Lian walked through the academy corridors toward the arena designated for his match. It was the penultimate day of the tournament, and as he had anticipated, his semifinal match would be against Adrian. Up until now, his battles had been straightforward, but he knew this one would make him sweat.
Each step echoed in his mind. He was eager for this fight; Lian wanted to put that arrogant rich boy in his place. He despised arrogance. But he not only needed to win, he also had to maintain control over himself. The vision he had experienced in the simulator still weighed heavily on his mind, but he couldn't afford to let doubt or anger consume him now.
The students packed the arena's stands, but Lian's path to the stage was relatively solitary. He stayed focused.
As he rounded the final corner before the arena, he was surprised to find a familiar figure leaning casually against the wall. Adrian Von Grath, dressed impeccably in his uniform and wearing his trademark smug smile, was waiting for him.
"Well, well, if it isn't the 'hero' of Class A," Adrian said, pushing off the wall and crossing his arms. The air around him seemed colder. "Are you ready to be exposed for the failure you truly are?"
Lian stopped, staring at Adrian with a calm yet firm expression. He didn't want to let the provocations get to him, but Adrian wasn't about to let up.
"It must be such a heavy burden, carrying all that attention," Adrian continued, stepping closer to Lian. "Everyone expecting you to be something you're clearly not. I've trained my entire life to be here. And you? You're just lucky. Lucky in the portal. Lucky to even get into this academy. Lucky you haven't been crushed by someone like me already."
Lian clenched his fists, feeling the shadows around him stir. He took a deep breath, controlling his emotions. "You're right, Adrian. I was lucky to be here today. And you? You're unlucky that I'm here."
Adrian smirked with disdain. "We'll see if that's true. Don't worry, I won't hurt you too much before I defeat you. It'd be a shame to ruin your soldier career before it even begins."
Without waiting for a response, Adrian walked past Lian toward the arena. Lian stood motionless for a moment, closing his eyes and trying to calm the turmoil Adrian's words had stirred.
"Control yourself, Lian. He's not the one we need to kill," he muttered to himself before continuing on to the arena.
The crowd was in a frenzy as Lian entered the arena. Cheers and shouts of excitement echoed through the space, but he remained focused. Across the field, Adrian was already in position, standing with an air of confidence as if he had already won. He held his rapier, which shimmered with an icy aura, emitting small particles of frost that floated in the air around him.
Lian stopped in his spot, summoned his weapon, and gripped Oblivion tightly. The sword felt heavier in that moment, not because of its physical weight, but because of what it represented. This battle wasn't just about the tournament; it was about proving that no matter where he came from or what others thought, he deserved to be here.
The referee stepped into the center of the arena, raising his hand to silence the crowd.
"Lian Alvarez, from Class A, versus Adrian Von Grath, from Class A. Let the semifinal begin!"
With a signal, the referee quickly stepped back, and the arena fell into a tense silence.
Adrian was the first to move, advancing with impressive speed. He swung his rapier in a sweeping arc, the blade coated in ice and aimed at Lian's flank. Lian raised Oblivion to block, and the clash of blades sent a shockwave through the arena, frost spreading across Oblivion's surface.
"Do you really think you'll last more than a few minutes against me?" Adrian taunted, unleashing a series of rapid, precise strikes that forced Lian to retreat.
Lian didn't reply. He maintained his composure, blocking each strike with precision, though the cold emanating from Adrian's rapier began to sap his mobility. He needed to counterattack.
With a quick motion, Lian swung Oblivion in a diagonal arc, releasing a wave of shadows toward Adrian. The noble smirked and stabbed his rapier into the ground, conjuring an ice barrier that easily blocked the attack.
"It's going to take more than shadow tricks to beat me!" Adrian shouted, charging forward again. This time, he thrust his rapier, its tip encased in thick ice. Lian managed to sidestep, but the impact of the rapier against the ground caused a burst of ice shards that struck him, tearing part of his uniform and leaving shallow cuts on his arm.
Lian stumbled back but quickly regained his footing. He knew he couldn't fight at Adrian's pace; he needed to dictate the rhythm of the battle.
"Oblivion, let's see what he's got," Lian whispered, and the shadows around him began to stir. They spread across the ground like tendrils, surging toward Adrian.
Adrian chuckled. "You still haven't learned that this won't work?" He used his rapier to freeze the shadows, shattering them with a swift motion. But he didn't notice that Lian had already moved behind him.
Lian swung Oblivion in a vertical slash aimed at Adrian's shoulder. The noble spun at the last second, dodging partially, but the dark blade still managed to leave a shallow cut along his side.
Adrian took a few steps back, placing a hand over the wound. His smirk disappeared, replaced by a look of irritation.
"You actually managed to hit me," he said, his voice as cold as the ice surrounding him. "Congratulations, Lian. But now... I'll stop holding back."
Adrian raised his rapier, channeling energy into the blade. The temperature around him plummeted, and frost began forming rapidly on the ground, encasing half of the arena in ice. Moving became more difficult for Lian.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Adrian charged, his movements now faster on the icy surface. He unleashed a flurry of strikes, each more aggressive than the last, forcing Lian to retreat constantly.
Lian tried to use his shadows to form a barrier, but Adrian's ice froze them before they could fully materialize.
"You're slowing down, Alvarez!" Adrian yelled as he delivered a horizontal slash that Lian barely managed to block. The force of the attack sent Lian skidding across the ice until he collided with the arena's barrier.
Breathing heavily, Lian gripped Oblivion tightly. He needed to change tactics. Closing his eyes for a moment, he felt the shadows around him.
"I can't fight at his pace. I need to make him fight at mine," Lian thought.
When Adrian charged again, Lian made an unexpected move: instead of retreating, he surged forward. Using his shadows to create a small explosion, he launched himself toward Adrian, catching him off guard.
Lian slashed with Oblivion, and Adrian barely managed to parry. The force of the blow made Adrian's rapier vibrate in his hand. Lian didn't let up, pressing his attack with relentless strikes while his shadows moved more aggressively, responding to his determination.
Adrian tried to counter, but Lian was a step ahead. Using his shadows, Lian briefly trapped Adrian's foot, throwing him off balance. Seizing the opportunity, Lian struck a clean blow that cut across Adrian's chest plate, leaving a superficial wound.
Adrian staggered back, breathing heavily. "You're good... but not good enough!" He shouted, channeling all his energy into his rapier. The blade glowed brightly as he drove it into the ground, creating a wave of ice that swept across the arena.
Lian was caught by the blast and thrown back against the barrier again. Pain coursed through his body, but he forced himself to stand, Oblivion still in his hand.
"You're stronger than I thought," Adrian admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "But this ends now."
Adrian charged for a final attack, his rapier glowing with an intense icy light. Lian waited until the last possible second, channeling all of Oblivion's energy into a single strike.
As Adrian's rapier descended, Lian spun and slashed diagonally with Oblivion. The two blades clashed, creating an explosion of energy that lit up the entire arena.
When the light faded, Adrian was on his knees, his rapier lying on the ground beside him. Lian stood tall, Oblivion still in his grip, its tip pointed toward Adrian.
The referee raised his hand. "Winner: Lian Alvarez!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, but Lian didn't celebrate. He sheathed Oblivion and extended a hand toward Adrian.
"You fought well, but you never had a chance to win," Lian said calmly.
Adrian glared at him, his pride clearly wounded. "Don't think this is over," he growled, struggling to stand.
Lian gave a faint smile before leaving the arena, already thinking about the final match.
In the stands, Elios watched with a wide grin. "Lian, you're really making me excited for tomorrow. It's going to be a great day."