In the center of the clearing, the wind swirled up the fallen leaves, scattering them around.

In the silence, there was a kind of solemnity almost like a ritual.

Green slowly took a few steps forward, standing opposite Louis, gripping the sword hilt, with a grave expression.

"...My lord, if I show any disrespect, please pardon me." His voice was low, yet you could hear the hesitation.

He was not unwilling to spar, but he feared his sword might truly harm this lord.

But when Louis nodded and said lightly, "Feel free, without holding back," Green finally let go of the last bit of restraint.

In the next moment, fighting energy surged forth like a tide.

Crimson fighting energy burst out from around him, swirling like a tidal wave around his body, and when it slammed to the ground, the earth cracked in response, sending stones flying.

It was a sense of pressure, like mountains collapsing and thunder crashing down.

"The full release state of a High-tier Elite..." Thomas's throat moved slightly, "Green is going all out."

"Indeed," Lambert's tone was slow, "Look, his eyes have changed."

Thomas: "There won't be any accidents, right? If he inadvertently hurts Lord Louis, it would not be good."

On the other side, Louis quietly drew his sword, waved it casually, and a ripple of light red fighting energy emanated around him.

But that was not his focus.

It was his other hand, fingers joined, eyes slightly closed, with that barely perceptible wave of magic power.

The air started to heat up, as if something was slowly brewing, suppressing, waiting to explode.

"The lord's fighting energy level... is quite different from Green's," Thomas swallowed, "but the aura is almost the same."

Lambert did not answer, only fixated on those seemingly calm eyes, yet within them, undercurrents surged like a volcano.

It was the gaze that belonged only to a "Hunter."

Louis had already chosen the angle of the battlefield, predicted the enemy's first move, second move, and even the unbalanced retreat path.

Since the power of practical combat was to be tested, one must go all out.

When both were ready, Lambert shouted in a deep voice: "Begin!"

In the next instant.

Green burst forth, like a bowstring drawn taut and suddenly released!

"Thrust!"

The longsword sliced through the air, a dull explosion resounded in an instant.

The red fighting energy tracing the ground carved a trajectory like lightning, aiming straight for Louis's chest!

He excelled at closing in on the enemy in an instant and using merciless slashes to end the battle.

He was confident that his speed and burst were unmatched by any Elite Knight.

But this time, his heart was hanging by a thread.

"Lord Louis... This is, after all, the first time using magic in real combat, if he truly gets hurt—"

He was still hesitating when Louis on the other side raised his hand to form a seal.

"Fire Wall Technique!"

The tone was unfamiliar, the pronunciation slightly paused, the flow of magic power somewhat sluggish, but the magic was successfully cast.

Boom!

A barrier of flames rose from the ground, blocking Green's advance.

"...Ugh!" Green was forced to brake sharply, the fighting energy rippling under his feet.

"The fire wall was set up too early, the rhythm was off." The fire wall obscured the view, but Louis was not satisfied.

And in the next moment—"Light Beam Skill - Interference!"

From behind the fire wall came several beams of white light, piercing through the scorching flames, darting out like meteors.

They lacked destructive power but aimed precisely at the "must defend" spots like the chest, feet, and neck, with each shot resembling a predicted killing move, forcing Green to instinctively block.

"Something's not right."

A thought flashed through Green's mind as he blocked two beams with his sword, only to realize the third would not hit at all, a feint.

"Body Fixing Technique."

Almost simultaneously, a cool wave of magic came from beneath, just as he was about to lift his leg, his ankle was already entangled.

"This is the real target!"

Green's eyes widened abruptly, shouting angrily, "Ha!"

The scorching red light exploded at his feet, tearing the newly formed technique into fragments.

His body spun, rising from the ground, flipping back three steps.

However, this maneuver depleted a lot of his fighting energy.

"He's luring me to use my fighting energy..." Green landed, finally realizing Louis's intent, his face grew even more serious.

Behind the fire wall, Louis had sweat on his forehead.

His spellcasting was somewhat rusty, his tone still carried hesitation.

Fortunately, he didn't strive for perfection with each release, only for constraint.

And each constraint was roughly aligned with Green's "must react" points.

This wasn't the power of a skilled practitioner, but the cunning of a strategist.

"Scorching Arrow·Triple!"

Even before Green could catch his breath, the fire wall opened up again, and three flaming arrows shot out, tracing irregular arcs.

It wasn't a frontal assault but "harassing interference," locking Green's movement and jumping routes.

Green spun sideways, slashing away two, while the last was barely deflected by the ripple of fighting energy.

The combat techniques were perfect, but the fighting energy was being forced to use, never getting close to Louis's body.

"I'm somewhat on the defensive."

Green's eyes turned cold, finally realizing: Louis was treating the entire battle as a chess game, manipulating it all.

His magic lacked suppressive power and lethality, yet it was like ropes, binding him one by one, restricting, depleting, probing, and disturbing.

"If this continues, it'll truly become a war of attrition."

He finally stopped hesitating.

The next moment, he roared, "Fighting Energy Burst!"

Boom!!

The ground cracked beneath his feet, a bright red light burst from his body like the scorching sun, and a wave of intense fighting energy blasted a gap through the fire wall.

The swirling wind was scorching, flame fragments flew through the air, drawn into the fiery current, forming a rift in the battlefield.

Green transformed into a stream of light, leaping forward!

"He's coming!!"

Louis immediately chanted, "Shock Wave!"

He pressed his palms fiercely toward the ground, a semicircular airwave pressed forward, causing Green to stagger and forcibly use fighting energy to guard his legs, sliding a distance before continuing to charge.

"Light Beam Technique!"

White light dropped like a silk curtain, Green swept it away with his sword energy again, with a light crack, the light beam disintegrated.

Green pounced like a fierce tiger.

The crimson fighting energy churned on his body, but from repeatedly dealing with magic, the energy appeared chaotic, like a roaring fire gradually dimming.

He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his chest, swung his sword with his right hand, slashing directly at Louis's shoulder and neck!

"Ha—!"

This strike was fast, accurate, and fierce, containing all his remaining strength. If taken head-on, even armor would shatter.

Lambert watched nervously, prepared to intervene and block.

But Louis did not take it head-on.

He abandoned the spell, stepped forward, shifted his figure, fought energy infused into his feet, like a ripple of water passing through the edge, avoiding certain death.

At the same time, his right hand longsword did not directly clash with the opponent but flicked backhand, using Green's forward-leaning momentum, twisting deftly.

"Thud!"

Green had not yet recovered his sword path, only felt a sudden hit to his chest, Louis's left elbow had already precisely struck his rib side!

The angle was tricky, the timing fierce and precise.

Green grunted, staggering back three steps, his sword arm trembling.

In the instant his defense was broken by the elbow strike, he couldn't gather stable fighting energy anymore.

But Louis did not pursue further.

He simply stepped forward, twisted the sword edge in a flash, and the blade was pointed at Green's neck sideways.

The air seemed to solidify at this moment.

Green's eyes widened, his chest heaving violently, but ultimately he did not struggle further.

He slowly knelt on one knee, speaking in a deep voice, "I concede."

The battle was finally over.

Thomas slapped his thigh hard, seemingly shouting out all the emotions he had been holding back, "Lord, you're amazing!!!"

He raised both hands high, his face unabashedly filled with admiration and shock, as if witnessing a wondrous scene.

"That elbow strike just now... was so cool! Fighting energy reversed in an instant, the sword immediately pointed at the neck! This is strategy, talent, and charm combined!"

He muttered enthusiastically, turning to his companion beside him, as if seeking someone to share his excitement with.

But Lambert said nothing, just furrowed his brows, seemingly lost in thought.

His gaze was fixed on Louis standing in the field, sheathing his sword, pondering each word carefully in his mind:

"The magic wasn't executed perfectly, but the combined strategy was nearly mature... controlling the rhythm, depleting fighting energy, restricting movement... if the magic power was stronger, he could almost suppress an elite knight alone.

In his current state, he's at least... High-tier Elite Knight level, or even stronger."

Sif's breath was unsteady from nervousness, her fingertips slightly curled, fists hidden under the cloak never loosening.

She knew he would win.

But actually seeing him repel Green with that sword, she instinctively bit her lip, her eyes slightly heated.

It was admiration tinged with a hint of awe and an inexplicable sense of peace.

But what was even more shocking was that Louis had, for the first time, truly incorporated magic and fighting energy into a battle, even defeating a trained elite knight.

Louis silently sheathed his sword, appearing composed, yet his mind quickly reevaluated the battle just now.

The victory was not easily won.

Only one fire wall was set, the light beam was of basic level, and the Body Fixing Technique wasn't enhanced with spells.

"Green is a subordinate, not an enemy." He muttered to himself, "To suppress him at the lowest cost is the best result."

Louis's gaze turned to the edge of the training ground in the distance, eyes slightly focused, realizing it was the first time he truly brought magic into actual combat.

"There are many areas still immature. The fire wall's position is off, the speed of the Light Beam Technique is insufficient, the Body Fixing Technique is too easily broken... indeed, magic is best used in moments of 'unexpectedness.'"

He reflected, but a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"But, it only took me a month."

From Lei Xi'er teaching him magic to today's date, only a little over a month had passed.

He started from scratch to construct a framework of magic, utilizing the Primordial Meditation Technique to develop over ten combat-capable spells.

Now, not only had his survival ability greatly increased, but he could also shift the direction of small-scale battles.

And as long as time went on, his magical power would continue to grow, and his tactical system would become complete.

The Primordial Meditation Technique had become one of his most crucial trump cards.

Louis sheathed his sword, sweeping his gaze over the four people, his tone calm yet indisputable: "What happened today must not be spread."

Thomas, who was about to shout "Hail the Lord," immediately shut his mouth upon hearing this, nodding repeatedly: "Got it! Absolute secrecy!"

The other three also nodded, saying: "Understood."

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