Charles barely had time to process the blue panel floating before his eyes, its message announcing the system repair was complete.
He wanted to check it, to see what stats Rian Cole's body had, but before he could mutter a word, Nora moved.
"Come on, Rian!" she said with a mischievous grin.
Without warning, she launched a high kick toward his chest.
Swish!
Charles reacted on pure instinct, leaning to one side.
Nora's foot grazed his tunic with a whistle.
"Not bad!" she exclaimed, landing nimbly and spinning to throw a quick punch.
Charles dodged again, stepping back.
His reflexes were sharper than he expected, probably thanks to Rian's body, but Nora didn't let up.
Whack!
Whack!
Her fists sliced through the air, one after another, as Charles weaved side to side, dodging each blow with effort that was starting to weigh him down.
'This is ridiculous,' Charles thought, feeling the exhaustion piling up in his legs.
The energy in his hands—that static he'd used against Toren Vask's sons—was building again, but so was the toll of the day: the fountain fight, hours of cleaning, the hunger twisting his stomach.
Everything screamed at him to give up, to collapse and rest.
'No way I'm throwing in the towel,' Charles told himself, gritting his teeth.
He wasn't the type to quit in a game, and this, real or not, wasn't going to be any different.
Charles tried to counterattack, raising a fist toward Nora, but his arm froze mid-air.
The blue panel popped up again, flashing a message that made him growl in frustration:
[You do not have the authority to attack the target]
"Damn it!" Charles muttered, just as Nora threw another punch at his face.
Zip!
He ducked on reflex, feeling the air from her swing rush over his head.
Nora stepped back, frowning.
"Why aren't you fighting back?" she asked, hands on her hips. "I said this was a physical duel. What's wrong, Rian? You scared?"
Charles took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
"No, it's not that," he said, pointing to the invisible circle keeping the rain at bay. "Turn off your ability. My power works better with water."
Nora blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"Water…? Your power needs water?"
She let out a giggle, as if the idea tickled her.
"Why didn't you lead with that? That changes things."
Charles crossed his arms, feeling the first raindrops brush his face as the earlier thunder rumbled closer.
CRASH!
"No problem," he said, with a confidence he wasn't sure he felt. "I'm gonna beat you anyway."
Nora froze for a second, as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard.
Then she burst into laughter, throwing her head back.
"Wait, what did you say? You're gonna beat me?" Her laugh was genuine, not cruel. "You've got guts, Rian! I like that."
Charles stared her down, unflinching.
"Yeah, I'm gonna beat you, Nora. Now that you've dropped that air shield and the rain's soaking us both, you're done for."
Nora raised an eyebrow, still grinning.
"You sure about that? You just spilled your whole plan. Not exactly a genius move, you know."
Charles shrugged, feeling the static surge in his hands.
"Don't care. I don't need to hide. But keep your promise: no powers. If I get you on your knees, I win."
Nora bit her lip, as if weighing his offer.
"That doesn't sound very fair," she said, crossing her arms. "You're exhausted, right? Taking on two Mentors isn't exactly a warm-up."
Charles flashed a tired smile.
"Exactly. That's why it's fair. I'm at a disadvantage, so give me this."
Nora studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"Fine, no more rule changes. Ready?"
"Ready," Charles said, slipping back into a fighting stance.
Nora stopped moving her hands, and the air barrier deflecting the rain vanished.
Heavy, cold drops began to pour over them, soaking Charles's tunic again.
But before he could react, Nora moved with startling speed.
Whoosh!
In an instant, she was in front of him, aiming a low kick at his legs.
Smack!
Her foot connected with his shin, making him stumble back with a grunt.
"Ow!"
He barely had time to recover before Nora launched another kick, this time at his chest.
Zoom!
Charles dodged by a hair, but she kept coming.
Her movements were fast, precise, like she'd been training her whole life.
"Come on, Rian!" Nora shouted, laughing as she threw another high kick.
Swish!
Charles ducked, the air whistling over his head.
The rain was pouring harder now, drenching them both.
Nora's tunic clung to her body, and her brown hair, darkened by water, stuck to her face.
But she didn't seem fazed, moving with an agility that made Charles feel slow and clumsy.
"When are you gonna use your power?" Nora asked, hopping back to gain distance. "'Cause I'm about to end this if you don't do something!"
Her leg shot up again, aiming a final blow at his shoulder.
Charles was panting, his muscles burning with exhaustion.
The rain stung his eyes, blurring his vision.
But the static in his hands was stronger than ever, fueled by the water all around him.
'Now or never!' Charles thought, thrusting his hands toward Nora.
Using the rain, he clenched his fists, letting the water pooled in his palms splash toward her.
Splash!
At the same time, he unleashed the energy he'd been holding back.
Crack!
A bolt of electricity shot from his hands, surging through the water splashing toward Nora.
She saw it coming and, for a split second, looked ready to dodge.
Her gray eyes narrowed, assessing the move. But when she realized the water only grazed her arm, not hitting her directly, she relaxed her stance.
"Ha! That's it?" Nora laughed. "I thought it'd be more impres—!"
She didn't finish.
Zzzzt!
The electricity raced through the water on her arm, spreading across her body with a force that made her yelp.
"Agh!"
Nora quickly covered her mouth, muffling the cry into a groan. Her legs wobbled, and she dropped to her knees with a dull "Thud!" as the rain kept pouring.
Charles, panting, stared at her, shocked his plan had worked.
Sparks still flickered in his hands, but exhaustion hit him like a truck.
He stumbled, leaning against a nearby tree to keep from falling.
Nora, still on her knees, looked up at him.
Her brown hair was plastered to her face, raindrops sliding down her cheeks.
Her black tunic with white trim clung to her, outlining her slender frame.
Despite the pain, her gray eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and amusement.
"What the hell was that?" she asked, her voice breathless but free of anger.
Charles laughed, still propped against the tree.
"I won," he said, pointing at her. "You're on your knees, right?"
Nora blinked, then burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
"You're insane!" she exclaimed, shaking water from her hair with a quick flick. "How the heck is a servant like you pulling this off? Where'd you get that power?"
Charles shrugged, trying to hide how wiped out he was.
"Long story," he said, managing a weak smile. "Let's just say I've got some tricks."
Nora struggled to her feet, still chuckling.
The rain kept falling, but she didn't seem bothered by being soaked.
Her eyes gleamed with a mix of respect and curiosity as she looked at Charles.
"You're full of surprises, Rian. I've never seen a servant do anything like that."
Before Charles could respond, the blue system panel appeared in front of him, clearer than ever despite the rain.
Its glowing letters shone in the air.
[Congratulations on leveling up]
[Would you like to view your stats?]
Charles blinked, his heart racing.
He'd won, and now the system finally seemed ready to give him something useful.