noveldrama
Chapter 71: Concentration Lesson
Chapter 71: Concentration Lesson
Warlock Ch 71. Concentration Lesson
A grin stretched across Damian's face as the notification flashed before him. He could feel the power pulsing through him. The skill was incredible, amplifying his every move, allowing him to weave through attacks with ease, his body feeling lighter, faster, stronger. It was as if he was fighting with an entirely new set of abilities.
The next wave came quickly, Cassius testing him without a hint of hesitation, summoning multiple dark spears and hurling them straight at Damian. But with [Spectral Surge] active, Damian moved like a phantom, sidestepping each spear with ease, watching as they zipped past him, tearing into the ground behind with bone-shaking explosions. The impact rattled through him, scattering debris in all directions. The ground shook as each spear exploded on impact, showering him with fragments of rock and dust. The air smelled of charred earth and burning energy, making his skin prickle with adrenaline.
If he were the Damian from a few days ago, he'd be rooted to the spot, legs shaking like jelly. The noise, the heat, the sheer force would've overwhelmed him. But now… now he was different. He didn't know how to explain it, but he felt stronger. There was something new in him, something that craved the challenge, that thrived in this intense, pulse-pounding environment.
Despite only having a couple of days in this new, magic-infused world, Damian was adapting—fast. He could feel it in the way he fought, the way he moved. His body reacted as if it had been built for this, and his mind had settled into a razor-sharp focus he hadn't known he was capable of. He didn't just dodge; he flowed, each step feeding into the next as he twisted, ducked, and weaved through the onslaught.
There was a part of him that felt like a warrior, strong and resilient, while his powers, the magic he was learning to wield, marked him unmistakably as a warlock. He wasn't just fighting; he was strategizing, blending his physical movements with his skills in a way that made him unpredictable, dynamic.
Cassius's gaze narrowed, watching him with intensity. And for a brief moment, Damian caught it—a flicker of approval, a glint in his eyes that told him he was finally breaking through the barriers Cassius had set for him. But just because he'd earned a sliver of acknowledgment didn't mean the training would get easier.
With a wave of his hand, Cassius summoned even more dark spears. Hundreds of them now floated around him, ready to strike.
Damian's grin faded the moment he took in the sheer number of them, his heart sinking. 'You've got to be kidding…'
"Lesson number six," Cassius announced, his voice cool and unyielding. "Concentration."
Damian wanted to groan, maybe even throw in a snarky comment, but he knew better. Cassius didn't do mercy. Complaining would just earn him a look of disappointment, maybe a quick, "Are you sure you're up for this?" that would make him feel about two inches tall. So, with a resigned sigh, he steadied himself, bracing for the oncoming storm.
Cassius didn't launch all the spears at once. He wasn't making this easy, but he also wasn't just trying to crush him outright. No, he was testing Damian's ability to focus and endure, throwing the spears in waves, one after another. Damian had to stay sharp, to think on his feet, dodging and moving as the relentless onslaught continued.
The spears came at him in a deadly, rhythmic barrage, each wave forcing him to sidestep, duck, or leap out of the way, all while maintaining his balance and focus. Even with [Spectral Surge] active, the attack was insane. Cassius was relentless, testing his limits, his endurance, his focus, and his speed. And Damian had to give it everything he had just to keep up.
It wasn't just about dodging. He had to dodge in the right direction, or he'd risk running headfirst into another spear. His movements had to be precise, quick, and perfectly timed. The ground was a minefield of smoldering craters and scattered debris from previous impacts, and the spears kept coming, forcing him to keep moving, to stay light on his feet and sharp in his focus.
Damian didn't know how long he'd been dodging. The minutes felt like hours, the pressure grinding away at his stamina. His breath was coming in quick, shallow bursts, his muscles burning with fatigue, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears. But he kept going, driven by sheer willpower. 'Just a little longer,' he told himself, his mind laser-focused on survival.
And then a notification flashed in his vision.
[Spectral Surge activation: 00:05]
His heart sank. Five seconds left on his skill. Five seconds before he'd lose the boost to his speed and reflexes, and then he'd be down to his normal, human limitations. He stole a quick glance at Cassius, hoping he might be winding down, but his mentor still stood there, calm and composed, with a massive cloud of spears still hovering around him, ready to strike.
'No way,' Damian thought, his mind racing. 'I won't make it through the rest of this without [Spectral Surge].'
He had two options. Either he waited out the cooldown, relying purely on his instincts and reflexes, or he could try to buy himself a breather, to find some cover. But cover was hard to come by in this open field, and Cassius wasn't the type to let up just because his student needed a break.
The timer counted down, every second feeling like an eternity.
[00:03]
He dodged another spear, then another, narrowly avoiding a blast of energy as it erupted behind him, sending up a shower of debris that grazed his arms. He was running on fumes, each movement getting slower, each dodge more labored.
[00:02]
The exhaustion was hitting hard now. His vision blurred, his muscles screamed, but he grit his teeth, his mind zeroed in on the spears, dodging with a desperation born from pure survival.
[00:01]
Another spear shot past him, missing him by inches, and he stumbled, nearly losing his footing as he threw himself out of the way. But then, just as his skill faded, another notification appeared.
[Spectral Surge activation: 00:00]