Chapter 298 - 298

With Thabon telling Marcus he had his support, he quickly listed off the types of items he wanted and the skills and spells he wanted to learn.

"Okay, we can do that, but it will take probably every second you have before your next match. Are you ready?" 

Nodding his head and with an exited expression Marcus said, "Yes let us get to it, I want to learn everything I can and get stronger before my next match."

"That is the spirit, but before that, I have had this cask sitting around for around a decade and it would be a shame not to finish it all at once, especially when I finally found someone who can keep up with my pace." Thabon said as he filled up his and Marcus' glasses.

Letting out a small sigh Marcus picked up his glass and said, "Cheers" before taking a huge swig and drinking his glass in one go.

…

"Well, you certainly are a pretty fast learner Irene, and your perseverance is admirable." Thabon said to Marcus who was currently face down on the ground beaten, battered, and out of stamina and mana.

'Ugh, and I thought he had been tough before, this time he was really and instructor from hell.'

After two days of working and learning with Thabon, Marcus could feel his very soul creaking from strain.

His master had not let up and forced him to do a hellish training program in order to learn certain skills, but also when they worked together to make a couple of items.

'Never again I am never asking him for help again.'

Swearing on his soul to never again seek his master's aid, Marcus rolled over and looked at the ceiling and tried to move but his physical form would not respond.

"So are you just going to lie there all day, do you not have a match in four hours." Thabon said trying to light a fire under Marcus to get him up.

"Just let me rest here for a few minutes. Actually, better yet I am going to sleep for three hours, just wake me then." 

Marcus then closed his eyes and shut his mind down, allowing himself to recovery his mana, stamina, and mental energy.

"Oy do not just fall asleep on the floor."

However, as much as Thabon tried to wake Marcus up, he was out. When he really wanted to shut off all of his mental faculties, noting short of extreme pain was going to wake him up.

"Huh, fine, I guess even you need to rest sometimes."

Thabon then picked Marcus up and went to his office where he put him on the couch, figuring he would rest better there than on the floor.

…

'Ah I feel much better.' Marcus thought as he woke up and felt that he was back in top shape.

His regeneration skills had done their job and with three hours of rest he had long since made it back to his peak form.

"Good to see you are awake. I was afraid you were going to sleep through your match, seeing as how I had not been able to wake you when you first fell asleep. In fact, with how soundly you were sleeping I was afraid that the end of the world might not wake you."

Looking over at Thabon, Marcus could see him working on some paperwork, and with the little spectacles on his face he looked more like a kindly old man than the tough old bastard he actually was.

"Well thank you for all you have done for me. With the knowledge and items, you gave me I am sure to win this tournament now.

"Hm, try not to get cocky. Your level of mastery over those skills and spells is still not perfect, and the items we made together can only get you so far. But I believe in you so go win that tournament, for both me and Gurrom as well. Make it so he only lost to the champ."

Nodding his head and smiling Marcus promised Thabon he was going to win it all, before leaving the Blazegram forge and hurrying his way back to the arena.

'Whew just on time.'

Having made his way to the arena, Marcus had only minutes to spare.

His match was going to be the first of the second half of the day after a short intermission once the matches from the first block had been concluded.

"Please hurry Lady Irene, your opponent has already entered the ring."

Following quickly behind a member of the tournament staff, Marcus was led to one of the tunnels that opened out into eh arena's floor and was hurried along to enter.

Walking out into the open of the arena's center Marcus heard the sounds of applause and from the people, but his attention immediately focused on Wyatt, his opponent.

'I am going to make you pay for what you did to Mrazivý.'

"Now we have our first match of the day from block two, and it is shaping up to be a doozy. On my right we have Lord Wyatt Mudak, a mage who is well known and respected within the Guldur Spire. He is rumored to be one step away from receiving the title of archmage, and the power of is mysterious magic certainly is something. However, on my left we have Lady Irene Geist. As you al already know she is the apprentice to the esteemed forgemaster Thabon Blazegram, and the abilities she has shown so far are nothing less than extraordinary. She has shown proficiency in six different magics, as well as close combat skills that rival the best. It seems there is noting she cannot do, but does she have a chance agist Lord Wyatt's unknown magic."

The referee slash announcer continued to hype both Marcus and Wyatt up for another minute, wanting to make sure that the crowd retained the energy they had at the start of the day, and make sure this second round of matches in block two were just as exiting.

"Well, it sounds like everyone cannot wait any longer, so whenever you both are ready… begin."

As soon as the referee started the match, Marcus pulled out a long mithril pole with many elemental gems embedded within it and a very lengthy and intricate enchantment etched throughout.

"Mental mario- 

"Laser."

Firing off his tier four light magic spell, Marcus disrupted Wyatt's casting, by using a spell that was much faster.

This had been Marcus' plan from the start, and while the laser spell was pretty weak in fire power in comparison to other tier four spells, it more than made up for it in speed.

However, while Wyatt did have to cancel the casting of his spell, he was able to defend against Marcus' attack by holding his scepter in front of him and creating a powerful barrier.

'Embodiment of Eclipse, Bright Form."

Having expected his first attack to be blocked Marcus, moved to close the distance as fast as possible and shot forward towards Wyatt.

And along the way as he passed over the center of the ring, Marcus deftly and swiftly jammed the long mithril pole in his hands and activating its enchantment.

"Mental marionette."

With just barely enough time to get one spell of before Marcus was right in front of him, Wyatt's expression turned into a smirk as his spell began to take a hold, until he felt it being completely resisted a moment later.

Panic quickly began to set in for him, and he made the choice to activate the power of his robe.

"Short jump."

Yet as he tried to use the ability of his robe, the pole that Marcus had jammed into the middle of the ring pulsed and the portal Wyatt's robe was creating fizzled out.

"Sorry not this time." Marcus said as he appeared in front of Wyatt who was wide eyed in disbelief. 

"Perforation Strike."

He then slashed with his scythe while activating one of the attack skills Thabon had taught slashed through Wyatt's barrier, leaving him defenseless against his incoming beatdown.