Reincarnated as an Elf Prince-Chapter 76: Geniuses

This time, Lindarion didn't wait.

He moved the moment Sera adjusted her stance.

A direct, powerful strike—but not reckless.

Every step, every motion was deliberate.

Sera smirked, meeting his attack head-on.

Their strikes collided—a brief clash of strength against strength.

The ground beneath them cracked slightly.

For a moment…just a moment, Sera's expression flickered with something new.

Not just amusement.

Genuine surprise.

Then—she grinned devilishly.

"Now we're talking."

Her aura sharpened.

Lindarion reacted instantly—but it wasn't enough.

Sera slipped past his defenses like water through cracks.

One clean, effortless motion—

A precise strike to his shoulder.

Another point and the match was already over..

Lindarion took a slow, measured breath, forcing his body to relax.

His arms were tensed.

His heartbeat quickened.

But not from exertion.

From realization.

Sera was holding back.

And even then, she was still beyond his reach.

Sera stretched, rolling her shoulders.

"Not bad, kid."

Lindarion tilted his head.

"That's it?"

Sera raised an eyebrow. "What? You want me to give you a medal?"

Lindarion exhaled.

"No."

Then—he smirked.

"I want to fight you again."

The crowd stirred.

Cassian made a strangled sound. "Lindarion—what."

Luneth blinked.

Sera grinned.

"Oh?"

Lindarion nodded. "I need to see how far the gap is."

Sera chuckled.

"It's wide."

Lindarion narrowed his eyes.

"But not impossible."

For the first time, Sera actually paused.

Then—she laughed.

Loud. Unrestrained.

"Damn." She wiped a hand down her face, shaking her head. "Alright. I like you, Sunblade."

She cracked her knuckles.

"You want another match?"

She smirked.

"Get stronger first."

Lindarion exhaled slowly.

The match was over, but his mind was still replaying every exchange.

Every movement. Every opening. Every failure.

He had fought against talented students before. Against nobles, against trained warriors before and won.

But Sera Vallora?

She was beyond them.

Not because of overwhelming strength. Not because of speed.

But because of something far worse.

Experience.

'Perhaps…no. Erebus is still stronger than her.'

She had seen everything he tried before he even attempted it. But Erebus flashed in his mind. The way he effortlessly toyed with people, with him as well…

Sera had let him attack, let him adapt—because she already knew how it would end.

Lindarion's fingers curled slightly.

'She's right. I need to get stronger.'

Sera stretched, rolling her shoulders as if the fight had been nothing more than a light warm-up.

"Alright," she said, clapping her hands. "Show's over, kids. Get back to training, or get lost."

The crowd hesitated for a moment, still murmuring amongst themselves, before slowly dispersing.

Cassian was still staring.

Luneth?

She was looking at Lindarion more intently than usual.

Lindarion finally turned back to Sera, his golden eyes sharp.

"I'll take you up on that offer."

Sera grinned. "Knew you would."

Lindarion adjusted his sleeves.

"I won't lose next time."

Sera laughed.

Loud. Unrestrained.

And not in a mocking way.

She actually looked pleased.

"Oh, I like you, Sunblade."

She pointed at him.

"Keep that attitude. It'll take you far."

Then—she turned and walked away.

Lindarion watched her go, his mind already shifting gears.

He had a goal now.

Get stronger. Close the gap. Win.

It was a simple but effective plan.

Cassian let out a long breath, rubbing his temples.

"Okay. Let's take a moment to process what just happened."

Lindarion tilted his head. "Why?"

Cassian shot him a look.

"Because you just fought an instructor, nearly held your own, and instead of, I don't know, taking a break like a normal person, you immediately asked for a rematch."

Lindarion shrugged. "And?"

Cassian groaned.

Luneth, however, remained silent.

Still watching. Still thinking.

Lindarion noticed.

But he didn't ask.

Instead, he stretched, rolling his shoulders.

"I'm going to train."

Cassian's jaw dropped.

"Now?"

Lindarion nodded. "Now."

Cassian ran a hand down his face. "You're actually insane."

Lindarion smirked. "And yet, I keep winning."

Cassian grumbled something under his breath but didn't argue.

Luneth finally spoke.

"Where?"

Lindarion thought for a moment.

Then—

"Do you happen to know a place?"

He asked Luneth calmly.

She nodded once.

"The northern training grounds. I'll come..as well."

Cassian sighed.

"…Fine. I'll come too..But if I die of exhaustion, it's your fault."

Lindarion smirked.

"Then don't fall behind."

And with that, they left.

—

The northern training grounds were nearly deserted.

Most students had already finished their sparring and returned to the dorms, exhausted from the day.

But Lindarion, Cassian, and Luneth?

Their training had only just begun.

The three of them stood in the open field, the cool night air brushing against their skin.

The sky above was painted in deep hues of violet and indigo, the academy lanterns casting a faint glow over the training grounds.

Lindarion took a slow breath, his eyes sharpening.

'Time to see how good they actually are.'

Cassian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright. So let's go over this again."

Lindarion crossed his arms.

"You were paying attention in Professor Nyx's class, weren't you?"

Cassian gave him a flat look.

"I was trying, but, you know…" He gestured vaguely. "Some of us aren't prodigies."

'Says the idiot that has one of the best affinity controls in the class…'

Lindarion smirked as he shook his head but didn't argue.

Luneth, standing beside them, remained as expressionless as ever.

"We start with passive circulation," she murmured. "Then controlled circulation."

Cassian nodded. "Right, right. And what was the last one?"

Lindarion's voice was calm. "Full-body circulation."

Cassian grimaced.

"Right. The one where if you mess up, you either pass out or accidentally blow up!"

Cassian stared at his hands, as if expecting them to spontaneously combust.

Lindarion sighed.

"You're not going to blow up you know…."

Cassian gave him a skeptical look. "You don't know that."

Luneth, standing as still as ever, finally spoke.

"You will fail if you think like that."

Cassian groaned. "Right, because confidence is the key to not exploding. Good to know."

Lindarion ignored him.

Instead, he took a slow breath, rolling his shoulders as he felt the mana in his body begin to stir.

Passive Circulation.

The easiest step.

Letting mana flow naturally, without forcing it. Like breathing. Like second nature.

It was the foundation of everything else.

Lindarion's body responded instantly.

The mana inside him moved without resistance, without hesitation. A smooth, effortless current flowing through his limbs, reinforcing his movements.

'Good..it's working fine now.'

Then—

Controlled Circulation.

This was where things became deliberate.

Lindarion exhaled slowly, feeling the shift.

The moment he transitioned from passive circulation to controlled circulation, his mana flowed sharper, more precise.

It responded instantly, like a blade being drawn from its sheath—eager, ready.

No hesitation. No instability.

Just control.

He flexed his fingers slightly, feeling the energy settle exactly where he wanted it to.

His body felt lighter, stronger—like every movement could be executed with perfect efficiency.

This was how magic should be.

But then—

Cassian coughed violently.

Lindarion glanced over.

Cassian stood stiffly, his arms trembling slightly, his mana flickering wildly around him.

The flow was unstable. Choppy. It surged in bursts instead of forming a steady current.

Luneth, standing beside him, looked completely unbothered. But when Lindarion observed carefully—he noticed it.

Luneth stood still, her posture perfectly composed, but—

Her mana?

It was pretty unstable.

It wasn't as obvious as Cassian's—it didn't flicker wildly, didn't surge out of control.

But it wasn't flowing properly, either.

Lindarion could see it. The way her mana hesitated, lingering for a fraction of a second before moving.

It wasn't natural. It wasn't instinctive.

It was forced.

She was fighting against it—trying to control something that wasn't cooperating.

Lindarion exhaled through his nose.

So even she has trouble with this.

Cassian, on the other hand—

"Shit—!"

His mana flared violently, the unstable current nearly throwing him off balance. He stumbled back, coughing again, his face pale.

Lindarion sighed.

"You're forcing it too much."

Cassian shot him a frustrated look. "I'm trying to circulate it like you are!"

Lindarion tilted his head slightly.

"No, you're trying to move it like it's something separate from you."

Cassian blinked.

Lindarion crossed his arms. "Mana doesn't respond to brute force. You can't push it around like you're shoving a boulder uphill."

He tapped his temple.

"You have to guide it."

Cassian exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. "Right. Sure. Easy for you to say."

Luneth remained silent.

But Lindarion noticed something.

She wasn't trying again.

She was watching.

Not just observing—studying.

Measuring his technique.

Lindarion raised an eyebrow.

'Interesting.'

Luneth wasn't the type to ask questions outright.

Instead, she watched, analyzed, and dissected every detail.

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

She was trying to understand why his worked while hers didn't.

Lindarion turned his attention back to Cassian.

"Try again."

Cassian groaned. "I really feel like I'm going to explode."

Lindarion smirked. "Then don't."

Cassian shot him a flat glare.

Luneth blinked. "You know we can't just give up, and it's not that simple at all.."

Lindarion shrugged. "I know. But it works exactly as I explained it."

Cassian let out a long, suffering sigh.

"Yeah, well, not all of us are freaks of nature."

Lindarion chuckled.

Then—

Without warning, he transitioned into full-body circulation.