Elder Sister

Contrary to Alice's excitement, on the opposite side of the arena, Alice's elder sister was beyond dumbstruck. Along with the class that was at the arena, their expressions were a mix of shock and disbelief. 

Having spent most of their days in the same class, they were well aware of what Ren was capable of, which was a whole lot of nothing. Thus, seeing Ren going toe to toe with Donovan in a duel left them with their jaws hanging wide open. 

Many of them came to the realization that Ren's statement in class was indeed true. Mana cores could actually evolve, and Ren had proved that it was entirely possible! 

Chatters and gossip buzzed among the commoners and lowborns, and for the first time in their lives, they saw a chance to change their own fates. With widened eyes and clenched fists, they fervently prayed for Ren's victory, their hearts in great turmoil.

Without a doubt, Abigail Nightwind was the most affected by the duel. Her view of the world was swiftly crumbling as the undeniable truth unfolded before her eyes.

Her mind raced with a million thoughts as she grasped the potential repercussions if the fact of mana cores being able to evolve was to become public knowledge. 

If she were to truly take Ren under her wing as her disciple, her status within the House would soar. At the very least, she wouldn't be confined to her current role of protecting her prodigy younger sister in Zenovia academy.

"I need to save him at all costs!" Abigail resolved, her gaze fixed on the duel. However, as the fight progressed, she gradually realized her assistance was unnecessary. It had been nothing but wishful thinking on her part.

In fact, Abigail's face paled as the duel progressed. Ren's talent was unparalleled. 

She couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. Ren reminded her of her prodigy sister, making her realize that even at fifteen, she could not have reached Ren's level. 

A first-circle mage holding his own against a third-circle mage was truly unheard of! Even her younger sister, hailed as a once-in-a-millennium battle prodigy in the Nightwind family, couldn't have matched Ren's achievement!

Ren's precise mana control was astounding, but even more impressive was his ability to deliberately destabilize his mana to create a diverse arsenal of spells from a basic fireball. The flashbang he deployed and using the explosive force for momentum really showcased his ingenuity and excellent control of mana.

Moreover, she also noticed that Ren could employ quick casting, a skill typically required for third-circle mages to advance to the fourth circle. In contrast to Donovan, who required several seconds to complete a spell, Ren only needed less than a fraction of a second.

"What kind of monster is he?" 

"Is he really going to win against Donovan?"

"Are you kidding me? You guys call this the weakest student of the academy? Then, what am I?"

Thousands of students surrounding the arena buzzed with chatter as tension mounted. An air of unease permeated the atmosphere, reflected in the ugly expressions of the headmaster and the teachers that were seated at the viewing platform. No one could predict that the duel would transpire in this manner.

"Could Ren really do the unthinkable?" A female student asked Abigail, her usually downcast eyes now filled with hope. She had been a target of Donovan's harsh bullying and witnessing Ren fiercely standing up against him was deeply inspiring to her.

"Ren is amazing. But, that's not enough." Abigail remarked, shaking her head regrettably. Even though she hesitated to acknowledge it, Ren was running out of fumes. It would only be a matter of time before Ren's movement would slow down.

As Abigail had anticipated, Ren was gasping for breath on the battle arena, the fatigue from overexerting his mana core finally catching up with him. The relentless barrage of blades that were constantly targeting his throat was suffocating, and his chances of winning were growing slimmer by the second.

After being caught off guard by Ren's surprise attack, Donovan remained vigilant, keeping his distance. He was stunned that Ren's attack could penetrate his prized armor, but he quickly got back on his feet. 

To fend off Ren and prevent him from closing in, he launched a relentless offensive, extending his control over his swords to their maximum range to keep him away.

Both of them knew that the duel would conclude soon. With Ren being a first-circle mage, his mana pool would run out pretty soon. Additionally, with every cast of his mini fireballs, the toll on Ren's body was becoming increasingly severe. 

Both of Ren's arms were drenched in blood from the repeated explosions. The small blasts, despite being small, still caused severe burns, leaving his skin charred and blistered. Deep lacerations ran along his forearms, bleeding profusely, and the force of the detonations had fractured all of the bones in his fingers. His muscles and tendons were torn, rendering his hands nearly immobile and swollen. Without the enhancements to his physique, it would be impossible for him to endure such injuries.

Despite the intense pain and damage, Ren continued to fight, his willpower the only thing that kept him going.

"Boom!" As waves of black metallic swords flew toward him, Ren activated his spell once more. Zooming past the pursuing barrage that totaled more than a hundred, he launched his counterattack. 

Within a brief span, seven mini fireballs streaked toward Donovan. With flawless control, they exploded in rapid succession, casting blinding lights that enveloped the entire arena.

When Donovan noticed that Ren was employing the same trick, he was ready. To counteract Ren's trick, he briefly closed his eyes to avoid being blinded again and summoned his swords back to his side. 

Once the initial wave of light had dissipated, he reopened his eyes, only to be surprised by the reappearance of hundred over additional fireballs rotating in mid-air, surrounding him on all sides.