Not bad, not bad at all. From the sheer aura the man produced, I could tell……

“You’re strong, I could say that for sure.”

But the man merely laughed at my remark.

Oh well, guess I have no choice, I should probably humble him before his ego explodes over his head.

“Let…..”

The grip on his axes tightened.

“Us…… Begin!”

Like a wild animal, he immediately came at me swinging both of his axes. 

Guess he’s going for my left. I predicted as I adjusted my weapon to guard my left side. Sure enough he went for my left, I prepared to parry his attack. But the sheer weight of the two axes colliding with my sword was enough to send me sliding to my left.

His attacks had much more power than I thought. With no time to think he dashed at me, this time he attempted to sweep my legs. I jumped back to avoid the leg sweep, and that was when I saw the tip of his axe, barely dodging the attack, he managed to cut off a strand of hair from my head. 

Interesting, not only is he strong. He’s fast as well, incredibly fast for someone with his build. 

“Stop dodging and running away and fight back! Or are you that weak!?” The man taunted me as he wore a smug expression on his face.

I had no choice but to accept his request.

“Just don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

Using the element of surprise. In one fluid motion I slashed my sword at him, despite blocking it I could tell he was surprised. 

Very surprised

I immediately followed up with another slash, but this one was a feint. Thinking I was aiming for his right side he momentarily directed his guard to his right. Giving me just enough time to give him a good boot to the abdomen. The sheer power of the kick should’ve sent an average mage flying, but this man was well above the average, it simply sent him sliding a few feet away. 

From his expression I could tell that kick knocked the air out of him.

“Do you perhaps want to…… Yield?”

“Hell no! I’m just getting started!”

He then cocked back his axes, igniting them with a flame spell. 

He then sprang forward, closing the distance between as in a second. But he had one flaw, a very fatal flaw at that.

He was one dimensional, he had no creativity in his attack as he repeated the same attack he exhibited a while ago. 

“Hellfire!”

This time instead of parrying or blocking, I simply sidestepped as his axes hit the ground. As the spot that I was in just a moment ago was now engulfed in a pillar of flame. 

Unfortunately his axes got stuck to the ground making him unable to use them. Using this opportunity I thumped his back.

“Despite your excellence demonstration of your control and power of your fire affinity. Your attacks are one dimensional, therefore I will be putting you Mr……..”

‘Oh shit! I forgot to get his name!’ 

Motioning for Mira to give me his adventurer sheet.

“As I said, I will be putting you, Mr. Claudius? Rey Claudius.”

Wait, Claudius!? Isn’t that name from a noble house!? If I remember House Claudius was located near the border of Syndis and Battleborne? 

“I’m not done yet!?”

Taking me by surprise he whirled a flame powered punch. Although I was surprised, I merely cocked my head to the side and placed a hand on my chest and chanted…..

“Lightning Bolt.”

With a massive burst of lightning, the spell sent him crashing into the arena’s walls. It didn’t knock him out but it was enough to make him stay put. 

“I was about to place you as an A rank. But it seems you need to control your temper. Rey Claudius, B rank.” 

This seems to have angered him as he retorted in response to my assessment.

“How dare you! Just wait until my brother hears of th-”

Letting a little bit of my aura escape I responded with a single sentence.

“Then let him hear about it.”

This silenced him as he grabbed his axes and walked up the stairs.