MC POV
My steps onto the stage were calm.
I scanned the entire area, and my eyes first focused on two groups. One was obvious—it was my overly protective brothers, who must have heard the news and come to observe.
The other, surprisingly, was my friend Leo. As I observed him, I noticed that his clothing was exceptionally refined, but what caught my attention the most was the presence of a guard wearing the uniform of a royal knight. That detail confirmed my small suspicion.
'So, he really is… part of the royal family. But is he the third prince? The fourth? Or some other relative…?'
This revelation didn't concern me or make me overthink. I liked Leo and considered him my friend regardless of his status.
Of course, if Leonardo knew I was calling him a "friend," he might get frustrated.
Beyond these two groups, I couldn't immediately identify anyone else, but it was likely that other powerful forces were present to observe the results.
"Look at me!!"
I heard the loud voice of the young noble in front of me. I scratched my ear slightly.
"Exaggerated brat, speak more quietly."
I was slightly annoyed. Most of the time, I was calm and affectionate, but I hated dealing with political matters and scheming in general—especially when it involved irrational or annoying people.
I preferred direct attacks, traps, and well-laid plans. People like this just irritated me.
My words frustrated him, and his eyes shifted to the referee. Feeling the hostility and bloodlust directed at him, the referee—who had only a low cultivation level and came from no famous family—felt a shiver down his spine.
"Ahem! The match is about to begin. Are both of you ready?"
I nodded with a relaxed and lazy attitude. César, however, grew even more furious. Still, he seemed to compose himself, maintaining a noble and calm demeanor while focusing on the battle, knowing full well the dangers of fighting a relative of a Duke.
Once we both confirmed our readiness, the signal was given.
"Begin!!"
Without hesitation, César swung the large fan in his hand. With that motion, razor-sharp, destructive winds rushed toward me, intending to slice me into tiny pieces.
I smoothly raised my left hand, and using my Qi as an energy source, I conjured a wall of water that blocked the incoming winds.
Then, with a flick of my fingers, my right hand summoned three sharp water spears, which shot toward my opponent.
Within the academy and on missions, I planned to use three of the energies cultivated through my technique—water, fire, and light.
Each had a specific purpose:
Fire: Essential for my alchemy classes and naturally powerful in offense. Water: To harness aspects of Yule's element while providing defensive and support capabilities, also useful in alchemy. Light: Rare and versatile, offering potential for speed, offense, and support, making me stand out when necessary while granting useful combat bonuses.
As for why I wouldn't use other elements—it was natural. Few people had affinity with multiple elements, let alone all of them. A cultivation technique covering all elements was even rarer.
I had no intention of drawing too much attention by revealing more than necessary. Besides, keeping hidden trump cards was essential—especially in a dangerous world of cultivation, filled with traps, techniques, bloodlines, factions, and countless forms of power.
"Crack!!"
The sound of something breaking snapped me back to the battle.
I saw that, in response to my attack, César remained calm. He used a wind-based technique similar—but distinct—from my usual combination of wind and thunder elements.
His footwork was swift, resembling that of a wind wolf, allowing him to evade the spears without much difficulty. One of the spears, however, he shattered with his large fan, seemingly testing the strength of my attack.
I smiled, satisfied that he had some level of competence.
With a casual motion of my hand, three mid-to-large-sized chains—imbued with cutting power and pressure—shot toward him. Sensing the danger, he infused his fan with even more Qi, creating a small tornado to block my attack.
Wind and water clashed violently, and in the end, both attacks were neutralized.
The ongoing exchange had drained a good amount of Qi from both of us. However, I noticed that César was more exhausted. My Qi reserves were naturally larger and purer, thanks to my cultivation realm, my manual, and my special methods.
Realizing this, we both decided to engage in close combat.
A soft light enveloped my body as I closed the distance between us swiftly. Though I didn't use a movement technique, my speed was more than enough.
Appearing at his side, I swung my rare-grade sword, its sharp edge aiming to strike him.
Our weapons clashed, and with each strike, bursts of light and wind erupted.
The pace of our attacks increased, but it was clear that I held a slight advantage.
....
Spectators' Area
Among the spectators, murmurs spread as they watched my movements and the traces of light energy.
"Does he have a dual element?"
"It seems so. Water is common, but light—like darkness and thunder—is much rarer."
"Sure, it's notable, but not that rare."
"Hey, but I think he's even more special. I know for a fact that he's an alchemist, so he probably has fire energy too."
"Ooh… Three elements is quite rare. But he should be careful—having too many elements isn't always a good thing, especially as he reaches the legendary realms that require understanding of Daos. Plus, he wields a sword too."
The last remark came from a professor who seemed highly interested in the battle.
Below the royal balcony, Leonardo's monstrous companion also seemed fascinated.
'Master, he's quite skilled at manipulating energy. If he used fire, thunder, or darkness, he could probably end this fight instantly by overwhelming his opponent.'
Leo responded telepathically.
'He must have his reasons. I suspect he's keeping some of his elemental abilities hidden as a precaution. That way, he can surprise his enemies when necessary.'
The beast snickered.
'My master, the battle junkie who solves everything with fists and brute force, actually knows how to strategize?'
Hearing that, Leonardo scowled. In an instant, his fist—charged with dark energy laced with traces of other elements—slammed into the monster.
"Ack…!"
The beast let out a pained cry and quickly went silent, afraid his muscle-headed master might hit him again.
'I do know how to strategize. I just usually don't have the patience for it and prefer using my fists and kicks. Power is what truly matters in this world.'
Dante chose to avoid responding—after all, that could earn him another punch. Even though his master didn't have the cultivation strength to truly injure him at the moment, the terms of their contract ensured that the blow would still hurt.
....
Back to the Battle
We continued our clash for some time.
I observed his martial arts techniques and the way he manipulated energy. His control wasn't particularly advanced or versatile, but it was still better than I had expected, given his cultivation level. This likely indicated that he belonged to a cultivation family and was dedicated to his training.
'At least his arrogant posture has some justification.'
I thought to myself as I moved my sword even faster than before, slashing rapidly and overwhelming him.
César realized the danger and tried to defend himself—but it was too late.
A blinding light burst from my body, momentarily blinding him. At the same time, my speed surged, enhanced by my light energy.
Now positioned behind him, my left hand moved in a precise and unique manner.
Water Qi gathered in my palm as I activated the Ocean Palm Technique.
A deep, rushing sound echoed as the image of a vast ocean materialized behind me in mere milliseconds, its energy condensing into my hand.
With a powerful strike, César was sent flying as if he had been struck by a massive tidal wave.
Mid-air, he coughed up red liquid, his body crashing outside the battle arena.
I didn't stop there.
Harnessing the light energy around me as a catalyst, I formed a Light Chakram and launched it toward him.
In the end, it stopped just inches from his neck.
"You're already out of the arena and a step away from death. Although it's unnecessary, I'll ask—do you surrender?"
On his face, I saw regret, sorrow, and a deep sense of failure.
He hesitated to answer, and an awkward silence settled over the battlefield.
I didn't rush him, though impatience crept in as my energy continued to drain, sustaining my attack.
"I surrender."
In the end, he could only accept the inevitable.
With a flick of my fingers, I dissipated the light energy weapon and sheathed my sword.
Just as I had arrived, I left the battlefield with measured steps.
The same air of elegance and arrogance still clung to me.
It was in that moment that everyone noticed—I bore no injuries and was almost entirely clean.
This only strengthened the intimidating and awe-inspiring image I had left behind.