The second year of adventuring.
"Damn, she's tough."
Under the blazing sun, Rhode and Serie stood facing each other while the other three sat on rocks nearby, clearly watching the match.
The craters of varying sizes around them proved that their battle had been going on for quite a while.
Of course, Rhode and Serie had not fallen out. This was merely a normal sparring match.
It was Serie's request. Every so often, she wanted to test Rhode's strength.
"I bet tonight's dinner that Rhode can't beat Serie," Erik declared confidently as he gnawed on jerky.
Som repeatedly shook his head. "I'm not betting with you. The odds are completely unfair. I can't see any chance of winning at all."
Even Som thought Rhode's chances of victory were far too low.
After all, Serie was an elf who had lived for centuries, while Rhode had only been learning magic for a year and a half at most. Their magical power was simply not on the same level.
Norn said nothing, his eyes fixed on the battle between them. He desperately wanted to know just how powerful Rhode had become.
At the same time, the battle between Rhode and Serie began anew.
Serie slightly raised her fingertips, and three Light Arrows instantly took shape.
She could no longer use Arrow Rain against Rhode, because both of them possessed magical items and Defense Magic. Ordinary Arrow Rain could not break through their defenses at all.
She could only follow Erik's streamlined approach, reducing the number of Light Arrows while increasing the power of each one.
That way, she would neither waste magic power nor fail to threaten Rhode.
"Come on. Round two begins."
Before her words had even faded, the arrows tore through the air.
Rhode calmly deployed an improved double-layered light