The atmosphere inside the stadium had changed completely.
Earlier matches had drawn excitement, cheers, and heated discussion. This time, however, a different kind of anticipation filled the arena.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators watched in near silence as two figures stood across from one another: Draim Zephyr and Evelyne Crystelle.
Both of them were well-known figures, each hailing from a prestigious noble family.
One was Star Shine Academy's strongest mage, a lightning prodigy whose overwhelming speed and destructive power had carried him through every battle thus far.
The other was the genius of the Crystelle family, a girl whose crystal magic had crushed opponents one after another with frightening ease.
Neither needed an introduction. The audience already knew exactly who they were.
On Star Shine Academy's side, Alex watched quietly from his seat. Beside him, Aurora's attention remained fixed on the stage.
Across the arena, Evelyne stood as calm and composed as ever.
In contrast, a grin slowly spread across Draim's face. "I've been looking forward to this."
Evelyne simply nodded.
"Evelyne Crystelle, Crimson Bastion Academy."
"Draim Zephyr, Star Shine Academy."
The introductions were brief.
"Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, Evelyne moved first, immediately casting the Tier-4 spell
Hundreds of crystal fragments materialized throughout the air. Some were no larger than pebbles, while others rivaled rocks in size. Their translucent surfaces reflected the sunlight as they hovered around her like a swarm of razor-sharp stars.
The next instant, they launched forward.
The barrage covered nearly the entire battlefield, transforming into a deadly storm of crystal aimed directly at Draim.
This wasn't a simple probing attack. It carried enough force to overwhelm most participants from the very start.
Draim's grin widened. Lightning surged around his body as he immediately responded with his Tier-4 spell.
"
Bolts of electricity erupted from his outstretched hand. The lightning leapt from shard to shard with explosive speed, branching repeatedly as it raced through the incoming barrage.
One crystal fragment after another exploded apart under its impact.
Although each successive jump carried slightly less power than the last, the spell's chaining effect proved devastating against such a densely packed attack.
Within seconds, most of the incoming shards shattered into glittering fragments.
The audience watched in awe.
The battlefield became a chaotic display of blue lightning and sparkling crystal dust as the two spells collided head-on.
Yet even as the last fragments exploded apart, neither combatant had moved from their original position.
Evelyne remained motionless even as the last remnants of shattered crystal drifted across the arena.
Then another magic circle appeared before her, this time a Tier-5 spell.
"
The moment the words left her lips, countless colors converged into a single point. Light twisted and compressed, folding inward upon itself until it formed a blinding beam of prismatic energy.
The attack erupted forward.
The beam tore across the battlefield with terrifying speed, leaving a distorted trail in the air behind it.
Draim's expression changed immediately. He had no intention of testing that spell head-on.
"
His body dissolved into a flash of lightning. A thunderous crack echoed across the arena as he vanished from his original position and reappeared dozens of meters away.
The beam narrowly missed.
Yet Evelyne's gaze calmly followed him. Without the slightest hesitation, she adjusted the spell's trajectory. The prismatic beam curved.
Draim clicked his tongue and disappeared again.
Lightning flashed repeatedly across the battlefield as he zigzagged from one position to another, constantly changing direction to prevent Evelyne from predicting his movements.
Each step left scorched marks across the arena floor while the massive beam relentlessly pursued him.
The chase continued for several seconds. Even so, Evelyne's expression remained unchanged.
Then another magic circle appeared beneath the whole arena.
"
Clusters of translucent crystals erupted from the ground, spreading rapidly in every direction, piercing through the arena floor and transforming large sections of the battlefield into a forest of razor-sharp crystal formations.
Towering crystal spires rose everywhere, restricting movement and drastically reducing the space available for evasive maneuvers.
Draim was forced to halt.
And the instant his movement slowed, he retaliated with his second Tier-5 spell.
"
Lightning roared from above as a massive bolt descended from the sky with enough force to split the arena apart.
The audience instinctively looked upward as the brilliant pillar of electricity crashed toward Evelyne.
For the first time, she reacted immediately.
"
A flawless mirror of crystal materialized above her. The descending lightning struck the mirror. Instead of shattering, the crystal surface rippled like water.
Then the impossible happened. The lightning rebounded. A deafening explosion echoed throughout the arena as the reflected bolt shot back toward Draim with nearly the same destructive force as the original attack.
Gasps erupted throughout the stadium. Reflecting a Tier-5 offensive spell was far easier said than done.
Draim's eyes widened slightly as the returning lightning bolt raced toward him. For the briefest moment, he found himself facing his own attack. Draim barely avoided the reflected lightning strike, reappearing several meters away in a flash of electricity.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he abandoned the carefree attitude he had maintained until now.
His grin vanished. In its place came focus.
"You're ridiculous."
For the first time since the battle began, he truly understood Evelyne's strength. This wasn't an opponent he could overcome while holding anything back.
Lightning surged violently around him as he began casting a Tier-6 spell.
"
A sphere of condensed lightning rapidly formed before him. It crackled with unstable energy, twisting and colliding within its surface as though barely contained. The surrounding air distorted under the immense concentration of mana.
Then Draim poured even more power into it.
The sphere expanded further and further as he continuously overcharged it, forcing additional mana into the already unstable spell.
Arcs of lightning erupted from its surface, scorching the arena floor beneath it. Only when the sphere had grown to an enormous size did he finally hurl it forward.
The massive orb tore across the battlefield, leaving a trail of lightning in its wake as it surged toward Evelyne like a miniature storm.
Across from him, Evelyne also moved.
"
Mana gathered high above the arena. The sky itself seemed to shimmer as countless crystal particles converged overhead. Then a colossal crystalline meteor materialized.
Sunlight refracted through its surface, scattering countless colors across the arena as the enormous mass descended toward the battlefield.
Neither side had held back.
And the two Tier-6 spells collided head-on.
For a brief instant—
Everything became silent.
Then the arena exploded.
The unstable Lightning Nova ruptured first. Countless arcs of lightning burst outward in every direction, tearing through the battlefield like wild serpents. The arena floor fractured beneath the overwhelming discharge as pillars of electricity shot skyward.
At the same time, the Gleaming Meteor fragmented apart. The crystal meteor exploded into thousands of radiant shards. Each fragment carried tremendous force, scattering across the battlefield like a devastating storm. Glittering crystal formations erupted from the ground wherever they landed, transforming large portions of the arena into a landscape of jagged crystalline structures.
The resulting shockwave swept across the entire stadium. Dust, crystal fragments, and lightning filled the air.
For several moments, the audience could barely see the battlefield. When the chaos finally settled, both competitors were still standing.
Draim stood amidst the devastation, but his clothes were scorched and cut in several places and his breathing had become noticeably heavier. The enormous expenditure of mana was evident from his expression alone.
Across from him, Evelyne remained standing as well.
For the first time since the match began, several faint cracks were visible on the crystalline structures surrounding her.
It was the first visible sign that she had been forced onto the defensive. Yet her expression remained unchanged.
Draim stared at her for a long moment. Then he suddenly burst out laughing. A tired, helpless laugh.
"Yeah... that's enough for me."
The audience blinked in surprise.
Draim raised both hands.
"I concede."
A wave of astonishment swept through the stadium. Many had expected him to keep fighting. But the sharper observers immediately understood the situation.
His overcharged Lightning Nova had been his strongest attack. If even that failed to secure victory, continuing the battle would only exhaust the little mana he had left.
The referee raised a hand.
"Winner—Crimson Bastion Academy!"
Cheers and murmurs erupted throughout the arena.
Draim simply shrugged and began walking off the field. As he passed Star Shine Academy's side, he glanced at Alex and grinned.
"She's all yours."
Alex rose from his seat.
Across the arena, Evelyne's gaze shifted toward him. For the first time, her attention settled on Alex.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
The aftermath of the previous clash still lingered across the arena.
Scorched marks from lightning stretched across the battlefield, while glittering crystal formations remained embedded throughout the shattered stone floor. Fragments of translucent crystal reflected the stadium lights, creating a strangely beautiful scene amid the destruction.
At the center of it all stood Evelyne.
She appeared almost completely unchanged. Not a trace of satisfaction, pride, or exhaustion showed on her face. Her expression remained as calm and indifferent as ever, as though the fierce battle that had just taken place had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
At that moment, Alex turned his head toward Elena.
Their eyes met briefly.
Elena gave a small nod. Against a monster of talent and power like Evelyne, perhaps only an anomaly like Alex could stand on equal footing.
Around them, the officials quickly began repairing the battlefield once more. The stage was soon returned to a suitable condition for the next match.
Only then did Alex calmly rise from his seat and step onto the battlefield.
A wave of anticipation immediately swept through the stadium.
Star Shine Academy's final trump card had finally stepped onto the battlefield.