The air in the arena was thick with tension as Arthur and Damon faced each other, stepping back and analyzing their opponent. Damon rolled his shoulders, a confident smirk spreading across his face.
"So, you're Arthur, huh? I've heard a lot about you."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. "Oh? I didn't know I was that popular."
Damon's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "You're popular as the fallen noble, that is." He burst into laughter, loud and mocking. "Looks like luck is on my side today! I get to fight the so-called noble who wasn't even chosen by a blade!"
The crowd murmured in agreement, their whispers buzzing across the arena.
"Yeah, he's lucky." "Arthur's just a failed noble. This match is already decided."
Arthur's gaze sharpened. "Are you going to just stand there talking, or are you actually going to come at me?"
Damon's sneer twisted deeper. "Still acting all high and mighty even after being stripped of your nobility? I won't waste my time. I'll finish you off quickly."
Arthur's fingers twitched as he exhaled slowly. "Then let's get started."
At that moment, Hyorinmaru, the small ice dragon, floated onto Arthur's shoulder. The little dragon's eyes glowed as he analyzed Damon.
"He's strong," Hyorinmaru said, his voice echoing in Arthur's mind. "And your abilities are still blank. You're going to have a tough time defeating him."
Damon's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the dragon before letting out a chuckle. "I didn't know you babysat lizards too. Don't worry—after I'm done with you, I'll take care of it."
"Blind... Kagayagi!"
A brilliant flash of light magic enveloped Damon's hand as it transformed into a glowing sword, radiating with overwhelming brilliance.
Hyorinmaru's eyes flashed at the insult. "Arthur," he said sharply, "he talks too much. Why don't we shut him up?"
Arthur smirked. "Gladly."
Damon lunged, his blade slicing through the air. Arthur didn't flinch. He raised his hand, his breath steady as he called out:
"Frost upon the heavens... Hyorinmaru."
In an instant, the small dragon on his shoulder disappeared in a flurry of ice and mist, reforming into a sleek, glistening blade in Arthur's grasp. The temperature in the arena dropped as the ice-forged weapon pulsed with raw energy.
CLANG!
Arthur intercepted Damon's attack with ease, their blades clashing in a shower of sparks and frost.
Damon stumbled back, his eyes wide. "You can summon a blade? That dragon was... it?"
In the audience, the captains of the Sword Mage Order exchanged glances. The head captain narrowed his eyes at the sword.
"That blade..." he thought, expression darkening. "It looks... familiar."
The vice-captain noticed. "Captain? Something wrong?"
The head captain shook his head. "It's nothing."
Back in the arena, Damon scoffed. "Don't get cocky. You're still beneath me!"
He charged again, faster this time. Arthur met him head-on.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Damon feinted left, swung upward. Arthur reacted instantly, flipping over him and landing behind.
SWISH!
Arthur's blade slashed—Damon barely blocked it and skidded back, gritting his teeth.
"I won't lose to you!"
He raised his hand.
"Light Magic: Ray Beam!"
A blinding bolt shot forward. Arthur ducked, weaving through the blasts as Damon fired again and again.
He sprinted wide around Damon, dodging each shot, mind racing.
"I need an opening..."
Damon suddenly launched five beams. Arthur dodged four—one hit.
BOOM!
Arthur grunted, staggering.
Damon smirked. "Got you."
He aimed again.
Arthur's thoughts spiraled—then it hit him.
"Light can be reflected..."
A memory flashed—an experiment from school.
"The law of reflection... if I can create ice clear enough..."
Arthur's eyes sharpened.
"If I control the angles, I can reflect his own attack back at him without him realizing."
Damon kept firing. "Is running all you can do?"
Arthur dashed straight at him.
Damon laughed. "That won't work!"
He raised his hand.
"Ray Beam!"
Arthur didn't dodge.
The beam hit—off-center.
Damon blinked. "What—?!"
Arthur raised Hyorinmaru.
"Ice Magic: Clear Crystal!"
A smooth, mirror-like ice wall formed instantly.
The Ray Beam rebounded.
"I can dodge this!" Damon barked.
He moved—but another mirror appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
The beam zigzagged wildly between them, gaining speed.
Arthur's voice was calm. "Light moves in straight lines... but in my hands, it becomes a weapon you can't track."
Damon's smirk vanished as he spun around, trying to follow the beam's path. He fired again in panic.
"Ray Beam! Ray Beam! Ray Beam!"
Too late.
The mirrors redirected every shot.
Four final mirrors appeared, surrounding him.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "It's over."
The beams converged.
A blinding explosion of light swallowed Damon.
As the glow faded, he lay still.
Garrick stood from his seat, voice echoing.
"The winner is—Arthur!"
Silence. Disbelief.
Then—
Clap.
Felix.
Ronan joined, and slowly the crowd erupted. Some still stunned, others cheering.
From the stands, the Sword Mage captains watched. One captain smirked.
"Brilliant use of ice magic."
Another nodded. "He turned his opponent's magic against him. Smart."
Arthur stood still, stats flickering before him.
New Ability Unlocked: Clear Crystal.
His eyes lit up. His blade shimmered and vanished into mist. Hyorinmaru reappeared on his shoulder, exhaling frost.
"Good job," the dragon muttered, a hint of approval in his tone.
Arthur grinned and reached up to pat him—Hyorinmaru turned away with a huff.
Garrick's voice boomed again.
"The next match—Seraphina Luminara versus Garold Stormweaver!"
Arthur stepped down as Seraphina approached. Their shoulders brushed.
She paused.
A strange feeling—familiar yet distant.
She turned back.
Arthur offered a small nod. "Good luck."
She blinked, then moved on.
Arthur met up with Felix and Ronan.
Felix slapped his back. "That was insane! How'd you come up with that?"
Arthur rubbed his neck. "Honestly? Just went with my gut."
Felix laughed—then froze, staring at the dragon.
"What is that lizard doing with you?"
Hyorinmaru's tail flicked.
"Arthur, shall we silence him too?"
Felix jolted. "It… talks?!"
Arthur laughed. "Relax, Hyorinmaru." He smirked. "You're way more fired up than usual. At home you act like nothing matters."
He mocked the dragon's deep tone.
Thwack!
Hyorinmaru's tail smacked his face.
Arthur winced. "Oww—hey!"
Felix laughed—until he noticed something.
Hyorinmaru was staring.
At the Head Captain.
And the Head Captain... was staring back.
The air tensed like a frozen battlefield.
Arthur blinked. "Hyorinmaru? What's wrong?"
The dragon's aura flickered. "...It's nothing."
Felix watched them but said nothing. He patted Arthur's shoulder again. "You got stronger. I look forward to your next fight."
Arthur smirked. "Same. But let's see how Seraphina does first."
---
Seraphina vs. Garold Stormweaver
Garold stepped forward, smirking.
"Listen," he said, rolling his shoulders. "I don't like fighting girls. I'll make this quick."
He stomped.
"Stomp— Iwagiri!"
The ground cracked. Jagged rocks surged upward, forming a brutal stone blade. He hefted it like a toy.
"I'll just bury you."
He charged.
Seraphina… didn't move.
Then she whispered.
"Illuminate… Tenmei."
Light descended from the sky.
Radiance enveloped the arena as a golden blade formed—sheathed in pure light. It hovered before her, sacred and absolute.
Garold slowed.
He gritted his teeth, then charged again.
"I'm ending this NOW!"
The earth trembled under his sprint.
Seraphina calmly reached out and grasped the hilt.
"You're slow."
Garold blinked—
She was gone.
Not gone. Too fast to see.
The battlefield warped.
She stood behind him.
She hadn't drawn her blade.
She let go.
The sword, still sheathed, floated and dropped gently.
Peaceful. Effortless.
Seraphina walked away.
"It's over."
A thin red line appeared on Garold's shoulder.
Drip…
Drip…
His legs locked. His sword crumbled.
He collapsed.
Silence.
Arthur clenched his fists. "Even my Clear Crystal wouldn't have been fast enough to reflect that..."
Hyorinmaru watched coldly.
"She moved at the speed of light. You are nowhere near her level."
Arthur exhaled. Eyes still on her.
She's strong.
In the stands, one captain smirked.
"As expected from the God of Light's daughter."
Garrick raised his voice.
"Winner—Seraphina Luminara!"
Cheers erupted.
Arthur relaxed his grip.
Felix whistled. "Damn… she's on a whole different level."
Arthur nodded silently.
Seraphina stepped off the stage, expression unreadable as the light faded from her sword.
Garrick's voice rang again.
"Next match—Felix Arden versus—"
And the tournament continued.