Across the field, his opponent stood like a wall of stone. Tyria Stonebloom. A dwarf girl, barely taller than her own warhammer. Her armor was burnished crimson with deep brown veins, resembling the roots of a tree fused into ancient metal. The weapon she carried was massive, etched with runes that pulsed green and gold—earth and nature in harmony.

The announcer's voice rang out, loud and clear.

"Next match: representing the Imperial Academy of Valor—Noel Thorne!"

A wave of cheers exploded from one side of the arena.

"And from Tharvaldur Institute of Arcane Might—Tyria Stonebloom!"

The other side of the crowd erupted with equal enthusiasm. Tyria raised her hammer in one hand. She didn't smile—her dark eyes fixed on Noel with quiet intensity.

Noel breathed out once, his hand brushing against the hilt of Revenant Fang.

'Tyria Stonebloom… You don't look like you want to fight. But you've been made to, haven't you?'

The atmosphere thickened.

Then—

"Begin!"

Tyria surged forward with startling speed. Her heavy boots slammed into the ground, and the massive hammer spun in a tight arc above her. Noel stepped back, drawing Revenant Fang in one smooth motion. The black blade hissed, catching the light like a shadow made solid.

Her hammer crashed into the ground where he'd been, sending stone shards flying. Noel slid across the floor and countered with a quick Fire Arc, a crescent of flame slicing toward her shoulder.

"Fire Arc."

The spell hit, searing part of her armor. She didn't flinch—barely even blinked. She was already charging again.

'Definitely enhanced,' Noel thought as he ducked under a second swing. 'That impact. It's beyond normal.'

The real fight had only just begun.

Tyria's warhammer spun in a deadly horizontal arc, forcing Noel to lower his stance and slide beneath it. The air cracked from the force of the swing, and the floor fractured where the weapon struck. Dust flew. Noel countered instantly, thrusting his hand forward.

"Fireball!"

The blazing sphere launched point-blank into Tyria's chest. It exploded in a flash of heat and light, flames licking around her armor. She skidded backward from the impact but dug her boots in and stopped herself with a stomp that split the stone beneath her.

Tyria slammed her hammer into the ground.

"Verdant Shackles!"

From the cracks in the arena floor, thick vines burst forth, coiling rapidly toward Noel's legs. He raised his hand.

"Flamethrower!"

A stream of searing fire roared from his palm, reducing the plants to ash before they could reach him. Steam rose from the scorched arena tiles. He dashed sideways, closing the gap.

Tyria turned with him and swung her weapon overhead.

"Stone Crash!"

The hammer came down like an avalanche. Noel twisted to the side just before it hit, the shockwave lifting chunks of earth. He responded with a quick slash of Revenant Fang, its black edge glinting as fire coated its surface.

"Ignition Surge."

The sword ignited in brilliant flame. Sparks trailed with every movement as Noel launched a flurry of attacks. Tyria parried with the hammer's reinforced shaft, her strength staggering—but she was slower.

Noel struck again, blade blazing.

"Voltage Needle."

A sharp spear of lightning shot forward, piercing past Tyria's defense and striking her shoulder. Her body jolted violently, her arm spasming just long enough for her guard to break. Noel swept low, kicked at her legs, and backed away quickly.

Tyria stumbled, then growled low and slammed her hand into the arena floor.

"Root Snare!"

A ring of green light pulsed out around her, and the ground erupted once more.

Tyria charged with surprising speed, hammer raised above her head. Noel dashed to the side, circling to flank her.

"Ice Spike."

Jagged spears of ice erupted from the ground in a line, aiming to cut off her advance. Tyria smashed through them without hesitation, shards bursting in every direction as she roared forward.

"Stone Shatter!"

Her hammer glowed brown and slammed into the ground. A surge of earth exploded upward in a shockwave, forcing Noel to leap back, barely avoiding the debris. As he landed, he slashed downward with Revenant Fang.

"Fire Arc."

A curved wave of flame streaked through the air, colliding with the rising earth and bursting in a fiery bloom. Tyria pushed through the smoke, hammer spinning.

"Grasping Roots!"

The ground behind Noel pulsed green—more vines launched out, aiming to trap him from the back. He spun, cloak flaring behind him.

"Frost Wall."

A barrier of solid ice rose instantly, halting the vines and blocking Tyria's line of sight. But only for a moment.

Tyria smashed through the frost with a horizontal sweep, the wall exploding outward. Noel was already moving.

"Chain Flash."

A bolt of lightning burst from his hand and split upon impact, sending arcs leaping toward her arms and legs. She grunted, staggering briefly from the residual shocks.

Her eyes glowed faintly. The enhancer was clearly active.

Noel exhaled once, steadying himself.

He flicked his wrist.

"Stormpiercer."

His body blurred into light, a streak of pure electricity cutting straight through the battlefield. Tyria barely had time to raise her hammer before the impact cracked her armor and sent her skidding across the arena.

But she didn't fall.

She planted her hammer into the ground and stood, her breathing ragged, aura unstable.

The crowd leaned forward as both combatants stood at opposite ends of the arena. Tyria's armor was scorched and cracked, her breathing uneven, and her stance less steady than before—but her grip on the hammer remained firm. Noel, across from her, readied himself.

Tyria raised her weapon high, green and brown mana surging around her body in thick coils. The ground cracked beneath her feet as plant life erupted in patches around her.

"Verdant Collapse!"

A wave of roots, moss, and hardened earth surged forward, twisting together into a stampede of tangled terrain. Noel held Revenant Fang with both hands, then extended his left palm.

"Dark Sun."

The air distorted. A small, dark orb began to form in front of his hand, spinning slowly at first—then faster, compressing fire magic into a dense singularity. Sparks bled from the core as the temperature of the arena seemed to drop, sucked into the growing mass of black fire.

Tyria gritted her teeth and pushed through the growing pull of the spell. She leapt, hammer overhead, aiming to end it before the sphere could fully charge.

The orb suddenly stabilized. The red outline around its pitch-black center pulsed once—then detonated.

A flash of darkness exploded outward in a wave of implosive fire, sweeping across the arena like a collapsing sun. The shockwave hit Tyria mid-air. The protective item she wore a charm embedded into her shoulder plate, flared violently, activating just before impact.

A transparent golden dome appeared around her, absorbing the brunt of the blast.

The crowd gasped. Smoke and flames billowed across the field, obscuring everything.

When it cleared, Tyria was on one knee, her hammer planted into the ground, still conscious — but unable to continue. The protective dome had vanished, consumed.

The announcer's voice boomed.

"The winner is Noel Thorne of the Imperial Academy of Valor!"

Applause and murmurs spread like fire through the audience. Tyria slowly stood and gave a small nod, turning toward the side exit of the arena. As she walked away, Noir slipped from the shadows behind her, tail flicking as she followed discreetly.

In the stands, Elyra stood up. Charlotte and Elena rose with her. Elyra met Noel's eyes across the distance and gave a small nod. She understood.

Noel didn't stay to celebrate. With one last glance, he turned and walked off the field, following Noir through the side corridor toward the private hallways and the office of Headmaster Nicolas.

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