Fleur Delacour stared at the golden card in her hand, a piece of parchment she had never dreamed existed. This was the ultimate one-for-five trade: trading one person for five opponents. Surely, there had to be a limitation? This wasn't Erwin's usual style.
But then, a voice rang out, clear and steady. "I think you haven't won yet!"
The voice drew the attention of everyone present, including the spectators. Fleur stood tall, the torn golden card in her hand slowly fluttering to the ground. Yet, she showed no signs of defeat.
Sunny Finch's eyes widened. "Why are you alright?"
Fleur smiled. "I still have a golden card, remember? The card's effect designates two people, nullifying all their items. At the same time, the person using the card has all their item effects removed!"
Charlotte, leaning against a tree, understood immediately. This was her master's backup plan to counter Sunny Finch's strategy. If Fleur had used this card earlier, all of Sunny Finch's cards would have been useless, and the one-for-five card would have been ineffective. It was typical of Erwin's meticulous planning.
The audience was stunned. No one had expected this reversal.
Charlotte smirked, ready to watch the show. Beauxbatons had held back a move like this? The outcome was truly uncertain now. Did they have any other trump cards up their sleeves?
Sunny Finch shook her head. "I didn't expect you to have a trick like that. Now that all items are ineffective, does that mean we have to resort to close combat?"
"I won't lose," Fleur declared.
She charged forward, throwing a punch at Sunny Finch. Sunny Finch raised her hand to block, stumbling back two steps. A look of shock crossed her face. "How is this possible? Your strength is far superior to mine. Aren't we on the same level?"
Fleur laughed. "We also drew a gold card. It upgrades our team uniforms."
Sunny Finch's eyes widened. That was outrageous!
In reality, this was Erwin's doing. He emphasized balance. The two gold cards Beauxbatons had obtained complemented each other perfectly, but also constrained each other. If both cards were in one person's possession, they gained formidable close-combat abilities—a decisive factor in victory. Conversely, if the cards were split between teams, even after a ban card was played, the other person would still retain the ability to fight hand-to-hand. It was a delicate balance of power.
Beauxbatons had simply been lucky to obtain these two complementary cards.
"I see," Sunny Finch realized. "But, Fleur, close combat isn't just about brute force! Your technique is lacking!"
A glint of light flashed in Sunny Finch's eyes. She stomped her foot and charged directly at Fleur.
Fleur threw another punch, but this time, anticipating her formidable strength, Sunny Finch didn't try to take the blow head-on. Her figure shifted in a peculiar, fluid motion, dodging Fleur's fist and landing a solid punch to Fleur's stomach.
Fleur cried out in pain, stumbling back several steps.
Sunny Finch grinned. "See? Real close combat isn't just about strength!"
Fleur gritted her teeth, looking at Sunny Finch. "You're right; my close combat skills aren't as good as yours. You're clearly experienced in this area. But I won't lose. Behind me stand all of Beauxbatons' classmates!"
In the Beauxbatons auditorium in France, a large group of girls had gathered, watching the screen intently. Their faces were tense.
"Go, Fleur!" they cheered silently in their hearts. Fleur carried the hopes of the entire school.
In the principal's office, Headmistress Olympe Maxime gripped the armrest of her chair tightly, her face filled with worry.
Back in the duel, Fleur and Sunny Finch were now facing off. Close combat was a first for Fleur; the pain in her body was almost unbearable. Sunny Finch, experienced in this form of fighting, had a higher pain tolerance, yet even she was struggling to endure it.
Although Fleur's combat experience was limited, her strength was incredible. Sunny Finch couldn't completely avoid her attacks. Every hit Fleur landed made it difficult for Sunny Finch to stay upright.
Ten minutes passed quickly. The battle reached a fever pitch. Both had sustained injuries, their faces bruised. The two beautiful students were no longer elegant; their movements slowed, clearly nearing their limits.
Charlotte watched them closely. She knew the outcome was imminent.
Sunny Finch leaned against a tree, panting heavily, looking at Fleur on the other side. She gave Fleur a mental acknowledgment. Fleur's performance was far beyond expectations. Sunny Finch had always perceived Fleur as delicate, but now she had to admit that Fleur possessed remarkable resilience.
"Fleur," Sunny Finch said. "I should apologize to you! I admit I had the wrong impression. Now, I acknowledge you. You're amazing!"
Fleur knelt on one knee, large beads of sweat dripping onto the ground. "Then I really have to thank you! After today, I think I should learn some close-combat techniques from you. You're truly incredible!"
Sunny Finch smiled. "You're welcome anytime, but close-combat training is very tough. However, I don't think that will be a problem for you."
Fleur forced herself to her feet. "Yes, I'm not afraid of hard work."
Fleur slowly walked toward Sunny Finch, who also straightened up, gasping slightly as the pain in her body flared. The distance between them closed until they were face to face.
Then, with perfect coordination, they threw simultaneous punches.
The fists struck each other simultaneously. Both staggered backward and collapsed to the ground.
Charlotte, leaning against a tree, straightened up and looked at them. The audience excitedly stood up, waiting to witness the final outcome. Who would win? Who would lose? Every spectator was desperate to know the result.