**Chapter 119 – Marina and Sylvara**
Friday was still far from over.
After Astrid and Rina's victories, the group stayed near the platforms. The movement only increased, and more gazes began turning toward them with each new match.
Marina swung her legs, sitting on the edge of one of the low bleachers.
— I'm going in too.
Sylvara, beside her, adjusted her hair calmly.
— Me too. Better not just keep watching.
— Individual first? — Marina asked.
— Sure. Then we see about the duo.
The two headed to the registration board.
A short time later, **Marina**'s name was called.
Her opponent was an impatient boy who tried to settle the fight right at the beginning with direct attacks and a lot of pressure. Marina didn't get flustered. Instead of answering with the same force, she used his own rhythm against him. Small currents of vapor appeared at the right moment, disrupting vision, changing the direction of movement, and forcing the adversary to hesitate. Every time he advanced too much, he found vapor in his face or on the slippery ground. It didn't take long for her to completely throw him off balance and finish with a precise push.
— Victory: Marina.
She came down from the platform with a satisfied little smile.
Next it was **Sylvara**'s turn.
Her opponent was more cautious, preferring to keep distance and try to read the rhythm first. Sylvara didn't rush. She let the fight drag on for a few seconds, observing, until thin and controlled roots began to subtly interfere with the terrain under the adversary's feet. Nothing exaggerated. Just enough to disrupt his step at the right moment. When he tried to advance with more force, he lost his balance for an instant — and Sylvara used exactly that opening to finish cleanly.
— Victory: Sylvara.
When the two returned, Harley clapped lightly.
— Two more.
— Individual done — Marina said. — Now we're going duo.
Sylvara nodded.
The duo registration came out quickly. Soon the two were called to one of the side platforms.
The opponents were a duo that had clearly trained together: one held the front with more force, while the other tried to circle from the sides. At first it even seemed to work.
But not for long.
Marina began breaking their rhythm with low and controlled vapor, disrupting vision and coordination. Sylvara used exactly those moments to limit the terrain, creating small interferences on the ground and on the sides of the platform. Every time the opposing duo tried to reorganize, one of the two was already interfering in a different way. It wasn't an aggressive fight. It was a fight of control.
In the end, the two opponents ended up cornered and without space to recover in time.
— Victory: Marina and Sylvara.
As they came down, the group was already waiting.
— You two were pretty different from the others — Rina commented. — Less brute force, more control.
— It worked — Sylvara simply answered.
— And it earned points — Marina completed, satisfied.
Joker observed the two with a calm expression.
— Good. The ranking is going to start getting more interesting.
— There's still some of ours left to enter — Harley reminded, glancing at Kuroe and Elowen.
Kuroe didn't answer. She simply observed the field in silence. Elowen, beside her, also followed everything without moving away.
Friday continued.
And little by little, almost the entire group was already starting to mark their presence on the ranking.
**End of Chapter 119**