The crowd was still murmuring after the final match of Aren's team. Whispers rippled through the arena—curious glances thrown at Aren and his companions. They had performed better than anyone had expected, especially Aren, who many still struggled to comprehend. But with their matches done, the rest of the day was left for watching others.
Aren sat back on the stone benches alongside Sharu, who, despite his tiny form, sat upright with a proud and disinterested look—as if the other beasts were beneath him. Lina had pestered him earlier to let her sit next to Sharu, but the small beast simply stared at her blankly until she gave up, pouting.
Now, as new names were called, Aren leaned forward, eyes narrowed. He wanted to know what kind of competition existed in this academy—and what sort of strength the future held.
The next match was announced.
"Nero Drel vs. Kael Rin!"
The arena shimmered as the two students walked in. Nero, a tall, broad-shouldered student with wild black hair, cracked his neck. His beast emerged in a flash of silver light—a metallic hound with dark, polished armor-like skin and glowing red eyes. It growled low, eyes fixed on its opponent.
Kael, by contrast, was lean and composed. His beast was something Aren hadn't seen before—a misty, shadow-like serpent that floated just above the ground. It had no eyes, only pale silver markings along its body, and it made no sound.
The judge's hand fell.
"Begin!"
Nero's beast lunged first, its paws sending cracks through the arena floor as it charged. Kael didn't move. Instead, he snapped his fingers. The mist serpent vanished in a wisp.
In a blink, the hound was swiping at empty air.
Then the serpent struck—from below. It had reformed through the cracks the hound created. It surged up, wrapping around the hound's legs, releasing a chilling hiss that turned the air cold.
The crowd gasped.
"A stealth-type," Aren murmured, eyes narrowing. "It used the broken ground as cover."
Nero shouted, calling for his beast to throw it off. The hound roared, unleashing a metallic pulse from its body, sending the serpent skidding back. But Kael was already moving, guiding his beast like a shadow with his gestures.
The fight continued—power versus precision, brute force against elusive magic. In the end, Kael's strategy prevailed. The serpent constricted around the hound's legs one last time, and Kael used the moment to force Nero into submission. The judge raised Kael's hand.
"Winner: Kael Rin!"
Aren made a mental note. Kael's beast uses stealth, illusions, and pressure tactics. Noted.
The next match was more explosive.
"Yara Finn vs. Donas Brim!"
Yara was small, with flaming red hair tied in two braids, and her beast matched her energy—a fiery lizard, barely two feet long, but already burning the ground beneath it with each step.
Donas, a bulky student with a wide grin, released a turtle-like beast covered in moss and earth. Unlike the lizard, it moved slowly, but its presence was grounding.
"Begin!"
Yara wasted no time. "Flame burst!"
Her beast hissed and opened its jaws, releasing a spiraling flame toward the turtle.
"Shell down," Donas said calmly.
The turtle withdrew into its shell, forming a dome of rock and moss, absorbing the flame entirely. When the fire cleared, steam rose—but the turtle was unharmed.
The fight turned into an elemental clash—fireballs and flame whips versus crushing rock pillars and defense techniques. Yara tried to break through again and again, but Donas was like a wall.
Finally, in a twist, the turtle emerged rapidly and launched a surprise attack—its entire shell spun with terrifying momentum, slamming into Yara's beast and knocking it out cold.
"Winner: Donas Brim!"
Sharu yawned.
Aren smirked. "That one bored you, huh?"
Sharu didn't answer but flicked his tail. Still, Aren had noticed the strategy. Donas plays the long game. Defensive until the moment to strike is perfect.
Three more matches followed. One student, a girl named Sasha Vel, controlled a wind-element bird with razor feathers. Another, Thorne Miras, fought with a shadow wolf that blurred in and out of sight, similar to Kael but more aggressive.
Then came someone unexpected.
"Lance Vermilion vs. Gray Tishar!"
The name Vermilion stirred murmurs in the audience.
"That's a royal family name," Aren heard a student whisper.
Lance walked in—tall, golden-haired, with striking violet eyes. His presence was magnetic. When his beast appeared, a hush fell over the crowd. It was a gryphon. Small still—just the size of a lion—but it carried itself with pride, its feathers gleaming with faint golden runes.
Gray summoned a stone-scaled boar, strong and reliable—but next to the gryphon, it looked like a mere wild beast.
The match was short.
The gryphon moved with terrifying speed, wings beating once to shoot forward. Its claws glowed as it slashed at the boar, sending it skidding. Gray tried to recover, but Lance raised his hand—and golden rings of light spiraled around the gryphon. A second strike and the boar collapsed.
"Winner: Lance Vermilion!"
Aren exhaled slowly. That one's dangerous. His beast is fast, strong, and he doesn't waste energy. No flashy attacks. Just power and precision.
Sharu, surprisingly, leaned forward slightly.
"What? You like that one?" Aren asked.
Sharu's expression didn't change, but his tail had stopped flicking.
Interesting, Aren thought.
The final match was called before the break.
"Velia Rune vs. Esten Kor!"
Velia had white hair and cold blue eyes, and her beast—a crystalline fox—sparkled with mana. Esten, in contrast, wore dark robes, and his beast was a skeletal vulture surrounded by green mist.
The clash was magical and eerie. Velia's fox fired beams of refracted light, bouncing attacks through mirrors of crystal it created mid-air. Esten responded with curses, his vulture spreading decay where it flew.
Aren watched with fascination.
"Dual-support style. She uses reflection and mobility. He uses status effects," he murmured.
It was the most magical match so far. Both students barely moved—but their beasts danced and twisted in the air like performers in a deadly ballet.
In the end, Velia trapped the vulture between two mirrors and blasted a refracted beam that hit it from five directions. Esten collapsed to his knees.
"Winner: Velia Rune!"
The judge stepped forward.
"That concludes the first round of matches," he said, voice amplified by magic. "You've all witnessed strength, creativity, and potential. But this was only the beginning."
Aren straightened. The air around the arena shifted, as if something important was about to be revealed.
"The results of Round One will now be reviewed. Final evaluations and match rankings will be posted shortly. Prepare yourselves—for your journey has only just begun."
A flicker of anticipation ran through the crowd. Some students celebrated their wins. Others looked dejected. But for Aren, it was
something else entirely.
Excitement.
He was learning. Observing. Calculating.
And now... the real challenge would begin.