Chapter 22 22: Match

"Are you two ready?" Rio asked as he looked at both of the students at the area.

At the right was Eugene standing carefree with a casual smile as he held a wooden spear tightly while looking at his opponent.

At the left was Arcuied, serious and tense as he held a wooden sword tightly.

Both were geniuses and had immense talent like no other. They were also main characters that will have a gigantic impact to the world, Rio thought as he looked forward to the match.

"Are both of you ready?" Rio asked again as he took a step back and looked at both.

"Indeed, Professor." Eugene replied immediately.

"Ready as he is." Arcuied answered.

He heard them both clearly, It was time to start this match. Rio nodded as he took a step back and declared, "Let the match begin."

As soon as the words were dropped, Arcuied rushed as he sped up to Eugene. Getting closer was his primary goal, a sole advantage his sword held againts the spear was close combat.

"Not so fast." Eugene said, chuckling as he retreated. He wouldn't let the man get an advantage over him, while he was retreating he swung his spear.

Splash!

As his spear swung, elements of water converged and obstructed Arcuieds way.

Arcuied grumbled as he took a step back, he focused his attention in magic and used the skill «72 Winds of Blade».

He directed the magic in the blade as the sword was engulfed with sharp wind. Holding it tightly, he swung it directed at the splash of water.

Shngg!

The sharp sword easily tore apart the water as Arcuied furthered his advances. However, while that happened, Eugene already was a distance away waiting for Arcuied.

As Eugene noticed that the little distraction he put in was easily destroyed. He brandished his spear, redirecting magic towards it as he used a skill.

«The Dragonic Seas Flow»

It was a personal favorite of his, it was elegance and power at it's core. The spear originally plain wood, suddenly sprouted an illusionary blue dragon at the tip of the blade.

"Now this is where things get serious." Eugene remarked casually, as he swung the spear at Arcuied.

"Very clever of you," Arcuied muttered sarcastically as he blocked the incoming spear with his sword.

Tnng!

A mindless raging wind againts a materialized calm water, both were strong, Rio thought as he observed the match. It was a surreal battle of magic and weapons.

It felt like a battle between an indestructable force againts a immoveable object, but Rio digress. While the fight he was seeing was surreal and amazing, it was barely a fraction of what this power fantasy has to offer.

Both continued to strike each other, yet blocked by opposition. It was like they were equal.

"This is getting no where," Eugene commented as both of them swung at each other endlessly, he thought of an idea, "If you're not going to get serious, I'l end this."

Arcuied raised his eyebrows on his words, a trump card perhaps? He thought.

Eugene took a step back, retreating as he prepared a skill. Accessing the body. Dictating the magic. Redirecting the flow. He brandished his spear, as he held it tightly, pointing directly at Arcuied.

«The Dragonic Seas Flow: First Strike»

The originally calm water at the spear, converged as it raged. The illusionary dragon becoming more fierce and real.

"This is the First Strike." Eugene said as he stared at Arcuied, he commented as he blitz towards him, "Try not to die okay?"

"I didn't know you were hiding such power," Arcuied quipped, Eugene wasn't the only one hiding a skill. He too. "I'm better than you for a reason, so don't worry."

Eugene's forehead had faint veins bulging out as he heard the remark. As much as he tried to hide it, that ranking was a terrible spot to his all-time perfection, he replied, "You surely know how to irritate a person."

Rio chuckled inwardly, that was true. In the novel, Arcuied had a snarky tounge that angered villains to end. It was attributed as comedy for obvious reasons.

Arcuied focused on his sword. Accessing the body. Dictating the magic. Redirecting the flow. The wind will exile all injustice, the sharp raging wind turned from formless, to shaping into a white serpent.

«72 Winds of Blade: Serpent of Sixteenth»

A white serpent of wind againts a dragonic water, both were strong. Rio thought as stretched his hands, the match was nearing it's end.

"Just where did you get such a skill?" Eugene asked in suprise, the skill even at a glance can be identified as rare. He would go as far to estimate it was as rare as his legacy skill.

"It's a secret, would you tell me about yours?" Arcuied rebutted as he, likewise, rushed at Eugene.

"I would, only if you share yours." Eugene replied as he shrugged.

Arcuied didn't reply anymore as he merely rushed forward. Eugene noticing the silence, likewise didn't speak anymore.

Both were nearing at each other, Eugene knowing that his spear has a greater reach, took advantage of it and thrusted forward.

The calm silence was disrupted, as an amalmagation of water converged.

The fierce illusionary dragon flowed with rage along with the thrust, concentrated ontop of the tip of the spear was a fierce dragon intending devour everything on it's path.

In response, Arcuied slashed his sword. Intending to redirect the spear to another direction. The sharp wind sped up the sword as it touched the wooden spear.

The battle between the two was intense, a wind serpent spun around as it opened it's large fangs towards the dragon. The water dragon simply looked down in arrogance.

How surreal, Rio thought as he smiled. This was truly the fantasy battle he envisioned.

Tak!

While the match was intense, an abrupt sound resounded in the room. Both the wind serpent and water dragon lost it's luster as they fade away.

Arcuied and Eugene looked over where the sound resounded in suprise.

And then, they noticed it. The weapons were broken. The sword Arcuied held had several rough grazes on it and holes. The spear that Eugene held had a broken shaft.

Both were silent, unable to accept the absurd fact.

"The weapons broke." Rio said in the unnerving silence between the two. It was already obvious, they were just wooden afterall.

"No, no, we can't just end it like that.." Eugene muttered in irritation as he dropped the spear and held his head, "I'l ask my servants to bring an artifact for us both, immediately."

"I'm afraid that cannot be, Mr. Eugene." Rio said as he intervened between them.

"And wh—" Eugene growled in anger.

"Club Time is over, so no more matches." Rio declared indifferently as he used the skill «Pressure». Let's see how this will fair againts someone with strong will.

Eugene suddenly felt intense pressure coming down from his back. It was forcing him to be submissive. He looked at where it was coming from. He noticed that the shadow behind the professor.

A mere shadow dared to make him kneel? In anger, he preserved. He had pride, a Pendragon's pride, not only the Pen—

That thought process stopped as he no longer felt the intense pressure, he looked up and realized why.

The professor had already walked away. That was insulting.

"...Right." Eugene muttered as he calmed himself down, he shouldn't have been so rash. Rashness leads to nowhere. He looked at Arcuied and was suprised.

Why?

Arcuied was gasping heavily, eyes that were resolve, or anger, Eugene didn't know, was directed at the professor.

"You got affected by it too?" Arcuied asked as he snapped out of his daze and directing his eyes to Eugene.

"..Shut up." Eugene said in annoyance, however he had to comment, "That shadow...was something else."

"Yeah right," Arcuied nodded in agreement, he had fought even when he was almost dead. He didn't reach this far just by mere talent, "That..thing, is it even a thing? Had endless greed, avarice, or gluttionious desire."

"I have a clue what that thing is," Eugene commented as he swiped the sweat over his forehead, he continued, "It's materialization of psyche."

"Psyche? Is it like soul?" Arcuied wondered as he stood up.

"No, no, Psyche is different. It's the state of mind." Eugene corrected as he likewise, stood up and stared at the professors back.

"The state of mind...then, the shadow—" Arcuied said in realization, his voice filled suprise and worry.

"Indeed, his deepest psyche." Eugene continued, with interest and worry. This was interesting.

"Hey!" A voice resounded elsewhere, both of them looked at who was the person. It was Amber.

"Come on, It's time to go!" Amber shouted to both.

Arcuied and Eugene both stared at each other for a couple of seconds before sighing and chuckling.

"Another match next time?" Eugene asked

"Sure," Arcuied agreed with a smile, as he commented, "But bring better weapons."