When the next duel was about to begin, the enforcer raised his hand.

"Step forward."

Both Kael and Rai stepped closer, bowing their heads slightly toward the judges' table, the crowd's cheers echoing around them. The arena's mana barrier shimmered faintly, humming under the tension that filled the air.

Almost instantly, as Rai lifted his head toward Kael, a cruel grin spread across his face.

"The first commoner," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Get ready to be stripped of the hierarchy itself. You're not even worth what it takes to stand among nobles."

As the last word slipped from his mouth, his mana flared violently. Lightning-blue flames burst to life, shaping into twin blades along his hands. The enforcer's voice sliced through the tension—

"Begin!"

Rai lunged forward without a heartbeat's hesitation. The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

"Get him, Rai!"

"Commoners aren't fit to stand here!"

The noble's speed was fierce, his mana cutting through the air like crackling fire.

Kael, on the other hand, grinned subtly despite the immense pressure flooding the arena. His entire body trembled.. not from fear, but from the struggle to control the unstable mana within him. He tried to force it out, just a flicker, just something.

But Rai was already too close.

Suddenly, a faint spark of light flickered between Kael's trembling fingers—barely visible, fragile, like a dying ember. Yet it was alive.

Rai's mana sword came crashing down toward Kael's jaw with ruthless precision.

For a moment the world flashed white before his eyes, whispers, the weight, the tension.. everything went perfectly still for a moment.

The flicker of Kael's mana met the blade in midair, colliding with a crack that echoed like shattering glass. A burst of light scattered across the arena, it's sound was sharp and piercing. Kael's body flew upward, tumbling brutally across the floor before landing hard on his side.

Gasps erupted through the stands.

"Is he dead?"

"Yeah.. it'd be better that way for a commoner!"

The next moment, the arena fell silent and dust floated in the air.

Through the haze…kael exhaled a long, steady breath from the ground as the crowds and whispers spread again in disbelief.

"He's still alive?" someone muttered.

Rai's smirk deepened. "Barely."

He stepped closer, slow deliberate strides echoing against the cracked floor, each step dragging silence along with it. Kael still breathed heavily on the ground, his body trembling as his palms pressed weakly to the floor.

Rai tilted his head, a cruel glint flickering in his eyes.

"A mere stroke of luck," he said, his voice slicing through the tension. "That flicker of mana you conjured—it shattered like glass in the air. Nothing more than an accident that kept my blade from splitting your skull."

He raised his sword, the blue flame coiling around its edge, and pointed the gleaming tip toward Kael's chest. "I could have killed you the moment I swung. The only thing that saved you was your own restless mana."

Rai let out a low laugh that scraped against the silence. "Perhaps I should consider this your grace… your one taste of luck. If you surrender now, I might just let you crawl out of here with your life intact."

Kael's eyes lifted faintly toward him, breathing shallow, blood running down the side of his lip.

Rai's grin stretched wider. "But hesitate…"—he lowered the sword until the blade's edge pressed cold against Kael's throat—"…and I'll kill you where you kneel. So choose."

The crowd leaned forward, the hush that followed almost deafening. Every noble and commoner alike hung on the moment, some grinning, others frozen in unease.

Rai lifted his free hand, spreading his fingers, "well one could have enough chance to decide within this time"

"Five…"

His voice rolled through the air, echoing across the chamber walls.

"Four…"

The crowd erupted, joining in with a furious rhythm—nobles banging on the banisters and chanting along with him.

"Three...!"

Rai took another step closer, his grin almost feral now.

"Two...!"

This time Kael's chest rose and fell faster; the heat of the blade's light burned against his skin.

Before the final count slipped from Rai's tongue, Kael's trembling hand rose halfway in surrender, his fingers barely steady.

The arena fell silent again.

Rai watched him for a long, quiet moment. Then he chuckled low, drawing the mana back into his sword, flames coiling and fading from its edge.

"Pathetic," he whispered, leaning close enough for only Kael to hear. "Let this be a warning to every commoner out there."

Then with a final swing, he slashed the air beside Kael's face, a burst of wind from the cut grazing his cheek before Rai turned sharply on his heel.

Above, the faint crest shimmered once, the runes within shifting and reforming before blazing bright.

Winner: Rai Estell

The announcement boomed through the air as the crowd erupted in cheers and chants once again, their voices echoing off the walls.

Some shouted his name. Others laughed cruelly at Kael still kneeling. And from above, nobles smirked in pride at yet another victory claimed for their bloodline.

Down below, Kael's head hung low, his fists tightening slowly at his sides. His lips moved without sound.

The crowd's roar rolled like thunder, echoing through the marble walls. Cheers, laughter, and buzzing whispers filled the air, a storm of pride and mockery swirling around every noble in the stands.

Beneath the archway entrance, nobles nudged each other, their cruel amusement barely hidden behind smug grins.

"Did you see that?" one snickered, elbowing his friend. "That commoner... hah! That was just a taste."

"No, no," another cut in with a laugh that shook his shoulders. "The next one won't be a taste… maybe a full meal for us!"

A chorus of snickers rippled through the corridor.

"Commoner, you better get ready," a boy jeered, voice pitched high with arrogance.

Then a girl's voice chimed in from behind, her tone dripping mock sympathy. "Didn't you hear? He's Miyu's prey."

The memory flickered through their thoughts completely.

"Ho...holy shit, this is gonna be amazing! Miyu? Pfft—ha!" Laughter burst through the air like sparks, nobles pressing hands over their mouths as tears welled in their eyes from the mockery.

Eran leaned quietly against the cold stone wall, arms folded, his face calm, unreadable. The sound of their laughter brushed past him like flies. He didn't flinch, didn't blink, only the faint curve at the corner of his lips betrayed something deeper.

Some of the nobles caught sight of him but couldn't hold back their amusement.

"Hey, look... it's him."

"Still standing there… maybe he doesn't realize what's coming."

Their laughter faded when a sudden shift of silence fell through the chamber.

Professor Girzar walked onto the arena stage with deliberate steps, his presence alone enough to pull the air taut again. The crowd quieted almost instantly, eyes turning toward the man whose voice carried authority sharper than steel.

He raised his palm, and a glowing scroll materialized before him, its edges pulsing with golden light, the list of names etched and shifted faintly across the parchment.

His deep voice cut through the noise.

"As you all know, several matches have been held so far," he began, his voice resonant and calm. "And as I stated earlier, some of you have proven your worth in this academy, standing as true potentials within this hierarchy."

A hush followed, and Girzar's gaze swept across the students... each word striking the air like a measured blow.

"There are no laws or leniencies here. Every decision made today is final. You have signed into the disciplinary committee's record. your fate now lies in your performance."

He turned slightly, his robe trailing as the scroll shifted midair beside him.

"This is where your results determine your place," he continued, in a firm, calm voice."Either you are stripped off your current standing…"—his pause was deliberate—"…or you rise as a potential noble."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd again, but his tone silenced them at once.

"The six judges will determine your results based on what you display here today. Every duel, every technique, every moment of composure will be reviewed through the Disciplinary Committee Headquarters."

He let the silence stretch again... long enough to let the weight of his words settle on every soul in the arena.

"Keep that in mind," Girzar finished coldly.

He rolled the scroll shut with a faint snap, then raised it high before the crest floating above him flickered alive once more.

The obsidian crest above flared again, its dark surface rippling with light as letters began to form... bending, glowing, until they settled into two names, bold and bright for all to see.

Tess Alvane vs. Eldric Korr.

Murmurs broke instantly across the hall, followed by a chorus of cheers and applause.

"Now this," someone muttered from the upper seats, "this will be something worth watching."

"Finally... nobles against nobles," another added, rolling his eyes. "Not those pathetic commoners wasting our time."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.