The arena was filled with noise, packed with students wearing blue uniforms and filling almost every seat in the stadium.
Those who couldn't find seats stood behind the rows, watching from wherever they could.
Once everyone had finally settled into their places, the sound of a trumpet suddenly rang through the arena.
It caught everyone off guard.
For a moment, all eyes followed the sound. Then, one by one, everyone stood from their seats.
Several guards stood along the entrance, guarding the way to the royal seats.
King Midus, King Conrad, and Principal Clerk soon made their appearance.
King Midus sat in the middle, with King Conrad on his right and Principal Clerk on his left.
King Midus raised one hand slightly.
Everyone immediately began taking their seats again.
Several first-year fighters who had already been eliminated also made their way into the stands, taking their places alongside their classmates.
A few second-year fighters had also come to witness the final, eager to see Alaric and Caelin fight.
Once the arena settled into a sea of whispers, everyone waited for the match to begin.
King Midus glanced toward Clerk.
"So, this year's setup is a little different?"
Clerk looked surprised by the question and suddenly straightened himself.
"Ah, yes. This year, one fighter from the second year is participating in the final, along with one from the first year."
He quietly bowed his head.
"Hmm..."
King Midus said nothing more.
King Conrad cleared his throat, drawing both of their attention.
"Well, I think it's rather interesting this way. It's almost like a final examination for the second-year student before he leaves the academy."
He glanced toward Clerk.
Clerk immediately nodded in agreement.
"Yes, that's the whole point. This setup allows us to witness their progress throughout their years here."
He forced a small laugh.
King Midus nodded slightly.
Suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the arena.
"The final of the Elysium Chosen Class Sword Duel will now begin!"
The announcer's voice rang loudly across the stadium.
Everyone turned toward the arena and fixed their attention on the entrance.
Lalanat and Elara stood at the back of the arena, looking down toward the battlefield along with everyone else.
Inside the arena, the supervising soldier stepped forward and shouted,
"Fighters... make your appearance!"
The entire crowd erupted.
Silvia and Katy sat among Class Seven, both fixing their eyes on the arena.
"Ohhh... I'm so excited and scared at the same time," Katy said, glancing toward Silvia.
Silvia gave her a small smile.
---
Inside the tunnel, Caelin and Arasa stood waiting for the signal.
The moment they heard the soldier's announcement, Arasa stretched his arms and shoulders.
"It's time."
He finally began walking toward the arena.
Caelin said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on the glowing entrance at the end of the tunnel.
The roar of the crowd grew louder with every passing second.
---
On the other side of the tunnel, the entire Class Two stood along the walls, lined up side by side.
Alaric and Heidi stood at the entrance.
Benjamin handed Alaric his wooden sword.
"It's time," he said.
Alaric looked at Heidi one last time.
She said nothing.
She simply nodded.
They stepped into the tunnel.
The entire class stood against the walls, side by side, slightly bowing their heads with their hands placed over their hearts.
Alaric and Heidi slowly walked through the tunnel, their eyes fixed on the glowing entrance ahead.
Both of them were unusually quiet.
Alaric closed his eyes for a moment and took one final, deep breath.
Then...
He stepped onto the arena.
The crowd erupted.
The sun hung high in the middle of the clear sky, shining down upon the arena.
For a moment, everything around Alaric felt strangely familiar.
As the two of them fully stepped onto the battlefield, Caelin's eyes immediately fixed on them.
Arasa smirked slightly.
His wooden sword rested across his back, one hand holding it lazily as he watched them approach.
Heidi barely looked toward the crowd.
She kept her gaze lowered most of the time, quietly following Alaric.
The roar that erupted after Alaric's appearance was so loud that even the King and Principal Clerk were momentarily shaken.
The generals and soldiers sitting nearby exchanged surprised looks after hearing the overwhelming reaction from the students.
King Conrad narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Hmm... so that's the son of Kalvein Thandor."
A small smile formed on his face.
His gaze slowly shifted toward Arasa.
The smile faded slightly.
The soldier inside the arena stepped between them.
"Unless a team surrenders or can no longer fight, the match will continue, even if only one person remains standing for their team," he said, looking at both sides.
Both sides nodded.
At the top of the arena, Alice hurriedly made her way toward the back.
She stopped and looked down at the arena.
"Huiz... I thought I was late."
She let out a huge breath.
Beside her, Lalanat and Elara looked at her with mild surprise.
"You seem to be in a hurry, Miss Alice," Elara said with a smile.
Alice looked at her and found Elara and Lalanat standing beside her, slowly waving.
She gave them a small smile.
"It's the final. I can't miss this. The teachers even made a bet on it," she said, turning her gaze toward the arena.
Lalanat looked at Elara.
Elara shrugged slightly.
"So, which side did you bet on?" Elara asked.
Without looking at them, Alice whispered,
"Who knows?"
Her eyes remained fixed on the arena.
Elara and Lalanat slowly looked toward the arena as well.
"All right, then. Ready?" the soldier called.
Both sides nodded, tightening their grips on their wooden swords.
"Begin!"
The soldier quickly stepped back.
The crowd went wild, their cheers filling the arena.
Heidi stepped behind Alaric, looking down and biting her teeth.
Alaric tightened his grip on his wooden sword and faced Arasa and Caelin.
Arasa watched Heidi retreat behind Alaric.
Hmm... so she can't fight.
His gaze slowly shifted toward Alaric.
Alaric stood there with his wooden sword pointed toward them, his eyes scanning both opponents.
Arasa let out a small laugh.
Caelin glanced sideways at him.
"This is too easy for a final," Arasa said.
This guy... Caelin thought.
Alaric and Heidi said nothing.
Caelin firmed his stance, his eyes fixed on Alaric while occasionally glancing toward Arasa.
From the royal seats, King Midus watched the arena.
"Hmm. Why did that one person retreat?"
Principal Clerk looked toward Heidi.
"I've heard she suffered several injuries in her last battle. Perhaps it's their tactic to let her rest for now."
"But the other one will have to face two opponents at the same time?" King Midus asked.
Principal Clerk nodded.
"Ah... yes. It seems that way."
"Hmm."
King Midus nodded slightly, looking toward the arena again.
"Ah, the Thandor family never fails to surprise me," King Conrad said.
King Midus looked at him in surprise.
"Thandor?"
King Conrad slowly turned toward him.
"That's the son of Kalvein Thandor. I heard his name is Alaric Thandor."
He pointed toward the arena with his chin.
King Midus slowly looked at Alaric.
"Hmm..."
Back in the arena, Alaric took a deep breath.
Arasa and Caelin tightened their grips on their wooden swords, adjusting their stances.
Then Alaric suddenly leaped toward Arasa.
Arasa smiled and charged toward him.
Their wooden swords clashed in the middle.
Alaric slipped beneath Arasa, forcing him to turn and switch positions.
Caelin didn't get the chance to help Arasa from behind.
The movement left Arasa between them, with Alaric facing his back.
This guy put Arasa in front of me so he can fight alone, Caelin thought.
He moved closer, looking for a chance to help Arasa.
Just then, Alaric slipped beneath another swing from Arasa and moved past him.
Alaric and Caelin suddenly found themselves facing each other behind Arasa.
Caelin was caught off guard by Alaric's sudden movement.
Before he could react—
Thud!
Alaric punched him in the face with his left hand.
Caelin stumbled and grabbed his face, losing his footing for a moment.
Arasa hurriedly looked back.
Seeing Caelin had been hit, he immediately rushed toward Alaric and swung his wooden sword.
Alaric ducked beneath the swing.
A small smile appeared on Arasa's face.
He drove his knee upward.
Thud!
It struck Alaric in the face.
"Ooooooh!"
The crowd erupted.
Alaric crashed to the ground.
Caelin shook his head, recovering his position, then looked toward Alaric.
Alaric crawled across the ground, blood running from the cut on his mouth. He shook his head and tried to push himself up.
Arasa slowly walked toward him, in no hurry to finish.
He stopped beside Alaric and crouched.
"Hey."
Alaric looked up.
"Aren't you the so-called son of the Thandor Warlord?" Arasa said with a chuckle.
Alaric spat out blood and tried to stand.
Some of the girls in the audience couldn't bear to watch and covered their faces.
Lalanat and Elara exchanged helpless looks.
Arasa walked toward Caelin, who had witnessed everything.
"Aren't you going to finish?" Caelin asked.
Arasa glanced back at Alaric.
"Go on. He's yours. He didn't land a single hit on me."
He tapped Caelin lightly on the shoulder.
"He hit you once, though. Take this chance for payback."
Behind Alaric, Heidi stood helplessly watching.
A small tear rolled down her cheek.
Caelin slowly approached Alaric from behind.
The soldier kept his eyes on the arena, ready to stop the match.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Caelin.
Alaric slowly turned toward him.
Sorry, Alaric... In order to fight someone bigger than us, I have to win against you first.
Caelin raised his wooden sword.
The soldier prepared to step in once Caelin made his final swing.
The arena fell silent.
Then—
Heidi grabbed her wooden sword and threw it at Caelin's wooden sword just as he was about to swing.
Thud!
"Ouch!" Caelin cried.
His swing was knocked aside.
Suddenly, Alaric kicked his leg.
Caelin dropped to one knee.
Alaric hurriedly regained his position and swung his wooden sword.
Caelin blocked.
The two stared into each other's eyes, their wooden swords locked together.
Arasa hurriedly turned toward them.
He found Caelin kneeling on the ground, blocking Alaric's wooden sword.
He rushed toward them.
Seeing him coming, Alaric pulled his wooden sword back and slowly stepped away.
Caelin stood up.
Arasa's eyes fixed on Heidi.
"That's really disgusting," he said.
Heidi said nothing.
Alaric spat out more blood.
The crowd erupted into a mixture of cheers and complaints.
"Why is she helping if she's not fighting?"
"It's only fair! Alaric is fighting two at once!"
The crowd broke into arguments.
From the royal seats, King Midus laughed.
"Now, that's unexpected. But it's very entertaining."
He looked toward King Conrad.
Conrad clenched his teeth, clearly irritated that Caelin hadn't finished Alaric.
When he heard Midus, he forced a small laugh before turning his attention back toward the arena with an irritated stare.
"Whoa, that surprised me," Elara said.
She laughed nervously.
"I couldn't even bring myself to watch for a moment."
Alice remained silent.
"How about you, Miss Alice?" Elara asked.
Alice looked at her, then back toward the arena.
"I think it was pretty stupid for that girl to do that."
Both Elara and Lalanat looked at her in surprise.
Elara forced a smile.
"Ah... why? I mean, it gives them more hope of winning."
Alice sighed.
"Battles aren't decided by numbers."
She looked toward the arena.
"But in this fight, Thandor or not, Alaric can't win."
Her eyes remained fixed on the arena.
"All she did was extend the amount of time Alaric is going to get hit."
She slowly turned away and began walking.
"You're done watching?" Elara asked.
Alice waved slightly without turning around.
"It's already over anyway."
She continued walking until she disappeared from view.
Elara turned toward Lalanat.
"Why does she speak as though she already knows what the outcome is?"
Lalanat slowly looked down.
"I can't say she's completely right, but she has a point."
"Ahh, come on. Not you too," Elara complained.
Suddenly, the crowd screamed again.
Both Lalanat and Elara hurriedly turned toward the arena.
Heidi was on the ground.
Arasa stood beside her, looking down.
Blood dripped from Heidi's nose.