"Kael!" Liraen screamed.
"Human!!"
Grak'Mar and Nibsken immediately followed.
Elvareth watched Kael get struck by the attack, her eyes widening as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Commander! Why did you use that technique?!" Liraen shouted at Aeronis.
"Hmm? Hahaha... Relax, Liraen. I know what I'm doing."
Aeronis spoke confidently as he looked toward the massive cloud of dust.
"That Wind Arrow wasn't powerful enough to seriously injure him. But I'm sure... he's on the ground right now."
Slowly, the dust and sand that blocked everyone's vision began to fade away.
Everyone stared into the cloud.
Gradually, they could finally see Kael.
"Kael..."
Liraen watched as a shadow slowly appeared through the fading dust. He could only hope that Kael hadn't been seriously injured.
Aeronis smiled and clapped his hands as he could slowly see Kael's shadow.
"Hahaha…You did great, My stu--"
SWOOOSH!
A short black blade suddenly shot out from the dust cloud.
"Huh!"
KTANG!
Aeronis immediately reacted, parrying it using his arm.
His eyes widened.
What?! Isn't he already on the ground?!
SWIRRRL...
The sound of spinning wind echoed through the center of the backyard.
And there, standing in the middle of it all, was Kael.
Both of his hands tightly held the Caged Metal Sphere.
The crystal floating inside the cage shone with a bright light as it spun uncontrollably. Around it, the remaining wind continued to swirl.
"What...?"
Aeronis stared in shock at the sight before him.
"Pant... Pant..."
Kael breathed heavily.
"Why, Commander...?"
He slowly raised his head and looked directly at Aeronis.
"You seem shocked. Did you perhaps underestimate me?"
Kael remained standing, both hands still holding the Caged Metal Sphere.
Inside the cage, the floating crystal continued to spin.
It had completely absorbed Aeronis's Might Command attack.
However, that didn't mean Kael had emerged completely unharmed.
Both of his long sleeves had been torn apart, revealing the various colored Support Tapes wrapped around his arms. His pants were also damaged, while several scratches could be seen across his Tactical Shirt.
But the most important thing was
Kael had survived.
And he was still capable of continuing the test.
"Cih... You're sure proud of yourself, huh?"
Aeronis narrowed his eyes at Kael.
"Doesn't matter if you can tank that attack. As long as this badge is still with me, your test isn't over…." Aeronis seems a bit annoyed by him.
"Yeah, Commander… Then…here I came…"
SWOOSH!
"...to take it!"
The ground exploded beneath Kael's feet as he rushed toward Aeronis.
However, he charged forward without carrying a single weapon.
ZAPP!
Kael let out a shout as he used his Tan'Mara kick technique , swinging his leg toward Aeronis's side.
Aeronis raised his arm to block the attack.
THUD!
"Good... What a stable kick."
After blocking the kick from him Aeronis leaped backward and extended his hand.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
That hand gesture... It's the same one he uses when he's about to create a new sword.
Kael knew Aeronis could create an Ice Sword.
But after witnessing that massive Wind Might projectile...
It opened up a new possibility.
He can use more than one element.
Whatever you choose it to be, I just want you to know that I'm ready.
Kael smiled as he was ready for what was coming.
"Smiling, huh?"
Aeronis grinned.
"I'll make that smile fade away!"
SWOOSH!
Aeronis dashed forward in an instant.
In the blink of an eye—
He was right in front of Kael.
Kael's eyes widened.
He was unable to defend himself in time.
Aeronis suddenly struck Kael in the stomach with a compressed ball of wind.
The hand gesture had been a deception.
He had made Kael believe that he was about to create another sword.
BOOM!
"Ugh!"
Kael was sent flying backward before crashing onto the ground.
Before he could recover
SWOOSH!
Aeronis appeared right in front of him.
Kael was still lying on the ground.
Without hesitation, Aeronis reached toward his shoulder.
Then attacked Kael's shoulder directly using his thumb to nudge it. Even though the strike landed perfectly to Kael's shoulder weak point, the spot was covered by Supporting Tape.
He narrowed his eyes but didn't suspect anything.
Tap!
Tap!
"ARGHHH!"
Kael screamed in agony.
Aeronis stood silently, looking down at Kael.
"Phew... You're finally down."
He let out a breath.
"You really put in the effort this time, Kael. I'll admit that."
Aeronis looked at his thumb that pressed Kael's shoulders.
"I honestly didn't know how I was going to put you down without using that technique."
He then turned away from Kael and looked toward Liraen and the others watching from the side.
"Kael did excellently during this attempt, and you all deserve some credit!"
Aeronis smiled.
"You did a great job training him. I even have more scratches on my armor than last time."
However, his expression soon became serious again.
"But all of that will be for nothing if he still can't reach this badge..."
Aeronis lowered his gaze toward the Dragon Badge attached to his armor.
The objective was still right in front of Kael.
But reaching it was another matter entirely.
Liraen, Grak'Mar, Volgran, and his friends who heard Aeronis's words fell silent. What they hoped could be different this time was not…
Liraen looked at his feet and clenched his hand. He really hoped for Kael to become a Realm Protector, but seeing this situation… he couldn't say more.
Elvareth, who was always emotional when it came to Kael's dream, really didn't know what to do other than just hope for the best. Her heart was screaming for Kael to get that badge…
"Come on! Don't be so disappointed, guys… He did a great job this time!
"He also has another last attempt. Am I right, Mik—"
He turned back to look at Kael, whom he thought was still lying on the ground.
Aeronis's eyes once again in a complete shock.
"Huh?!"
"Why do you need to tell… me about the last attempt, Commander… Yet here I am, still standing for my third attempt…"
Kael stood up, his feet still trembling but it began to gain the strength back…
All his friends watching him around the backyard were shocked in disbelief. Elvareth who just a while ago was shaking now her face lit up in hope.
Kael raised his Tesseract and pointed it at Aeronis.
"The third attempt will never end… Until I decide to!"
"Come on, Kael!" Liraen screamed.
"Ya can do it, Human!" Others follow.
Aeronis's face formed a smile mixed with seriousness as he noticed the backyard filled with excitement again.
"Haa… You really forced me to use that again huh?"
He raised his hand and once again used the Might Command. Aeronis clenched his fist as if he were holding a sword. He closed his eyes, then opened them again.
"Ice Might Weaponry: Glacial Blade…"
Same as the wind arrow situation but this time a bluish particle might gather around the backyard. Then a cold mist gathered around Aeronis's hand. It slowly condensed until a strong, sturdy, highly durable, and more detailed Ice Sword was formed.
"This time… this sword will not be destroyed as easily…" Aeronis thought as he held the sword and pointed it toward Kael.
SWOOSH!
Kael rushed toward Aeronis giving him no time.
KTANGG!
Once again, their swords collided, clenching together.
Tesseract vs. The Iconic Ice Sword.
"Arghh!!"
Kael struggled to break the Ice Sword… But this one was created through Might Command. It wasn't fragile.
KTANG!
KTANNG!
The swords continued colliding, both showing an intense fight, especially Kael.
But no matter what he did, the Ice Sword wouldn't even scratch.
SWOOSH!
Kael leaped backward.
He reached for his flamethrower and prepared to shoot the Ice Sword, melting it down.
But he was too late.
WOOSH!
Creckk….
A cold mist of air froze his entire flamethrower device.
"What?!"
Kael had no choice but to throw the device away before his hand froze too.
"Cih! What's that?! He's not even moving from that place… How can he freeze my flamethrower?"
Kael looked at his right hand and his Tesseract… it was freezing too.
Creckk….
"My sword too!?"
"Cih.." He threw Tesseract away.
Meanwhile Aeronis casually walked toward him.
"Looks like this is the end, Kael… Both of your weapons are already frozen…"
"What else can you do?"
"What else is left, Mikael?"
Aeronis's face turned flat, knowing that the enjoyment had already come to an end.
"I guess… I have no option left, Commander…"
"That kick just now… was just a starting point for the real one…"
Kael opened his stance. He had decided to fight with his last resort…
Tan'Mara.
"Come on, Commander… You know what this is about."
Kael challenged him. He opened the palm of his right hand in front of him, while his left hand remained closed into a fist at the same level beside his chest.
"Tan'Mara? You seriously challenged me?"
Commander Aeronis's face showed doubt, but there was no mixed feeling in his expression.
"You sure are full of nerves and surprises, Mikael."
Aeronis absorbed his Ice Might Sword back into his Might Energy and revealed his own Tan'Mara stance…
But it was far from what Kael expected.
Aeronis's stance was much wider than Kael's. Both of his hands were open, curling almost like a snake, with his right hand pointed toward the sky and extended in front of him, while his left hand pointed downward and extended behind him.
Almost like he wanted to dance…
Kael was shocked, but he has no plan on backing up.
Slowly, both of them closed the distance between them.
Until the right moment
Kael struck first.
ZAP!
He shouted as his right leg kicked toward Aeronis's side. With his improved Electrical Shoes, now using a bit of alloy to make them lighter, Kael could easily land a kick.
THUD!
Aeronis parried it with his left arm.
But Kael was nowhere near stopping.
He continued attacking, throwing his fists.
ZAAP!
Two punches landed, but Aeronis easily fended them off.
Aeronis wasn't going to let Kael be the only one attacking.
Using the side of his hand, he slashed toward Kael's side.
SHAAH!
"Uhuk!"
Kael coughed as he was thrown back a little.
Aeronis didn't stop. He dashed toward Kael's side and slashed again, this time toward Kael's stomach.
Just in time, Kael parried it using both of his arms.
"Argh… It hurts! But I need to grab that badge! I need to think about how I can lure him closer… and grab it from him…" Kael thought while trying to brush off the pain.
Aeronis is Etherian. Of course he is excellent in Etherian Tan'Mara style.
His movements are faster and precisely accurate. Even if Kael was able to parry or fend off his attacks, they still left significant damage.
Their Tan'Mara duel continued…
Multiple times, Kael managed to get close to the badge, but he still couldn't grab it.
"Arghh… It's so annoying! Commander is so fast…"
Kael was too focused on grabbing the badge…
And he seemed to forget one crucial thing.
Throughout this Tan'Mara duel, Aeronis already had his own plan in mind…
To delay and kill time.
ZAP!
SHA!
The intense and engaging fight between them seems in a never ending cycle of reaching and losing the opportunity for Kael to grab the dragon badge.
Eventually Kael once again is able to lure Aeronis closer, creating what he sees as a perfect position between him and the badge.
But this time… it seems too perfect.
Too perfect to be true…
He extended his hand and got really close to the dragon badge and the only thing left was to grab it.
This is it! I win!
Kael finally managed to feel the surface of the badge…
But then in second his arm was grabbed by Aeronis.
And with a smile, he said,
"Time's up, Mikael."
"I win."
Kael's eyes widened, a little disappointed.
His friends watched as he stood there, frozen, staring at Aeronis, who was still holding his arm.
"Huh… What… T-Time… Times up?"
Kael's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Yes, my student Mikael… Time's up."
"Your third attempt has already ended," he announced in a calm tone.
Kael let go of the red badge's surface, and so did Aeronis with his arm.
Kael collapsed to his knees as Aeronis let go of him.
He lay down on the green grass of his backyard.
He looked at the sundial that was floating beside them all along…
And saw the shadow pointing exactly at number 12.
Speechless…
Nothing could be said after giving his best so far.
However, time had no mercy.
Third Trial… Ended…
Kael 0… Time 1.