After Kai had rested completely, he went to the center of the field. Looking ahead, he saw Enrico warming up. Finally, after months, he would have his rematch. Even though Enrico was stronger now, Kai would not back down. Taking his stance, he pointed his sword at Enrico and gave a nod, which Enrico returned.
Stretching one arm with the help of the other, Enrico began to assume a strange fighting stance to the others. Thanks to the system, which had observed everything while he was unconscious, he had managed to learn that form.
'It's still not perfect, but after some time, I'll get used to it.'
He had asked the system about it as soon as he woke up, and after putting in a lot of effort to make that stingy system explain the stance and the strikes, he managed to learn a little. He could not lie: he had really liked seeing how his body, even while unconscious, continued pushing itself. Thanks to that effort, he had reached a new level.
[It was surprising. The constellations became quite excited about it.]
'I'm excited too.'
In any case, even though he was excited to use that technique, the main objective there was to awaken Kai's magic. Giulio raised his hand and said a prayer for Kai, while Camila lowered her hand, starting the battle, as Kai had requested.
"You may begin."
Quickly, Kai appeared beside Enrico. Tightening his grip on the sword, he focused completely.
"Third Lunar Technique: Dawn Strike."
A double slash in a wide arc appeared, like a moon about to become full. Kai aimed at two points simultaneously, using the attack as both an offense and a distraction. One of the slashes was a feint, while the real one came from the opposite side.
A fist collided with Kai's sword, sending it flying upward. He was somewhat incredulous, as he did not usually let go of his sword even in difficult situations. Enrico appeared in front of him and threw a punch that sent him flying backward, causing him to pass through and break all the wooden swords that were stored there.
"Well, that ended quickly."
"Seriously? Is the difference really that great?"
While Giulio and Camila commented, Liam simply looked at the place where Kai had been thrown. There was no way he could have fallen like that. Liam knew Kai very well, after all, having trained with him throughout all those months and already fought by his side against something that could have killed them both.
Kai quickly stood up, leaving the two surprised. He picked up his sword and went straight at Enrico. It was exactly what Liam expected, and Enrico did too.
'Great.'
Kai used Crescent Slash and launched an attack at Enrico, who dodged by taking a step to the side. Running toward Kai, Enrico delivered an upward kick, aiming directly at his face.
"Half-Moon Guard."
Using the second technique, Kai deflected the kick and redirected it to the right. Taking another stance, he prepared the strike that completed that sequence of the Lunar technique.
"Fourth Technique: Silent Slash."
It was a subtle and swift attack, almost imperceptible, that was supposed to strike vital points or fragile structures. It was not a strike that caused mass destruction, but when it hit, its effect was deadly. It would be ideal for duels or assassinations, but Kai knew that Enrico would not die from it, so he used the technique against him.
The slash passed through Enrico as he ducked. The speed of that strike was greater than that of all of Kai's previous techniques, but even so, it was not enough. Enrico's fist disappeared in flames, and four punch marks appeared on Kai's body, visible through his clothes, which had been burned at the points that were hit.
When Kai was about to fly backward, Enrico grabbed his leg and, using his strength, threw him against the ground, which ended up being destroyed. Without stopping for even a second, Enrico raised his hand toward Kai and began launching several fireballs at him.
"Enrico, wha—"
"Don't interrupt."
Upon hearing Enrico's voice, Giulio and Camila stopped. Liam was nervous about what was happening, but decided to trust Enrico and simply held his spear, prepared to intervene if things went too far.
Enrico stopped casting magic and looked at Kai, who was almost unconscious.
"Come on. Is that all you've got?"
Kai tried to stand up, but was met by a fire-wrapped kick that sent him crashing into the wall.
"Kai, you haven't awakened your compatible magic yet, have you?"
Using Charged Impulse, Enrico launched himself into the air and descended with a kick resembling an axe, striking Kai. With the impact, large cracks appeared in the ground.
[Are you going too far?]
'No. This is necessary to unlock that first magic.'
The first magic was quite unique and also blocked the birth of the others. To unlock it, the body needed to reach its limit while being at least in Circle 1, with eighty percent progress. Even so, it would be difficult to do that, at least if Enrico did not know what magic Kai possessed.
"Kai, concentrate your mana in your mana heart. Instead of simply trying to draw magic from it, try to sink it with all your mana. Fill it and perceive how your magic moves inside it."
Kai's eyes lit up upon hearing Enrico. Now he was beginning to understand why Enrico was being so harsh with him. That made him happy and sad at the same time.
'If that's what he wants, I can't disappoint him.'
Kai stood up and picked up his sword again. Even while concentrating mana in his heart, he continued attacking Enrico. Dodging all the attacks, Enrico began to notice that Kai's sword was glowing. This meant that he was becoming stronger.
"Crescent Slash."
Dodging downward, Enrico noticed that the magical slash had become larger and that Kai's Circle had reached ninety percent.
'As always, these crazy protagonists.'
Releasing his fire magic, Enrico made Kai try to cut it using the sword's ability capable of cutting magic. He managed to cut the flames in front of him, but when one of them split apart, Kai was hit.
'I'm beginning to understand.'
Kai was beginning to comprehend. His mana heart was being filled with mana, and he felt as if his heart were becoming wet.
"Is my magic water?"
He tried to use that feeling and, somehow, felt calmer. Even so, he had the feeling that it was not just that.
Enrico appeared behind him and slammed him into the ground with force. Kai was already beginning to find it annoying, constantly being thrown from one side to the other.
"Wrong. It's not water power, and don't you dare think it could be ice."
Rolling across the ground to dodge a descending kick, Kai tried to think of something.
"Kai, you're right about one thing. Indeed, the basis would be water, but your magic encompasses everything that can exist in a certain location."
Kai was surprised. He did not understand how Enrico knew so much about him. However, he now began to think more carefully. If his magic was related to a location, perhaps it was some strange type of river?
'No. From what he said, it's much more.'
Kai's eyes began to take on another form. With absurd speed for someone in his Circle, he appeared behind Enrico, surprising the three who were watching.
His sword seemed to gain more cutting power as it became surrounded by water, but it was not only that. An explosion created a cloud of smoke, and after a second, when it cleared, Enrico was holding Kai's sword with both hands.
"Oceans. Your magic isn't just water. This magic is enormous and encompasses everything, like an ocean."
Kai's eyes took on the color of the deep ocean itself.
That's right.
The name of that magic, so unique and so far beyond water magic, was Ocean Magic.