The air in the arena was still buzzing from Rei's victory in Group D. But the tournament didn't stop—the next match was the second bout of Group A.
The announcer's voice echoed throughout the coliseum:
"Now moving to Group A! Match Two—Kael Frostborne of Class A vs Darius Stoneheart of Class B!"
The two young men entered the arena to a mix of cheers and murmurs from the crowd.
Kael Frostborne was tall and sharp-featured, with silver eyes and hair as white as ice. A sleek sword hung at his side, its blade etched with frost patterns. His reputation preceded him; he was one of Class A's top swordsmen, excelling in magic-blade combat that combined swift strikes with deadly ice magic.
Facing him stood Darius Stoneheart—broad-shouldered, with rugged features and dark brown hair tied loosely back. Unlike Kael's pristine uniform, his was worn, and his sword was scarred and patched. He carried no visible weapon—just the earth beneath his feet.
"Another Class B student," a noble from the stands sneered. "This will be over quickly. Ice cuts through rock."
But Kuro, watching silently, narrowed his eyes. Not always.
---
**The Match Begins**
The referee raised his hand. "Combatants—begin!"
Kael moved instantly. His sword gleamed, trailing ice as he swung it in a wide arc. A blade of ice shot forward, fracturing in the air like a crescent moon.
Darius stomped the ground, and a stone wall erupted before him. The ice blade shattered against it, breaking the wall into pieces. The crowd applauded Kael's precision.
"Hm?" Kael smirked. "Hide behind walls all you like, boy—it won't save you."
His sword glowed brighter, pulsing with cold. With every step he took, frost spread across the ground, and the temperature in the arena dropped noticeably.
But Darius showed no sign of panic. He drove his fist into the ground, and fissures snaked outward. The very ground beneath him shifted, causing Kael to stagger slightly.
"Don't underestimate Class B," Darius roared. With his shout, sharp stone pillars burst upward, aimed at impaling Kael.
Kael twisted gracefully, leaping onto one of the pillars. His sword came down, sheathing the rock in ice until it cracked and disintegrated. His movements were fluid and flawless.
The crowd roared.
"The elegance of Class A... truly unmatched," a spectator whispered.
"Not yet," Kuro murmured under his breath.
---
**The Turnaround**
Kael raised his sword high. The ice swirling around it coalesced into a pure, elongated blade of frozen energy. He lunged forward, his strike intended to end the fight.
"Freeze and fall—Glacial Fang!"
A brilliant circle of ice shot toward Darius with devastating force.
But Darius only smiled. "Your pretty ice is impressive. But my earth is stronger."
He slammed both fists into the ground. The very floor of the arena split wide open—Kael's ice attack crashed harmlessly into the fissure. From the crack, massive stone arms rose, entangling Kael's legs and hoisting him into the air.
"What?!" Kael's eyes widened in shock.
With a roar, Darius pulled downward. Kael was slammed into the hard ground, his sword flying from his grasp. Dust and debris exploded across the arena.
The crowd gasped in stunned silence.
Darius raised a hand, and a sharp stone spear hovered at Kael's throat, its point gleaming. "Yield. Or the earth will finish you."
Kael's eyes burned with humiliation, but he knew. He was defeated. "...I yield."
The referee raised his hand. "Winner—Darius Stoneheart of Class B!"
---
**Aftermath**
The entire coliseum erupted. Cheers, shouts, disbelief.
"A Class B student beat a prodigy like Kael?!"
"Impossible... Ice magic should outmatch earth magic!"
"No... he countered Kael's elegance with pure force. He was too focused on the direct assault."
In front of the crowd, Rei smiled. "Heh. So rock can overcome ice after all."
Saria gave a faint smile. "That boy… he fought not with finesse, but with courage. Class B students always have something to prove."
Alisa watched carefully, a hand over her mouth. "It wasn't just brute force. He read Kael's every move. In his own way... he's dangerous."
Kuro leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Darius Stoneheart… you are interesting. Pride can blind, but a man not blinded by it... Class A may shine brighter, but shadows like you often prove more useful in the end."
✦ **To Be Continued...**