Pant… Pant…
Think… Kael… Think!
Kael lowered his body, the blinding powder in his hand. Then at the same time, His eyes remained fixed on the wind flowing across the backyard.
The only thing Kael could do was throw the blinding powder and hope the wind carried it straight into Aeronis's eyes.
Easier said than done.
Kael still wasn't sure whether the wind was on his side or not….
He has no choice but to try it on his own.
SWOOOSH!
Kael dashed around Aeronis, trying to find an opening while waiting for the right moment for the wind to blow toward Aeronis's face.
Aeronis remained in the middle of Kael's dashes. He didn't even move. Even if Kael's attack was about to land, he could easily parry it.
And that's exactly what Kael did.
KTANNNG!
One devastating strike from Kael was parried with only one hand.
HNGGHH!
Kael once again pushed his body weight against Aeronis, creating pressure between their blades.
Aeronis narrowed his eyes as their swords hissed against each other from the friction.
What is this human trying to do? Aeronis thought.
Even though Kael could create a bit of pressure during their mid-air clashes, it only lasted a few seconds before gravity pulled him back down.
Thud!
Kael landed on the ground, then immediately dashed backward.
"What is your plan, Mikael? You seem desperate," Aeronis taunted.
"Cih."
Kael raised his Tesseract, with two other short blades floating beside him.
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
The two blades rushed forward, aiming straight for Aeronis.
"Huh? Again? This is hopeless, Kael!"
Aeronis's reflexes were amazing…
He could simply parry the two blades coming at him. Not to mention, his battle IQ was more than enough to defeat a mere Mishanter, let alone his experience on the battlefield.
He was a commander, after all.
But he didn't consider one thing…
What he was fighting right now wasn't a mindless, savage, and uncivilized creature like a Mishanter.
He was fighting against the relentless mind of a human inventor.
"Hah!… I told you… These two mere blades aren't going to scratch me!"
KTANGG!
BOOOM!
"AGHH!"
Aeronis's entire body was almost sent crashing to the ground, his Ice sword was sent flying and also stabbed to the ground near him,
Even with that he managed to regain his balance at the last moment, using one hand to steady himself.
"Uhuk! What was that?!" Aeronis Cough with the smoke started to form after the explosion
The BOOOM sound was actually an explosion from Kael's previous bomb invention.
Since the bomb's outer shell was made of thin aluminum, it could react with the magnetic blade and weld itself to it. Aeronis's parrying caused the blade to collide violently with the bomb, activating it from the vibration of the impact.
Smoke also formed around him.
This is my chance!
THUMP!
SWOOSH!
Kael's electrical boots exploded with power, sending him toward Aeronis, who was still recovering and trying to regain his footing.
With incredible speed, Kael rushed straight toward Aeronis's chestplate, reaching out to grab the red dragon badge.
"HARRGH!"
"Yeah! I got it!"
Wait… why does the badge fe—
"Got what, Mikael?"
"Huh?!"
Kael suddenly realized that his hand wasn't on the badge.
Instead…
Aeronis was the one holding his arm.
Aeronis then stood up while still gripping Kael's arm tightly with his right hand, using his left hand to steady himself as he got back on his feet.
Because of their huge difference in height, Kael was practically hanging from Aeronis's grip.
"ARGH!"
"Let me go!" Kael screamed.
His friends watched helplessly, unable to do anything. They clenched their fists as if that could somehow change the fact that Kael had already been captured by Aeronis.
Even Elvareth covered her mouth as she watched from afar.
they never expected it to end like this.
Humiliation.
Kael had finally managed to close the distance with Aeronis instead of just running and attacking like he did during his first attempt.
But in the end…
The power gap between Kael and Aeronis was still so enormous.
It was almost as if Kael had accomplished nothing after six months of training.
"Hah…"
Aeronis looked down at him.
"Now what can you do, Mikael?"
"To be honest, I'm impressed by your growth… but you're still… far from reaching me, Mikael."
"There is a reason why I gave you four attempts."
"Because I know you won't be able to reach me even on your fourth attempt!" Aeronis taunts him.
Aeronis tightened his grip slightly.
"Come on now, Mikael… I know you're dreaming about becoming a Realm Protector."
"But you know your disadvantages, right?"
"Having no Might means you need to put in even more effort to cover that weakness."
"Do you understand, Mikael?"
Kael didn't talk back.
Still hanging from Aeronis's grip, he looked down at his clenched fist.
He remained silent.
He didn't even look at Aeronis.
"Huh? What? Giving up already?"
Aeronis leaned slightly closer.
"Just say you give up, and I can personally put you to sleep, Mikael…"
Kael clenched his left hand even tighter while his right arm remained hanging from Aeronis's grip.
"I… I still… can…" Kael whispered.
"What…? Louder, Mikael."
Aeronis taunted him, bringing his face closer.
"I still…"
Fuhh!
Kael suddenly opened his left fist and blew the powder across Aeronis's face.
"ARGHH!"
"Cough! Cough!"
Aeronis instinctively released Kael's arm.
"What is it this time?! Huh?!"
He immediately rubbed his eyes.
"My eyes… they're burning!"
SWOOSH!
Kael leaped backward, stretching his right hand as he tried to recover from Aeronis's grip.
Aeronis, on the other hand, was still suffering from the blinding powder.
Fuh… I was able to escape from his grip… This is my chance! I can grab the badge as long as he can't see me.
Bzzzt… Bzzzt…
"Huh? Why is this thing buzzing…? Oh, don't tell me… In a time like this? You run out of battery now?! Great!"
Kael's electrical boots suddenly ran out of battery. He had no choice but to take them off and fight barefoot this time.
"Argh, whatever. All that Satu training with Grak'Mar and Nibsken wasn't for nothing anyway."
Kael threw his mechanical boots to the side.
THUMP!
THUMMP!
Kael sprinted toward Aeronis who still recovering from the blinding powder.
At least that's what Kael thought.
If being a commander meant relying only on your eyes for vision… there would already be a lot more Realm Protector commanders.
As Kael got closer to Aeronis, he jumped, trying to grab the red dragon badge once again.
And once again…
Aeronis dodged him.
SKRECCHT!
Kael's bare feet clawed against the ground as he tried to stop himself from overshooting.
As expected…
A commander of the Realm Protectors cannot rely only on vision in battle. Even though his eyes are watering, I know he can still hear my footsteps… and with his incredible reflexes…
Cih… I can't just stand here… I need to grab that badge.
Once again, Kael charged toward Aeronis.
THUMPH!
THUMPH!
"HARGH!"
Kael got closer and extended his arm, trying to reach the badge.
SWOOSH!
Aeronis dodged Kael, then struck him in the body with the front of his arm.
"UHK!"
Kael was thrown away.
Pant! Pant!
"Cough! What is that…?"
"Wait… I know those moves…"
"That's Tan'Mara…."
"I can use those, but going against an Etherian… Their Tan'Mara is fast, elegant, and perfectly precise… That's why it hurts so much… Lucky me, I put a few metal plates all over my waist." Kael tried to stand up again putting one of his arms on his stomach.
Even with the blinding powder, Kael still couldn't get near him.
Honestly… I already ran out of ideas…
I don't want to lose like this…
The blinding powder's effect was already beginning to weaken.
Come on, Kael… Think!
"Hahaha… Using cheap tricks, huh?"
Aeronis rubbed his eyes one last time before straightening himself.
"As expected from someone so desperate."
Then, Aeronis straightens his arm to his side and calls back his ice sword that stabbed to the ground back to his hand.
SINNG!
He draw the Ice sword to Kael
"You cannot get this badge, Kael… Never, if you keep your distance like that."
"Come on! Take it from me!"
"Or else… I'm the one who will give it to you!"
SWOOOSH!
Aeronis dashed forward with incredible speed.
Kael panicked.
He had nothing left to defend himself with.
His sword, his caged crystal… Nothing.
All of his devices were scattered around the backyard.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
My last option…
No… this is the only option.
Kael grabbed his black cape and used it to cover his entire body, preparing for the impact.
Aeronis immediately noticed Kael using his cape as a shield, He narrowed his eyes.
"Cih…That black cape…."
He instantly changed direction and appeared behind Kael's exposed back.
SWOOSH!
"Huh? Where did he g—"
TAKK!
"ACHK!"
THUD!
Kael fell and hit the ground.
His vision became blurry as he looked at his hand.
Aeronis had struck him in the neck from behind, causing him to almost lose consciousness and lay flat on the ground.
"Ugh… What happened…?"
Kael clenched his fist and tried to get up once more.
But he couldn't.
As he lay down at the brink of losing consciousness, he reached into his pocket and grabbed his Tenalung energy drink.
But Aeronis stopped him.
"Enough, Mikael."
"You lose."
"Not yet… Commander! I still can!"
Kael desperately tried to reach for his Tenalung glass bottle.
"I still… can… win… this…"
Aeronis shook his head and gently tapped Kael's shoulder with his pinky finger.
"Ugh!"
What's this? I can't move!
Kael struggled, squirming against the ground, but his right shoulder refused to move.
I was completely stunned.
Pant… Pant… I can't move…
Is this how I lose on my second attempt?
I can't accept this…
At least… I want to scratch him… Or anything that can make him remember that he is not untouchable!
I still… I can do this! I just need to get up and…
Kael's vision began to blur.
More and more…
His ears started ringing.
He tried to fight it.
He desperately tried to stay conscious.
But eventually…
He lost consciousness….
"Finally… he's down."
Aeronis looked at Kael's unconscious body.
"I was really worried that if he kept getting up… he would've seriously injured himself at that point."
Kael had lost.
He had been pinned down, unable to move even a little, until he eventually lost consciousness.
Then hours passed.
Commander Aeronis had to take his leave. He had received a sudden call to the battlefield and wished he could stay longer to wait for Kael to wake up, but duty demanded otherwise.
As Aeronis left, so did Kael's other friends.
Now, only Kael remained in the living room, lying down with his head resting on Elvareth's lap.
Elvareth looked down at Kael's face, quietly letting him rest.
Then…
Kael's hand moved slightly.
His closed eyes slowly began to open.
"K-Kael?"
Elvareth's voice cracked as she worriedly looked at him.
"A-Are you alright?"
"Wh-Where am I?"
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"Where is Commander?"
"I-I need to get up for my second attempt, Old Elf…"
"I-I need to fight him…"
Kael struggled to sit up.
Elvareth placed her hand on Kael's forehead and gently pushed him back down, not letting him get up.
"H-Hey! I nee—"
"ARGH… My shoulder…"
"See? You're injured, Kael… You need to rest!"
"Rest? What about my test?"
"It's already ended, Kael. Commander Aeronis already left…"
"What?! No, no, no… I can't… I need t—"
Elvareth once again pushed him back down as he tried to get up.
"Kael… Can you… please just listen to me?"
"Listen to your mother?"
Kael fell silent.
He rarely saw Elvareth like this. Kael's rushing emotion softens.
"Alri… alright, Mom…"
"Commander Aeronis was suddenly called by his comrades. He had already waited for you to wake up for a few hours… He said he wanted to ask you a few questions, but he needed to leave for the battlefield."
Kael nodded.
"And before he left, he told me that you did great, Kael."
"He said you're getting better. He was impressed."
"He said he will meet you again for the third attempt. Until then, he expects you to become stronger and reach him."
Kael remained silent, letting his body rest.
He didn't know how to respond.
He knew he had already done his best.
But still…
He couldn't reach him.
"Hey… You did well already, Kael…"
Elvareth gently played with Kael's hair.
"But you know Aeronis is a commander… You can't expect to land a clean hit on him in just a year, right?"
"Yeah, yeah… Of course I can't. He's a commander, and I'm just a reckless, Mightless boy…"
"Sigh… I need to be more aware of my own level, don't I?"
Kael seemed frustrated.
He knew the gap.
He knew Commander Aeronis's power and experience were far beyond what he had right now.
This dilemma made him overthink his chances of even getting the badge.
Kael closed his eyes again, frustrated, and adjusted his head on Elvareth's lap to make himself more comfortable.
Elvareth noticed his movement.
"Hehehe… You sure like sleeping on my lap, huh?"
Elvareth gave him a smug, teasing smile.
"What? Nah! I-I just tired, Old Elf…" Kael denied.
"Whatever, Kael. But never mind. You can rest."
"You still have two attempts, don't you?"
"Yeah… You're right… I still have two."
Kael's eyes suddenly opened.
"I need to train… I need to invent new things!"
"Yeah… I need to…. no… I must!"
"I will! I will get that badge for sure!"
Kael's spirits immediately lifted again.
Elvareth let out a soft smile.
"Alright, alright. I know you can, Kael. But now, please… listen to me and rest, okay?"
"Alright, Old Elf… I will train tomorrow, maybe?"
"No. You train when you're already healed. I don't want you to worsen your injury."
"But I alr—"
"Shh!"
Elvareth placed her finger over Kael's mouth.
"I said after you heal. Full stop."
"Sigh… Alright, Old Elf… After I heal…"
"Hmm… Good."
She gently smiled.
"Now rest here. I'm going to make dinner, okay?"
Kael nodded and let Elvareth go.
And with that, Kael's second attempt ended.
He had done his best, but Commander Aeronis was still untouchable.
But don't worry.
He still had two more attempts.
And he still had a long way to go…
............….
On the other side of the Fatamorgana Realm…
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
KTANG! KTANG!
BOOM!
"CHARGE!"
"DEFEND THE Zone Barrier! Don't let any of them enter!"
"YEAH, COMMANDER!"
A catastrophic war had erupted between the Mishanter and the Realm Protectors.
Among the numerous races fighting under the name of the Realm Protectors, one figure stood out.
He wore a red cape.
He commanded everyone on the battlefield.
Aeronis.
Swinging his blue greatsword without hesitation and cutting down Mishanter after Mishanter, it seemed like nothing more than a usual day of duty for a commander.
But his mind was elsewhere.
That boy… That Mikael…
SWOOSH!
Aeronis swung his sword, his face dangerously close to a Mishanter, with only his blade separating him from the creature's arm.
"ARGGGH!"
He pushed the Mishanter away before finishing it with an Ice Spear.
Mikael…
There are so many things I want to ask you…
So much happened during that second attempt…
I know you might be upset and disappointed with yourself…
But I'll tell you honestly… I was surprised.
Surprised by everything you showed me during our test…
SWOOSH!
KTANG!
But the most surprising things were your Might Splitter, your black cape, and that caged sphere.
I don't know how, but those three…
Aeronis's eyes narrowed as he remembered what happened during the test.
They made me unable to recall my Ice Sword back into myself….
That Ice Sword…That same Ice sword I use to stab you but you cover yourself with that black cape…. That Ice Swords was still in its form….
Aeronis's eyes move to the Ice sword stabbed on the dead Mishanter body
It became a tangible object created by my Might, and it stayed that way…
Like a real Bilah..
THUD!
"WAERRRGHH!"
Aeronis continued fighting without slowing down.
I don't know what you're going to do in the next attempt…
But I hope you're ready.
Because I'm getting ready too…
For your next move.
My student…
Mikael!