Mage Manual

Chapter 50: Chapter 48: Awakening Battle Record – Mizuki

Sigh…

In this noisy Practical Combat Hall, in this moment of intense battle, Sonia suddenly heard a distant sigh.

Then her vision split in two.

On one side were the faces of other students in the hall, some sneering, some expectant, some envious, a myriad of expressions.

On the other side, she saw a woman… who looked very much like herself.

Although she looked similar, Sonia was certain that the woman was not her.

The woman stood on the lake surface under the moonlight, and suddenly, a huge horned monster charged toward her from afar. The monster caused a storm-like torrent of darkness as it charged, devastating everything in its path, and even able to obscure the moonlight, as if darkness itself was collapsing!

Compared to it, the woman seemed so frail and small!

Yet, she did not dodge at all; instead, she stood her ground, summoned a Technique Spirit, and then—

One strike!

The darkness was torn in two, and bright light shone through the monster’s split, illuminating her brutal yet elegant sword stance!

Sonia couldn’t see her movements clearly, nor could she see which Technique Spirit she had summoned, but for some reason, Sonia felt she could imitate it.

The desire to imitate was so strong that Sonia’s body started moving on its own!

“Not abandoning the sword, huh…”

Seeing Sonia showing no sign of conceding, Reonie, fluttering about, couldn’t help but give her junior a high score internally. Conceding in a doomed fight is the rational choice, but stubborn perseverance could give birth to miracles.

If one doesn’t have the courage to challenge the stronger in such a safe environment, how could one ever forge the resilient heart of a Mage to face real-world dangers?

Truly worthy of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint, who had picked a good apprentice…

Although she admired Sonia internally, Reonie would not hold back.

It wasn’t just about maintaining the dignity of the Rhythm Sword Saint, but also that only through a clash with full strength could one truly respect a Sword Master!

Miracle・Rhythm Melody・Third Movement!

Just as Reonie launched her attack, she noticed Sonia making a strange gesture—she sheathed her sword.

At the same time, many threads of moonlight appeared around Sonia, each connected to her body, as if she had turned herself into a trap.

A trap?

Mutual destruction?

Many thoughts flashed through Reonie’s mind, but she continued with her strike—facing unprecedented changes, a Sword Master only had one way to respond, and that was to cut through all obstacles with her sword!

Forward, forward, forward, keep moving forward!

This was the survival way of a Sword Master!

Golden sword light flashed again in the hall, but just as the sword light touched the moonlight threads, Reonie suddenly felt something was wrong—the Rhythm Melody failed to cut through the threads!

No, it wasn’t just the moonlight threads!

Upon closer inspection, she saw water flowing on each thread, not only dispelling the impact but also granting the moonlight threads unmatched toughness!

No, the water wasn’t just dispelling the impact!

Reonie’s eyes widened, realizing that as the sword light pulled on the threads, all energy flowed along the threads toward Sonia, who was in the sheathed sword stance. The threads and Sonia formed a spring system; when hit by an external force, Sonia connected to the threads would deliver the quickest counterattack!

Water flow… Moonlight threads… and the Wave Motion Sword…

This was a Counterattack Miracle!

Clang!

As Sonia swung her sword, releasing a nearly invisible Wave Motion Sword Energy, Reonie finally revealed herself, her feathered robe exposed, her hands empty.

Snap, snap.

As the broken practice wooden sword fell to the ground, the crowd in the Practical Combat Hall still hadn’t reacted.

“Reonie… lost?”

The speaker’s voice trembled, as if afraid of fabricating facts, spreading false truths, and facing consequences.

“She lost… the Orange Dancer lost…”

“Reonie lost to Sonia!”

“What kind of technique was that? I’ve never seen such a miracle… Is it a new Miracle!?”

“Just days after becoming a Mage, Sonia defeated the full-fledged Silver Mage Reonie!”

“A freshman has defeated a fourth-year student!”

“My God, am I witnessing the rise of a new Sword Saint!?”

Amid the shouts and cheers of countless people, Reonie looked at Sonia, who was drenched in sweat and could barely stand, and asked with a smile, “What do you call this Miracle?”

In Sonia’s eyes, the image of a woman dancing with her sword under the moonlight on the lake seemed to reappear, and without any thought, the name slipped from her lips:

“Water Moon.”

At that moment, Ingrid, her face flushed with excitement from the duel, suddenly raised her right fist and shouted loudly, “Sonia!”

The freshmen of the Sword Skill cheered in unison, “Sonia! Sonia! Sonia!”

The supporters of the orange dancer were not to be outdone, “Reonie! Reonie! Reonie!”

For a time, only two names remained in the Practical Combat Hall: Sonia and Reonie!

“After today, you will become one of the brightest jewels of Sword Flower University.”

Reonie raised her eyebrows, “Just like me.”

Sonia forced a smile, but at this moment, she could no longer hold on and her body swayed as if she was about to fall.

Reonie reached out to support her, and as their eyes met, they exchanged a smile, which drew cheers from the crowd.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Felix and Lauren, who were also breathlessly fighting, saw this scene and gradually stopped, their bodies seemingly losing all strength.

They exchanged a glance, showing the same wry smile, and helplessly shook their heads.

The fight that had started because of them ended up with them not being the main characters.

For talents like them, who were naturally the center of attention, nothing was more distressing than being ignored.

Lauren suddenly threw down his wooden sword, “Stand still, let me throw a punch.”

Felix was stunned, but Lauren walked straight up to him and punched him in the face, sending him flying.

“Remember this punch, Felix, not all women are to be trifled with,” Lauren said before turning and walking away.

Felix sat on the ground, watching the two who were the focus of everyone’s attention in the hall, and sighed softly,

“Indeed.”

At that moment.

Felix didn’t realize, and neither did anyone else, that behind him had suddenly appeared two visitors without shadows.

In everyone’s field of vision in the hall, these two were nonexistent, and when they spoke, all the commotion was automatically excluded, as if the world only contained the two of them.

“I remember, losing to ‘Orange Flash’ Reonie, should be one of your few great shames, right?”

Faced with the Observer’s teasing, the Sword Maiden appeared calm, “Not really, I defeated her three years later, so I didn’t dwell on it.”

“To think you remembered for three years…” The Observer muttered, turning his head to look at Felix sitting on the ground, pulling out a handbook from his bosom and flipping to a page.

“However, it’s unexpected that the notoriously Evil Duke, who was once a swordsmanship prodigy, didn’t have this period in his records.”

“For someone from the Vosloda Family, not being a swordsmanship prodigy would be more surprising.”

“Could it be exactly because of this learning experience that the Evil Duke knows how to counter Sword Masters, laying the groundwork for his future achievements as the ‘Sword Saint’s Burier’?” @@novelbin@@

“Who knows? No one will know how their choices at this moment will affect their future selves. All Mages are the same creatures, digging on the land called Fate with their hands for the future they desire, yet unwittingly digging graves that can bury themselves… We are all foolish grave-diggers.”

“Why the sudden sentimentality? This isn’t like the Death Mad Sword Maiden I know.” The Observer laughed, “Just a touch from the current Sonia has caused such a big change in you?”

Cling!

The frost-cold blade of the sword kissed the Observer’s neck, and the Sword Maiden said coldly, “Don’t take me for a fool like that girl, you are just a loser under my sword, mind your attitude.”

The Observer raised his hands in surrender, “Sorry, I was out of line. If you’re really angry, feel free to take it out on Ash, I don’t mind.”

The Sword Maiden snorted coldly and sheathed her sword.

“Speaking of which, the Water Moon Miracle I saw before wasn’t like this. Could it be, Sword Maiden, that you still have the capacity to improve Miracles in such a state?” The Observer asked curiously, “I thought we were all the same, only capable of declining, not improving.”

“You’re wrong. This isn’t a brand-new improvement, but an outdated remnant.”

The Sword Maiden shook her head, “What you saw was the most perfect ‘Mirror Flower Water Moon.’ Before that, I created many different versions. ‘Moonlight Silk’ combined with ‘Rapid Stream’ is one of them. Although it’s not powerful, not fast, and not strong in defense, it’s more than suitable for the current Sonia.”

“Indeed.” The Observer nodded, “There’s no best Miracle, only the most timely one. Heh, I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of Sonia will emerge without deep resentment or bitter enmity.”

“You might as well worry about Ash, today is his Blood Moon Judgement day.”

“Why worry?”

The Observer laughed, but that laugh, devoid of any warmth, made the Sword Maiden unconsciously grip her sword handle tighter.

“The Gods of Four Pillars are watching him.”