Eizan and Graham stood facing each other in the training field, the air thick with tension and anticipation. Students gathered around, their eyes fixed on the two fighters. Professor Arion stood a few paces behind, observing closely and ready to intervene if necessary.
Graham wore a cynical smile, his confidence apparent as he prepared for the duel. "Ready yourself, Eizan," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. He raised his hand, and flames began to flicker and dance at his fingertips, the intense heat creating shimmering waves in the air.
Eizan's expression remained calm as he focused on his own Mana. He had Element of Darkness for this duel, a sharp contrast to Graham's dynamic elements of fire and wind. Taking a deep breath, he summoned a sphere of dark energy, tendrils of shadow curling and twisting like living entities.
Professor Arion raised his hand, signaling the start of the duel. "Begin!"
Without hesitation, Graham unleashed a wave of fire towards Eizan. The blazing flames surged forward, aiming to overwhelm Eizan with their intense heat. But Eizan was prepared. He raised his hand, and the dark sphere expanded, forming a protective shield that absorbed and extinguished the fire upon impact.
The collision of fire against the dark shield created a shockwave, sending gusts of wind across the training field. Graham's next move was swift; he utilized the Element of Wind, conjuring a powerful gust aimed directly at Eizan, attempting to disrupt his balance.
Eizan staggered slightly but quickly regained his footing. He manipulated the shadows around him, forming tendrils that resisted the wind. The dark tendrils clashed with the gust, creating a turbulent whirlpool of energy. Eizan's control over the shadows helped him stabilize and absorb the wind attack.
Frustrated by Eizan's resilience, Graham decided to escalate his assault. Combining his mastery over Fire and Wind, he created a searing inferno wrapped in a swirling cyclone. This combined elemental attack surged towards Eizan, a deadly mix of scorching heat and fierce wind.
Eizan squinted as he assessed the incoming threat. Relying on his mastery of Darkness, he extended his hand and summoned a dense mass of shadow. The dark energy coalesced into a large barrier, absorbing the impact of the inferno and cyclone. The heat and wind battered the dark shield, but Eizan's control remained firm.
Graham, seeing that Eizan withstood the combined elemental attack, became even more enraged and intensified his assault. He launched a larger wave of fire, this time with a higher wind speed, creating a fire tornado directly aimed at Eizan. The fire and wind united in a devastating attack, seeking to burn and blow away everything in their path.
Eizan knew he had to act quickly. He manipulated the darkness around him, forming a thick, solid wall of shadow to face the fire tornado. The dark wall absorbed and deflected the energy from the fire and wind, but the resulting force still managed to shake Eizan.
With a deep breath and strong determination, Eizan focused all his Mana, drawing dark energy from his entire being. He directed this energy towards the tornado, creating a contrast between darkness and fire that swirled in the battleground. The dark wave absorbed and froze much of the fire, creating a stunning visual effect as dark energy clashed with the heat.
Graham furrowed his brow, shocked to see Eizan enduring against such a powerful combined elemental attack. He poured more Mana into manipulating the wind, trying to make the cyclone sharper and more precise, slicing through Eizan with cutting gusts.
Eizan felt the pressure increasing but refused to give up. He drew deeper into the darkness, creating a high-speed vortex of shadows to counter the sharp wind. This darkness coalesced into a dark storm that absorbed and neutralized the wind, creating a calm zone around Eizan.
Both fighters appeared exhausted, but their spirits remained unbroken. Seizing the opportunity, Eizan gathered his strength and, with a swift motion, launched his final attack—a massive, dense wave of darkness aimed directly at Graham.
Graham attempted to counter with a combination of fire and wind, but Eizan's dark wave proved too powerful. The fire and wind were insufficient to withstand the onslaught, and the dark wave struck Graham with devastating force.
Graham was thrown backward, gasping for breath and exhausted, while Eizan stood, breathing heavily but resolute. The darkness surrounding him gradually dissipated, and the atmosphere in the training field calmed.
Professor Arion stepped forward, looking at both fighters with respect. "The duel is over. Both of you displayed extraordinary abilities, but Eizan has proven himself to be the victor in this challenge."
Graham, still gasping and with a face full of anger and frustration after his defeat, remained in the field as the students began to disperse, captivated by the spectacle they had just witnessed. However, Graham was far from finished. His sense of humiliation and rage drove him to act recklessly.
"Why do I have to lose here?" Graham muttered to himself, his voice filled with fury. He could not accept that Eizan, whom he viewed as merely a peasant, had bested him so easily.
As Professor Arion moved to ensure everything was settled, Graham suddenly turned his hand towards Eizan. "Do you think your victory means anything?!" Graham shouted, unleashing a dangerous and hot blast of fire towards Eizan.
Professor Arion sprang forward, attempting to stop the attack. "Graham! What are you doing? The duel is over!"
But Graham, overwhelmed by anger, sent the flames speeding towards Eizan. Eizan, still recovering from the exhausting duel, could only watch in shock as the attack approached.
Eizan's instincts kicked in quickly. With the remaining energy he had, he summoned a thick, solid wall of darkness to meet the flames. However, the intense heat made the shadowy wall soften and shrink slightly. Eizan fought hard to maintain his defense, feeling the immense pressure of the attack.
Professor Arion, now close by, used his wind magic to neutralize most of the flames. "Enough, Graham!" he shouted firmly. "If you continue like this, I will enforce stricter disciplinary measures!"
Graham, however, paid no heed to Professor Arion's warning. His anger and the sting of his humiliating defeat fueled his actions as he continued his assault, intensifying the flames and adding a fierce wind to amplify the attack further.
Eizan struggled to defend himself, using all his skills and Mana to counter the attack. The shadows he summoned grew stronger, but Graham's fury made the attacks increasingly vicious. Eizan felt trapped between the colliding elements, knowing he had to do something to stop the onslaught.
With determined resolve, Eizan poured all his remaining Mana into a powerful counterattack. Dark shadows gathered around his hand, forming an enormous sphere of dark energy.
"This ends now!" Eizan shouted, releasing the dark sphere towards Graham. The dark energy sped forward, overcoming the fire and wind. The dark wave absorbed and extinguished much of Graham's attack before striking him with full force.
Graham was thrown back, landing heavily on the ground, wounded and drained from Eizan's retaliatory strike. He curled up on the ground, his face reflecting the pain and fading anger.
Professor Arion swiftly approached Graham, his eyes filled with both anger and concern. "Graham, I warned you. If you cannot control yourself, I will ensure more severe disciplinary actions."
The remaining students, still gathered, looked on in shock, some appearing anxious. They began discussing the recent events among themselves.
Eizan, though exhausted and still feeling the weight of the situation, looked at Graham with a mixture of pity and resolve. He understood the difficulty of dealing with anger and defeat. With a heavy sigh, Eizan took a few steps back, allowing Professor Arion to handle the situation.
The tension in the training field gradually eased. Professor Arion directed Graham to follow him, and Graham, begrudgingly, left the training area with a face full of anger and shame.
Eizan, still standing in place, felt a mix of emotions. The victory in the duel seemed bittersweet with the additional incident that followed.