The silence shattered.
Chaos erupted across the arena. Students turned on each other, alliances collapsing as desperation took hold. The weak fell first, swallowed by the storm while the strong fought with tooth and nail for survival.
At the edge of the battlefield, near the stone, Irina's crimson eyes blazed.
"I'm going for that golden haired boy," she declared.
Flames ignited around her, the air itself warping in the sudden heat. In a flash, she vanished, flickering forward like a living flame.
Her target golden haired boy the so called hero of humanity, who had already cast aside challengers with effortless strikes. His blade cut through the air with practiced ease students falling like wheat before the scythe.
Then a fist came for his face. His instincts screamed and at the last instant he raised his sword to block. Steel met flesh, but the impact sent him skidding back across the arena.
He steadied himself, eyes narrowing. Standing before him was a girl with shining red hair cascading eyes that glowed like molten rubies and a presence that seemed to set the battlefield ablaze.
"So you blocked it," Irina said, a fierce grin curling her lips. "Guess you really are strong. The name's Irina Emberheart. What's yours?"
"Alex Silverthorn." He moved before the words finished leaving his mouth blade flashing in a diagonal slash aimed for her neck.
Irina readied herself but at the last second Alex shifted his stance his sword veering down. The strike slammed into her abdomen the force blasting her backward. She barely managed to cushion the blow with her flames, but her body was still hurled toward the stone wall.
Then Lightning cracked. In the blink of an eye, Sophia appeared, catching Irina in her arms.
"You fought beautifully," Sophia said with a soft chuckle.
Irina, pale but defiant, whispered, "Didn't expect him to be that strong… Next time, I'll win."
Sophia smiled gently. "I believe you."
And then Sophia took her to the rock where they were before and sat her down on the rock.
On the sidelines, Nathan smirked. "Looks like the title 'musclehead' suits you perfectly."
Too drained to argue, she turned her face away.
Near the stone, Azriel's crimson eyes observed silently. His voice cut through the noise, cold and commanding.
"Lily go and fetch some points."
"As you command, young master."
The shadowy girl left towards the arena and
unsheathed her blade. Her movements across the arena were flawless every strike looked like a dance move every kill was precise and elegant.
Meanwhile Azriel waited. He wasn't here for scraps. He was here for one man.
The Hero.
No longer willing to bide his time Azriel let chaos surge. Chaos wrapped around his body like a second skin, seeping into every pore. With a burst of speed, he vanished reappearing behind Alex.
Alex's instincts flared too late. A crushing blow slammed into his back, hurling him across the arena. His body screamed in agony bones rattling under the strike. He barely stopped himself before crashing into the wall.
Then a system screen flickered before his eyes
Foreign energy detected. Body's healing capacities increased until the energy is expelled.
Through the haze of pain, he looked up.
A boy stood there. Black hair wild, crimson eyes gleaming with bloodlust, and a smile stretched across his face a smile that belonged to a predator who had finally found his prey.
Azriel lunged again this time his fist aimed at Alex's face. Steel met flesh once more Alex blocked his strike with his sword feet digging into the ground. Then a kick followed towards Alex, he stopped it by his knee. Then followed after it was a pinch which was intercepted by Alex's left hand.
Then with no limb to spare Azriel drove his head forward.
Their skulls collided with a sickening crack. Blood streamed down both faces. Alex staggered back only for Azriel to slam his forehead into him again this time harder, fiercer.
Alex reeled, struggling to create distance, but the ground betrayed him. Frost spread from Azriel's fingertips, freezing the arena in a thirty-meter circle. Students caught in the ice cried out as others took advantage to eliminate them.
Alex found himself struck.
Then Azriel leapt towards the sky his sword in hand chaos and frost swirling together in a storm of destruction and then a strike of frost infused with chaos left the sword. The strike tore through the air leaving behind jagged pillars of ice as it descended.
The impact shook the arena and stuck Alex.
When the debris of the frost cleared Alex still stood, legs braced, sword blazing with mana. Golden light erupted from his body, his speed doubling as he flickered forward blade aimed straight for Azriel's throat.
Azriel raised his sword to block
And everything froze.
A crushing pressure blanketed the battlefield. Every student stopped breath caught in their throats.
Above them floated the Headmaster, his gaze sweeping over the survivors.
"Congratulations," his voice echoed, calm yet absolute. "To the ten who remain, you are now the top-ranked students of the first year."
Azriel and Alex glanced around. Indeed, only ten figures stood.
The Headmaster extended a hand. "But your trial is not yet over. For your final challenge defeat what lies within this barrier.B-ranked beast. Whoever slays it will earn ten thousand points."
Then barrier trembled as it opened.
A roar thundered out, shaking the ground.
From the shadows emerged a monstrous ape, towering fifteen meters tall. Its body was sheathed in a hard, armor-like carapace, its eyes burning with fury.
It pounded its chest, each strike echoing like a drum of war.
The battlefield fell silent again only the beast's roar remained.