The arena had barely settled after the intense
Round of Eight battle when the next matches
were announced.
The energy in the air had changed. Now, only the strongest remained. Every movement… every decision… mattered.
The next battle was called.
Their opponent—
A trainee who hadn't even taken part in the earlier tournament.
Whispers spread across the arena.
"He didn't even compete…"
"Who is he?"
"They say he's the son of an S-rank…"
Names followed.
Mike McCarthy.
A boy surrounded by rumors. A boy
surrounded by expectations.
Carlos and his dorm mates stepped into the arena once more. This time—they didn't feel relaxed. Something was off.
Across from them stood the three opponents.
Calm. Quiet. Unbothered.
The signal was about to be given.
Carlos cracked his neck slightly.
"…Let's not underestimate them.".
Andros nodded. Kane didn't speak—but his eyes were locked forward.
"Begin!"
The moment the signal was given—something happened. Something no one expected.
In less than a second—it was over.
A sudden force—unseen. Untraceable.
All three—Andros.Carlos. Kane—fell.
Silence.
The entire arena froze. No one understood what had just happened. No explosion. No visible attack. No clash. Just—defeat.
The announcer hesitated before speaking.
"…Winner… Mike's dorm. Dorm 237."
Shock spread like wildfire. Even the instructors leaned forward.
"…What was that?"
Rain slowly pushed himself up, his body still heavy.
"…If not for the Earth, I couldn't have seen that coming…"
Jason sat up, rubbing his head.
"…That wasn't normal…"
Lior said nothing—but his eyes—they sharpened.
The next match began shortly after.
Sylvia and Orelia's dorm—a powerful duo. Both known for their strength and control.
Their match was completely different. From the very start—they dominated. Their coordination was flawless. Their power overwhelming. Their opponents didn't stand a chance.
Within moments—the battle ended. Clean.
Decisive.
"…Winner—Orelia's dorm."
No shock. No confusion. Just—acknowledgment.
Now—only one match remained. The final battle to decide who would enter the semi-finals: Sky's dorm vs Emily's dorm.
The moment they stepped into the arena—the atmosphere changed again. Sky. And Emily.
They came from the same place. Grew up together. Trained together. Competed together.
But there was always a difference.
Sky—was always ahead. In class. In strength. In recognition.
Emily—was always behind. Chasing. Trying. Never giving up.
Now—they stood face to face.
The signal was given. The battle began.
Immediately—they separated. Their teammates clashed in different directions. Magic erupted across the field. Blades clashed. Energy burst.
But at the center—it was just the two of them. Sky and Emily.
Emily attacked first. Fast. Relentless. Strike after strike—she didn't hold back.
Sky blocked. Dodged. Countered.
But something felt strange.
"…You're forcing it," Sky said calmly.
Emily didn't respond. She kept attacking. Again. And again. Each strike—stronger than the last.
But Sky noticed. This wasn't about winning. This was—stalling.
"…What are you planning?"
Emily smiled slightly. Even as she was pushed back. Even as she was struck down. She stood up again. And again. And again.
No matter how many times she fell—she stood. That—was what Sky admired about her. Her determination. Her refusal to give up.
But admiration wouldn't stop him.
Sky moved. Faster than before. One decisive strike—and—Emily fell.
Silence. Sky stood there, breathing steadily.
"…It's over."
But then—something changed.
The announcer hesitated.
"…Match result…"
"…Draw."
Sky's eyes widened slightly. He turned. At that exact moment—his teammate—fell. Defeated.
At the same time. Both sides—had lost. A perfect tie.
The arena erupted.
"No way…"
"A draw?!"
"At this stage?!"
Now—everything had changed.
With that result—only three teams remained: Rain's dorm, Mike's dorm, Orelia's dorm. There was no longer a clear bracket. No clear path.
The officials gathered quickly. Voices overlapping. Decisions being made.
Then—the announcement came.
"Due to the current outcome…"
"…the finals will proceed as—"
"…a three-way battle."
Silence. Then—an explosion of reactions.
"A three-way battle?!"
"All at once?!"
"This is insane!"
Rain looked toward the other teams. Jason let out a low whistle.
"…Now this just got interesting."
Lior said nothing—but deep within—something stirred.
Across the arena—Mike's group stood calmly. Unmoved. Untouched.
And Sylvia, Ellen, and Orelia—watched with quiet confidence.
Three teams. Three paths. Only one—would stand at the top.
As the sun began to lower—casting long shadows across the arena—the air grew heavier.
Because now—there would be no strategy to avoid. No second chances. No room to fall back. Just chaos. Just survival.
And just before the next battle began—a quiet voice echoed in Lior's mind.
"…This time…"
Night.
"…don't hold back."
Lior's eyes narrowed slightly. For the first time—a faint smile appeared.
And in that moment—though no one realized it yet—the balance of the entire battle—was about
to be broken.
The Climax, Not holding anything back