CHAPTER 323: CHAPTER 323 PRACTICE DUEL [PART 2]

The sudden rise threw off his balance, and now the sharp ice spikes Isabella fired were coming right at him.

"Tch...clever but not enough" Ethan muttered.

[Static Surge]

A spark of electricity ran across his body and the next moment he wasn’t on the platform Crystal raised anymore instead he was on the ground beside Varek yet again.

Mabel who was now holding Varek off was surprised as Ethan just appeared behind Varek, she immediately backed away.

"Unbelievable..." Mabel whispered, sweat on her forehead, she knew just now Ethan could have hit her from behind if he wanted, all of this and he was still just playing with the fight.

"So your plan is to hid behind your summon, I thought you wanted to fight" Edith muttered as the girls got together.

"I don’t think you want that, if I take this seriously, it wouldn’t be a fair fight" Ethan replied as he stepped to Varek’s side.

"Giving excuses" Edith replied.

"Alright then, let’s go all out" Ethan spoke.

"Wind Cutter!" Mabel fired a spell almost immediately.

Sharp blades of air sliced toward Ethan but he reacted instantly.

[Wind Gust]

A strong blast blew some of them aside, but two cut through, scratching his arm lightly. He winced, feeling the sting.

"First blood!" Edith smirked.

Ethan chuckled. "Not bad. Just wanted you girls to have something"

"Freya!!" Isabella shouted as all of them jumped backwards.

[Dark Bind]

A shadow shot up under Freya’s feet. She jumped back fast, but that was a distraction as Varek used [Dash] and was already beside her, his huge sword swinging down.

Her body exploded with flames as she blocked the sword, the heat exploding outward, but Varek struck again and this time with the side of the sword, the force alone sent her tumbling across the floor.

As that was happening Edith was already going for Ethan.

Edith dashed in again, lightning sparking all over her body. "Lightning Fist!" Her hand glowed bright as she swung at Ethan.

[Lightning Cloak]

[Static Surge]

Ethan caught her punch with one hand. The sparks burned against his skin, but his own lightning Cloak protected him.

A grin formed on his face as he muttered. "Got you."

Edith’s eyes widened, but before she could move, Ethan pulled her closer and bumped her shoulder with his hands.

"That’s one."

"Damn it!" Edith cursed as she pulled back. The rule was clear, if he touched with his hand, it counted. She had lost.

"Four left," Ethan said as he looked over at the girls and Varek was gone.

Crystal’s hands were on the ground and he could feel her infusing Mana, the girls had successfully trapped him underground.

Freya immediately turned her eyes towards Ethan, her body glowing with red flames. She raised her hand high. "Take cover" She spoke before unleashing her spell.

"Flame Cloak Burst!"

A giant wave of fire spread across the training ground, swallowing everything, Crystal blocked with a stone wall, and Mabel covered herself with some kind of barrier.

When the fire subsided, the girls looked about, panting.

"Where is he?" Isabella spoke, frost creeping around her arms.

Shadows curled around her ankles just then. She shrieked as Ethan appeared in front of her.

"Too slow." His hand touched her shoulder.

"No!" Isabella screamed, trying to turn him to ice where he stood, but it was already too late.

"That makes two." Ethan muttered as the girls looked behind him and saw Varek.

After the spell Ethan simply cancelled the summoning and resummon Varek again, and now Ethan was holding his sword, not because he wanted to use it but his Mana was already low.

Ethan snarled. "Varek attack"

Varek stepped forward, his huge sword glimmering a bit. He slammed it into the barrier Mabel had created.

The first hit cracked it. The second hit broke it, shimmering pieces of magic dissipating in the air.

"Now!" shrieked Crystal.

She slammed her hand down, and the ground erupted in jagged stone spikes in every direction. Mabel pushed the air outward at the same time, a Wind Gust powerful enough to make even Varek stumble backward.

But Ethan stood up behind them, his figure rising out of the shadows. "Dark Bind."

Dark tendrils erupted, wrapping around Mabel’s arms before she had a chance to cast a spell! He stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Three."

Now only Crystal and Freya were left.

"Darn it... we can’t lose here!" Freya yelled, flames swirling about her entire body. The heat was so extreme the air warped as she prepared to cast a spell.

She raised both her arms, and fire created a massive dragon head above her, even Ethan was a little surprised.

Crystal aided her, creating walls of rock to seal off any escape route before covering her self too. "Now, Freya!"

The fire dragon bellowed and threw itself forward, the blast so powerful even Varek’s armor rippled under the heat.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he cast a spell.

[Black Lightning]

The air parted, black lightning arcing around him. The bolt erupted out, slamming into the fire dragon.

The two attacks collided, fire and lightning mixing together before tearing apart in a massive explosion. The shockwave knocked everyone off their feet.

The training area was cloudy with dust. When the dust cleared, Ethan was still standing, breathless. His arm was burned, but he was smiling.

"You two are strong," he acknowledged.

Crystal fought her way to her feet, her stone armor cracked. Freya also stood, her flames reduced but still burning.

"Not enough," Ethan said.

He attacked this time. Freya flung fire, Crystal raised stone, but Varek cut through the wall while Ethan ducked under, his form blurring with shadows.

He appeared in front of Freya. She screamed and tried to raise her flames, but Ethan touched her chest gently pushing her to the ground.

"Four."

The flames around her vanished, and she fell onto her knees, panting.

Crystal was the last one. She snarled and created a stone golem from the ground, the form looked wobly and Ethan knew she was still practicing the spell.

"Varek, handle it," Ethan ordered.

The knight charged, his sword piercing the golem’s chest in one swipe. The stone giant fell.

Crystal flinched, perspiring. Ethan dashed towards her his hand settled on her shoulder.

"That makes five."

Crystal stiffened, then let her breath out in resignation as the rock around her exploded.

Ethan let his breath out slowly, lowering his hand. "And that’s the match."

Varek stood tall beside him, while the girls sat or knelt on the earth, spent.

"You girls really pushed me," Ethan said with a small grin. "But I told you from the start...you wouldn’t win"