The sun dipped low over Eclipse Academy, painting the arena in amber light. The air buzzed — the final match of the day was about to begin.
"Last match!" the announcer shouted. "Han Jiwon versus Ryu Taemin!"
The stands erupted. The top two of the leaderboard were about to clash with one of the best mages in the academy.
Even instructors leaned forward. It wasn't just another fight. This was the duel everyone waited for.
On the arena floor, Jiwon stood calm, sword drawn. Her white uniform reflected the sunset, a faint aura of mana humming around her. Across from her, Ryu Taemin rolled his shoulders, the air around him already heavy with earthen energy.
"Didn't expect to face you this early," Taemin said, smirking.
Jiwon raised her blade slightly. "Then don't blink."
The referee's hand lifted.
"Begin!"
The ground split instantly. Spikes of stone erupted from beneath Jiwon's feet, but she was already gone. She moved like a whisper of wind — blade flashing once, twice — cutting each spike before it reached her.
The crowd gasped.
"She's so fast!"
"Did she just cut through rock?"
Taemin slammed his palm on the ground, forming a thick wall of stone.
Jiwon's blade gleamed blue — and sliced straight through it, clean as silk. She slipped past the debris, turning mid-step, her sword trailing light as she struck again.
Her movements were so fluid it almost didn't look like combat. Each swing flowed into the next — elegant, deliberate, mesmerizing.
Someone in the crowd whispered, "It's like she's dancing."
A second voice answered, awed, "Well, yeah… she didn't get called the Dancing Blade of Eclipse for nothing."
Baek, watching from the faculty booth, smirked faintly. "They finally started calling her that again."
Soomin smiled. "It suits her."
Below, Taemin clenched his jaw, summoning a wave of earthen spikes to trap her. Jiwon spun, slicing through them like ribbons of air. Blue arcs shimmered across the battlefield — her sword trailing afterimages that faded like falling petals.
Taemin shouted, pouring mana into one final strike. The ground exploded upward, a towering wall surging toward her.
The audience shielded their eyes from the dust and light — but when it cleared, the massive wall was gone.
Only a single cut line remained — smooth, perfect.
And at its end stood Han Jiwon, her blade pointed down, faint steam rising from the edge.
Taemin dropped to one knee, exhausted, his mana drained completely. He gave a half-smile. "You really don't hold back, huh?"
Jiwon exhaled slowly. "You said make it worth your time. I did."
The referee stepped forward, raising his hand. "Winner — Han Jiwon!"
The stadium erupted.
"She's unreal!"
"That's S-rank swordsmanship!"
"No, that's art!"
Even the instructors couldn't hide their grins. Baek leaned back. "That's what mastery looks like. "Soomin nodded. "The title's not just for show."
Taemin stood and extended a hand, still smiling. "I'll take my loss like a man. Just don't cut me in half next time."Jiwon shook his hand lightly. "Then stop standing in the way next time."
The crowd laughed and cheered as she walked off the arena, sword glinting under the fading light.
From the stands, Jiwoo, Rina, Jisoo, and Minjae watched the applause continue.
Minjae whistled. "She's insane. I couldn't even see half of those moves."
Rina crossed her arms. "That's what perfect mana control looks like."
Jisoo tilted his head, still staring at the stage. "Hey, Jiwoo… did your sister play kendo too? Her stance looks familiar."
Jiwoo nodded. "Yeah. She quit before you joined. Got awakened that same year and enrolled here."
Jisoo chuckled. "Figures. The way she moves—it's still pure kendo, just faster."
Minjae groaned dramatically. "So the whole Han family just… wakes up and decides to be overpowered?"
Rina smirked. "Pretty much."
Jiwoo gave a quiet laugh. "It's not as easy as it looks."
The crowd's cheer rolled over them again — calling her name, shouting her title.
"The Dancing Blade! Han Jiwon!"
Jiwoo smiled faintly, pride flickering behind his calm expression.
Headmaster Elias Kain stepped onto the platform as the cheers began to fade.
"An excellent finish to the first round," he announced. "From over fifty competitors, only twelve remain — six from each bracket."
A murmur of anticipation swept through the audience.
"You've all proven your strength," Kain continued, "but the path only gets steeper from here. The next round begins Monday. Use the weekend well."
He gave a faint smile. "The world is watching, Eclipse. Make them remember why we once stood at the top."
Applause echoed again — sharper, more focused this time.
As the crowd began to disperse, Jiwon caught Jiwoo's eye across the stands. She walked over, sword at her side.
"You're still in it," she said.
Jiwoo smiled. "Barely."
"Don't slack off," she said. "Next week, you might be my opponent. "He smirked. "Then I'll make sure you regret saying that."
Jiwon laughed softly, turning to leave. "We'll see, little brother."
Baek passed by on his way down, clapping Jiwoo's shoulder.
"Rest up, kid. Next week, the real fights begin."
Jiwoo looked out over the emptying arena. The banners of Eclipse fluttered softly in the breeze.
He whispered to himself, "Monday… I'll show them too."
***
Outside the Arena gates, Minjae stretched both arms high, yawning loudly. "Man, that was intense! I'm officially motivated… to take a break."
Rina glanced at him. "You're always on a break."
"Hey, even heroes rest. "He turned to Jiwoo, grinning. "Hey, hey — since it's the weekend tomorrow, how about we actually go outside the academy? Like, real food, normal streets, maybe shopping?"
Jiwoo blinked. "Shopping?"
"Yeah!" Minjae said. "We've been training nonstop for weeks! Let's act human for once."
Rina smirked. "That's rich, coming from the guy who blew all his allowance eating in the cafeteria."
"Emotional support food," Minjae said. "Totally different."
Jiwoo thought for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Sure. Why not?"
"Ha!" Minjae threw a fist in the air. "Victory! Tomorrow, we're hitting the city."
Rina sighed, but there was a small smile on her face. "Fine. But if you two get us lost, I'm leaving you."
"You say that like it's not our hometown."
Jiwoo chuckled as the three of them started walking back toward the dorms, the golden light fading behind the academy towers.For once, there was no pressure, no whispers — just quiet laughter.
Tomorrow, they'd breathe.Because after that… the real fight would begin.