The forest clearing was still. Too still.
Then—
Steel clashed.
Ignis Vaelthorn's blade shimmered as it danced through the air, each strike pristine, measured, and elegant. A perfect storm of training, discipline, and raw swordsmanship. No magic. No tricks. Just honed skill.
Lucien Arkanveil met it with ease.
His own sword—Iksha-Astra—morphed mid-parry, flowing like water and striking like lightning.
The sound of their duel echoed through the trial zone, drawing distant eyes. Yet within their sphere, nothing else existed.
Ignis lunged forward, footwork crisp, blade angled for Lucien's ribs.
CLANG—
Lucien leaned in, almost smiling. "That's the third time you've used that feint," he murmured.
Ignis's eyes flared. He twisted, following up with a vertical slash, forcing Lucien back—only to find the younger boy stepping sideways, untouched.
"Stop analyzing and fight!" Ignis barked.
Lucien's grin sharpened. "But then I'd be bored."
—
What followed wasn't just a duel. It was a dismantling.
Ignis was a master of the blade, but Lucien was a predator—adaptive, deceptive, evolving with every swing. He began predicting Ignis's moves, countering a split-second early, each time bringing his blade just a breath closer to Ignis's throat.
> System Interface – Combat Analysis
> Opponent: Ignis Vaelthorn Sword Form: Ten Thousand Petal Style – Mastery: 89% Threat Rating: SS+ Suggestion: Exploit Overcommitment on Thrust Recovery
Lucien moved.
He feinted low.
Ignis fell for it.
In a flash, Lucien twisted his wrist and slammed the hilt into Ignis's jaw, sending him staggering. Blood sprayed from the older boy's mouth as he caught himself.
"I'm not done!" he roared.
Lucien tilted his head. "You were done the moment you fought me like a textbook."
Ignis came again, this time burning with reckless resolve.
Lucien's blade blurred.
Steel shrieked.
Ignis's sword flew from his hand—spinning in the air—before embedding itself into a nearby tree.
Lucien stood over him, Iksha-Astra resting lightly on Ignis's throat.
Silence.
Then he whispered, smirking:
"AA#D Chahe jitna bada ho jae… rahta L##D ke niche hi hai."**
Ignis froze.
Then laughed Didn't understand what Lucien said but knew it was an insult. Bitter. Hollow.
Lucien lowered his blade and turned, walking away as the trial ended.
A gong rang.
> Trial Concluded – Virtual Survival Battlefield
Floating golden screens appeared in the sky.
Final Rankings:
Rank 1: Lucien Arkanveil – 53 eliminations – Survived
Rank 2: Ignis Vaelthorn – 41 eliminations – Survived
Rank 3: Liana Von Dragora – 38 eliminations – Survived
Rank 4: Armax, Heir of the Titans – 35 eliminations – Survived
Rank 5: Thorne Dreadfang (Beastman Princess) – Survived
Rank 6: Sylva Moonshade (Elf Princess) – Survived
Rank 7: Ulgrim Stonearm (Dwarf King's Descendant) – Survived
Rank 8: Velis Nocturn (Vampire Prince) – Survived
Rank 9: Gorrun Earthbreaker (Orc Heir) – Survived
Rank 10: Myra Thorne (Witch Disciple) – Survived
Rank 11: Mohammed Gandhi (Similar to sitama sama with weak eyesight)– Survived
All across the arena, projections showed Lucien's battle footage—every kill, every ambush, every moment of brilliance.
The entire continent was watching.
And the world would soon learn:
Lucien Arkanveil wasn't just a prodigy.
He was the storm that would redefine the future.