?


    Lyrian''s bloodlust wasn''t fully directed toward the leopard Magma Dweller, so even the crowd was surprised at his power. Lyrian dashed forward, as the leopard jumped into the air with its spear in hand.


    While in the air, Lyrian noticed the color of the de on the spear. It looked exactly like the cuffs on his hand. This gave him an idea, so he jumped up toward the leopard.


    Seeing this, the beast didn''t hesitate to quickly swing itself around in a circr motion, changing its course mid-air as it dropped towards Lyrian with its spear aimed in front of it. As soon as it came 10 feet away, itunched the weapon toward the boy with a fierce throw that made it spin around in the air a few more times.


    The spear darted through the air, almost cutting through the atmosphere, as it came mere inches from touching Lyrian. Before it could, however, Lyrian braced himself while putting his shackles in front of his face, where the spear was headed.


    This was a risky move since if the spear was strong enough to cut his shackles, it could potentially kill him as well. However, Lyrian hoped that as soon as he noticed the shackles being cut through, he could remove his hand and deflect it before it fully sliced through the metal and neared his face.


    This, however, was near impossible. Since the shackles were right in front of his eyes, they would block his vision of the spear until the veryst moment when it pierced through and was inches from his face.


    So instead of vision, Lyrian was going to have to use his hearing to know when to pull away. It was still something that needed more consideration, but he didn''t have the time to do so anymore.


    As time seemed to slow, Lyrian closed his eyes, focusing his entire mind on hearing the spear. Suddenly, he felt a forceful object sh against his cuffs. Just as the time came to hear if the spear was ripping through the metal, the leopard Magma Dweller, Jaqu, let out a loud roar from its gut.


    This instantly, disturbed Lyrian''s state of smithing concentration, as he knew that it was toote and that he had to bail out right now. He quickly threw his hands to the side, and as soon as they were inches away from his torso, the spear sliced forward and through the entire chunk of metal, swiftlynding in the ground as Lyrian''s hands were freed at that very moment.


    He let out a small sigh of relief. If he were to be mere moment slower, his exam could have ended right then and there. With the leftover cuffs on his hand loosely falling off, he fell to the ground as he rotated his wrists to make sure they weren''t dislocated by the force of the spear.


    A slight grin formed on his face as he stared the leopard down. The sounds of resounding surprises waved through the crowd. They had only now noticed Lyrian''s goal to take off the shackles.


    Not paying any attention to them, Lyrian reached for his de before finally sticking it out towards the leopard who had finally arrived at his spear. He hadn''t been able to properly use his Obsidian de by now, and nor had he used his full fortified power from the Molten Essence, but it seemed that now was a time more perfect than ever.


    Without any more shackles, he was in a simple fight with no other distractions. It was a perfect environment for him to test his power, exactly what he wanted from the start when they first left toward the tundra.


    Jaqu looked at him after picking up his spear with what seemed to be a newfound respect. Lyrian dashed forward, and Jaqu did the same without hesitation.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The arena seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with anticipation as the two figures drew nearer, their intent etched on their faces.


    The sh was imminent and fierce. Lyrian''s de met Jaqu''s spear in a dazzling collision, the resounding ng echoing through the arena. A surge of power coursed through Lyrian''s veins, his muscles flexing with the effort to parry the leopard''s weapon. The force of their sh reverberated through their bodies as if the very ground trembled beneath them.


    As the des parted, Lyrian capitalized on the momentary opening. With a swift and fluid movement, he pivoted on his heel, bringing his de around in a sweeping arc. Jaqu responded with astonishing agility, evading the blow with a deft sidestep. The leopard''s movements were fluid and graceful, a testament to its prowess inbat.


    Lyrian pressed on, his every move calcted and deliberate with the help of smithing concentration. He feinted to the left, then lunged to the right, attempting to outmaneuver his opponent. Jaqu''s eyes, sharp and unyielding, followed Lyrian''s every move, never underestimating the potential threat before it.


    By now, Lyrian was satisfied with his ability on the battlefield without any mana. But he didn''t want to waste too much of his stamina either, so he decided it was time to end the fight.


    Enhancing his entire body, he surged forth and released a barrage of shes toward Jaqu, who was thrown off by the sudden increase in power. In a seamless motion, Lyrian propelled himself into the air, his de descending like aet aimed directly at Jaqu. The leopard responded with a rapid thrust of its spear, an attempt to ward off the impending strike. The sh of their weapons resonated through the arena, a collision of force and determination.


    Yet, Lyrian''s strategy was far from over. With a calcted precision that seemed almost impossible in the heat of battle, he nted his foot onto the side of Jaqu''s spear. In a breathtaking twist of agility, he rotated his body mid-air, employing the spear''s own momentum to propel it skyward. The spear spun through the air, its trajectory unpredictable and chaotic.


    Now stripped of its primary weapon, Jaqu found itself in a vulnerable position. The once-formidable Magma Dweller stood defenseless, unable to evade or counter Lyrian''s impending assault. Panic flickered in its eyes, a flicker of realization that its fate hung by a thread.


    Desperationpelled Jaqu to raise its hands in an attempt to block Lyrian''s oing strike. However, Lyrian''s de was guided by a precision that surpassed mere physical force. With a single, deft slice, his sword cleaved through the creature''s hands and body with almost eerie ease, as though parting through molten butter.


    A moment of shocked silence enveloped the arena as Jaqu''s f crumpled to the ground, defeated and vanquished. The weight of the battle''s conclusion hung heavy in the air, a blend of awe and respect permeating the hushed crowd. Lyrian stood amidst the aftermath, his chest rising and falling with each breath, his gaze fixed on the fallen foe.


    The battle was over. The victory was his. And as the dust settled, the crowd erupted into a mixture of apuse, cheers, and admiration. For Lyrian, this was definitely a testament to his growth.


    "I still have a long way to go."


    Lyrian spoke, feeling the pounding of his heart.