The sun hung high over the battle arena, casting long shadows and creating an intense heat that only added to the tension. The spectators were buzzing with excitement, eager to see the next duel. Gareth, a fire mage known for his brute strength and aggressive combat style, stood confidently on one side of the arena. His fiery red hair and blazing eyes matched the flames that danced around his clenched fists. Across from him stood Leonard, a timid earth mage with a gentle demeanor. Leonard's brown eyes reflected his inner calm, and his short-cropped hair was the color of rich soil.
Miss Lyra stepped forward, her authoritative voice cutting through the chatter. "The next duel is between Gareth and Leonard. Begin!"
Gareth wasted no time, immediately summoning a torrent of flames that surged toward Leonard like a ravenous beast. "You're going down, Leonard!" he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Leonard's eyes widened in fear, but he quickly regained his composure. He stomped his foot on the ground, summoning a wall of earth to rise up and block the flames. The fire collided with the barrier, sending sparks flying in all directions. Leonard breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew this was only the beginning.
Gareth smirked, clearly unimpressed. "Hiding behind rocks, Leonard? You'll have to do better than that." He conjured a fireball in his hand, its intense heat causing the air around it to shimmer. With a powerful throw, he sent the fireball hurtling toward Leonard.
Leonard reacted swiftly, raising his arms and commanding the earth beneath him to form a protective dome. The fireball exploded against the dome, cracking the surface but not penetrating through. Leonard could feel the heat even through the thick earth, but he remained focused.
"You're just delaying the inevitable," Gareth growled. He extended his hands, summoning a pair of fiery serpents that coiled and writhed with life. With a flick of his wrists, he sent the serpents slithering toward Leonard, their bodies leaving trails of scorched earth in their wake.
Leonard took a deep breath, channeling his mana into the ground. He felt the familiar connection to the earth, its steady strength calming his racing heart. As the serpents approached, Leonard thrust his hands forward, causing massive stone pillars to erupt from the ground and intercept the serpents. The fiery creatures collided with the stone, shattering it into molten shards.
Gareth's frustration was evident. "You're more resilient than I thought, but this ends now." He crossed his arms over his chest, summoning a massive wave of flames that surged forward like a tsunami. The heat was overwhelming, the air crackling with energy.
Leonard's eyes widened in horror. He knew he couldn't block such a massive attack with his usual defenses. Desperation fueled his actions as he plunged his hands into the ground, calling upon every ounce of his mana. The earth responded, creating a massive fissure that opened beneath him and swallowed him whole, just as the wave of fire washed over the spot where he had stood.
The spectators gasped, unable to see Leonard through the inferno. Gareth laughed triumphantly. "Hiding underground won't save you, Leonard! I'll burn this entire arena if I have to!"
Underground, Leonard was safe for the moment, but he knew he couldn't stay hidden forever. He felt the intense heat above him, the ground scorching from Gareth's relentless assault. Leonard focused, channeling his mana to create a network of tunnels that allowed him to move through the earth with ease. He needed a plan, and he needed it fast.
Gareth, growing impatient, began to launch fireballs in every direction, scorching the earth and creating plumes of smoke. "Come out and face me, coward!"
Suddenly, the ground beneath Gareth trembled. He stumbled, looking down in confusion. Before he could react, Leonard emerged from the earth behind him, his hands glowing with a soft, green light. "I'm not a coward, Gareth," Leonard said quietly, his voice filled with determination.
With a powerful thrust, Leonard slammed his hands into the ground, causing a massive shockwave to ripple outward. The ground buckled and cracked, sending Gareth sprawling. Before Gareth could recover, Leonard summoned a massive stone golem, its towering form casting a shadow over the arena.
The golem roared, its eyes glowing with an inner light as it lumbered toward Gareth. Leonard guided the golem with his mana, directing its every move. Gareth snarled, summoning his flames to engulf his fists. "You think a pile of rocks can stop me?"
Gareth charged at the golem, his fists blazing. He delivered a powerful punch to the golem's leg, shattering the stone and causing the massive creature to stumble. But Leonard was ready. He commanded the golem to swing its massive arm, swatting Gareth away like a fly.
Gareth tumbled across the arena, his body battered and bruised. He struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury. "You'll pay for that, Leonard!" He extended his hands, summoning a vortex of flames that spiraled around him. The heat intensified, the flames growing brighter and more ferocious.
Leonard felt a pang of fear, but he steeled himself. He couldn't let Gareth's intimidation tactics get to him. He focused on the golem, commanding it to advance and strike again. The golem obeyed, its massive fists crashing down toward Gareth.
But Gareth was ready. With a roar, he unleashed the full power of his flames, creating a fiery explosion that engulfed the golem and sent chunks of molten rock flying in all directions. Leonard shielded himself with an earthen barrier, but the force of the explosion sent him sprawling.
As the smoke cleared, Gareth stood tall, his body surrounded by a nimbus of flames. The golem was in pieces, its shattered form scattered across the arena. Leonard struggled to his feet, his body aching from the impact.
"This ends now, Leonard," Gareth declared, his voice filled with a dangerous calm. He raised his hands, summoning a massive firestorm that swirled above him, ready to descend upon his opponent.
Leonard knew he was outmatched. He could feel his mana reserves dwindling, his body exhausted from the continuous strain of battle. But he couldn't give up. He took a deep breath, summoning the last of his strength and mana. The ground beneath him responded, creating a protective cocoon of stone around him.
Gareth laughed, a sound filled with cruel triumph. "Hiding again? It's pointless, Leonard!" He brought his hands down, commanding the firestorm to strike.
The firestorm descended with a deafening roar, the flames consuming everything in their path. The heat was unbearable, the ground scorched black. The stone cocoon around Leonard held for a moment, but the intense heat began to crack and crumble it.
Leonard gritted his teeth, feeling the flames closing in. He had one last chance. With a final surge of mana, he thrust his hands outward, causing the earth beneath Gareth to erupt in a massive explosion of rocks and debris. The force of the explosion sent Gareth flying, his flames flickering and dying out.
But the effort was too much for Leonard. His mana depleted, he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The stone cocoon around him crumbled away, revealing his battered form.
Gareth struggled to his feet, his body bruised and battered, but still burning with a fierce determination. He limped toward Leonard, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and respect. "You fought well, Leonard," Gareth said, his voice rough. "But this is my victory."
With a final effort, Gareth summoned a small, controlled flame in his hand. He aimed it at Leonard, who was too exhausted to move. The flame struck Leonard, searing his clothes but causing no serious harm.
Miss Lyra stepped forward, her face grim. "The duel is over. Gareth wins."
The crowd erupted in applause, but Lukas couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Leonard. Despite his timid nature, Leonard had fought bravely, pushing himself to his limits. But in the end, Gareth's overwhelming power had proven too much.
Gareth didn't spare Leonard a second glance. He walked away from the arena, his head held high, his expression proud. To him, Leonard was nothing more than an obstacle he had easily overcome.
As the medics rushed to tend to Leonard, watched Gareth with a mixture of anger and determination. He knew that one day, someone would challenge Gareth's arrogance and bring him down. And until that day came, he would continue to train, pushing himself to become stronger.
Back in the locker room, approached Leonard, who was being treated for his injuries. "You fought well," Henry said quietly. "Don't let Gareth's words get to you."
Leonard looked up, his eyes filled with pain but also a flicker of determination. "I won't," he replied. "I'll keep training. I'll get stronger."
Henry nodded, a sense of camaraderie forming between them. "We all will," he said. "We have to."
The day's events had only strengthened Henry's resolve. He knew the road ahead would be challenging, filled with powerful opponents like Gareth. But with his friends by his side, he was ready to face whatever came their way. Together, they would rise, and one day, they would prove that strength wasn't the only measure of a mage's worth.
The crowd settled back into their seats, anticipation buzzing through the air as the next duel was announced. Anara, a top-ranked C void mage, stood on one side of the arena, her demeanor calm and composed. Opposite her was Eleanor, a beginner C-rank lightning mage, her eyes sparking with electricity and determination.
Miss Lyra's voice rang out, commanding the attention of everyone present. "Anara versus Eleanor. Step forward."
Anara glided to the center of the arena, her presence almost ethereal. Eleanor, in contrast, walked with purpose, her steps crackling with latent energy. The two mages faced each other, the air between them charged with tension.
"Ready?" Miss Lyra asked.
Both nodded, their eyes locked in a silent challenge.
"Begin!" Miss Lyra commanded.
Eleanor moved first, lightning crackling from her fingertips as she launched a barrage of bolts towards Anara. The void mage stood still, her expression unchanging. Just as the lightning was about to strike, Anara raised her hand, and the bolts were swallowed by a swirling vortex of darkness.
"Impressive," Eleanor muttered, her eyes narrowing. She summoned more lightning, this time concentrating it into a single, powerful blast. The bolt of electricity surged toward Anara, but once again, it was absorbed by the void.
Anara's eyes glinted with confidence. She extended her hand, summoning a sphere of swirling dark energy. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it hurtling toward Eleanor. The lightning mage dodged to the side, but the sphere changed direction mid-air, homing in on her.
Eleanor's eyes widened in surprise. She summoned a shield of lightning, deflecting the sphere at the last moment. The impact sent a shockwave through the arena, and the crowd gasped at the display of power.
"You're not going to win by playing defense," Eleanor taunted, her voice steady despite the strain.
Anara's lips curved into a faint smile. "We'll see."
Eleanor dashed forward, her body a blur of motion. She closed the distance between them in an instant, her hands crackling with electric energy. She swung at Anara, who deftly sidestepped the attack, summoning a void barrier to deflect the follow-up strike.
Eleanor didn't relent. She unleashed a flurry of lightning-imbued punches and kicks, each one deflected or absorbed by Anara's void magic. The crowd watched in awe as the two mages danced around each other, their contrasting styles creating a mesmerizing display.
Anara finally went on the offensive. She conjured tendrils of void energy, which snaked towards Eleanor with unnerving speed. Eleanor leaped back, but the tendrils followed, wrapping around her and pulling her towards the center of the arena.
With a surge of strength, Eleanor broke free, her body glowing with electric energy. She summoned a massive bolt of lightning, aiming it directly at Anara. The void mage raised her hand, and the bolt collided with a sphere of dark energy, resulting in a blinding explosion of light and darkness.
The arena fell silent as the dust settled. Anara emerged from the shadows, unscathed. Eleanor, however, was panting, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Despite her higher rank, it was clear that Anara's control over her void magic was giving her the upper hand.
Eleanor clenched her fists, determination burning in her eyes. She summoned all her remaining mana, creating a storm of lightning that crackled and surged around her. The ground beneath her feet sizzled, and the air was thick with electric energy.
Anara watched calmly, her expression unreadable. She extended her arms, summoning a swirling vortex of darkness around her. The void energy pulsed and writhed, creating a barrier that absorbed the incoming lightning strikes.
Eleanor let out a roar of frustration and determination. She channeled all her energy into a single, massive lightning bolt, aiming it directly at Anara. The bolt was larger and more powerful than anything she had summoned before, the air around it crackling with raw energy.
Anara's eyes narrowed. She focused her mana, creating a singularity of void energy in front of her. The lightning bolt collided with the singularity, and for a moment, it seemed as if the two forces were evenly matched. But slowly, inexorably, the void began to absorb the lightning, pulling it into the darkness.
Eleanor's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She poured more mana into the attack, but it was no use. The singularity consumed the lightning bolt, leaving Eleanor panting and drained.
Anara seized the moment. She extended her hand, and tendrils of void energy shot forward, wrapping around Eleanor and lifting her into the air. The lightning mage struggled, but her strength was waning.
"It's over," Anara said quietly, her voice carrying a note of finality.
With a flick of her wrist, Anara sent Eleanor crashing to the ground. The impact sent a shockwave through the arena, and the crowd gasped as Eleanor lay still, her body exhausted and her mana depleted.
Miss Lyra stepped forward, her face stern. "The duel is over. Anara wins."
Anara remained composed, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment to Miss Lyra. She turned and walked away, leaving Eleanor to gather herself. Lukas observed from the sidelines, He noticed that Anara had been holding back. " Hmm, looks like there are powerful mages in this academy" He thought to himself
Next, It's Lukas vs Cedric.
" Oh...It's my turn" Roshan facepalmed as he walked to the stage facing his opponent "Cedric," a rank C Shadow mage.
" Shadow magic huh?, it seems there are still some ancient magic left here, cause all I've been seeing are elemental magics apart from the void mage" Roshan thought to himself.
"BEGIN" Miss Lyra called out.