Alex shivered inwardly at the sheer thought of what would’ve happened if any of those spells had hit him.

‘I am never ever listening to you again.’ Alex said to Miracle as he looked in Azmiel’s direction.

‘What? My calculations were perfect and just like I said a tier three spell was enough to break those cuffs apart.’ Miracle puffed.

“Ho? You seem like you are ready to fight me off? Aren’t you?” Azmiel said with his usual grin.

‘What are my chances of defeating him?’ Alex asked as sweat trickled down his forehead. Until now he had seen Azmiel in battle multiple times. He had quite a grasp on how Azmiel fought.

‘Let me ask you this… do you think you can have a drawn-out battle with him?’ Miracle asked.

To which Alex shook his head.

‘Good as long as you understand that, I think you know what is to be done.’ Miracle said before going completely silent.

Alex knows he needs to end this battle quickly. The more it drags on, the more difficult it becomes to escape Azmiel’s chains. With that in mind a surge of mana erupted from his body. He had activated his boost spell.

“It is on then!” Azmiel laughed as he charged forward.

“Chain Barrage!” He called out causing several dozen chains to emerge from the magic circles formed behind him. The chains rushed at Alex threatening to pierce him down with their charm pointy ends.

Alex suppressed the fear in his heart and activated his cloning spell before releasing mana as fast as he can. Hundreds of mana slashes crashed into the chains eradicating each other.

The clash of had kicked up quite a dust blocking both of their view. Azmiel looked around trying to sense Alex.

‘Above me!’ Azmiel thought to himself as he found Alex 20 meters up in the air. Alex smirked as he again rained down several mana slashes on Azmiel without reserve.

“Same trick won’t work twice!” Azmiel roared.

‘Behind you!’ Miracle warned. Alex looked back and found that one of Azmiel’s chains was still active and sneaked behind him through the smoke!

Alex slashed with his sword but the chain instead of meeting the attack head on wrapped around his sword.

“Oh Shit!” Were the last Alex got out as the chain furled him in the air before releasing him towards the ground at incredible speeds.

*BOOM*

An explosive sound reverberated throughout the pine grove as Alex’s body crashed.

“Heh… amateur.” Azmiel who had easily evaded the mana slashes from above and was now walking in Alex’s direction said to himself. He felt bored that the show got over so early. Or so he had thought.

When the dust cleared, Alex was still standing.

“H-How?!” Azmiel looked on in bewilderment.

“Heh… hahaha!” Azmiel began laughing before he said, “It seems like you still have something up your sleeve and here I was underestimating you!”

There was nothing new. Alex had simply gone from using, boost: times two to three and managed to land properly on his legs.

‘Impressive use of the spell.’ Miracle thought to himself. He had just momentarily gone from times two to three, simply enough to withstand the impact of landing.

While Miracle was impressed, there was something he also feared which came to pass.

“Hah-hh!” Alex suddenly fell to the ground on one knee from intense pain. The curse from the stone had now enveloped all his body. Using a stronger spell which even his full healthy self can’t take for too long was pushing it too much.

Blood trickled down the side of his mouth.

Azmiel watched with interest. He knew about the stone’s legend. Not to mention its curse. And now he was seeing it live take effect on a human body.

‘Easy victory for me then.’ Azmiel thought to himself.

‘I am surprised, you haven’t run away yet?’ Miracle asked. He could read Alex’s thoughts. The thought of running came more than a dozen times in his mind but to his surprise, he never once attempted do the same.

‘Well, even if I managed to run away… after what that man told me, it’s better that there are far less obstacles in my way otherwise death will be certain for me. I am going to defeat him right here and now.’ Alex said as he stood to his feet.

The next moment a large surge of mana rose from his jet-black sword into the air. Alex was without pause pouring mana into the sword getting ready for one last attack.

“Ho… still got some left in him, fine I’ll reply in equal!” Azmiel said as he summoned his chained bounded katana. It too surged with a purple mana.

“Taste my strongest spell, MORTEM SLASH!”

Two figures collided followed by their swords releasing waves and waves of shockwaves. At first the outcome seemed unclear as both pushed with all their might but soon the balance of power began to tip in favour of Azmiel as he found himself pushing Alex back bit by bit.

Miracle watched in silence. At the moment he was looking at Alex’s back from inside his realm. Miracle didn’t want to admit it but he was once again overwhelmed by a feeling. It was the same as the one he felt when Alex rushed back to save Merissa from the bandit Marx!

It was a simple yet overwhelming feeling he could feel coming from his soul partner. It was…

Strength!

‘Just when I thought you had no surprises left…, then let me lend you a hand…’ Miracle thought to himself as the next moment Alex felt the sword leave his hand and push Azmiel’s katana back on its own.

Words weren’t needed for Alex to understand. This was his opportunity!

He quickly stepped back before going around and reaching Azmiel’s behind.

“Huh?! H-How?! Is this possible! What are you doin—

His words cut off in the middle as Azmiel found himself in a choke hold.

The shockwaves from the clash became extremely intense threatening to blow Alex away but he held on.

“Sleep, sleep, sleep… GO TO SLEEP!” With the final ounce of strength, Azmiel’s hands loosened as the katana in his hand fell to the ground followed by him. Alex pushed his body away from him and gasped for air heavily as lay on the ground.