Earth's Greatest Magus

The crowd was abuzz with a mix of surprise, admiration, and criticism.

“That Nephilim young man isn’t weak… but he was careless!” “How could he fall for such an obvious trick?” “That unranked acolyte is clever… much smarter than he appears.”

What most of the crowd didn’t realize was that Hardy’s flashy move with the beads had been a carefully layered strategy, concealing a much deeper secret. While the beads had served their purpose of creating a distraction, Hardy had also used them to mask his true trump card: his time spell.

Cultivating the rare time-based light elements was no easy feat. The complexity of these spells required immense focus and innate talent, which Hardy had struggled to develop.

Despite years of relentless training, he had only managed to form his third pillar. Facing a genius Nephilim acolyte who had reached the peak of rank 9, Hardy understood that he needed to rely on misdirection and an element of surprise.

Unfortunatly, the second Nephilim acolyte was no fool. Unlike his careless predecessor, this one was a spirit reader who had seen through Hardy’s previous tricks.

“You have some unique skills… unfortunately, none of them will work against me!” the Nephilim declared, his voice dripping with arrogance.

The second Nephilim acolyte stood poised and ready. His mental resilience made it more difficult for Hardy to cast a time spell against him, and to make matters worse, he wielded the Nephilim’s famous soaring shuttles—a dozen sharp, elliptical metallic objects that hovered in the air like a predator circling its prey. Each shuttle gleamed with a faint light, its edges deadly sharp as they whizzed around with remarkable speed and precision.

Hardy found himself at a disadvantage almost immediately.

The shuttles darted in from multiple directions, attacking him from every conceivable angle. He could barely keep up, using his lightsaber to deflect the strikes. His agility and reflexes helped him for a while, but the limitations of his physique quickly became apparent. The sheer force behind each shuttle’s strike made his arms tremble with pain after just a few blows. His grip on the lightsaber weakened slightly, and the numbness in his hands threatened to become overwhelming.

In a matter of seconds, Hardy was being pushed further and further back, cornered by the relentless assault. His opponent maintained a comfortable distance, effortlessly controlling the shuttles from afar. It was clear this Nephilim was playing with him, confident in his superior abilities.

After a particularly hard clash, Hardy’s hands quivered violently. He could feel the pain radiating up his arms, his body aching under the strain.

Hardy glanced toward his teammates who cheering him on and then toward the thousands of audience. Taking a deep breath, Hardy muttered under his breath, “I guess no more secrets… time to flex my true strenght.”

With fierce resolve, he made multiple gestures with his hands, summoning the dormant glowing runes that had long been sealed within him. They ignited across his skin like liquid fire, illuminating him with a radiant light.

These runes, which had confined his potential for so long, now served a new purpose. He directed the energy within, flowing it in reverse, and felt an exhilarating surge as it unleashed his full power, pushing him into the peak of rank 9.

“Time to fight back!!” he shouted, emboldened by the transformation.

Without hesitation, Hardy cast a powerful [Temporal Barrier], conjuring a shimmering field of energy that enveloped him like a protective cocoon. The shuttles that had been relentlessly bombarding him were abruptly halted mid-flight, suspended in time for a fleeting moment. The arena erupted in gasps, the audience in disbelief at what they were witnessing.

“Is that a time spell?! Did I see it right?!” “That acolyte has been hiding his ability!! Who is he?!”

The energy barrier pulsed with brilliance, reflecting Hardy’s determination.

Hardy’s lightsaber gleamed as he darted forward, a blur of motion, casting between [Accelerate] and [Decelerate] to weave through the battlefield with mesmerizing agility.

His manipulation of time gave him an unparalleled advantage; the Nephilim acolyte’s attacks seemed to move in slow motion, while Hardy danced around them with near-inhuman speed.

The battle dragged on for several minutes, each fighter pushing their limits in a tense duel of endurance. On the surface, the match appeared evenly balanced, with neither side giving an inch.

However, Hardy with his heightened concentration began to study the Nephilim’s movements, recognizing subtle patterns and tendencies in the way his opponent launched his attacks. With each exchange, Hardy chipped away at the Nephilim’s defenses, learning more and more. Then, finally, his moment came. He spotted the weakness in his adversary’s formation and seized it.

In a blinding surge of speed, Hardy dashed forward, his lightsaber aimed with deadly precision. Time seemed to slow as he executed a series of rapid strikes, his blade connected, landing a critical blow that left his opponent reeling. In a swift, decisive motion, Hardy incapacitated the Nephilim, bringing the battle to an abrupt and conclusive end.

“Hardy Kaleos Win!!”

The entire arena erupted into deafening cheers. Thousands of acolytes, instructors, and guests roared in approval, the sound reverberating throughout the massive coliseum. Hardy had secured his second win, and with it, he had solidified his place in the spotlight.

“Unbelievable! He did it again!”

“Two wins! This guy’s no ordinary fighter!”

“Wait… he’s from the Kaleos faction?”

“It seems Hall 33 isn’t exclusive to lower realm acolytes,”

Hardy’s victory had sent waves through the crowd, fueling the excitement in the arena.

However, as eager as he was to continue proving himself, Emery made the call to pull him back. The concern in Emery’s eyes was clear—using his sealed abilities came at a cost, and prolonged use would undoubtedly strain Hardy’s health.

“You did well,” Emery said firmly, “Let the others continue”

With Hardy back on the sidelines, the score stood at 2-1 in Hall 33’s favor. Their unexpected wins against the renowned Nephilim Hall had garnered admiration and curiosity from the onlookers, but the match was far from over.