437 VS Flying Leaves (5)

I was busy the past few days, so I bring two chapters today. I should post tomorrow as well. Wish me luck...

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Domain, also known as 'Territory'.

This technique consisted of spreading mana to the surroundings, creating a space around oneself where one's abilities were strengthened while the enemy was weakened.

The concept behind this ability was very simple, however, it was very hard to execute. After all, the amount of mana and control needed to put it into practice was exorbitant.

Due to it, this kind of technique was usually used only by demigods, and even if a non-demigod used it, it was usually incomplete.

Today, however, Aya had shown her own 'Domain'.

[Night Symphony].

A complete and almost perfect domain. Through this technique, Aya could create a space of darkness and stillness around her. Inside this space, the enemy would lose both sight and hearing, and even their control over mana would be greatly affected. Aya, on the other hand, had her senses enhanced and could use the darkness to move inside her domain freely.

The power of this domain was overwhelming. Much higher than the half-assed domains that Bloed had seen until now. In fact, it was not wrong to say that this domain was at the level of a demigod.

It was so strong that none of the people outside the stage could see what was happening inside the domain. Only Bloed (through his eyes), Regina, and the demigod in charge of the battle could see what was happening inside.

That was the reason the demigod was surprised. He could not believe that a technique of this level could be seen in a girl barely fifteen years old.

However, the person most surprised was the young man facing Aya.

All of sudden, his sight and hearing were gone and he was consumed by overwhelming darkness.

Having lost his two most important senses, the young man could not help but panic.

He tried to use his mana to detect Aya, but it was then that the Cloak of Tiabennes came into use. It hid Aya's aura almost completely, making it impossible for the young man to detect her.

And then–

*Swish!*

A dagger pierced the young man's back.

The expression of the young man changed. He could feel the barrier he had cast beforehand being pierced easily as the dagger advanced towards the location of his heart.

In a hurry, the young man waved his hand, casting a spell on the direction of the attack.

[Heatwave]!

The spell created a bubble filled with hot air that exploded in the direction where the attack was coming, repelling Aya's attack.

However, the young man did not have any way to know if his attack was successful or not.

But in the next second–

*Swish!*

Another dagger cut towards him from a completely different direction.

Followed by another, and another, and another, and another.

Dagger after dagger attacked the young man continuously, stabbing towards his heart, neck, abdomen, and head.

The numerous dagger attacks made the young man flustered. He barely managed to defend against them by casting barrier after barrier spells, one after another. However, it was obvious that he would lose if the situation continued like that!

In fact, if not that the young man's mana was a rank above Aya, and that he could be considered a genius among A-Ranks, he would have been defeated long ago!

Unbeknownst to him, Aya's situation was not much better. Right now, although she was attacking the young man non-stop and fiercely, her forehead was filled with sweat, and her breath had turned raged.

[Night Symphony] was a technique that she had created recently. She only finished creating it two days ago after a burst of inspiration.

But it consumed a lot of mana.

Even Aya did not expect that the domain she created would be so powerful and would consume so much mana. It was not a technique a B-Rank was supposed to possess!

And because of that, the mana inside her body was too little to sustain this technique for a long time.

She could only keep it for thirty seconds. After that, she would run out of mana!

Aware of that, Aya intensified attack speed.

Her daggers moved silently inside the domain of darkness, cutting towards her enemy as two fangs ready to tear him apart.

One after another, her daggers cut the barriers of the young man, destroying them quickly as she tried to cut him down.

But suddenly, her expression changed.

The fur of her tail stood up, and her heart started to beat faster. Her instincts as a beastkin were warning her of danger.

Looking at the young man, she saw an expression of calm on his face despite her fierce attacks.

Then, he opened his mouth.

"[Explosion]." He spoke.

In the next instant–

*BOOM!!!*

A powerful explosion occurred with him as the center.

Aya opened her eyes wide in terror. She hurriedly jumped back, using the darkness to move as far from the young man as possible.

However, the explosion was faster than her. In an instant, it consumed everything, swallowing the darkness entirely.

"Aya!" The cat girl heard a worried voice calling to her, however, she did not have the leisure to pay it any attention.

Feeling the heat of the flames, she hurriedly use as much of her mana as she could to create a barrier around her and protect herself.

When the explosion finally finished, the two combatants appeared in the arena.

The young man was standing in his previous location, panting heavily with a pale face, but completely uninjured. Meanwhile, Aya was kneeling a few meters away with several burns on her skin as she held her daggers firmly with a stubborn expression on her face.

Her black eyes gleamed sharply, staring at the young man like a predator ready to attack her prey.

Then, she slowly stood up.

"… You must be joking." The young man muttered with an ashen expression. He had used most of his mana in the previous attack!

Right now, he could barely stand.

Watching the cat girl standing up and walking towards him, the young man could not help but feel a trace of fear.

But then–

*Cough!*

The black-haired cat girl spat out a mouthful of blood, and her body collapsed.

Before she could touch the ground, though, she was caught by a pair of warms arms.

The last thing the cat girl saw before falling unconscious was a pair of worried blue eyes.