Blazing heat clashed with glinting steel, turning the arena floor into a molten battlefield.
Streams of crimson flame twisted like serpents through the air, crashing against shimmering shields of liquefied metal that hardened instantly into jagged barriers. The stands of the Academy's central dueling coliseum thundered with cheers and gasps, the energy of the crowd rippling like static.
The Metal user—a towering boy with bronze skin and silver veins glowing faintly along his arms—roared, stomping the ground. A volley of gleaming spikes erupted from the floor, sharp enough to pierce stone, hurling straight at his opponent.
But the Fire user didn't flinch.
She stood with one arm extended, fire wreathing her like a cloak of wrath. Her long red hair floated in the heat around her, and her golden eyes shone like miniature suns.
"Ignite."
With a snap of her fingers, the air exploded.
