Several days had passed since the beginning of the elder's trials. The participants had grown more familiar with each other, and bonds—whether friendly or rivalrous—were forming among them.
Michael and Torren were seated in the spectator stand, quietly watching the matches unfold. It had been a day full of intense and unpredictable fights, with each team giving it their all. Some battles were pure displays of raw strength, others masterclasses in coordination.
Today's first major match was set to be a spectacle—Ralph and Rob versus Zigrane and Blitz. The tension among the crowd was heavy, many whispering excitedly about what might unfold. Michael, like most others, couldn't look away.
"Think Blitz will finally take something seriously?" Torren muttered to Michael.
"If he does, Zigrane's going to explode more than by ice," Michael whispered back, eyeing the battlefield.
The four contenders entered the arena. Ralph looked calm but focused. Rob's expression, as always, was unreadable—just a faint smile on his lips. Across from them, Zigrane was rolling his neck, cracking his knuckles, clearly eager for action. Blitz stood beside him, his blond hair swaying slightly with the breeze, arms crossed, completely unbothered.
"Begin!" the elder's voice echoed.
Zigrane shot forward like a crimson bolt, a trail of dust in his wake. Ralph met him mid-charge, their fists colliding with a shockwave that stirred the dirt around them. Meanwhile, Rob started summoning shards of exploding ice, launching them carefully at Blitz.
But Blitz was faster—eerily so. He glided across the arena with effortless footwork, dodging every projectile with minimal movement, hands in his pockets as though the entire fight bored him.
"Come on, do something!" Rob muttered, annoyed.
Back at the front line, Zigrane was gradually ramping up his power. At first, he traded blows evenly with Ralph, but soon he began to overpower him, bit by bit. His strikes got sharper, heavier.
"You're stronger than before," Ralph admitted between heavy breaths.
"And I'm not even using fifty percent yet," Zigrane growled, eyes sharp. "But you? You're already struggling."
Ralph didn't answer. Instead, he tried to reposition, using Wind Boots to stay afloat and land glancing hits, but Zigrane was relentless.
Michael leaned forward, watching every exchange. "Ralph's holding out better than I expected. But Zigrane's pushing hard."
"And Blitz? He's barely moved," Torren pointed out.
Blitz continued dancing around Rob's attacks, only occasionally flicking his hand to send back a small gust or pressure wave, none of which did real damage.
Zigrane suddenly delivered a heavy punch to Ralph's gut that sent him flying back, hitting the ground and rolling to a stop. Rob tried to intervene but was met with Zigrane's next strike—an uppercut that knocked him off his feet.
"You done playing around yet?" Zigrane shouted at Blitz.
Blitz blinked, shrugged, and finally stepped forward. "If I must…" he sighed.
He raised his hand and let loose a burst of controlled wind pressure that dispersed the icy mist Rob had created, then flickered behind Ralph in a flash.
But Ralph anticipated it. He turned mid-air and unleashed a concentrated Wind Fist that clipped Blitz across the cheek. The crowd gasped.
Blitz, now with a visible bruise, narrowed his eyes. "That was uncalled for."
Then came his counter. A short burst of compressed air from his palm struck Ralph directly, throwing him into Rob and slamming them both into the arena wall.
They didn't get up.
"Three! Two! One!" the elder called. "Victory goes to Zigrane and Blitz!"
Zigrane stood tall, chest heaving. "One more step toward the top."
Blitz dusted off his coat. "That was mildly interesting."
Back in the stands, Michael stood up with Torren. The elder's voice boomed again, signaling the next battle.
"Next match! Michael Blazeheart and Torren Grummstone versus Katsu Hirengin and Renald Solfaris!"
Michael took a deep breath.
"Ready?" Torren asked.
"As I'll ever be."
As they descended toward the arena, Michael passed Ralph and Rob, who were now recovering by the sidelines. Ralph gave Michael a nod, his expression neutral but respectful.
Torren cracked his neck. "Let's make this count."
Across from them, Katsu rolled his shoulders and smiled, full of energy. Beside him,
Renald looked cold and calculating.
The crowd hushed as the four duelists took their positions. The wind shifted slightly as if even nature was holding its breath.
The elder raised his hand once more.
"Begin!"