106 PURSUED BY DANGEROUS DEMON HUNTERS
Leo gritted his teeth. If I win this fight, everyone will think I'm using demon magic. They'll come after me, dissect me, and search for proof.
But something was different.
He wasn't relying on his demon constitution— the bonus to demon constitution wasn't enough to outmatch someone a tier above him anyway.
So how was he keeping up with Knekis?
Dodging another strike, the realization hit him. It was the influence of the Dragon Body Transformation Sutra. The speed and strength of a dragon's spirit coursed through him, a skill he had learned earlier with Yun-Yun.
"Damn it," Leo muttered under his breath. "I should've just lost the fucking fight to the idiot."
"How are you so fast?" Knekis snarled, frustration bleeding into his voice.
Leo smirked. "Because you're too slow."
But then, Leo noticed something troubling.
Among the crowd, a group of figures entered the arena, their malicious stares locked onto him. They didn't look like students. Their demeanor and the faint aura of power they emitted marked them as Svad mages or enforcers.
"Damn it," Leo thought, his heartbeat quickening. "They're already here. They must've come to take me in as a suspected demon practitioner. I need to end this fight now."
Knekis lunged again, screaming in fury, but Leo reacted first. His fist slammed into Knekis' chest, the impact reverberating through the arena. Before Knekis could recover, Leo followed up with a magic missile, blasting him to the ground, unconscious.
"How shameful," someone muttered in the crowd. "Did he really cast a spell to win against tradition? That's not how arena duels are done."
Traditionally, fights in the arena relied on physical combat enhanced by magic, not outright spellcasting.
"Fuck tradition," Leo muttered, already descending the steps to leave the arena. "I don't have time for this."
But as he approached the exit, the suspicious figures closed in, blocking his path. Their auras were suffocating, each one a Tier 2 or 3 Svad mage. Leo knew he couldn't take them all on.
"Think, Leo, think," he told himself, his mind racing.
One of the figures called out, "Hey, you—stop right there!"
His options were running out when suddenly, inspiration struck.
"I forgot about something," Leo said, turning to the librarian.
"You've won the fight. You may leave now," the librarian said, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I can't," Leo replied quickly.
"The tome I borrowed is a high-tier tome. According to your rules, I need to defeat one of your summoned creatures to earn it. And for a high-tier tome, I have to fight a librarian."
The suspicious figures paused, intrigued by this unexpected twist.
The librarian stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You are correct. For a higher-tier tome, the challenger must defeat a librarian. Very well, you'll fight me."
The librarian descended into the arena, his robe billowing as staff members carried the unconscious Knekis away. The watching crowd grew silent, their anticipation thick in the air.
Leo exhaled, bracing himself. Better to fight one librarian than face a pack of enforcers. But that would only buy him a brief respite.
------
The librarian chuckled, his voice carrying both amusement and a touch of skepticism. "You're bold, young man. My bones may be old, but my spells remain sharp as ever."
Without hesitation, the librarian leapt into the arena, closing the distance between them with a sudden, forceful punch. But to his surprise, Leo dodged the blow with ease.
"How are you so fast?" the librarian asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.
Like others before him, he wondered if Leo's speed came from forbidden demon magic. "Are you a demon?"
Leo smirked. "Maybe you should activate your Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra before jumping to conclusions."
The Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra was the best body enhancement magic in the Tome Arena. Leo suspected the librarian must have mastered its magic.
The librarian scoffed. "Me? Activate the Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra against a low-tier student? Preposterous."
"What's preposterous is underestimating your opponent," Leo replied coolly. "We're in a duel. It's rude not to fight seriously."
The librarian stroked his beard thoughtfully, considering Leo's words. "You're right. Even against a low-tier student, it would be dishonorable not to fight at my full strength."
A golden aura enveloped the librarian, and an ethereal Rakshasa materialized around him, its glowing form emanating power and menace. This was the manifestation of the Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra, the same spell Leo had struggled to master.
"Great," Leo told himself satisfied with his gamble.
With newfound vigor, the librarian rushed at Leo, throwing another powerful punch. Yet again, Leo evaded it, moving with uncanny speed.
"How can a Tier 1 student outmaneuver a librarian enhanced by the Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra?" murmured a spectator.
"He must be a demon," another voice suggested.
"Only fools call geniuses demons!" Leo shot back, his voice carrying across the arena.
The librarian pressed his attack, throwing a flurry of blows. But Leo continued to dodge, each movement precise and calculated.
"What are you doing?" the librarian asked, frustration bleeding into his tone. "Why aren't you fighting back?"
"I'm learning," Leo replied simply. "I haven't mastered the Golden Rakshasa Transformation Sutra yet, but I will by observing you."
The librarian froze mid-strike, his curiosity piqued. "You've begun to master the sutra?"
Leo nodded.
The librarian stepped back, a rare smile forming on his face. "Very well, then. Learn as you may. I'll show you everything the sutra can do."
Summoning the full strength of his Rakshasa transformation, the librarian unleashed a display of techniques, his every movement showcasing the sutra's potential.
Leo opened his control panel, his eyes scanning the glowing streams of magic code radiating from the librarian.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "I don't have enough time to copy the whole damn thing."
Despite the limited time, Leo absorbed as much of the spell's code as he could, his mind racing to fill the gaps in his earlier attempts.
After a while, the librarian stopped, his golden aura dimming slightly. "That should be enough."
"Wait," Leo said urgently. "I need another minute."
The librarian tilted his head but complied, watching Leo curiously.
"What's happening?" a spectator murmured. "Why is the librarian stopping in the middle of the fight?"