He parried one strike, then another, but the third slipped past his guard, grazing his armor and leaving a faint burn. Aurelya quickly stepped back, her rapier glowing brighter as mana gathered at its tip.

A split second later, a beam of condensed light burst forth. Lumberling planted his spear and spun it in a defensive arc, forming a circular barrier. The blast struck with a deafening crack, forcing him a few meters back before he steadied himself.

He exhaled sharply, lowering his weapon. "Long-range now? You're cheating more by the second."

Aurelya smirked, her golden hair fluttering as she tilted her head. "There are no rules in a real fight. If you want to survive, you have to use everything you've got," she said, her tone firm but teasing. "This is how you use your elements properly."

"I'm really trying, alright!" Lumberling replied, thrusting his spear forward.

His weapon shot through the air like a bolt, the pressure alone kicking up dust. Aurelya met his attack head-on, her rapier flashing as the two weapons collided with a sharp ring.

Then they broke apart, breathing heavily. The golden flames dancing around Aurelya slowly faded, while the faint aura of lightning and fire surrounding Lumberling flickered.

Aurelya exhaled softly, smiling despite the sweat on her brow. "You really are catching up fast. How are you able to balance your elements that quickly?"

Lumberling lowered his spear, returning her smile. "Secret"

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Keeping secrets from me again?"

In truth, he wasn't sure either. But the seed deep within him pulsed whenever he used multiple paths at once, helping him control his powers, and even his elements with surprising ease.

Aurelya tilted her head, still smiling. "Then I guess I'll just have to force you to spill that secret of yours."

Before he could respond, her mana surged. A radiant glow burst around her, golden and fierce, wrapping her blade in a swirling mix of fire and light.

Lumberling blinked, suddenly realizing she wasn't joking. "Wait, hold on, I was just kidding! I'll tell you, alright?!"

Aurelya's smirk widened. "No need."

And before he could react, her figure blurred and vanished from sight.

Lumberling barely had time to finish the thought when her blade came from above, slicing through the air. He twisted aside, sparks flying as steel met steel.

'Damn, you leave me no choice' He thought.

The seed within his chest pulsed faster, each beat syncing with his breath. Lightning flared faintly across his arms as qi, mana, and divine energy coursed through his veins, merging together like intertwining rivers.

His senses sharpened, the rustle of wind, the flicker of light, even the faint tremor of Aurelya's steps became clear to him.

She appeared again. Her rapier struck with blinding speed, left, right, up, down, but Lumberling's spear moved just as fast, intercepting each blow with precision that surprised even him.

The divine energy guided his movements like an unseen hand, letting him feel where her next strike would land a heartbeat before it came.

Aurelya darted behind him in a flash, thrusting for his ribs, but he spun, his spear sweeping up in perfect timing to deflect the blow. The impact crackled with lightning, forcing her a step back. He pressed forward, countering with a quick jab that nearly grazed her shoulder.

The air around them shimmered with heat and sparks. Aurelya's strikes grew fiercer, but Lumberling met her pace, sometimes blocking, sometimes countering with just enough power to make her adjust.

"You're still able to keep up?" Aurelya said, a note of surprise breaking through her steady breath.

Lumberling smirked while panting. his spear still humming with energy. "Hehe… you're not the only one who can cheat a little."

But that smile didn't last long. His breathing grew heavier. The divine energy and qi surging through his body was draining fast. He knew he could only hold on for a few more minutes before it completely drained him.

Still, he refused to fall easily. Sparks and golden light clashed in the clearing until his knees finally hit the ground. Lumberling dropped his spear, huffing for air, sweat dripping down his jaw.

Aurelya stood a few steps away, a few bruises marking her arm where his strikes had landed, but her smile was bright and proud.

"I won," she said, brushing her golden hair back. "That makes it four to zero."

Lumberling chuckled weakly, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah… I'll give it to you. After all, our chess score is still a hundred and seven to zero."

Aurelya blinked, then narrowed her eyes in irritation, lowering her rapier with a smirk. "Looks like our training isn't enough yet. Get up."

"I'm just kidding," Lumberling muttered quickly, raising a hand in surrender.

"Their fights are really something," Liraeth said softly, standing a few paces away with Thessalia and Vaenyra. Her eyes trailed after every movement in the clearing. There was awe in her voice, and a hint of admiration she didn't bother hiding.

Thessalia folded her arms, analyzing quietly. "He's adapting fast. His control over elements is improving every day."

Vaenyra smirked faintly. "He fights in such a strange way... unrefined yet effective. I want to see how he'd fare against me."

Thessalia gave her a flat look. "Please don't, Lady Vaenyra. If you spar with him now, he'll end up collapsing again and sleeping the whole day. That's not exactly productive training."

Liraeth giggled, her smile bright. "She's not wrong about that."

Thessalia cupped her hands around her mouth. "Aurelya! Let him rest for a while! I'll take over his training next!"

Lumberling exhaled in relief, leaning on his spear. "Thank the gods…" he muttered under his breath.

Aurelya turned toward him with a glare. "You're lucky this time. But I'll make sure you pay for it later," she said, as she turned away. Her golden hair caught the sunlight, glowing softly as she walked back toward the others.

Lumberling smiled faintly, watching them for a moment. Then, his eyes glowed softly as he activated Luck Analyze on them.

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