Everyone was already recomposed and in their places, the nine winners were in the center of the arena, the stands in delirium, the fights were being very animated, in the sky of the arena again the magic screens with nine cards on a table, exposed, each one had the image of one of the nine defeated, and then placed in an urn and Katherine rattled them, so Margareth went to make her announcement.
– I'm proud to say that the fights have proven their potential and abilities, demonstrated that they are Celestia's children, not only demonstrated power, but we also saw perseverance, courage, resilience, strategy, sportsmanship, partnership and compassion, we saw winners helping their opponents to stand up and the losers go help the winners who had been left with serious status... You have something more than just power, you have character, I couldn't be more proud... It turns out there are only nine winners, and how we need an even number, the queen will draw one of the nine defeated to return and I believe that any one of them will be deserving, as they showed such courage and determination in their battles. – Margareth announced, giving space to the queen and everyone was applauding, both Margareth's speech and the young mages who were putting themselves to the test.
– Thank you very much, headmistress Lock, I am feeling very satisfied with their performance, and I confirm what I said, any of the losers is as good as the winners, they were tough fights, but only in tough fights do we learn, mature and we become stronger, to those who are not contemplated, do not cry or belittle themselves, there is still plenty of time to bestow Celestia with your gifts, with your gentle hearts, you all carry the "Spirit of Celestia" within your soul. – Said the queen proudly and placing her hand in the urn selecting at random one of the cards. – And the person selected was… Eve Novel. –
Every Novel in the arena was in an uproar over the fact that one of her households had been selected to rejoin, Eve soon headed to the center of the arena along with the others excited.
– Now begins the match selection process as in the first round. – Anitta said that she was shuffling the cards of the ten qualified for this round and laying them face down on the table in a 5X2 pattern. – Could Teresa do the honors? –
– Of course! – Teresa said that she selects two cards at opposite ends of the two lines of cards. – Apollodro Hecatrix versus Keith Haze... Nora. –
Nora then went to select two more cards.
– Gladly… Eve Novel versus Adam Hardrock. – Nora announced. – Kristen, would you like it? –
Kristen then went next to choose another two cards.
– Of course… Nathan Gallard versus Gale Gallard. – Kristen announced that she had felt that the atmosphere had weighed when she announced this fight, and not for less. – George, please. –
George then selected two other cards that were nearby.
– Complicated situation as before... Sandy Storm versus Alana Ivory. – announced George. – And of course, by table, the last fight is Artemisia Hecatrix versus Megara Hashik. –
The pairs were separated, fights would soon begin, some were controversial, but they would serve to test their limits, their convictions and courage. The magical screens disappeared and the young mages went to the stands to wait for the signal, in the main box the situation seemed almost like a slug.
– Controversial fights ahead, two sons of the crown facing each other. – Ethan commented with his ironic way.
– And as for Hashik and Hecatrix, these two have already fought in tournaments before, there is rivalry there, this fight will catch fire... No joke intended. – Alister laughed.
– A puppet master and a spellbook master, I don't lose this fight for anything. – George said excitedly.
– As far as I know Storm and Ivory are friends, this will be a tense fight for them, but it builds character and a lot. – Said Anitta austere. – As for Eve and Adam's fight, ironic, isn't it dear? The daughter of a student of mine against the son of a student of yours. –
– Of course, it will be a very interesting clash. – George agreed.
– The first fight is also interesting, let's see who will win, the mass destruction kid, or the super strong medical mage. – Commented Morrigan thoughtfully.
– Apparently, they will be lively clashes... As for the fight of my grandchildren, I am honestly not capable of giving my opinion. – Aria said.
– Nate sent the Allure kid to hell, I bet he wins. – Emma said.
– As if he were going to keep up with Gale's speed to get the spell right, she'll fill his tail with celestial energy daggers before he tries to use that. – Said Valtor defending the chances of his daughter.
– Valtor and Emma have always been competitive with each other since I was little, but honestly, I don't know who wins this fight, both are strong candidates, what will define it is the slightest mistake. – Commented Ethan.
– Don't come with that cocksucker (said with affection and by brothers) who are you betting on? – Said the heir princess and the prime minister simultaneously almost in unison, those three were brothers, they could treat each other like that.
– I don't know, I'm rooting for you both, and don't mess with my mind, if not I will do like when I was ten and you were fighting over who was going to hook up with James Heavens and I turn you into mind slaves. – Said Ethan acid.
– Whoever spoke is no longer here! – Said the other two brothers.
– James Heavens? You are aware that everyone fucked him, right? he was more used than a truck tire. – Edward laughed with an ironic face.
– Said the holy virgin and immaculate. – Ironized Otrera with an ironic look.
– Next to him I was a virgin, immaculate and sealed… I can't believe you were fighting over him, everyone already had him in our teenage years. – Edward said.
– And the two caught him on different occasions, I couldn't stand to hear them fighting like children anymore, and I'm the one who was ten years old and they were 16 and 20. – Ethan commented.
– Ethan was always more powerful than the two of us, he was impressive, his talents made him the Gallard prodigy of his generation. – Commented Emma.
– But we're here today for those young people, so we set a happy hour later to remember the shit we did in our youth, but now we have fights to watch. – Said Ethan.
– And apparently the more mature of the brothers too. – Morrigan laughed ironic and acid.
***
Things straightened out, Apollodro and Keith went to position themselves on the battlefield warming up, it would be a decisive fight for both, it was a position as a Beta that was at stake, and there was only one, for the winner of that dispute.
– Let the decisive fight begin. – Announced the excited queen.
The two mages had already gone all out, Apollodro with his punch amplified by physical reinforcement magic and Keith using gravity to increase the weight of his punches, it was a monstrous shockwave and they darted in opposite directions across the battlefield. They did not take long to face each other again, Apollodro used his agility with water blades in his hands, while Keith still bet on his punches with increased weight.
– Sorry Polo, but there's only one spot and it's going to be mine. – Keith said that he engenders a punch on the ground and the cracks emanated energy from the chaos that tried to hit Apollodro.
– I was going to tell you the same friend, I'm not going to lose, I'm going to show that I'm capable, that I'm not a weak medical mage and that I can be on the front lines, so I'm the one who will win. – Apollodro said, he was very agile, dodging the energy of chaos that shot from the cracks almost like a dancer and when in the air he was still whirling, releasing waves of water from the blades of his hands.
– I know how good a friend you are, but I said I won't lose and I don't mind going all out... Gravity Bind + Chaos Dragon. – Conjured Keith, first he altered Apollodro's gravitational axis leaving him light as a feather and then hit squarely by a dragon projectile of chaos energy, and thus taken more easily to the top, from there gravity reversed leaving him extremely heavy and crashing into the ground almost two hundred meters high at 200km/h, it was not even necessary to comment that the epicenter of the collision looked like a bumpy crater and that Apollodro was injured, but not enough for him to have to resort to his technique of healing still, it was a very heavy and practical blow.
– Dual Dragons: Dance Of Water And Ice. – Conjured Apollodro who had this new spell up his sleeve, he casted a dragon projectiles in helix, one ice and one water, he was improving his elemental side to buy some time in battle, but it was a considerable blow.
That fight promised a lot of surprises and effort, it was a fight that they were betting on, their parents were watching with pride.
– Our son is fighting a Hecatrix, this boy has a lot of guts, but our son will crush him. – Edmundo said.
– Keith was always hardworking, I know he's going to give his all in this fight. – Fabi said.
The Hecatrix were also quite confident.
– I didn't even know he was perfecting these elements, this move was very well done, it even looks like your old twin ice dragons spell, love. – Hecuba said watching the fight with pride.
– That's because I gave him the tip, and he had a knack for doing it, he's more of medical magic and reinforcement, but having some tricks like that is good, he can't just count on ice thorns or bristles of water, a few stronger hits like that just make you more capable. – Tristan said.
– This boy, he is quite amazing, and he took an opponent to loosen up and prove his healing and attack skills. – Daedalus commented.
– He reminds me of Otrera, she had this very analytical way, she was generally very hotheaded as Artemisia, but in battle Apollodro reminds her more. – Helena recalled that she felt as if she were watching her own daughter's struggle 22 years ago.
In the main box, the fight proved to be exciting.
– He has a lot of cards up his sleeve, besides being proficient in medical magic he can still perfom a spell like that, I knew he was full of tricks, but I know he will surprise us in another way, I feel. – Said Otrera.
– Your nephew is good, but Keith, he proved to be a reactor of destruction, I doubt he can win, friend… He still hasn't mastered medical skills like you to risk so much. – Pointed out Morrigan that she had a clear preference for Keith, a mage who came from below, orphan of the war, and had a dark past like her own, she saw herself in it.
– I just know that this fight is very good, they have a lot of interesting spells. – Katherine pointed out that she realized that those young people were giving their all for the title.
And the fight continued, Apollodro tried to hit cuts with the water blades with his quick and agile movements, while Keith retaliated with explosive punches of chaos with increased gravity.
– No matter how much power throws at me, I never give up my friend, and I already said that title is mine. – Apollodro said that he fitted a phenomenal set of physical blows ending with a kick that sent Keith away.
– Since you want a real fight... I'll show you the most powerful form of my spell... Chaos Satellites + Gravity Bind. – Conjured Keith, he summoned several large spheres of energy from chaos, then he decreased the gravitational weight making them float in the skies, not only that, he took the gravity off Apollodro's body and so he floated to the spheres triggering a series of explosions being thrown from side to side violently in the skies until Keith returns gravity to his body and he falls to the ground now badly injured. – You just need to give up, you don't need to get hurt.
– Dream on… Supreme Regenerative Skill: Advanced Mitosis. – Conjured a stubborn Apollodro, this spell accelerated the mitotic process of the cells making regeneration faster, allowed Apollodro to recover during the battle and from the moment that with this active technique he is stable, he gradually increases the other attributes, as marks some organic pattern magic circuits on the mage's face. He was aligning his physical boosting skills of agility, strength and endurance to this, he was a pool of magical energy for his age. – Now it will be at the base of the fight. –
– It chipped! Gravity Bind: Max Field. – Conjured Keith, this spell exerts an increased gravity force in the whole field making the bodies heavier, requiring much more force to move or fight.
Apollodro advances furiously with his continuous healing technique and his improved physical attributes, it was a brutal and fatal fight, Keith was trying to slow down and immobilize the Hecatrix by increasing gravity around the field and on the opponent, but he still managed to summon the strength to fight back. to move and keep fighting, that required an absurd force.
– Are you crazy? Fight under these conditions? It must be tearing at your muscles, breaking your bones, the pain… – Keith began.
– Do you think I care? I'm going to prove that I'm not here just to be protected by Nate and Artê, I can fend for myself, and with my healing abilities, I can last until the end of the fight, as well as having unleashed other passive spells to help in recovery, so worry about yourself. – Apollodro said, he still hit a combo of blows that really did damage and made Keith undo the gravity spell with the force of the impact.
With the field back to normal, the healing process worked even faster, even because Apollodro sacrificed the stamina improvement to direct all magical energy to the mitotic process, he had been hurt a lot by the high movement in an increased gravity field .
– I still haven't finished with you friend. – Apollodro said that he went with everything fitting a series of blows and still stopping Keith's blows increased by gravity with his hands and giving him a headbutt that sank him into the ground for good, it was really a demonstration of skill, skill and impressive strength.
The fight was decided and the winner obvious.
– The fight goes to Apollodro Hecatrix, congratulations! – Announced the Queen Aria.
Soon after that Apollodro also fell on the battlefield, it looked like he had exhausted all his magic in the fight, he used many complex spells and still had some broken bones and torn tissue that his technique hadn't fully healed, he literally gave it his all in this fight. So Derek and Trent went to pick up the unconscious bodies of the two young men to take them to the medical ward, Nathan was worried, but he knew the loved one would recover soon, he was very strong.
In the main box, the fight had made people talk, an epic confrontation.
– The boy is really your nephew, he gave his all in the fight, even knowing he wouldn't have enough magic to heal himself, he risked everything, he has courage and strength. – Alister said impressed. – He had already shown himself very strong against Lucas, but this he deliberately broke bones and ripped open his flesh to defeat his opponent. –
– In addition to having commendable persistence, he really deserves the promotion, will he be the next "Otrera Hecatrix"? – Ethan said excitedly, Apollodro was skillful and strong as most medical and reinforcement mages are not compared to female medical and reinforcement mages who have a naturally superior magic domain.
– My dear Polo!... My nephew proved himself, even though he has a lot to learn, I see he's on the right path, still somewhat impulsive, but the ability is undeniable... Astarte, you're really being an excellent teacher, I am proud. – Said Otrera with a smile of satisfaction, she knows how difficult it is in this world for male mages, all the prejudice, the demerit and harassment, but she knew that her nephew had the willpower to overcome it all.
– As I said, he gives his all, and always tries to become the best version of you. – Astarte smiled.
– As for Keith, his performance was fabulous, he pushed his opponent to the limit in a masterly way, his bad luck was to face a medical mage, but that he has an amazing potential for destruction, that he has. – Morrigan said, she had not lost interest in Keith, he was a perfect specimen in the eyes of the legendary mage.
– Keith tried very hard, but there will be other opportunities, what he needs is good medical treatment, those punches and the final header must have been lethal. – Commented Henri resolute and satisfied with the student's performance.
– If the strength of the Polo is anything like the strength of the Otrera at this age, your student could be passed out for days even. – Edward said remembering the time he was beaten by Otrera for trying to spy on the Academy's women's sauna.
– You overlooked a detail, didn't you, Otrera? – Alister said he was scared of the possibility.
– You're right… The last physical blows weren't even close to full strength because they had broken bones and ripped muscles taking the maximum power out of the blows, considering the impacts within a field with increased gravity… In short, he made blows with only 65% of his maximum strength... Under normal conditions he could have taken this whole arena down with just a few hits, which is a very well concentrated punch. – Said Otrera serious and analytical analyzing the situation with his knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology and almost unsurpassed knowledge of anatomy.
– "O", that was your strength level when you entered the Academy… That boy then… I'm past. – Edward said with his chin gaping open.
– Maybe he doesn't know the extent of his strength, but he could be as strong as you one day, do you know how impressive that is? – Nora said, amazed at the possibility.
– Not necessarily, at age 18 Eddy's and "O's" physical strength were almost identical without the booster, but over the years it got monstrously stronger and he didn't keep up with the strength development, even through enhancement, it's higher in women, that is, it's still very likely that it only reaches 70% of Otrera's total strength at its peak, which is still a lot, it's still more than Alister anyway. – Morrigan said.
– This boy is scary. – Alister commented with admiration.
– And his boyfriend can send souls to hell, I wonder if Artemisia has anything else up her sleeve to compare with that, not that what she did in the first round is little, but two of them have almost put themselves in the same parameter as two of the legendary mages at the time of the Academy... And Astarte commented on her being the most powerful of the three. – Maeve said curiously.
– Wait for her fight and see... She's stronger than the two of them, at least nowadays, isn't that right Astarte? – Edward said full of himself.
– As I've already said, yes… Artemisia has cards up her sleeve that will shock you. – Commented Astarte increasing the mystery.