86 Chapter 87: Enemy or ally(4)

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Favian's pov:

The arena fell into a hushed silence as the students and teachers alike watched our intense duel unfold before them. Excitement crackled in the air,as the clash between Neil and me became the focal point of the entire exam.

Amidst the sea of eager onlookers, Neil's gaze remained fixed on me, his eyes alight with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. With a short chuckle that cut through the tension like a knife, he spoke up, his voice carrying across the arena.

"So, did you really understand my ability?" he quipped, his voice carrying a hint of mischief.

A smirk played on my lips as I met his gaze, amusement dancing in my eyes. "Yes, I did. I believe that you have the power to multiply the weight of objects you touch, or something like that ..." I replied, the corners of my mouth quirking upward in amusement.

Neil's gaze bore into mine, a flicker of intrigue dancing in his eyes as he absorbed my words. He shook his head slowly, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Not really. I just wanted to put on a performance. I'm in serious need of money, you see, and I needed someone to sponsor me."

I chuckled softly, the sound echoing faintly in the charged atmosphere of the arena. "Well then," I muttered, my voice low and tinged with anticipation. "Let's put on a show for them, shall we?"

With a casual shrug, I rolled my shoulders back, feeling the tension coiled like a spring within me. I cracked my neck with a satisfying pop before swiftly ripping the clothes from my torso, the fabric tearing away with a satisfying rip as I discarded the chainmail with a careless toss.

The crowd murmured in surprise at the sudden display, their eyes widening as they did not understand why I did that

''Seems like you are more shrewd than I gave mind to'' He replied as he watched the scar adorning my torso ''Was it the demon?'' He then asked , to which I nodded

"During the battle, I noticed you did not go for the skin, just on the cloth. Seems like you cannot use your skill on living things, am I correct?" My observation was astute apparently as Neil nodded

"You are,"he confirmed, as a rueful smile tugged the corners of my lips. Neil's insight was sharp, his understanding of my abilities impressively accurate.

"Don't be so moody. You can still impress me," I reassured him, my tone laced with encouragement. "Your skill is very versatile. You are using it too directly. The strongest abilities are always those that keep your enemies on their toes, as they are on the lookout for any possible attack they cannot see."

As Neil absorbed my words, a flicker of determination ignited in his eyes, a silent promise to refine his abilities and rise to the challenge before him.

With a practiced fluidity, Neil slipped into his stance, his movements fluid and controlled, as if he were a dancer stepping onto a stage. I mirrored his actions, adopting my own defensive posture, ready to face whatever he had in store.

As a smile tugged at the corners of Neil's lips, a sense of anticipation hung in the ai. Without warning, he brought his leg down hard against the pavement, the impact sending vibrations rippling through the ground.

To my astonishment, the stone ring beneath me fractured, fissures spiderwebbing outwards like cracks in a mirror. Before I could fully process what was happening, fragments of stone shattered into the air.

With lightning reflexes, Neil seized a handful of the airborne shards.As Neil hurled the stone fragments into the air, they soared high above us, gleaming in the sunlight like stars against the azure sky.

But then, with a sudden and ominous shift, the stones plummeted earthward like boulders cascading down a mountainside. Their descent was swift and relentless.

I watched in astonishment as the once-lightweight stones transformed into deadly projectiles, hurtling towards me with alarming speed. Neil's control over their weight was nothing short of astounding, as apparently he could decide when to change their weight after he touched them.

Realizing the imminent danger, I sprang into action, darting out of the path of the falling stones with agility born of necessity. The ground shook with the impact as the stones crashed down, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

As Neil surged forward, his wooden blade cutting through the air with deadly intent, I sprang into action, summoning forth my skill . With a surge of energy, a long, crimson blade materialized from the side of my hip where I held the vial of blood.

With a swift and decisive motion, I brought the blood blade up to parry Neil's strike, the clash of steel ringing out like a thunderous echo as it broke the blade into two.

Seizing the opportunity presented by his momentum, I pivoted on my heel, driving a powerful hook towards the side of his face. The blow connected with a satisfying impact, causing Neil to stagger back, his balance momentarily disrupted.

But as I moved to press my advantage, a sudden weight bore down on my leg, anchoring me in place like chains of iron. My muscles strained against the unseen force,seems like he still managed to touch my legs.He is more skilled than I thought..

Neil then regained his footing, his expression hardened with resolve. Taking advantage of my momentary hesitation, he lunged forward once more, his arm lunging towards me .

With a swift and practiced motion, I shifted the form of my blood blade, reshaping it into a makeshift pike, its pointed end blunted to avoid causing serious harm. Neil's eyes widened in surprise as he realized my ability to manipulate the very essence of the weapon.

Without hesitation, I thrust the transformed blade foward, sending it hurtling through the air with remarkable speed and accuracy. The pike struck Neil squarely in the stomach, its blunt force knocking the wind out of him and sending him reeling backward with a grunt of pain.

As he stumbled, struggling to regain his composure,I felt the weight on my leg disappear, as apparently there was either a time limit or any time he suffered a blow, he could not keep the ability up…