After Cassian's defeat—
Nobody challenged Platform One again.
At least not immediately.
The arena remained strangely quiet as people stared at Zael standing calmly atop the floating platform. The earlier excitement had long disappeared, replaced instead by something closer to disbelief.
Because Cassian losing wasn't the shocking part.
It was how he lost.
One skill.
That was all it took.
And from the look of things—
Zael still hadn't truly gone all out.
The realization alone crushed a lot of people's confidence.
Even challengers who initially looked eager now avoided looking directly toward Platform One altogether.
Meanwhile, Cassian had already returned from the medical area and was currently sitting among the spectators with folded arms, watching silently.
Then—
A figure stepped forward from the crowd.
The movement immediately drew attention because the person wore a dark hooded cloak despite the heat filling the arena.
Slowly, the figure walked toward Platform One.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then, just before entering the challenge zone—
The hood slid down.
A slim but well-built young man appeared beneath it.
Silver hair fell lightly over his forehead while deep blue eyes remained fixed calmly on Zael above. A silver longsword rested in his left hand while a deep azure blade hung at his right waist.
The moment people recognized him—
The arena exploded into noise again.
"It's him!"
"Second rank?!"
"Why's he stepping up now?"
"Isn't he weaker than Cassian?"
Confusion spread quickly afterward.
Because unlike Cassian, whose combat strength was openly acknowledged throughout the camp, the silver-haired swordsman was viewed differently.
Strong?
Absolutely.
Monstrously skilled even.
But compared to Cassian—
Most people considered him slightly inferior overall.
Which made this challenge seem ridiculous.
Especially after everyone just witnessed Cassian get obliterated.
"He's chasing attention."
"There's no way he thinks he can win."
"Trying to ride the hype before deployment probably."
"Clout chasing at its finest."
Mocking voices gradually spread throughout the arena.
Yet strangely—
The silver-haired boy showed no reaction at all.
No anger.
No embarrassment.
Nothing.
He simply continued walking calmly until he reached the base of Platform One.
Then—
Without even using movement skills—
He lightly jumped upward and landed on the platform smoothly.
Zael looked at him silently for a moment.
Then slightly narrowed his eyes.
Because unlike the others mocking below—
Zael could immediately tell something.
This person was dangerous.
Not because of overwhelming aura.
In fact—
The swordsman's aura was unusually restrained.
Too restrained.
Like a blade hidden inside its sheath.
The silver-haired boy eventually spoke first.
His voice was calm.
"You're stronger than Cassian."
It wasn't a question.
Just a statement.
Zael nodded lightly.
"Probably."
The boy stared at him quietly afterward before continuing.
"But strength alone doesn't decide everything in battle."
That statement immediately caused another wave of mockery from below.
"Oh brother, he's doing philosophy before getting folded."
"Someone save him."
"Cassian almost burned the arena down and still lost."
Yet for some reason—
Cassian himself wasn't laughing.
Instead, his eyes had narrowed seriously while watching the swordsman carefully.
Because unlike the others—
Cassian knew exactly who this person was.
And more importantly—
How terrifying he could become once he drew his swords fully.
Above the arena, the silver-haired boy slowly placed one hand on the silver longsword at his waist.
His blue eyes locked onto Zael sharply afterward.
" unlike the others…"
A faint sword aura suddenly spread across the platform.
"…I came here not to win but to discover."
The silver-haired swordsman stood calmly atop Platform One, his blue eyes locked onto Zael with unwavering focus while the arena buzzed with mockery and disbelief beneath them.
Then—
He sighed softly.
"My name is Zuko," he said calmly.
A faint smile appeared afterward.
"Zuko Blazeheart."
The moment the name was spoken, several expressions in the audience changed instantly.
Not everyone—
But enough.
Cassian's eyes narrowed slightly from the stands while a few older awakeners stopped talking altogether.
Because Blazeheart was not an unknown surname.
Zael noticed the subtle reactions immediately.
Interesting.
Meanwhile, Zuko slowly drew the silver longsword from his waist.
SHIIING!
The sound was crisp.
Clean.
The instant the blade fully emerged, the atmosphere around the platform shifted subtly.
Sword intent.
Pure and frighteningly refined.
Then with his other hand, he unsheathed the azure blade resting at his right side.
The moment both swords appeared—
The arena fell noticeably quieter.
Even those mocking earlier slowly stopped talking.
Because something felt wrong now.
No—
Dangerous.
Zuko calmly lowered both blades into a relaxed stance afterward.
Then he spoke.
"Begin whenever you want."
Zael looked at him silently for a brief moment.
Then—
BOOOOM!!
The platform exploded apart.
Zael shot forward instantly like a black meteor, abyssal energy tearing across the battlefield as his fist crashed directly toward Zuko's chest.
Fast.
Ridiculously fast.
Most spectators barely processed the movement itself.
Yet Zuko's eyes sharpened calmly.
CLANG!!
Silver and blue crossed simultaneously.
A shockwave erupted outward violently as both swords intercepted Zael's strike at the exact same moment.
The impact shattered the surrounding platform instantly.
The audience exploded.
"He blocked it?!"
"What the hell?!"
Even Zael's eyes narrowed faintly.
Because unlike previous challengers—
Zuko hadn't merely defended.
He redirected the force perfectly.
The next instant, blue flames erupted across Zuko's azure blade.
[Blazing Tide]
A crescent wave of compressed blue fire slashed toward Zael instantly.
Zael sidestepped casually—
Only for the silver blade to already appear beside his neck.
[Moon Sever]
CLANG!!
Zael blocked barehanded again, but this time—
A sharp sword aura pierced through his defense slightly, leaving a shallow cut across his palm.
For the first time since the competition began—
Zael bled.
The crowd went silent.
Even Auralis stood up immediately.
"…Okay never mind. That guy's terrifying."
Meanwhile Zuko didn't stop.
His dual blades blurred continuously as he launched forward with unbelievable precision.
Unlike Cassian's overwhelming elemental pressure—
Zuko fought with terrifying efficiency.
Minimal wasted movement.
Perfect timing.
Perfect coordination between both swords.
The silver blade specialized in speed and precision.
The azure blade carried explosive destructive force through compressed blue flames.
And together—
They became overwhelming.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The battlefield erupted into countless shockwaves as Zael and Zuko exchanged blows at absurd speeds.
At one point, Zuko twisted past Zael's counterattack before slashing upward diagonally.
[Crossing Horizon]
Two intersecting sword arcs exploded outward instantly.
Zael blocked the first—
But the second curved unnaturally midair, grazing his shoulder and tearing apart part of his black combat coat.
The audience erupted again.
"He hit him again!"
"Impossible!"
Cassian meanwhile stared silently.
Because he realized something horrifying.
Zuko was stronger than when they last fought.
Far stronger.
Back on the platform, Zael's expression slowly shifted.
Not anger.
Excitement.
For the first time in the competition—
Someone was actually forcing him to focus.
BOOOOM!!
Abyssal energy exploded outward from his body violently as Zael finally disappeared from sight entirely.
[Void Step]
The next moment he appeared behind Zuko instantly.
But somehow—
Zuko reacted.
The silver blade intercepted behind him while the azure sword stabbed backward simultaneously in a perfect counter.
CLANG!!
Shockwaves exploded across the arena again.
Then both figures separated rapidly.
For a brief second—
Silence filled Platform One.
Both fighters stared at each other calmly.
Zael's combat coat now had multiple cuts across it.
Meanwhile one of Zuko's sleeves had been completely torn apart, revealing bruises spreading along his arm from blocking Zael's attacks directly.
And then—
Both smiled slightly.
Because finally—
They had found someone worth fighting seriously.