Geometric Mage: First Spell, Circle

Despite promising himself not to be arrogant, it was too difficult not to be with the power coursing through his body, a surge of confidence he could not suppress.

The thrill of the battle made him tremble. He had long forgotten that everyone in the stands seemed to have it out for him for some reason.

And, apparently, he had also forgotten his near-death experience against the gargoyle statues… at that moment, he had promised himself to stop being arrogant, to pay more attention, to think before acting… a lesson that seemed to slip away in the heat of battle.

Never trust a boy's words. a fleeting thought of self-reproach.

Zery raised an eyebrow, her smile turning into a grimace of curiosity. "Interesting, then I will stop holding back. I will show you the power you will gain once you reach Bronze 5!" her voice brimming with determination.

With an elegant gesture, Zery raised both hands, and the mana around her condensed into a swirling aura. "I'll show you a semi-permanent spell!"

"Ventus Surge, Aquila Tempestatis!" she chanted, her words resonating with power.

A massive eagle of wind formed above her, its wings flapping with such force that it generated gusts of wind throughout the ring.

Some gusts slammed against the barrier, vanishing into nothingness, while others swept past Lian, ruffling his robe and hair.

With a glorious screech, the materialized wind eagle dove toward Lian with ferocity.

"What?!" Observing the scene, Lian's blue eyes sparkled with interest as he prepared to face the creature.

The eagle's talons, sharp as blades, lunged toward him with impressive speed, slicing through the air with a roar that made the ring tremble. The crowd held its breath, expecting to see the rookie overwhelmed, their anticipation hanging heavy in the air.

But to everyone's surprise, Lian dodged the talons with agility. His body was not that of a typical Mage. It was far stronger and more resilient, a combination of both paths, a duality that set him apart.

He was an Iron 5 Bronze 4, a rare fusion of physical and magical prowess.

His body was a war machine as he dodged and launched sharp air blades from close range, his movements a blur of precision and power.

But the eagle was no less formidable. Its movements were impeccable as it dodged everything, its talons relentlessly tormenting Lian with absolute ferocity, a relentless assault of wind.

They seemed evenly matched; however, the longer the fight went on, the more the eagle lost its sharpness, its form. It would not last long.

But that meant nothing. Zery was free to do as she pleased while Lian was kept occupied by her semi-permanent spell.

"Incredible!" Zery murmured, observing Lian's fight. She could not believe her eyes, her respect for him growing with each moment.

In truth, no one in the arena could believe what was happening. The concept was simple. Advancing in two paths was feasible with the right talent. But this was different!

It would take years to advance in the magical ranks, and just as many to progress in the physical ones. It was impossible to advance so quickly in both paths.

And Lian, despite being so young, had already reached this level. His talent would be incredible even in a place like the kingdom's capital, Ironridge.

"So, you are not just a Mage, you are also an Iron 5 Knight! And so young… you truly are a rare talent." Zery added with a resolute look on her face. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she wanted to test this talent.

"Then I will do as you said; I will not hold back at all!" With a swift gesture, she invoked a new spell. "Ventus Surge, Caelum Fractum!"

The ring was suddenly enveloped in a whirlwind of wind, a vortex rising from the floor and expanding upward, trapping Lian and the eagle inside, a maelstrom of raw power.

The air blades within the vortex were so dense and rapid that they seemed impossible to dodge or predict.

The crowd roared with excitement as they watched the scene clearly.

Lian had been too occupied by the eagle's ferocity, and when he noticed Zery's new spell, it was too late.

"So, this is how you want to play, huh?" Lian whispered as the wind blades struck him in several places, his voice steady despite the pain.

Blood spilled from his body as Lian let himself be hit by the blades to land a precise strike on the eagle, a calculated sacrifice.

A series of four triangles manifested in Lian's mind as he whispered a spell used before against Brutus.

The shape of the triangles was different from the usual. There were two rows of two triangles, side by side. The two upper triangles and the two lower ones shared the same base. The image appeared as two triangles with their tips pointing upward and two with their tips pointing downward.

"Ventus Surge, Orbis Ventorum!"

A ring of wind formed around Lian, but unlike before, it was not just a single circular blade of wind cutting everything. There were several air blades moving in different directions, each targeting a precise point. The eagle's movements were halted as it was effortlessly struck by the remaining blades.

The eagle had no physical body, being made solely of the wind element. Because of this, its weakness lay in its fragile form, which dissolved into mere air the moment it was hit by Lian's blades.

Once the eagle was destroyed, Lian could focus on actively dodging the wind blades that had already damaged his body, his movements now sharper and more deliberate.

Fortunately for him, Zery's spell was not too powerful due to its wide scope.

Using the storm to his advantage and letting himself be hit by more wind blades, Lian closed in on Zery with speed. He could not strike her due to the storm of air that would deflect his blades.

The only solution was to close the distance and face her in close combat.

But just as Lian managed to escape the storm, it dissolved into particles of mana, as if it had never been there.

The crowd, which had been cheering with excitement until a moment ago, was stunned, their voices silenced by the abrupt shift.

"I surrender!"