Beast Taming: Start With A Dragon Legion

Chapter 21: Tremor Palm

Knox's heel touched the arena boundary line. The spear point remained steady in front of him, while the Hooktail Lizard crouched low to his side with its hooked tail ready to sweep again.

There was no clean path forward, no clean path sideways, and no safe room for Echo Step. Ignis was ready through the bond, but Knox kept him restrained because one wrong burst would end the match.

The crowd grew louder as Knox's heel neared the boundary line.

"He is boxed in."

"There is nowhere left to move."

"Tobin is picking him apart."

This time, the words did not sound like mockery. They sounded like a verdict.

Knox had 41/60 mana remaining. Enough to keep fighting, but not enough to waste. He also knew Tremor Palm could only be used once, and it needed direct palm contact.

Tobin stepped forward carefully, using the spear to shrink Knox's space instead of rushing him. His expression remained calm, but there was something colder in his eyes now.

"You have done well for a provisional student," Tobin said quietly. His voice was steady, not mocking. Just factual.

Then his tone sharpened.

"But now I will show you the difference between someone trying to enter the academy and someone already standing inside it."

Tobin kept advancing. The Hooktail Lizard shifted with him, sealing the side whenever Knox's weight changed. Knox understood that Tobin was not trying to beat him with one big attack. He was forcing him to make a bad choice.

Knox let Tobin think the pressure was working. He allowed himself to be pushed into an even worse-looking position near the boundary. His back was almost against the barrier now. Ignis wanted to move, but Knox sent one sharp thought through the bond.

Wait.

Tobin finally stepped close enough to finish the match himself. His free hand shot forward and grabbed Knox by the front of his robe, pulling him away from the boundary. The grip was firm, controlling. Tobin's spear remained ready in his other hand, angled to keep Knox from struggling.

"It's over," Tobin said quietly.

That was the moment Knox was waiting for.

Knox's right hand shot up and pressed his palm flat against Tobin's chest where he was gripping Knox's robe.

Tobin's eyes widened, but it was too late. He thought Knox was trying to push him away.

Then Knox activated Tremor Palm.

[Tremor Palm Activated]

Mana Cost: 10

Knox Mana: 41/60 → 31/60

[Warning]

Palm Recoil Detected

The vibration entered. Tobin's grip on Knox's robe loosened. His breathing stuttered and his spear line dropped.

Knox used that one breath.

He activated Echo Step the instant Tobin's guard opened.

[Echo Step Activated]

Mana Cost: 6

Knox Mana: 31/60 → 25/60

Knox's body blurred to the side. He slipped past Tobin's weakened spear line and appeared at the angle Tobin failed to cover. At the same time, Ignis burst across the stone and slammed into the Hooktail Lizard's path, not hard enough to injure it, but enough to delay its tail by half a breath.

[Burst Step Activated]

Bond Mana Drain: 3

Knox Mana: 25/60 → 22/60

Knox drove forward with his final strike aimed at Tobin's chest, intending to force him out of the boundary and end the match. For one moment, it looked like Knox had won.

The crowd erupted.

"He did it!"

"How did he—"

But then Tobin twisted at the last possible second. Knox's finishing strike missed Tobin's chest and slammed into the arena barrier behind him instead.

THUD!

Tobin staggered, nearly lost his footing, but stayed inside the ring.

The crowd went silent.

Knox's hand throbbed. Pain shot through his wrist and forearm. His palm was completely numb. He could barely feel his fingers. He stared at Tobin, breathing hard.

Tremor Palm had worked. His timing had worked. Ignis had played his part perfectly. The strategy was not wrong.

But Tobin had still survived it.

Knox's mana sat at 22/60. His hand was numb from Tremor Palm backlash, and the bond with Ignis felt thinner, but still stable. He knew he could not repeat that sequence.

Tobin breathed harder now. His calm expression cracked into irritation, then shifted into a cold smile. He looked at Knox and straightened slowly.

"You almost had me."

Then his smile sharpened.

"Almost."

He called the Hooktail Lizard back to his side. The beast padded toward him, still crouched low. Then Tobin's voice cut through the arena.

"Let me show you the difference between a provisional student and a real student."

The Hooktail Lizard dissolved into green light. The light wrapped around Tobin's body like liquid mana. Scales crawled over his arms and neck. His pupils narrowed into reptilian slits. His fingers sharpened. A hooked tail of green mana unfurled behind him and scraped against the arena floor.

The crowd erupted.

"Resonance Merge!"

"He wants to use that against a provisional?"

"The provisional student is finished."

Professor Crane's eyes sharpened from the observation platform. She leaned forward slightly, her pen hovering over her notepad.

Knox stared at Tobin's transformed body. Then he remembered. A real academy student was not only judged by beast command. They were judged by Resonance Merge.

And Knox had just used his only real opening before remembering that.

Knox looked at his trembling hand, at Ignis panting beside him, at his mana sitting at 22/60.

He was fucked.