I edited every contestant's fight to be grand and epic, so plz don't trigger your CN ptsd on this. 🫡
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Amid the expectant applause, a tall young woman emerged from the small dark room.
She wore a simply styled black robe, with subtle silver patterns embroidered along the cuffs and lapels that resembled ancient magical runes.
Her black hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and a faint smile lingered on her lips.
She walked steadily towards the Duelling Stone Tablet and gracefully placed her hand upon it.
The arena transformed.
A blast of biting air carrying the scent of salt and sea spray rushed forward.
The arena became a desolate, rugged black coastline.
Huge black rocks were scattered everywhere, while in the distance, a turbulent dark green sea churned beneath a low, leaden sky that seemed almost to touch the horizon.
Behind the tallest black rock, inside a crude nest built among rock crevices, driftwood, and bones, lurked Jing Xue's opponent, a Hinterlands Islands Dragon.
It was among the largest of all known dragon breeds, its enormous body covered in thick, dark scales that almost blended into the black rocks beneath the dim light.
Its head was massive, with a pair of menacing horns curving backwards, a thick snout, and yellow eyes that glowed like two ghostly flames in the darkness, filled with brutality.
The Hinterlands Islands Dragon had enormous wings and a sharp, arrow-shaped spike at the tip of its tail.
Most unsettling of all was its breath. The flames it expelled were not merely orange-red, but mixed with highly toxic black smoke capable of corroding rock and metal.
Ludo Bagman's voice was filled with awe. "It's a Hinterlands Islands Dragon! One of the largest and most ferocious dragon breeds in existence! They inhabit remote islands and breathe fire mixed with deadly toxic mist! Look at those rock-like scales! Champion Jing Xue is facing a mountain that breathes fire and poison!"
A low gasp rippled through the audience.
The oppressive presence of this dragon was unlike any of the others before it. Its sheer size made it resemble some ancient creature of destruction.
Sagres murmured, resting his fingertips lightly against his chin. "Facing a dragon, how will you choose to respond?"
In the arena, Jing Xue's expression grew somewhat solemn as she faced the enormous beast, which exuded the mingled scents of sulphur and sea brine.
She closed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath of the sea-scented air, as though adjusting her state of mind.
The dragon was clearly growing impatient with the tiny creature that neither fled nor hid. A low growl rumbled from deep within its throat as it scraped its thick foreclaws against the black rocks beneath it, leaving deep grooves.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, Jing Xue made an unexpected move.
With a flick of her wrist, the wand in her hand softened and changed shape, eventually transforming into an intricately carved bracelet that fitted snugly around her wrist.
The next second, she moved.
Unlike all the previous champions, she did not adopt the stationary spellcasting style common among wizards. Instead, her movements flowed with a rhythm that perfectly combined physical combat techniques with magical guidance.
She bent her knees slightly, lowering her centre of gravity, and cupped her hands in front of herself. Pale blue magic shimmered at her fingertips, as though she were guiding some invisible force.
The Hinterlands Islands Dragon also waited until Jing Xue had assumed her stance before roaring and charging forward.
Its massive claw slammed down towards her with enough force to pulverise rock.
Jing Xue did not meet it head-on.
Just as the dragon's claw was about to strike, she twisted her waist, pushed off against the dragon's wing, and flipped lightly through the air, gracefully avoiding the fatal blow.
At the same time, she thrust her cupped hands forward.
A condensed, translucent burst of magical force shot out like an invisible hammer and struck the dragon heavily in the head with a low sonic boom.
Bang!
With a muffled impact, the dragon's forward momentum was abruptly halted for a moment.
It let out a roar of surprise and anger, clearly not expecting such power from such a small creature.
"Merlin!" Ludo Bagman's voice was filled with disbelief. "She didn't use a wand! Is that... some kind of combination of physical technique and magic? I've never seen a fighting style like this before!"
After landing the blow, Jing Xue did not stop.
Her figure rapidly darted and leapt among the enormous black rocks, her movements agile and fluid. At times, she stayed low to the ground like a nimble cat, while at others, she launched herself upwards by pushing off nearby surfaces like a bird taking flight.
She did not rely on conventional spells. Instead, she infused her limbs with magic, every movement carrying a faint magical glow, allowing her speed and agility to far surpass those of an ordinary person.
The dragon roared repeatedly, alternating between blasts of venomous fire and swipes of its sharp claws, shattering the surrounding rocks and filling the air with toxic smoke.
But Jing Xue always managed to evade at the last possible second, slipping through gaps between the dragon's claws like a fish through water. She even used the sweep of its tail to propel herself towards higher ground.
After dodging a blast of fire mixed with black poisonous mist that swept across the ground, Jing Xue's eyes flashed.
She seized the moment when the dragon's movements briefly stiffened after its continuous attacks and stamped her foot hard against the ground.
Her right fist clenched.
The runes on her bracelet suddenly lit up, and pale blue magic converged around her fist like a vortex, compressing tighter and tighter until it emitted a faint hum.
"Hah!"
With a clear shout, she threw a short, powerful straight punch through the air.
A concentrated burst of magical force flew from her fist and slammed into the dragon's raised neck.
The instant the magic struck its scales, the highly compressed energy erupted with a roar.
Boom!
An unusually muffled explosion came from within the dragon's body.
Its massive frame trembled violently, followed by a cry of pain. Several scales along its neck even developed tiny cracks.
It staggered half a step backwards, and an almost human look of disbelief appeared in its yellow eyes.
"She... she knocked the dragon back! With her bare fist?!" Bagman's commentary had turned into a shout.
Using the recoil, Jing Xue flipped gracefully backwards and landed, breathing slightly heavily as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
She resumed her stance, pale blue magic gathering around her hands once more as she prepared for the dragon's furious retaliation.
Sagres frowned slightly, deep in thought.
"Using oneself as a vessel and conduit for magic, guiding it to strengthen the body, focusing on the flow of magic rather than restricting it to fixed spell forms..."
The battle between Jing Xue and the Hinterlands Islands Dragon settled into a stalemate.
Her movements were agile and her attacks precise. Each time her magic-infused fists or palms struck the dragon, the enormous creature would roar in pain and recoil, sometimes even leaving faint cracks in its scales.
But the dragon's defences were simply too strong. Its thick black scales were like a fortress. Jing Xue's attacks were like waves crashing against rock. They could trouble it, but never truly shake its foundation.
Meanwhile, the dragon's venomous flames, sharp claws, and sheer strength were all deadly threats to Jing Xue. She had to remain completely focused, unable to afford even the slightest mistake, which rapidly drained both her stamina and magic.
"This isn't good! Champion Jing Xue's attacks may be impressive, but they don't seem capable of dealing decisive damage to the dragon! And her stamina is dropping!" Ludo Bagman's voice betrayed his concern.
The dragon clearly sensed its prey's exhaustion, and a cunning gleam appeared in its yellow eyes.
It stopped attacking recklessly. Instead, it used its massive body and repeated bursts of venomous fire to weave a deadly net, gradually forcing Jing Xue towards one corner of the rocky terrain and restricting the space she had to evade.
After narrowly avoiding another sweep of venomous flame across the ground, Jing Xue looked at the approaching dragon and suddenly straightened.
Her remaining magic rushed into her palms at unprecedented speed. The pale blue glow surged violently, as though compressing an enormous amount of energy.
"What is she going to do? Another new spell?" Bagman watched nervously.
The dragon also seemed to sense the gathering threat.
It let out a menacing roar and began gathering its breath even faster, preparing to annihilate the troublesome little creature with venomous fire.
Just as the dragon opened its massive jaws and the flames were about to erupt, Jing Xue finished charging her attack.
She thrust both palms forward.
A blue sphere of energy the size of a ball tore through the air, flying straight towards the dragon's enormous head.
The rapidly expanding blue light reflected in the dragon's fierce yellow eyes.
Far from afraid, it became even more enraged.
It did not dodge. Instead, it raised its head slightly, apparently intending to take the attack with the hardest part of its skull before incinerating its opponent with its breath.
However, the sphere did not explode as expected.
Instead, it burst silently in front of the dragon's face, transforming into a blinding flash of white light.
The brilliance was so intense that it was as if a miniature sun had exploded directly before the dragon's eyes, instantly swallowing its vision.
It was an extremely powerful Lumos.
"ROAR!"
The dragon let out a furious howl.
Its eyes, adapted to the dim environment, were overwhelmed by the sudden burst of light at such close range, leaving it temporarily blinded.
It thrashed its enormous head wildly, trying to escape the unbearable brightness. The dragonfire it had gathered also dissipated uncontrollably with a muffled rumble deep in its throat.
After releasing the burst of light, Jing Xue did not even look back to see the result.
She immediately turned and ran.
Suppressing her exhaustion and the emptiness left by her depleted magic, she sprinted straight towards the now-unguarded dragon's nest, leaving the audience momentarily stunned.
After crossing the rugged ground in only a few strides, she bent down, reached out, and firmly grasped the heavy golden egg.
Only then did the arena's protective magic activate.
The still-thrashing Hinterlands Islands Dragon, along with the chaotic black coastline surrounding it, gradually began to disappear.
Jing Xue stood alone in the centre of the restored arena, clutching the golden egg.
Her face was pale, her breathing rapid, and sweat had nearly soaked the hair at her temples.
After a brief silence, the entire arena erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers.
"She did it! Champion Jing Xue did it!"
Ludo Bagman's voice had gone hoarse from excitement and shock.
"An incredibly effective feint! She made it look like a powerful attack, but at its core was the simplest Lumos! She exploited the dragon's arrogance and, despite her dwindling stamina, seized her only chance to win through calmness and intelligence! Well played, Miss Jing Xue!"
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