REINCARNATION OF THE STRONGEST WAR HERO

"A duel?! But why?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Why else?" Ali's lips curved, his eyes gleaming with a spark of interest. "You vanished for nearly four months, claiming you'd be back soon. And now you return, saying you never even got the chance to practice layering properly… yet you nailed it in front of me like it was nothing. Not just that, your spells carried destructive force that even an A-class hunter would struggle to unleash."

He steadied his stance, the air around him shifting with intent. "So tell me, Aiden. What were you cooking up in those four months?" He asked the question but then again changed his mind soon. "Never mind, the duel is enough for now. I just want to see what kind of strength, that tiny frame of yours is actually hiding. So don't you dare hold back. If you can impress me, you can go in lower-tier dungeons for solo missions, and that combined attack on the third eye sect, consider it done by the end of this week.

A smirk lifted the corner of Logan's lips. "Master, make sure you remember those last words of yours." Logan felt as if someone had served him a feast on a silver plate.

"You don't have to worry. I always do what I say." With that, Ali dropped into a fighting stance. So did Logan.

For a moment, the air itself froze—time seemed to halt. Then Ali moved. He thought to himself, "Perhaps a small ripple will do the trick. A stir to awaken the storm."

The air bent around him, space trembling as his gravity affinity flared to life.

Logan felt it instantly. His body grew heavier, like invisible chains had coiled around him. His knees nearly buckled from the sudden pressure, but his eyes burned with resolve. "It's only around forty times gravity. Nothing that I can't handle at this moment. I am much stronger now." Internal energy surged through his veins, breaking free from the unseen shackles.

Ali's eyes widened. "Impressive," Ali murmured. "Let's see how you handle this."

With a flick of his hand, wind blades shot toward Logan, sharp enough to slice even stones. Fire followed, turning them into scythes of burning destruction.

Logan's lips curled. "That day you didn't show what your true magic layering looks like."

He raised both hands. Mana exploded outward. A wall of water surged up, waves crashing and smothering the fire-laced wind blades. Steam hissed, cloaking the battlefield in mist. But the blades still kept moving wanting to slice their target in half. Just then....

A dozen sharp ice lances shot forward, neutralizing the wind blades. Some kept moving, charging toward Ali.

Ali chuckled, his eyes narrowing with delight. With a gesture, he bent gravity sideways. The lances veered off-course, slamming harmlessly into the stone.

Sparks of fire trailed his palm as he countered with a sweeping arc of flame, parting the mist.

"I am glad I decided on this duel. Or else I would have missed a great thrill."

Logan shot forward, lightning wrapping his body, his speed exploding. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, his fist breathing in crackling thunder. Ali caught it with his palm, the shockwave rattling the arena as fire and lightning collided.

Logan's eyes gleamed with excitement. "You're holding back, Master."

"And so are you." Ali pushed, and gravity spiked. The sheer weight sent Logan skidding back, cracks splitting the stone beneath his feet.

Logan felt his adrenaline kicking up with excitement. The last time he fought Ali, he knew he was far from being a worthy opponent. But this time it was different. This time he was ready. Maybe still not enough to win, but enough to shake the base of a mountain.

Logan leaned forward, bending his knees. His feet pressed harder against the ground cracking it. His mana flared, pulsing with energy like a coiled spring, ready to burst out at any moment. Then clenching his fist, Logan moved. Like a blur, he shot forward, his right fist blazing with both fire and lightning. The same way he had used a combo fire-lightning ball that created a three-metre deep crater.

Ali's grin widened, genuine joy breaking through his composure. "The speed at which you're catching up to me is frightening."

"Still a long way to go," Logan replied.

He was almost there, ready to land his strike on the guild master. But Ali raised his hand, casually. And a huge fireball started to form. First, an ember that grew into a massive sphere. Ali's wrist flicked, and the giant ball lunged forward, whistling through the air. Ali had used air to push the ball, which enhanced its speed to a great extent. So much so that the ball reached Logan instantly.

Both strikes clashed. Logan's fist and Ali's fireball.

Boom!

A huge shockwave erupted kicking up dust and debris. Logan was sent flying. Ali skidded back nearly thirty meters, his boots scraping over the stone and gouging a long groove as he was dragged along.

The whole arena was clouded with smoke.

But Ali's eyes were locked on the ground. Surely he earned the advantage. But...

The way he was pushed back!

It never happened before. Not against any hunter, not against any monster either.

"This boy!! Is he even a human?! What's with this monstrous strength?

Logan had landed on the ground and bounced twice. A thin layer of blood painted the corner of his lips. His mask was cracked, barely holding in one piece.

And then came a breeze, and the mask fell off, breaking apart like a broken glass.

Logan sat up and touched his face. "What a mess! Now I need a new mask." Logan murmured.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Ali slowly walked toward Logan. And when he reached close, his gaze fell on Logan's uncovered face.

"So that's what you look like. Sorry about your mask though." He stopped for a breath before continuing, "But if you can land a clear hit on me, I will give you a mask far far better than this. It's a magical one. So, what do you say?"

"I am sorry then. That you will be losing one of your treasures I guess." Logan replied.