Chapter 457 457. BATTLE GENIUSES

'Damn that hurt like hell,' Noah grimaced inwardly, silently experiencing pain. Utilizing one arm to unleash the first form proved a difficult and painful experience. He had done it in a bit of a rush and desire to look good, but it hurt. Badly.

The insides of his right arm had seen all its bones snapping, but thanks to his healing he could act normal even if it still hurt.

Noah slowly lowered his right arm while staring into Loria's eyes. She was still shaking, he had no remedy for that.

He even felt bad a bit. Only a bit. The rest of him was normal.

Madison and Bon walked into the court, silent.

"What should we do?' Madison inquired, even though she herself felt a bit shaken. Her eyes fell on a trembling Loria and felt a tinge of pity for her.

"I don't know," he furrowed his brows sweeping his gaze on their environment.

Truth be told he had not expected that reaction from her. She seemed to be sick in some way. Or traumatized.

A peak stage tier 3. Noah shook his head before crouching before her. Loria held her knees to her chest unable to move. Stricken by fear.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked frowning. He really had no idea what to do.

Loria nodded albeit still shaky.

"Then stand," he commanded. She made no response.

"What exactly is wrong?" He asked.

She shook her head casting her gaze on the ground. Noah felt certain there was more to that matter. But he had not the right tools to help since he first of all didn't know what was happening.

"You could get in trouble for slacking, you know. What if a knight shows up," he arched an eyebrow and her focus returned to his face.

She furrowed her brows and started to straighten her position.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I'll have to take my leave now," she bowed. They could still see her shivering.

Loria ran off after that point. Startling them. But they made no move to catch up to her.

That event naturally spoiled the mood. But they could do nothing much about it, apart from moving on.

Noah remained too strong to properly spar with any of them. Still, he could play a bit with both of them and that's what he did.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" Madison's voice was loud and it featured excitement. She had her crimson bow in her grip with her spiked whip coiled at her side.

Noah stood on the other side of the court, but his consciousness carried his voice far enough to reach the other side.

"Yes. I want you to utilize all that you have on me. I want to test my strength on battle geniuses," he didn't hesitate to compliment her.

Bon shook his head at those words, he suddenly was more inclined to believe Aiden after watching him in action again. If he could term Madison a battle geniuses, then she definitely was.

"You too Bon. Go all-out on me. I can take it," Noah nodded feeling smug. Power felt sweet.

Both experts nodded and went silent. Unknown to all three of them a few knights were passing by and stopped to watch from a hidden spot.

Noah turned serious, he had asked them to come at him, but even he knew he would need to be careful.

A chill swept the court, when Madison shot forward, Bon stayed back but began to prepare spells. They had communicated utilizing their mental waves, whatever they planned, Noah had no idea. Notwithstanding, he could gain a vague idea when he saw their actions.

Madison dashed forward shattering the sound barrier with her acceleration. The court wasn't big enough to allow full movement at that speed, but that was never the plan.

Noah bent his knees at her movement, his instincts tingled and his body moved on its own when he caught sight of sparkly objects.

Seven arrows wheezed past his figure. They had been too easy to dodge, so Noah braced himself for impact.

A ground-shaking explosion unfolded at that point. Noah felt his body withstand the blast's power, only managing to move him forward two steps. But his environment had become black.

He muttered a curse when six objects crashed on his skin, but they simply bounced off, unable to penetrate his metal-like skin.

Annoyingly, they unfolded in a fiery explosion. This time Noah felt the power in the explosion lift him off his feet to send him flying toward an area he did not know.

He was completely unhurt, but couldn't see anything.

Madison had learned from their first battle. She would try her best to keep him busy so he wouldn't move.

Three arrows wheezed past the smoke to almost hit Noah's face, but he caught them all. Amazement was on his expression when they suddenly exploded again.

He could never get used to it. But was mostly astonished by the fact that Madison could still find him even in that thick black smoke.

Noah grit his teeth and finally called upon his power over the wind.

A powerful tornado formed at that point, and the black smoke almost instantly cleared. Being sucked in by the tornado.

Madison had been ready for that outcome since Bon finally launched his attacks. Being of the fire element he could deal quite a bit of damage to the average higher-stage cultivator.

Noah watched balls of flames blaze toward him at frightening speeds, but he snorted and shot forward.

Unfortunately, his instincts tingled and a force from thin air suddenly slammed into his face disorienting him for a second. Enough time to allow all nine of the highly condensed fireballs hit.

The court remained too small for the power within those balls of flames since a river of searing flames barreled out in all directions, forcing even its caster into a defensive position.

Madison created a small sphere of blue water to combat the orange flames around her. She felt ready to resume her offensive when a deep-yellow light suddenly overshadowed the orange color in the environment.

Time seemed to move in slow motion when a huge crackling mass erupted out of the explosion's eye; bringing with it an ear-rupturing roar, before spreading its terrifying power abroad the court.

Its might failed against the barrier, but the two cultivators felt the fear of death choke them.

Madison allowed her strongest defensive spell out in that instant. An azure magical circle unfolded beneath her, and her figure turned into a huge ball of spinning water containing tens of layers.

Nevertheless, when a thin strand of electrical energy struck her powerful defensive. It instantly tore through all its layers, before proceeding to open a big hole in it.

In mere seconds Madison was no safer than she was before she activated her spell.