The afternoon sunlight streamed down from the high arches of the coliseum, casting long rays across the rough arena floor. The audience was buzzing with anticipation—they had seen dazzling displays of light in the group stages, and now Group D was about to begin.
From the waiting area, Kuro's sharp gaze followed the combatants walking ahead. Rei adjusted her dark robe and tucked her silver coin back into her pocket. Beside her, Saria spun her staff lightly in her hand, her eyes warm yet determined.
Just before Rei entered the field, Kuro spoke, low enough for only her to hear.
"Don't forget. Be restrained, Rei. If you unleash too much power, people will mark you as a threat. They already fear dark magic. What we need is order."
Rei gave a faint smile. "So, should I fight with one hand tied behind my back to win?"
Kuro's purple eyes glinted. "Even if you did that, it wouldn't be a problem, Rei."
Rei let out a soft laugh. "Tch... as cruel as ever, Kuro-sama."
She adjusted her robe and walked towards the arena. Her expression was calm and unreadable.
---
**Arena – Group D Match**
The announcer's voice boomed out.
"Next match! The first battle of Group D—Rei Nocturne versus Saria Elcrest!"
The crowd roared with enthusiastic cheers. Saria was beloved for her kind smile and gentle nature, while Rei's mysterious aura garnered equal parts curiosity and suspicion.
Standing ten meters apart, Rei smiled at Saria. "Fate seems to be making us fight sooner than expected."
Rei shrugged, smoothing the silver hair over her eye. "Fate isn't always timely. But... I can't afford to lose easily to you,Saria-san."
Her smile softened. "Well, the feeling is mutual, Rei-san."
The referee raised his hand. "Combatants ready—begin!"
---
**The Battle**
Saria moved first, her staff gleaming as it summoned bright vines that burst from the rough floor, twisting towards Rei like living serpents.
Shadows swirled at Rei's feet as she flicked her wrist. A veil of dark, thin cloth manifested around her, dissolving the vines into dust before they could bind her.
"You're using dark magic," Saria murmured, though her tone held no criticism. "That will unsettle the crowd."
Rei smiled. "This is still ordinary."
But Kuro's warning echoed in her head. *Restraint. Don't give them a reason to fear you.*
She snapped her fingers, and her shadows vanished, leaving only faint, shimmering afterimages. Rei moved to close the distance, accelerating with a hint of dark magic for her dash forward.
Saria's eyes brightened—she twisted her staff, creating a wall of air. Rei's fist slammed into it, sending ripples through the transparent barrier. Saria instantly countered, releasing a burst of light magic that momentarily blinded the entire arena.
The crowd cheered in awe.
"Not bad," Rei muttered, shielding her eyes with her robe. She extended her hand, forming a blade of darkness—not the waves of power she was capable of, but something lesser. "But Saria-san won't corner me so easily."
Their weapons clashed—staff against blade, light magic against shadows. Saria's strikes were precise, forcing Rei back, testing her limits.
"You're holding back, Rei-san," she said between blows.
"Isn't Saria-san doing the same?" Rei parried, twisting her blade to deflect the staff aside.
Saria gave a faint smile. "I know what you're capable of. I'll have to go all out."
Her staff glowed brighter, summoning a storm of petals filled with light magic, swirling through the arena like blades. The crowd watched in awe at the beauty and danger.
Rei narrowed her eyes. "Tch... Don't make me look like a villain, Saria-san."
She swirled her robe, summoning a dark shield around herself. The petals shredded through it layer by layer, until Rei snapped her fingers, causing the shield to erupt in a burst of shadowy energy. The petals dissipated harmlessly across the ground.
The force pushed Saria back a few steps. She planted her staff, taking a breath. "...So you were holding back this much, Rei-san?"
Rei smiled. "If I used everything, Saria-san might be unconscious by now."
"Big words." She leapt forward. The staff aimed for Rei's chest.
Rei dodged, catching the staff. She twisted her wrist, and shadows bent around Saria's arms, binding her in place momentarily. It was over. She wrenched the staff from Saria's grasp and laid her dark blade against Saria's shoulder.
The referee raised his hand. "Winner—Rei Nocturne!"
The crowd cheered—but uneasily. Whispers spread. *Dark magic... Dangerous... Unnatural... Was she using demonic arts?...*
Rei heard. She ignored them.
---
**Aftermath**
Saria knelt for a moment, catching her breath, then looked up with a small smile.
"You're stronger than I thought, Rei-san... and colder too."
Rei dissipated the blade and offered a hand. "...Sorry, Saria-san. But you knew how this would end."
Saria took Rei's hand and pulled herself up. "I lost. But a warning—you don't have to carry all the shadows alone, Rei-san."
Rei paused but said nothing.
From the stands, Kuro's eyes gleamed faintly. He saw the whispers in the crowd, the suspicion, the discomfort. The audience saw her as a danger, but he saw the faint smile Rei had given Saria.
And he thought to himself, *Good. Let them fear the shadows. Fear blinds people. And when they are blind, we can move unseen.*
✦ **To Be Continued...**