Without warning, a deadly spike, honed to a razor's edge, erupted from the ground beneath Klaus. This was no ordinary projectile.
It exuded a lethal chill, its icy aura permeating the immediate environment with a palpable sense of doom. Its potential for destruction was vast, capable of obliterating anything unfortunate enough to cross its path.
Time itself seemed to pause, caught in the spectacle of the emerging deathly icicle. It was a monstrous drill, boring its way through the earth's crust with an insatiable hunger for destruction.
Klaus was directly in its path, poised for certain doom, when salvation came in the form of a swift hand.
Just as the glacial spike was about to impale him, Klaus was yanked from its trajectory. The timing was impeccable; a moment later, and the spike would have torn through flesh and bone, reducing Klaus to a tragic memory.
"Heatwave," Keira intoned, her voice barely louder than a whisper, yet carrying the weight of a storm. She had pulled Klaus to safety and now turned her attention to the battlefield.
At her command, an immense wave of blistering heat rolled across the terrain. The cold was purged, replaced by a wave of searing warmth that vaporized the ice in its path.
The transformation was swift and complete. Within seconds, the frozen battlefield was a steamy mist, the icy spike a mere wisp of memory.
Keira's gaze swung towards Valeria, her eyes sparking with a fury that rivalled the heat of her spell. She released Klaus, her attention wholly on the woman who had dared break their agreement.
Her gaze was a blade, etched with a killing intent.
"The rules were clear, Valeria. No magic. This was to be a contest of skill, not sorcery," Keira spat out.
Valeria shrugged nonchalantly, a sneer twisting her lips into a cruel parody of a smile. "The fight was becoming a bore, darling. I thought I'd add a little excitement."
Keira's lip curled, her disdain palpable. "You're nothing but a coward and a loser," she retorted, her voice was filled with contempt.
"Y-You…"
Valeria faltered, her lips parting to snap back, only to be cut off by Keira's relentless words.
"The battle was only boring because you were losing," Keira said, her voice laced with icy derision. "You were being dismantled, piece by piece, by Klaus, who just started learning to fight two days ago. From start to finish, it was a one-sided massacre."
She paused for a moment, letting the words hang in the air, then continued. "You, who boasts of being one of the most talented in the state, were left in the dust by a novice. A novice trained by me. That must be a bitter pill to swallow, isn't it?"
The corners of Keira's mouth turned upward into a smirk, a cruel mirror of Valeria's earlier expression. She reveled in the mockery, her gaze never wavering from Valeria.
However, Valeria's response was not what Keira expected. Instead of retorting or justifying herself, Valeria threw her head back and burst into a fit of maniacal laughter.
Valeria's sudden mirth deepened the frown on Keira's face. She waited for the laughter to subside.
As the laughter subsided, Valeria's voice, laced with scorn, cut through the silence. "So, you're taking credit for his success, are you?" She smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Sure, I bent the rules. But if you truly believe your half-baked training had anything to do with Klaus's performance, you're an even bigger fool than I thought."
Keira's sneer deepened at Valeria's words. "Is that so?" she retorted.
Valeria nodded, her smirk widening. "If you believe you could do better than me, why not prove it? Fight him yourself. Surely, a mere student can't surpass his master in just two days, right?"
She folded her arms across her chest defiantly, her gaze challenging. "If you can outperform me, then I'll admit that you were the reason for his success."
Keira bit her lower lip, her mind racing. The truth was, she hadn't taught Klaus any of those moves. Their training had been focused on physical endurance and strength, preparing his body to withstand the brutal blows Valeria was known for.
She had anticipated Klaus being on the receiving end of a beating, not delivering one. The turn of events had left her flabbergasted.
"Well, princess?" Valeria prodded, her tone filled with derisive amusement.
Keira's gaze flickered to Margaret, who wore a triumphant smile, and then to Klaus. His face was an unreadable mask, neither joy nor disappointment marring his features.
But when she looked into his eyes, she saw a flicker of battlelust, a primal hunger for combat reminiscent of a dormant beast yearning for release.
"No," Keira announced abruptly.
As Valeria's mouth opened to respond, Keira cut her off. "Not for the reasons you imagine," she clarified, "but because I believe he is exhausted."
"I don't mi—"
Klaus attempted to interject, but a single, icy glance from Keira silenced him. His words died in his throat under the weight of her gaze. He offered a grin before extending his hand towards Valeria. "Since I won, I should get the beast cores."
A flicker of reluctance crossed Valeria's face. The outcome of the match had been entirely unexpected. If someone had told her earlier that she would be bested by Klaus, and lose three precious beast cores in the bargain, she would have scoffed at the notion.
The odds had been in her favor, yet, against all probability, Klaus had emerged victorious.
Valeria's gaze shifted to Margaret, who remained perched on the podium, a silent observer. The two locked eyes, and Valeria bit her lower lip, a reluctant resignation in her gaze. She reached into her spatial pouch, drawing out three beast cores.
The gem-like objects were a vibrant array of colors—violet, white, and emerald green. Carved onto the violet core was the figure of a two-headed tiger, the emerald green bore the image of a python, and the white core depicted a polar bear with eyes that glowed a fierce red.
Klaus's eyes widened at the sight of the cores, a flicker of excitement lighting up his gaze. He swallowed hard, his anticipation nearly palpable as he stared at the beast cores.
"Here," Valeria said, her voice devoid of any emotion as she tossed the three cores toward Klaus.
Catching them with ease, Klaus stared at the cores in his hand, his face a picture of awe. To him, in that moment, nothing was as precious as the prizes he held.
Then, abruptly, he turned to Keira. "Can you help me absorb these?" His voice was barely more than a whisper, his question a quiet plea hanging in the air.