CHAPTER 55: Challenge

The feeling of nostalgia and warmth of a loved one filled Irene's heart. She recognized that mana behind Levi's back; after all, it had been five years since she last felt it. However, to this day, Irene never forgot her beacon of strength and hope—someone she looked up to and wished to be bicker with until her final breath.

"How did he heal you?"

Irene asked Levi, once again prompting him to slip up in his answers.

"He used that golden string techni—why do you need to know about all this?"

'She probably knows. Acting dumb is the only way to dampen her curiosity flames.'

The more Levi answered, the more Irene sensed him sinking into her trap. Silence was the key here; instead of him answering, it would be better for Irene to ask.

"That mana on your back, it feels familiar… quite familiar, I should say."

'She knows.'

Levi's best option now was to delay any further information. If Irene met her older sister and told her she found out about it from Levi, he was in a hell of trouble.

"Professor Ryan did heal you back then, that's why it feels familiar."

Levi then stepped aside to walk past Irene, and this time, she didn't stop him.

"Are you sure lying is the best option right now?"

Irene wanted to hear the truth from Levi's mouth rather than acting like a creep and following his actions. If what she guessed was true, then again, she would have a box of questions, and Levi was the key to it.

"Why would I lie, Irene? We aren't close enough anyway that I need to tell you about where I go, whom I meet. Keep your nose out of it."

Levi opted for a straight and rude answer, which pricked Irene's conscience. Not because they weren't close, but Levi never let down his wall for her. Levi could only delay the inevitable as he walked by, thinking of ways to stop Irene for a while.

"We aren't close, Levi, but why are you everywhere I need? Why are you close with her… just why are you a missing puzzle that would never fit… because you never let it happen."

She shouted, unlike her calm demeanor. Her voice echoed down the barren hall, reaching his ears, but his body kept walking, ignoring her emotionally charged words. Irene didn't love Levi, but since he saved her, she wanted to know more about him, apologize, and, if he allowed, be friends.

Levi would never give her a concrete answer, but there was no need to be impatient. Her eyes still glued to the mana… a wandering feeling returning to her.

******

"Haaa… was I this bad at hiding secrets?"

Levi, being a psycho, never felt things, so lying to him came like second nature; hiding secrets was like child's play to him. But Irene's eyes noticed even the subtlest of things. Levi did override Irene's mana with his own, but an E-rank's mana couldn't compare to one of the strongest of her age.

Right now, he didn't have much time to think about others; his focus was on the duel against Eliza tomorrow. He couldn't cheat so [Essence]. His archery skills too could take Eliza by surprise. Though winning against her wouldn't be easy. Levi had killed many awakeners of higher rank than him, but Eliza would be different. Most of the time, he fought his enemies, taking them by the element of surprise and killing them.

His goal for fighting Eliza wasn't taking her life but being a fuel for her to see the lion hearts' flame burn through the darkness and soar higher than anyone. Not because he wanted to, but that is what the world will need.

*****

[Next Day]

Levi scouted through the city and finally reached the spot for the duel. Yesterday, Jack came knocking on his door. With shaky and sweaty hands, he handed a paper to Levi.

[Come to the X-X-X location in the city by 7 pm].

A clear message without any hidden intentions. She had been waiting for this moment and wouldn't want to lose a chance like this.

In front of Levi was a large training ground run by the adventurers' guild for their awakeners to train. Booking a place for a duel in it unless you are an affiliated awakener was impossible. But, how could they reject the offer of the Duke's daughter?

Once Levi identified himself, a staff from the guild guided him to an empty training spot. The training ground looked like the one in the academy but much smaller and with fewer training dolls. Instead of cement, the area was filled with sand and soil.

Levi looked ahead and saw two faces, and one he didn't think he would see right now.

'Did she think I would cheat?' Fiona stood beside Eliza, frowning at Levi. Her finger tapped on her thighs. She didn't know why the both were fighting. Levi felt Fiona's stare, similar to Irene. Both wanted answers and only he could give them.

All Eliza asked her was to referee the fight and determine the winner. She did question Eliza for the reason for the battle, but her obedient disciple wasn't obedient anymore.

"So, you didn't run," Eliza spoke, her tone sharp and rude, shocking Fiona. Never had she heard or thought Eliza would talk like that to anyone. She looked at Levi and noticed his calm demeanor as if he was used to this.

'How long has this been going on between these two?' Fiona wondered and was ready to ask some questions, but the impatient Lieza took out her sword and pointed it at Levi.

"Professor, please start the duel."

Her eyes locked on Levi, imagining each and every move and also thinking how to counter them. This time, she wanted to have the last laugh.

Levi took out his quiver of arrows and bow. Fiona stepped aside and raised her hands. Her eyes locked with Levi, conveying telepathic messages to him.

'Let's talk after this.' Levi didn't respond as he looked at Eliza's stats.

=Status=

-Name: Eliza Lionheart

-Potential: C

-Current Rank: D

-Profession: Swordsman

-Luck: B 

-Charm: S

=Attributes=

Health: 600/600 

Mana Capacity: 2000/2000 

Strength: 200

Agility: 150

==Skills==

-Mana Detection

-Haste

==Arts==

- Inferno Dance (C->50%)

-Lion's Flame(D->12%)

==Title==

-Inheritor of Lionheart's Legacy(A rank)

]

'What a monster.'

Eliza's attributes were truly fitting of a main character. Levi did have the advantage of titles and traits, but still, her power wasn't negligible. In addition, he didn't know what kind of power her title gave her. He also didn't see this title in Blake, who too was the heir of the Soron, nor on Flynn.

Levi too couldn't figure out the unknown and could only hope it wouldn't change the tide in Eliza's favor. He too activated his cheat and started chanting out his mantra.

'I need to win.'

'I need to win.'

'No… winning is not the point.'

'I can convince Eliza.'

[

—>[Essence] activated

-25% increase in base damage.

-25% increase in critical damage.

-25% increase in critical hit rate.

]

Eliza noticed Levi's aura increase a bit. She knew Levi wasn't strong enough to beat her, but she couldn't help but tighten the grip on her sword anymore. Levi pulled an arrow, aiming right at Eliza's head.

Fiona looked at the two and raised her hand. She hesitated to lower it because she feared the fight could cause a ripple between these two. She didn't want both to be close and be all friends and happy, but being enemies too wasn't the best.

'Just settle your hostility with this duel.' Fiona lowered her hand, and the duel began. Whoever would be the winner, it wouldn't change the fact that both of their lives would be changed, not in a small manner, something that would last for a long time, maybe for infinity and beyond.