Both Elara and Lalanat covered their faces when they saw Heidi lying on the ground.
Under the tunnel, Benjamin immediately tried to run toward the arena.
But several of his classmates stopped him.
"Benjamin, wait!"
He struggled against them, trying to push his way through.
Tina also grabbed him and stopped him from moving forward.
Benjamin helplessly stared toward the arena.
Arasa stood beside Heidi.
She could barely open her eyes, and blood was slowly dripping from her nose.
The crowd was divided.
Some cheered for Arasa, while others complained about what he had done.
Arasa slowly crouched beside Heidi.
He grabbed her by the hair and lifted her head slightly.
He stared directly into her eyes.
"What makes you think that's a good idea?" he said.
"We already showed mercy by letting you stand here untouched."
Heidi barely looked at him from the corner of her eyes.
She struggled slightly.
But her strength was fading.
Her eyes slowly began to close on their own.
Seeing that, Alaric suddenly kicked Caelin in the stomach.
Caelin stumbled backward.
Alaric immediately rushed toward Arasa.
He leaped forward.
Arasa slightly moved to the side, dodging him.
Alaric landed and quickly regained his position.
His eyes immediately went toward Heidi.
He slowly crouched beside her.
He gently touched her face.
Heidi slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Alaric clenched his teeth.
He stared down at her for a moment.
Then he slowly stood back up.
In front of him, Caelin and Arasa were already standing together again.
Caelin slightly held his stomach.
"Compared to these two... I'm just as useless as that girl," he thought.
He slowly looked up.
Then he raised his wooden sword again.
Arasa glanced at Caelin from the corner of his eye.
"Hmm... I guess we're finishing it, then," he thought.
He looked toward Alaric again.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Alaric slowly stood completely upright.
Caelin's eyes widened slightly.
Arasa looked confused.
Alaric looked down.
Heidi's wooden sword was lying beside her.
He slowly reached down and picked it up.
Then he looked at the wooden sword already in his other hand.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Two wooden swords.
His eyes slowly moved toward Arasa.
The crowd once again erupted into chaos.
King Midus watched from his seat.
"Whoa... this keeps getting better," he laughed.
Principal Clerk nodded slightly in agreement.
King Conrad said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on the arena.
Inside the arena, Arasa slowly widened his stance.
He raised his arms slightly.
"If that's what you think is going to work," he said.
He adjusted his position.
"Then come."
Caelin tightened his grip around his wooden sword.
Alaric said nothing.
Then—
Alaric suddenly leaped toward Arasa.
Once again, he left Caelin behind.
He swung his wooden sword.
Arasa raised his own.
Thud!
The two wooden swords crashed against each other.
Alaric immediately moved his second sword beneath the one Arasa was using to block.
Arasa reacted quickly.
He rolled to the side and crouched.
He raised his wooden sword again.
Thud!
Another heavy impact.
Just then—
Alaric suddenly drove his knee into Arasa's face.
Arasa fell to the ground.
He covered his face.
Alaric slowly walked past him.
He didn't look back.
His eyes were already fixed on Caelin.
Caelin tightened his grip.
He stared directly at Alaric.
Suddenly, Alaric leaped forward.
He closed the distance between them.
Caelin swung first.
Alaric raised his wooden sword.
Thud!
The impact shook both of their arms.
With his other wooden sword, Alaric struck toward Caelin's stomach.
Caelin moved back.
Alaric rolled past him.
Then he struck once more toward Caelin's neck.
Thud!
Caelin crouched.
He bit his teeth together.
Alaric didn't even turn around.
Caelin slowly looked toward him.
He realized Alaric wasn't facing him.
He hurriedly regained his position.
Then he swung.
Alaric suddenly turned.
He raised one wooden sword and blocked.
Thud!
The force of the impact knocked the other sword out of Alaric's hand.
It rolled across the ground.
Caelin quickly retreated.
Alaric didn't stop.
With his remaining wooden sword, he immediately closed the distance again.
The two exchanged several swings.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Each wooden sword slammed against the other.
Caelin kept moving backward.
Alaric kept pushing forward.
One step.
Then another.
Caelin's breathing slowly became heavier.
His movements began to slow.
Alaric continued pressing forward.
Caelin could feel himself losing his pace.
He was running out of room.
Finally, Alaric raised his wooden sword.
He swung as hard as he could.
Caelin raised his own sword.
Thud!
The impact echoed across the arena.
Caelin blocked.
But his arm couldn't keep up with the force anymore.
His body was pushed backward.
He looked behind him.
The edge of the arena.
There was nowhere left to retreat.
His breathing became faster.
His hands slowly dropped while he still held his wooden sword.
He simply stared at Alaric.
Alaric slowly approached him.
Katy covered her face.
"At this point, Caelin will actually lose," she said.
Beside her, Silvia kept her eyes fixed on the arena.
"Not yet," she whispered.
Katy slowly looked toward her.
"What do you mean?"
Silvia slightly moved her head toward the arena.
Katy turned back.
Her eyes widened.
Arasa had already leaped forward.
He was coming toward Alaric from behind.
He raised his wooden sword.
The noise of the crowd reached Alaric's ears.
He slightly turned his head.
He saw Arasa.
Alaric quickly raised his wooden sword.
Thud!
He blocked.
But Arasa immediately drove his knee into Alaric's stomach.
Thud!
Alaric's body was thrown backward.
He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.
He struggled to breathe.
Katy stared in shock.
"Ehh... how?" she said.
She quickly looked at Silvia.
Silvia still didn't take her eyes off the arena.
"While Caelin blocked and slowly backed away, he created distance between himself and Arasa."
She spoke slowly.
"Arasa used that time to recover."
Her eyes followed Arasa.
"And when Alaric swung as hard as he could, Caelin blocked with everything he had because he saw Arasa already coming from behind Alaric."
Katy remained speechless.
Then she finally asked,
"Whoa... Caelin planned that?"
Silvia shook her head.
"Not entirely."
She paused.
"Luck played a role too."
Her eyes remained on Arasa.
"There was no reason for Arasa to lose to Alaric. The age gap and his experience in fighting were already a huge advantage."
She slowly narrowed her eyes.
"And most of all... his reason to win this fight is heavier than Alaric's."
Once again, the crowd erupted into chaos.
"Finish him!"
"That's unfair! He attacked from behind!"
The arena was filled with both cheers and complaints.
Lalanat and Elara said nothing.
They simply stared at Alaric.
Caelin was leaning against the wall of the arena.
He laughed quietly while looking down.
Arasa slowly approached Alaric.
"I changed my mind," he said.
"You seriously are the son of Kalvein Thandor."
He raised his wooden sword.
"But the battle is decided by who stands at the end."
His eyes remained fixed on Alaric.
"Not who has the famous name."
Then—
He swung.
Elara slowly closed her eyes.
She covered her face with both hands.
King Conrad smiled.
Katy also covered her face and looked away.
Silvia's eyes remained sharply fixed on the arena.
Heidi barely opened her eyes from the ground.
She helplessly stared toward Alaric.
Under the tunnel, Benjamin slammed his fist against the wall.
Arasa's wooden sword moved closer toward Alaric's neck.
Closer.
Closer.
Just then—
Alaric raised his wooden sword.
Thud!
He blocked.
Barely.
His face turned red as he pushed Arasa's wooden sword back.
For a brief moment, it looked like he had stopped him.
Then—
Arasa kicked him in the stomach.
Blood came from Alaric's mouth.
The soldier suddenly grabbed Arasa's arm before he could swing again.
The entire crowd fell silent.
The soldier shouted,
"It's over!"
He looked toward both sides.
"Both Class Two fighters can no longer fight!"
He raised his voice.
"Class Seven has won the Elysium Academy Sword Duel Tournament!"
For a moment, there was nothing.
Then—
A small clap.
One person.
Then another.
Soon, the entire crowd erupted into applause.
Arasa slowly knelt beside Alaric.
He said nothing.
His body became completely still.
Then tears began falling from his eyes.
He covered his face.
"Finally..."
His voice trembled.
"My wife... and my children."
The tears continued falling.
A short distance away, Caelin slowly sat down on the ground.
He looked up toward the sky.
Then he let out a huge breath.
Class Two students hurried toward Heidi.
Others helped Alaric sit up.
Alaric himself remained speechless.
He simply sat there, still holding his stomach.
Elara and Lalanat quickly rushed toward the tunnel.
The king stood.
"That was such a good fight from both teams," King Midus said as he slowly clapped.
"Yes, indeed," Principal Clerk said, clapping along with him.
King Conrad smiled.
"Ahh... I almost thought we were watching real soldiers fighting, not students."
He continued clapping.
After a while, both kings began making their way out.
Principal Clerk bowed as a sign of respect.
As they walked away, King Midus slowly slowed his pace.
"Kalvein retired in Bane, right?" he asked.
King Conrad slowed down as well.
He nodded slightly.
"Yes, indeed. Since then, it's been hard to even see him again."
King Midus slightly gestured toward the arena.
"And that's his son?"
King Conrad's eyes widened slightly.
"Yes."
King Midus started walking again.
"Whoa... the Thandor family got themselves a good fighter again, huh?"
King Conrad followed behind him in silence.
He simply nodded as they walked.
Both kings were surrounded by soldiers and generals until they reached their carriage.
Outside the arena, Alice stood leaning against the wall near the entrance.
As the soldiers and both kings made their way out, she slightly looked toward them.
King Conrad suddenly stopped.
His eyes met Alice's.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
They simply stared at each other.
King Midus continued talking as he walked ahead.
Alice slightly bowed.
Then she turned away and left.
King Conrad's eyes remained fixed on her until she disappeared.
Only then did he slowly walk toward his carriage.
Meanwhile, inside the arena, most of the students stood and applauded.
Class Seven rushed toward Caelin and Arasa.
"That was such a good fight!"
"I was so nervous!"
"I think that won us the Chosen Class!" some of them shouted.
Alaric was helped by several Class Two students.
He was still holding his stomach.
Inside the tunnel, Lalanat and Elara rushed toward him.
They stopped in front of him.
One of the Class Two students helped Alaric stand.
"This is bad," Elara said.
"Let's move him to our residence first."
Everyone nodded.
Lalanat looked at Alaric's face.
It was almost completely covered in blood.
She covered her face with one hand.
Then she followed behind them.
At the stands, Graneth looked toward Class Seven surrounding Arasa and Caelin.
"Hard to tell which one actually won, though," he said.
He slowly turned around.
Then he left the arena.
Heidi was carried by Benjamin back to their residence.
He carefully placed her on her bed.
The room fell into silence.
Katy sat beside her, holding her hand.
Benjamin and Kai stood nearby.
Benjamin suddenly slammed his fist against the wall again.
He was frustrated.
Kai placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay now," he said.
"It's already over."
Benjamin held his breath.
He leaned his head against the wall.
"He didn't have to go that far," he whispered.
Heidi suddenly moved.
She slowly raised her head.
Her eyes searched the room.
Then they stopped on Benjamin.
Benjamin looked at her in surprise.
His eyes were already filled with tears.
Heidi's lips barely moved.
"I'm... sorry."
Her voice was weak.
She could barely open her mouth.
Benjamin quickly brushed away his tears.
"Idiot."
His voice trembled.
"Why are you apologizing?"
He fought back his tears as he stood there.
Everyone remained inside the room.
No one said another word.