The duel began with a flash of light as Charlotte struck first, her wand cutting through the air with a curse aimed squarely at Sunny Finch.
The Eastern witch remained impassive. She crossed her twin hammers in front of her chest, a defensive stance honed through countless hours of training. Through her bouts with Erwin, she had learned a crucial truth: Western spells could be blocked.
The jinx slammed into the steel of her hammers with a crack of energy, deflecting harmlessly to the stone floor. Sunny Finch skidded back a few feet but instantly halted, letting out a sharp cry as she launched herself forward, hammers swinging.
She wanted to close the distance.
In Eastern tradition, the physical body was the ultimate foundation. Whether raw magic or complex wards, all required innate aptitude—a gift not everyone possessed. Thus, the Kunlun tradition of physical cultivation persisted, even if much had been lost to time. Legends spoke of an ancient era when warriors were so strong they could wrestle dragons with their bare hands. Though impossible to verify, the strength Sunny Finch commanded was very real.
The Slytherin first-years watching from the sidelines held their breath. Even through the projection, Sunny Finch's ferocity was intimidating. Only Erwin knew the true weight of those hammers.
Sunny Finch's strategy was simple: get close. If she reached striking distance, Charlotte wouldn't survive more than a few blows.
Charlotte, having sparred with the girl before, knew this too. She retreated quickly, wand raised.
Erwin stroked his chin. Why isn't she Apparating?
He glanced at the floor and spotted the faint shimmer of runes etched into the flagstones—wards Sunny Finch had laid earlier. An anti-Apparition barrier. Having been on the receiving end of Erwin's mobility advantages, she had prepared accordingly. The East had developed this ward to counter Western hit-and-run tactics, and with Sunny Finch's talent for runework, it was formidable.
Charlotte didn't train in physical enhancement—she couldn't outrun the girl. As Sunny Finch closed the gap, Charlotte didn't hesitate. With a fluid motion, she summoned a translucent shield between them—Protego.
Erwin nodded approvingly. Charlotte's mastery of the Shield Charm had reached its peak. Combat truly was the best teacher.
The hammer descended.
With a thunderous boom, the shield flared violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the magical barrier, flickering as if it might shatter at any second. Charlotte remained calm, already weaving the incantation for a second shield before the first one broke.
Sunny Finch's blow missed its mark, but she didn't look surprised. They knew each other's limits. Sunny Finch had to admit Charlotte was a rare peer, a worthy challenge. This was why she kept seeking these matches. It wasn't just about winning—it was about tempering her own strength against a true equal.
Charlotte felt the same. As the saying went, a good opponent wasn't just a rival but a reflection of one's own potential.
If you excluded Erwin, Charlotte was unmatched among her peers in the West. Sunny Finch held the same claim in the East. This duel was to determine who truly stood at the pinnacle of their generation—though everyone tacitly agreed that Erwin himself was in a league of his own, someone even other prodigies couldn't fully comprehend.
In the arena, the stalemate broke. Sunny Finch spun, the massive hammer in her right hand sweeping low while her left flicked upward—a fireball, cast one-handed.
Erwin's eyes widened slightly. One-handed casting?
He had achieved versatile spellcasting through microscopic control of his magical reserves, a feat of extreme precision. But Sunny Finch was using pure instinct and physical coordination. Her talent was extraordinary.
The fireball rushed toward Charlotte. She reacted instantly, counter-casting a charm that shattered the projectile mid-air. Sparks rained down, momentarily obscuring her vision.
It was a feint.
Sunny Finch had already retrieved her second hammer from the floor. She burst through the sparks, swinging both weapons in a crushing arc.
But Charlotte had bought herself just enough time. Her body twisted—she didn't just dodge, she vanished.
Apparition.
She reappeared ten meters away, outside the range of Sunny Finch's ward. The Eastern witch frowned, frustrated by the sheer versatility of Western mobility magic.
She swung her hammer anyway, deflecting a follow-up curse from Charlotte, but the momentum was lost. The two settled into a cautious standoff, circling one another. Sunny Finch couldn't catch her, and Charlotte couldn't pierce the girl's dense defenses.
Erwin stood up.
With a casual wave of his arm, an invisible force swept over the arena, pulling both combatants out of the simulation instantly. The game ended in a draw.