The fused spell finally appeared after a few moments…

Soon, a lance of fire wrapped in a vortex of wind appeared, and it tore through the air, while heading toward Rayven..

The arbiter instinctively took a step back. "That's a level reaching the Tier 3… Impressive control!"

Adept Mages certainly had the capability to fuse Spells if they really tried. However, that wouldn't be easy, as they lacked a trait that only an Arcanist could have. It means that she would need to work harder in order to succeed in Spell Fusion.

The observers knew this as well.

Despite not having that special trait, Sofia was able to do it, and it just shows how great she was in her Spell Harmony and Control.

Soon, the blazing spiral hurtled toward Rayven with terrifying force.

Rayven's expression didn't change. He used another Spell…

"Mist Shroud."

[ 2 Gold Coins deducted. ]

Thick vapor erupted once more, coiling around him…

But this time, Sofia's fused spell tore through it and scattered the mist like a gale through fog.

Boom!

The explosion rocked the dueling field, and a wave of hot air swept over them.

Sofia narrowed her eyes. "Did I.."

She wanted to know if she had already won, but then, the mist began to move unnaturally. A strong wave of mana suddenly appeared.

"Mana Pulse."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

Rayven muttered.

A shockwave of raw mana burst outward from the heart of the fog!

Whom~

It collided with the residual wind current of her fusion spell, disrupting the balance of the surrounding mana.

Sofia gritted her teeth as the recoil from the unstable mana flow rattled her.

'He used my own element's instability against me!'

Before she could regroup, the mist shifted again as Rayven had moved.

"Gust Step."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

He shot out of the mist, propelled by wind beneath his feet.

His speed was so abrupt that even the arbiter lost track for a moment.

Sofia moved away and raised her staff defensively, but Rayven's move didn't end there.

While he was moving, he cast another Spell! He wasn't planning to save money this time as he needed to win against the Adept Mage!

"Telekinesis."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

A ripple of force yanked her staff's trajectory slightly to the side, breaking her stance just as she tried to counterattack.

Rayven's hand then pointed forward.

"Mana Flick."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

The invisible flick of power struck her left wrist… It was light, but precise. Her grip faltered at that moment!

She bit her lip. "He's interrupting my spell control again!"

Thankfully, her robe had another ability that allowed her to create her own mist and she would normally use this to escape in various missions!

She tapped her chest a couple of times and triggered the robe's ability!

Whoosh~

In just a moment, she was also shrouded in a mist!

But before she could chant another Spell, Rayven continued moving.

"Detect Mana Source."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

'Found you… You're not getting away…'

He then raised his palm and released another Spell.

"Fireball."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

The small orb ignited instantly, but instead of launching it straight, Rayven twisted his wrist…

The flaming sphere curved midair like a guided missile, catching Sofia from her blind spot.

Boom!

The explosion knocked her backward, forcing her to roll across the ground before planting her staff and standing up again.

Her robes were scorched at the edges, and because of her interrupted spell chant, her breathing had grown heavier as she felt the backlash from that.

"You're playing with timing and perception…" She muttered.

"Impressive… You're not supposed to have that much control with just Tier 1 spells. Tsk… Your almost non-existent Spell Chant is a problem."

Rayven didn't reply. He could feel the heat against his skin from her earlier blast, but he needed to focus…

Sofia steadied her breath and raised her staff again. "I'm sure you're already lacking mana… Maybe 3 or 4 more Spells and you're done, right? Let's see how long you can last."

She began dual casting again!

"Winds that cut, flames that rend…

Wind Cutter! Fire Lash!"

The attacks converged, but Rayven knew that aside from Fire Lash, the Wind Cutter could not be easily controlled. Its trajectory was decided the moment it was released.

Because of that, he relied on his Speed!

"Gust Step."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

He burst through the gap he found and closed the distance in an instant.

Sofia gasped, caught off guard by Rayven's sudden charge!

"He's already here..."

Rayven's voice was calm, almost soft.

"Fireball."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

The burning orb exploded between them, forcing Sofia to shield herself.

The arbiter squinted his eyes but confirmed that it wasn't dangerous yet…

Then, when the smoke cleared, Rayven was already behind her.

"Telekinesis."

[ 1 Gold Coin deducted. ]

Her staff was suddenly wrenched from her hand and flung a few meters away, embedding itself in the ground.

Thud!

Sofia's eyes widened in disbelief. "You…"

After that, a rush of wind passed beside her ear, as Rayven stopped his palm from hitting her face!

"I don't want to release a Fireball this close…" Rayven said with a smile.

The arbiter finally saw the scene and raised his hand. "Match end! Rayven wins!"

Silence filled the field for a moment. After all, everyone here knew about Sofia. She was a Gold Rank Adventurer and also an Adept Mage.

Her reputation within the guild could not be ignored. Because of that, everyone couldn't help but glance at the young mage.

"He won?!"

"An Initiate Mage beat an Adept?"

"What were those spells? I think his chant was too short. How is that fair?"

Sofia, still catching her breath, turned toward him. There was no anger in her eyes… Only surprise and… respect.

"You're really not normal, Rayven. You're weird."

Rayven chuckled as he could understand Sofia's thoughts. He was unlike any other Mage she had seen, and he couldn't blame her.

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