The crowd of students packed the Colosseum… every seat was filled with spectators, eager for entertainment.
Sieba approached Free.
"Hey, Cockroach!" Sieba sneered loudly.
Free turned his head slowly.
'Cockroach? Me? Did he just call me a cockroach? Ugh… this brat… just wait, I'll make him wish he hadn't.'
Free thought, feeling annoyed.
"What's up, Dog?" Free replied with a grin, furrowing his brows in irritation.
Sieba grabbed Free's clothes.
"Dog? Who are you calling a dog, huh?!" His voice rose in anger.
"Huh? Who are you calling a cockroach?!" Free shouted, matching Sieba's tone.
The two stared each other down. Even from a distance, their irritation was clear to everyone. Free's eyes pierced Sieba sharply.
"Let go, Dog! You're ruining my clothes, Dog!"
Sieba continued glaring, slowly letting go of Free's clothing. Free scowled at Sieba's increasingly brazen behavior.
"I want to go over the duel rules. Usually, a duel ends when one participant loses or surrenders. Of course, this duel will also end if you lose or give up," Sieba taunted.
"Yeah, yeah. Dogs love to bark. How about a free-for-all duel? Right now, I can only rely on my curse and my physical strength,"
Free suggested. His plan benefited both sides without any real disadvantage.
Sieba, skilled in swordsmanship, magic, and martial arts, agreed.
"Very well. See you in the arena, Cockroach. I'll finish this duel quickly."
He smirked arrogantly at Free, confident in his easy victory and eager to humiliate him.
But Free responded with a dismissive smile of his own. The tension around them was almost palpable. Both walked toward the arena.
"Free!!"
A voice shouted his name loudly. Free turned to see the source. In the distance, among the spectators, his friends waved.
Seria clasped her hands to her chest, eyes full of hope.
"Be careful and give it your best. Come back victorious!"
"We trust you, Free! Only you can do this," Hedra added.
Gil clenched his fist and raised it high, brimming with confidence.
"Go get 'em, buddy!! Show them everything you've got!"
Free was taken aback by their words, as if he'd never been encouraged before. He closed his eyes, gripping his hands tightly.
'They're so reckless… but I have no choice… I'll win because I believe I will!'
he thought, determination burning in his eyes.
"You fools, still unaware of the difference in power. Hedra… you'll face my punishment too. You've had your fun cheering, now it's my turn. No more chances, let's go," Sieba shouted.
Free walked to the arena calmly, ignoring Sieba's taunts.
"Heh… your actions don't match your words. Maybe I should teach you how to keep quiet," Free muttered.
"Shall we start, then?" Sieba interrupted, still smirking.
"I've been waiting for this," Free replied briefly.
The Astral Projection device activated, broadcasting their duel across the city so even those not at the Colosseum could watch. Cheers erupted everywhere. The roar filled the entire Kingdom of Jurga.
The referee entered the arena, standing between them. With a signal, the duel was set to begin.
"Before starting, please state your names," the referee announced.
"Sieba bri Jurga."
"Free…."
And… the duel began.
Sieba launched a mid-level magic attack.
"Lightning Strike!!"
A bolt of lightning surged toward Free, leaving no room to dodge.
Yet Free remained calm. In an instant, he uttered his curse:
"Lightning is the source of my power."
The Lightning Strike that should have harmed him instead strengthened Free.
"W-what!?" Sieba was stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Free grinned, looking down at Sieba.
"Come on, where's that punishment you promised!? Was it all just talk?"
"Is that really a curse? Whatever. You're just lucky to face my attack," Sieba said, standing tall, his eyes burning with hatred.
"From now on, I'm serious!"
Sieba moved quickly to attack, and Free countered. Explosions of magic rang out, mana flying everywhere. Each strike met a counter. Curse met magic, the arena shaking from their combined power.
Cheers roared from the crowd from the very start of the duel.
"Ice Quill! Fireball Streak! Wind Storm!" Sieba shouted, relentless in his attacks.
Free blocked and countered every spell.
"Curse Impact! Curse Impact! All attacks are deflected, Flip Banish!"
Sieba unleashed nearly all his magic. "Flame Swirl...!" she yelled.
Free countered with "Reverse Mirror," reflecting Sieba's attack back.
Bummm…
The final explosion from Sieba's magic hit her instead of Free. She suffered burns but used the remaining mana to heal herself.
Frustrated at her inability to land a decisive hit, Sieba shouted,
"Why can't I hit you!? What's going on!?"
Free approached calmly. Sieba attempted martial arts strikes, and Free countered. Slaps and punches echoed as their duel became physical. Sieba kicked Free, sending him flying, then followed with a series of punches.
Free struggled to defend, unable to use his curse. Even if he tried, it would be difficult to form the words needed to enhance his physical strength.
"How's that!? Feel my punishment!! Feel it!!! The humiliation you've caused me!!" Sieba yelled furiously.
Pinned down, Free stayed silent, biding time until Sieba tired… but it depended on who ran out of energy first.
"Why? Just defending? Weak! Try fighting! Victory is already mine!" Sieba continued striking, repeating the same threats.
A memory of his friends flashed through Free's mind.
"Victory? Right… they're waiting for me, expecting a win. I have no reason to lose! I will win!" he thought, solidifying his resolve.
Free whispered a curse in his mind.
"Flip Banish…"
Sieba was hurled backward by his own attack.
"W-what!? Didn't you say you couldn't use your power anymore?" Sieba asked, astonished.
Free glared at her, his pressure immense.
"Can't anymore? Who said that? My victory is absolute…" he said in a low, threatening tone.
"What do you mean!? You were almost defeated!" Sieba couldn't believe it. He had assumed victory was hers.
Free laughed broadly.
"You're right, I was almost defeated… but only almost. I let you hit me, giving you a chance to breathe, and you were proud as if you conquered the world. How foolish and naive! Hahahaha!"
"Had enough hitting me? Then it's my turn…" Free added.
Sieba crawled backward, frightened.
"Impossible! What are you planning?"
"What am I planning? Obviously… to return the favor, you fool!" Free clenched his fists, letting all his pent-up frustration flow.
Sieba growled, striking her chest.
"I won't let this happen! I will endure and claim victory… if I lose, my position is at stake!"
Free arched an eyebrow.
"Huh…? Only now you think about that? You were already defeated from the start, and only now worry about the consequences? Earlier I told you to reconcile with your brother, but you refused, thinking only of your status… now who will save you, I wonder."
"What are you saying? You're just boasting. I won't reconcile with a brother like him," Sieba replied stubbornly.
Free smiled thinly.
"How foolish. Do you remember what I said before the duel? I will win because I believe in my victory. Remember?" Free's voice rose slightly, heard by the spectators.
"That was just empty talk before we started!" Sieba shouted, smirking arrogantly.
"You still don't get it… what I said wasn't empty talk. It's my power at work. My victory is certain. Nothing will change that," Free explained.
Sieba's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"What!? No way… a power like that… even as a curse, I've never heard of one this strong!"
Free scratched his head.
"You're right, I don't even understand my own power. I can't use magic, though I have mana… but this is all I can do," Free explained.
Sieba stood again, his uniform was covered in dust and had small tears
"I don't believe it… Hell Fire!!"
Desperate, Sieba unleashed her final, most powerful fire spell.
"Useless… Encounter…"
The spell was instantly reduced to tiny particles and vanished. Spectators fell silent, awestruck. Even the strongest spell was effortlessly nullified.
Sieba knelt on the ground, questioning herself.
"Why? Why? Why? How could I lose to him?" he whispered, over and over.
Free approached him.
"How about it? Want to continue?" he asked, still looking down on Prince Sieba.
"A-a—I surrender…" Sieba's voice was soft.
The audience fell silent. They had just witnessed a duel unlike any before. Then erupted in cheers:
"WOHHHH!!!!"
The referee announced Free as the winner.
"The victor… Free!!!"
The crowd roared. Students and citizens alike cheered. Some supported Free; others condemned him for harming royalty. Sieba left the arena silently.
Free returned to his friends, who watched quietly.
Free smiled warmly.
"I'm back…" he said softly.
"Welcome back!!" they shouted together.
Free tapped his chest, grinning slyly.
"How's that? I managed to win…"
Gil patted his shoulder.
"I knew you'd win from the start."
Seria exhaled.
"You had me worried… thank goodness you're alive. I shouldn't have worried at all."
Hedra smiled.
"But thank goodness you won, Free. That was really intense. Congratulations again."
Gil glanced at Hedra, worried.
"What now? Everyone saw the duel. You're going to get in trouble, Hedra…" he murmured.
"Relax. I'm fine… what matters is the issue is settled," Hedra replied with a smile.
Free smirked, holding his chin.
"Alright! Since I won, how about you treat me?"
Seria crossed her arms and turned away.
"I'm not joining. Besides, this duel has nothing to do with me."
Gil and Hedra fell silent, staring at Seria with blank faces.
"Heh… she was the most excited about cheering…" they muttered.
"What did you say!?" Seria snapped, voice high.
"Nothing," they answered simultaneously.
"I'm sure you said something!" Seria cornered them.
"I already said nothing!!" Gil and Hedra protested.
"Heh, I see…" a deep voice filled Free's thoughts briefly, making him feel as if in an empty room.
"Free…?" Seria whispered, worried.
Gil patted Free's shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
He shook his head and smiled.
"Ah, nothing. Let's go back," Free said, dismissing the strange feeling.
They returned to the academy. Free had defeated Prince Sieba in the duel.
On the way back, Gil couldn't stop talking about the duel. Hedra followed, but Seria looked perturbed by their behavior.
Free walked behind, watching his friends warmly.
'This is better…' he thought.
He ran ahead, overtaking them quickly.
"C'mon!!"
"W-wait!!" Seria shouted, reaching out her hand.
Gil laughed in delight, running after Free.
"How dare you leave me behind…!"
They ran toward the academy, their laughter echoing. The tension of earlier had dissipated, replaced by peace and freedom. Today, Free had made himself recognized. Perhaps he had even managed to compensate for his inability to use magic… and their days continued.
From behind the windows of Crenia Academy, a mysterious figure smiled sinisterly, watching the city of Jurga filled with laughter…
To be Continued…