CHAPTER 95: CAN YOU HANDLE SOMEONE FIERY LIKE ME

Jae stretched his arms high above his head until his shoulders gave a satisfying crack, then rolled his neck from side to side with a slow, deliberate motion.

A low sigh escaped him, somewhere between weariness and readiness. "Alright, let’s go" he said at last, letting out a yawn he didn’t bother to hide. The sound was unhurried, almost lazy, but his eyes were alert. He tapped Elise lightly on the shoulder as he stepped past her. "You stay here and keep recovering."

Elise narrowed her eyes in mild suspicion, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Don’t overdo it," she called after him, her voice carrying just enough warning to make it clear she meant it.

"I won’t," he replied, glancing back with an easy grin that gave nothing away before striding toward Tirel.

Tirel had been watching him long before he reached her. Her eyes followed his movements with open interest, as if cataloguing every subtle shift of his posture.

When they finally met halfway, she tilted her chin in greeting, then gestured with a flick of her hand. "Let’s use that section over there," she suggested, pointing toward a more open corner of the hall.

The place she indicated was set apart from the others, wide enough for free movement, the polished floor reflecting the faint golden glow of scattered mana lights overhead.

The warmth in the air was subtle but constant, a lingering byproduct of the nearby sparring matches. There was a hum to the space, a quiet mix of heat, energy, and expectation.

Once they reached their chosen spot, Tirel turned to face him fully. She brushed a lock of fiery hair over her shoulder, the strands catching the light in brief flashes of copper and gold.

"I saw the way you formed that flame sword earlier," she began, her tone measured and almost analytical. "The consistency was... different. It didn’t behave like any flame I’ve ever conjured. How did you do it?"

Jae tilted his head slightly, weighing his answer. He could have shrugged it off, but instead, he decided on a middle ground. "I’m not just a fire mage," he said after a beat. "What you saw wasn’t normal flame. I’ve got something called the Dragonfire. That’s probably why it feels different."

The term caught her attention immediately. Her eyes brightened, curiosity sharpening her expression. "Dragonfire..." she repeated slowly, as though tasting the words and finding them to her liking. Then her lips curved into a faint, intrigued smile. "You are so fascinating, Jae. It makes me want to get to know you more."

His smirk came easily, a subtle shift of expression that carried more challenge than charm. "Then why don’t you?"

Her smile deepened, though there was calculation behind it. "I want to," she admitted with disarming honesty. "But you’re always with Elise and Yuna. I wasn’t sure if getting too close would... cause trouble."

Jae shrugged, unconcerned. "They don’t really mind."

That earned him a sharper smirk, one that hinted at satisfaction. "I’m pleased to learn that," she said, her voice dipping into something low and deliberate.

For a moment, they just studied each other, the air between them growing denser, not tense exactly, but alive with mutual appraisal.

Then Tirel’s gaze shifted, and a spark of challenge flared in her eyes. "But tell me, can you handle someone as fiery as me?"

The easy answer about Yuna nearly slipped out, but Jae caught it and kept it behind his teeth. Instead, he let his grin widen just enough to show teeth. "Guess we’ll have to find out together."

They both stepped back in unison, the space between them widening until it was just enough for a proper match.

The noise from the rest of the hall faded to a dull backdrop. All that mattered now was the other standing in front of them

Jae let his mana rise, feeling it pulse through his veins like molten steel. A blade of pure, blazing energy took shape in his hand, its molten edges glowing with a heat that shimmered the air. It was heavier than normal fire, denser, and the power in it was unmistakable.

Tirel summoned her own weapon with a flick of her wrist. A sleek flameblade burst into life, its orange glow almost delicate in comparison to his, the tip flickering like a candle teased by wind. "Ready?" she asked, her stance already set.

"Always," Jae answered without hesitation.

They moved in the same heartbeat.

The clash rang out sharp and metallic despite their blades being made of fire. Sparks of heat scattered in the air, the brief flare lighting their faces.

Jae’s strength pushed through her guard, forcing her a half-step backward. The pressure made her blade shiver before she steadied it again, jaw tightening.

"You hit harder than I expected," Tirel said, her grin quick but genuine.

"You’ll get used to it," he replied, already pressing forward.

Instead of meeting his advance directly, Tirel shifted. She broke her stance and began to launch fireballs, two quick shots first, testing his reactions, then three more in rapid succession.

Jae slipped between them with ease, his movements fluid. Most he avoided with a sidestep or a lean, but for two of them, he let his Ember Step technique flare to life.

The air warped around him, heat distorting her view. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to track him, but the afterimage made her misjudge his position. And then, he was simply there, far closer than she had anticipated

She brought her blade up instinctively just as his sword came down. The collision sent a wave of heat across them, forcing both to grit their teeth against the scorch.

She twisted for a counterstrike, but he was already sidestepping, blade flashing as he closed the gap again.

The fight settled into a rhythm, an exchange of fire and footwork. Tirel moved with quick, darting strikes, her body always in motion, while Jae’s style was steadier, each attack carrying weight and intention.

She tried to circle him, using bursts of flame to limit his movement, but his control over the Dragonfire let him cut through her attacks as if they were smoke.

"You really aren’t like other fire mages," she admitted between exchanges, her breathing quicker now.

"Told you," he said, grin still maddeningly intact.

With another push forward, he drove forward into the edge of her space.