The practice court cleared as Aoi stepped forward, his voice carrying sharp authority.
"Form your duos. From here on, you'll be competing as teams."
The group shuffled, some glancing at one another nervously, others smirking with confidence. When the time was up, the pairs stood ready.
The teams are: Indra and Naaji, Selene and Aki, Haruka and Veli, Tessa and Luce, Sylvie and Mira, Kaelen and Kaori, Darius and Yune, Renzo and Kira.
Aoi clasped his hands behind his back. "The format will be simple—a tournament bracket. The strongest team will be decided by elimination."
He flicked his wrist, and a shimmering board of light appeared behind him, the brackets aligning themselves at random.
"First Round Matchups
Veli & Haruka vs. Renzo & Kira
Kaelen & Kaori vs. Indra & Naaji
Tessa & Luce vs. Darius & Yune
Sylvie & Mira vs. Selene & Aki"
The announcement sent murmurs through the crowd. Indra cracked a grin, already amused. Selene folded her arms, clearly agitated with the whole situation. Naaji fidgeted nervously until Indra laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax," Indra murmured. "This is just another chance to show off."
The first match ups began stepping up to the arena. Veli, calm and calculating, stood beside Haruka, who twirled her fingers casually with a cocky smile. Their opponents, Renzo Amada and Kira Cuno, were lesser-known—Renzo wielded a heavy battle axe, while Kira clutched a set of enchanted talismans that shimmered with sealing essence.
"Begin"
Renzo charged first, his axe tearing across the ground with brutal strength. Veli intercepted, his crimson blade flashing as sparks flew with every clash. He sighed. "You're pretty weak."
With a twist, Veli slid under Renzo's swing and sliced a shallow cut across his arm. Renzo growled in pain, swinging harder, but Veli glided around him, every strike growing sloppier as his frustration mounted.
Meanwhile, Kira planted her talismans at her feet, chanting quickly. Threads of glowing energy shot up, attempting to bind Haruka.
But Haruka's eyes glimmered in amusement as she raised her hand. Dark red bullets shot out of her hand towards Kira.
"Tricks like that won't work on me," she stated, her voice cocky.
Before Kira could even react, her talismans had holes in them—so did she. Kira fell to her knees, surrendering while lightly shuttering in pain.
Renzo turned in compassion, wanting to help and protect his injured teammate.
Veli seized the moment, his voice icy. "You should never look away from your opponent."
He spun, his crimson blade flashing in a crescent arc, disarming Renzo and sending his axe clattering to the floor. He staggered, wide-eyed, before Veli slammed a kick into his chest, sending him sprawling.
Aoi raised his hand. "Winner, Veli and Haruka."
Veli desummoned his blade, and Haruka flicked her fingers with a smirk.
"Too easy," she muttered.
————
"Next." Aoi's voice rang out.
Indra rolled his shoulders, calm as ever, while Naaji's crimson eyes glinted faintly, her body tense like a coiled spring. Across from them stood Kaelen Veyr and Kaori Ishen.
Kaelen was pale and tall, his sharp jawline tinged well with his side-parted black hair and light purple eyes.
Kaori on the other hand. She had a darker skin-tone, slightly lighter than Selene. Her ocean blue hair and magenta eyes made a nice combo on her more developed body.
Kaelen gripped a glaive that shimmered with pure essence, while Kaori held a crystal sword, splashes of water dancing along it. Together, they radiated sharp precision, like blades forged to cut down anyone in their way.
"Begin"
Kaelen and Kaori moved first. Kaelen swung his glaive in a wide arc, sending slicing blades of compressed essence hurling across the arena.
Kaori followed instantly, shooting blades of water that ran alongside the pure essence, both attacks combining for something even more destructive.
Indra smirked. "Dodge Naaji."
And so they did, leaving them with little ground to make up.
Naaji's lips curled into a grin. Blood pulsed beneath her skin, glowing faintly as her ability stirred. "My turn."
She blurred forward, her arm transforming into a blade of hardened crimson blood. Kaelen intercepted, his glaive meeting her strike with a metallic clang. The impact shook the ground.
Naaji snarled, pressing harder, her blood blade extending unnaturally like a whip, forcing Kaelen back.
Meanwhile, Kaori targeted Indra. Blades of water rained off of her sword, but Indra simply dissolved part of his body into slime, the water disappearing into the slime in an instant.
"Boring" Indra muttered, suddenly appearing right in front of her. His string lashed out like a serpent, wrapping around Kaori's wrist and yanking her forward. With his other hand, he slammed his fist into her abdomen. The force knocking her out cold.
Kaelen glanced, noticing his progressively worse situation. He attempted to hold on longer, but Naaji wouldn't allow that.
Her blood form spread further, her eyes wild with focus. She stabbed downward, and the blood hardened into spikes that erupted from her body, causing Kaelen to stumble back where he tripped over a conveniently placed string.
Indra held another string over his neck, shadows falling over his face. "We win."
Aoi raised his hand. "Enough. Winner: Indra and Naaji."
The arena erupted into murmurs. The match hadn't just been a win—it was a statement.
Indra leaned back and stretched, smirking. "Not bad for a warmup."
Naaji wiped a smear of blood from her cheek, her eyes still glowing faintly. "They weren't enough."
————
The arena hummed with anticipation as the next teams stepped forward.
On one side stood Tessa Klyne, her brown eyes sharp with her black hair, fingers already weaving glowing sigils in the air. Golden threads of binding magic shimmered faintly around her hands, waiting to be unleashed. Beside her stood Luce Seinaru, the Fasl Kingdom's second prince, calm as ever with a slender sword glowing faintly with solar energy, his red eyes matched the color of his aura as his bright blonde hair shined in radiance.
Across from them, Darius and Yune braced themselves. Darius, tall and broad, slammed his spiked ice club against the ground, while Yune twirled her crescent-bladed chain, shadows slithering at her feet.
"Begin."
Darius lunged forward instantly, stomping the ground to raise jagged ice pillars toward Tessa. She didn't flinch—her hands moved in a blur, golden chains bursting from glowing runes at her feet. The bindings wrapped around the rising stone, halting its advance like shackles locking into place. With a snap of her fingers, the chains tightened, crumbling the pillars to dust before they could reach her.
"Too shallow," she said, her voice calm and precise.
Yune darted in next, her chain snapping forward toward Tessa's throat. But Luce intercepted, his blade flashing with solar light. The chain burned red-hot on contact, forcing Yune to recoil with a hiss.
Luce's tone was low, steady. "You'll regret aiming at her."
Yune's eyes narrowed. "Then I'll just aim at you!" She spun her weapon wide, the shadows cloaking it like venom, and hurled it toward Luce.
But Tessa raised her hand. Golden bands shot out, snaring the chain mid-swing. Yune gasped as the bindings yanked it out of her grip and pinned it to the ground.
Before she could recover, Luce's blade flared with sunlight. He slashed, and a wave of radiant force struck Yune squarely in the chest, knocking her to her knees.
Meanwhile, Darius roared, breaking through the golden chains that clung to his arms. His ice-club grew jagged with spikes as he swung down toward Tessa.
But she was ready. With a flick of her wrist, golden bindings snapped around his legs, locking them to the arena floor. Darius's eyes widened as he stumbled, his weapon stopping just short of her head.
"Got you," Tessa whispered.
Luce appeared at her side in the same instant, his sword glowing like the sun. He pressed the flat of the blade against Darius's chest—not killing, but the message was clear.
The crowd fell into awed silence.
Aoi: "Winners—Tessa and Luce."
Tessa smirked, tightening then releasing her bindings in a single graceful motion. "Maybe next time, try not to get tied up so easily."
Luce sheathed his blade and gave her a small nod. "Well handled."
Tessa grinned wider. "See? We make a pretty good pair, your highness."
Luce slightly smiles before walking off the stage.
————
Aoi: "Next match—Team Mira and Sylvie versus Team Aki and Selene!"
The crowd stirred as the four stepped into the ring. Mira Solen, her light green hair glistened in the light, her calm, measured steps drawing as much attention as her composed face. Beside her stood Sylvie Lorne, smaller, her expression happy, her white hair shaking with her head. Across the ring stood Aki, and Selene, quiet but with light and fire already flickering faintly on their fingertips.
Just as Aoi prepared to signal the start, Sylvie raised her hand.
"I forfeit."
The crowd erupted in surprise, shouts and murmurs echoing. Aoi blinked, then frowned slightly. "Are you certain?"
Sylvie nodded firmly, not meeting Mira's eyes.
"Yes. This isn't my fight."
A hush fell. All eyes turned to Mira.
Mira then smiled before nodding.
"I'll forfeit as well."
The crowd was either shocked or uninterested at this development. Showing your skills to the professor could get you far in this academy, yet they gave up without trying.
Aoi sighed before nodding.
"Alright, let's move onto the second round."
The same shining board appeared once again behind him, revealing the next match ups.
"Second Round Matchups
Veli & Haruka vs. Indra & Naaji
Tessa & Luce vs. Selene & Aki"
————
The crowd leaned forward as the next matchup was called.
Aoi's voice thundered.
"Team Selene and Aki versus Team Tessa and Luce. Step forward."
Selene walked in silence, fire dancing faintly around her fingers. Beside her, Aki's purple eyes shone with confidence, her spear already crackling faintly with radiant light. Across the ring, Tessa raised her staff, chains of shimmering gold bindings curling lazily in the air, while Luce stood proudly with the blazing aura of the Solar Flare faintly haloing his body.
The atmosphere felt electric.
"Begin!"
Aki exploded forward, spear coated in light, lunging for Luce. The clash was immediate—Luce's sword blazed, golden light bursting outward. Spear and sword collided, shockwaves rippling through the arena floor.
Selene moved next, hurling a fire ball directly toward Tessa. But Tessa's lips curved in a small smirk—she lifted her staff, and glowing chains of magical bindings lashed outward like living serpents.
But it didn't go to plan. Tessa's eyes widened as the teal flames burned straight through her chains and directly hit her before she could react.
The attack knocked her out cold, it was now a 1v2.
Aki and Luce were locked in a fierce duel—light against light, every strike exploding with brilliance. Aki spun her spear, radiant arcs carving across the battlefield, but Luce's Solar Flare flared brighter, his movements fueled by surging energy. Each of his strikes cracked the arena floor, the pressure forcing Aki to backstep.
Selene smirked as her palms ignited, flames burning hotter than before.
She and Aki nodded once. It was time to fight in tandem.
Selene conjured a wall of fire to cut off Luce's vision, Aki then launched herself back at Luce. The prince scanned fiercely before charging, sword blazing. They collided again—this time Luce's sword glowed with condensed, focused light, striking with more precision.
From behind the wall of fire, Selene emerged. She hurled multiple flame-laced projectiles at Luce, forcing him to overextend his body to dodge.
Luce's aura boomed across the arena as his sword blazed like a star.
He slammed it down, unleashing an explosion of pure light. The blinding flash engulfed Selene and Aki both.
The crowd shielded their eyes, gasping at the brilliance.
When the glow faded—
Luce was on one knee, coughing, his Solar Flare dimmed. Selene appeared at his side, flame crackling in her palm inches from Luce's face.
"Checkmate."
Aoi raised his hand.
"Winner—Selene and Aki!"
The audience roared, some with shock, some with anger and even some with boredom.
————
The Aima siblings stepped onto the stage with confidence. Veli's crimson blade shimmered like it had been forged from living blood, while Haruka's palms glowed dark red, bullets of energy hovering around her fingertips, ready to fire.
Across from them, Indra cracked his knuckles, no weapon in hand, just his faint smirk and the threads of slime hidden at his wrists. Beside him, Naaji's eyes burned crimson, her veins pulsing as her body half-shifted toward blood-form.
Aoi's hand cut through the air.
"Begin!"
Veli charged immediately, blade flashing. Indra caught the strike by wrapping a thread of slime around his forearm, stopping the blade just shy of his ribs. He twisted, using the thread like a lever to redirect the slash, then countered with a sharp kick to Veli's stomach.
Veli slid back, teeth clenched. "You're fast.."
At the same time, Haruka unleashed a barrage of crimson bullets toward Naaji. The girl melted into liquid blood, the shots piercing harmlessly through her before she reformed behind Haruka. Her arm twisted into a blood spike and slashed forward, but Haruka spun away, firing more bullets point-blank.
The two girls clashed in a storm of gunfire and crimson lashes, Naaji's rage mounting with each exchange.
Indra yanked hard on his threads, trying to bind Veli's arms, but the crimson blade pulsed and cut through them like they were paper. Veli pressed forward, swinging in wide arcs that left glowing trails in the air.
Indra ducked under one strike, his body partially liquefying as the blade grazed through his shoulder harmlessly. Reforming behind Veli, he lashed out with a web of strings, entangling his legs and jerking him off balance.
Veli growled, slamming his blade into the floor to break free, but Indra was already moving—he drove a sharp elbow into Veli's chest, sending him crashing backward.
Meanwhile, Haruka's bullets were beginning to overwhelm Naaji. Each one that grazed her form left her trembling more violently, her blood transformation slipping into a feral rage.
"Stop dodging and die already!" Haruka shouted, firing a concentrated stream of bullets.
Naaji shrieked and let her body fully liquefy, then reformed atop Haruka, claws of blood raking down her shoulder. She slammed Haruka into the ground, pinning her with a whip of crimson liquid.
"You can't shoot if you can't move!" Naaji roared, yanking the whip tighter.
Veli tried to intervene, blade raised to free his sister, but Indra's threads lashed out from above—sticky, slime-laced cords that caught his arms mid-swing and dragged him to the ground.
Pinned, Veli cursed, struggling. "Damn you—"
Indra stepped over him, planting a foot on his chest. "You lost the moment you underestimated me."
Naaji pulled back just before breaking
Haruka's ribs, chest heaving, her crimson eyes flicking toward Indra. He gave her a small nod.
"Match over," Aoi announced, raising his hand. "Winners: Indra and Naaji."
The siblings lay beaten, humiliated under the crowd's murmurs, while Indra and Naaji walked off the stage—Indra calm and collected, Naaji trembling with the remnants of her rage.
Haruka opened her mouth to complain, argue, but Veli stopped her. He understood this was a pure loss, the difference between the 2 duos was clear.
————
After a short break, the final match began.
"Selene and Aki, Indra and Naaji, would these 2 duos please step up." Aoi said, clearly having high expectations by the sound of his voice.
The four of them stepped forward onto the court.
Indra's gaze locked on Selene's, unflinching.
She tilted her head, lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile. Aki's aura flared, golden rays spilling across the ring, casting Indra's shadow long behind him.
Naaji whispered under her breath, barely audible: "They feel… unstoppable."
Indra didn't look at her. His voice was low, firm, and sharp. "They aren't, don't let it get to your head. Even if we lose, that doesn't mean we are weaker."
Aoi raised his hand.
"Begin—!"
And in that instant, before the first strike fell, the entire audience held their breath.