The silence on the training ground felt thick, heavy with the lingering ozone from Akira’s assault.
Nico Reyes stepped forward, his expression a mask of nervous but resolute determination.
He looked small and unassuming, especially after Akira’s explosive display, his simple glaive grimoire, Lianghai, held loosely in his hand.
The audience watched, their expectations reset, a quiet, almost sympathetic murmur rippling through the crowd.
Nico walked to the center of the field. He didn’t face his designated training dummy. Instead, he turned to face the line of recruits.
His eyes found Akira.
“Sir,” Nico said, his voice clear and steady. He was addressing Sir Agamor, but his eyes were locked on the prodigy.
“For my demonstration… I would like to request assistance from Akira Kendo.”
A wave of shocked murmurs erupted from the audience. The recruits exchanged confused glances.
On the viewing platform, Miguel raised an eyebrow. A slow, intrigued smile spread across his face.
“Is that even allowed?” he asked Killian.
“There’s no rule against it,” Killian replied with a shrug. His eyes glinted with amusement.
“The test is to demonstrate mastery. How he does it is up to him.”
Gabriel, who had been watching with a serene, impassive expression, simply gave a single, permissive nod.
Akira looked at Nico. His expression was a mixture of irritation and grudging curiosity.
“You want me to help you?” he asked. His voice dripped with condescension.
“Yes,” Nico replied. His gaze was unwavering.
“I want you to hit me with your final attack. The bullet of wind thingy.”
The entire training ground went silent. The recruits stared at Nico as if he had lost his mind.
Even Akira seemed taken aback. His arrogant smirk faltered for a fraction of a second.
“Are you stupid?”
Akira sneered. “That spell isn’t a toy. It will punch a hole right through you.”
“I know,” Nico said. His voice was calm and steady.
“I’m counting on it. Unless… you don’t think you can’t control it enough not to kill me?”
The challenge hung in the air. It was a perfect, inescapable trap.
A muscle twitched in Akira’s jaw. He looked at Gendric. Gendric gave him a single, almost imperceptible nod.
“Fine,” Akira spat. He drew his katana Akimaru.
“But don’t come crying to me when you’re coughing up a lung.”
He took his stance. His focus was absolute. He thrust his katana forward. His voice was a sharp, clean report in the silent courtyard.
“AKIMARU! PIERCING WIND!”
- Spell Tag On Grimoire: Akimaru + Piercing Wind{風の弾丸}
- Phonetic: Akimaru (Grimoire Name) + Kaze no dangan (base)
- Japanese Base Spell Translation: “Bullet of wind”
A piercing, invisible shot of compressed wind. It was so fast it was visible only as a faint distortion in the air. It erupted from the tip of his blade.
It screamed towards Nico.
Nico didn’t flinch. He didn’t raise his glaive. He simply held out his empty, open hand.
His expression was a mask of pure, unshakeable focus. He spoke his own command. His voice was a quiet, firm anchor against the storm.
“LIANGHAI! NULLIFY!”
- Spell Tag On Grimoire: Lianghai + Nullify{Pawiin ang puwersa}
- Phonetic: Lianghai (Grimoire Name) + Pawiin ang puwersa (base)
- Tagalog Base Spell Translation: “Nullify the force”
The invisible bullet of wind screamed across the courtyard. It was a projectile of pure kinetic force. It should tear through flesh and bone as easily as paper.
It was a lethal, unstoppable attack.
Until it wasn’t.
The projectile hit an unseen barrier. It was about a foot in front of Nico’s outstretched palm. There was no explosion. No flash of light. The kinetic energy of the attack simply… vanished.
It was absorbed, dissipated, unmade in a single, silent instant. A gentle, harmless breeze washed over Nico, ruffling his hair. The only evidence that an attack was ever launched was that breeze.
The entire audience was stunned into silence. Akira stared, his jaw slightly agape. His mind struggled to grasp what had just happened. He had felt the power leave his blade. He had seen the distortion in the air. The spell was perfect.
Yet, it had done nothing.
In the viewing stands, Miguel let out a low, appreciative whistle.
“Okay. He turned the strongest recruit into his personal training dummy. Proved his point. And didn’t even break a sweat. The kid has balls.”
“I like him.”
Anansi, standing beside Lady Seraphina, nodded thoughtfully. A rare, impressed smile touched his face.
“His control is remarkable,” he said. His voice was a low, melodic baritone.
“To nullify kinetic energy so completely, without any visible effort… it speaks to a calm and centered mind. A powerful trait for a defender, or a healer.”
Gendric just grunted. It was a sound of pure, unadulterated approval.
“He’s still too defensive,” he rumbled, “but he’s learning how to use the shield as a weapon. Good.”
Ruby beamed. She turned to Killian with a triumphant grin.
“Nico’s a total badass. He just doesn’t show it off.”
Carter watched. A slow, impressed smile spread across his own face.
Smart. Really smart. He knew he couldn’t match Akira’s power, so he used it. Turned Akira’s own strength against him.
Down on the field, Nico gave a single, respectful nod to Akira. Akira stared for a moment in stunned silence.
Then, he returned the nod. It was a look of grudging respect. Nico then turned to his own designated training dummy.
His expression was now one of cool, quiet confidence. He raised his glaive, Lianghai. He spoke his final command.
His voice resonated with a newfound power.
“LIANGHAI. LAUNCH!”
- Spell Tag On Grimoire: Lianghai + Launch{Create spears of stone + ihagis ang mga ito nang may malaking puwersa}
- Phonetic: Lianghai (Grimoire Name) + Create spears of stone (base) + ihagis ang mga ito nang may malaking puwersa (effect)
- English Base Spell Translation: “Create spears of stone”
- Tagalog Effect Spell Translation: “and hurl them with great force”
The flagstones at Nico’s feet trembled. A low, grinding sound filled the air.
A dozen spears of solid, gray rock erupted from the ground. Each one was perfectly shaped like his glaive’s blade.
They hovered in the air around him, held by invisible hands. For a fraction of a second, they hung there. A silent, menacing corona of stone.
Then, Nico thrust his glaive forward.
The stone spears, wrapped in the same shimmering, invisible kinetic energy he used for his shield, launched themselves forward. They didn’t just fly. They accelerated. A volley of silent, deadly projectiles crossed the fifty feet to the training dummy in the blink of an eye.
The impacts were not the dull thud of rock on straw. They were a series of sharp, explosive cracks.
Like a string of firecrackers. Each spear punched clean through the dummy.
The kinetic force of the impact blew out the back of the straw stuffed figure in a shower of shredded material.
The dummy was left a tattered, impaled ruin.
It was a testament to the devastating offensive power of a mage who, just moments before, had seemed to be a pure defender.
The demonstration was over. Nico stood for a moment. His chest heaved slightly.
The quiet confidence on his face was a stark contrast to the nervous, hesitant boy who first stepped onto the field.
He had not only passed his test. He had redefined his own limits.
In the viewing stands, the leaders were visibly impressed.
“Now that,” Miguel said. A slow, appreciative grin spread across his face. “Is how you make an impression.”
“He took the biggest threat on the field. Used him to showcase his own unique skill. And then demonstrated a level of offensive power no one was expecting.”
Freya, for the first time, looked genuinely intrigued.
“His control is… absolute,” she said. Her voice was a low, analytical murmur. “To absorb that much energy and then repurpose it with such precision… he has the discipline of a veteran.”
“He would be valuable on any team.”
Killian just smirked. He turned to Ruby.
“The quiet ones are the most dangerous.”
“Is that why you like Carter? Haha,” Ruby said as she chuckled a bit.
Sir Agamor stepped forward. A look of profound, scholarly approval was on his face.
“An excellent and… insightful demonstration, Mr. Reyes. Your tactical application of your affinity is most impressive. Take your place.”
Nico gave a respectful bow. He walked back to the line, his head held high. The other recruits looked at him with a newfound respect.
He is not just the quiet, defensive one anymore. He is a warrior. A warrior with a mind as sharp as any blade.
The chapter ends. Sir Agamor’s gaze moved to the next recruit. His voice echoed across the now-silent courtyard.
“Ms. Hellen. You are next.”