Ceremonial Hall:
BOOM!
"Augh?!"
"Shit!"
Zeo's thunder slash shook the hall, sending explosive fragments where Yuno stood and shattering the protective barrier instantly.
The barrier mages were hurled back into the bleachers, equal parts humiliated and in pain.
Jozou and Sylor stood stoic as smoke clouded the chamber, while Emma and Monica watched with bated breath.
Fwoosh!
The smoke parted.
Yuno shot downward toward Zeo, his expression darker.
His robes were even more tattered, a thin cut now lining his cheek.
Phew. Emma let out a genuine sigh of relief. Monica forced one out with practiced ease.
Zeo grinned. "Prettyboy finally seems serious. Let's play!"
Zip!
His body crackled with lightning as he launched upward to meet Yuno, swinging a new icy trident. The last had shattered from his earlier eruption of power.
Yuno's frown deepened.
He felt like a fraud—one who'd talked big, only to get played. Twice.
Dammit, the others will never let me live this down!
He clenched his jaw. "I told you to stop calling me that…"
Vroom!
He blurred forward. Zeo's eyes widened—one moment Yuno was meters away—the next, his left hand gripped Zeo's face.
"So fast!" the crowd shouted in unison.
Bam!
With a brutal facepalm, Yuno slammed Zeo downward onto the cracked floor.
Twack.
Krrk!
Dsh!
The Magia Vander skipped over rubble like a flat stone across water, finally skidding to a stop by stabbing the icy pike into the floor.
"Ferrum Grinberryall!"
He barely turned—when his vision filled with pale green.
A crescent-shaped projectile of wind came tearing toward him.
Zeo thrust out his right palm, electricity crackling.
"Caelum Berg—"
"Mana Zone."
Yuno's voice cut him off.
Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.
Zeo's pupils dilated.
So did the crowd's.
Hundreds of green magic arrays had formed—not just under him, but around him.
They enclosed him tightly like a sphere.
Yuno nodded. "Ensis Grinberryall."
From each array burst a torrent of slicing wind, ready to tear Zeo apart.
BOOM!
The earlier wind projectile slammed into him.
Slash!
An explosive breeze detonated with Zeo at its center.
The gust blew many spectators off the railings.
It wasn't just powerful.
It hurt to look at.
So sharp, so violent, it forced the crowd to shut their eyes, shielding their faces.
"Great Mage Zeo!" Guilford shouted in shock.
The Ice Faction watched, pale.
Mimily turned to Sarissa. "I-is Great Mage Elfaria… really the fastest caster?"
"Or the most ruthless?" Jhorua added.
Sarissa Alfeld's frozen expression spoke for itself.
Swish.
The wind cleared.
Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt stood smiling as always.
But his appearance was something else.
His hoop earrings were sliced halfway through.
He never wore much to begin with, but even so, his baggy pants, boots, and open jacket were torn apart.
Thin, bloody cuts lined him from ankle to shoulder.
One especially deep slash stood out along his abs.
"Tch. You ruined my fit. That was expensive, you know?"
Yuno didn't react. "That was supposed to do so much more. Your physique saved you."
Zeo grinned with pride, raising a lazy finger-gun toward him. "Thanks. I work out."
Yuno mirrored the motion with his palm, shrugging. "Wasn't a compliment. I've seen builds far more impressive."
The black-cloaked figure in the Dark Faction nearly cracked a smile.
Bzt.
Lightning coated Zeo's fingers.
Swish.
Wind gathered in Yuno's palm.
"Zalgia Sa—"
"Mana Zone: Immensus Grinberryall."
Yuno cut him off again.
Zeo froze.
The magic surging through his hand faltered.
Then fizzled out, completely suppressed by an invisible field.
"Huh?"
Ping!
He didn't have time to question it.
Hundreds of identical magic arrays blinked into existence behind Yuno like a floating wall.
From each protruded a single, simple weapon—massive, razor-sharp wind daggers.
Colette clicked her tongue. "Magecraft again...?"
Rose forced a smile beside her. "That aside, is anyone else more weirded out by how this battle's going...? Like, is Ascendant Yuno really the challenger here?"
The Earth Faction elders, and everyone else eavesdropping, nodded stiffly.
They were in fact weirded out too.
If you didn't know better, you'd think Yuno was the Vander.
From the Dark Faction hallway, Edward Serfence clenched his fist.
He ground his teeth. "Another genius..."
Yuno raised his arm like an overseer signaling the start of a race.
Then with no change in expression, he dropped it.
A hundred wind daggers launched toward Zeo—like a convict before a firing squad.
Zeo chuckled wryly as he kicked up a loose trident of frost, twirling it with a confident spin.
Twack.
He deflected the first wind dagger mid-air.
And then, like a seasoned close-combat fighter, he began fending off the endless barrage.
Twing.
A sideswipe.
Pwack.
An upward arc.
Pah.
A wide baseball swing.
Krrk.
A full-body staff spin.
Thump.
Or sometimes just dodging with an acrobatic flip, a cartwheel, a somersault, or a last-second head swivel.
Zeo's advantage was clear:
A warrior's body, sharp reflexes, a deep understanding of close-quarter weapons, and a long mastery of Ki.
But that was all he had.
Ki wasn't invincible.
It was just another technique—helpful, not all-powerful.
He could sense the attacks.
But sensing meant nothing if the speed and volume overwhelmed him.
Tch.
Every so often, a dagger still clipped him.
His leg.
His foot.
His shoulder blade.
Even his face.
And for each one that should've been lethal, he barely sidestepped—reducing a fatal wound to a grazing cut.
But a hundred papercuts could rival a single deep stab.
Soon, there was more blood showing than skin.
Drip.
His body was covered in cuts.
Superficial, yes.
But too many at once.
The blood loss was mounting.
Fast.
Up in the stands, Guilford Zurgas stared down in disbelief.
He'd never seen his Vander look so bloodied. So humiliated.
"H-how?"
He looked stunned. As if the sight of Zeo struggling had hit him harder than any magic.
Komari exhaled beside him.
Yuno isn't underestimating him anymore.
And once that happened… this fight was only going one way.
Still, Zeo stood tall, smiling ecstatically through the blood dripping down his face, into and from his mouth and lips.
"How many spells have you created?"
"Guess," Yuno replied stoically.
Zeo howled with laughter.
"Hah hah hah! Then what is this Mana Zone thing?! Why can't I use magic?!"
Yuno looked at him indifferently and shrugged again. "Guess."
Just like Ki, Mana Zone wasn't unbeatable.
If someone was blessed by mana like the elves, or had magic power on par with a devil, they could still fight evenly inside another's domain.
As a Vander, Zeo naturally had an immense reserve of magic.
And with a multiplier like Zetten, which could amplify his energy up to a hundredfold, Yuno wouldn't be able to contain him unless he had Bell's help.
So, though it felt slightly shameful, he chose to suppress Zeo with Mana Zone before the man could charge up again.
Yuno raised a palm. "That was wave one. I can do this all day. You wish to surrender?"
Zeo threw his head back, laughing again. "Nah! I think I got a fix!"
Yuno raised a brow as Zeo spat out a mouthful of blood.
"I'll just do what Anna did during the Terminalia!"
Komari sighed, chuckling bitterly. He really takes everything.
Bzt.
Bzt.
Bzt.
Bzt.
The crowd furrowed their brows.
"What's that sound?"
It was clearly a lightning mage charging up—except there was no lightning.
No crackling aura, no visible mana.
But Yuno figured it out instantly.
He clicked his tongue. "You can't be serious…" Did she teach him that too?
Lihanna had also caught on. "Oh—the inward enchantment!"
In Paradise, close-combat mages used enchantments to fortify their bodies and boost their physical strength.
In the Four Kingdoms and Hino Country, they used something called reinforcement magic.
The names sounded similar, but enchantments were outward—used to imbue weapons, wands, or armor with power.
They weren't meant for the body.
Mages who could adapt enchantments for internal use were rare.
Reinforcement magic, on the other hand, physically amplified the body from the inside out—eventually leading to Mana Skin, a prerequisite to mastering Mana Zone.
Normally, someone like Yuno—who had fully mastered the Mana Zone—could suppress that kind of power too.
Maybe not to the degree of a fully external spell, but still enough to dominate.
But Zeo had learned Zetten.
And Zetten, in more ways than one, was the Mana Zone's worst enemy.
Not only could it let a user explode with mana just as intensely—if not more—than the Zone itself...
It also gave complete control over one's magical energy and life force.
As long as that power remained inside Zeo's body, Yuno couldn't touch it.
And Zeo was far more comfortable in close combat than at long range.
Thorzeus Fudge grinned ferally.
He could already tell what Yuno was thinking.
"Now we can really play!"
Zip!
In an instant, he was inches from Yuno—his fist flashing toward the former prince's face.
Yuno didn't just see the blow.
He sensed it.
He could visualize the thunder and lightning flowing beneath Zeo's skin, surging through his arm.
He sighed inwardly.
He wasn't as skilled in Ki as Asta, Yami, the Ryuzen, or even Mereoleona—and clearly not on Will's or Zeo's level either.
But he knew it.
And sometimes, knowing was enough.
Twack!
Yuno raised an arm just in time, parrying the thunder-charged punch.
Zeo chuckled low, barely a whisper.
"I knew it, Prettyboy. You've got the feel for this too."
Yuno's inward sigh deepened.
What made fighters like Zeo and Mereoleona dangerous wasn't just their raw power.
It was that beneath all their fire and madness…They paid attention.
Observant. Calculated.
They didn't waste time on books or lectures.
But they weren't mindless battle junkies either.
Another punch came flying.
Twack!
Yuno blocked it with his right forearm.
His arms trembled slightly from the force.
Zeo's grin widened.
"Maybe it's those long-sleeve shirts always covering you. Never realized—You're pretty built, aren't you?"
Yuno rolled his eyes. "The body is the vessel. Ignore it, and you won't achieve much of anything."
He didn't bother hiding his voice this time.
And several High Mages who had never exercised a day in their lives winced.
Vroom!
Yuno kicked backward, putting space between them.
He shook his head. "Enough talk. Let's just do this."
Zeo beamed. "I can do that!"
Zip!
The Wand of Thunder rocketed toward him like a lightning bolt.
And Yuno answered like a compressed jet stream.
Thud!
They clashed at near-equal speeds—blow for blow.
The collision sent out a massive burst of electrified wind, rattling the battlefield.
Thump.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Mid-air, they collided again and again.
Trading punches. Kicks. Elbows. Palms. Swipes.
Every strike exploded with lightning or wind.
Each impact blew apart the air between them.
Yuno occasionally launched a long-range burst.
But Zeo dodged every one, zigzagging around it, forcing the battle back into close quarters.
Zeo thrived there.
Although Yuno's physique held up, Zeo had the edge.
More muscle.
Sharper reflexes.
Better Ki control.
And with his magic locked down, Zeo knew—If he wanted to win, it had to be here.
Up close and personal.
In Yuno's face.
Wignall sweatdropped, amazed.
"I-I've never heard of a Wind Mage who fought like this…"
Colette leaned forward in her seat.
"A-and what about Great Mage Zeo?! At least Ascendant Yuno still seems like a wand… but is Thorzeus Fudge a knight-enchanter like Lihanna?!"
Albeit a really savage and classless one.
Lihanna, overhearing her friend, shook her head softly. She was sweating too.
"N-no… from what I can see, all he's doing is releasing magic energy!"
Behind her, Guilford had regained his composure. He nodded with pride.
"Very astute, Miss Owenzaus. Watch closely. This is the pinnacle which we in the Thunder Faction aspire to reach."
Lihanna turned as he continued, voice deepening with weight and overly enthused glee.
"Great Mage Zeo rarely relies on complicated magic. To him, it's wasteful. A needless barrier between intent and strength."
"All he does is allow his magic to flow freely—leaving everything else behind. To him, it's nothing more than a form of movement."
His smile stretched wide, almost unhinged.
Komari cringed.
If only this guy realized Zeo-bro just went above and beyond Wrathbolt… how would he react then?
Guilford's eyes gleamed.
"It's a technique that inspires dread in all who witness it. Wrathbolt."
From behind Cariott, Logwell murmured softly.
"If he were fighting anyone but the Wind Chief, this fight would already be over."
Cariott nodded, that same crescent-moon smile pulling at his lips.
"And I suppose that only proves my future fellow Vander here didn't need to resort to underhanded means to challenge the dungeon."
He then snapped his fingers.
"I believe I've settled my doubts. Logwell, remind me to send a present—along with a formal apology—to the Wind Faction after this."
The blindfolded adjutant nodded coolly.
"Yes, Lord Cariott. It shall be done."
Ellenor Ljos Alf slouched deeper into her throne, her brooding only growing.
Hmph! Come on, you Sloth. Get back in the game. They've already written you off!
Zeo backflipped off Yuno's shoulder mid-air before zipping toward a nearby frost trident.
Zip!
Zip!
Zip!
He grabbed a handful, spinning them in his hands as he funneled raw magic into each shaft.
Yuno extended his Mana Zone to suppress the enchantment.
But just like with Zeo's body, it didn't work.
And then—Fwoosh!
Zeo hurled the spears like javelins, one after another.
Yuno raised a brow.
He weaved between them casually, letting the tips whistle past his skin.
Then—Zap!
The momentary distraction worked.
Zeo reappeared behind him, just like before, throwing another punch aimed straight at Yuno's spine.
But this time, Yuno was ready.
"Ensis Grinberryall!"
A magic circle flared into life at the center of his back—right over the smoldered remains of his previous wound.
From it erupted a ripping tornado, point blank, straight into Zeo's face.
The Wand of Thunder's eyes widened—then he twisted mid-air and narrowly snapped out of its path, smiling through the graze.
But it wasn't over.
Fwish!
Yuno blurred away.
In a flash, Zeo found himself surrounded and encircled by seemingly endless magical arrays.
Three types.
One large. One was mid-sized. One small.
Yuno's voice echoed across the hall, sending chills through the crowd.
"Ensis Grinberryall!"
"Ferrum Grinberryall!"
"Immensus Grinberryall!"
"Grinberryall Barrage!"
The large circles fired off the ripping tornadoes.
The medium-sized ones launched the slicing crescent blades.
The smallest unleashed volleys of wind-carved throwing knives.
Zeo was trapped in a full-spectrum assault.
Magic from all angles:
Different speeds. Shapes. Purposes.
Dodging one meant getting clipped by another.
When he evaded the throwing knives meant to impale him, a crescent blade swept in next.
And right behind that, a cannon-force tornado aimed to grind him down.
Sometimes they came in sequence.
Sometimes all at once.
The arrays appeared in random bursts—unpredictable, relentless, chaotic.
Even with Ki, it was too much.
The overload of input started to betray him.
What he felt and what he saw no longer matched.
That slight contradiction made him hesitate.
Just once.
But Zeo wouldn't be Zeo if he let hesitation last.
He snapped his Ki inward, using it only to regulate his internal enchantment.
The rest, he trusted to his magical senses and instinct.
With that shift, dodging became sharper—more intuitive.
Now and then, a knife grazed him.
A tornado blast pushed him back.
But he tanked it all with a blood-slick grin, never groaning once.
Seconds passed.
The final wave faded.
The arrays dimmed and disappeared.
The Wand of Thunder panted slightly, blood and sweat dripping from every pore.
"Run out of juice, Pretty—."
He paused, cutting himself off.
The crowd fell silent.
Sarissa's pupils were dilated, and the Ice Faction wasn't doing much better.
Yuno was standing on the ground, several meters away—his hand resting atop Elfaria's head.
He stared at Zeo with the same cold indifference. "You seem to have forgotten what our little fight was about…"
Wind began swirling into his palm. Arvin clenched his fist in anticipation.
"It's my victory."
But Will, Zeo, and Komari narrowed their eyes.
Vroom!
Wind pressed down on Elfaria's skull like a weight, building tension until—Crack!
She burst into shards of ice.
Arvin sighed in disappointment.
"..."
Yuno fell silent. His eye twitched.
Embarrassment crept across his face.
He glanced toward Zeo—who was barely holding back a laugh.
Yuno had to stop himself from facepalming. Of course she escaped as a clone while we fought.
The Wind Chief narrowed his eyes and scanned the ruined arena.
He focused his Ki.
Then his head snapped up toward the air—about five meters above, near the top of a towering pillar.
Fwoosh!
He launched toward the spot in a gust of jetstream wind.
Zeo zipped after him.
"Oh no you don't!"
Yuno was faster.
But Zeo was closer.
So Yuno opted for a different kind of spell.
One that couldn't be dodged as easily as a throwing knife.
"Three-pronged spear, hunt the unseen. Pierce the hearts that hide in the storm: Acutus Grinberryall!"
An array formed in the air above him.
From it, a large and intricate trident of wind emerged.
The Earth Faction Elder's jaw went slack.
Are we going to be replaced by the Wind Faction too?!
Several of the older men burst into aggrieved, almost comedic tears.
Swish!
Yuno thrust his hand forward, and the trident launched in that direction, streaking through the open air.
As it cut forward, the air began to distort.
From the distortion, Hide unraveled—revealing one Elfaria Albis Serfort, eyes wide in shock.
Just as the trident's tip closed in on her forehead—Crack!
Zeo arrived in time, smacking the side of the trident and redirecting its path.
The point barely missed Elfaria, scorching a lock of her hair, and embedded deep into the nearby pillar.
Zeo turned to her, sneering.
"Needing protection? You really are pathetic. That's the last time."
"..."
She didn't respond.
Zeo turned his attention back to Yuno, his grin returning full force.
"That's five now! Just how many spells do you have?"
Yuno stopped in the air a few meters away, raising two fingers and pointing straight at them.
"Like I said… guess."
Then he curled both fingers upward.
"Mana Zone."
Zeo immediately shifted into a guard.
Elfaria did too.
But nothing happened.
Zeo blinked. "Did you miscast— omf!"
"Gahh!"
Both of them doubled over, grabbing their stomachs.
Then their arms.
Their insides began to churn.
Spin.
Vibrate.
Elfaria dropped to one knee.
Zeo clenched his teeth, suppressing a scream. He had lightning flooding through his veins, dulling the worst of it, and until now hadn't taken any true internal damage—but even he wasn't ready for this.
His voice trembled with both agony and awe.
"No way. You can cast spells inside someone? That's… that's like an automatic win!"
The miniature cyclones swirling inside them brought on vertigo and nausea.
Elfaria, already injured, looked like she was being ripped apart from within.
Pain twisted through her face, her breathing ragged.
Zeo staggered, nearly dropping beside her.
And Yuno watched in silence, face unreadable.
Slowly, Yuno's expression hardened.
"I gave many chances for surrender. And lethal force is permitted in this challenge…"
He looked past Zeo, fixing his gaze on Elfaria.
Will's body trembled as tears welled in his eyes, but he couldn't move or speak.
The crowd's faces shifted to shock.
Sarissa stared on in horror.
The Ice Faction adjutant moved to act—but the Earth Faction elders stepped forward, shaking their heads in silent apology.
Cariott and Ellenor rose slowly from their seats.
"So the only one you have to blame is yourself!"
Yuno finished coldly.
Then it happened.
Blood poured from Elfaria's eyes, mouth, ears, and nose.
Her pores tore apart.
She exploded into a mass of flesh and gore.
The hall fell utterly silent.
Jaws hung slack.
The 401st cohort whimpered, overwhelmed and sickened.
A few nearly threw up in disbelief right then and there.
The color drained from the Ice Faction's eyes.
But then—Will froze.
He remembered something from the Terminalia.
The death of Rosti Nauman.
And just like then the bloody remains of Elfaria Albis Serfort dissolved into icy mist.
Cariott and Ellenor sank back into their seats.
"..."
Yuno slowly turned his gaze upward.
Zeo did the same.
Far above, five Elfarias floated silently.
Each one identical in every detail.
The same torn clothes.
The same hair angled exactly.
The same cuts and injuries.
Each holding an identical Ice Empress staff.
But more than appearance… their magical energy and Ki matched perfectly.
None could tell which Elfaria was real.
Neither Ki nor magic revealed any hidden presence.
These were all of them.
The duo's eyes slowly widened as the Elfarias looked down at them coldly, speaking in chilling unison.
"I don't know how you two manage to see through my Hide and pick me out from my clones… but if I make every me identical in every way, then everything is fine, right?"
Sarissa trembled, choking up again. "Elfaria-sama."
Yuno's jaw nearly slackened as he murmured to himself in slight amazement.
She can actually make flesh and blood clones… with ice and water… How does that even work? This is just like Lucius.
The Elfarias enjoyed taking in Yuno's expression before they turned their focus to Zeo.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you, Savage. Though, from now on I'll look after myself."
Zeo straightened and beamed with hungry anticipation. "Hah hah, bring it!"
Wordlessly, the Elfarias pointed their staffs together, forming a gargantuan magical array that loomed over Yuno and Zeo like a ceiling.
"Xelunea Caulis!"
From the array, a falling star—an immense meteorite of ice—descended.
Will's eyes widened.
Julius had used the same spell against him during the Crown Attack, but the size difference here was staggering.
Julius' once intimidating spell now seemed like a pebble in comparison.
Will furrowed his brow and suddenly paused.
Wait… Caulis?
Only now did he realize the significance of the name's other part.
Yuno's arm shot upward.
"Mana Zone!"
His invisible territory expanded.
The spell's formation, along with Elfaria's clones, began to tremble.
One clone shattered.
The array and the spell shrank correspondingly—about twenty percent smaller.
Yet the incoming comet of ice still hurtled downward, still massive enough to reduce Rigarden to rubble if it landed.
Yuno's brows furrowed.
Even focusing his Mana Zone, nothing changed.
All the Elfarias smiled coldly.
"I wouldn't say I have mastered it, but I have been secretly studying Natural Confluence for a while, for spell research and inspiration."
Ellenor Ljos Alf scoffed. "This thief."
Overhearing her, Elfaria's grin widened.
"I'm not as lazy as many of you like to make me out to be."
She turned back to Yuno.
"And I suppose your Mana Zone—as you call it—has filled in a lot of blanks in my understanding, so thank you for that. But you won't be sabotaging this spell!"
Yuno narrowed his eyes—then widened them slightly.
He could feel ambient mana particles in the air pouring into Elfaria's spell.
They weren't just strengthening it.
The vast majority were locked in an invisible contest with his territory, preventing his reach from interfering.
Yuno couldn't help but feel slightly impressed.
Although Elfaria might not be at his level—he had figured out Mana Zone by himself without ever first seeing it in action—this was still proof of a genius.
She was a big fish in a small pond.
If she had been born in another world, in their world, she and the other Vanders would still be among the best of the best.
Yuno and Zeo raised their arms, wind and lightning swirling in their palms to intercept the falling meteorite of ice.
Brr.
They froze from the feet up, locked in solid ice. Neither could move. Even circulating magic became nearly impossible.
Sssk.
The meteor loomed closer, obscuring the sky, promising to crush them into paste.
The Elfarias spoke in unison, their voices cold and distant.
"El Glace Frosse – El Ten: Mildas Froiderite!"
Zeo grinned wildly. "What… what is this?!"
They couldn't see her anymore, but her voice echoed in all directions.
"A barrier spell—and an infuriating one to cast. It demands half my magical energy within a set range to activate. Which means I must cast plenty of spells just to prepare it. Inconvenient, don't you think?"
Sion gulped, sweat trailing down his face. "That barrage of high-grade spells was just to set this up?! The whole time… it was just a smokescreen?!"
Colette paled. "It was a trap. Ice magic can't match wind or lightning offensively. She must have known that from the start—and planned around it."
"She pulled the same trick on me," Ellenor said, arms folded. "It's her trump card. The closer you get, the more you freeze... Prettyboy and the Savage are just too fast for their own good here."
Elfaria's voice slid into Zeo and Yuno's ears like a blade of frost.
"I originally created this spell because Will was too shy to let me hug him."
Will turned scarlet. Sarissa visibly cringed.
"But instead of using such a beautiful memento on him, I'm using it on you two homewreckers. It breaks my heart. So I'll break you."
Her voice shifted to Yuno, growing sharper, more venomous.
"You said something about not offering mercy anymore… hmm? Well, I hope you meant it. Because I won't be accepting surrender."
Yuno scoffed. "Dream on."
Unbothered, she turned her voice to Zeo.
"You wanted Will? You won't get him. But I'll reserve your soon-to-be-empty throne for him. A consolation prize. So go in peace."
Zeo cackled. "Nasty witch!"
Elfaria's voice faded outward, now a ghostly whisper.
"Call me whatever you want. Will is mine. And if anyone tries to take him, I'll protect him like he's my bride."
Will somehow turned redder. The crowd exchanged wary glances.
Doesn't she mean husband?
Sion exhaled through his nose.
I see who wears the pants in the relationship.
The jagged comet was nearly upon them.
Time seemed to stretch, each second dragging like eternity.
Krrk!
Krrk!
Krrk!
Veins bulging, Zeo summoned all his internal power and mana, slowly forcing himself free.
But just as he began to move, he froze again.
Even the little magic he could still access had vanished.
He turned to Yuno, wide-eyed, grinning with disbelief. "You…?!"
It wasn't just him.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Because instead of breaking free, Yuno had turned his arms under the ice—pointed at Zeo.
Suppressing him with his Mana Zone.
Zeo burst into laughter. "Are you insane? Do you wish to die?"
For the first time that day—and perhaps ever—Yuno smiled.
It made everyone shiver.
Not because it was warm.
But because it looked wrong. Off.
Just as deranged and psychotic as Zeo's.
For Zeo, that kind of smile was normal.
No one questioned it.
But for someone like Yuno—composed, precise, distant—it was terrifying.
He laughed softly.
"I don't think I'll die. Maybe I'll stand at death's door… but even then, I don't think I'll lose to her."
The crowd gasped.
So arrogant!
Yuno's grin widened.
"But you. You've been annoying me this entire fight. So I'll have you die here."
He paused, voice almost playful.
"But don't worry. I'll accompany you to hell's gate. At least to see you off."
Zeo froze.
Then howled with laughter.
"This is exactly what I mean! You guys are the real lunatics!"
Arvin shivered, shouting at the arena. "No! Chief! Get out of there!"
Monica followed, panicked. "Yes! Get out of there!"
No, stay there and die!
Emma inhaled to scream, but strangely, Sylor spoke first.
Calm. Monotone.
"No need to worry."
The trio paused, startled.
Guilford trembled—but didn't move.
He knew Zeo wouldn't want help.
Especially not from his own subordinates.
At the same time, the Earth Faction elders quietly clapped their hands together.
A massive wall of stone rose from the bleachers to the ceiling, enclosing the entire arena.
Just in time to trap the impact inside.
A second later, the arena shook.
BOOM!
Crack!
The stone walls trembled, then collapsed.
Ice, mist, and snow poured outward into the bleachers—before being swept back into the arena by the barrier mages.
All of Colorless Garden quaked.
High above, the Elfarias hovered near the ceiling, coughing violently.
Half-dried blood dripped from their lips.
Yuno had struck them before they could fully recover.
It had cost them.
They peered down through the fading mist.
Will's heart dropped.
Still alive?!
Zap!
A bolt of lightning tore through the flurry, blowing the head off one Elfaria.
It shattered into icy shards.
"Ack—gah!"
Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt stumbled into view.
If his wounds before were shallow, now they were exactly as bad as they looked.
Several of his internal organs screamed with pain.
He yanked out icicles embedded in his gut, one at a time.
His skin was pale, lips bluish.
He was sure he had frostbite.
If he hadn't learned to grip his own lifeforce…
If he hadn't been shocking his insides with lightning to stay conscious…
He would've passed beyond death already.
One eye was frozen shut.
Several of his teeth cracked and dangled, bloodied, from his maw.
Yet he smiled up at the Elfarias.
The sight sent another shiver through them—and the crowd.
Then his eyes turned toward the mist.
The Elfarias followed his gaze.
They stopped breathing.
The crowd went stiff.
Ellenor Ljos Alf shot to her feet.
Out stepped Yuno Grinberryall.
Somehow—miraculously—his modest and sensitive parts were spared.
But nearly all his clothes were gone.
Cuts and bruises, bloody and icy, littered his body.
But none of them were serious.
And that was the problem.
Ellenor stepped forward, peering over the railing, her gaze burning.
"HOW?!"
Wignall stiffened, stumbling back.
"E-Ellenor?!"
But she wasn't looking at him.
Her eyes were fixed on Yuno, drilling invisible daggers into his form.
And she wasn't alone.
Lefiya Viridis stepped up beside her, wearing an equally stunned expression.
She couldn't believe what her mana sense was telling her.
Filvis chewed her lip, voice hesitant.
"L-Lefiya? Lady Ellenor? D-did something happen that we should be aware of? Are we… missing something?"
Neither the Vander nor former Vander answered.
Instead, they slowly turned their heads in unison.
Lefiya looked at Selia.
Ellenor looked down at Sylor.
Both pairs of eyes narrowed, scrutinizing.
But neither target reacted.
They didn't flinch. Didn't blink.
Didn't even acknowledge the stares.
Wignall took a step back, bewildered.
W-what happened?
Two platforms over, Cariott smiled faintly.
"Something interesting is happening with the elves, Logwell. What do you think it is?"
Logwell shook his head.
"No idea, Sir."
Cariott chuckled.
"What about you, Leopold?"
Sion glanced toward his supervisor, who responded just as plainly.
"None, Sir."
"Really?"
Cariott's smile deepened.
Leopold nodded.
"Yes. Really."
Cariott hummed, gaze drifting back down to Yuno.
"If you say so~."
Zeo laughed, pleased.
Then he pushed his hair back.
He knew he didn't have long.
If nothing changed, he'd clock out any second.
So he chose to risk it all—one final strike.
He clicked his bloody, swollen tongue and began to chant through a mouthful of shattered teeth.
"The usurper approaches! O light of innocence! Look upon the promised summit of glory! And witness as thy greatness is upended by the viper!"
Cariott chuckled to himself.
An incantation? I see Zeo's through with playing games.
Yuno glanced his way, then sighed.
He was tired of this farce.
If someone was ready to end it, he'd happily join in.
He cracked his knuckles and opened his mouth.
"O breath of the fallen! Gale unbound! Lift thy voice onto the vaulted heaven and rend the silence null with roaring might!"
Ellenor gripped the rails tighter.
She ground her teeth in frustration. In annoyance. In something more.
But she didn't take her eyes off Yuno.
Not for a second.
She was watching every movement.
Tracking every shift.
It would take an unfathomable amount of magic to break through the Sloth's barrier.
And these dimwits seemed stupid enough to try.
Ellenor cursed and barked.
"Lefiya! Filvis!"
The two Fairy Faction adjutants straightened instantly.
"Yes, Great Mage Ellenor!"
Fwip!
They blurred from view, blinking away into the distance.
Meanwhile, the entire hall was paralyzed—transfixed by the monstrous wave of magical energy pouring off Zeo and Yuno.
A black thundercloud and a green tornado filled the ceiling.
Lihanna swallowed hard.
"W-what is this? I've never seen anything like this?!"
Colette shivered.
"Those incantations…"
Sion trembled.
"T-they're casting…"
Wignall's knees nearly gave out.
"S-Supreme Grade spells!!"
With Zeo and Yuno fully committed, Elfaria had no choice but to join them.
She and her clones chanted in unison.
"White ice, arise! Wild vortex of chaos. Torn shield of protection. O remnants of war! As paradise dies, may silver white come to shroud it! As wintry winds blow, may witches mourn the heroes lost!"
Bzt!
Zeo's body lit up, lightning crackling over his skin.
He grinned, fangs bared.
"Thrust thine unfair punishment unto the falsely accused! Cast the brand of sin into a sea of blood!"
He lunged forward, clawing through another Elfaria.
It shattered into shards of ice.
"May the prominent tumble! See praise turn to hate and put love to sleep!"
Each time he destroyed a clone, another took its place—utterly indistinguishable from the last.
"May reason shatter! See lamentation don the mask of Minos!"
Above, Filvis and Lefiya watched from the ceiling, analyzing between spells.
"Attacking, moving, and casting at once. A textbook example of Harmonic Casting."
"An elven technique. And the savage clearly has no shame stealing it."
"He's not the only one…" Ellenor murmured below, slouching deeper into her throne.
Yuno, having abandoned the effort to suppress Zeo's mana—realizing the brute had already grasped Mana Skin—also joined in the hunt.
Krrk!
Krrk!
Krrk!
Clone after clone shattered.
But none were the real one.
Still, he continued his chant.
"Scatter the fetters of earth. Let every shackled thought take wing."
Krrk!
"Strike down the stubborn walls of doubt and raze the citadel of despair!"
Krrk!
"May the swirling Zephyrs carve a path through barren skies. May island cliffs tremble and forests bow before thy wrath!"
Krrk!
"In the eye of the storm, find thy purpose—unfurl thy colossal span and clutch victory in talons forged of tempest!"
Each shattered clone carried on Elfaria's own incantation.
"People perish. Invaders depart. Then nothingness."
Krrk!
"In her frozen castle, alone, the witch stands."
Krrk!
"Tears onto the graves. Prayers to ashes. And oaths to the beyond."
Krrk!
"The throne of solitude now declares itself protector!"
Krrk!
Jhoroua shivered.
"A channeled incantation… each clone inherits the chant of the spell!"
Lunais gulped.
"S-seriously, how can there be such a gap between her and Julius…? Comparing them isn't even funny!"
The boys clenched their fists in unison.
Where are you, Julius?! How can you miss a fight like this?!
Zzp!
Brr!
Fwoosh!
As lightning, ice, and wind collided, Will couldn't stop sweating.
His hands shook.
"T-this is what it takes to be a Vander…?"
He realized how arrogant he'd been since unlocking Courage.
He still had a long way to go.
Zeo didn't just target Elfaria.
Every so often, he swiped at Yuno mid-assault.
Fwish!
"Deception, cut through to truth! Trample over all obstacles! Cut down the naysayers! Seize the power you know is thine own! And upon the Viper, celebrate the splendor of despair!"
Yuno answered in kind.
Twack!
"Chains shatter! Tyrants flee! Then dominion! The crown of heaven now claims its heir! As the war banner eclipses the sun, blow the trumpet to signal the Fated Day! Let thy cry shatter the stillness and rally the downtrodden to hope!"
All of Elfaria's clones suddenly shattered.
She had recalled every drop of her magic back to her core.
"With wings of frost, and keeper's beak, wielding an ivory truth, the ruler of the icy skies severs the chain of sorrow!"
Yet neither Zeo nor Yuno moved to strike her.
Each remained planted—committed to completing their chant.
Bzt!
"With a derisive sneer, the mighty demon king sings…"
Fwoosh!
"With a calm glare, the ancient emperor intones…"
Brr!
"With a solemn visage, the wise sage hums…"
Then, in eerie unison, their voices overlapped—roaring as one.
"…An eternal hymn for the ephemeral flora that deceiveth the world!"
Fwip!
Elfaria recalled her Ice Empress staff.
Fwoo!
Zeo's Thunder Emperor staff blinked into existence, landing in his hand through a glowing magic circle.
Twing!
And Yuno—despite not being a Vander—dared to summon the Wind Emperor staff.
No one called him out.
The Tower was a place to prove your worth.
And he'd more than proven himself worthy to wield the memento of Solphis Neamhain.
Zeo pointed his staff forward.
"Eradicate, O kingdom of bellowing thunder, and deliver demise unto the foolish!"
Elfaria followed.
"Come forth, O world of silver, and deliver peace unto the sky!"
Then Yuno.
"Surge forward, O stars of blowing wind, and deliver freedom unto the earthbound!"
Bzzt!
A dark magic circle spread beneath Zeo's feet.
"Moo!"
From it rose a thunderous minotaur—easily a hundred feet tall and as massive as a blue whale.
"Vilgus Argo Thorzeus!!"
Fwoosh!
Not to be outdone, Yuno's circle opened behind him like a gate.
"Graah!"
From it clawed a colossal griffin, wings wide as a storm front.
"Aero Gryphon Solphis!"
Brr!
"Kraa-aa!"
And from above Elfaria, descending in flurries of frost, an ice phoenix flapped into being.
"Glacia Last Albis!!"
It was powerful.
But noticeably smaller than the griffin and minotaur.
Everyone saw it.
Elfaria saw it too.
She grit her teeth, then slammed her palm into her own stomach—
Spitting blood onto her magical circle.
The ice turned crimson.
"Kraa!"
The phoenix's aura pulsed.
Its size swelled.
Whatever she'd done, it was mystical. Otherworldly.
Now, her summon stood just as mighty—just as intimidating—as the others.
Will's eyes brimmed with tears.
E-Elfie… is it worth it?
He knew if he could speak—if she could hear—there would only be one answer.
And that made it even harder to watch.
But he didn't look away.
Thump!
Flap!
Fwoosh!
The minotaur swung its massive axe.
The phoenix shrieked from deep within its throat, a cry like cracking glaciers.
And the griffin, talons wide, tore through the air with a hunting swipe.
The three guardian beasts launched toward each other—blurs of lightning, frost, and wind.
Magic power poured off them in waves.
The atmosphere warped.
The ground rippled.
The very air screamed.
It was pressure unlike anything the audience had ever felt.
Not simply powerful—but primordial. Mythical.
Neither Lefiya nor Filvis dared to hesitate.
Vroom.
From a shared magical circle, their staves shot into their hands.
Filvis's was wooden, its grain coarse and dark—like it had been pulled from an ancient forest.
Lefiya's was sleek and metallic, black-gold filigree tracing down its length with quiet elegance.
Each staff bore an identical green orb at its head, glowing faintly like a sealed star.
They raised their weapons in perfect sync.
Bluish and purple hexagonal shields snapped into existence—rippling like water and humming with raw energy as the barrier was cast.
"Dio Grail!"
BOOM!
In that instant, thunder roared like a falling sky.
Ice cracked like the bones of mountains.
Wind howled with a cutting edge that seemed to peel the world open.
The guardians clashed in the air.
Minotaur. Phoenix. Griffin.
The resulting shockwave was cataclysmic.
The first floor shook violently.
The entire tower trembled from its foundation to the spire.
Even the city surrounding it—Urbus Rigarden—quaked under the force.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Outside the Tower:
Rumble!
Quake!
Rumble!
Quake!
"Aah?!"
"W-what's happening?! Another invasion?!"
Students screamed.
Professors dropped their books.
Shutters flew open across the city as panicked faces peered into the sky.
No one could pinpoint the source.
But the fear was spreading like wildfire.
Only a few among the academy understood.
Inside one of the upper chambers, Professor Workner rushed to the window.
He gripped the frame, eyes wide.
The tower.
The source was inside the tower.
"Explosions… from within? Only the Vanders could produce that kind of force…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"But why? What happened?"
He clenched his fist, knuckles paling.
"Will… please be safe."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Mercedes Caulis:
Back in the hall, Finn glanced at the shredded floor with mild concern.
I hope they don't destroy that thing too… or Aaron might get a little angry.
Vroom.
The smoke gradually thinned.
The crowd leaned forward, breath held tight in their lungs.
And then… they froze.
Elfaria and Zeo lay crushed beneath heaps of rubble.
Their bodies bloodied. Broken. Unmoving.
But in the center, Yuno stood.
Bruised.
Tattered.
Still conscious.
Still awake.
His breathing was shallow and ragged.
Huff.
Huff.
Huff.
His legs trembled.
His arms hung heavy.
But then he straightened.
And his face settled into its usual indifferent calm.
Or at least it tried to.
Because with his body exposed and his clothes nearly gone, that expression didn't quite land.
Ellenor gripped the arms of her throne.
Her face was unreadable
A storm was going off in her heart.
Is he really using…?!
Wignall glanced her way, then back at Yuno.
His brows furrowed.
Does Ellenor have a… crush on Ascendant Yuno? That's no good. He's way too old for her!
He nodded to himself, solemn.
Even if it's awkward, as her big brother I should say something. Set her straight.
If Ellenor had heard his thoughts, she would have surely vomited blood.
Kreutz gulped.
"D-do we have a winner? Did Zeo and Elfaria… both lose?!"
Behind him, Charles flailed in disbelief.
"B-but then, what happens now?!"
Will and Sarissa stared down at Elfaria's slumped form, both trembling.
On the Thunder Platform, Guilford stood frozen.
Head shaking.
Mouth dry.
"N-no. I-it's impossible. There's no way Great Mage Zeo would lose. No way. No way! NO W—"
Twack!
The sharp smack echoed through the stands.
Guilford blinked.
He turned to find Komari standing beside him, arm still half-raised.
He clutched his cheek, eyes wide. "W-why?!"
Komari clicked her tongue.
"Oi. After all that talk, you're giving up on Zeo-bro now?"
"H-huh?"
She shook her head, turning back to the arena.
"Looks like you don't understand what kind of person your lord is. Not at all. Some adjutant you are."
Guilford followed her gaze.
So did Lihanna.
And sure enough—"Gahh!"
Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt stirred.
He spat out another blood-soaked mouthful—teeth clattering into the rubble.
Then, groaning, he shoved debris off his back.
Using his staff like a crutch, he forced himself upright.
Slowly.
Unsteadily.
But undeniably standing.
Yuno sighed.
That sigh deepened as Elfaria stirred next.
But unlike Zeo, she couldn't rise.
She simply lay there—still half-buried.
Her eyes, glazed with blood and exhaustion, locked onto Yuno's form.
She didn't speak.
She just looked at him.
Yuno clicked his tongue, visibly irritated.
"You lost. Both of you. Just accept it and face the consequences instead of clinging on like this. It's shameful."
Zeo wiped blood from his one good eye and pushed forward—only to collapse onto one knee.
"Lost? You're mistaken, Prettyboy."
He grinned through cracked lips.
"I was just getting some beauty sleep! Let's start round two!"
Elfaria stirred beside the rubble.
She propped herself up weakly and raised a trembling finger toward them.
"Y-yeah… let's go…"
Yuno's expression darkened.
"Neither of you have any magic left. Admit defeat!"
Elfaria didn't respond.
But she didn't yield either.
She reached for a chunk of debris, and with shaking hands, froze it into a crude bundle of ice.
Then, with a flick, she mimed throwing it.
Yuno's eyes twitched.
Zeo just laughed.
"No magic? Prettyboy, did you forget what I can do?"
Bzt.
A single spark danced on the edge of Zeo's fingernail.
It was all he had left.
Maybe half a percent of his magic remained.
But with Zetten…
Bzzt!
The spark swelled.
It howled like thunder.
Just looking at it hurt.
That flicker of energy suddenly surged from .5% to about 60% of his full strength, in an instant.
Twack.
He struck his own gut, coughing out blood onto the bolt.
The red flash thickened.
It grew.
Now closer to 83% of what Zeo could truly unleash.
And that was it.
His final card.
His last attack.
He stood taller, bringing the bolt behind his back like a javelin.
Like Zeus preparing to strike down a traitor from Olympus.
Yuno clenched his fist.
Then smiled.
But it was empty.
False.
Cold.
"Fine. No more mercy. Really this time. I don't care about the consequences anymore. I'll take both of you out."
He glanced across the crowd.
"I'm sure there are more than a few in this tower who can temporarily replace you. Maybe even permanently."
Yuno, my darling… will you finally use me?
Bell's voice echoed in his mind, giddy and bright.
He ignored her.
He still has some trump cards left.
His ribs ached.
His mana was near empty.
He was exhausted.
But Yuno Grinberryall hated losing more than anything else in the world.
So right here, right now he would surpass his limits.
He clenched his jaw.
Then roared.
"Mana Zone… FULL RELEASE!!!"
FWOOM!
A towering tornado exploded upward, with Yuno at the center.
Wind spiraled out like a god's fury.
The air screamed.
Dio Grail shattered in an instant.
Sweat trailed down Zeo's cheek as he grinned.
"Prettyboy… just what are you?"
He was as confused as he was thrilled.
Yuno's golden eyes gleamed.
"Guess."
The crowd gasped as one.
"Just who is this Wind Chief?!"
"He still has that much power left?!"
Arvin and Monica shouted at the same time—the former ecstatic, the latter horrified.
"He's this strong?!"
Finn and Ceridwen exchanged a glance.
A silent, knowing look.
Will stayed fixated on Elfaria.
The color had drained from her eyes.
Neither Yuno nor Zeo even glanced in her direction.
She was already out of the fight.
"No… Will… I can't lose Will…"
She mumbled, half-delirious.
Her hands and feet barely responded, but she forced them to grip the rubble.
She tried to stand.
She barely lifted herself a few inches—then crumpled back down.
Will teared up, fists clenched.
Yuno raised an arm.
"Ensis Grinberryall!"
Zeo, smirking, reshaped his thunderbolt.
It stretched into a glowing spear of lightning—deadly and pure.
A single strike to tear through the incoming cannon.
"Fulgur Gungnir!"
The Earth Faction flinched as one.
Magecraft… with lightning?!
At this rate, they might have to pack up, move to the countryside, and start a farm.
But just as both mages prepared to unleash their final attacks—Fwip!
Cariott appeared in front of Zeo, his Flame Emperor staff aimed squarely at the man's chest.
And Ellenor stood before Yuno, her staff pressing against his throat.
Both duelists froze.
Cariott smiled lightly.
"After all that, and no winner? I'd say that's quite embarrassing."
Zeo sneered, his grin twitching with madness.
He slowly pointed the crackling spear at Cariott.
"What was that, you phony bastard?! Get out of the way!"
Cariott chuckled.
"As much as I'd love for you to vanish off the face of the world, I'm afraid I can't allow it."
His voice darkened.
"Not while your life is still tethered to the great barrier. You've run out of time. Now kindly stand down and receive some medical aid."
The Vanders' lives are connected to the barrier?
The 401st cohort exchanged startled glances.
None of them had known that.
Ellenor locked eyes with Yuno.
Her tone was cold, firm.
"You as well. It's over."
"Fat chance."
Yuno scoffed.
"Move. You don't need to worry about his life. I'll take his place. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens next."
Zeo licked his lips, crackling with anticipation.
"Bring it on, Prettyboy!"
Neither showed the slightest intent to back down.
Ellenor, unbothered, didn't respond.
Instead, she glanced over her shoulder.
"That goes for you too, Elfaria."
Her voice dropped.
"You lost. Stop humiliating yourself… and me as well."
Elfaria paused.
Then, absentmindedly, she continued trying to stand.
Her voice cracked into a deranged murmur, barely more than breath.
"Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will. Must get Will…"
Cariott blinked.
Did she hit her head?
He only now noticed the blood trickling from her scalp—seeping down the side of her temple.
He clicked his tongue.
Weighing his options.
Knock her out? Or would that just make it worse…?
And then—Fwip!
Sarissa appeared beside her Vander, dropping to her knees and wrapping her arms gently around Elfaria's waist.
She pressed a glowing, icy palm to the girl's head, sealing the wound.
Then leaned in and whispered softly into her ear.
Like a mother comforting a child.
"Elfaria. It's over."
Elfaria Albis Serfort froze.
Albis…
Even that name might leave her soon.
Just like her love always seemed to escape her, no matter how hard she tried.
Perhaps somethings were just not meant to be.
Something inside her cracked.
Slowly, her thoughts caught up to reality.
She lost.
She actually lost.
Maybe it had been inevitable.
Maybe it had begun the moment Zeo lent her a hand.
Her frame trembled.
She collapsed into Sarissa's arms, shivering violently.
And then the tears came.
"S-Sarissa… I… I lost! I actually lost!!! Aahhh!!!"
She sobbed uncontrollably.
Sarissa tightened her embrace.
One hand soothing the girl's back, slowly and gently.
The entire hall went silent.
The 401st cohort stared, unmoving.
They'd only known Elfaria for a little over two months before she left the academy.
She had risen to the tower faster than any of them.
Became a Vander long before any had even stepped past the tower's front gates.
They weren't close.
None of them had been her friend.
To them, she had always been an idol.
A beacon.
Proof of what was possible.
But not doable.
Always above them.
Always untouchable.
Like a saintess.
And now that same idol has fallen.
Crashed back into the mortal realm with the rest of them.
It was hard to watch.
Will's eyes dulled.
Something cracked inside him.
Finn lowered his gaze and sighed, voice barely a whisper.
"I'm sorry, Kid. But there are no exceptions."
His tone was heavy with meaning.
"For one to climb… another must fall. That's what it means to challenge the tower."
Ellenor grimaced.
Then clicked her tongue.
"There. She admitted defeat. Now, stand down."
Yuno didn't flinch.
"Too late."
Cariott furrowed his brows and looked back over his shoulder, unamused.
"What do you mean? This isn't like you, Yuno. Or was your calm demeanor just that—an act?"
It wasn't.
Yuno was simply fed up.
He'd been off-balance ever since returning to the tower.
Cursing Mereoleona's name in his sleep.
Grinding his teeth during paperwork.
And now, face to face with another battle-obsessed lunatic?
He snapped.
In his mind, there was no difference between Zeo and Mereoleona.
Maybe, just maybe, if he destroyed the former, he'd cool his head about the latter.
He pointed straight at Zeo.
"As I said. Get out of the way. Our fight isn't over. And I've decided—"
A pause.
"I want his seat."
Zeo howled in glee.
"That's the spirit! If he ain't backing down, then I won't either!"
Ellenor and Cariott both smiled.
Smiles that weren't smiles.
Fwip!
Fwip!
Fwip!
Fwip!
Suddenly, they weren't alone.
Zeo and Yuno were cut off from each other—not just by Ellenor and Cariott, but by four others.
Filvis and Lefiya stood beside Ellenor, their staves aimed at either side of Yuno's neck.
Lefiya spoke first.
"Please stand down, Lord Yuno."
Ellenor nodded tightly.
"You're tired. Injured. And your Mana Zone won't work on us nearly as well as you think. Don't make us drag you in by force."
Meanwhile behind Zeo, Logwell and Leopold stood like sentinels.
Leopold's voice was clipped.
"That goes for you too, Great Mage Zeo. This fight is over."
Cariott smirked, resting his staff lazily over his shoulder.
"Well then… what'll it be, Savage?"
Zeo paused.
Yuno did too.
Then, at the exact same time—they grinned.
"We have subordinates too."
Fwip!
Fwip!
Fwip!
Fwip!
Komari stood behind Leopold, her hand pressed gently to his back, smiling apologetically.
Guilford appeared beside Logwell, a thunder spear aimed right at the man's ribs.
"Back away from Lord Zeo!"
Logwell said nothing.
Leopold barely blinked.
They weren't shaken. Not yet.
From the bleachers, Sion and Lihanna exchanged a flat look.
...Are we supposed to fight too?
Back on the other side, Yuno's own subordinates moved without hesitation.
Fwip!
Jozou stood with a knife of wind brushing Filvis' neck.
Sylor bowed politely to Lefiya.
"Please humor me, Miss Lefiya."
Filvis stiffened.
Lefiya blinked.
Wignall, halfway leaning over the railing, scratched his cheek.
He glanced toward the Wind Bleachers—at Emma, Monica, and the others.
"So uh… are we supposed to fight?"
Selia shrugged.
"You can. But I'm not fighting Big Brother's or Mister Yuno's faction."
Wignall blinked, then stepped away from the railing.
"I think I'll stay put."
Selia nodded.
"Good choice, Wignall-senpai."
Meanwhile, the crowd exchanged silent looks of disbelief, a ripple of anxiety spreading across the bleachers.
Then—
"Absolutely not!!"
Creirwy shot to her feet beside her master, flailing her broom in outrage.
"I barely consented to this idiotic challenge in the first place! But an open battle between factions?! There is no precedent for this kind of madness! Now STAND DOWN! As arbiter, I order you!"
Cariott chuckled.
"Well, for once, I agree with my upperclassman. This is straight-up treason, you know."
His gaze shifted lazily between Yuno and Zeo.
"Go through with this and you'll both lose. Will. The throne. Your freedom. You'll be tossed in a nice, comfy jail cell until we decide what to do with you."
Neither Yuno nor Zeo so much as blinked.
"Like you have the strength to bring us in," Yuno scoffed.
"Tell 'em, Prettyboy!" Zeo howled, lightning crackling down his arms.
Cariott frowned.
Ellenor, on the other hand, smiled.
This is perfect.
Cariott caught the glint in her eye and narrowed his own. "You've got that look. What are you plotting now, Ellenor?"
"I've been waiting for an excuse to test him," she said softly, eyes glued to Yuno. "I need to know something… about him. So bring it on. You'll have to get through me to touch the Savage."
"..." Yuno narrowed his eyes.
Cariott sighed and turned back toward Zeo.
"I'll admit it. You're stronger than me. Not by much, but enough. So a shot to put you in your place won't come around often. I suppose I'd be an idiot to waste it."
Snort!
Both Yuno and Zeo sneered at once.
And then they moved.
BOOM!
Ellenor was faster.
"Alfs Tuia!"
Vroom!
A massive brown-green magic circle lit up beneath Yuno.
From it erupted a colossal tree—branches tangled and bark gleaming like polished ironwood—rising over two hundred feet and pinning him flush against the side of the arena pillar.
"A Kingswood," Wignall whispered, eyes wide.
Selia yawned. Meh. I've seen bigger.
She knew this was child's play for Ellenor.
But compared to the real World Tree, this would always be a twig.
And of course Yuno didn't waste time admiring it.
Slice!
A blade of compressed wind carved straight through the trunk.
He burst free, launching downward with a spiraling gale beneath his boots.
Ellenor met him mid-air.
Her staff spun once.
Vroom!
A turbulent burst of counterwind clashed with his, canceling it in a flash of pressure and spark.
A secondary stream of water followed, coiling around the wind before freezing into a jagged lance.
Krkkk!
The frozen beam narrowly missed as Yuno pivoted mid-air, and it stabbed into the pillar behind him, shattering into sparkling shards.
He whipped around and dove at Ellenor.
She rose calmly, wind catching her cloak as she ascended like a queen of storms.
Fwoosh!
They clashed again, high above the arena.
Twack!
Down below, Jozou and Filvis were already locked in deadly rhythm.
His wind kunai blurred in and out of view—flashes of silver cutting the air—Twack!
Blocked effortlessly.
Shuriken spun, angling to blind her—Twack!
Met cleanly by her staff.
Foot lunged. Knife followed. Fist came last.
Twack!Twack!Twack!
Each time, Filvis parried with infuriating ease, her expression unreadable.
Whatever her staff was made of, it rang like tempered steel—and didn't have a single scratch.
They moved like martial artists rather than mages.
Wands in title only.
Meanwhile, Lefiya and Sylor mirrored each other in stillness.
Flames curled lazily from Lefiya's staff.
Sylor's wind snuffed them out with equal indifference.
Neither budged an inch.
Their magic circled, hissed, sparked—but never truly clashed.
Their battle felt more like a polite rehearsal—two exhausted teachers reenacting a rivalry for bored students.
The crowd twitched collectively.
What is happening?!
Half the arena was locked in deadly high-speed combat.
The other half looked ready for tea and biscuits.
Fwoom!
Leo's flaming fist punched downward like a comet, turning the floor molten.
But Komari zipped past the impact zone as a streak of crackling violet.
Her speed was ridiculous.
The fire around Leo's arm condensed, turning cobalt-blue—so hot it hissed and warped the air, condensing into a beam of plasma.
He swung again.
BOOM!
The blast carved a trench into the earth.
But Komari just kept running.
A blur of stormlight, she danced between strikes with mocking ease, her boots barely touching the ground.
Meanwhile—Bang!
Guilford hit the dirt hard, skidding back in a smoking trail.
Logwell's calm blast of fire had caught him full-on.
The Thunder faction adjutant coughed and stood slowly, sparks trailing from his body.
Blindfolded. Old. But a former Vander is still a damn Vander, huh?
He chuckled wryly, and raised his spear again.
Zeo, watching all this, exhaled and reabsorbed his lightning spear into his arm with a flick of his wrist.
No use wasting it yet.
"One shot won't be enough. Gotta save what I can."
Then he snapped his fingers.
"Eat this, Shady… Tonitrus Novak!"
CLAP!
He slammed his palms together.
A thunderclap rippled outward—crackling and jagged like a rift in the air itself—aimed directly at Cariott.
But the Wand of Fire just waved his staff lazily.
Fwoosh.
A blooming wall of fire appeared and devoured the lightning shockwave mid-air. It vanished in a hiss.
Cariott tilted his head, amused.
"My, my… you're really that injured?"
He smirked. "Perfect. I'm going to enjoy breaking you."
Zeo snorted. "Knew it. It's always the pretty ones that are the most twisted underneath."
Cariott ignored him. His staff spun once, then twice.
"Ignis Rooks."
Scorch!
A spiraling vortex of flame surged forth, curling like a flaming rook on a chessboard, hungry and wild.
Zeo ducked and rolled to the side, teeth gritted, lightning sparking defensively across his skin.
Watching from above, Sion turned toward Lihanna.
He smiled awkwardly and raised his wand.
"…Wanna fight?"
Lihanna blinked. Then she smiled gently, her voice soft.
"Sure, Sion."
BOOM!
"Iflamme Burdelyon!"
A massive flame wave burst from his wand, scalding the floor in an arcing inferno.
Zzzap!
"Owen Sique: Lisolde Dua!"
Lihanna vanished in a flash of lightning, her body electrified and twitching with speed.
She scaled the arena wall like a squirrel on fire, zigzagging, then launched downward.
A bolt of thunder struck toward Sion as she closed in, aiming a blow directly for his chest.
Sion's eyes widened.
"W-whoa—!"
CRACK!
Their duel exploded into motion, separate from the chaos of the others, but just as fierce in its sincerity.
Sarissa cradled Elfaria gently in her arms, eyes wide with growing dread as she watched the chaos escalate.
"A-are we really going to start an internal war…?" she murmured. "This isn't what the magical world needs right now—"
"Sarissa."
The voice was soft, tired, and yet carried a quiet steel.
Sarissa looked down.
"Y-yes, Elfaria-sama?"
Elfaria's eyes were red, puffy, and glistening with fresh tears. She stared up with hollow resolve.
"I want Will."
Sarissa froze.
Three simple words. But she understood everything in them.
The heartbreak. The desperation. The refusal to be left behind.
She glanced back toward the battlefield.
Four factions, already locked in chaos. Their leaders were monsters. Their adjutants, freakishly strong. Even the lesser subordinates could crush most mages with ease.
They were utterly outmatched.
Yet still—Sarissa clenched her jaw and nodded.
"O-okay… let's go get him—"
"Let's not."
Both girls froze.
They turned to the voice.
"Arvin?!"
The Wind Faction adjutant stood a few paces away, expression calm, but firm.
"Yes," he said. "Please stand down, Sarissa. Lady Elfaria."
He looked at both of them with mild regret in his eyes.
"…You've already admitted defeat. And this battle will end soon—once Great Mage Zeo and Great Mage Yuno burn themselves out—"
"He's not a Great Mage!" Sarissa snapped.
Then she looked away, her voice softening.
"Not yet…"
Elfaria lowered her gaze, face shadowed with bitter shame.
Arvin gave a small, sheepish nod.
"Forgive me. That was uncalled for. Still… if you interfere now, you'll just restart everything. You surrendered. Let this be over."
Sarissa looked at Elfaria.
Her leader's fists trembled. Her breathing grew shallow.
But no words came.
Sarissa closed her eyes and stepped forward.
Then drew her wand.
"…Go," she said.
Elfaria's eyes watered as she looked at her adjutant's back. She couldn't help but feel moved.
Arvin's smile faded. He sighed and took a step forward, preparing to face her.
But—Tap.
He paused.
Elfaria turned and also paused.
Sarissa raised a confused brow.
"Huh?" She glanced over her shoulder. "Lady Elfaria—ah?!"
She yelped.
Someone stood between them now.
A figure cloaked in black.
They hadn't sensed him appear.
Sarissa's eyes narrowed. "Faust? What are you doing down here? This doesn't concern you."
The black-robed figure smiled politely beneath his hood.
"This does concern me," he said, voice gentle, mannered and cordial. "Creirwy has ordered us to put an end to this nonsense. I hope you understand."
Elfaria grimaced. Something about this guy felt off. Too smooth. Too polite. Too fake.
Sarissa looked past him toward the stands.
Sure enough, elders from the Earth Faction had risen, their expressions troubled.
And they weren't alone.
The Fairy, Fire, Dark—and even the rest of the Earth Faction—were slowly getting to their feet.
On the neutral side, Ceridwen stood beside her disciple, while Finn held a squirming Will down in his seat, wearing a wry, exhausted smile.
The hall had shifted.
And the storm of battle hovered on the edge of breaking entirely.
Elfaria clenched her trembling fist, blood-streaked and pale.
She hissed toward the cloaked figure.
"I don't know who you are… Faust—but if you think I'm easy pickings just because I'm injured and beaten, you're mistaken!"
Brrr!
A burst of freezing magic exploded from her body.
The floor beneath them glazed over in seconds, veins of frost racing outward as the temperature plummeted.
Even Sarissa flinched from the chill.
Faust didn't move.
His face remained hidden beneath his shadowed hood—but his voice came out smooth, with an almost amused lilt.
"Already recovered this much…?" he mused. "Kids these days are really something."
A soft chuckle followed.
"I like people who don't give up. But I dislike those who go back on their word. So I'm afraid, Ice Maiden… I'll have to ask you to stand down."
Elfaria's expression twisted, tears burning in her frozen eyes.
"Enough! Stop treating me like I'm beneath you—like I'm some helpless girl—oh?!"
Broom.
Faust extended a hand.
A black sphere began to form, whirling like a tiny storm—dense, pulsing, humming with malevolent energy.
It floated into the air, spinning lazily.
From the Dark Faction's corridor, Edward squinted.
What is that?
The orb grew larger—then larger still—until it hovered like a second moon overhead.
Then—Vroom.
The sphere erupted.
A dome of pitch-black mana bloomed outward in an instant, centered on the orb. It expanded with terrifying speed, engulfing Elfaria and Sarissa in a matter of heartbeats.
They barely had time to react before it closed around them.
And then—their knees hit the ground.
Elfaria gasped, clutching at her chest.
She could feel her magic slipping away. Not blocked. Drained.
Vanishing into the dark.
Sarissa rolled onto her back with a strangled cry, limbs heavy and numb.
"A-a new spell…?" she rasped.
The ice across the floor melted instantly, sucked toward the sphere like vapor into a vacuum.
Even the frost on the walls began to peel back.
All that magic—gone.
Elfaria groaned, reaching out weakly.
"What… is this…?"
Around them, silence fell.
Then murmurs.
From the crowd.
From the other factions.
Even the Dark Faction members looked stunned, exchanging uneasy glances with each other.
And in the middle of it all, Faust simply lowered his hand.
Still smiling.
Before Faust could utter another word, a long, theatrical sigh echoed through the hall—half amused, half fed up.
"Haaah… We step away for one moment, and you lot manage to turn everything upside down…"
The voice—smooth, calm, with an edge of danger—floated down like a gavel's echo.
"…Honestly."
Gasps rippled through the hall.
The voice shifted—growing stern, absolute.
"Be the hand that judges the disobedient. Be the force that convicts the wrongdoers…"
His final words struck like thunder.
"Persuasio Patri."
Ping!
Ping!
Ping!
Dozens—hundreds—of radiant golden arrays flashed into existence all around the chamber. Elegant in design, each one pulsed with light as if alive, inscribed with concentric glyphs and angelic script.
And from each array, a glowing blade of compressed light materialized—straight, piercing, and etched with four narrowing horizontal bands.
Fwoosh!
They struck downward at once.
Not to kill—but to halt.
Each sword hovered precisely a breath away from the necks of every combatant still engaged.
Not one missed.
Not one was deflected.
All around the chamber, limbs locked, heads stilled, magic faded—no one dared move with divine judgment literally at their throat.
A stunned silence fell over the arena.
And then, from above—another floating platform entered the hall, smooth and deliberate in its descent.
Standing at its front, hands clasped neatly behind his back and smiling as smug as ever, was none other than Patri himself.
His expression practically begged someone to punch him.
But none did.
Behind him, flanking either side, stood two more figures.
To his right—Wand of Light and leader of the magical world, Aaron Masterias Oldking, regal as ever with his white-blond hair and ancient-looking staff, the light from his magical array covered eyes burning with authority.
To his left—hooded, robed, and face obscured, a mysterious Light Faction agent.
Will, still pinned under Finn's knee, squinted up at the figure… his eyes narrowed.
Huh? That silhouette… that posture… Iris?
The thought flitted away as Aaron stepped forward.
Tap.
His staff struck the floor once—calm, resounding.
"Enough."
His voice cut through the tension like a sword through mist.
"I will not tolerate further friction between factions. Let this be your final warning."
No one questioned him.
One by one, the fighters—leaders, adjutants, students alike—backed off.
Clink.
Clink.
Weapons were lowered. Spells dismissed. Postures eased.
Faust waved a finger, and the dark dome faded into mist. The draining orb shrank and vanished. Elfaria and Sarissa collapsed gently as the pressure lifted.
Around the arena:
The Earth Faction elders exhaled and returned to their seats.
Arvin drifted back to Sylor and Jozou behind Yuno.
Filvis and Lefiya floated behind Ellenor, wands lowered.
Logwell, Leopold, and Sion silently rejoined Cariott.
Komari, Guilford, and Lihanna regrouped around Zeo, subdued but present.
Order returned—if only temporarily.
But everyone knew…
This wasn't the end. It was only the beginning.
Aaron blinked. That went easier than expec—
"STAY OUT OF THIS, OLD BEARD!!" Zeo's voice thundered through the arena, veins popping with indignation. "I ain't goin' anywhere till I finish things with Prettyboy and Phonyface!"
Of course… Aaron sighed inwardly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
On cue, both Yuno and Cariott flared with identical irritation—veins twitching visibly on their foreheads.
Yuno snapped before Cariott could. "The Ascendant Challenge is one of the absolute rules of the tower! That means even you can't interfere, Aaron—now be gone already!"
Lightning sparked around Zeo. Wind spiraled around Yuno. The two glared at each other with fire in their eyes, their bodies coiled like springs about to launch.
Fwoosh.
Crackle.
Iris, standing quietly behind Aaron, sweatdropped. Here we go again…
Aaron, meanwhile, remained still—expression flat, posture unimpressed, aura radiating the exact energy of a parent about to discipline a toddler throwing a tantrum in public.
He exhaled through his nose.
"Actually," he said, voice dry as sandpaper, "the moment you summoned your subordinates… this trial was nullified."
That stopped them.
Zeo paused, blinking. Yuno's expression soured.
"…Ridiculous," Yuno growled. "Ellenor and Cariott interfered first!"
"Exactly!" Zeo added, pointing an accusatory finger at them. "So they're the ones who broke it first—!"
Aaron remained perfectly still, voice cool and razor-sharp.
"They only interfered because your reckless escalation put the Great Barrier at risk."
His next words turned heavy. Final.
"Yes, lethal force is permitted in these duels. But only when qualified personnel are on standby to monitor and patch potential rifts. Should a Vander die, the barrier will rupture. And you two—" he gestured to both Zeo and Yuno, "—you both went for the kill more than once."
His gaze then trailed over to Elfaria. "You as well."
She winced while his tone sharpened, weight pressing into every syllable.
"That… is high treason. Don't waste my time with rules and technicalities."
The chamber grew tense.
Zeo's mouth moved, but no words came out.
Yuno, jaw clenched, ran a hand through his hair, frustrated but quiet.
Even Elfaria, bruised and silent, stared downward, no longer able to defend herself.
They realized it.
They had gone too far.
Aaron gave them a long look, gaze unwavering.
"Furthermore, an Ascendant Challenge must be scheduled formally, reviewed, and overseen by all active Vanders. You ignored the proper channels. This was never valid to begin with."
A beat passed.
No one spoke.
Even the wind seemed to quiet.
Aaron raised a brow. "Now, will you hear me out, or will you continue making fools of yourselves and whine like petulant, pubescent children?"
Zeo winced and folded his arms. "Tch."
Yuno's stare was glacial, but his words lacked their usual force. "Fine then. Out with it."
He said it like Aaron was a mailman, not the Wand of Light. Not the man at the pinnacle of the magical world. Not the King of the Magia Vander.
The crowd twitched collectively at the sheer disrespect.
But Aaron didn't flinch.
Instead, his solemn gaze turned on Yuno like a judge delivering a sentence.
"Yuno Grinberryall."
He waited.
"You may choose one thing. Will Serfort… or the throne. But you may only choose one."
The arena turned to ice.
Silence fell like a guillotine.
Yuno's eyes widened—just a little. A faint, surprised twitch at the brow.
"…Huh?"
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Author's Notes:
[1] Ferrum Grinberryall = Crescent Kamaitachi
Immensus Grinberryall = Wind Blade Shower
[2] Persuasio Patri = Light Swords of Conviction
[3] Longest chapter to date I believe.
[4] If you'd like to chat, discuss the story, or hang out, feel free to join the Discord: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar