Chapter 105 – Five Steps

Loran Academy

Practice Range

It was approaching nightfall. The academy was devoid of a single person, there was only a faint light in the spacious and empty practice range.

Currently, Sam and Lin Xiao were foolishly standing on the stage facing one another, and Elena was like frost standing beneath, waiting for a thoroughly stupid duel.

Sam was still baffled, how did he carelessly agree to Lin Xiao’s duel? If he had to say it, it was because Lin Xiao was too good at duping people.

Sam was someone who trained his body all day, a youngest that tempered his sword skills, he completely had no idea what was in Lin Xiao’s head. It was clearly some trifling matters, yet it seemed like a big deal when it came out of Lin Xiao’s mouth.

Take the current situation as an example, earlier in the bar, Lin Xiao used his honor being destroyed as a bargaining chip and threatened Sam to give up his plans of being ruthless during the competition, but Sam didn’t agree.

He was angry, he would not give in, he wanted to beat up Lin Xiao, and use his burning aura to defend his honor!

What should he do?

That’s easy! Come! Fight with me right now, towards the hesitating Sam, Lin Xiao used his eloquent words to dispel his hesitation.

And thus, Lin Xiao dragged Sam to Loran Academy’s practice range at night and started this duel.

If Sam won, Lin Xiao would willingly get beat. If Lin Xiao won, everything between them would get cleared. Simple and straightforward.

In addition, according to Lin Xiao, this was a standard duel that both sides agreed to, a symbol of honor and bravery. Since it was Lin Xiao who suggested it, no one would say anything either.

So, even if it got out that Sam heavily injured Lin Xiao here, no one would think that Sam was bullying him. They would only believe that Lin Xiao overestimated himself by wanting to duel Sam even though he was a weakling, and was looking for death!

At first, Sam thought that Lin Xiao was plotting something after tricking him here, or doing some other cheap tricks, but he soon noticed that were no traps or schemes. Lin Xiao challenged him to a duel, pure and simple.

A fair duel, just that simple.

“Lin Xiao, I’m going to ask you one last time… are you sure you want to duel me?”

“Ah, that’s right, I’m serious.”

On the practice range, Lin Xiao and Sam were standing facing one another in accordance to the etiquette of a duel, the two maintained a set distance. In a duel between a magician and a warrior, distance was an essential factor, as soon as the magician allowed a warrior to get too close, that was akin to being sentenced to death.

“Hmph, Lin Xiao, you don’t actually believe you can beat me, right?” Sam clenched the sword withing his hand, and swung down. The sharp blame made a soft swish, like it was warning the unenthusiastic magician in front of it.

If it was just a duel, Sam wasn’t afraid of Lin Xiao, he was confident he would win.

“Win or lose, we’ll know after we fight.” Lin Xiao responded carefreely, “My maid will be the witness, don’t worry, she won’t side with me, this duel is completely fair.”

“Okay! Nice ‘we’ll know after we fight’! But Lin Xiao, I still don’t understand… where’d you get the courage to challenge me to a duel?” Sam knit his brows and asked, “You’re only a fourth level magician, and I’m a fifth level warrior, others call me the hurricane swordsman, my speed will surpass your imagination with my battle aura amplification! So much so that I can dodge all your magic!”

No matter how strong magic was, it had no meaning if it couldn’t hit anyone.

“What about it?”

“Hehe, I already know what you’re thinking… there’s only one fourth level magic that can keep up with my speed, the wind magic, Wind blade!” Sam disdainfully shook his head, “That’s what you’re relying on, right? But Lin Xiao, have you ever thought about it, through my battle aura, even if you hit me with a wind blade, I won’t get injured, what about you?”

“Me?” Lin Xiao understood what he was saying, “What you mean is that… you plan to take my wind blade and then approach me as fast as you can, not letting me continue to use magic, then you can easily win as long as you land a punch.”

“Hmph, it seems like you’re not stupid.” Sam held his sword in one hand, then used his other hand to make an inviting gesture towards Lin Xiao, “Don’t say that I’m bullying you. Before the duel, I’ll let you complete a magic circuit beforehand and prepare a magic, then I’ll attack.”

Sam was confident, Lin Xiao was a mere fourth level, even if he gave him ample time to prepare, it wouldn’t be a problem.

He wanted Lin Xiao to be utterly convinced of his loss.

“Oh, Sam, as expected of the boss, how magnanimous!” Lin Xiao nodded to express his agreement, “Then I’ll take you up on that offer!”

How could Lin Xiao not want an advantage given to him for free? With time to prepare in advance, it would save him a lot of trouble.

Witout saying anything further, Lin Xiao started to prepare his magic circuit.

“Wind blade!”

Magic chant, complete.

A thin willow-like green magic power was spiraling around within Lin Xiao’s palms.

Magic circuit, complete.

“Like I thought, it was wind blade… but Lin Xiao, I’ve already told you that I can completely take your magic!” After saying that, Sam also began moving the battle aura within him.

Quickly, a pale green light covered Sam’s entire body, different than the dazzling light of magic, the battle aura light was extremely gently and was blended into Sam’s body, barely discernible.

“This duel, you’ve already lost!”

Sam’s battle aura’s attribute was wind, thus he could amplify his speed greatly through wind battle aura!

Not only that, he could also use battle skills.

“Astral Wind Sword Aura!”

Sam shouted, and the pale life adhered on his sword as well, the length of the sword actually multiplied by two! The original gentle battle aura was now like a fatal blade, as the sword aura increased the attack range of the weapon, as long as Sam walked forward seven steps… no, just five steps, and Lin Xiao would enter the attack range of his Astral Wind Sword Aura.

With a wind-like speed, along with that sword aura that can overcome anything, this was the hurricane swordsman Sam!

Five steps, that was all the safe distance Lin Xiao had.

“Lin Xiao, where’s you magic?” After Sam finished accumulating his pwer, and was waiting for Lin Xiao to attack, but nothing happened.

What was Lin Xiao doing? Was he planning to relese some magic other than wind blade?

Sam shook his head inwardly.

It was useless, wind blade was the only magic that could catch Sam’s speed within fourth level magic, but, wind blade didn’t have the power to defeat him instantly, as long as he took the first wind blade, he would win!

This was a duel that Lin Xiao was destined to lose, the difference between their strength was just too large.

“Sam, you said earlier that you were going to take my wind blade, right?”

There was finally movement from Lin Xiao.

After Lin Xiao finished his magic circuit, he used his teeth to bite open his finger, and drew a strange design on the back of his hand.

“Okay, let’s see how much you can withstand.” Lin Xiao, smiled and invited him, “Come.”