Chapter 41: DUEL

Chapter 41: DUEL

"Alright everyone, take your positions," Ben declared, assuming the role of referee.

The spacious arena in the heart of the building set the stage for a face-off between Freya and Ray. Ray adopted a formidable fighting stance, his bare fists poised for action. In stark contrast, Freya wielded a wooden sword reminiscent of a katana, her grip unwavering.

"Okay, so the rules are simple" Ben announced, looking at both of them "Do whatever you want with your enemy, kill them, torcher them, or whatever, but If by any chance, I get caught between any of your attacks, then you are dead."

"Wait what the hell!! What kind of referee you are?" Ray protested, looking at Ben, but before he could complete his sentence, Ben announced a start and swiftly stepped away from the arena.

In an instant, Freya harnessed the power of wind magic to enhance her speed, rapidly closing the distance between her and Ray. With a swift motion, she swung her sword from a low position to an upward arc. Ray, caught off guard, concentrated on evading her primary attack by leaping backward.

However, he didn't anticipate the hidden attack - A razor-sharp crescent wind blade that emerged from Freya's sword moving straight towards him. With two consistent attacks and barely any time to take action, Ray instinctively crossed his arms to shield his face.

A sharp slashing sound filled the arena as the wind blade made contact with Ray's forearms. He managed to block the attack, but a thin, stinging cut appeared on his arms as a result. Learning from his mistake, Ray gritted his teeth and swiftly retreated, zigzagging to increase the distance between himself and

"So the first attack was a decoy for the wind blade," Ray muttered under his breath, his eyes fixed on Freya. He observed her every move with intense focus. In response, Freya too stepped back, her wooden sword held firmly in her fighting stance.

"Huff..." Ray exhaled slowly, and something unusual occurred - water vapor escaped his mouth, an anomaly amid the hot weather. In the next moment, both contestants launched themselves toward each other with astonishing speed.

A green aura enveloped Freya, signaling her use of wind magic to enhance her agility. Ray, on the other hand, covered his fists in searing flames, similar to his earlier battle with Ben.

"Why is she even swinging that wooden sword? Can she even deal damage with it?" Ben muttered to himself as he observed the unfolding battle.

[Don't be deceived, host. While it may look like the sword is blunt, the coating of wind magic on the sword's edge is enough to make it harmful if not fatal.]

With this newfound knowledge, Ben continued to watch the battle intensify. Freya and Ray closed the distance between them, and Freya swung her sword in a downward arc, aiming for Ray's shoulder.

"Tsk...Amateur." Ray chuckled, a sharp smile on his face. He used his fist to punch the blunt side of the wooden sword, causing it to shatter into pieces. But he didn't stop there; taking advantage of Freya's off-balance state, Ray delivered a fiery punch directly to her stomach. A booming sound filled the arena as a thin wave of cloud temporarily obscured everyone's vision.

When the fog cleared, both combatants stood facing each other. Ray scratched his fist while Freya held the remnants of her broken sword.

"What the hell? How can she be standing after that attack? That punch was even able to knock me out for a few seconds," Ben exclaimed in disbelief.

[ It seems host that Freya was able to cast a water barrier before the fist contacted her belly. Even though the water barrier was very weak it was still able to cancel out the explosive properties of the fire element making it barely stronger than the normal punch. ]

"Then why the hell is Ray rubbing his skin?" Ben asked in response to the system's response

[It's nothing special host. He is likely feeling itching in his skin due to the simultaneous clash of fire and water elements. Overall, Freya took more damage.]

"I see, I wonder when I will be able to learn magic." Ben pondered, shifting his attention back to the battle again.

<anno data-annotation-id="b3af7452-0231-198a-5922-3f7fc9ed4cb2">"Haha... I did not expect to see a dual-element user anytime soon," Ray remarked with enthusiasm, his attention still on the battle. "It's said that only one out of 100 humans can use dual element magic." </anno>

"Why did you call me immature?" Freya finally broke her silence, her cold tone contrasting with the ongoing battle.

"Oh, that?" Ray responded, a slightly confused expression on his face. "Nothing personal, but your sword skills were just childish. It felt like even a 9-year-old could have dodged that attack. Honestly, it seems like you've never even used a sword before."

"I did train with a sword before, but it was only self-training. I don't use swords regularly," Freya admitted, her tone a bit embarrassed, a departure from her usual demeanor. nOVe/1b.1n

Ray chimed in, "Yeah, I can relate. We're all self-trained adventurers here, although I did receive my basic training from a great teacher. So I know how to handle most common weapons." He wore a proud smile as he spoke.

However, Alex wasn't interested in their conversation. He interrupted impatiently, "No one is interested in your history, you show off. Just continue the battle already. I'm getting bored here."

Ben muttered under his breath, irritated by the interruption, "And I thought I could get a little insight about magic here... curse him." He shot an annoyed glance at Alex.

Just then, a blast in the arena drew Ben's attention. Ray was blocking a barrage of waterfall attacks using his fire punch skill. But after deflecting four attacks, the fire surrounding his hands was completely extinguished, leaving him vulnerable to two water balls that hit him, causing subsequent damage.

"Darn it," Ray gritted his teeth as he dodged a few more attacks. Then, he slammed his palms against the ground. In the next instant, a four-meter-tall wall of earth emerged from the ground, providing cover for him...

''''

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<annotations style="display: none;"><li>A/N: Ray himself is also a dual-element user. </li></annotations>