Chapter 56: The Terror of the Geistreich Family.

Chapter 56: The Terror of the Geistreich Family.

"This will be your last week of combat classes," the instructor announced, his voice stern and commanding. "At the end of this week, there is only one month remaining before the end-of-the-year exam. The exam will be held in a tournament style, and your results in the tournament will decide your ranking. There won't be any practical or theoretical exams anymore."

A murmur of excitement ran through the class, but the instructor raised his hand for silence. "First-year students, listen closely. I recommend that you take this seriously! The bottom 25% in the rankings will have to repeat the year."

The class fell silent, the weight of the instructor's words sinking in.

"Classes will not be held during the last month to allow you to train on your own and keep your techniques a secret for the tournament. If you have struggled to win fights in class, I highly recommend that you put in extra effort to develop a secret weapon before the tournament begins. Utilize the remaining time wisely to give yourself the best chance for success."

Zeke was determined to gain as much combat experience as possible before the end-of-the-year exam. He knew that it was impossible to develop his new fighting style during this last week of combat classes, even if he invested all his time in doing so. So, he decided to focus on improving his overall battle experience and combat sense by fighting as many people as possible.

Zeke was completely devoted to his training, and he pushed himself to his absolute limits every single day. He engaged in combat with students from all levels of skill, including the most skilled in his grade, as well as the least skilled. Over time, Zeke came to understand that each battle was a valuable opportunity for growth. He meticulously documented the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents and utilized this information to refine and perfect his own techniques.

As Zeke stepped into the fighting ring to face one of the top Earth Magic students, he felt a sense of unease wash over him. He knew that this would be a tough fight, and he had to be at the top of his game if he wanted to come out on top. The student was focusing on endurance, and Zeke found himself struggling to break through his defenses. He tried everything he could think of, but nothing seemed to work. As the fight dragged on, Zeke realized that only his strongest ability would even have a chance of putting a dent in his opponents [Earthen Armor].

With a deep breath, Zeke summoned his [Blood Whip] spell. Zeke was prepared for a long-drawn-out fight, as he had come to expect when fighting a formidable Earth Mage. He planned to create distance with his first couple of attacks, trying to keep the moving mountain of earth out of arms reach. To his surprise, his very first hit cut a solid chunk out of the earthen shell surrounding the student. The Boy's eyes widened in surprise, and Zeke could see the panic begin to set in. Regaining his composure first, Zeke capitalized on this surprising turn of events, and with a couple more swings, the student was forced to surrender.

Zeke almost didn't believe his eyes as he watched the dejected form of his opponent leave the arena. He had not expected his spell to have such a powerful effect. On his way to the exit of the arena, he saw Leo, who had been spectating, walk over. The other boy had also just finished a fight and roughly shoved his sweat-covered, dirty blonde mane into a ponytail behind his head as he approached Zeke.

"Nice work, Zeke," Leo said, clapping him on the back. "I've never seen anyone take down Sebastian with such ease. You're getting stronger every day."

Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at Leo's words.

"That spell of yours," Leo began, "can cut through pretty much anything, you know that?"

Zeke nodded, still in shock from the power of his spell. He had been surprised by the amount of damage his spell had caused to the defenses of the Earth Mage, and he couldn't help but wonder why.

As he thought about it, a realization dawned on him. "I think that is because of my blood," he began, "It is permanently soaked in my mana, and it gets stronger and stronger over time."

"If only your supply was not so limited, you would be a real terror," Leo joked before walking away, waving over his head.

Zeke cleared his throat, catching Maximilian's attention. "Zeke, my boy," the old man greeted with a smile. "What brings you here so early?"

"Teacher," Zeke began, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I have decided on my combat style. I have analyzed the most successful fighting styles in my class and determined a good combination of concepts to focus on from that data. I want to focus on mobility with my spatial affinity, control with my mind affinity, and offense with my blood affinity. Those three concepts put together with my fast regeneration, natural endurance, and the quick decision-making from my increased intelligence would make for an effective style, I think."

Maximilian's eyes lit up with interest as he listened to Zeke's plan. "That's a sound strategy," he said, nodding in approval. "But remember, a combat style is not something that can be chosen in a day. It takes time and practice to hone your abilities and truly master a style. You also don't want to be so simplistic in your views of your affinities, but I guess this will give you a good position to develop from."

Zeke nodded, understanding that this limited view of his affinities was the result of his inexperience. He knew that this was only the beginning of a long journey, but he was excited to get started. "I understand, teacher. I will train tirelessly to perfect my style."

Maximilian smiled, proud of his student's dedication. "I have no doubt that you will. But remember, a true warrior must also possess a sharp mind and a strong spirit. The physical and magical aspects of combat are only two pieces of the puzzle."

"Old man," Zeke began, "Do you have a lot of experience fighting alongside or against space and Mind Mages?"

Maximilian's face twisted into a sour expression at the mention of Mind Mages, but he didn't start his explanation by talking about them. "Space mages are not usually used for direct combat, but in a supporting role," he said, "But those with a dual affinity can be a real terror in combat."

"There are two dominant battle styles for Space Mages," Maximilian began his explanation, "Most of them focus on extreme range combat and reposition immediately if they are threatened. Or they focus on extremely close ranges, not giving you any chance to create any distance by using their space magic to stay on top of you at all times."

Zeke listened intently as Maximilian spoke, his mind whirring with possibilities. He was already trying to come up with ways he could incorporate this new knowledge into his own fighting style when Maximilian continued with his explanation of Mind Magic. "The only well-known Mind Mages on the continent are the Geistreichs."

Zeke listened intently as Maximilian spoke, a sense of unease creeping over him as he heard the tone Maximilian used when talking about Mind Mages. "The Geistreichs, eh?" he asked, his voice tight. "I've heard rumors of their powers, but never anything concrete."

Maximilian nodded gravely. "Yes, they are a force to be reckoned with. Their Mind Magic is unparalleled, able to bend the wills of even the strongest warriors with ease. In war, they seek to break the minds of their opponents, leaving nothing but a shell of a person behind. It is a tactic that has earned them a reputation as ruthless and feared by many."

Zeke shuddered at the thought. "But how do you fight against such power?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Maximilian's expression turned grim. "It is not easy, my boy. The only way to stand a chance is to strike them down before they have the chance to use their magic on you.

Zeke sat in silence, contemplating the weight of Maximilian's words. "So, in a battle against a Mind Mage from the Geistreich family, the only chance of victory is to kill them before they can break my will?" Zeke asked his voice a mixture of dread and curiosity.

Maximilian nodded solemnly. "Exactly. Their Mind Magic is unparalleled, and once they have control of your mind, there is no coming back from it. It is a fate worse than death, to be nothing more than a puppet under their control."