Chapter 22: The Battle Outcome
The smoke in the dome began to clear.
For a few tense seconds, no one moved. The air still throbbed with mana, crackling in the aftermath of raw elemental chaos. Sparks danced along the fractured tiles, remnants of water-imbued crystals and scorched fire trails.
James rose to his feet, shaky but not done. His aura flared back to life—dim, but defiant. "We're not finished," he growled.
Mike's grip tightened around the hilt of his battered sword. The Crystalline Battle Armor shimmered like shards of moonlight wrapped around his torso, still cracked but intact.
James moved first. With a burst of flame around his feet, he surged forward. "Sunburst Strike!"
His fist ignited with blazing fire, aimed straight for Mike's ribs. Mike sidestepped with practiced ease, countering with a sweeping horizontal slash. The blade met fire—energy rebounding in a brilliant explosion that pushed them both apart.
Mike didn't relent. He dashed forward with crystal-enhanced speed, feinting a strike to James's shoulder but redirecting at the last second toward his abdomen.
James blocked with his forearm, flame dispersing the impact—but Mike followed up with a roundhouse kick, launching him back into the air.
James gritted his teeth, twisting midair and retaliating with a backdraft spin. "Blazing Arc!"
A crescent-shaped fire slash ripped through the arena. Mike crossed his arms, channeling Current Surge into his legs, then dashed under the arc, narrowly avoiding the heat.
He reappeared behind James. "Wave of Lotus!"
Multiple overlapping blades of water erupted like flower petals. James formed a flame shield just in time, but the outer blades nicked his shoulder and cheek, drawing blood.
Panting, both boys circled each other again. Their eyes locked.
"I thought you'd burn out by now," Mike muttered.
"I thought you'd shatter," James shot back.
With a roar, they clashed one last time—fist to blade, flame to crystal. Each blow sent shockwaves through the barrier. The crowd had fallen completely silent, watching the duel teeter on the edge.
James lunged with a final blazing jab. Mike countered with a rising slash of his Crystalline Sword.
Their bodies spun past each other.
Silence.
A single crack echoed.
James's knees buckled. His aura fizzled out.
Mike staggered, then steadied himself. His armor flickered but held.
A gust of wind cut through the silence.
James let out a heavy breath. "Tch... you're better than I expected."
He forced himself upright, ignoring the pain that stabbed through his muscles. The crowd was frozen in awe. Then the barrier lowered, signaling the end of the duel.
[Duel Ended] [Winner: Mike]
The entire stadium erupted.
Eira jumped to her feet, eyes wide in disbelief before her expression melted into pride. "He won...!"
Jek pumped his fists, yelling over the crowd. "I knew it! That's my guy!"
In the hologram chamber, the four Elders continued to observe.
"He's interesting," the female elder murmured. "No guidance, no inherited path—and still, he evolves in the middle of combat."
The eldest elder nodded. "There's something in him. Not just potential... but alignment. Perhaps the legacy senses it already."
"Then it's only a matter of time," another whispered. "Before the fragments are complete... and the choice is made."
Back in the arena, James walked slowly toward Mike.
"Don't get cocky," he muttered, lips twitching into a reluctant grin. "But... I admit it. You earned this one."
Mike blinked. "You're not going to punch me again, are you?"
James snorted. "No promises." Then he extended a hand. "Let's settle this properly in the Freshmen Competition."
Mike gripped it. "You're on."
The crowd cheered again at the handshake. The tension dissolved.
Later that evening, under a pale violet sky, the group gathered at a small open-air barbecue shop just outside the academy.
Jek had practically dragged everyone there. "Victory calls for meat! Grilled, spiced, and drowning in sauce!"
Mike, still bandaged on his left arm, laughed quietly as he watched Auline argue over spice levels with the cook.
Eira sat beside him, unusually quiet.
"You alright?" Mike asked.
She nodded, then leaned a little closer. "Just proud... and a little annoyed you didn't tell me about the armor sooner."
Mike chuckled. "Didn't know myself until I had no other choice."
Eira stared at him, her eyes soft. Then, she touched his hand beneath the table. It was gentle, deliberate.
Across from them, Jek choked on a chicken skewer. "Oi! Respect the singles!"
Urggh...
Bleehh…
Auline laughed. "Seriously, can you two not be this sweet while we're trying to eat?"
Eira winked. "Get your own romance arc."
The table erupted in laughter.
They ate, joked, and soaked in the warmth of the night—the bond of victory stitched between them.
The meal stretched long into the evening, filled with clinks of glasses and boisterous chatter. Jek, halfway through his third mug of ale, pointed dramatically at Mike. "You—absolute lunatic! Charging straight at a flaming lunatic with nothing but a glass suit and stubborn eyes!"
Mike laughed, shaking his head. "And it worked, didn't it?"
"Barely!" Auline giggled, prodding Jek's arm. "He almost got barbecued."
Eira smirked, sipping something fruity. "He would've still pulled something out of thin air. You should've seen his face in the fog. Calm. Focused."
Jek snorted. "I would've pissed myself."
They laughed again. Talks turned toward the Freshman Competition, and how James had already secured his place in the second bracket. Mike mentioned the quest board, and Auline warned him not to pick anything that would get him killed before the tournament.
Eventually, the food disappeared and the plates sat empty. Mike stood from the table and stretched with a quiet groan. "I'll go get some fresh air."
He didn't expect anyone to follow. The night breeze was crisp, carrying the scent of grilled meat and stardust as he walked down the cobbled path along the academy's garden trail. Lanterns swayed gently overhead, casting gold light over his thoughtful expression.
But soft footsteps trailed behind.
"Hey," Eira called quietly.
Mike turned. "Couldn't resist the fresh air too?"
She shrugged with a faint smile. "More like I couldn't let you wander off with half your wounds still sore."
They walked in silence for a while, their steps synchronized, shoes softly crunching on gravel. Fireflies blinked lazily around the hedges.
"You scared me today," Eira said suddenly.
Mike blinked. "Really?"
She nodded. "When James activated Frenzy... I thought—I thought he'd go too far. And when I saw you getting thrown around... I—"
Her voice caught.
Mike stopped walking. She did too.
"I'm okay," he said gently. "Thanks to you, actually."
Eira tilted her head. "Me?"
"You reminded me to not hold back. To believe I belong here."
She looked away, cheeks pink. "That doesn't mean you get to scare me again."
He smiled, stepping closer. "I'll try not to."
Silence stretched between them, charged and soft.
Then—
She stood on her toes.
But this time, it wasn't just a soft gesture.
Eira leaned in and kissed him. Not on the forehead. Not a brief peck.
Her lips met his, warm and slow, the taste of sweet wine and grilled spice still clinging between them. Her hands gently rested on his collar, drawing him closer. The world hushed. The lanterns swayed, fireflies blinked, and all Mike could feel was her.
When they finally parted, breath slightly uneven, Eira whispered, "That was your reward."
Mike blinked, stunned. "That... was just a reward?"
She smirked. "Don't read into it too much."
"You kissed me!"
Eira shrugged playfully. "You lived. You broke through. You made my heart panic a dozen times. It's compensation."
"I feel like I was just paid in emotional tax," Mike murmured.
Before she could respond, a loud crash from behind the hedges startled them.
"Oi! Are you kidding me?!" Jek's face appeared through a leafy gap. "We turn our backs for one second and you're full-on making out?!"
"Disgusting," Auline chimed in, laughing so hard she nearly dropped her drink. "Have some respect for us lonely hearts!"
Eira folded her arms, leaning back against Mike smugly. "Then stop spying."
"YOU LEFT THE TABLE," Jek protested.
Mike groaned, covering his face with one hand. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"
Eira grinned. "Nope."
A sudden rustling behind a tree broke the moment.
"Oi! Lovebirds!" Jek's voice hissed. "We said five minutes!"
"Get a room already!" Auline added with a giggle.
Mike groaned, rubbing his temples. Eira just laughed, unapologetic.
"Respect the singles," Jek grumbled as he and Auline vanished.
Mike and Eira stood there a while longer, eventually walking back side by side, their shoulders brushing now and then.
Back in his dorm, Mike sat by the window, the moonlight casting pale silver across his desk.
He reopened his status panel.
-Data Panel- Name: Mike Realm: Tier 2 [Level 18]
Mana Heart: Crystalline Mana Heart (Hidden Water Branch)
Strength: 189 | Physique: 178 | Agility: 172 | Mana: 180
Skills: Crystalline Sword, Wave of Lotus, Current Surge, Crystalline Battle Armor Legacy Skill: ??? (Unavailable – Requires Essence of Binding)
He gazed at the new skill glowing at the bottom. The armor—it wasn't just protection. It was something born in the midst of struggle. His own creation.
He closed his eyes and took a breath.
"I need to be ready. That was just one battle... the Freshmen competition is coming."
Outside, clouds drifted across the moon.
And within the silence of his soul, something stirred—the faintest whisper.
Not yet…
But soon.