The Dominion was still recovering from Ash's duel.
They didn't know what he was.
But they knew what they saw.
A legend wrapped in scars.
A curse that bled mercy.
And behind him? Seraphina.
The girl who stood in fire like it was silk.
The next day, her name appeared on the Forbidden Duel roster.
No one knew who sent the challenge.
No sigil. No threat. Just one word:
"Kneel."
"Don't accept it," Ash said that night, leaning against the tower wall.
"You're not here to prove anything."
Seraphina didn't look at him.
"I'm not proving. I'm correcting."
He tilted his head. "Correcting what?"
She turned to face him. Eyes hard. Voice calm.
"The idea that power belongs to bloodlines. That women belong behind shields. That I walk in your shadow."
"You don't cast shadows, Ash. You cast storms. But I am not lightning struck down. I am the fire they forgot burns hotter."
He looked at her — really looked.
Then, simply:
"Then burn them all."
Midnight.
The Forbidden Arena thrummed with energy.
More students had come this time — drawn not by gossip, but fear.
Because the challenger had revealed himself.
Vaedin Arkrel.
Second-year. Ranked fourth. Son of the High Chancellor.
A gifted wielder of nullfire — magic that devours spells.
He stood in the arena barehanded.
"I came for the storm," he said loudly, staring at the entrance.
"Got the flame instead."
The crowd chuckled.
Until Seraphina stepped into the light.
And the arena flinched.
She wore no armor.
Only her uniform — singed at the cuffs from her training that morning.
No enchantments.
Just a phoenix pendant at her neck.
"You came for Ash," she said softly.
"You get me instead."
He sneered. "You'll regret that."
She tilted her head.
"No, you will."
The duel began with a blinding surge of nullfire.
Vaedin's spell shot across the floor — black flame meant to snuff hers out.
But Seraphina didn't dodge.
She stepped forward.
And her flame flared brighter.
It didn't retreat.
It didn't die.
It consumed his.
She raised one hand — golden sigils blooming up her arm like royal chains breaking.
"Phoenix Vein: Sovereign Flame."
A wall of divine fire erupted around her — not wild, not chaotic.
Commanded.
Vaedin lunged with a spear of pure anti-magic.
She sidestepped once.
Let it scrape her shoulder.
The crowd gasped.
Ash stepped forward — but Kirito held him back.
"Watch," he whispered.
"She's not losing. She's learning."
Blood slid down her arm.
She smiled.
"Thank you."
Vaedin blinked. "For what?"
"For the pain."
In a single movement, she clapped her hands.
The blood on her arm ignited — pure golden.
"Bloodline Rejection: Flameborn Ascendancy."
Her hair flared upward like a solar wind.
Eyes turned molten gold.
The phoenix pendant burned white-hot.
And then…
She flew.
Not levitation.
Ascension.
She dropped down like judgment.
Fist to chest.
His armor cracked.
The fire crawled under his skin.
And whispered one word:
"Kneel."
Vaedin screamed.
Tried to rise.
Couldn't.
Not because of pain.
Because his magic refused to obey him.
Her flames had reached into his core and bound it.
Not destroyed.
Subjugated.
The crowd didn't cheer.
They knelt.
Because in that moment, it became clear:
Ash wasn't the only god rising.
She turned, flames trailing her like a royal cloak.
Walked to the exit.
Paused.
Looked up at the highest balcony.
Where the Student Council sat.
And said:
"Next time, send someone who doesn't bleed when spoken to."
That night, back on the tower, Ash sat quietly.
She sat beside him.
He didn't speak.
Neither did she.
Not until he finally asked:
"Why didn't you stop when he begged?"
She looked out at the stars.
"Because I've begged before. And no one stopped."
He turned toward her.
She met his gaze.
And in that fragile silence, their walls didn't fall.
They just… stepped aside.
Just enough to let each other in.