The aftermath of Vivianne and Myrra's clash lingered long after the two had left the field.
The stage had not survived intact. Maintenance teams moved in quickly, working to restore the damaged platform and stabilize the arena for the next match.
On Star Shine Academy's side, Elena remained composed, her gaze resting on the stage as it was gradually repaired. She did not rush her decision or react to the surrounding noise. If anything, she seemed to have already moved past the previous match entirely.
Her eyes shifted to Cassian. "You'll go next."
Cassian stepped forward immediately, his expression unreadable but his intent clear as he made his way toward the field.
Across the arena, Dawnspire's next contestant stepped out to meet him—a fire mage.
The matchup drew subtle reactions from those paying close attention. Earth against fire generally favored stability and defense, giving Cassian a natural edge. However, given the level both sides had displayed so far, no one expected an easy fight.
The match began.
Cassian took control early, his approach aggressive and unrelenting as he forced his opponent onto the defensive from the very first exchange. Earthen constructs rose and shifted under his command, not merely forming barriers but actively closing in, limiting movement and restricting options.
His opponent resisted well.
Flames surged and twisted through the battlefield, breaking through weaker structures and forcing Cassian to adjust his positioning more than once. The fight carried weight, each exchange demanding focus rather than allowing for clean dominance.
Even so, the balance never truly slipped from Cassian's control.
Step by step, he tightened the pressure, cutting off escape routes and forcing increasingly difficult responses until the final exchange broke through completely.
"Winner—Star Shine Academy!"
The announcement rang out, followed by a strong wave of approval from the crowd.
Cassian stood for a brief moment before turning back. There was no sign of celebration, but neither was there satisfaction. The match had been secured, yet it had not been overwhelming enough to meet his own standards.
By the time he returned, Elena had already shifted her attention forward.
She stepped slightly ahead, preparing to call the next name, but before she could speak—
"Send him." Cassian's voice cut in, steady and deliberate.
Elena's gaze moved toward him, her expression unchanged.
"Let Alex go next." he added, a sharper edge threading beneath his calm tone.
A brief silence followed, though it did not last long.
"I agree." Vivianne's voice followed, controlled but not without tension.
She had yet to look at Alex since returning from the field, but now her gaze shifted just enough to acknowledge his presence.
"If he's here, then he should fight." she said evenly. "Otherwise, what's the point?"
There was no warmth in her words, nor any attempt to soften their intent. Frustration, pride, and something more personal lingered beneath her composure, making it clear that her support was not born from goodwill.
Cassian gave a faint scoff but did not interrupt.
For once, their positions aligned—not in reasoning, but in outcome.
Elena did not respond immediately. Instead, her gaze moved past them, settling on the remaining two members, Draim and Arista.
Neither spoke.
Draim maintained his relaxed posture, though his attention remained sharp, his thoughtful expression betraying quiet interest. Arista stood beside him with her usual gentle composure, but the subtle curiosity in her eyes mirrored his own.
They offered no objection, and no resistance.
That alone was enough.
Elena exhaled softly, her decision already made long before the discussion had taken place. She had intended to send Alex out in this match regardless, having held him back earlier for strategic reasons while allowing the others a fair chance to compete.
"Alex," she said, her voice calm and final. "You're up next."
From the moment Cassian's match had ended, this had already been her plan.
Alex stepped forward without pause.
"Understood."
His response was simple, his movements steady as he made his way toward the field. The audience reacted almost immediately, anticipation rising the moment his name was confirmed.
Behind him, Aurora's voice carried lightly, threaded with amusement.
"Well, isn't that interesting," she said softly. "Even the ones who doubt you are the ones sending you out now."
Alex did not reply, though the faint shift in his gaze suggested he had heard her clearly.
Across the arena, Dawnspire Academy's next representative stepped forward as well, the distance between them closing as both took their positions.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
The moment Alex stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere in the arena shifted once again.
The anticipation that had been building earlier finally found its release. Voices rose across the stands, no longer fueled by speculation alone, but sharpened by expectation. His earlier performance had already drawn attention—now, seeing him step into the Mage Division only deepened the intrigue surrounding him.
"So he's really participating in both…"
"Let's see if he's the real deal or just hype—"
"Hah! Let's see how long he lasts. He'll probably be thrown out in a minute."
Even within the VIP section, the reaction was immediate. Conversations sparked among nobles and representatives, their interest sharpened by both his growing reputation and the unusual decision to field him across divisions.
On the field, however, Alex remained unchanged.
His focus rested entirely on the opponent stepping forward from Dawnspire's side.
She was a wind mage.
There was caution in her gaze, as, like many others, she didn't yet know how to place him—whether he truly matched the rumors or was simply an overestimated anomaly.
They met at the center.
"Alex. Star Shine Academy."
"Mabel. Dawnspire Academy."
The signal followed soon after.
The match began.
Mabel moved first, her body accelerating almost instantly as wind gathered around her feet.
"
Her movements became light—almost weightless—as she glided across the field, her speed increasing without sacrificing control. At the same time, she raised her hand, mana rapidly forming into a structured pattern.
"
Compressed streams of wind shot forward in rapid succession, slicing through the air with sharp precision as they converged from multiple angles.
It was a standard wind mage approach—maintain distance, apply pressure, and overwhelm through speed and consistency.
Alex barely moved, yet the pressure he exerted never wavered.
A faint shift of mana gathered at his fingertips, cold and restrained.
"
The Tier-1 spell formed almost instantly, intercepting the incoming barrage with minimal effort. The wind-based attacks fractured on contact, their structure collapsing as the cold interference disrupted their cohesion before they could reach him.
At the same time, Alex responded.
Multiple condensed projectiles formed in front of him, their surfaces gleaming faintly.
"
They shot forward in quick succession.
Mabel's expression tightened as she adjusted mid-movement, her earlier confidence giving way to sharper focus. She deflected what she could and evaded the rest, but the shift was immediate.
Her ranged pressure had been neutralized far too easily, and that alone meant she had to change tactics.
Instead of maintaining distance, she closed in.
Her movements sharpened as she advanced, wind reinforcing each step and making her trajectory harder to predict. Close-range combat was riskier—especially against a Knight—but staying at range had already proven ineffective.
Alex didn't react outwardly.
If anything, he seemed to expect it.
Mabel halted her advance abruptly, choosing not to fully commit, and instead shifted upward using a Tier-4 spell,
Her footing stabilized mid-air as she gained elevation, attempting to reset the engagement from above. From that vantage point, she resumed her assault, layering multiple Tier-2 spells in rapid succession—cutting arcs of wind descending in relentless waves, each aimed to force an opening.
The attacks grew faster, denser, and more aggressive.
But the result didn't change.
Each spell was intercepted, deflected, or outright nullified with minimal movement. Alex's control remained precise and efficient, to a degree that made the difference in level increasingly apparent.
Mabel's breathing grew sharper.
Her options were narrowing.
'This isn't working…' she realized. Continuing like this would only drag the fight toward an inevitable loss.
Her expression hardened slightly as she made her decision.
If control wouldn't work—
She would force the outcome.
Mana surged around her, far more aggressively this time. The structure forming beneath her grew increasingly complex as she began her chant, committing fully to the highest-tier spell she could manage—abandoning restraint in favor of a decisive strike.
But she never finished.
The shift came without warning.
From beneath her, chains of condensed ice shot upward, forming faster than her perception could fully process.
They wrapped around her limbs, locking her in place.
"—What?!"
Her chant broke instantly.
The chains tightened, dragging her downward before she could recover. Her footing collapsed as her body was pulled back toward the ground—and the moment she landed, the field responded again.
Four walls of ice erupted around her, forming a complete, sealed enclosure.
She reacted immediately.
Wind blades struck the walls in rapid succession, her spells colliding at close range in an attempt to break through. The chains held. The walls endured—and more than that, they regenerated, cracks sealing almost as quickly as they formed.
She tried again.
And again.
Nothing changed.
From outside, Alex stood still, his gaze fixed on the construct, maintaining it without visible strain.
The difference in power and control was absolute.
Finally, the referee stepped forward, raising a hand as the outcome became undeniable.
"Match over!"
"Winner—Star Shine Academy!"
The barrier faded.
The ice dissolved soon after, releasing Mabel as the structure broke apart into harmless fragments.
She remained where she stood for a moment, her breathing uneven, her expression caught between frustration and disbelief.
On the other side, Alex had already turned away, his expression unchanged as he stepped off the field.
The crowd, however—
Did not stay quiet.