The Next Morning.
The arena roared with excitement.
Students filled every seat.
Because today would decide who would become the fifth member of Team Iren.
Above the arena, the crystal board shimmered.
Letters slowly formed.
First Match
Lyra Valen
VS
Varek Stonehart
The crowd exploded.
"LYRA!!"
"VAREK!!"
"THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE!"
---
Lyra stepped into the arena calmly.
Her silver hair swayed gently in the wind.
Her hands rested on the daggers at her waist.
Across from her—
A tall figure walked forward carrying a massive warhammer over his shoulder.
THUD… THUD… THUD…
Varek Thorn.
He dropped the hammer onto the arena floor.
BOOM
Cracks spread beneath it.
He grinned.
"So you're my opponent."
His eyes narrowed.
"The girl with that strange teleport trick."
Lyra said nothing.
She slowly pulled out her daggers.
SHING
"I prefer to call it technique"
The crowd cheered.
---
From the stands—
Riven leaned forward excitedly.
"Lyra's gonna win this!"
Sylven adjusted his glasses.
"Don't underestimate Varek."
"He made it to the quarter finals for a reason."
Kael nodded.
"That warhammer alone is terrifying."
Iren watched silently.
His eyes sharp.
---
The referee stepped forward.
"Rules remain the same as previous matches."
"No lethal attacks."
"Yield, knockout, or ring-out decides the winner."
He raised his hand.
"Begin!"
---
BOOM!
Both fighters moved instantly.
Lyra dashed forward with incredible speed.
Varek lifted his warhammer.
WHOOSH!
He swung it sideways.
Lyra ducked under it.
The hammer slammed into the arena floor.
BAAAAAAM!!
Stone shattered.
Dust exploded into the air.
The crowd gasped.
"WHAT POWER!"
"That would've crushed her!"
---
Lyra appeared beside him.
SLASH!
Her dagger struck.
But—
CLANG
Stone covered Varek's arm.
A layer of rock formed like armor.
Lyra's eyes widened slightly.
"Stone Armor."
Varek smirked.
"Told you."
"Teleport tricks won't be enough."
---
He swung again.
WHOOSH
Lyra jumped back.
The hammer chased her movements relentlessly.
BAAM!
BOOM!
CRASH!
Each strike shattered more of the arena floor.
Lyra barely dodged several attacks.
Her breathing slowly grew heavier.
He's faster than I thought…
---
Varek rushed forward.
His warhammer raised high.
"Let's see you dodge THIS!"
He slammed it down.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The arena shook violently.
A massive crater formed.
Lyra vanished.
FLASH
She appeared behind him.
TIME SKIP
Her dagger slashed.
SLASH!
But—
CLANG
Stone armor blocked again.
Varek spun instantly.
WHOOSH!
Lyra barely jumped away as the hammer passed inches from her face.
The wind pressure alone pushed her backward.
She slid across the ground.
---
From the stands—
Riven gulped.
"That thing is insane…"
Kael nodded.
"If she gets hit once…"
Sylven finished quietly.
"…the match is over."
---
Back in the arena.
Varek laughed loudly.
"You're fast!"
"But your attacks are too weak!"
He slammed the hammer into the ground again.
Stone rose from the arena floor.
The rock gathered around his body.
Forming thicker armor.
Now he looked like a walking fortress.
The crowd roared.
"STONE ARMOR FULL FORM!"
---
Lyra tightened her grip on her daggers.
Her mind replayed the past four days.
---
CLANG
Iren blocking her attacks.
"Again."
FLASH
Her Time Skip failing.
"Too slow."
BOOM
Her being knocked back repeatedly.
"Focus."
---
Lyra's eyes sharpened.
Right…
I didn't train for nothing.
---
Varek charged.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each step shook the arena.
He swung the warhammer with terrifying power.
Lyra dashed forward to meet him.
Daggers flashed.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Sparks flew.
Lyra attacked rapidly.
But the stone armor kept blocking.
Then—
Varek roared.
He swung the hammer in a wide arc.
SMASH!!
Lyra tried to block—
But the impact blasted her backward.
BAAAAM
She crashed onto the arena floor.
The crowd gasped.
---
Dust filled the arena.
Lyra slowly stood up.
Her arm trembled slightly.
Varek rested the hammer on his shoulder.
"You're tough."
"But it's over."
He raised the hammer again.
---
From the stands—
Riven shouted.
"LYRA GET UP!"
---
Lyra inhaled slowly.
Then whispered—
"…Time Skip."
---
FLASH
She disappeared.
Varek looked around.
Nothing.
Then—
FLASH
Lyra appeared in front of him.
Her dagger struck.
SLASH!
This time—
She targeted the gap in his armor.
A cut appeared on his shoulder.
Varek grunted.
Then—
FLASH
Lyra vanished again.
---
FLASH
Another strike.
SLASH
---
FLASH
Another.
SLASH
---
The crowd gasped.
"She's aiming for the weak spots!"
---
Varek roared in frustration.
He spun wildly.
But Lyra kept appearing and disappearing.
Her movements were faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
Just like Iren had drilled into her.
---
Finally—
She appeared in front of him.
Both daggers crossed.
Mana surged through them.
She lunged.
SLASH!!!
The armour shattered
Her blade stopped at his throat.
Silence fell over the arena.
---
Varek froze.
His warhammer slowly lowered.
He laughed tiredly.
"…Damn."
"You got me."
He raised his hand.
"I yield."
---
The referee raised his arm.
"Winner—"
"Lyra Valen!"
---
The arena erupted.
"LYRAAAAA!"
"WHAT A FIGHT!"
"THAT WAS INSANE!"
---
From the stands—
Riven jumped up.
"SHE WON!"
Sylven nodded.
"Her timing improved a lot."
Kael smirked.
"…Iren's training worked."
---
Iren watched quietly.
A faint smile on his face.
Good.
You learned.
---
In the arena—
Varek picked up his warhammer.
He looked at Lyra and grinned.
"You got stronger."
Lyra sheathed her daggers.
"…I had a good teacher."
---
Above them—
The crystal board began to glow again.
Preparing to reveal the next match.
The battle for the fifth member…
Was far from over.
---
The arena slowly quieted after Lyra's match.
But the excitement hadn't faded.
Students leaned forward in anticipation.
Above the arena, the crystal board shimmered once more.
New letters appeared.
Second Match
Tomas Alder
VS
Ronan Blazewind
The crowd erupted.
"RONAN!"
"TOMAS!"
"THIS WILL BE A HARD MATCH!"
---
Two fighters entered the arena.
From the western gate—
Tomas Alder walked forward.
His reinforcement combat gloves gleamed under the sunlight.
He clenched his fists.
CRACK
The metal plates shifted and locked into place.
His expression was calm.
But his eyes burned with determination.
Across from him—
Ronan stepped onto the arena floor.
In his hand—
A slender flame saber.
The blade glowed faintly red.
Small flames danced along its edge.
FSSHHHH
Ronan exhaled slowly.
His gaze fixed on Tomas.
---
From the stands—
Riven leaned forward.
"Oh this one will be brutal."
Sylven nodded.
"Tomas specializes in close combat."
Kael added,
"And his Shock Wave Impact magic makes every punch dangerous."
Riven pointed toward Ronan.
"But Ronan's flame saber isn't something you can approach carelessly."
Iren watched quietly.
---
Back in the arena—
The referee raised his hand.
"Rules remain the same."
"No lethal attacks."
"Yield, knockout, or ring-out decides the match."
A pause.
"Begin!"
---
The moment the signal dropped—
THUD!
Tomas launched forward.
His speed shocked the crowd.
Ronan raised his saber.
CLANG!
Tomas punched forward.
The reinforced glove collided with the burning blade.
Sparks exploded.
---
Tomas smirked.
"So that's the famous flame saber."
Ronan replied calmly.
"…You'll feel it soon enough."
---
Tomas pulled back his fist.
Mana surged into his glove.
BZZZZT
Energy gathered around his knuckles.
He slammed his fist forward.
"Shock Wave Impact!"
BOOOOM!!
A violent shockwave blasted forward.
Ronan's eyes widened.
He jumped back instantly.
WHOOSH
The shockwave tore across the arena floor.
CRACK!
Stone shattered.
Dust exploded everywhere.
The crowd gasped.
"That range!"
---
Ronan steadied himself.
That attack isn't just power…
It's distance too.
---
Tomas rushed again.
Punch after punch.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
Each strike released smaller shockwaves.
The arena shook repeatedly.
Ronan dodged carefully.
But one shockwave grazed his shoulder.
THUD
He slid back.
His arm stung.
---
Tomas grinned.
"Too slow."
He dashed forward again.
This time aiming a direct punch.
Ronan stepped sideways.
His flame saber ignited brighter.
FWOOSH
He slashed.
SLASH!
Flames streaked through the air.
Tomas crossed his gloves.
CLANG!
But the heat forced him back.
---
Ronan followed with another strike.
SLASH!
A line of fire cut across the arena floor.
The crowd roared.
"Fire magic!"
---
Tomas laughed loudly.
"Now we're talking!"
Mana surged through his body.
His gloves glowed brighter.
"Shock Wave Impact!"
He punched the ground.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive shockwave erupted outward.
The entire arena shook violently.
Ronan was forced backward.
---
From the stands—
Riven shouted.
"That's insane!"
Sylven adjusted his glasses.
"Tomas is overwhelming him with pressure."
Kael nodded.
"But Ronan hasn't used his full fire magic yet."
---
Back in the arena—
Both fighters were breathing heavier now.
Tomas cracked his neck.
"You're good."
"But I'm ending this now."
He rushed forward again.
Faster than before.
His fist shot forward.
"Shock Wave—"
---
Before he could finish—
Ronan whispered.
"…Ignite."
His flame saber burst into blazing fire.
FWOOSHHHH
The blade grew longer with flames.
Tomas's eyes widened.
---
Ronan moved.
Faster than before.
WHOOSH
He slipped past Tomas's punch.
Then—
SLASH!!
The flaming blade struck Tomas's side.
A burn mark appeared across his armor.
Tomas staggered.
---
Ronan didn't stop.
He spun.
SLASH!
Another fiery strike.
Tomas tried to counter.
He threw a punch.
But Ronan twisted away.
---
Then—
Ronan raised his saber high.
Flames gathered intensely.
" Fire Magic."
The flames spiraled around the blade.
"Flame Burst!"
He slashed downward.
FWOOOOOOM!!!
A wave of fire surged forward.
---
Tomas crossed his gloves.
"Shock Wave Impact!"
BOOOOOOM!!
The two forces collided.
Fire and shockwave exploded.
The arena shook violently.
---
Dust and flames slowly faded.
Both fighters stood still.
Breathing heavily.
Tomas clenched his fists.
But his arms trembled.
---
Ronan stepped forward instantly
His flame saber stopped at Tomas's throat.
Silence filled the arena.
---
Tomas stared at the blade.
Then laughed quietly.
"…Damn."
He raised his hand.
"I yield."
---
The referee raised his arm.
"Winner—"
"Ronan Vale!"
---
The arena erupted with cheers.
"RONAN!"
"WHAT A MATCH!"
"THAT WAS AS INTENSE AS THE QUARTER FINALS!"
---
From the stands—
Riven clapped loudly.
"That was awesome!"
Sylven nodded.
"His fire magic overwhelmed Tomas in the end."
Kael smirked.
"Now comes the real battle."
---
Iren looked toward the arena.
Ronan stood there calmly.
Across the arena—
Lyra watched silently.
The final match of the runner-ups was set.
Lyra Valen
VS
Ronan Blazewind
The winner…
Would become the fifth member of Team Iren.