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Noah’s next target then stepped out, Abner. He was another young man with that same glint of determination in his eyes and a sword on his belt. He had won the hearts of many spectators with his willpower, getting knocked down countless times, but always standing back up. There was a lot of money riding on him. His enemy also stepped out, a larger, older man sporting long hair woven into braids.

Noah piloted his clone, having it dodge the oncoming storm of attacks. He could have easily beheaded them from behind, ending their life with their final moments being fear and confusion, but he wanted to study his opponent. The more skilled they were, the more useful an asset they might be. Common trash could be executed, but it would be a waste to kill a potential ally. This warrior was fast and experienced, blending their rapid and complex movements perfectly. Yet, despite their skill, Noah kept his clone out of their range.

This wasn’t simply water magic; it was water magic and alchemy combined. Normally, alchemy couldn’t be applied to living tissue, as the mana produced by organisms interfered with the magic, but this potent combination allowed Phune’s magic to overcome that restriction. Noah couldn’t help but wonder where Phune had acquired such magic. Since it was written in his grimoire rather than an intuitive ability, either he figured out the formula himself, or someone else did. Whoever it was, did they have any idea what kind of threshold they were on? The surface they had just scratched?