The arena roared back to life Monday morning.
Banners of Eclipse rippled against the wind, the academy crest catching the sunlight like fire.
Students packed the stands, voices blending into a single electric buzz.
After the weekend's rest, every face was sharper—ready.
Minjae groaned as he stretched his arms. "I knew we should've stayed in the city. My body isn't ready for public humiliation."
Rina crossed her arms. "You're acting like you weren't going to lose anyway."
"Wow, motivational speech, thanks."
Jiwoo walked beside them, quiet as usual. "She's right though."
"Traitor," Minjae muttered. "Both of you are traitors."
They stopped as the screen lit up with the match list.
The crowd's noise doubled instantly.
Upper Bracket: Kang Hyunwoo vs Choi Minseok (2nd-year Mage)
Han Jiwoo vs Kwon Daesung (Rank 6 – Mage)
Park Doyun vs Kim Haneul (Rank 9 – Mage)
Lower Bracket: Han Jiwon vs Seo Minjae
Kang Jisoo vs Rank 7 – Combat Class
Kang Rina vs Rank 8 – Combat Class
The stadium shook with excitement.
"Han siblings in different brackets again!"
"Kang brothers might actually happen too!"
"The finals are going to be insane!"
Minjae's face went pale. "Oh no. Oh no no no. Why me first?"
Rina grinned. "You get to die early. Less waiting."
Jiwoo chuckled quietly. "You'll be fine."
"You say that every time, and I'm never fine."
Headmaster Elias Kain stepped forward onto the platform. His voice cut through the chaos without needing a microphone.
"From fifty competitors to twelve. You've all proven your place. But from here on, victory means one thing—your opponent surrenders, or cannot stand."
He paused. "Show restraint, but fight with everything you have. Eclipse has slept too long."
The crowd erupted again. The referee raised his flag.
"First match! Han Jiwon versus Minjae!"
Minjae walked into the arena, every step echoing louder than the cheers. His face said why me? but his eyes were steady.
Across from him, Jiwon stood poised—expression calm, blade drawn.
"Don't hold back, I heard you're my brother's friend" she said.
"Yup, so please have mercy."
The referee's hand dropped.
"Begin!"
Jiwon vanished. Minjae barely had time to raise his sword before steel clashed against his guard. Sparks burst as his arms trembled from the impact. He pushed back, swinging wildly—she sidestepped, parried, tapped his wrist, and nearly disarmed him in one move.
From the stands, Rina winced. "Yeah, he's done."
Jiwoo folded his arms. "He's trying."
Baek from the instructor's booth laughed. "Trying's one word for it."
Minjae grit his teeth, rushing in with a flurry of strikes—messy but fast. Jiwon blocked them all effortlessly. Her blade blurred, moving with frightening precision.
The crowd began to cheer louder—not for the victory, but for Minjae's stubbornness. He refused to fall, dodging, deflecting, scraping by with pure willpower.
Jiwon knocked him back with a sweeping kick. "Still standing?"
"Barely," Minjae panted. "But I'm not done yet."
He surged forward again, shouting as he swung. She caught his sword mid-strike and twisted, disarming him completely. Her next motion was a blur—the tip of her blade stopped a breath away from his neck.
"Match," the referee said.
Silence. Then the crowd exploded into applause.
"Han Jiwon wins!"
Minjae slumped backward, breathing hard but smiling weakly. "I call that a moral victory."
Jiwon lowered her sword. "You lasted longer than some second-years."
"See? Progress," Minjae said, lying flat on the ground.
She extended her hand. "Good fight."
He grabbed it, laughing. "Next time, I'll actually hit you."
"Sure," she said with a faint smile. "Next time."
From above, Instructor Soomin leaned forward. "He actually did well."
Baek nodded. "Heart's there. Technique's a disaster, but heart's there."
Kain smiled faintly. "Sometimes, that's enough."
Outside the ring, Jiwoo and Rina helped Minjae walk off.
Rina smirked. "You did better than I expected."
"Thanks. I think."
Jiwoo handed him a water bottle. "You okay?"
"Define okay."
"You didn't die."
"Then yeah. Okay."
They laughed together as the next fighters stepped up.
"Next match — Kang Hyunwoo versus Choi Minseok!"
The coliseum buzzed again. Students leaned over the rails, eager. Hyunwoo walked out slowly, one hand in his pocket, eyes half-lidded as if bored already. The mage across from him was practically glowing with nervous mana.
Minseok pointed his staff. "I've waited to fight you!"
Hyunwoo tilted his head. "Then stop waiting."
The whistle blew. Flames burst around Hyunwoo instantly—deep red and gold, swirling like living fire.
Choi Minseok launched a barrage of spells—ice shards, Ice blades, Ice crystals—each one dissolved before reaching Hyunwoo.
"Impressive power," Hyunwoo said lazily, "but too weak."
He snapped his fingers.
A single wave of heat swept across the field. The ground scorched black in a straight line. The mage's barrier cracked, then shattered completely.
The referee raised his arm immediately. "Winner — Kang Hyunwoo!"
The crowd screamed.
"He didn't even move!"
"Is that fire magic or divine punishment?!"
Baek whistled low. "He's not even pretending to hold back anymore."
Soomin frowned. "He was toying with him. That wasn't serious."
***
The arena lights dimmed slightly as the next names flashed on screen.
Next Match — Kang Rina vs Yoo Daehan (Rank 8 – Sword Division)
The crowd murmured in excitement. Two lightning-fast duelists. One elemental, one pure steel.
Rina exhaled once and stepped forward.
Jiwoo looked at her. "You ready?"
Rina smirked. "Born ready."
Minjae leaned in. "Don't die. I already took that job for the day."
She chuckled and walked out.
Yoo Daehan was already waiting at the center of the ring, blade gleaming under the sunlight.
He was older, taller, his stance clean and sharp — the kind of fighter who lived on fundamentals.
"Rina, right?" he said. "Lightning girl. Let's see if sparks beat steel.
"Rina tilted her head, lightning flickering faintly at her fingertips. "Let's see."
The referee's hand rose. "Begin!"
The clash was instant.
Steel met lightning — sparks flying, light flashing with every hit. Rina's movements were fast, her mana pulsing rhythmically with each step.
Daehan countered smoothly, meeting her pace with precise timing.
She launched a short burst of lightning mid-swing, forcing him back.
He twisted midair, landing in a slide, then lunged forward again — blade first.
Their blades locked. The air around them crackled, dust swirling from the pressure.
"You're fast," Daehan said.
"Thanks," Rina replied, pushing him off with a surge of electricity. "But you talk too much."
The crowd was on their feet, roaring.
"Come on, Rina!"
"Daehan, show her real swordplay!"
Each strike hit harder than the last. Rina tried to break his defense with lightning bursts — he adjusted his timing, turning every parry into an opportunity. Her mana flared brighter, forcing him to dodge instead of block.
Up in the observation booth, Instructor Hyerim grinned. "That's my girl. She's fighting smart."Sanghoon crossed his arms. "She's burning through her mana too fast."Baek leaned forward slightly. "No. She's testing his rhythm first."
Down in the arena, Rina's breathing was already uneven. Daehan pressed the attack now, switching to a two-step assault pattern. She blocked once, twice — then lightning burst from her feet, propelling her backward out of range.
Her hair was slightly singed. He grinned. "Running already?"
"Just charging up."
She raised her hand — a low hum filled the arena as blue lightning gathered in her palm. The air tingled, mana compressing tightly.
The crowd gasped. "She's going for a heavy cast!"
Daehan narrowed his eyes, readying his stance. Rina's lightning surged, crawling up her arm, forming a spiraling current around her sword.
The referee tensed, ready to step in if it went too far.
Jiwoo muttered under his breath. "She's pushing it."
A blinding flash tore across the ring —