The enormous coliseum was filled with thousands of spectators, their voices echoing throughout the structure.
At the centre of the battlefield, Caleb Veyr Draven and Lena Ashford stood facing each other while the remaining apprentices entered the coliseum and made their way toward their designated seats.
The apprentices wore their blue uniforms, which distinguished them from the established Scouts and Lords in their black academy uniforms. One by one, they settled into their seats, eager to witness the opening matches of the entrance tournament.
Among them, Janelle Ackman sat beside Duke Mighty.
She watched the two contestants standing in the arena, her expression growing increasingly uneasy.
"Damn. I'm still wondering something," she muttered.
Duke turned toward her. "What?"
"This matchup is unfair, I've got to say. How the hell is Lena supposed to beat Caleb?" She shook her head. "I know Caleb is arrogant and prideful, but he doesn't brag about things he can't do. That guy is naturally insane when it comes to fighting."
Duke remained relaxed.
"Don't worry about that. I know Lena has a trick up her sleeve."
Janelle glanced at him with a confused expression.
Duke continued, "Besides, you know she has a thing for you, right?"
She stared at him for a moment.
"Tell me, do you know anything about love?"
Duke blinked.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Janelle sighed and returned her attention to the battlefield.
Elsewhere in the coliseum, Mason Grace sat quietly in his designated seat. The brown hooded garment that had concealed his head was now lowered, leaving his face visible as he watched the arena.
He remained silent, his attention fixed on the two apprentices about to fight.
Caleb stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at Lena as though the outcome of their match had already been decided.
"You know what?" he said. "I'll give you the first attack. How about I let you hit me first? What do you think?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Give me your best shot, Lena."
Lena stared at him for a moment before smirking.
"All right, then. Just wait for it."
She immediately brought both hands down toward the ground.
"Root Magic!"
The earth beneath her feet trembled.
Suddenly, thick roots burst out of the ground, spreading rapidly across the battlefield. Before Caleb could move, several roots wrapped around his arms and legs, restraining him.
More roots emerged, coiling around his body and lifting him into the air.
Within seconds, the vegetation had completely enclosed him, forming a massive green sphere that resembled a tightly packed plant.
Lena raised her head, looking at the suspended mass of roots.
"All right, then. Let's see how you escape that."
She stretched out her hands.
"Hyah!"
The roots began moving, carrying Caleb's enclosed body toward the edge of the battlefield. Slowly but steadily, the sphere was pushed toward the boundary of the designated ring.
The spectators watched with growing interest.
At that moment, the announcer's voice rang throughout the coliseum.
"Unlike the Lords' Clash that took place several months ago, the rules of this tournament are different! In the entrance tournament, there are only two main ways to defeat your opponent!"
His voice echoed across the arena.
"Either render your opponent unconscious or force them outside the designated ring! Whichever contestant accomplishes either of these conditions first will be declared the winner!"
Lena heard the announcement but kept her attention on her opponent.
The sphere of roots continued moving toward the boundary.
She was confident that the match would soon be over.
Then—
CRACK!
The entire mass of vegetation suddenly split apart.
Lena's eyes widened.
From within the broken roots, Caleb spun in midair, his leg engulfed in ordinary red flames.
Unlike the blue flames he was capable of using, these were the familiar flames of his Fire Magic.
With a powerful rotational kick, he sliced through the surrounding roots, burning and tearing them apart in a single movement.
The severed vegetation fell to the ground.
Caleb landed on his feet.
The remaining roots burned around him before collapsing into charred fragments.
For a moment, the coliseum fell silent.
Then whispers spread throughout the spectators' seats.
"What?"
"He broke out of that?"
"How did he cut through all those roots with just his leg?"
Lena stared at the destroyed vegetation.
Damn.
She clenched her fists.
I've got to admit, he's really strong.
From the stands, Duke's eyes opened wider as his interest in the battle grew.
Janelle, however, looked increasingly worried.
"Damn it," she muttered. "Lena is in big trouble."
Caleb brushed a few fragments of burnt vegetation from his clothes.
"I've got to say, you're stronger than I expected."
He looked directly at Lena.
"So, I'll eliminate you honourably."
Lena's expression hardened.
"Don't underestimate me!"
She thrust her hands forward.
"Root Magic!"
The ground shook once again as several roots erupted beneath Caleb.
They rushed toward him from different directions, attempting to seize his limbs.
Caleb moved immediately.
He leapt over the first root, twisting his body in midair. As another rose toward him, he spun and slashed through it with his flame-covered foot.
The root split apart, its severed ends burning as they fell.
Before he could land, Lena raised another set of roots to intercept him.
Caleb struck them with his other leg, cutting through the vegetation before touching down.
He landed lightly on the ground.
Lena was already preparing her next attack.
More roots began emerging from the earth, rising around her and spreading across the battlefield. Some stretched toward Caleb while others formed a defensive barrier around her position.
Caleb looked at the growing mass of vegetation.
"Her defence is pretty tough, I've got to admit."
He paused.
Then his expression changed into a confident smirk.
"What am I even saying? I'm stronger than that."
He lowered his body slightly.
"I just have to make sure she can't see me."
The flames surrounding his legs began to intensify.
In the next instant, Caleb shot forward.
His movement was so sudden that several spectators struggled to follow him.
He slashed through the roots one after another, his flaming feet tearing open a path through Lena's defences.
The severed vegetation caught fire.
Flames spread rapidly across the battlefield, consuming the broken roots and filling the air with thick smoke.
Within moments, much of the arena was obscured.
Lena covered her nose with one hand as she tried to maintain her footing.
"Damn it!"
She turned in different directions, searching for Caleb through the smoke.
He's trying to blind me. He wants to stop me from seeing where he's coming from!
A burst of flames swept past her.
She stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the burning vegetation.
"What the—?"
Lena suddenly looked upward.
Her eyes widened.
Caleb emerged from the thick smoke with one leg raised, his body angled toward her.
Damn it!
Her heart lurched.
He's attacking me head-on!
Lena immediately thrust both hands forward.
"Root Magic!"
Roots surged from the ground, racing toward Caleb in an attempt to intercept his attack.
But he was already moving.
With a sharp swing of his flaming leg, he cut through the incoming roots before they could reach him.
His other leg followed.
"This fight ends now!"
Caleb brought his leg down toward Lena.
She attempted to move out of the way, but she was too late.
His foot struck her head.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the—?"
Her consciousness faded before she could finish speaking.
Caleb landed on the battlefield, immediately turning his body.
With a swift back kick, he sent Lena flying beyond the designated ring.
She crossed the boundary and crashed onto the ground outside the battlefield.
For a brief moment, nobody spoke.
Caleb straightened up.
He slipped one hand into his pocket and used the other to brush away the lingering smoke.
"Well, that was an easy one."
The coliseum erupted.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"That boy is ridiculously strong!"
"He barely gave her any time to react!"
"His ability to combine Fire Magic with his footwork is insane!"
"Did you see how he used the smoke to hide his movements?"
The spectators continued shouting, their excitement spreading throughout the grandstands.
Janelle stared at the battlefield in disbelief.
"Caleb, no!"
Beside her, Duke was already looking toward Lena, concern written across his face.
"Is she okay?"
Several students from Legion Academy, trained in healing, rushed toward Lena to examine her condition.
Meanwhile, Caleb glanced toward the stands.
"I don't need the announcer to tell me who won," he declared. "I already know."
He turned away from the battlefield as though the match had been nothing more than a brief warm-up.
The announcer soon returned to the centre of the arena.
"WHAT AN INCREDIBLE MATCH! Caleb Veyr Draven has defeated Lena Ashford! Lena Ashford has been eliminated from the entrance tournament, and Caleb Veyr Draven is officially declared the winner!"
The spectators cheered again.
Caleb barely reacted.
Instead, his gaze settled on a particular section of the coliseum.
Riven Veylor, the prince of Valtheris, sat among the other apprentices.
Caleb looked directly at him.
Let me see you beat that.
Without saying another word, he quietly walked away from the battlefield.
After a few moments, the announcer's voice echoed through the coliseum once again.
"All right! Let us move on to the next matchup!"
The crowd gradually settled.
"Our next contestants are Janelle Ackerman vs Serena Vale!"
Janelle's expression changed.
She glanced at Duke.
"Well, Duke, I guess it's my turn."
Duke smiled.
"I want to see you win that match."
"You don't need to wish me luck. I'm going to win."
Janelle rose from her seat and began making her way toward the battlefield.
As she approached the entrance, she caught sight of her opponent.
Serena Vale was already waiting near the designated area. She wore the blue uniform of an apprentice, and her expression carried a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
Janelle approached her with a small smile.
"Let's have a good match, shall we?"
Serena looked her up and down.
"You might be the daughter of Lord Ackman, but I don't think you'll be strong enough to keep up with my Water Magic."
Janelle's smile widened into a smirk.
"How prideful of you."
The two apprentices walked onto the battlefield as the spectators turned their attention toward them.
Serena took her stance.
Janelle did the same.
The announcer stepped forward, looking at both contestants.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes," Serena answered.
Janelle nodded.
The announcer raised one hand.
"BEGIN!"
"Water Magic!"
Serena thrust her hands forward.
Water gathered between her palms, rapidly forming a spiralling sphere. The mass of water rotated faster and faster, its surface twisting into a powerful vortex.
"HYAH!"
She launched the attack toward Janelle.
The spiralling sphere of water rushed across the battlefield.
Janelle watched it approach.
To be continued.