. That time was now.

“Hey, Capital Knight.”

Shortly after, golden energy began to rise around Louis like a mirage. Even if Clotte had frozen that space, it was no exception.

The energy continued to rise and spread throughout the arena like paint dispersing in water. It moved smoothly, like reeds swaying in the wind.

“Have you ever experienced something like this?”

Whoosh!

Louis’s body was enveloped in yellow light.

Even in the darkest places, a single beam of light is enough to find the way. In a desperate situation, if one can turn themselves into light, what is there to fear?

‘How bright will my light shine?’

One by one, golden rays began to spread around him as if he had become a flash of light. The brightness was unbelievable for something emanating from a mere boy.

“...?”

A hint of doubt flickered in Clotte’s eyes.

That doubt slowly grew.

‘What?’

No matter how he thought about it, this wasn’t the skill of a mere boy magician.

Just as there is a time when knights obtain their innate abilities, Clotte understood that there was also a time when magicians awakened.

Although it was the first time he had seen it with his own eyes....

‘He shines.’

A brief impression from Clotte. It wasn’t simply that the light was dazzling or that light elements were shining.

Like a bird breaking out of its shell for the first time, this was something that could only emerge after shattering one’s own limits.

The world began to be engulfed in waves of golden light.

Unlike the time anchored in the air, the boy’s growth did not stop. The fruit of Louis’s countless efforts extended towards Clotte in the form of beams of light.

‘It curved?’

It was unheard of for beams of light that had already been shot to curve. Yet, it had become a reality.

‘What kind of absurd technique is this...!’

While the individual strikes were not incredibly powerful, the thought of all the beams returning complicated the calculations significantly.

Bam, bam, bam─!

Even if each hit wasn’t strong, if accumulated to an absurd amount, it was naturally impossible to ignore.

“Haa!”

Clotte swung his sword in a wide arc, attempting to stop the beams all at once. However, they did not stop, so deflecting them was the best he could do.

But no matter how much he deflected, it seemed endless. Meanwhile, Louis’s attacks continued unabated.

“Damn it...!”

Realizing that merely deflecting wouldn’t turn the tide, Clotte plunged his sword into the ground. He intended to use his innate ability to freeze the entire surrounding space.

Or rather, he tried to. But at that moment,

Whack─!

Louis lunged close, almost hugging Clotte, preventing him from bringing down his hand.

“No way!”

Clotte unintentionally shouted.

Even if it was the best decision to block Clotte’s strike, executing it was an unbelievable feat.

Speed and strength—if Louis had been lacking in even one aspect, his body would have been split in half. Despite swearing to risk his life, how many could truly make such a decision?

“A magician dares to... with brute strength...!”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not brute strength.”

Louis said, looking up at Clotte.

“This is also magic. Magic.”

“What...!”

Clotte saw the golden energy creeping up Louis’s arm. At the same time, he felt his own arm being gradually lifted.

Rumble─!

Simultaneously, a beam from below struck Clotte’s jaw.

Crack!

Clotte’s body shot upward, and several teeth were knocked out from the strong impact.

“Gah!”

Clotte’s eyes rolled back momentarily from the direct hit to his chin. Despite being trained to withstand shocks from a young age, he couldn’t help it when struck in a vital spot.

As he soared high, Clotte understood.

‘That light... was faster than me?’

Even though Clotte had the power to stop time, Louis hadn’t allowed him any chance to use it.

It was something only imaginable, but Louis’s desperation had turned it into reality through his awakening.

Whack!

With an additional hit in midair, Clotte lost consciousness.

Thud.

Louis carefully caught Clotte’s falling body and took a deep breath. His body was no longer in normal condition from the excessive use of magic.

After glancing around the audience, he could confirm it.

The spectators, unable to even open their mouths, and the knights frozen as if time had stopped, made it clear to him.

Louis had won.