Standing on the arena, facing each other, dressed in full bodysuits, both Elysia and Ray stared at one another with unwavering eyes, the atmosphere between them tense and silent... as if the world had paused for this moment alone.
The arena was abuzz with murmurs, voices rising and falling like waves. Most of the students were either admirers of Ray or Elysia, both of whom were well-known among the academy circles.
Others had simply gathered to watch, hoping for some fiery entertainment and drama that only a public duel could offer.
"What do you think... whoâs going to win?" Lyra finally asked, glancing sideways at Amelia and Grace, her voice laced with curiosity and a bit of unease.
There was a long pause between them, before Grace sighed and replied, her tone calm yet certain, "Obviously Ray is going to win. Youâve seen how fast heâs grown these past few weeks. The gap between him and Elysia isnât something that can be ignored... Sheâs still at a lower rank than him."
Lyra frowned slightly, her brows tightening as her concern grew clearer. "Thatâs exactly why I donât understand. Why is Elysia so determined to fight... when she knows sheâs going to lose? And in front of all these people too? Wouldnât it just affect her negatively... and even more than that, what about Ash? It would affect him too."
There was no answer to her question, because no one could really make sense of it. No one knew what was going through Elysiaâs mind. No one could guess what she truly wanted from this fight.
Only Ameliaâs gaze turned somber upon hearing that question. Even though she didnât know every detail of what was about to happen... she had seen just enough to understand what needed to be prevented. What people didnât realize was that Instructor Leonardâs sudden appearance had already changed something important.
She had seen it in her vision â both Ray and Elysia, fighting without restraint, right then and there, without any supervision and safety. Although no one was hurt in the vision, she still took no risk, after all if something was not going to happen, then the vision should not have come.
And many might wonder why she hadnât tried to stop the duel completely... why she only informed Instructor Leonard instead of preventing it altogether. But the truth was something else, something she had learned the hard way.
The future shown in her visions could not be changed completely... not with her current powers. The path of fate was far too strong for her to rewrite entirely.
However, what she could do... was influence it. Not by erasing the events, but by softening the impact. She didnât prevent the duel â but she made sure it happened here, now, in the arena, under the eyes of the academy and the instructors.
This way, no matter what happened... no one would be seriously hurt.
"Maybe... itâs because she wants to prove something," a voice suddenly spoke from behind them. "She wants to prove that she really loves Ash. That even if sheâs going to lose... sheâll still show that sheâs willing to go this far for him. To show that her love was not just empty words."
Her words were calm but carried weight. The three girls turned around at once, surprised by the voice.
It wasâ
"Senior Aurora..."
It was Aurora Starborn, the Star Blessed.
But before they could say anything more, before their thoughts could be voiced...
A mechanical voice echoed throughout the arena, interrupting everything.
***
[Are you ready?]
A mechanical voice echoed across the arena, and instantly, the entire space was consumed by a heavy silence. Not a single whisper was heard. Every pair of eyes were locked onto the two figures standing inside the square boundary.
Both Elysia and Ray gave a silent nod.
[Let the duel begin.]
Yet, neither moved.
They stood still, exactly ten long steps apart, their bodies tense like coiled springs waiting to snap.
Ray was dressed in a fitted black combat suit, the official one provided by the academy. He held a standard-issue blunt sword, its handle slightly worn from use.
Elysia, wearing the same body suit, stood tall with her blade angled slightly downward. Her long silver hair had been tied neatly into a high ponytail, the strands swaying gently with the breeze, brushing against the back of her neck.
Above them, the sky was painted in thick strokes of grey. Heavy clouds veiled the sun, cloaking the dueling arena in a dim, shadowed light.
The wind blew softly, curling around the pillars like a whisper, while the artificial lights lining the arena flickered on, casting a white glow against the dull metal floor.
"Iâll let you attack first," Ray spoke in a calm, composed tone, his voice devoid of emotion. "After all, youâre lower in rank than me."
He had already activated his skillâNull Mindâonce again. He couldnât afford to let his emotions interfere in this fight.
{Sigh... The skill is working well, Iâll admit that. But donât forget, Ray... youâre not removing those emotions permanently. Theyâre just being pushed down, suppressed for now. Eventually, theyâll return the moment you deactivate the skill.}
I know that... Iâm not trying to erase them. Just need them silent right now.
{Then let me ask you thisâwhy exactly are you fighting her? I get it, she hurt you... saying that boy, Ash, is stronger than you. But even so, you couldâve simply rejected her challenge. If you really wanted to prove something, you couldâve tracked Ash down later and challenged him directly instead.}
Have you forgotten already...? You were the one who told me to kill her.
{Yeah, and? I said either her or that star girl. Doesnât mean you needed to accept a fight driven by feelings.}
Then shouldnât you be glad that Iâm fighting her now?
{Glad? No. Iâm worried about you, Ray. Can you really handle this? Will you be okay when itâs over?}
Yeah... I think Iâll be fine. This fight... maybe itâll help me decide what to do with these feelings I still carry for her...
You were right when you said I canât force her to love me. I understand that. But at the very least, I want to try and show her that Ash isnât what she thinks he is. Maybe sheâs just grateful to him for saving her. Maybe she mistook that gratitude for something deeper. Maybe this fight will open her eyes...
I just... I want to give everything I have before I finally let go. I need to be able to say that I tried, that I did all I could... even if it means getting hurt in the end.
{Sigh... fine. Do what you need to do. I wonât stop you. Your reasoning isnât wrong... itâs just painful.}
Thank you... for understanding.
_
Elysia, standing across from him, took a slow breath. Her gaze was sharp, unyielding.
"Iâll gladly go first," she said in a steady, serious voice. Her grip on the blade tightened, her stance shifting just slightly as she prepared to move.
Every breath she took became slower, more focused, her silver mana stirring beneath her skin like the calm before a storm.
-Swish.
She moved mana through her body, accelerating herself instantly as she ran quickly towards Ray. Her steps were fast, yet graceful, barely touching the ground as if gliding.
But Ray didnât move at all. He simply stood there, completely still, his arms relaxed, as if waiting for her to arrive. And just when she was only five steps away from him, her blade flashed with silver light.
In that instant, she swung her sword, releasing a crescent slash of silvery mana straight towards him.
Three powerful slashes tore through the air, two of them forming an âXâ-shaped cross, while the third followed vertically behind them like a finishing strike.
But Ray didnât do anything to counter it. The moment the attacks came close enough to touch him, his figure became blurry for a split second, and the attacks passed right through his body like cutting through mist.
It was Illusion Step. A movement technique Aetheris had taught him as more fragments of his sealed memories unlocked after his Rank up.
The technique drew upon both space and water elements, merging them together to create afterimages and spatial mirages that confused the senses.
But just as the attack missed, and his form reappeared a few steps away, a blade coated in bright silver moonlight appeared right in front of him. The distance between the tip of Elysiaâs sword and Rayâs face was dangerously close.
Still, Ray reacted in time. With a blinding motion, he raised his own sword and deflected the incoming strike upwards, the clang echoing faintly like a chime.
Sheâs sharp...
Even before the echo faded, Elysia followed up. She twisted her body mid-motion and launched a sharp kick toward his face, fast and well-aimed. But Ray caught her leg with his hand and twisted her body sideways, almost making her lose her balance.
However, Elysia spun nimbly, using the momentum to flip herself upright and land on her feet with practiced ease.
She attacked again, not giving him time to breathe. Sometimes she struck directly from the front, sometimes using unexpected tricks or feints, occasionally even trying to land blows with her fists or legs when he least expected it.
But none of her attacks landed.
Some were deflected smoothly, others were blocked with precise movements, and a few simply passed through his form once again, the illusionary step making it feel like she was striking empty space.
Damn it...
***