As soon as Instructor Daimon announced the start of the duel, the arena rumbled and shifted, activating its built-in enchantments.
The ground glowed with intricate mana inscriptions, reshaping itself into a more dynamic battlefield.
At the same time, a thin layer of shimmering liquid mana materialized around me a mana shield, the academy's safety mechanism.
If I were to suffer a fatal blow, it would activate and forcefully end the match before I could truly die.
But that didn't mean pain wouldn't be real.
'I couldn't afford to rely on it.'
I instinctively leaped backward, gaining distance as I focused entirely on my opponent.
Cassian stood completely still, her expression unreadable.
But then-
A shift in the air.
The mana around her began to fluctuate, swirling violently. A deep blue glow formed around her body, pure and unrefined, before shifting to green in a blink.
My instincts screamed at me.
Rustle!
A flicker, a movement too fast for the eye to follow—and suddenly, she was gone.
"Impossible—!"
whoosh!!
A sharp sound sliced through the air from behind me.
I spun around, my heart pounding as the unmistakable sound of a blade being unsheathed rang in my ears.
Cold steel flashed down toward my skull.
I ducked barely in time.
Shnk!
The blade whistled past, its razor-sharp edge slicing a few strands of my hair clean off.
A second slower, and my head would've been split open.
'uhh..She was aiming to kill.'
She wasted no time.
In one swift motion, she brought her sword down again faster, stronger.
CLANG!
I barely managed to raise my own blade in time, metal clashing against metal with a deafening sound My arms trembled under the impact.
"How strong is she?!"
The force behind her strike wasn't something a commoner should have.
This level of strength this precision was unnatural.
Before I could fully register it, she shifted her weight.
SHNK!
Her knee bent, her stance snapping into place with flawless execution.
My instincts screamed at me.
'MOVE!!'
But before I could react-
THUD!
A brutal kick slammed into my stomach.
A shockwave of pure force exploded through my body. My vision blurred. Air rushed out of my lungs, a sharp pain stabbing deep into my ribs.
"Damn it—!"
My feet left the ground.
I was sent flying across the arena, my body twisting mid-air from the sheer impact.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to react—
At the last second, I stabbed my sword into the stone ground, metal scraping against the reinforced floor as it barely managed to slow my momentum.
My boots skidded backward until I came to a stop—right at the arena's edge.
A few inches more and I would've been out of bounds.
"haaa!" I gasped for air, pain pulsing in my stomach.
My arms ached, my grip on my sword unsteady.
Cassian simply stood there, lowering her leg back to the ground. Her sword rested lazily on her shoulder, her expression unreadable.
And then she smirked.
"Is that all, noble?"
"Damn it… She's not just strong—she's a monster."
The kick sent me flying, my ribs aching from the sheer force.
I barely had time to react my sword scraped against the stone, slowing my momentum just before I skidded to a stop at the arena's edge.
"Too close—"
Heat.
I felt it before I even saw it.
I snapped my head up Cassian was already preparing her next move.
A blazing fireball swirled in her palm, mana flickering around her like a violent storm.
She wasn't holding back.
'Damn it! again'
I clenched my fist, forcing my mana to surge. A sharp chill ran through my veins as water gathered in my palm.
I chanted in a split second, words rolling off my mind like instinct:
'Torrent rise, swift and cold!
Crash and drown, take your hold!'
{Water Gun!}
A pressurized blast of water shot from my hand, spiraling toward the incoming fireball.
BOOM!
The spells collided mid air, sending a shockwave of steam and heat rippling through the arena.
The mist clouded my vision, but I didn't lower my guard.
Through the fog, a shadow shifted Cassian.
And then she grinned.
The mist from our clashing spells hadn't even settled when I heard her voice mocking, sharp, filled with amusement.
"What's wrong, noble? Thought you had this fight in the bag?"
Cassian's smirk burned into my vision as she casually spun her sword in her hand. It was insulting she wasn't even treating me as a real threat.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to steady my breath.
"Don't let her bait you."
Victor's words echoed in my mind.
A noble who loses his temper loses his battle.
I exhaled sharply, shoving aside the frustration clawing at my chest.
Focus.
I gathered mana again, feeling the cool rush of water forming at my fingertips.
My body moved on instinct as I chanted in My mind:
'O tide that twists and turns,Flow forth and carve your path,Relentless, endless—strike and drown!'
{Water Stream!}
A torrent of water erupted from my palm, spiraling toward her like a whip.
But Cassian damn her speed only laughed before twisting her body to the side.
The water cut through the air, just barely missing her.
And then she countered.
Her hand shot forward, mana crackling around her fingers. In a blink, a sphere of compressed wind roared into existence.
She launched it straight at me.
I barely had time to register it before she moved again—jumping directly behind the spell, sword raised.
It was a feint. If I focused on dodging the wind ball, her blade would land a clean strike.
I had no choice.
I activated my blessing, willing the water still floating around me to condense. With a snap of my fingers, it shifted—forming a barrier between me and the wind ball.
The wind ball collided into the water, dispersing instantly.
But Cassian was already too close.
CLANG!
Her blade crashed against mine, the sheer force rattling through my arms. She pressed forward mercilessly, her physical strength completely overwhelming me.
"Tch—!"
My boots skidded against the stone as I struggled to hold my ground.
But then, she twisted her wrist, adjusting her angle and suddenly, my balance was gone.
With a powerful swing, she sent me flying back.
Pain exploded in my side as my body slammed against the cold arena floor.
A sickening crack.
Then sharp, searing pain.
'One of my bones is broken.'
I tasted blood.
I barely managed to push myself up before Cassian's voice rang out again, dripping with amusement.
"Is this all a noble can do?"
She tilted her head, tapping her sword against her shoulder.
"Pathetic."
I gritted my teeth.
I refused to lose here.
Cedric's body ached with every breath, his wounds stinging as blood mixed with the dampness of his soaked clothes.
His grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles pale from exertion.
Every movement sent sharp jolts of pain through his body, but he refused to waver.
Cassian stood across from him, barely winded, an amused smirk playing on her lips.
"Is this all the so-called nobility has to offer?" she taunted, tilting her head.
"You're drenched, bleeding, and yet you still act as if you stand a chance."
Cedric forced a breathless chuckle, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"And you're still running your mouth," he shot back, his golden eyes burning with defiance. "Guess even commoners can be arrogant."
Cassian's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, her eyes narrowing.
Then, she exhaled a slow, measured breath.
And the temperature dropped.
A deep, bone chilling cold spread through the air as frost bloomed beneath her feet, spreading outward like creeping veins.
Cedric's breath came out in a visible mist.
The wetness clinging to his body began to freeze, the very air growing dense with an unnatural chill.
Cassian raised her hand, her voice calm but laced with an icy finality.
"Since you nobles value honor so much, I'll grant you mine."
The ground cracked beneath her as the entire platform turned to ice.
Cedric barely had a moment to react before his boots became encased in frost, his legs immobilized in an instant.
"So... this is her blessing Victor talk about," he thought, gritting his teeth as the freezing pain surged up his body.
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His muscles tensed, every nerve screaming in protest. The frost bit into his wounds, intensifying the pain tenfold.