The explosion from the collision swallowed the battlefield entirely.
Violent winds tore across the arena while shattered fragments of the ground continuously rained downward from the sky.
For several moments—
no one could even see us anymore.
Only destruction remained visible.
Then slowly—
the smoke parted.
My body crashed against the ruined battlefield before sliding backward across the shattered stone.
I immediately forced myself back upward—
but my eyes widened slightly.
…He seriously took one of my strongest attacks head-on and countered it?
Across from me—
Samuel Crimson stood breathing heavily while blood dripped from his arm.
His spear was cracked.
His body covered in injuries.
Yet despite all that—
he was smiling.
No.
He looked excited.
That battle-hungry grin on his face only widened further as flames continuously flickered around his body.
At that moment—
something inside me snapped slightly.
The purple glow within my eyes intensified violently.
Space around the battlefield began trembling unnaturally once more.
Even the spectators felt it instantly.
A crushing pressure.
Danger.
Instinctively—
Aurelia stood up completely now.
"…Noctis."
Meanwhile—
Astarix's golden eyes narrowed sharply.
"…He's losing control."
Darkness spiraled violently around me as I slowly raised my sword toward Samuel.
The sky above the academy darkened.
Space warped endlessly around the blade.
Then—
I spoke.
No.
I screamed it.
"Sword Field:"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Reality cracked.
"EVENT HORIZON!!."
The world changed instantly.
Darkness erupted across the battlefield swallowing the light itself.
The entire arena became covered within a distorted black domain where gravity itself began collapsing unnaturally inward.
Fragments of stone.
Mana.
Light.
Everything nearby began slowly dragging toward the center.
Toward me.
The audience instantly widened their eyes in horror.
Because this was no longer ordinary magic.
It felt closer to a natural disaster.
Within the darkness—
my purple eyes glowed violently.
And then—
Samuel smiled.
Not fearfully.
Not nervously.
But excitedly.
"…Finally."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
An overwhelming eruption of light and flames exploded directly from Samuel's body forcing back part of the darkness surrounding him.
Then—
he raised his spear upward.
The ground beneath him instantly shattered apart.
Golden flames spiraled endlessly around his body while radiant light erupted toward the heavens.
And slowly—
a second domain began forming.
Even the higher years stood up now.
Because Samuel Crimson—
was creating a Sword Field of his own.
Golden flames erupted endlessly around Samuel Crimson.
The pressure radiating from his body rose higher and higher until even the atmosphere surrounding the arena began trembling violently.
Then—
Samuel raised his spear toward the heavens.
His crimson eyes glowed brightly while countless streams of fire and light mana gathered around him like a raging storm.
The arena floor beneath his feet completely collapsed.
And then—
he spoke.
"Spear Field:"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The sky exploded.
"Solar Dominion."
A second domain manifested.
Instantly—
golden flames swallowed half the battlefield while radiant sunlight burst across the heavens themselves.
The darkness of Event Horizon collided directly against Samuel's blazing domain causing the entire arena to distort violently.
Black and gold consumed the battlefield.
Darkness and light.
Gravity and flames.
Two completely opposing worlds crashed against one another endlessly.
CRAAAAAAACK!!!
The mana barriers surrounding the stadium shattered one after another despite the professors desperately reinforcing them.
Students throughout the audience widened their eyes in terror.
Because the pressure leaking from the collision alone already surpassed ordinary A-Rank battles.
Even the instructors looked pale now.
High above—
Mitch Rozenberg slowly grinned while observing Samuel below.
"…That idiot finally used it."
Meanwhile—
Aurelia's expression only darkened further.
Because unlike Samuel—
Noctis's Sword Field felt unstable.
Dangerously unstable.
Within the darkness of Event Horizon—
space continuously cracked apart around me while gravity distorted violently in every direction.
Anything caught within the domain instantly began collapsing inward.
Even light itself bent unnaturally around the battlefield.
Then—
Samuel moved first.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Golden flames erupted behind him like wings as he instantly rushed through the darkness directly toward me.
His speed had become absurd.
The light surrounding his body forcefully resisted the crushing gravity of my domain while fire continuously exploded around his spear.
Meanwhile—
I disappeared.
FWOOOOOOOSH!!!
Wind and space twisted simultaneously as my figure instantly emerged behind Samuel.
SHIIIIIIIIING!!!
My blade slashed downward wrapped in darkness and distorted space.
But Samuel reacted instantly.
CLAAAAAAAAANG!!!
Spear and sword collided once more.
And the world shook.
A gigantic shockwave erupted throughout both domains causing black lightning and golden flames to explode endlessly throughout the battlefield.
The two Sword Fields violently devoured each other.
Event Horizon continuously attempted to crush and consume everything around it.
Meanwhile—
Solar Dominion burned endlessly like a miniature sun refusing to be swallowed.
The collision between the domains itself had become catastrophic.
CRACK.CRACK.CRACK.
The sky above Nexus Academy began splitting apart.
Within the audience—
Silver unconsciously clenched his fists tightly.
Yelena looked completely speechless.
Even Reinheart slowly muttered—
"…These monsters…"
Meanwhile—
Clara Taylor had already completely lost her mind.
"WHY ARE THEY THIS STRONG ALREADY?!"
No one answered her.
Because everyone watching had realized the same terrifying truth.
These two—
were no longer fighting like first years.
They were fighting like future legends already standing at the peak.
Inside Rio's mind—
only a single thought remained.
I won't lose.
CLANG!!!
Their weapons collided once more sending violent shockwaves erupting throughout the overlapping domains.
I won't lose.
Darkness and golden flames continuously exploded across the battlefield while gravity distorted uncontrollably around Event Horizon.
I won't lose.
At this point—
the arena itself had already been completely destroyed.
Only fragments of shattered ground remained floating throughout the collapsing battlefield.
And within that chaos—
the two monsters continued clashing endlessly.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Rio's purple eyes glowed violently within the darkness.
Then suddenly—
light mana erupted around his body.
Several higher years instantly widened their eyes.
"…He switched affinities again?!"
FWOOOOOOOSH!!!
Radiant light exploded around Rio's figure as his speed instantly skyrocketed once more.
The darkness surrounding him bent unnaturally while light mana fused together with wind and lightning.
Then—
he vanished.
No.
He became a streak of light itself.
SHIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!
Rio instantly appeared beside Samuel mid-air slashing toward his neck at impossible speed.
But Samuel reacted instantly too.
Because at the exact same moment—
golden light erupted from his own body.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
His spear ignited brilliantly while light affinity amplified his movements even further.
And then—
the battle completely disappeared from sight.
The crowd couldn't follow anymore.
Not even the afterimages.
Within the overlapping domains—
only countless flashes of black and gold continuously erupted throughout the battlefield.
Two streaks of light collided endlessly at absurd speeds.
One wrapped in darkness.
The other burning like the sun itself.
SHIIIIING!!!CLANG!!!BOOOOOOM!!!
Every clash distorted the domains around them violently.
One moment they fought near the collapsing skies above the arena.
The next—
an explosion erupted across the opposite side instantly afterward.
The speed had become monstrous.
Even several professors began narrowing their eyes seriously now just to barely follow the fight.
Within Solar Dominion—
Samuel thrust his spear forward releasing gigantic waves of golden flames throughout the battlefield.
But Rio instantly tore through them using distorted space and overwhelming speed.
Meanwhile—
inside Event Horizon—
gravity continuously attempted crushing Samuel from every direction.
Yet Samuel's light affinity and overwhelming mana output forcefully resisted the pressure while his system continuously generated countermeasures mid-battle.
The two domains violently trembled.
Neither side yielding.
Neither side collapsing.
Then—
CLAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!
Their weapons collided directly at the center of the battlefield once more.
For a brief moment—
black lightning and golden flames illuminated the entire academy.
Rio's glowing purple eyes met Samuel's burning crimson gaze directly.
Both breathing heavily.
Both injured.
Yet neither willing to step back.
CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!
Sword and spear collided once more at the center of the collapsing domains.
The impact distorted the atmosphere itself as black lightning and golden flames exploded endlessly throughout the battlefield.
Yet neither side retreated.
Neither side yielded.
Within the chaos—
Rio suddenly laughed.
"Hahahaha—!"
The sound echoed unnaturally throughout the overlapping domains.
Wild.
Breathless.
Almost maniacal.
Even Samuel's eyes widened slightly for a moment.
Because Rio's expression had completely changed now.
His glowing purple eyes trembled with excitement while darkness and space distorted violently around him.
"What the hell—"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Rio instantly clashed against Samuel again mid-sentence.
"—why is this so fun?!"
SHIIIIIIIIING!!!
Their figures became streaks of light once more tearing across the battlefield at absurd speeds.
Every collision shattered more of the arena apart.
The mana barriers surrounding the stadium were already barely holding together.
Yet Rio only laughed harder.
Because this feeling—
this overwhelming rush surging through his body—
felt intoxicating.
The feeling of giving everything.
Holding nothing back.
Fighting someone who could truly stand against him.
Someone who pushed him further and further every second.
"Hahahaha—!"
Darkness exploded violently around Rio as he instantly switched trajectories mid-air before slashing toward Samuel again.
The pressure of Event Horizon intensified further causing entire sections of the battlefield to collapse inward unnaturally.
Meanwhile Samuel grinned right back at him.
Golden flames erupted around his spear as he forcefully blocked the attack.
CLAAAAAAAAANG!!!
A gigantic shockwave exploded throughout both domains.
Their faces were only inches apart now.
And Rio smiled wildly.
"The rush of knowing you're giving everything…"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Their weapons collided again.
"…and still wanting more—!"
At this point—
the battle had completely transcended reason.
The spectators could no longer even comprehend what they were watching.
This wasn't a tournament duel anymore.
It was two monsters pushing each other higher and higher while laughing through the destruction surrounding them.
And somehow—
that made the fight even more terrifying.