Over at the academy's grand colosseum, two students stood facing each other, their mana clashing long before either of them made a move.
They were complete opposites.
A golden, radiant heat poured from Rose, spreading like a miniature sun had descended onto the arena.
The ground around her shimmered under the pressure, the air itself bending as if it couldn't withstand the intensity. It wasn't just heat—it felt alive, like it wanted to burn everything down to nothing.
And then there was Snow.
A quiet, ever-present frost wrapped around her, pale and endless. It didn't just freeze the ground—it felt like it was freezing everything.
Even the flow of mana in the air slowed, stiffened, and then stopped entirely near her.
The space around Snow warped slightly, covered in an ethereal white haze that felt untouchable, unreachable… absolute.
"I knew something was off the moment you came back with Riley…"
Rose's voice cut through the tension as she looked down.
