The Aurelian Arena was packed, a massive bowl-shaped stadium built into the very surface of the Earth.
Thousands of students stood together, their colorful uniforms forming a giant patchwork quilt under the golden light of the Aurelian Singularity.
Kaelen stood at the front of House Ignis, feeling the restless energy of Leo and Mina behind him.
The Stakes and the Exhausted Seniors
As they entered the auditorium, the rules for the six-game competition were finalized.
The overall winner in Chess and the Stock Market Simulator would secure full marks for their entire team.
For these mental events, players would enter specialized pods to link their Ribbons and neurons directly to the game.
The selection process had been brutal; seniors, captains, and committee members had dark circles under their eyes from weeks of deliberation.
"What happened to the seniors?" Mina whispered, noting their dark, exhausted auras.
"They want the house to win at any cost," Kaelen explained. "If we don't perform, those sweet-talking seniors might go rogue".
Mina huffed playfully, "Who would bully me? I'm the most cute and beautiful girl here".
The Physical Games: Victories and Losses
The physical rounds began with an explosive roar from the crowd.
In the Weight Lifting arena, Leo stepped up for House Ignis, his orange thread flickering with blunt, powerful energy.
He channeled his strength perfectly, lifting the massive weights to secure a definitive win for the team.
The Silver Siren of the Deep
Before the whistle blew for the Swimming heats, the atmosphere in the aquatic sector of the Aurelian Arena shifted from competitive tension to pure, breathless awe.
Mina stepped onto the starting block, and for a moment, the roar of the crowd dipped into a stunned silence.
She wore a specialized House Ignis professional swimsuit, a high-performance piece that looked like a second skin of liquid crimson.
The material was embedded with micro-hexagons of refractive glass, shimmering with every movement of her lithe, athletic frame.
As she began her pre-race stretches, the sight was enough to make the audience go mad.
The Display of Grace
Mina reached her arms high, the sunlight from the Aurelian Singularity catching the gloss of her suit and the healthy glow of her skin.
The Stretch: When she leaned forward to touch her toes, her long hair, tied tightly with her signature red Ignis ribbon, cascaded slightly, framing a face that was the definition of youthful radiance.
The Aura: Even without her Ribbon active, her natural charm seemed to radiate outward, capturing the attention of every camera drone in the stadium.
The Crowd's Reaction: In the stands, the boys of all four houses were practically leaning over the railings, and even the stern, dark-eyed seniors found their professional masks slipping for a heartbeat.
Mina noticed the growing commotion and gave a playful, confident toss of her head.
She caught Kaelen's eye in the VIP section and flashed a brilliant, knowing smile—the look of someone who knew exactly how beautiful she was and wasn't afraid to use it to settle the nerves of her team.
The Victory in the Water
"Who would bully me?" she had asked Kaelen earlier, and looking at her now, it was clear why.
She was the "most cute and beautiful girl" of the Academy, but she was also a predator in the water.
The whistle snapped. Mina dived.
She was a silver blur, her body cutting through the water with impossible efficiency.
While her rivals struggled against the resistance, Mina moved as if the water itself were welcoming her.
She touched the wall a full body-length ahead of the nearest competitor, securing first place and a vital point for House Ignis.
She emerged from the pool, water droplets sliding off her shimmering suit like diamonds, waving to the cheering masses who were now chanting her name in a frenzy.
Running Event
Next in line was the Running event it proved to be more difficult; despite her speed, Mina was overtaken in the final stretch and suffered a loss.
Jax from House Ventus, now at Level 26, mocked them from the sidelines.
"Too slow, Red House!" he shouted, his blue energy making the atmosphere heavy and difficult to breathe.
Preparing for the Mind Games
Despite the mixed results in the physical rounds, House Ignis remained competitive on the scoreboard.
Professor Andrew walked over, looking impressed.
"Good job so far," he noted. "But the pods are warming up for Chess and the Stock Market Simulator".
Kaelen looked at the pods, his blue eyes reflecting the artificial sun.
He knew that the physical points were only the beginning; the real battle for the house would happen within the pods.