Lian was sitting on one of the benches in the stands at the arena, his arms crossed as he watched the students chatting excitedly around him. The fight between Toran and Dane was about to begin, and he was eager to see how his friends would fare.
The sound of light footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to see Saya approaching with a smile on her face. She had a relaxed demeanor, but her eyes still showed traces of disappointment from her loss in the semifinals.
"Lian, did you manage to rest up for your final fight today?" Saya asked, sitting beside him.
"Rest with Elios constantly teasing me? Hardly," Lian replied with a small smile, before looking at her with a slightly guilty expression. "Sorry I didn't watch your fight. I got caught up in the one with Adrian."
Saya shook her head, her expression softening. "No need to apologize, I understand. And, to be honest, you didn't miss much." She laughed, resting her chin on her hand. "Toran just ignored my arrows and charged at me like a maniac. I don't think he understands the concept of dodging."
Lian laughed at that, imagining the scene. "Toran, always hot-headed. He must think brute force solves everything."
"Well, he won, so I can't criticize too much," Saya said, shrugging. "But against Dane... I don't think it's going to be that easy."
Lian nodded, his gaze returning to the arena where Toran and Dane were positioning themselves. "Dane is methodical. He always has a strategy. Toran will need more than just brute force to win this fight."
The arena was packed, the crowd buzzing with anticipation for the clash between the two competitors from Class B. Toran stood on one side of the arena, confidently holding his huge sword. He had a challenging smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Dane, on the other side, held his spear calmly, his posture relaxed, but his eyes analyzed Toran as if already calculating every move.
The referee raised his hand to silence the crowd and shouted, "Toran Gray versus Dane Volker! Begin!"
Toran wasted no time. He charged forward like a freight train, his sword raised above his head as he let out a war cry. The ground trembled with every step he took.
Dane remained where he was, watching Toran's movement carefully. At the last moment, he stepped to the side and swung his spear in a low arc, aiming for Toran's legs. The strike was quick, and Toran nearly lost his balance, but he managed to jump back just in time to avoid the blade.
"You're fast, Dane, but you won't stop me with cheap tricks!" Toran roared, charging again.
Dane didn't respond. He took a few steps back, keeping his distance, and began delivering quick thrusts with his spear. Toran blocked most of the attacks with his sword, but every time he tried to advance, Dane retreated strategically, forcing Toran to wear himself out.
"He's making Toran tire himself out," Saya commented, watching the fight closely.
"Yes, Dane knows he can't win in a direct confrontation," Lian agreed. "He's playing the long game, waiting for an opening."
In the arena, Toran was beginning to lose his patience. He swung his sword in a powerful horizontal strike, trying to catch Dane by surprise, but his opponent ducked and used the tip of his spear to push the blade away, destabilizing Toran.
"Stay still!" Toran yelled, spinning his body to deliver another blow, but Dane jumped back again.
Dane smiled slightly. "If you'd stop shouting and start thinking, maybe you'd have a chance."
Toran growled, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. He charged again, this time trying to use his strength to crush any defense Dane might have. He swung a vertical strike so strong that it cracked the ground when it hit, but Dane had already moved to the side, using the opening to strike Toran in the side.
The blow wasn't deep, but enough to make him stagger.
"You need to control yourself, Toran," Dane said calmly, spinning his spear in preparation for the next strike. "If you keep this up, you'll lose."
Toran was panting, but his expression showed no signs of giving up. He looked at Dane, his eyes burning with determination. "I won't lose. I can't lose!"
With a shout, Toran focused his energy into his sword, the blade starting to glow with a reddish aura. He leaped forward, delivering a downward strike that made the ground of the arena tremble. Dane managed to dodge, but he was caught by the shockwave the attack created, throwing him backward.
"Dane's at a disadvantage now," Saya commented, leaning forward in her seat.
"Maybe, but he's still thinking," Lian replied, watching closely.
Dane quickly got up, though he was visibly more cautious. He spun his spear in his hands, concentrating his own energy, which began to emit a faint blue aura. He knew he had to act quickly before Toran could land another devastating blow.
When Toran charged again, Dane used his speed to circle around him, landing quick, precise strikes to the sides of Toran's body. Although none of the hits were deep, they were accumulating, slowing Toran down with each passing moment.
"Enough of this!" Toran roared, swinging his sword in a wide arc that forced Dane to retreat. He then channeled all his energy into one final blow, running directly toward Dane with a war cry.
Dane didn't back down. Instead, he waited until the last moment and, with a precise move, used the tip of his spear to deflect Toran's sword to the side. Taking advantage of the opening, he spun his spear and struck Toran directly in the stomach with the end of the shaft, knocking the wind out of him.
Toran fell to his knees, his sword hitting the ground with a crash. The referee raised his hand.
"Winner: Dane Volker!"
The crowd erupted in applause as Dane approached Toran, offering him a hand to help him up.
"You're strong, Toran. You just need to learn to use your head too," Dane said with a smile.
Toran accepted the help, though clearly frustrated. "I'll defeat you next time, Dane. You can count on it," he said, even though he couldn't help but smile at his friend.
Lian and Saya watched as the two left the arena together, still exchanging friendly banter.
"That was a fight," Lian commented, standing up from his seat. "Dane used his head, and Toran... well, he's always got energy to spare."
Saya laughed. "Yeah, but it's good to see that they're still friends even after facing off."
Lian nodded, but his mind was already on the next challenge: the final against Elios. "It was a good fight, but now I have to prepare for mine." Lian gave a small smile, he was looking forward to his fight against Elios
"Do you think you can beat Elios?" Saya asked, looking at Lian, eager for his answer.
"To be honest... I don't know."