The arena buzzed with murmurs as Maren's voice echoed through the room.
"Darius vs. Lina," she announced.
The moment hung heavy in the air. Aidan leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. Darius, the strongest student in the academy, was about to face Lina, a formidable opponent in her own right. Both hailed from prominent families, their reputations preceding them. This was more than just a test of skill; it was a battle of pride and dominance.
Darius rose from his seat with his usual air of confidence. His strides were measured, and his smirk was as unshakable as ever. Lina, already in the ring, stood with her twin blades drawn, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Her stance exuded determination.
"Today, I'll finally defeat you, Darius," Lina declared, her voice steady but charged with emotion.
Darius chuckled, waving her off dismissively. "You say that every time, Lina. It's almost endearing."
Lina's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. She tightened her grip on her blades, her knuckles whitening. Aidan couldn't help but admire her resolve, though he noticed the slight twitch in her jaw a sign of nerves.
Maren stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "This is the final match for today. Give it your all," she said, her tone light but her words carrying weight.
Darius's eyes narrowed slightly. "She planned this," he muttered under his breath, catching the playful glint in Maren's expression.
With a sharp motion, Maren raised her hand, signaling the start of the match.
---
Lina launched forward the moment the fight began. Her twin blades danced in the air, a flurry of steel aimed directly at Darius. The crowd watched in awe as her attacks came with a speed and precision that left little room for error. Each slash was calculated, each thrust aimed to exploit a potential weakness.
But Darius didn't move.
Standing firm, his sword rested casually on his shoulder. With a flick of his wrist, he deflected her strikes, one after another. The sound of clashing metal echoed through the arena as Darius parried her attacks with almost insulting ease. He didn't even bother stepping back, his feet planted firmly on the ground.
Aidan's eyes widened. "He's not even trying," he thought, his chest tightening with a mix of admiration and disbelief.
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. "Is he toying with her?" one student whispered. "How is he so calm?" another asked.
Frustration flashed across Lina's face. Her strikes became faster, more aggressive, but her precision wavered. Darius's calm demeanor only fueled her anger. She stepped back, panting slightly, and glared at him.
"Stop mocking me!" she snapped.
Darius tilted his head, his smirk unwavering. "Mocking you? I'm just giving you the respect of showing how far you still have to go."
Lina's eyes narrowed. Without a word, she shifted her stance. The air around her seemed to change, growing heavier. A faint aura began to emanate from her blades, a shimmering light that hinted at a family technique. Aidan recognized it immediately—an advanced skill designed to enhance speed and precision.
Then, with a sharp motion, Lina extended her hand. A burst of energy rippled through the arena as a beast materialized beside her. It was a sleek, serpentine creature with translucent wings that shimmered with an ethereal glow. Water swirled around its body, and faint trails of mist followed its movements. The crowd gasped at the sight of the beast, a manifestation of Lina's bond with her family's elemental lineage.
"Aquaris," Lina called, her voice firm. The water elemental let out a resonant cry, its eyes glowing with an azure light. Without wasting a moment, Lina and Aquaris moved as one, their synergy impeccable. The beast unleashed jets of water that streaked toward Darius, forcing him to finally step back. Lina followed closely behind, her blades poised for a coordinated strike.
Darius's expression remained calm, though his stance shifted subtly. With a deft movement, he sidestepped Aquaris's initial attack, his sword deflecting Lina's blades in the same motion. The arena erupted in cheers and gasps as the two clashed in a dazzling display of skill and power.
"She's using her family's Blade Dance," someone whispered in awe.
Lina surged forward again, her movements now almost a blur. Her blades left afterimages as they cut through the air, creating an intricate web of attacks. Aquaris supported her with bursts of water and gusts of wind, creating a dynamic battlefield that forced Darius to stay on his toes.
"Impressive," he said, his tone genuine. "But it's not enough."
Lina's frustration boiled over. With a shout, she unleashed a powerful spinning slash, both blades aiming to corner Darius. For the first time, he stepped back, his smirk fading slightly. The crowd gasped, thinking she had finally forced him to take her seriously.
But then it happened.
In a single, fluid motion, Darius shifted his weight and lunged forward. His blade moved faster than the eye could follow, a streak of silver cutting through Lina's assault. The force of his strike disrupted Aquaris's elemental attack, scattering water and wind harmlessly into the air. Lina's blades were knocked from her hands, clattering to the ground.
Lina froze, her eyes wide in shock. But her shock turned to disbelief as the air around Darius shifted. A palpable wave of energy radiated from him, causing the crowd to collectively hold their breath.
Aidan's heart pounded in his chest as the realization dawned. The vibrant crimson hue of energy swirling around Darius was unmistakable. He had advanced to the Red Stage—a level of mastery and power that was unheard of for someone his age.
The arena erupted into murmurs, the spectators struggling to process what they had just seen. "Red Stage? At this age?" someone whispered. "Only Maren was known to have achieved it after 2 months in history but Darius has also broken her record. He's a monster," another said, their voice tinged with equal parts admiration and fear.
The Red Stage was a milestone few achieved before their first semester, let alone during the first month. It marked a level of mastery that separated prodigies from the merely talented."
Darius stood tall, his sword still pointed at Lina's throat. Slowly, he lowered it and stepped back, his expression calm but his presence commanding. Lina's knees buckled slightly as the weight of his power pressed down on her. She managed to steady herself, but the defeat stung even more now. She had not just lost to Darius; she had been utterly outclassed.
"Winner: Darius," Maren declared, her tone carrying a rare note of reverence.
The crowd's cheers were thunderous, though a few remained silent, overwhelmed by the display of power. Aidan's hands clenched into fists. The gap between him and Darius now felt like an unscalable mountain, but deep inside, a spark of determination ignited. If Darius could reach such heights, then so could he.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, though a few murmured in disbelief at how one-sided the fight had been. Aidan leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly. "So that's the gap," he thought, his mind racing. Darius's strength wasn't just raw power; it was control, precision, and experience.
Lina picked up her blades, her shoulders slumped. As she walked past Darius, she muttered, "Next time."
Darius chuckled, sheathing his sword. "I'll be waiting."
After the match, Aidan couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy. The gap between him and Darius felt insurmountable. As the students dispersed, he lingered, replaying the fight in his mind.
---
That night, Aidan returned to his room, his mind buzzing with thoughts. He couldn't afford to waste time. If he wanted to close the gap, he needed to push himself harder than ever.
While he didn't have any art or techniques to learn for now. He simply decided to practice his beginner sword manual and started team fighting with hope inside the training facility.