CHAPTER 181: EVALUATION TEST [7]

Air exploded from his lungs. His body lifted off the ground, flying backward.

CRASH!

He slammed into one of the stone pillars. His back hit hard, head snapping forward from the impact. The pillar cracked slightly where he collided.

Alaric stayed there for a moment. Breathing. His chest ached where the kick had landed.

Then he pushed himself up. Steady despite the pain. His hand came up, wiped at his chin where blood had split his lip.

He’s strong.

Luke stood in the center, katana still ready. He tilted his head slightly.

"Still wanna go?"

Alaric rolled his shoulders. Cracked his neck... once left, once right. The sound echoed in the quiet room.

"I’m just getting started."

His eyes hardened.

[Burst Step!]

Flames erupted beneath his feet.

He shot forward.

Luke’s katana came up to intercept.

But Alaric twisted mid-movement. His hand swept outward.

[Fireball!]

The sphere of flame manifested instantly and shot toward Luke’s face.

Luke’s head jerked back. The fireball scorched past, close enough that heat washed over his skin.

But Alaric was already inside his guard.

His fist drove toward Luke’s ribs, wreathed in fire.

Clang!

Luke’s Iron Body flared. The punch connected but the metallic sheen absorbed most of the impact.

Luke spun, katana sweeping low.

Alaric jumped. Flames propelling him upward and backward.

"Flame Arrow!"

Three bolts. Then five. Then seven.

He fired them in rapid succession, each one aimed at different angles.

Luke deflected all of them. But he was moving harder now, actually having to work for it.

"Wait... " The girl’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward. "Is he actually—"

"Pushing Luke back," The thing boy finished, voice awed. "Holy shit, he’s pushing him back."

Gareth’s jaw hung open. "How much essence does this guy have?"

Faelar said nothing. His grin had vanished completely. His pale green eyes tracked Alaric’s movements with something like disbelief. His jaw tight.

Bastard.

Alaric did a backflip, avoiding a slash. His breathing had picked up but his focus remained sharp.

Let’s check this one.

His eyes pulsed once.

His right hand crackled, not with red-orange flame but with bright blue lightning. Electricity arced between his fingers, sparking and snapping.

[Lightning Bolt!]

The bolt shot forward. Blinding. Fast.

Luke’s eyes widened. He tried to dodge—

CRACK!

The lightning caught his shoulder. His body seized, muscles locking up for a split second. The metallic sheen of Iron Body flickered.

He stumbled.

"WHAT!"

"Did he just—"

"He have dual affinities?!"

Gareth’s jaw had practically dropped. "He have both fire AND lightning..."

Faelar stood abruptly. "That’s impossible. No one from has more than one—"

But his words died as the fight continued.

Alaric pressed the advantage.

[Burst Step!]

He closed the distance again. His left hand ignited with flame, right still crackling with lightning.

[Flame Arrow!]

Luke raised his katana to deflect—

[Lightning Bolt!]

The electricity hit his blade. Conducted through the metal. His grip spasmed.

Alaric’s flame-wreathed fist drove toward the katana’s hilt.

CLANG!

The katana flew from Luke’s grip. Spun through the air and clattered against the far wall.

Silence.

Luke stood there, hand still raised from where his weapon had been. His eyes locked on Alaric.

Alaric stood three feet away. Both hands still glowing, one with fire, one with lightning. His chest heaving.

But his eyes were sharp. Focused.

Luke stared at him for a long moment.

Then Luke smiled. Wider this time.

"I yield."

Gasps erupted around the room.

"What—"

"He can’t be serious—"

Alaric blinked. His hands still glowing, ready to continue.

Luke straightened.

Rolled his shoulder where the lightning had hit.

"I’m a warrior. My blade is my foundation, my discipline, my honor."

His eyes met Alaric’s. "To fight without it isn’t just disadvantage. It’s abandoning what makes me who I am. A warrior without their weapon is already defeated... the rest is just delaying the inevitable."

He said it simply.

"Oh. Okay."

The lightning around Alaric’s right hand crackled once more, then died. The flames on his left flickered out, leaving only wisps of smoke curling from his fingertips.

Luke walked past him toward the wall. Bent down and retrieved his katana. The blade caught the light as he examined it, checking for damage from the lightning. Finding none, he sheathed it smoothly.

He turned back to face the room. "That concludes your evaluations. You’re dismissed."

His gaze swept over the other students—still standing there stunned—before landing back on Alaric.

"Good fight."

The words carried genuine respect.

Alaric just nodded. Once.

Then turned and walked toward the door. Pushed it open. Stepped into the corridor beyond.

The door closed behind him with a soft click.

[77+DP]

[128+DP]

[100+DP]

...

...

The corridor stretched ahead of him. Afternoon light filtered through high windows, painting long rectangles across the stone floor.

Alaric kept walking. His pace steady.

He lifted both hands in front of him. Stared at them.

Clenched his fists. Opened them. Clenched again.

"I didn’t know I could use them at the same time."

The words came out quiet. Almost wondering.

Fire and lightning. Dual affinities. Switching between them was one thing.

But simultaneously?

That was different. To him of course, as he hadn’t encountered anyone doing this before.

Alaric emerged from the corridor along with the flow of other students streaming toward the exits.

Voices rose around him, excited chatter about the evaluations, relief that they were finally over.

The tests had concluded. Which meant a week off. Break granted to all students.

Though, academy rarely gave extended leave mid-term. But maybe due to the recent attack or... Whatever.

Alaric shoved past a cluster of students and headed toward the parking section.

It was a wide courtyard where carriages waited in neat rows. Family crests decorated the doors. Coachmen stood beside their vehicles.

He walked until he reached a black carriage.

The coachman straightened, gave a respectful bow. "Young master."

Alaric glanced inside through the window.

It was empty.

So she isn’t done with her test yet.

He leaned back against the carriage. Crossed his arms. Let his gaze wander across the courtyard as one by one, other carriages began rolling out. Students climbing aboard with their bags.

The crowd thinned gradually.

A few moments passed.

Then—

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Alaric turned his head at the sound of the footsteps.

A girl walked toward him through the remaining students. Scarlet hair cascading down her shoulders, strands catching the noon light like fire. Golden eyes fixed straight ahead.

Just as she drew closer, Alaric’s lips curled into a smirk.

"Took your sweet time, huh?" His voice carried that familiar teasing edge. "Did the examiner get such a liking to you that he kept you there longer?"

He repeated her exact words—the same lines she’d thrown at him after their entrance exam.

Word for word.

Elina’s jaw tightened immediately. Her golden eyes flashed.

She didn’t say anything. Just shoved him aside with force making him stumble slightly.

She yanked the carriage door open. Hurled herself inside.

And...

BAM!

The door slammed shut with enough force to make the entire carriage rock.

"Get the carriage moving. He can come back crawling."