Arthur froze.
His heart clenched the moment Garrick announced the next match.
"Leo Ironheart vs. Ronan Velst."
Arthur's fingers twitched as he muttered under his breath, "Why him? Anyone but him…"
Felix, standing beside him, caught Arthur's reaction and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Arthur exhaled sharply. "Ronan… He can't win. He's going to lose."
Hearing this, Ronan stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "You don't know that," he said, forcing a confident grin. "Not unless I try, right?" He turned to Felix for reassurance.
Felix gave a firm nod. "Yeah. Don't count him out just yet, Arthur. We trained together—he's strong."
Arthur didn't respond. He just clenched his fists.
On the stage, Leo stepped up first. His mere presence was suffocating. He walked with casual confidence, like a man who already knew the outcome.
Ronan took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he followed. His heart pounded, but he refused to show fear.
Garrick's voice rang out.
"Begin!"
---
Ronan vs. Leo
Ronan knew he couldn't give Leo a chance to attack.
With a sharp exhale, he gripped his blade's hilt and roared—
"Burn to ashes… Homura!"
Flames erupted from the ground, coiling around his sword like a living beast before solidifying into a crimson blade. Without hesitation, he launched himself forward, striking before Leo could react.
But Leo didn't even flinch.
He let out a disappointed sigh.
"Pathetic."
He raised a single hand—
"Rampage… Kanzanryuken."
A storm of flames burst from his arm, swirling violently before condensing into a massive, blazing sword. The air itself distorted under its overwhelming heat.
Ronan felt sweat bead down his forehead. The sheer weight of Leo's presence was suffocating.
Still, he refused to back down. With a sharp cry, he swung—
CLANG!
His attack was deflected instantly.
Before he could react, Leo twisted and drove a vicious kick into his chest.
BAM!
Ronan crashed backward, tumbling across the stage. Gritting his teeth, he stabbed his blade into the ground to stop himself.
He couldn't overpower Leo in close combat.
He needed magic.
Pushing himself up, Ronan extended his free hand.
"Fire Magic—Fireball!"
A burning sphere of flames ignited in his palm.
Leo… laughed.
"You call that a fireball?" He extended his own hand.
"Fire Magic—Fireball."
A massive sphere of flames roared into existence, hovering above Leo's palm like a miniature sun. The sheer heat sent ripples through the air.
Even from the sidelines, Arthur could feel it.
His throat tightened as he whispered, "Ronan… you can't win."
But Ronan refused to back down.
With a determined yell, he charged, hurling his fireball forward.
Leo grinned. "This is a fireball."
He launched his own.
BOOOOM!
The two flames collided, triggering a violent explosion. A shockwave ripped through the arena, sending dust and embers spiraling into the air.
As the smoke cleared…
Ronan lay on the ground, burned, trembling, barely moving.
He had lost.
Garrick's voice rang out.
"Winner—Leo Ironheart."
---
The Aftermath
Medics rushed to Ronan's side, tending to his wounds.
Leo stared down at him, expression cold.
"You weren't even worth the effort," he scoffed. "You should've listened to your friend's advice."
Arthur snapped.
Before he even realized it, he was already on the stage, grabbing Leo by the collar.
"Why did you go that far?!" His voice was filled with rage.
Leo met his glare with pure indifference.
**"Wake up to reality. This is a battle. A battle is a battle, no matter the conditions placed. To a warrior, a battle can be fought for three different purposes—to protect one's loved ones, for one's own pride and dignity, or for the thrill of the fight. You must stand for one of them.
To the weak, a battle is like staring at death itself. But to the strong, it is art in its purest form. The weak ridicule the term 'battle.' A true battle is one where blood is spilled and lives are lost. Yes… that's what makes it a battle. That's what makes it interesting.
A battle is a ritual, where we offer the earth the blood of our opponent to the Earth.
The weak should know their place—and that is beneath us, the strong. If they forget and soar too high, like your friend did, their wings will be cut off.
This wasn't even a battle. This was training.
So if you're angry… come. Come at me and fight me.
Even you haven't had a true battle yet. Let me show you what one really is.
Come at me!"
Arthur's grip tightened.
His head lowered. His face was unreadable.
Then—
A monstrous, murderous aura exploded from him.
The air turned glacial, suffocating, sharp as a thousand blades. A bone-chilling presence swallowed the arena whole.
Arthur whispered, voice low and dangerous—
"Frost upon the heavens… Hyorinmaru."
His blade materialized, ice-blue energy crackling around it.
This wasn't just rage. It was freezing, lethal. Not the heat of battle—but the cold embrace of death itself.
Leo laughed—psychotically.
"Yes…" His own murderous intent flooded the stage.
The ground beneath him cracked as his presence expanded, crushing, domineering, wild—an untamed inferno ready to consume the world.
"This is what a battle should feel like. Intense."
"Arthur, do you feel it? The intensity?"
Arthur's icy gaze didn't waver. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Both warriors dashed forward—
CLANG!
Their swords never met.
Garrick moved.
And in the blink of an eye, he caught both of their blades with his bare hands.
Arthur and Leo froze.
For a split second, it felt as if time itself had stopped.
Felix, watching from the sidelines, could barely breathe.
"H-he stopped them… without even trying?"
Then—
Something changed.
The air around them shifted, as if reality itself had been swallowed by darkness.
Arthur's lungs seized.
His vision blurred as an unfathomable pressure crashed down on him—like he was plummeting into a bottomless abyss.
Leo fell to his knees.
Arthur tried to move, but his body refused to obey. It was like gravity itself had betrayed him.
Garrick's glowing eyes pierced through them.
His voice was calm—yet it rumbled like thunder.
"What do you two think you're doing?"
Arthur gasped for breath.
Another captain stepped forward, placing a hand on Garrick's shoulder.
"Calm down," he said. "They're just kids."
Garrick exhaled. The suffocating pressure vanished.
Arthur collapsed, breathing heavily.
Leo clenched his fists. He had never felt anything like that before.
Garrick turned to Arthur. "Don't worry. The medics are treating Ronan."
Arthur slowly nodded, still shaken.
Then—
"Next match—Riven Stormbane vs. Kaelius Valeheart."
Arthur flinched at the name.
Stormbane.
He clenched his fists as he watched Riven step onto the stage.
The noble's eyes were calm, unreadable. He turned slightly, glancing at Arthur with a quiet smirk.
"Don't get angry over petty things," he said coolly. "You'll just look stupid."
And with that, he walked forward to face his opponent.
Arthur exhaled, fists trembling.
The next battle was about to begin.