SSS Rank Sword Mage: Awakening Starts with Weakest Mana Affinity-Chapter 76: Astraya Test 2

I turned to Father. "Huh? You can hear the voice, too?"

He chuckled. "Of course, everyone here can. That’s Ghost," Father said, completely unconcerned by how odd that sounded.

"Huh? That’s his name? Ghost? Or do you mean he, you know..."

"Dead? An actual ghost?" the voice itself replied, cutting in smoothly. "Nahh, kid, I’m alive. People just call me Ghost," he said with a tone dripping in dry sarcasm. "Well, you figure out why yourself. Also, I can’t tell you my real name, though—I’d have to kill ya if I did."

A shape emerged. The air, blowing cloth slightly and obscuring eyes, folded in on itself. There he was: the man stepped out of the wind as if the world had made room for him.

His cloak rippled with the same deep wine color as the others, but his posture was different casual, confident, as though he wasn’t supposed to hide. The collar of his long, flowing outer coat stood high, a striking band of pristine white against the wind-whipped fabric. This coat, cut in a stylized military fashion, was predominantly the color of fresh snow, yet its edges the deep split hem and the cuffs of the sleeves were all trimmed in the rich, dark crimson of his cloak.

Beneath the coat, a fitted vest or tunic of deep wine was visible, laced tightly with black cord and fastened with a line of gleaming silver clasps that ran up to his throat. This dark underlayer contrasted sharply with the white exterior, drawing the eye and giving him a formidable silhouette. His trousers, a dusty charcoal-grey, were tucked into tall, wine-red boots that rose to his knees, reinforced with dark leather strapping. The entire ensemble spoke of a warrior-scholar, a dangerous individual who wore the solemn colors of his order but carried himself with the brazen freedom of a rogue.

He smiled faintly down at me as I stared in awe, my mouth wide open in shock at what I had just witnessed, and what felt like a moment later, he tilted his head and his hand gently pushed my jaw closed.

"Easy now, there are flies around. No need to panic, young Fula. I’m a friend of your dad."

I immediately turned to Dad. Was this man going to be Astraya’s new teacher, who already looked the part? Oh man, my mind wandered into oblivion. I was drooling; I wanted to learn that move so bad.

Father grinned as both men stood with me in the middle. "Ghost, you made it, but late as always," Father said.

The man now known as Ghost gave him a lazy wave. "Good to see you again, Vaulgabead."

Father gave a short nod, his expression heavy with worry. "So what do you think? My daughter, does she have a chance?"

Ghost turned toward Astraya, touching his chin as if Father’s question had summarized all of Astraya’s exploits and they were now waiting for his final verdict. He took a long moment before giving his response.

Ghost’s grin widened. "You were right, your daughter is a prodigy. But..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "...it’s not for me to decide that. Let’s just hope he likes what he sees."

"He?" What was Ghost talking about? Was there another person who could simply materialize out of thin air?

Before I could drown in my usual internal monologue, my attention was immediately drawn back to the fight.

Rose, irritated by Astraya’s lack of movement in the few quiet moments, looked seemingly unimpressed. The easy dominance she had shown with just a single arrow moments ago had clearly made her conclude she had seen all she needed to.

Out of perhaps pity, Rose decided to make the next move after it seemed Astraya had been standing motionless for a moment, and so, she attacked.

Rose sighed, the sound carrying easily through the strained silence. "Fine. Since you’ve decided to stay frozen in fear, obviously due to my sheer power, I will make the first move."

Her eyes narrowed, turning ice-cold. "Let’s make it quick then. If one made you cough and tremble with fright this much, perhaps seven will make you surrender and cower in fear, Little Girl."

Voom! Voom! Voom! Voom! Voom!...

In rapid succession, seven compressed-air arrows ripped through the air, the sound like tearing thick paper canvas. The force made my ears ring; the rush of displaced air alone forced me to shield my eyes. And Astraya was right in their path.

"Yep, she’s finished. No way out now. I doubt she’s fast enough to dodge, nor powerful enough to overpower them with her own abilities. How the hell would she even escape this?" I thought, watching Astraya. "Why do they keep forgetting she is freaking four?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

—Fwwhhhmmm!

Even as the arrows flooded through the last few meters, I heard it. An immediate, almost reflexive command against the incoming attack. Astraya’s voice, raw with desperation and effort, was audible even through the chaotic wind. "MAXIMUS!"

The three glowing spheres behind her expanded in a heartbeat, merging into a single, roaring barrier of compressed wind. The first arrow hit—

BOOM!

A deafening shockwave exploded outward, sending dust, pebbles, and debris flying in a massive cloud. Astraya was pushed back again, but this time with a brutal reality check. She went back far beyond where she had stood, skidding across the cracked ground and leaving deep furrows behind her.

When the dust began to clear, a collective gasp escaped the onlookers, myself included. To my utter shock, only one arrow had struck her barrier. Just one arrow had pushed her back; only one arrow had put her in this devastating situation. I had been excited about finally getting a teacher, but if this was the hell that awaited me...

"Wait, is that... yeah, that’s right. I only heard one bang from what I could see."

The remaining six arrows hung suspended midair, their deadly momentum arrested just inches from the expanding cloud of pulverized earth where Astraya had stood. They were poised like waiting sentinels, only able to follow the command of their master, Rose.

"Just one... one out of the seven caused this much?"

The stress was clearly weighing on Astraya; she was breathing heavily, her small body trembling slightly. If this wasn’t a test, those remaining six would definitely end her title of prodigy. I, too, got my own dose of humbling—when I faced the Demon, I realized I needed more time to get strong, especially enough to stand on my own.

Astraya looked up at Rose, her face grimy and smudged. She could clearly see now that only one of those arrows had struck her barrier while the others remained still, waiting. Her breathing was ragged, but her expression wasn’t one of defeat—it was one of absolute irritation.

"Tch, why did you stop the remaining arrows?" she yelled at Rose, spitting a fleck of dirt out of her mouth.

Rose yelled back, her voice ringing with exasperation. "I’m sure you realize by now the strength each of my arrows possesses! Frankly, one is usually enough to render many unconscious, but you at least—and I use the word ’at least’ as just the bare minimum—tanked it. But in reality! You clearly can’t handle one, let alone seven at once you will get seriously injured in the process or, worse, die from the way I see it! And FYI, this is a test, and your father and brother are not truly in danger, so just give up and accept your loss!"

Astraya stared around, realizing that no one truly held any hostility towards her. She then stared in our direction. I waved at her, smiling my encouragement; for now, all I could do was show her we were okay. She didn’t smile back; her face remained dead serious, her dark hair plastered to her forehead, and her chest continued the labored heaving of someone struggling for air. She turned her hard gaze back to Rose.

"Yeah... Sooo... I knew all that already," Astraya said, her voice strained but firm. "Like I said, I promised Father and Brother I was going to win, and that’s what I intend to do!"

She was serious? She was more worried about not losing. My sister was just too caught up in the spirit of competition. She had always had that drive, but I’m afraid even that wouldn’t help you against this level of power difference, I thought to myself, as that was simply the truth.

"Tch, stubborn child! Give up already!" Rose insisted, annoyance clear in her tone.

"You can ask me as many times as you want. I, Astraya Fula, will say the same thing! I won’t stop until you render me useless!"

Rose put her hands on her hips, her shoulders slumping as she let out a massive sigh. She was surprising smirking. She hated my sister’s stubbornness, but in a strange way, she also found it refreshing, as most four-year-olds would have backed out already.

"SIGH! Why do I get stuck in situations like this?" She shook her head, a new steel entering her eyes. "Alright, Astraya, I won’t treat you like a kid anymore. You are my opponent."

Her stance straightened, as though she had finally accepted Astraya as someone she would give her best against. The suspended arrows behind her vibrated and drifted back to Rose with renewed, lethal energy they were ready to strike again, maybe this time all at once.

"So now, prepare yourself! I, Rose Vintergard, will take you seriously! Now get up and face me!"

Astraya, now fully upright, smirked. This was probably what she had wanted in the end to be taken seriously and not toyed with. In a strange way, you’d prefer to get your butt kicked with seriousness than playfully; most people would prefer the "taken seriously" route, even if the outcome was the same.

As Astraya spoke, her voice laced with challenge, "I thought you would never ask, Lady Rose."

This drew more murmurs from among the cloaked men around us, yet Ghost and Father remained perfectly calm, observing the scene.

All I could do was trust her. What was the purpose of these tests? They all seemed far too extreme to me.

Astraya’s eyes glowed white. Four new orbs of light formed and zipped into place behind her. She’s definitely running out of tricks, I thought, if she even had any in the first place.

"Gale Shroud," Astraya announced, her voice strained.

At this point, the whole situation was becoming embarrassing, but in the end: 1% chance, 99% faith.

"MAXIMUS!" Astraya commanded.

The four spheres behind her expanded in a heartbeat, instantly merging into a single, roaring barrier of compressed wind.

"That’s it?" Rose scoffed, her voice laced with disappointment. But it was too late now; she had promised to give her best, and she wasn’t looking like she would back down. "That’s all you’ve got now that I’ve decided to take you seriously?"

"Alright, then," Rose declared, her voice now sharp and holding nothing back. "Here they come!"

All six arrows flashed forward simultaneously. I gasped, instinctively clutching my neck.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!