The arena was alive.
Mana screens floated in the air, projecting the duels for the entire academy to see. Crystalline walls pulsed with light, reflecting the hum of thousands of students gathered for the annual Inter-Class Combat Trials. Every class—from proud Class A to desperate Class D—waited for their chance to rise.
Lee Shin stood at the edge of the field, his sword resting lightly against his shoulder. The ring on his finger pulsed faintly, as if sensing the tension in the air. Around him, his team prepared in silence—Arin Seo, the strategist; Jin Woo, the mana-shield specialist; Mirae Han, the short-range healer; and Dae Jin, the heavy striker whose patience was thinner than his armor.
Across the arena, their opponents—Class C, Group Two—smirked with easy confidence. Each wore the emerald-trimmed uniforms of mid-tier elites. They weren't Class A, but they were dangerous.
"Five versus five," Professor Rho announced, his voice echoing through the coliseum. "Victory is determined by incapacitation or surrender. No lethal attacks. Begin on signal."
Arin turned to her team. "Stick to the plan. We can't win through strength alone—so we'll use coordination. Jin, wall on my mark. Dae, wait for their first rush."
Shin nodded slightly. He didn't need to be told his role. He'd already memorized every movement from the Class C sparring archives. Predict, then counter. That was how soldiers survived.
The bell rang.
Mana erupted.
Class C's vanguard—two dual-bladesmen and a fire mage—charged first. The ground scorched beneath their feet as they launched coordinated strikes. Jin threw up his barrier just in time; the impact cracked it but didn't break through.
"Now!" Arin shouted.
Shin darted forward—faster than before. His blade flashed once, redirecting a burning projectile into the ground. Sparks scattered, smoke rose, and he moved within it like a shadow.
One precise kick to the ribs—one strike to the wrist.
The fire mage dropped his staff with a cry.
The crowd murmured. That speed—Class D? Impossible.
But Shin wasn't done. He caught the second attacker's blade mid-swing, twisted his wrist, and disarmed him. It wasn't brute force—it was anticipation. Every move came a second before his opponent's thought.
"Focus left!" Arin ordered. "They're regrouping!"
She and Dae Jin pushed forward, their mana blending in a brilliant burst of blue and gold. The synergy training they'd practiced for days finally clicked—her precise control channeling his brute strength into a single, devastating wave that forced the remaining Class C students back.
Rho's voice thundered again. "Class C—defensive formation!"
Too late.
Shin appeared behind their leader, blade resting at his neck before anyone saw him move.
The signal lights flashed crimson.
Round One—Victory: Class D!
For a long heartbeat, the arena went silent. Then the spectators erupted. Cheers, disbelief, laughter. Class D had won a round.
Shin lowered his blade, breathing evenly. The ring on his finger pulsed faintly—steady, almost proud.
Arin met his gaze, smiling despite the sweat on her brow. "You really don't know how to hold back, do you?"
He shrugged lightly. "We needed the win."
Their teammates clapped him on the shoulder, adrenaline still buzzing. For the first time, Class D stood a little taller.
The second match was harder.
Class C's reserve team adjusted fast—using wide-area mana suppression fields to cancel out Arin's coordination. Every motion became heavier, slower.
Shin could feel the air itself resisting him. "Can't… move properly," Mirae gasped, struggling to heal Dae Jin's bleeding arm.
Shin narrowed his eyes. They're targeting our rhythm.
He dropped low, scanning the mana field. The suppression source wasn't from any of the fighters—it came from an external orb anchored at the far corner of the arena. A trick, hidden within regulations.
He clenched his fist. "Arin. They planted a suppression core. Give me five seconds."
She hesitated. "You'll never reach it in time!"
"Watch me."
The ring flared, reacting to his intent. A shimmer of energy coiled around him—gold and crimson intertwined. He pushed off the ground and blurred across the battlefield, every step accelerating until he seemed to flicker through air.
One heartbeat. Two.
He reached the orb, struck once—and it shattered, releasing a shockwave of liberated mana.
The suppression field collapsed instantly.
Class D's energy returned like a roaring tide.
"Now!" Arin shouted.
Their combined assault surged forward—Jin's barrier slamming down, Dae Jin's hammer following through, Arin channeling her mana through Shin's blade in a flash of synchronized brilliance.
The blast engulfed Class C's formation, sending their leader flying into the barrier wall.
Silence.
Then the final signal lit the sky.
Winner: Class D—Advances to Round Two!
The stands exploded into cheers. For the first time in academy history, Class D had beaten Class C in open combat.
Shin stood at the center of the field, chest heaving, sweat trickling down his neck. He glanced at his team—they were bruised, drained, but smiling. Even Dae Jin was grinning through a split lip.
"We actually did it," Mirae whispered, almost not believing it.
Arin wiped her blade clean. "We're not done yet. Next round's Class B."
Shin looked up toward the upper balcony. Class B students were already watching with narrowed eyes, calculating. And among them—his half-brother, Haru. Perfect uniform, polished smile, arrogance radiating like heat.
Their gazes met.
Haru smirked and raised his hand in mock applause. "Not bad, little brother."
Shin didn't respond. His jaw tightened slightly, but his eyes stayed cold. "Enjoy the view while it lasts," he muttered.
That night, the dorm corridors were filled with whispers.
Class D's victory was the only topic anywhere. Some called it luck; others whispered that Lee Shin was hiding a rare mana lineage. Rumors grew like wildfire.
In his room, Shin ignored them all. He sat by the window, hands resting over the faintly glowing ring.
"You reacted to my intent," he murmured. "You want me to keep fighting… don't you?"
The ring pulsed once in answer—soft, steady, alive.
A knock came at the door.
He opened it to find Arin standing there, her braid undone, eyes bright despite exhaustion. "I thought you'd still be awake."
"I was just thinking."
She hesitated, then offered a faint smile. "Tomorrow's the semifinals. Rest. We're not done proving them wrong yet."
Shin nodded. "I will."
As she turned to leave, she paused. "Lee Shin," she said softly. "When you fight… it feels like you've been doing it for a lifetime."
He looked away, hiding the faint ache behind his calm voice. "Maybe I have."
Arin tilted her head, studying him for a moment before smiling again. "Then make sure this lifetime counts."
She left, her footsteps fading into the quiet hall.
Shin stared out the window again. The moonlight glimmered on his ring, and for the first time, he allowed himself a small, determined smile.
Tomorrow, Class B awaited.
And Haru.