Chapter 223: A Lightening Mage
Unlike the crowd behind her, Aina's expression didn't falter as she observed her daughter, who was now slowly approaching the third sister. Nyx was strong, strong for her age; she could go against the top prodigies back on the island. Sometimes her calmness even baffled Aina.
She had even come up with some weird thoughts about Nyx being possessed by an elderly person, hence her calm, collected mannerisms.
But later on, she pushed the thoughts to the back of her head and even berated herself for thinking such things. However, looking at those midnight empty eyes, that thought had somehow resurfaced again, this time even stronger.
Step! Step!
Though Cole, Rab, and Wendy were still engaged in their fights, everyone's attention had shifted toward the section currently displaying Nyx and the third sister.
Tension filled the air, and time seemed to slow down. The only sound was Nyx's confident steps. Meanwhile, the third sister, white-haired, whipped against her bloodied face, her eyes filled with wildness and the lightning that was cracking around her becoming violently snaking through her body. Coupled with her fluttering wild hair, she appeared like an evil lightning goddess!
"Lightning or not, the one losing here is you," Nyx declared in a strong, confident voice that boomed throughout the outside and the arena. Her gaze was unwavering, and her sword shimmered, pulsing with radiant energy as she adjusted her stance.
The blinding light reflected in her midnight eyes, causing them to glow strongly with radiant holy light while her dark hair flew wildly in the wind. If the third sister was an evil lightning goddess, Nyx was the goddess of light that had descended to the mortal plane to rid it of darkness.
The third sister sneered, electricity arcing between her fingers. "We'll see how smug you are after I fry you to ash." She thrust her hand forward, unleashing a bolt of lightning aimed directly at Nyx's chest.
As she watched the lightning arc approach with blinding speed, time seemed to slow down, and Nyx's mouth slowly parted, involuntary words she had never spoken or heard before came out of her mouth.
"Sha! Sha!"
Aina's eyes trembled when she heard this. Her expression faltered, and a gleam of surprise flashed across her beautiful eyes. 'H-how did she learn about this chant?'
Because she didn't want her daughter to suffer the same fate as her, she had intentionally kept everything related to her heritage a secret, only teaching her basic things like their fighting style.
'So... how! Just how did she learn about this?' Aina's heart sped up, and a certain grim prospect she didn't want to accept resurfaced in her head.
'C-could it be that Nyx is really possessed?'
"Folks, and here we go!!!" Kleins roared, and his voice boomed through the surrounding area. "This is the moment of truth: is Nyx as strong as her twin brother!!"
Just then...
BOOOM!
The lightning streaked through the air, crackling with dangerous power, but Nyx didn't flinch. With a swift movement, she twirled her sword in a calculated arc, deflecting the bolt just inches from her body. Sparks exploded in the air, the force sending tremors across the ground.
"She stopped the attack!" The Cromwell Barony erupted into cheers. Though it was only one win for them, it was worth celebrating, and it boosted their morale that had crashed to the ground after Nox was teleported away.
'Interesting... hahaha, this is good!' Bridget's eyes were sparkling, and the hungry gleam in her eyes could no longer be concealed at this moment. As if to warn the others representative who had blended into the crowd, she unleashed a tiny fragment of aura, and cold shivers instantly ran down their spines.
A few fools decided to retaliate, but that was the biggest mistake they made as she increased her aura, making those representatives convulse like people having a seizure.
One of the men who could still somehow move his muscles hastily pulled out a communication crystal and called for backup.
Unaware of the silent war between the academy from the Royal capital, the crowd's gaze was fixated on the spectacle unfolding before them.
Meanwhile, back in the mysterious arena, Nyx stood firm, her sword still humming from the impact. She had only taken a couple of steps back to the frustration of the third sister, who had initially thought Nyx would be vaporized easily.
The third sister's eyes flashed sharply, her wild hair dancing in the wind. "Don't get too cocky, brat. I didn't even use my full power in that attack."
"You can't even say that with a straight face," Nyx sneered.
"Y-you!" The third sister's eyes blazed with fury. But before she could speak, Nyx interjected again. "How does it feel to know that your lightning isn't anything special?"
"You're the first one to tell me this," the third sister stated calmly, though from her voice, it was easy to tell that she was on the verge of exploding. Though Hendrix was an anomaly, she was also special because mages who possessed lightning affinity were rare and valued; they could tip the scale of any battle.
Because of this, it could be said that she was the second person most favored by the duke after Hendrix.
Even the academy professors respected her! The words of this little girl had wounded her pride.
"Little brat, I'll show you the true power of lightning!" She roared, charging forward, accompanied by tendrils of lightning that made the air around her crackle with electricity.
'Yes, lose your mind.' Nyx hid a smirk on her face as she charged forward, her sword shining with an intense, holy light. The third sister sneered, unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts.
BOOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!
Nyx dodged and weaved in between the bolts of lightning. Each strike was either met with her sword, which was covered in holy radiance, or the ground.
....
Inside the mysterious realm, in an unknown location.
"Where the hell am I?" Nox muttered under his breath, scanning the environment with sharp, calculative eyes. The last thing he remembered was being teleported away, and now he...
Suddenly, Nox's thought was interrupted by a slow clap.
"Well, well, I see they've delivered you straight to me," came a mocking voice.
Nox snapped towards the direction the voice had come from in a flash, and his eyes narrowed, a dangerous light flickering within them as he recognized the person.