Two weeks have passed since the incident at Blackmist Ravine and Velgrin's capture.
Although the shadow of chaos still lingers, life at Zephyrus Academy is slowly returning to normal. The damage has been repaired, security patrols have been increased, and most interestingly, the previously postponed major tournament has officially been announced to resume.
The news spread quickly.
In the main hallway of the academy, Damian, Liam, and Lucien walked side by side. Damian was still nibbling on a sandwich from his lunch bag, relaxed as usual.
"So the final will still go on, yeah?" Lucien asked, chewing on his sandwich.
"Yup," Liam replied quickly, sounding proud, as if he were competing himself.
"And they say the tournament will be as lively as possible. Probably to make people forget about the incident involving the school attack two weeks ago," Liam continued with a thoughtful expression.
Damian chuckled, patting his stomach lightly. "Thank goodness we're just spectators. If I were there, I'd be so nervous I'd faint, lol."
Lucien nodded in agreement. "If possible, I'd like to sit in the VIP seats and bring snacks."
Liam turned quickly. "VIP? No way! Unless you want to dress up as a prince or..."
"Never mind, we can just watch, that's great," Damian interrupted, holding up a piece of bread in a peace sign.
They continued down the aisle, heading toward the arena.
Damian, Liam, and Lucien walked toward the school's central garden. The afternoon sun illuminated the area, and birds could be heard in the distance.
Suddenly, Liam leaned toward Damian, his voice dropping to a rapid whisper.
"Master Damian... I forgot a story," he said, his eyes darting around slightly.
"When I helped fight Velgrin at the academy... I was helped by someone," he said in a low, cautious voice.
Damian turned, his eyebrows raised. "Who?"
"His name is Sylas, the son of a healing mage. But his skills are insane. He can heal while still standing in the middle of an attack. I think I would have died if it were him," Liam replied.
Damian frowned. "Sylas, who is that? A new student?"
Liam shook his head. "No. They say he's a child from the Zephyrus Kingdom. More precisely, he's the son of the king of the Zephyrus Kingdom. He's a very quiet person, though. He's rarely seen. But he's famous, and many teachers respect him because of his incredible strength."
Damian nodded slowly. "That's interesting."
Liam wasn't finished. He glanced at Damian, then added with a hint of pride, "And he said he was curious about Master Damian."
Damian immediately glared. "Huh?"
"Yes," Liam said quickly. "he said you're a first-year, but you can already fight on par with Rygar. So Master Damian must be very strong in his eyes!" His tone was full of pride, as if it were a shared achievement.
Damian laughed softly. "Then… I should thank him for protecting you when you fought Velgrin."
Liam nodded quickly. "Hmmm, logically, Master Damian, I was the one protecting him, but he helped heal my wounds, so I agree with Master Damian!"
Damian smiled. "If you see him again, tell him… I want to meet him in person."
"Yes, Master Damian!" Liam replied, standing tall like a warrior.
They continued walking through the park, unaware that the meeting between Damian and Sylas, two children born with great power, was fast approaching.
The Zephyrus main stadium was filled with cheers.
In the center of the arena, two figures stood facing each other.
Brakth Runebreaker stood tall. His body was large and sturdy. He wielded a massive double axe, a heavy weapon he had crafted using earth magic. His mana aura was powerful and menacing, reflecting pure physical strength and shiri.
On the other side, Rygar Ardent raised his axe, which was enveloped in flames. His breathing was heavy but controlled. Hot steam poured from his mouth like a dragon preparing to erupt.
"Are you ready, Brakth?" Rygar asked, his eyes sharp.
Brakth grinned, brimming with confidence. "I should be the one asking you, are you ready, Rygar?"
"START!!!"
The fight began.
Brakth struck the ground without pause, then hurled rocks from the ground he had struck at Rygar like giant projectiles.
Rygar leaped into the air, flames enveloping his body.
With a single turn, he slashed downward, Infernal Dive, a vertical slash that sliced through the air and sent a torrent of flames toward Brakth.
BOOM!
Brakth immediately struck the ground hard with his right hand. A large stone wall emerged from the ground, forming a protective barrier in front of him.
The stone wall Brakth created successfully blocked Rygar's attack.
Before the dust could settle, Brakth immediately activated his earth magic. A thick layer of stone appeared and wrapped around both of his hands, forming large boxing gloves out of stone.
Without hesitation, he charged forward with full force, his massive body moving swiftly.
The powerful blow struck Rygar directly in the stomach. Rygar's body was thrown far back and slammed into the arena wall with a loud thud.
"An attack from Brakth, a clean hit on Rygar's stomachrrrrrr," the commentator said.
Rygar immediately got up, even though the impact of Brakth's attack was visible, which had managed to wound Rygar's stomach. He stepped forward and swung his axe sideways.
"Infernal Fang," a horizontal slash of fire that formed a fiery red dragon fang.
The attack hurtled toward Brakth.
Then Brakth unleashed a protective earth magic.
The two forces collided in the center of the arena.
BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the ground. Heat waves and debris flew. Parts of the magical barrier in the stands cracked, and some students panicked and jumped from their seats. But most cheered.
In the center of the arena, now beginning to crumble, the two giants stood still.
Neither retreated.
The arena was silent with tension.
The smoke slowly cleared, revealing two figures amidst the shattered terrain.
Brakth clung to the ground with one knee. The stone covering his hands was beginning to crack, and his protective earth magic had also been torn in two. His breathing was labored, and his body was covered in wounds and dust.
Opposite him, Rygar stood upright, holding his axe in one hand. His clothes were partially torn. Blood dripped from his left arm, but his eyes remained blazing with passion.
Brakth turned his head slowly, peering at Rygar through his messy hair.
"You… are stubborn," he muttered wearily.
Rygar smiled faintly. "So are you."
And then
DING!
A blue light erupted from the magic podium at the side of the arena.
A voice from the magic amplifier echoed throughout the stadium:
"Winner… Rygar Ardent!"
Cheers immediately erupted from the stands. A thunderous applause echoed from all directions.
But amidst the cheers for Rygar, many also stood and applauded Brakth, who put up a remarkable fight until the very end.
Amidst the roar, the two fighters exchanged one last glance that day.
There was no animosity.
Only respect.
The arena was filled with cheers.
But suddenly, all was silent.
Soft footsteps sounded from the side of the stage.
A figure stepped up to the center of the arena, walking calmly.
It was Alzein Crownguard.
His silver hair reflected the afternoon light. His gaze was calm, devoid of any emotion. But the pressure of his presence was palpable. Even the air around him seemed to hold its breath.
He stood before Rygar, who had just won.
Several seconds passed in silence.
"Rygar," Alzein said, his voice calm but firm.
Rygar looked up, still panting from the previous fight. "…Alzein."
Alzein stared straight at him. "It's time to decide… who truly deserves to be Rank 1."
Instantly, the stadium erupted again.
But it wasn't like before.
This time, the cheers were louder. More serious. The crowd wasn't just enthusiastic, they were transfixed. Because the two strongest students in Zephyrus were about to clash.
From the start, this duel felt different.
There were no shouts. No exaggerated preamble.
Just two figures standing in the center of the arena: Rygar Ardent, still bearing scars from the previous battle, and Alzein Crownguard, calm and expressionless.
After a moment, the fight began.
Alzein moved first.
Or, more accurately, disappeared.
Teleportation.
In an instant, Rygar was struck from the right. His body reeled backward. Before he could adjust, another blow came from the left.
Alzein appeared and disappeared again, lightning-fast. There was no pattern. There was no time to guess.
Rygar gritted his teeth.
"Enough."
His fiery aura surged. He slammed his axe into the ground, a blast of fire spreading in all directions, creating a fiery dome of magic.
Flame Zone.
The temperature rose dramatically. The arena transformed into a small inferno, blazing under the afternoon sun.
Alzein stepped into it. And still teleported.
SLASH!
A swift slash from behind. Rygar's axe bounced off and fell to the ground. Rygar himself fell to his knees, breathing heavily. His body trembled, but his face...
...was smiling.
"You... are still stronger," he said, wearily.
Alzein stood before him, still calm. He held out his hand.
"You almost made it," he replied curtly.
The applause echoed louder than before.
In the stands, several students remained frozen. Among them, Damian and his friends hadn't moved an inch.
The fight between Rygar and Alzein just now… had left a deep mark.
Tessa stared silently.
Rin dropped her water bottle on the floor without realizing it.
Liam froze in place, his eyes unblinking.
Lucien leaned back with his arms crossed, then muttered, "...That... wasn't human."
Damian said nothing. He simply stared at the two Alzeins and Rygar, his breathing slow.
"If we want to become that strong, we can't just train half-heartedly," Damian said shakily.
Elric immediately stood up. "I'm going to spar tonight."
Liam laughed, though still a little impressed. "Okay... I can join."
Rin clenched her fists and punched the air. "Let's train for real, not just for show!"
Tessa smiled slightly, then looked at Damian. Her gaze was full of enthusiasm.
"We have to become stronger... together." Said Tessa
Damian lowered his head slightly. Then he clenched his fists.
His face was serious, but his eyes held a new sense of determination.
"Yes," he said quietly. "This... is just the beginning."
And there they stood, young people who had just realized that the world was far wider, harsher, and more challenging than they had imagined.
But also, far more worth fighting for.