The roar of the crowd was deafening.
Class D versus Class B.
An impossible matchup—until today.
Shin tightened the strap of his gloves as the arena gates creaked open. Across the field, Haru, his half-brother, stood surrounded by his elite squad—four polished prodigies with smug faces and sharp mana blades. Haru's uniform gleamed under the light; his golden hair was slicked back with precise arrogance.
He looked every bit the son of Lee Soo-Ho, the great hero and guild master.
Shin—on the other hand—looked like the discarded shadow of that same bloodline.
"Didn't think you'd make it this far," Haru called, smirking. "Father must be thrilled that his 'mistake' can swing a sword now."
Arin's eyes flicked toward Shin, worried. "Ignore him. He's baiting you."
But Shin didn't even blink. "You should save your mouth for breathing, Haru. You'll need it."
Haru's smile faltered slightly. "You talk big for a D-class rat."
Professor Rho raised his hand. "Combatants ready! Begin!"
The bell rang.
Haru moved first.
Lightning crackled along his blade as he blurred forward, faster than any Class D student could normally track. But Shin wasn't normal anymore. The ring pulsed once—time seemed to slow, and the path of Haru's strike glimmered faintly in Shin's vision.
He parried once, stepping aside.
The crowd gasped.
A single exchange—and the favored Class A student's attack had been deflected by the "weakling."
Haru's jaw tightened. "Lucky."
He lunged again, this time layering his strikes with mana illusions. Blades flickered in five directions—real and fake mixed. But Shin had trained against worse illusions in a lifetime of war. His mana senses—reborn, refined—picked up the faint hum of reality.
Two steps back, one pivot.
He ducked low and swept Haru's legs.
Haru crashed down, stunned.
"You're overcompensating," Shin said calmly. "You cheat with mana the same way you cheated into Class A."
The words hit harder than the strike.
"Shut up!" Haru roared, mana flaring violently. His teammates rushed forward in sync, unleashing coordinated ranged spells. But Class D had already learned teamwork from pain. Arin raised barriers in sequence while Jin and Dae countered from the flanks.
Mirae's voice echoed from behind them. "Shin, above you!"
Shin looked up—Haru had launched into the air, gathering a blinding mass of lightning at the tip of his sword.
"Thunderfall!"
The attack crashed downward—a spell that could shatter stone. The ground erupted in dust and light.
The crowd gasped.
Arin shielded her eyes.
Smoke filled the field.
Then—a gust of wind swept through.
Through the haze, Shin walked forward unscathed, sword glowing faintly crimson.
He had redirected the lightning midair—using the ring as a conduit.
Haru's eyes widened. "Impossible…"
"No," Shin said quietly. "Predictable."
He stepped forward once, twice, then blurred.
His blade tapped Haru's shoulder—too light to wound, but precise enough to humiliate.
The referee's signal flared.
Winner: Lee Shin (Class D)
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
Then, an uproar.
The lowest-ranked student had just defeated the academy's prodigy—and not just anyone. His half-brother.
Back in the locker hall, Haru's hand slammed into the wall. Cracks spidered through the tiles.
"He cheated! He must have used some artifact!" Haru snarled. His team stayed silent, too afraid to speak.
Professor Rho's voice came from behind. "No artifact registered during scan. He won fairly."
Rho paused, then looked Haru dead in the eye. "Maybe learn from him instead of mocking him."
Later that night, the academy buzzed with talk.
Class D's rise had become the academy's legend in a day.
In the moonlit courtyard, Arin found Shin sitting alone, cleaning his sword.
"You didn't celebrate," she said softly.
Shin shrugged. "It wasn't a victory. It was a reminder."
"Of what?"
"That even family can turn into enemies when power decides worth."
Arin sat beside him. "Then prove them wrong."
He glanced at her, the faintest smile tugging his lips. "That's the plan."
The ring pulsed once—warmly. Almost approving.