Chapter 3: The First Duel
The arena buzzed with anticipation.
Students, nobles, and instructors crowded the stands, voices rising in a storm of cheers, jeers, and whispered bets.
The stone floor below was scarred from countless battles, stained with the sweat and blood of those who had come before.
Kai Vason stepped forward, heart pounding.
Across from him stood Celena Solari.
Tall. Graceful. Fierce.
Her silver hair caught the sunlight, her eyes sharp and unyielding.
She wore the blazing crest of the Solari family on her chest, and her sword hummed with radiant runes.
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"Seriously?" she said, voice dripping with disdain. "They paired me with you?"
Kai smiled, shrugging.
"I'm just as surprised."
Celena's lips curled into a smirk.
"Maybe you'll learn something."
"Like how to mop floors?"
"Ouch," she snapped.
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The instructor raised his hand.
"BEGIN!"
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Celena moved like lightning.
Her blade flashed in arcs, glowing with ethereal runes.
She struck fast—each blow calculated, precise, and powerful—far beyond the skill of a normal first-year.
Kai blocked.
And again.
And again.
The crowd watched breathless.
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She pressed harder.
A strike toward his head, a slash at his side.
Kai parried smoothly, his blade a shield against her fury.
But he didn't strike back.
He didn't need to.
Celena's attacks were polished but predictable.
He had faced far worse.
Fought far deadlier foes.
And survived.
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"Stop blocking and fight!" she spat, frustration burning in her eyes.
Kai smiled, eyes calm.
"Why ruin your spotlight?"
The crowd chuckled.
Celena's cheeks flushed.
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She leapt high, sword blazing.
"Light Pierce: Grade II!"
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Kai pressed his left hand to the stone floor.
The Echo Ring on his finger pulsed faintly, its amber glow barely visible.
With the ring's borrowed power, he murmured the words he had practiced over and over.
"Stone Bloom."
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Jagged shards of rock erupted from the ground, forming a tall, jagged barrier between them.
Celena's piercing light collided with the stone wall with a deafening explosion.
Dust and debris filled the air.
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Kai rolled clear, breathing hard.
Celena's eyes widened.
"You blocked that?!"
Kai wiped sweat from his brow, trying to keep his breath steady.
"I'm just built different."
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She snarled, fury fueling her next move.
Her attacks became wilder, less precise.
Kai dodged and parried.
When she spun around to strike, he slipped behind her.
A soft tap on her back from the flat edge of his sword made the crowd gasp.
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Then, with a roar, Celena unleashed a burst of radiant light.
Kai was slammed backward, crashing onto the arena floor.
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"Match over!" the instructor called.
"Winner—Celena Solari!"
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Kai groaned, propping himself up.
"Note to self: don't poke angry lions."
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Celena's face darkened with frustration.
"You didn't fight with your full power."
Kai met her gaze evenly.
"I wasn't ready to reveal everything."
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She clenched her fists.
"If you want to survive here… you'll have to."
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Celena extended her hand.
"You're good. For a fake Earth user."
Kai hesitated—then accepted.
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"You're not bad either," he teased.
"For a glowing lawn ornament," she shot back, rolling her eyes.
"Careful," she added with a smirk.
"I might like you."
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But Kai kept his secret close.
The Echo Ring was tucked safely beneath his glove.
No one knew he relied on it.
No one could detect his true power—the blended Light and Dark called Lumishade.
---
As the crowd buzzed with whispers, Kai's mind raced.
This was only the beginning.
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> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Rival Status Unlocked: Celena Solari
Title Gained: Stonewall Rookie
Artifact Equipped: Echo Ring (Cooldown Active)
Future Path Optimized: Hidden Power Preserved
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Kai walked away from the arena, heart steady despite the loss.
He had hidden his true strength.
He had survived.
And next time?
He wouldn't hold back.
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As Kai left the arena, his mind sharp and focused, he nearly collided with two figures stepping through the shadows of the courtyard.
The first was a tall, silver-eyed young man in the elegant garb of the Kael family, his icy gaze piercing.
"Watch yourself, Earthling," he said smoothly. "I'm Darius Kael. Ice and steel don't mix well with your kind."
Kai nodded, calm but alert.
The second was a fiery-haired girl with fierce amber eyes, wearing the sigil of the Vale family. Her name was Aria Vale.
"Don't mind him," Aria said with a sly smile. "But you? You have something… different. I'll be watching."
Kai met their gazes.
Two rivals.
Two potential allies.
And two wildcards in the storm to come.
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The world was already shifting.
The Rift loomed.
And the games at Vanguard Citadel Academy were just beginning.
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