The hush over the crowd was palpable. For the first time since Alaric had stepped onto the academy grounds, a quiet tension gripped the air. All eyes were on him—the prodigy, the crown prince of the Solis Empire, whose arrival had been nothing short of legendary. This was the moment the academy had been waiting for: the young man with God-tier potential was about to step into the arena for his first official tournament match.
Alaric's heart pounded, but he forced himself to breathe slowly. His eyes scanned the arena, the grand stone platform before him where the fiercest students would compete. It wasn't like any other battle he had faced before. This wasn't about training, about sparring with his friends or facing off against random opponents. This was about proving himself to everyone watching. The stakes were higher than ever.
His opponent, a towering figure from the Draken family, stood across from him. Xander Draken was known for his brutal combat style and unmatched physical strength. A Lord-tier mage, he wielded fire and earth magic with ease, creating devastating explosions at will. His presence on the battlefield was enough to make even the most seasoned warriors hesitate. But Alaric wasn't just any opponent. He was something more.
"Don't let his size fool you," Liliana's voice echoed in his ear as she stood a few steps behind him. "He's fast, and he knows how to read his enemies. He'll try to intimidate you, to get you to react recklessly. Don't fall for it."
Serena, who had joined her, gave Alaric a warm smile, as if trying to ease the tension. "Just remember, you've got the advantage here. You've trained for this. Your power isn't just in your magic—it's in your control."
Alaric nodded, appreciating their words. The nervous energy still swirled in his chest, but their confidence in him helped steady his thoughts. His eyes met Xander's across the arena, and the giant's smirk only fueled the rising determination inside him.
The referee raised his staff, signaling that the match was about to begin. "This is a no-holds-barred duel! Fight until one is rendered unable to continue. Begin!"
Xander wasted no time. He raised his hands, and the ground beneath his feet trembled. Earth magic surged in the air as he slammed his fists into the ground, sending massive boulders hurtling toward Alaric.
Alaric's instincts kicked in immediately. He summoned his mana and divine energy, a swirling mix of raw power and divine force, and formed a barrier of light and energy around himself. The boulders collided with his shield, but they shattered like glass upon impact, the shards disintegrating in the air. The explosion of force sent a shockwave through the arena, and the crowd gasped in awe.
"Impressive," Xander called, his voice full of respect, but there was still an edge of arrogance in his tone. "But you'll need more than that to defeat me."
Alaric's gaze narrowed. The power of his shield was immense, but Xander wasn't just testing his defenses—he was gauging his reactions, looking for weaknesses. Alaric knew he couldn't rely solely on his divine energy. He had to fight smart.
He tapped into the mana flowing through him, using his magical affinity to manipulate the air around him. With a sharp motion, he conjured a vortex of wind, sending it spiraling toward Xander. The gust of wind disrupted Xander's balance, and he staggered back, but it wasn't enough to knock him down.
Alaric didn't stop there. He conjured a series of smaller, controlled blasts of fire and ice, each one aimed to strike at Xander's weak points. The attacks were fast and precise, forcing Xander to raise his own defenses. Alaric's attacks weren't as powerful as his divine magic, but they were enough to keep his opponent on his toes.
"Is that all you've got?" Xander roared, his body glowing with the heat of his own magic. He slammed his fist into the ground once more, and a wave of fire erupted toward Alaric, scorching the earth in its path.
Alaric gritted his teeth, dodging to the side just in time. He summoned a gust of wind to push himself further out of harm's way. His heart raced. He wasn't just fighting for victory; he was fighting to prove himself, to show everyone that he could control the divine power within him.
"You think you can beat me with a few tricks?" Xander taunted, his grin widening as he prepared another strike.
But Alaric had been waiting for this. He could feel the raw power of his divine energy surging inside him, pulsing with a life of its own. The fire and wind swirled together as he called upon the full extent of his abilities. He raised both hands, his eyes glowing with a bright, otherworldly light.
Xander froze for a moment, sensing the change in the air. "What—what are you doing?"
Alaric didn't answer. He didn't need to. With a single motion, he released the full force of his divine energy. A blinding wave of light shot forward, crashing into the arena like a storm unleashed from the heavens. The sheer force of the blast forced Xander to his knees, and the ground beneath him cracked open, sending ripples of energy through the entire arena.
The crowd went silent. The shockwave was unlike anything they had ever witnessed. The arena, which had once seemed so vast, now felt small under the weight of Alaric's power. The divine energy surged through him, amplifying his magic to a level no one had expected.
Xander struggled to get back on his feet, his breath ragged. "What… what is this power?"
Alaric stood tall, his body radiating an aura of supreme control. "This is the power of both mana and divine energy," he said quietly, his voice calm but firm. "And it's just the beginning."
With that, he lowered his hands, and the energy dissipated, leaving only the lingering aftereffects of the immense display. Xander was panting, his body bruised and battered, but still conscious.
The referee stepped forward, his eyes wide in disbelief. "The match is over! Alaric Solis wins!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, but Alaric remained still. His gaze shifted toward Xander, who slowly rose to his feet, his expression no longer smug but filled with a new respect.
"That was… incredible," Xander said, his voice a mix of awe and exhaustion. "I've never felt anything like that before."
Alaric nodded, his breath steadying as he withdrew his power. He had won, but he knew that this victory was just a small step in a much larger journey. The tournament was far from over, and the forces watching him from the shadows had only begun to move.
As he walked off the platform, Serena and Liliana rushed to his side, their faces full of pride. "That was amazing!" Serena exclaimed, beaming at him. "You really showed them, Alaric."
Liliana's expression was more subdued, but her eyes held a certain warmth. "You're not just powerful, Alaric. You're starting to understand your own limits, your control over that power."
Alaric nodded, but the weight of the tournament and the growing darkness within the academy still lingered in his mind. "Thanks," he said softly. "But this is only the beginning."
As the cheers of the crowd faded behind him, Alaric felt the eyes of his future rivals watching him. The tournament was far from over. The true test had only just begun.