Mark realized that what he said was spoken without much forethought. He hadn't meant to provoke Noah at all.
Now the weight of those words had drawn out a side of Noah that Mark didn't want to face.
He panicked, but his body moved with clarity. His aura surged higher, a firm layer of blue mana formed a coat around him while a golden blaze of holy flames burst forth around the aura.
He had grown stronger, much stronger than before. It wasn't his physical strength that gained him confidence, but it was his heroic aura that took on a qualitative change since his interaction with the holy energy. When he used his new energy, his mind became clear, his eyes sharper, and his spirit invigorated.
This time he believed he could have caught up to Noah. At least now, he could reach his shadow.
However, reality was…bitter…
