Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 179. Fried, Unleash The Full Potential!

A dry chuckle escaped Ryusei’s lips as he stepped between them. "Empress, I don't think a duel with a Stellius would be an appropriate match," he rationalised.

"I will lose. This will not even be a contest, Astral Empress," Friederich admitted, kneeling in reverence. He could be a highly competitive individual, but that did not mean he would jump into a fight with the strongest arcanist in the world.

There was a chasm between seeking a worthy opponent and begging for one's own oblivion.

"Huh?" Aurora hummed, clearly disappointed.

"Please, Astral Empress. Let’s not shed blood on our soil," Ryusei pleaded, kneeling beside Friederich.

"Spare me the exaggeration. Well… how about this?" Aurora suggested, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. "I will not draw my sword!"

Her words struck them like a divine decree. Friederich tilted his head upward, his eyes locked on hers.

Frantically, Aurelia approached with a surprised look. "Are you going to use martial arts?"

To their astonishment, Empress Aurora shook her head. "That would also cause severe injuries to the boy… I’ll let him strike me with all his might," she announced firmly, exchanging a smile with her little ward.

"Empress? Kagayaki-no-saya is powerful. What if you sustain an injury?" Ryusei argued, his tone shifting. "I would fail as the host of Solis Aeternum if I let you shed even a drop of blood here," He pleaded with his words strained.

Aurora exhaled deeply. "We already thought of that, actually. Triss here is the bearer of the mythic-tier Iasis. She could likely cure most trauma, even reattach a severed limb."

Triss smiled faintly as everyone spared her a look of surprise. The Empress then spun to Aurelia. "And Princess, would you be competent in such mana channelling ritual?" she riddled, implying that she knew of Aurelia’s limitless mana reservoir without actually revealing it to anyone.

"I guess… we can support her with Iasis and the ritual…" Aurelia submitted, taking Triss’s side.

In reverence, Triss clasped her hands in a praying motion. "Definitely. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Empress Aurora has already anticipated all the possible outcomes."

"Then I guess that can be arranged," Friederich said as he stood up as his resolve solidified, puffing out his chest with the heart of steel.

"Bring it on!" Zetius cheered, pumping a fist in the air with excitement before fist-bumping Astrid. The vibe soon spread to the other members of the party. Their mumbling reverberated with high anticipation.

All except for the prime minister. His expression had darkened, having been countered at every turn. The Empress of the Osten Empire was a true master of rhetoric, and this time, he was simply outmatched.

Unable to stop the inevitable, Ryusei slapped his forehead with a loud smack. "Holy Gaia… I think I’ll faint."

***

Lunarius Severan cast Domoklasis to construct a raised platform. Its pavement was lined with a mesmerising cobblestone rosette pattern that spiralled in a combination of sandstone and tan hues. Although this was not his true expertise as an arcanist of the Aquarius division, he did a relatively great job befitting his title of Renaissance Lunarius.

On each side stood the contestants, with a thick brick wall behind their backs reinforced with composite rebars. Their surface hummed faintly with energy. Unlike the platform, its design was simple, which spoke more for practicality than aesthetics.

A testament to their hidden complexity, the walls required over half an hour of continuous arcane weaving to construct, drawing murmurs of awe from the audience.

"Kindly accept my humble platform. In the name of the mighty, please be my guests," he bowed at his waist, his hand raised to his side in an overly theatrical manner. The Empress and Friederich stepped onto the platform to their designated sides, preparing for battle.

The elevated audience stand was already packed with a buzzing energy. It was funny how the crowd had seemingly popped out of nowhere, drawn by word of mouth alone to witness whatever was about to unfold.

Amidst the sea of faces, the royal entourage and their allies occupied the best seats at the front. A wide grin spread across Zetius’s face when he spotted some familiar figures.

"Yo, Frain, Cubie!" he called out, scooting over to make room. Aurelia, sharing his enthusiasm, practically vibrated with excitement as she waved her hands. The energetic reunion was a stark contrast to Astrid's mood; her eyes were glued to the platform, and she was shaking nervously in her boots.

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Quick as a flash, Cubie zipped over to join them. "What's going on here? Who’s that lady?" she snapped at Zetius, surveying the scene.

"That’s the Empress!" Aurelia jumped in to reply before Zetius could even open his mouth.

"Ohhh!" That one title seemed to be all the context Cubie needed. Her sass melted into cheerful curiosity, and she immediately pulled Aurelia into a rapid-fire conversation.

With the girls happily chatting away, Zetius turned his attention to the other half of the pair. Frain had quietly settled down to his right.

"Just in time for the spectacle of the era!" Zetius boasted, his tone husky.

"What’s with the bandage?" Frain asked, ignoring his comment completely.

Zetius glanced at his hand. "Oh! It’s just a minor injury from practice."

Without another word, Frain snatched his hand and squeezed, drawing a squeak of surprise from Zetius.

"Unbandage it. It needs a lick," Frain instructed bluntly, her tongue flicking out in anticipation. Seeing Zetius’s horrified expression, she insisted with a toothy grin, "Come on! It’ll heal like new! Trust me!~"

His jubilant mood vanished as he yanked his hand back. "No, no!" he objected desperately. His eyes darted around for any excuse to escape, and thankfully, he found one. Just then, he spotted Lunarius raising a horn to his lips.

"Look! It’s starting now!" Zetius pointed out, his voice full of feigned urgency.

It worked. Frain was successfully gaslit, and Zetius let out a silent breath of relief, his hands safe for now.

***

"And this battle is unlike any other! We will be employing a basis of Intermittent Strikes between Friederich Eir Regis, Prime Guardian of Solis Aeternum, and the Astral Empress of the Osten Empire. The Golden Age of Osten herself!" Lunarius Severan announced, hyping up the crowd effectively before he drifted away on his small platform.

Aurora raised her hands with her palms facing away from her. The surge of mana was paramount. Its warmth was radiant, like a miniature sun. The crowd gasped with amazement.

Her silver eyes glowed, seeping energy. The wind whirled around her, fluttering her silver hair like a goddess of war.

"Phoros!" Aurora chanted. A massive spherical defence engulfed her, its surface drifting and changing with a molten pattern.

Astrid’s jaw clenched, her fingers digging into her own skin as she analysed the spell deeply. "That’s an impeccable defence. This is mythic-tier Phoros with the purest form of mana. There is no loss in the exchange at all. Incredible. Just incredible."

"Your turn, Prime Guardian," Aurora commanded coldly.

Immediately, Friederich fell into his quick-draw stance, his knees bent slightly. The hilt of the katana materialised into the mouth of the sheath, his fingers now wrapped tightly around it.

"Fried, unleash your full potential!" Aurelia shouted at the top of her lungs before snapping her sunglasses on Cartier. In front of her, Triss knelt on the ground, praying softly.

Back to the stillness on the platform.

Snapping his fingers, then clenching back, Friederich’s whole body relaxed. Every fibre of his being fell under his control.

He slowed his breathing until a burst of energy surged through his veins.

Muscles tightened, veins bulged, and the blood pumped.

He had done this countless times.

Decisively, his fingers moved upward, quick-drawing the katana.

An intense light flashed as the air evaporated with a thunderous shriek. The entire stadium rocked violently, sending the crowd scrambling for support.

An azure arc, over twenty metres in size, converged on the spherical barrier.

Aurora’s muscles tensed, fuelling her mana into her Phoros.

The collision caused an explosion, even louder than the first, that sent smoke billowing into the air.

The crowd became eerily silent, like a morgue. Soft whimpers soon followed, not in a hundred years had they expected this intensity.

Zetius and his friends rushed to the rails, trying to see through the smoke.

"Did he get her?" Aurelia speculated, her heart thumping in her chest.

"No… I can sense the flow of mana. It doesn't even falter at all," Astrid commented, crossing her arms. Her jaw was visibly clenched as she realised the true force of nature with her own eyes.

The smoke soon faded, revealing the glimmering barrier standing without a scratch. The glorious and elegant barrier still shimmered like a holo liquid metal.

Friederich grunted in frustration. Even the crowd was too stunned to make a sound.

"Guardian. Again," Aurora commanded loudly, a light smirk adorning her face.

This time, Friederich granted her wish immediately. He quick-drew not once, but twice in rapid succession.

The cross-shaped arc of the powerful strike clashed against her barrier. A loud explosion rang out, prompting the audience to plug their ears, a thrill shooting through them.

The reinforced wall behind Aurora was completely obliterated. However, her barrier remained impeccable. Unyielding.

Astrid clenched the rails, bending the metal. "How?!" she snapped. Simultaneously, Zetius's expression was opposite. He grew quiet, biting his lips.

A small clap rang out first. Then, the crowd burst into hysterical cheers and joyous applause.

After a while, Aurora dismissed her barrier and raised her hands to the crowd. They fell silent immediately to her command.

"Are you afraid?" she asked Friederich, her tone heavy.

"What?" Friederich exclaimed, not understanding.

"I told you to unleash your full power, but you merely performed an Iai slash," Aurora clarified, her expression solemn.

Her intense glare pierced the depths of his pale blue eyes. The unspoken challenge sent a quiver down his spine.

"Why have you not fully drawn your katana, Prime Guardian?" she stressed, her voice echoing throughout the battlefield.