Chapter 45: Chapter 45 – The Ice Prison Duel and Dreams Beyond Nobility

The reinforced battleground behind the Sinclair estate looked more like a miniature war arena than a training field.

Massive stone walls surrounded the circular battlefield, each one layered with protective enchantments capable of enduring attacks from upper-circle mages. Ancient runes glowed faintly beneath the stone flooring, preventing stray mana from destroying nearby structures, and several observation platforms overlooked the arena for instructors or noble officials to observe combat.

Normally the place carried an oppressive atmosphere.

Today—

It carried panic.

Specifically Leon’s panic.

"...Eternia."

Silence.

"...Maybe."

Long pause.

"...Maybe we should relax and call it a day."

Across the arena, Eternia stood calmly while resting her black staff-spear hybrid against her shoulder.

Her long hair swayed slightly in the wind.

One side silver.

One side darkened.

Purple eyes focused entirely on Leon.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Leon instinctively took half-step backward.

"...You know."

He laughed nervously.

"...We’ve already trained a lot today."

No response.

"...And technically I already succeeded."

Still nothing.

"...And mentally I feel successful."

Eternia raised her spear.

"...Get ready."

Leon froze.

"...Wait."

"...On three."

"...WAIT."

"...One."

Leon immediately panicked.

Because he knew.

He absolutely knew.

Eternia had the terrifying habit of speaking calmly before doing something unreasonable.

"...Two."

Leon grabbed his sword in a hurry.

"...ETERNIA HOLD ON—"

"...Three."

BOOOOM!

Compressed air exploded beneath Eternia’s feet.

The stone arena cracked instantly as the compressed wind spell detonated downward like a cannon blast, launching Eternia across the battlefield at absurd speed.

Leon saw her vanish.

Then suddenly—

She was already in front of him.

Fast.

Too fast.

WHAT?!

At the tip of her spear—

A glowing magic circle formed instantly.

First Tier Spell:

Knockback.

Leon barely raised his sword.

THOOM!

The spear struck his chest armor.

The knockback spell detonated.

Leon got launched backward several feet.

Not dozens.

Not across the arena.

Just several.

SKRRRRRRRRT.

His boots dragged across the stone before stopping.

Silence.

Dust drifted upward.

Eternia blinked.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because she intentionally increased the output.

Normally that spell should have thrown a First Circle mage halfway across the arena.

Yet Leon barely moved.

Her eyes narrowed.

Ancient magic compatibility?

No.

Something deeper.

His converging whirlpool mana.

The mana wrapped inward around his body naturally.

Meaning external force probably dispersed differently.

Absorption?

Redirection?

Compression stabilization?

Eternia’s eyes lit up.

Very brightly.

Dangerously brightly.

Leon saw that expression.

Immediately became more terrified.

"...Why are you looking at me like that."

"...Interesting."

"...THAT IS NOT REASSURING."

Eternia smiled slightly.

Small smile.

Scientist smile.

Madness smile.

Shatter’s old habits slowly leaking through.

Because in previous life—

Shatter survived through adaptation.

Understanding.

Experimentation.

Power.

Every strange phenomenon mattered.

Every unique trait became opportunity.

And Leon—

Leon might possess monstrous compatibility with enhancement-type magic.

If she understood how it worked for him—

Could she optimize it for herself too?

Could converging and outward-flowing whirlpool mana produce opposite stabilizing effects?

Could Ancient Magic backlash be redirected?

Reduced?

Controlled?

Possibilities exploded through her thoughts.

Leon suddenly pointed accusingly.

"...You are thinking dangerous things."

"...Correct."

"...THAT IS WORSE."

Eternia vanished again.

BOOOOM!

Compressed wind erupted beneath her feet.

Leon barely reacted in time.

CLANG!

His sword intercepted the spear.

Shockwave exploded outward.

Leon staggered backward.

Eternia landed gracefully.

"...Good."

Leon blinked.

"...Really?"

"...You reacted faster."

Silence.

Then—

Leon’s eyes widened slightly.

Because she praised him.

Not mocked.

Praised.

Warmth spread strangely through his chest.

Kael leaned against arena wall outside combat range while eating fruit.

"...Aw."

Silence.

"...Young friendship."

Leon turned bright red instantly.

"...SHUT UP."

Kael grinned.

"...I said friendship."

"...THAT’S NOT THE POINT."

Eternia tilted head slightly.

"...Why are you yelling."

"...YOU DON’T HELP."

BOOOOM!

Leon charged.

Embarrassment-fueled attack.

Very powerful.

Very reckless.

Golden light surged around his body as the Ancient Magic enhancement activated again, strengthening muscles and explosively increasing his speed.

The arena cracked beneath his feet.

Leon raised sword overhead.

Then brought it downward with both hands.

Massive strike.

Powerful.

Fast.

Obvious.

Eternia calmly stepped sideways.

Wind Burst.

WHOOSH.

A burst of compressed air repositioned her instantly beside him.

Leon realized mistake too late.

"...Ah."

Eternia pointed spear calmly toward his exposed side.

"...Too large."

Pause.

"...Trajectory obvious."

First Tier Spell:

Wind Burst.

BOOOOM!

The spell detonated directly into Leon’s side.

He got launched several feet again.

SKRRRRRRRT.

This time he rolled twice before stopping.

Kael stared.

"...You know."

Pause.

"...From outside perspective this really looks like bullying."

Leon sat up.

"...I THINK IT IS."

Eternia ignored both.

Because she kept observing.

Every impact.

Every enhancement fluctuation.

Every mana reaction.

No backlash.

Still none.

Impossible.

Ancient Magic always demanded compensation.

The body paid.

The mind paid.

The mana pathways paid.

Yet Leon looked—

Fine.

Actually fine.

Only bruised from getting launched repeatedly.

Which was completely unrelated.

Leon stood slowly.

Golden aura still wrapped around him.

He looked at his hands again.

Wonder.

Disbelief.

Excitement.

Because for first time—

Magic strengthened him naturally.

Not resisted him.

Not fought him.

Worked.

Actually worked.

Back then Leon had accepted reality already.

Accepted that maybe he simply wasn’t meant to become strong.

Maybe his role truly was disappointing everyone.

Watching siblings advance effortlessly while he struggled with basic spells slowly broke something inside him.

People stopped expecting greatness from him.

Then eventually—

Leon stopped expecting it too.

But now?

Now his body moved differently.

Power flowed differently.

And all because Eternia stayed.

Because she refused to give up on him.

Because she looked at his flaws—

And saw possibilities instead.

Leon tightened grip on sword.

Then smiled slightly.

"...Again."

Eternia immediately grinned.

"...Good."

BOOOOM!

Leon charged again.

This time smarter.

Lower stance.

Controlled swing.

Horizontal slash.

Eternia jumped backward.

CLANG!

The blade missed narrowly.

Leon immediately followed with another strike.

Then another.

Then another.

Faster.

Golden enhancement magic strengthened every movement while the converging mana around his body reinforced his muscles unnaturally.

Eternia blocked.

Deflected.

Repositioned.

Wind Burst.

Compressed Air.

Movement acceleration.

Their battle intensified rapidly.

CLANG!

BOOOOM!

WHOOSH!

Shockwaves echoed through arena.

Kael stared while chewing fruit slowly.

"...This escalated."

Leon swung upward.

Eternia twisted midair.

Then pointed spear downward.

Magic circles formed instantly.

First Tier Spell:

Water Stream.

A concentrated jet of water blasted downward.

Leon blocked instinctively.

Then Eternia layered another circle over it instantly.

First Tier Spell:

Cold Air.

Fusion Magic.

Mana compressed.

Spells merged.

Second Tier Spell:

Ice Prison.

CRRRRRRRRRK!

Ice exploded around Leon instantly.

Towering frozen walls sealed around him from every angle before solidifying completely.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Kael blinked.

"..."

"..."

"...Wow."

Inside prison—

Leon stared blankly.

Frozen.

Literally.

"..."

"..."

"...I hate fusion magic."

Outside—

Eternia walked closer while observing carefully.

"...There is still much to learn."

Leon immediately slammed fists against ice.

"...MAYBE TEACH ME SOMETHING THAT ISN’T GETTING BEATEN UP."

Kael finally walked forward laughing.

"...No no."

Pause.

"...This builds character."

"...I DON’T WANT CHARACTER."

Kael knocked against ice thoughtfully.

"...Maybe we should leave him here."

Silence.

"...What."

"...Would make excellent landmark."

Eternia nodded seriously.

"...Useful for navigation."

Leon stared in disbelief.

"...YOU BOTH ARE AWFUL."

Kael and Eternia looked at each other.

Then laughed.

Actually laughed.

Leon became more offended.

"...IT IS NOT FUNNY."

For Eternia—

The sound felt strange.

Warm.

Comfortable.

Natural.

Shatter never had this.

Not truly.

Back then there were no moments like this.

No teasing.

No harmless arguments.

No people waiting nearby simply because they enjoyed your presence.

Only survival.

Only blood.

Only revenge.

And yet now—

Standing beneath sunlight while Leon yelled angrily from inside giant block of ice somehow felt more valuable than entire previous life.

Strange.

Very strange.

Eternia slowly touched the ice.

Then shattered part of it carefully.

CRACK.

Leon finally stumbled out dramatically.

"...Freedom."

Kael immediately pointed.

"...The prisoner escapes."

"...I WILL THROW YOU INTO WALL."

"...Merchant abuse."

"...THAT ISN’T EVEN RELATED."

Before arguments continued—

Rapid footsteps approached.

A maid hurried toward arena while breathing heavily.

"...Lady Eternia!"

Everyone looked over.

The maid bowed quickly.

"...Lord Godfrey Sinclair is requesting your presence."

Silence.

Kael blinked.

Leon blinked harder.

"...Godfrey Sinclair?"

Kael immediately straightened posture.

Because that name carried enormous weight.

One of the highest-ranking officials within the Sinclair estate.

A monster among mages.

Someone even noble branch families respected carefully.

Why would someone like that personally summon Eternia?

Kael slowly looked toward her.

"...Why is someone like him here?"

Eternia answered casually.

"...Probably disciple matter."

Silence.

"..."

"..."

"...WHAT?!"

Leon nearly dropped sword.

Kael looked horrified.

"...YOU DIDN’T TELL US THAT."

"...Forgot."

"...HOW DO YOU FORGET SOMETHING LIKE THAT."

"...Unimportant."

"...UNIMPORTANT?!"

Kael grabbed head dramatically.

"...Do you understand how insane this is?!"

Leon nodded rapidly.

"...If he accepts you officially your future is guaranteed!"

"...Official position!"

"...Resources!"

"...Political protection!"

"...Influence!"

"...Status!"

"...Power!"

Eternia blinked calmly.

"...Don’t want it."

Silence.

Both froze.

"...What."

"...Don’t want."

"...WHY."

Eternia looked away slightly.

Silence.

Wind moved quietly through arena.

And for moment—

Shatter remembered.

Dragonheart.

Old family.

Hatred.

Pain.

Betrayal.

Previous life ended at seventeen.

Seventeen.

Not from weakness.

From abandonment.

From being hunted.

From being discarded like broken tool after devoting everything toward becoming strong enough.

Back then—

The only goal was power.

More power.

Enough power to destroy everyone responsible.

Enough power to erase Dragonheart completely.

Enough power that nobody could ever abandon him again.

That obsession consumed everything.

Consumed life itself.

But now?

Now things changed.

Slowly.

Quietly.

Without realizing.

Because this world gave second chance.

Because this body gave second chance.

Because these people—

These annoying, loud, ridiculous people—

Entered her life.

Leon.

Kael.

Even Etherius somehow.

For first time—

Strength no longer existed solely for revenge.

Now—

Eternia wanted something else.

Freedom.

To travel.

To explore.

To see world.

To leave mark.

To become greatest not through fear—

But existence itself.

To protect people she cared about.

To laugh like this again.

No politics.

No noble games.

No cages.

Just freedom.

Eternia laughed softly.

"...Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself."

Kael blinked.

"...Hm?"

She looked toward them.

"...Why should I become official and leave you behind?"

Silence.

Then—

Leon smiled.

Small.

Warm.

"...We’d follow."

Kael immediately pointed.

"...Wait."

Pause.

"...Why are YOU saying that."

Leon blinked.

"...What."

"...You’re already noble."

"...That doesn’t make things easy."

"...Fair."

"...Very fair."

Then immediately—

Both started arguing again.

"...You still have status."

"...You still have money."

"...YOU literally own merchant connections."

"...That is business suffering."

"...Not real suffering."

"...I WILL SHOW YOU REAL SUFFERING."

"...TRY."

Eternia watched quietly.

Then smiled again.

Very slightly.

Because maybe—

Just maybe—

This second life truly was worth living.