The cheers shook the arena as the names of the two participants were announced.
"Leonel Kaelthorn!"
"Kael Ignaros!"
The crowd cheered louder for Kael, the heir of the fire family. Flames literally flickered around his body, a red-orange aura encircling his sword made of black steel. From the nobles' stands, many chuckled softly, sure this match was merely a brief formality.
Leonel stood straight on the other side of the arena. His black uniform was simple, the thin steel sword in his hand not gleaming like his opponent's. But his gaze… was cold, focused, not the least bit intimidated.
I stood at the edge of the arena with the other servants, my hands trembling. "Young Master…" I whispered softly, though he couldn't possibly hear.
A large bell tolled three times.
Kael immediately stepped forward, his fiery aura enveloping his body. The heat could be felt all the way to the spectator seats.
"Give up, Kaelthorn. Surrender before you get burned," he taunted.
Leonel didn't answer. He lowered his stance slightly, holding his sword in a ready position.
The crowd's cheers grew louder.
Kael attacked first. A slash of fire shot out swiftly, his sword like a giant torch flame. The air seemed to split with a sizzling metallic sound.
I held my breath.
But Leonel didn't retreat. He stepped to the side, his movement simple yet precise. The fiery slash only hit empty air.
The crowd hissed.
Kael growled. "A fluke!"
He attacked again, faster, harder. Slash after slash rained down, each swing carrying scorching heat.
Leonel raised his sword, blocked once, dodged twice, jumped back once. His movements were clean, without any waste.
I saw it clearly: his body moved like someone who had trained for years, not a beginner who had only learned for a few weeks.
Kael retreated slightly, the fiery aura around his body growing brighter. "Then, try blocking this!"
He plunged his sword into the ground, fiery aura gathering on the blade, then shot a wave of heat towards Leonel.
The crowd roared, some even standing from their seats.
Leonel lowered his stance, took a deep breath. As the wave of fire approached, his sword rose slowly, a thin blue aura appearing on the blade.
"Cut."
The sword moved, not hard, not fast, but a thin line of blue aura split the air. The approaching wave of fire… was cleaved in two, scattering to the left and right, not touching Leonel at all.
The arena fell silent.
Cheers finally erupted, this time not just for Kael, but also from sheer astonishment.
"He… cut the fire?"
"Kaelthorn can fight back?!"
Kael himself stared wide-eyed, his face red with anger and the heat of his aura. "You…!"
He charged forward, his fiery aura blazing larger than before. Each step left a scorched mark on the ground.
Leonel watched him, then also stepped forward.
The two met in the center of the arena.
The fire sword and the thin aura blade collided. The sound of the impact echoed, sparks of fire and blue light flying.
I held my breath so hard my chest hurt.
The fight grew more intense. Kael attacked with brutal force, every slash like a hammer of fire. Leonel blocked, stepped, pivoted, then countered with precise slashes that nearly struck his opponent's shoulder.
The spectators screamed every time their blades almost pierced each other.
Kael snarled, "How can trash like you… fight me!"
Leonel looked at him coldly. "Because I am no longer the Leonel of the past."
His sword spun, parrying the attack before thrusting swiftly towards Kael's chest. His opponent hastily blocked with his fiery aura but was still forced back several steps.
The arena rumbled.
"That's impossible!"
"Kaelthorn… is actually fighting the fire heir?"
I wanted to shout, but my voice was choked in my throat.
Kael gritted his teeth. The fiery aura around him peaked, forming a red flame that consumed its surroundings. The heat made the front-row spectators cover their faces.
"This is your end, Kaelthorn!"
He raised his sword high, the fiery aura swirling into a vortex. This was no ordinary slash. It was an Ignaros family technique, a move usually only used by experienced knights.
I froze. If that hit Leonel…
Leonel bowed his head for a moment, then took a deep breath. The thin blue aura enveloped his sword again. Not as large as his opponent's, not as magnificent as those flames. But his eyes… were full of conviction.
The two blades met. Red fire against blue light.
The arena shook from the sound of an explosion. Smoke and dust filled the air.
As the dust slowly cleared, all eyes stared at the center of the arena.
Kael staggered, his knees hitting the ground. His sword was partially broken, his fiery aura extinguished.
Leonel stood tall before him, his sword still raised, though his body was covered in wounds and sweat.
Silence.
Then the overseer's voice boomed loudly.
"Winner: Leonel Kaelthorn!"
The arena exploded with cheers and shocked cries. Some nobles fell silent, some even stood up in disbelief.
I screamed as loud as I could, my eyes hot with tears. "Young Master!!"
Leonel lowered his sword, then looked towards the stands where the Kaelthorn family sat.
His gaze was firm, as if saying: "I am no longer the failed heir. I am Leonel Kaelthorn."