Paul rolled his shoulder once. "You're not like your nobles," he said.
Austin removed one glove slowly.
"Of course not."
"What's with the gloves?" Paul asked.
He looked at Paul with calm, almost bored eyes.
"Oh, these?" Austin said, glancing briefly at the broken pieces of metal around his wrist. "Just restraints I placed on myself to reduce my magical output."
He flexed his fingers once.
A low rumble echoed through the courtyard. The stone beneath Paul's feet cracked further, spreading like spiderwebs across the ground.
Austin tilted his head slightly.
"You see… fighting weak nobles all day becomes rather dull."
Paul narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
Austin continued walking forward, each step slow and controlled.
He stopped a few steps away from Paul.
"But you…" Austin said quietly, studying him. "You erased my nobles and survived my first strike."
His gaze sharpened.
"That means you might actually be worth a little more effort."
Austin raised his bare hand.
The pressure in the air instantly multiplied. Paul's muscles tightened as if invisible chains had wrapped around his body.
"Let's see," Austin said calmly, "how long you can stand once the restraints are gone."
He smiled faintly.
"Show me, stranger… how do you fight?"
Paul thought to himself, He's ten meters close to me. That's all I need.
Paul canceled the illusion appearance.
"I need to go all out if I want to survive this," he said while regenerating his left arm.
Duke Austin clapped. "Wow. Going all out against an opponent you don't know. But for me, it's not the same. I will ask again who are you?" Austin muttered.
Paul raised his hand.
"Grace Manipulation { Inclusion Barrier!"}
A transparent dome formed, sealing the area and preventing Duke Austin from escaping.
"I see… you don't want casualties, or you don't want someone else interrupting this fight," Austin said. "Shall we start?"
Austin moved first.
A sudden burst of speed.
His fist shot forward.
Elemental Release [Flame Dominion]
Energy surged through his arm as the punch exploded with force.
Paul twisted his body sideways, barely avoiding the direct hit.
His hand flicked outward.
Grace Manipulation [Universal Control]
The air shifted slightly. Austin's trajectory bent a fraction, causing his strike to miss Paul's head by inches.
Austin followed instantly with another strike—a low kick aimed at Paul's ribs.
Paul blocked with his forearm, but the impact pushed him backward.
Austin raised his hand again.
Elemental Release [Thunder Collapse]
The ground beneath Paul cracked violently as energy burst upward.
Paul stepped aside and countered immediately.
Grace Manipulation [Universal Control]
A pulse of dense force shot forward from Paul's palm.
Austin crossed his arms.
The attack slammed into him, sliding him several meters across the stone floor.
Austin smiled slightly.
"Interesting."
He slammed his foot into the ground.
Elemental Release [Thunder Collapse]
Shockwaves spread across the battlefield.
Paul dashed forward instead of retreating.
Mid-movement, he activated another technique.
Grace Manipulation — [Space Lightning]
His body accelerated unnaturally as he closed the distance.
Austin threw three rapid punches.
Paul blocked the first.
Redirected the second.
The third grazed his shoulder.
Paul grabbed Austin's wrist.
Grace Manipulation [Cosmic Binding Chains]
Austin's balance shifted for a brief second.
Paul struck his chest with a heavy palm.
Austin slid backward again.
But he didn't fall.
Instead, he raised both hands slowly.
Elemental Release [Thunder Collapse + Flame Dominion]
The pressure in the air increased dramatically.
Paul narrowed his eyes.
His energy surged outward to counter the incoming force.
Both powers collided in the center of the courtyard.
The ground cracked.
Wind exploded outward.
Neither of them moved.
Two monsters standing in the middle of the battlefield.
Austin spoke calmly.
"You're stronger than I expected."
Paul replied quietly.
"I'm just getting started."
Scene Shift to Aethoria Realm
Ezra TGA said, "Why isn't the Cosmic Link working? I need to tell him about the Primal Thrones' clash."
A figure appeared inside the castle.
"What's wrong, Grand Alchemist?"