Chapter 13: You Had No Chance

""What!?"" The enemy duo were shocked to see the two break out from the barrier.

"How!? What's your ability!?" Nai screamed looking at Nier.

"Are you stupid? Did your parents not teach you? That's not something you should ask anyone, idiot" Nier said sarcastically.

This only enraged Nai as he made a frowning expression.

"Calm down Nai. You should keep your cool in every situation" Loy calmly said- cleaning his glasses. Although he acted calm, he was sweating since the core of their plan were the brackets. At the cost of high amount of mana cost and time. The brackets kept anything with mana inside them and were unbreakable by just force. What happened was a chance miniscule in possibility yet happened.

Nier immediately checked his surroundings and rapidly ascertained the situation.

'Two opponents, and another barrier. The technique is probably brackets related. Considering their surprise- they were confident in victory, so their likely isn't another hidden attacker in ambush. Four eye is the brain of the unit- but considering he has no element- he is probably trained in close combat. Blue guy seems inexperienced but he has an elemental advantage over clown girl. Furthermore- he isn't using mana generated water but just turning naturally present one. If I get caught up in ice- I'll be unable to break through with anti magic. It's not like I cannot prevent the technique by covering my body but the consumption will be too much. I'll take on 4 eyes, though he is wearing inscripted glasses. They probably enhance his vision?'

Considering all his advantages and disadvantages- Nier decided on his opponent, but before that- he lifted both his katanas- covering them in anti-magic. Silver light lit the brackets.

He jumped and sliced an eye shaped hole- and immediately jumped outside the curly bracket.

Standing face to face with Loy. Nier realized that the road outside the brackets wasn't actually covered in mist and only the valley seemed to have it.

'Did they use some formation or something else to concentrate all that fog?' Nier thought but didn't mind since this worked in his favour. The surroundings were dark but his eyes were more attuned to darkness compared to the average human and he was able to make out the surroundings. Eyemask helped a little as well.

...

Inside the curly bracket.

Suddenly- the inner bracket vanished as Reya jumped down.

Reya cracked her neck and joints, gazing at her opponent deeply- seething with anger.

No words were needed.

Although she had an elemental disadvantage. She was sure of victory.

The fog had increased inside the barrier since the fog inside parenthesis was added to the curly.

No one moved, silently eyeing their opponents- the road was but 5-6 meters in width. On the left was a wall and on right was a valley, the place was dark but visible for any average being- adding the fog, it was more difficult. Especially the brackets where it was concentrated.

Loy had chosen this place precisely because of these reasons. Never would he expect someone to have anti-magic.

Suddenly! Nier shot forward as he spun 360° hacking horizontally, Loy crouched to avoid when a leg came in his view. Loy jumped back narrowly avoiding the kick, gaining his footing- he took his stance. Light footing and one hand forwards.

'That stance- 4 eye is a Flow style trainee' Nier concluded as he stopped. He attached his katanas forming a glaive.

Flow style was one of the great 4 martial art styles- it focused on counterattack.

Nier spun his glaive wildly, in front- side- back- front and shot forward. Loy took out a baton and they clashed as sparks flew.

They continued the clashes as Nier suddenly pushed the baton away to the left and went for upper jab with his right hand but Loy leaned back avoiding the attack. This got him an opening as his experienced self took full advantage.

Using the lean, and push as momentum- he spinhooked Nier's stomach after reinforcing his legs with mana.

Nier grit his teeth as he was thrown off balance with his glaive dropping from his hands. He rolled back and stood up. He didn't take full damage since he reinforced his stomach just before the kick touched but it was still disappointing.

'It's not about powe-'

Loy didn't even give him time to think as he shot forward this time and swung his baton from the left as Nier retreated, however just before the baton passed his body- it extended!

As if he had foreseen this, Nier blocked the attack with a dagger in his right hand and and used this opportunity to stab forward with his free hand.

Having a backup weapon of his own- Loy blocked when he felt a unique aura.

Mental Energy!

The fallen glaive suddenly flew towards the professor's back but it stopped midway.

'This youngster has trained in martial arts- flow style and he seems good at it but his moves are rather..lacking. Not only because of injuries. Although he has trained- it seems he hasn't fought in brutal close combat-he is inexperienced. That is my advantage! He's got talent but lacks polishing. When I kicked him, I felt as though the mana inside my leg was negated. I am running low on mana after creating the brackets. That's the most concerning part- according to my technique, he should have very low capacity. My technique transcends any camouflaging treasure yet he seems like he can hold on. The blood on his face is probably because of my technique,. Something magical is at play here. I'll discover everything later but the points I need to remember are-

He is injured from my technique

He has no element

His mental energy capacity is good but unpolished.'

Despite having everything seemingly under control. Professor Loy's expression was grim. Because he knew that he had to win quickly and gang up on Reya, otherwise the latter would win and gang up on him. She was a magic knight from a capable family and was trained as compared to Nai.

'Nai! Hold on till I come!'

'Tch, I cannot heal this- it's not a physical damage but because of my root to life almost getting cut. I wish I didn't have mana but only anti-magic. My anti-mana is also running low after breaking through those barriers. He is experienced and old, he is able to use telekinesis without even looking at the target. I have been training for only 2-3 years and though I practiced for some years when I was 8. My long sleep caused me to get sluggish. After I woke up- my injuries also caused block in practicing and differentiating styles from back then and now. The fact that I am equal in physical strength despite those body wrecking injuries years ago shows something. When those injuries heal, I would no doubt become physically- one of, if not the strongest. As for this fight- The victory is already decided ' Nier thought as he analyzed.

All these thoughts from both were rapid and only seconds passed in real time.

Telekinesis was a skill that required focus. When starting to train, beginners would point at things and lift it that way, as time went by- they could become proficient enough to lift things with a gaze. It wasn't really necessary to do so but it gave a clear image and pathway to a person to manipulate their targets. Besides, it was important to know the location of the target.

Mana was a precious commodity most people couldn't afford to waste. That's why it was adviced to practice mana manipulation and learn to perfectly use it according to situation. For eg. When someone attacked- their mana would be concentrated in the attack. Almost no one covered their whole body and their attack with mana wasting it. Aside from some monsters, no one could afford to waste it.

Although he wasn't able to make a zone. Loy was aware of his surroundings and was already focusing on the glaive.

Nier jumped back when several stones covered in a blue aura hurled towards him. Blue aura was the sign of mental energy. Nier lost his focus and the glaive flew right at him which Nier nearly dodge by using the wall to his left as a foothold and performing a spin. Just in time- he caught the glaive however this caused the stones to hit him right in the chest as flew back and more blood leaked from his mouth.

The fight inside the Bracket was different to this brawl. As soon as Nier had shot forward- Reya did so too. She punched forward as her opponent turned the fog into water and covered his skin with a layer of water- allowing him to move freely and dodge attacks.

Suddenly- she spit, to which Nai turned the water into vapour and back to water. His technique was rather cost friendly as compared to Reya's. Jumping above the carriage, she spit and jumped towards Nai who slapped his palm together and split them as a wall of water like a stretched dough was present within his palm.

Ignoring the 'wall', she continued forward as her fist passed through the water dough which suddenly turned into ice.

Flames errupted as the wall was melted immediately. Just before the punch connected to the cheeks- The surrounding fog turned into ice stopping her efforts- or so Nai thought.

"HAAAAA!" Deciding to go all out without mercy- gigantic crimson flames emerged surrounding her body. Her hair afloat as the green dye was destroyed completely revealing her crimson red hair. Her eyes shone with absolute fury as her clothes seemed to be burning- the fire covering her figure. The bracket was lit up bright red as it couldn't contain the light.

In a second, the ice was melted and the water boiled. Reya- caring no longer about mana consumption erupted full force and kicked Nai. Nai opened his palm as a magic cirle was formed- conjuring a water dome. It was useless.

The kick connected and the inexperienced lad was sent flying- smashing into the dome. It was a massacre. The boy stood no chance against a trained royal knight.

In the first place, she was furious and wanted blood. The water wasn't part of his mana which caused harm to the boy when it was boiled and turned into steam.

That was also a detriment to her as well since the boiled water also burned her skin since the water wasn't made from her own mana. Thankfully a protective inscription helped her. Similarly

At last moment, a protective inscription activated and saved Nai from death.