Leo stepped down from the stage, his steps slow but steady, the heat of his battle still lingering in the air. As he approached, Nathaniel gave him a nod of approval. "Well done."
Arthur and the others welcomed him back, clapping him on the shoulder. "Congrats on the win," Arthur said with a small smile.
Riven smirked. "Who taught you how to play that game?"
Leo scoffed. "Does it matter?"
Arthur raised a brow. "Well, either way, that was an impressive victory."
As they settled down, Ronan leaned forward, arms crossed. "With that new technique of yours, I doubt anyone can escape it. Not even Arthur, who always has a plan up his sleeve."
Leo shook his head. "Actually, it wouldn't work on Arthur."
Everyone turned to him, surprised. "Why not?" Felix asked.
Leo smirked. "Because Arthur's the one who taught me the game."
The group went silent for a moment before shock rippled through them.
"Wait, wait, wait! You mean to tell me you went and asked Arthur to teach you?" Riven burst out, stepping up and placing a hand on Leo's forehead. "Are you sick? Is this really you?"
Leo batted his hand away. "Of course, it's me!"
Felix still looked confused. "I don't get it. Why wouldn't it work on Arthur?"
Leo sighed. "The technique is like a game of chess. If you win, you get a free hit on your opponent. But Silas didn't play along—he just attacked. That's why the technique is for people who don't understand the game."
Seraphina frowned. "Isn't that risky? What if your opponent actually knows how to play?"
Leo chuckled darkly. "That's why it's called 'Infernal Gambit'—it's all a gamble."
Riven grinned. "Now that's the Leo I know."
Before they could continue, the referee's voice rang through the coliseum. "For the next match, we have Ronan Velst versus Lucien Drexia!"
Arthur and the others turned to Ronan. "Good luck!" they called as he made his way to the stage.
From the opposite end, a boy with striking blue hair stepped forward. The air grew tense as the two faced each other. The referee raised his hand. "Begin!"
—
In the stands, high above, Eldric approached Velundria's head captain, concern on his face. "What do we do? We lost the first match."
The captain, however, only smiled. "Don't worry about such trivial things. Everything is unfolding exactly as I planned. Just sit back and enjoy the tournament."
Eldric frowned but returned to his seat, watching the battle below.
—
Ronan and Lucien took their positions. Ronan placed a hand on his blade, his voice low but firm. "Burn… Homura."
A sphere of fire erupted, forming into his sword, its embers dancing like living flames. He eyed his opponent carefully. What kind of magic does he use?
Lucien exhaled, then uttered a single word. "Grind… Ganryu."
From thin air, crystal-like stones gathered, merging into a jagged-edged blade that gleamed under the sunlight. Ronan's brows furrowed. Is this another form of earth magic?
The crowd buzzed with speculation. But Lucien silenced them. "No need to rack your brain. This is Mineral Magic."
Ronan blinked. "Mineral Magic? Never heard of that before."
Lucien smirked. "Velundria Kingdom houses some unique magic users. You'll see soon enough."
Without another word, Lucien lunged forward. Ronan dodged right, the mineral blade crashing into the ground with a loud crack. Wasting no time, Ronan swung his own blade in a counterattack.
"It's over," Arthur murmured in the stands.
But just as Ronan's blade was about to land, shimmering mineral stones engulfed Lucien's body. "Mineral Magic: Crystal Armor."
Ronan clicked his tongue. "Tch. Almost had you."
Lucien grinned. "Close call."
Their blades clashed once more, sparks flying as they moved with precision. A sudden struggle locked them in place, hands gripping weapons, muscles tensed. Then—
A creeping mineral spread from Lucien's palm, aiming to entrap Ronan's arm. Seeing it, Ronan quickly withdrew, narrowly avoiding the trap as a jagged mineral spike jutted from Lucien's hand.
Ronan exhaled, then adjusted his grip. Time to put my training to use.
He clenched his fists, and suddenly, flames burst around them—pulsing, writhing like energy. The crowd gasped.
Leo's eyes widened. "Looks like I'm not the only one who came up with a new trick."
Arthur watched closely. When did he develop this technique?
Below, Lucien narrowed his eyes. "What are you, a brawler now?"
Ronan smirked. "Let's find out. Fire Magic: Fire Jet Fist!"
He charged forward, throwing a rapid barrage of blazing punches. Lucien dodged left, right—until Ronan suddenly pivoted, twisting mid-air. His foot ignited, flames swirling violently as he kicked.
Lucien reacted quickly, summoning a crystal pillar. But before he could take a breath—
FWOOOSH!
A blast of flames erupted from beneath Ronan's feet, propelling him like a rocket. With blazing momentum, he kicked straight into the pillar, shattering it into shards. The crowd erupted in gasps.
Lucien barely landed on his feet before Ronan shot toward him again at blinding speed.
"Crystal Wall!" Lucien shouted, conjuring a thick mineral barricade.
But Ronan spun, flames forming a whirlwind around his body. He blasted through the wall, his fiery kick slamming into Lucien's chest, sending him skidding backward.
Lucien coughed but steadied himself. "To think I'd be pushed this far…"
Before he could react, Ronan was already moving—closing in for the finishing blow. His foot ignited again, but this time, it glowed, pulsing with intense heat.
Lucien's eyes widened. "Wha—?!"
Ronan smirked. "You better reinforce that armor, or this is gonna kill you."
"Fire Magic: Heat Wave!"
The moment his foot connected—
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion of fire sent Lucien flying out of the stage, shards of his crystal armor scattering into the air. He hit the ground, unmoving.
The referee raised his hand. "Winner: Ronan Velst!"
The crowd went wild as Arthur and the others cheered. Ronan, catching his breath, smiled. Thanks, Master. I couldn't have done this without your training.
He turned and walked off the stage as the referee announced, "For our next match… Seraphina Luminara vs. Sylvaine Crowley!"
The third battle was about to begin.