Inside the arena, Ronan stepped onto the stage, his fiery eyes sweeping across the audience. The sheer number of students present surprised him. "Why are there so many people here?" he thought. Among them, he spotted four students from earlier that day, alongside two professors—James Flamecrest and Liam Viridion. Their presence made it clear that this battle had gained more attention than he had expected.
From across the stage, Amelia smirked as she saw Ronan step onto the battlefield. "Not a coward after all, it seems," she called out mockingly.
Ronan met her gaze, a devious smile tugging at his lips. "You seem quite brave yourself," he said, his voice laced with amusement as he approached the centre of the arena.
Meanwhile, Mr. Alaric and Orin arrived at the arena and immediately noticed the tension in the air. Orin sighed. "We're late."
Mr. Alaric's gaze swept the audience. "A lot of students… and both Professor Flamecrest and Viridion are here." However, what truly caught his attention was an elderly man seated near the back, watching the match with quiet amusement. Recognising him instantly, Mr. Alaric made his way over. "Good afternoon, sir."
The old man, Arnold, turned his head slightly. His aged face held a knowing smile. "Alaric, my boy. What brings you here?"
"I came to stop this challenge," Mr. Alaric said firmly.
Arnold chuckled. "No need. Ronan already told me what happened. This is something he wants to do. Let's watch and see how it unfolds."
The referee stepped forward. "Amelia Viridion, Adept Tier Five, Light and Wind element user, has challenged Ronan, Adept Tier Four, Fire element user. The ranking battle begins!"
The moment the words left the referee's mouth, Amelia shot forward like a gust of wind, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Her fists aimed straight at Ronan, intending to engage in hand-to-hand combat as her light magic boosted her attack and defence, and wind magic boosted her agility. However, Ronan calmly assumed a defensive stance, his posture unwavering.
Amelia scoffed. "Defensive? Ha! That won't save you."
She unleashed a rapid flurry of punches and kicks, her movements almost too fast for the untrained eye to follow. But Ronan moved with precision, blocking her attacks with his left hand and sidestepping others with minimal effort. A smirk played on his lips. "Is this all you've got? I thought you'd at least be strong enough to test my new skills."
Amelia's irritation flared. "Are you looking down on me?"
Ronan chuckled, catching her fist effortlessly. "Of course I am."
Anger ignited in Amelia's eyes as she leapt back, gathering her mana. "I was just going to teach you a lesson and let you go. But now? I'll make sure you regret your arrogance."
Taking a deep breath, she summoned small orbs of white light, which hovered around her before shooting toward Ronan at blinding speed—her Flash Strike.
The attacks streaked through the air, and upon impact, a violent explosion erupted, shrouding one side of the battlefield in smoke. The audience held their breath, waiting for the dust to clear.
Then—
A voice spoke from behind Amelia: "Not bad. But not enough to break my defence."
Her eyes widened in shock as she spun around. Ronan stood there, completely unscathed.
In the stands, Orin turned to Mr. Alaric. "What just happened?"
Mr. Alaric smiled slightly. "Ronan used his Molten Shield at the last moment. Try using your perception skills—you'll see more clearly."
On the battlefield, Ronan's smirk widened. "Don't you think charging in blindly is a bad move? I could have planted trap magic in that smoke."
Amelia's eyes darted back toward the dissipating cloud, realisation dawning too late.
"Too late," Ronan whispered, snapping his fingers.
The smoke erupted with several small explosions—Flare Bursts. The concentrated fireballs detonated, sending shockwaves through the air. The force hurled Amelia toward Ronan, leaving her momentarily defenceless.
Seizing the opportunity, Ronan exhaled sharply, stabilising his breathing before dashing forward. His form blurred as he closed the distance, his left fist drawing back. Amelia, still airborne, barely managed to react before he vanished from her sight.
A crushing blow struck her side—Ronan had reappeared at her left, his punch driving into her stomach. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as the impact sent her hurtling backwards.
But her fall was abruptly halted by a sudden, burning force.
A Molten Shield materialised behind her. Unable to stop herself, she crashed into the searing barrier, a scream escaping her lips as the heat seared her skin. She struggled to regain her footing, her body trembling from the pain.
Ronan's voice cut through the air. "Is this all? I expected more from a Viridion. But it seems you're nothing without your family name."
Amelia gritted her teeth, fury flashing in her eyes, but before she could retaliate, Ronan appeared in front of her, his left fist wreathed in flames.
Flame Fist.
His fiery punch slammed into her abdomen. Her eyes widened as the breath was knocked out of her, and then—darkness.
Ronan scoffed, "You're not very strong, but your arrogance runs pretty deep. What a disappointment."
Amelia collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
The arena fell silent.
"Winner: Ronan!" the referee declared.
Professor Liam Viridion immediately leapt onto the stage, kneeling beside Amelia's motionless form. His eyes snapped to Ronan. "You could have been less cruel."
Ronan, unfazed, crouched down and placed a small bottle in front of him. "Like you said, sir. 'Take your anger to the Academy Ranking Battle.' I did exactly that." He gestured to the potion. "And this? It's the same potion you gave me that day. Consider it returning the favour."
Without another word, Ronan turned and walked away.
Liam Viridion watched Ronan's retreating figure, his gaze lingering on the potion left behind. He had placed it discreetly, ensuring no one would notice. "Did I really make a mistake that day?" he wondered. Can I prevent this from happening? With a heavy sigh, he lifted Amelia into his arms and carried her to the infirmary.
In the audience, Arnold smirked. "That boy has guts, I'll give him that. He did exactly what they did to him and Garrick that day." He turned to Alaric with a teasing glint in his eyes. "So, should we expel him from the academy?"
Alaric chuckled, shaking his head. "He only gave them what they deserved. A student, Amelia and her group—bullying others with the help of a professor is beyond unacceptable. If this ever happens again, I'll handle it personally."