The tension in the training arena was thick enough to cut with a blade. Every eye in the crowd remained locked on the battlefield, watching as two warriors stood amidst the fading glow of their clashing energies.
Zayne tightened his grip on his sword, its dark purple reinforcement magic flickering around the blade like wildfire. Kai's weapon radiated golden light, humming with power.
They had only just begun.
Up on the spectator platform, Vael leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze analyzing every move. Professor Lewis stood beside him, his expression unreadable.
"This will be interesting," Vael murmured.
Lewis didn't respond.
The Battle Resumes
Kai exhaled, steadying his stance. "You're better than I expected."
Zayne smirked. "You're not the first to say that."
Kai's eyes gleamed. "Let's see if you can back it up."
With a single step, Kai vanished.
Zayne barely caught the flicker of movement before Kai was suddenly in front of him, his sword arcing downward with terrifying speed.
Damn, he's fast!
Zayne reacted instinctively, raising his blade just in time to meet the strike. A shockwave erupted from the impact, sending dust and loose debris flying.
Kai's pressure was relentless. He struck again, this time twisting his wrist mid-swing to redirect the blade toward Zayne's ribs.
Zayne ducked, rolling backward to create space.
He's not just using speed—his control is ridiculous.
Kai didn't let up. He lunged again, golden energy surging from his blade. Zayne reinforced his legs, pivoting at the last second to avoid the strike. He countered with a horizontal slash aimed at Kai's midsection.
Kai blocked, but Zayne was already moving, shifting his weight to slam a reinforced kick into Kai's side.
Kai grunted as he skidded back. He looked up, and for the first time, a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"You're holding back."
Zayne exhaled. "So are you."
Kai's golden aura flared. "Not anymore."
The moment the words left his mouth, his sword ignited with golden arcs of lightning.
The crowd gasped.
Malo's eyes widened from the stands. "Tch. He's using lightning affinity magic?"
Seraphina adjusted her glasses. "It's not just lightning. That's Arcadian battle magic—elite-level enchantments. This just became a real problem."
Down below, Zayne tightened his grip. Alright, if that's how we're playing it…
His own magic flared brighter. His reinforcement energy crackled through his limbs, surging with power. He took a deep breath, focusing.
Kai's blade flashed.
Zayne moved.
They met in the center of the battlefield, their swords colliding in a dazzling explosion of energy.
The arena shook.
Clash of Power
The next few exchanges were too fast for most spectators to follow.
Kai's strikes were infused with raw lightning, each hit sending jolts of static through the air. Zayne countered with sheer force, reinforcing his blade to withstand the impact.
Kai twisted mid-air, bringing his blade down in a spiraling arc.
Zayne rolled to the side, barely dodging as the ground where he stood moments ago exploded into dust and stone.
Before Kai could recover, Zayne lunged forward, his sword sweeping upward. Kai blocked—but the force sent him skidding back.
Zayne pressed the advantage.
He channeled reinforcement magic into his legs, dashing forward at high speed. His sword swung in a wide arc, forcing Kai onto the defensive.
Kai gritted his teeth.
He's matching me…
He flicked his wrist, redirecting a strike, and aimed a counter-thrust.
Zayne spun away, twisting in midair, and delivered a powerful downward slash.
Kai blocked—but this time, his footing faltered.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
The Final Exchange
Up in the stands, Vael's gaze sharpened.
Zayne is pushing him.
Lewis, however, was watching something else. His eyes weren't on the fight—they were scanning the crowd.
Vael noticed. "Something wrong, Professor?"
Lewis didn't answer immediately. Then he muttered, "There's someone here who shouldn't be."
Vael frowned.
But down in the arena, the battle was reaching its peak.
Kai's lightning flared one last time as he drew in a deep breath. "This is it."
Zayne nodded. "Yeah."
Both warriors charged.
Their swords met in a final, thunderous clash—golden lightning and dark energy colliding in a dazzling explosion of raw power.
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Then—
BOOM!
A shockwave tore through the arena. Dust and energy rippled outward, forcing spectators to shield their eyes.
When the smoke cleared, two figures stood.
Zayne's sword was pressed against Kai's throat.
Kai's blade hovered inches from Zayne's chest.
The crowd held its breath.
Then—Kai grinned.
"Well played."
Zayne smirked. "Same to you."
The announcer hesitated before calling, "Match concluded! A draw!"
The audience erupted into cheers and murmurs.
Aftermath
As the two fighters stepped off the battlefield, Malo clapped Zayne on the back. "Damn, man. That was insane."
Seraphina adjusted her glasses. "You kept up with an Arcadian. That's no small feat."
Elias gave a rare nod of approval. "You learned fast."
Zayne rolled his shoulders, feeling the lingering buzz of energy. "Yeah… but that wasn't just a fight."
Kai approached them, smirking. "You caught on?"
Zayne crossed his arms. "This was a test."
Kai nodded. "You and I were both being evaluated. But not just by Vael. Someone else was watching."
Zayne frowned. "Who?"
Kai's golden eyes darkened slightly. "I have my suspicions."
Seraphina glanced around. "We should talk somewhere else."
Malo sighed. "Great. More secrets."
Kai's expression was unreadable. "Secrets that might decide who lives and who dies."
Zayne clenched his fists.
This wasn't over.
Far from it.