Extra To Protagonist-Chapter 33: Training (3)

Merlin stood still, rapier in hand, wind and water swirling lightly around him as he caught his breath.

His side still ached from where Morgana had cut him earlier, and the phantom sensation of dying twice in the past few minutes still lingered in his nerves.

He inhaled deeply, steadying his mind.

'Focus.'

Across from him, Morgana leaned on her sword casually, an infuriating smirk tugging at her lips. She was still drenched from his earlier water explosion, but she didn't seem to care. If anything, she looked amused.

"So, you really think you can land a hit on me?" she mused, tilting her head. "Brave of you."

Merlin tightened his grip on his rapier. "Not think. Will."

Morgana chuckled. "Confidence is cute. Let's see if you can back it up."

Merlin didn't hesitate.

[Courier's Mark]

A subtle pulse of magic left his body as he marked a spot on the grass a few meters away. Not too close, not too far—just the right distance for an escape.

Then, with a burst of wind, he moved.

His rapier shot forward, enhanced by wind magic to increase its speed. The blade shimmered with a thin layer of water, maximizing its cutting power.

Morgana didn't dodge.

She vanished.

[Trickster's Reflex]

Merlin's mind screamed at him, warning him of the exact direction she would reappear from. He twisted mid-step, narrowly avoiding the sharp whistle of her sword slicing through the air where his head had been.

He kicked off the ground, using wind magic to propel himself backward—

But the moment his boots touched the grass—

Time stopped.

Merlin's body froze. His mind was still active, but his body refused to move.

'What the fuck?'

And then, an instant later, Morgana stepped into his frozen vision, lifted a single finger—

And flicked his forehead.

Time resumed.

Merlin flew.

He skidded across the ground, tumbling like a ragdoll before finally rolling to a stop.

"Ow—what the hell?!" he wheezed, clutching his forehead. "Did you just flick me?!"

Morgana grinned. "Yep."

"You can stop time, and you seriously chose to flick me?"

"Seemed funny at the time," she said, shrugging. "Also, I wanted to prove a point."

Merlin groaned, pushing himself up. "And that would be...?"

Morgana twirled her sword whilst she licked her lips. "You're predictable."

His jaw tightened.

'She's right.'

The problem wasn't just her speed. It wasn't even her reflexes.

It was her time affinity.

No matter how fast he moved, no matter how well he timed his attacks, she could just stop time and reposition herself however she wanted.

Merlin exhaled sharply.

'Fine. If normal attacks don't work, I'll just have to make an attack that doesn't make sense.'

He took a stance.

[Courier's Mark]

Morgana quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? That's a different look."

Merlin didn't answer.

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Instead, he lunged forward, faster than before, his rapier aimed straight for her chest.

Morgana smirked. "Didn't learn, huh?"

She flicked her fingers.

Time stopped.

Morgana sighed, stepping lazily to the side, fully expecting Merlin's attack to pass harmlessly through the empty space where she had been.

And then—

She felt it.

The moment she moved, her eyes narrowed.

Her smirk faded completely.

The second she broke out of stopped time, her entire body snapped backward.

Merlin wasn't where she left him.

Instead, he was behind her using Courier's Mark.

He had predicted exactly where she would move. He knew she would stop time the moment he got too close, so he marked the only spot she'd be able to move to—

And then teleported right there.

His rapier was already swinging.

Morgana barely had time to react.

For the first time—he made her smirk disappear.

And then—

Her fingers twitched.

Time froze.

Merlin's vision blurred.

And then—

He was on the ground again.

Blinking.

Dazed.

His rapier was gone—stuck halfway across the field.

Morgana stood a few steps away, her breathing slightly heavier than before.

Her gaze flickered to her shoulder.

A single, faint cut ran across her sleeve. No blood, no scar. Just a single cut. Almost like she was accidentally grazed by a wooden stick.

Silence.

Then—

Morgana grinned and started laughing like a maniac.

'Is she completely crazy..?'

"Well, well," she mused, stretching lazily. "Looks like you can learn."

Merlin groaned, rubbing his face. "I hate this."

Morgana crouched down, resting her chin in her hands. "You love me."

"I hate this," he repeated, glaring.

Morgana chuckled. Then she extended a hand toward him.

Merlin hesitated before grabbing it, letting her pull him up.

"You won," she admitted, glancing at the faint cut on her sleeve. "One hit, just like we said."

Merlin sighed. "Finally."

Morgana smirked. "So... ready for round two?"

Merlin stared at her.

"We had a deal."

Morgana stretched her arms above her head, rolling her shoulders as if she hadn't just been cut for the first time. "Well alright, that was fun."

Merlin, still rubbing his aching forehead, shot her a flat look. "Fun isn't the word I'd use."

Morgana chuckled. "Aw, don't be like that. You learned something, didn't you?"

Merlin exhaled through his nose. He had learned something. He'd figured out how to work around her time magic, even if just barely. But that didn't mean he wanted to keep going.

"A deal's a deal," he muttered. "One hit."

Morgana hummed thoughtfully, eyeing him. For a moment, he thought she was about to challenge him again.

Then she shrugged. "Alright, fair enough. Training's over for today."

She snapped her fingers.

The world around them shattered.

It wasn't like teleportation, where space folded and bent. It wasn't even like a time rewind.

One second, they were standing in a vast, open field with endless sky above them.

The next, reality cracked like a broken mirror, shards of the domain peeling away and dissolving into nothingness.

And then—

Merlin blinked.

They were back.

The familiar walls of Morgana's office surrounded them once again, an oversized desk cluttered with papers. The scent of lollipops and parchment replaced the crisp, fresh air of the domain.

Merlin swayed slightly, his body still adjusting from the abrupt shift.

Morgana, on the other hand, flopped onto her chair with zero care, stretching out like a cat. "Well, that was productive. You didn't completely embarrass yourself."

Merlin rolled his eyes, rubbing his temples. "Glad to hear I met your very high standards."

Morgana smirked, pulling another lollipop from somewhere before popping it into her mouth.

"So," she said, twirling the stick between her fingers. "Same time tomorrow."

Merlin's eyes twitched.

"Fantastic."