**Chapter 117 – The First Matches**
After the break, the group headed toward the ranking field.
It wasn't the same training field as usual. It was in a more distant area of the academy, surrounded by low bleachers and several elevated platforms protected by magical barriers. There were already quite a few people gathered. Some students were warming up, others just observed the floating lists that showed the day's matches.
— So this is where we climb or fall — Astrid commented, looking around.
— Only on Fridays — Rina reminded. — During the week this place must stay empty.
An instructor near the entrance raised his voice:
— Ranking matches for the 1st Year start soon. Whoever wants to participate, register your name on the board. There are two modalities: **individual** and **duo**. You can enter both as much as you want, as many times as you want. Victory generates points. Defeat also registers performance, but yields far less. No forbidden techniques. No trying to kill the opponent. Anyone who overdoes it is disqualified.
Harley raised an eyebrow, interested.
— So we can keep entering the whole day?
— You can — Joker confirmed. — Individual and duo, no limit.
— Even better.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group spread out a little to observe. Kuroe stopped near one of the lists, reading the names in silence. Elowen stayed a short distance from her, also observing.
A few minutes later, Joker and Harley's names appeared on the **duo** list. It didn't take long for them to be called to one of the central platforms.
The opponents were already waiting: two 1st Year students, one tall and heavily built, the other thinner and faster. Both looked confident.
— Look at that — the taller one murmured when he saw them climb up. — The newbies decided to show up.
Harley waved cheerfully, rolling her shoulders.
— Hi. We came to play a little.
The starting signal echoed.
The faster opponent advanced first, trying a side attack against Harley. She dodged with a short, almost lazy step and laughed quietly. At the same time, the stronger one came at Joker with a direct strike, using his body weight. Joker simply rotated his torso, letting the attack pass close to his shoulder, and stepped to the side, as if he were measuring the other's strength.
In the first few seconds, the two of them just tested.
Harley played with the distance, retreating by a little, letting the fast opponent get irritated. Joker almost never attacked, only moving enough not to be reached, forcing the heavy opponent to waste energy.
Then the rhythm changed.
Harley suddenly lowered her center of gravity and advanced. The fast opponent tried to retreat, but she was already inside his guard, landing a sharp blow to the stomach followed by a push to the shoulder that threw him off balance. At the same instant, Joker stopped merely dodging. He entered the heavy opponent's timing, dodged the second strike by a hair, and used the adversary's own momentum against him, twisting the arm and throwing him to his knees on the platform floor.
The opposing duo tried to recover, but the coordination between Joker and Harley was irritating. Every time one tried to help the other, someone was already in the way. Harley finished the fast opponent with a precise strike to the side of the leg, making him fall sitting down. Joker kept the other immobilized long enough for the instructor to raise his hand.
— Victory: Joker and Harley.
Some murmurs spread through the bleachers. The fight hadn't been long, nor overly flashy, but it had been clean and dominant.
As they came down from the platform, Darian Voss watched from a distance, arms crossed and expression closed.
Shortly after, the two of them also entered the **individual** modality.
Harley was called first.
Her opponent was a boy with a serious expression who clearly preferred technical fighting. He started cautious, testing her guard with quick strikes. Harley let a few pass on purpose, smiling the whole time, until she suddenly accelerated. She dodged a kick by a hair, entered his space, and finished with a short and precise sequence — a blow to the solar plexus, another to the shoulder, and a final push that sent him out of the central area of the platform.
— Victory: Harley.
She came down from the platform still smiling, as if she had just finished playing.
Joker entered next.
His opponent was more aggressive, trying to press from the very first second with wide attacks and a lot of force. Joker didn't retreat. He simply read the rhythm, dodged the first strike with minimal movement, the second with a simple shoulder turn, and on the third he was already inside the opponent's guard. A sharp blow to the stomach took the opponent's breath away. Another to the side of the leg took his balance. When the opponent tried to recover, Joker had already finished, leaving him on his knees and out of breath.
— Victory: Joker.
When the two returned to the group, the rest were waiting.
— Too fast — Astrid commented.
— They didn't even break a proper sweat — Rina completed.
Harley stretched her arms, satisfied.
— First Friday of the month and we already opened the path.
— Enough for today — Joker said. — We still have three more Fridays ahead.
Kuroe simply observed the two in silence. Elowen, beside her, also followed without comments.
Friday was still far from over.
But the first piece had already been moved.
**End of Chapter 117**