The arena stands beneath a sky filled with countless stars.
No moon hangs above the city tonight.
Yet the darkness never fully claims the land.
Across the horizon, the pyramids of the city glow with dim, steady light. Their golden surfaces emit a faint radiance that spreads gently through the streets, leaving the city wrapped in a soft haze of illumination. The light is subtle, carefully designed not to disturb those resting at home.
But the arena is different.
Here, bright alchemical lamps shine from every tier of stone seats.
Their light floods the battlefield below.
Now, however, the arena falls into unnatural silence.
Flames rage across one side of the arena floor.
The lingering Dragon Fire burns against the transparent shield that surrounds Darus.
The crowd watches without breathing.
From one section of the stands, members of the House of Mai-en-Nub rise to their feet.
Their eyes burn with anger.
Spells bloom in their hands.
Golden lights gather around their fingers as they glare toward the opposite side.
Across the arena, members of the House of Akhekh-Nesret stand as well.
Their expressions are cold and defiant.
Crimson spell lights ignite in their palms.
For a moment, the two noble houses face each other across the arena like armies ready to collide.
Other noble houses begin to stand as well.
Some rise out of caution.
Others rise out of curiosity.
Many faces show worry.
The conflict between the two houses has long been dangerous.
Both belong to opposing factions within the continent.
One faction currently holds strong influence over the temple.
The other seeks to challenge that authority.
If battle erupts here tonight, the consequences will spread far beyond the arena.
Yet among the crowd, some faces show something different.
Glee.
If both powerful houses suffer heavy losses, the balance of power may shift.
Opportunity would appear for others to rise.
The tension grows thicker with every passing second.
Then—
The flames begin to fade.
The Dragon Fire dwindles slowly.
Crimson sparks disappear into the night air.
When the fire clears completely, a figure stands in the centre of the scorched arena floor.
Darus.
Unharmed.
Not a single burn touches his body.
The arena falls into absolute silence.
No one speaks.
No one moves.
Every gaze fixes upon him.
Even Maelak stands frozen.
His eyes widen in disbelief.
"How are you alive?"
His voice carries across the quiet arena.
Darus himself appears confused.
He looks down at his body.
Then lifts his head slowly.
His eyes move toward the upper tiers of the arena.
Darus's gaze lifts toward the upper tiers of the arena.
Toward the private box where Official Alchemists and higher-ranked masters sit watching the competition.
But none of them moves.
None stepped forward.
None claim responsibility for saving him.
Instead, many of them glance around cautiously, their eyes searching the surrounding boxes.
They, too, are trying to determine who intervened.
The arena remains silent.
High above them all, in the highest private box reserved for the pope, Kaelan sits hidden within the shadows.
His presence is completely concealed.
His voice moves quietly through the air.
"Announce the rest."
The sound carries clearly across the arena.
Every head lifts immediately.
Shock spreads across the crowd.
All eyes turn toward the highest private box.
The seat belongs to the pope.
But the voice they just heard is not the pope's.
Whispers spread instantly through the stands.
Yet no one can see Kaelan.
He remains completely hidden.
The announcer freezes for a moment before quickly regaining composure.
His voice rises across the arena.
"The winner of this match is Maelak, from the House of Akhekh-Nesret!"
The decision follows the rules.
Darus had already declared surrender before the final strike.
Maelak stands still for a moment before slowly lowering his hands.
Darus nods once and walks away from the centre of the arena.
Maelak turns and exits through the opposite gate.
Gradually, the crowd begins murmuring again.
The tension slowly fades as the two rival houses sit down once more.
Soon, the arena quiets again.
The announcer lifts his voice once more.
"The second semi-final match will now begin!"
He raises one arm toward the entrances.
"Verena, from the House of Aat-Tjehent!"
Cheers rise from several sections of the arena.
"And Shetj!"
A second wave of applause follows.
From opposite sides of the arena, the two contestants enter.
Verena walks calmly across the stone floor.
Her expression remains composed and focused.
Shetj approaches from the other gate with steady steps, his gaze locked on his opponent.
They stop several meters apart.
The announcer raises his hand.
"Begin!"
The crowd erupts again.
Verena moves first.
She lifts her hand gracefully.
"Diamond Alchemy!"
Lines of light form before her, shaping into crystalline patterns.
Shards of diamond energy appear and rotate around her body like a protective constellation.
Across the arena, Shetj responds immediately.
"Nature Alchemy!"
Green formations bloom beneath his feet.
Thick vines burst from the ground, twisting upward toward Verena as the two alchemical forces surge toward each other.
Verena remains calm.
Her hands move smoothly through precise gestures.
"Diamond Alchemy: Crystal Edge."
The floating diamond shards around her rotate rapidly and shoot forward like blades. The crystalline edges slice through the advancing vines, shattering thick wooden tendrils into fragments that scatter across the arena floor.
But Shetj does not slow.
His hands press toward the ground.
"Nature Alchemy: River Roots."
The broken vines suddenly pulse with blue light. Water flows through the roots like veins, strengthening them as they surge forward again with renewed force.
Verena steps lightly to the side.
Another formation appears beneath her feet.
"Stone and Iron Alchemy: Stone Hand."
From the arena floor, a massive hand of compressed stone rises and slams down toward the spreading vines. The impact crushes several roots flat against the ground.
Shetj responds instantly.
"Nature Alchemy: Wind Vine Lash."
Wind currents spiral around the vines, turning them into whipping tendrils that snap toward Verena from multiple directions.
Verena raises her hand again.
"Diamond Alchemy: Prism Guard."
A translucent barrier of diamond facets forms before her. The whipping vines strike the surface, splintering as they collide with the hard crystalline defence.
The crowd watches closely as the battle intensifies.
Steam begins to gather around Verena's body.
She forms another array.
"Steam Alchemy: Pressure Burst."
Compressed steam explodes outward in a violent wave. The shock of pressure tears apart the nearby vines and pushes Shetj several steps backwards.
But Shetj stabilises himself quickly.
His hands sweep outward as several elements merge within his Nature Alchemy.
"Nature Alchemy: Frost Gale Bloom."
Cold wind surges across the arena.
Water condenses instantly within the air currents.
Ice forms along the vines that spiral upward around him, creating a storm of frozen tendrils rushing toward Verena.
Verena's eyes sharpen.
She counters immediately.
"Stone and Iron Alchemy: Iron Wall."
A thick plate of dark metal rises from the arena floor before her, intercepting the storm of ice vines. The frozen tendrils shatter against the metal barrier with cracking sounds that echo across the arena.
Without pause, Verena launches another attack.
"Diamond Alchemy: Shatter Spear."
A long spear of brilliant crystal forms above her hand and shoots forward.
Shetj counters with another layered spell.
"Nature Alchemy: Water Bark Shield."
Water wraps around thick wooden bark, forming a dense defensive shell before him. The diamond spear pierces halfway into the shield before exploding into glittering shards.
Steam continues to swirl around Verena's body.
Stone and crystal formations surround her.
Across the arena, Shetj stands within a constantly shifting network of vines, wind, water, and ice.
Both alchemists now wield complex spells with multiple elemental combinations.
The arena floor becomes a battlefield of crystal fragments, crushed stone, shattered vines, and frozen mist as their spells collide again and again.
Above the arena, Kaelan watches from the highest private box.
His gaze moves across the battlefield, but most of the time it remains fixed on Verena.
Every movement she makes draws his attention.
Several times when Shetj launches an attack, Kaelan's fingers twitch slightly as he prepares to cast a spell to protect her.
He restrains himself each time.
"I don't know why I like her," he thinks quietly. "This may be love at first sight… or simply lust for her body."
For Kaelan, the difference suddenly feels meaningless.
"Either way… it no longer matters."
His thoughts had been in turmoil since seeing her earlier in the desert.
He had wondered whether to pursue her or not.
But now his decision forms clearly.
"If I like her, I will have her."
"What more is there to think about?"
The moment the decision settles, his mind becomes calm again.
He shifts his attention fully back to the battle.
As he observes more carefully, something becomes obvious.
Shetj's aura.
Though he hides it well, Kaelan recognises the subtle fluctuations.
Shetj has already reached the Official Alchemist Stage.
Yet he conceals his cultivation deliberately.
More than once during the fight, Kaelan sees opportunities where Shetj could end the battle instantly.
Yet each time Shetj withdraws his attack at the last moment, when it would seriously injure Verena.
Kaelan's lips curve slightly.
"My future wife is pursued by many people."
His gaze briefly shifts toward another section of the arena.
Maelak sits among the spectators after winning his match.
Earlier, he publicly declared that if he wins the competition, he will ask for Verena's hand in marriage.
Then Kaelan looks back at Shetj.
The young man's face remains hidden behind a metallic mask.
But even through the mask, Kaelan senses his hostility.
When Shetj's gaze briefly turns toward Maelak, it carries unmistakable hatred.
Below in the arena, the battle continues.
Verena raises her hand again.
"Diamond Alchemy: Crystal Barrage!"
Dozens of diamond shards launch toward Shetj.
Shetj responds calmly.
"Nature Alchemy: Ice Vine Bloom."
Frozen vines surge upward, intercepting the incoming crystals and shattering them midair.
Verena follows with another spell.
"Steam Alchemy: Pressure Wave!"
Compressed steam explodes outward in a wide arc.
But Shetj's control remains steady.
"Nature Alchemy: Wind Leaf Guard."
Spinning currents of wind redirect the steam blast away from him.
The battle continues like this for several more exchanges.
Verena's attacks remain precise.
But gradually her breathing becomes heavier.
Her spirit energy declines.
Meanwhile, Shetj still moves smoothly, controlling his spells with ease.
Verena launches one final attempt.
"Stone and Iron Alchemy: Stone Lance!"
A sharp pillar of stone erupts forward.
Shetj simply raises his hand.
"Nature Alchemy: Water Root Bind."
Liquid roots wrap around the stone lance and dissolve its force before it can reach him.
Verena's arms lower slightly.
Her energy is exhausted.
She looks at Shetj for a moment.
Then raises her hand.
"I surrender."
The words echo across the arena.
The battle ends.