The echoes of Victor's final step hadn't even faded before Instructor Verren raised a hand.
"Next match. Irina Emberheart—Lilia Thornheart."
Another ripple passed through the room—not thunderous like before, but sharp. Focused.
Even those still murmuring about Victor fell silent.
Because now came a different kind of duel.
Not one of overwhelming force… but of pressure and precision.
Irina and Lilia.
Two names that had long since carved their way into the academy's combat rankings—not with brute displays of power, but through dominance of rhythm and field. Control. Calculation. Command.
They stepped toward the central platform without a word, their paths converging at opposite sides.
Lilia moved like a shadow on still water. Unhurried. Balanced. Her bow already summoned and drawn across her back—silver limbs etched with faint runes that shimmered under the overhead lights. Her long coat fluttered lightly with each step, and her emerald eyes never once left her opponent.
