The arena was chaos—winds ripping in every direction, hardened webs flying like blades, the clash between Lian and Rui reaching a fever pitch. Neither boy gave an inch. Rui's face gleamed with sweat, strands of his black hair sticking to his forehead as he swung his arms, sending air slashes cutting through the space in front of him. Each was keen enough to split stone, yet however many he shot, more of Lian's webs clogged the air.
The onlookers shouted with each hit, the noise almost blinding. The other competitors even leaned forward, caught up in the raw ferocity of the fight.
"Rui won't give up," one student grumbled, knuckles clenched around the railing.
"He never does," another said. "But Lian's still here…"
At the edge of the stands, Xia observed every move with her sharp eyesight. Fists clenched, fingers digging into palms, her nails causing small pinches. She had never seen Rui in this state of pressure before, never seen him struggling with desperation instead of his arrogant command.
"He's not giving Rui any breathing room," Xia said to herself more than anything. Her voice was a combination of pride and amazement. "That's Lian for you."
Chen leaned against the railing, his usual smirk firmly in place, though his eyes were burning with focus. "Rui's trying to bulldoze through with pure power. But that's the thing with Lian… brute force doesn't scare him. He's always two steps ahead."
Shen adjusted his glasses, speaking in soothing measured words. "Look closely, and you'll see the pattern. Lian is not spewing webs at random. He's been putting them where they close Rui's avenues of movement. The longer this goes on, the tighter the noose tightens."
Xia blinked at him, grasping what Shen had said. And then her eyes widened. "Wait—he's… setting a trap?"
Below him, Rui chopped another clump of webs into strands, his teeth gritted and he muttered curses. "Damn you… come out from hiding behind those webs!" Ahead he plunged, pressure building around his arms as he chopped and sliced. More webs flew towards him, striking from angles he had not yet encountered. Rui spun, his air blades flashing in a mad dance as he sliced strand after strand.
But for each one he chopped down, there was another to take their place. And slowly, bit by bit, the strands were beginning to form a cage around him.
"Why will they not stop?" Rui cursed in exasperation, his movements growing more frenzied. He whirled to cut one from behind, but another was already wrapping around his arm. He shook it off, snapping the line, but two more encircled near his legs.
The crowd gasped as realization struck them.
"Stuck!" a voice shouted.
"Lian has been stringing him along the entire time!"
Chen was laughing so hard from the stands that she was wheezing. "Hah! Look at him squirm! Rui was attempting to cut himself loose, but all he had done was wrap himself tighter in Lian's trap. Gorgeous."
Xia had her mouth hanging open, eyes wide. "He… he really did it. He caught Rui.".
Shen's expression didn't shift, but his tone held a touch of admiration. "Spotless execution. Rui was too focused on breaking through. He didn't know that every cut positioned him exactly where Lian wanted him."
Down below, Rui's chest heaved as he realized the truth. Strands pressed against his arms, his torso, even coiled dangerously close to his neck. He froze, his muscles taut with frustration. He knew if he moved even a fraction too far, the hardened threads could pierce straight through his flesh.
And then—Lian struck.
With a flick of his hand, a glob of sticky web shot forward, wrapping around Rui's throat like a vice. Rui's eyes widened as it tightened, squeezing his airway. He struggled, but every thrash only made the hardened webs press closer, their gleam a deadly reminder of how close they were to cutting him apart.
The audience went wild.
"RUI'S CHOKED!"
"Lian's got him!"
Rui gagged, his body straining to break free, but no blades of air burst forth. His movements staggered, knees giving way. Lian stood firm, unyielding, each strand of web clinging to his resolve.
"Unbelievable…" Xia panted, stunned.
Chen slammed a fist against the railing, grinning from ear to ear. "That's it! That's my kid! Finish him off, Lian!"
Even Shen's reserve was breached as his eyes slanted into a nod of recognition. "Rui has no choices left. It's finished."
The referee did not hesitate, dashing forward as the face of Rui turned red. He held his arm up high, shouting out over the arena.
"Enough! Winner—Lian of Class 1-C!"
The arena exploded, the stands vibrating with deafening applause and cheers.
Lian let out a deep breath and the threads unraveled. Rui fell onto his knees, spitting coughs as the webs dissolved. The audience erupted in response, with some shouting Lian's name, others jeering Rui for his cockiness on the field.
Students in section 1-C leapt out of their seats.
"He actually beat Rui!"
"Unbelievable! Lian beat him face-to-face!"
Xia released a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding, relief washing over her. She smiled weakly in spite of herself. "You did it, Lian."
Chen had his hands clasped over his belly and was laughing, shaking his head. "Oh, I wish you could see Rui's face at present. He's choking on pride more than those webs choked his throat."
Even Shen, who usually stood like a rock, nodded slightly. "Well done, Lian."
On the arena floor, Lian stepped forward, his chest laboring with exertion. He extended his hand towards Rui, his expression calm, offering him the chance to back away with dignity.
Rui did not take it.
He swatted at the hand, jaw set, eyes blazing with frustration and shame. He tried to get up alone by himself. The applause gave way to boos, disapproval swamping in a wave over him. Rui would not give it an inch, fists curled, and he strode off stage without a word.
Lian didn't chase after him. He simply watched him go, his expression unreadable. Then, when the referee officially declared his victory once more, the cheers surged louder than ever.
The ovation wasn't just for his win—it was for how he had won. Against Rui's overwhelming offense, Lian had endured, outsmarted, and finally turned the tables with a strategy only he could pull off.
As he raised his hand in acknowledgement, the stands rose on their feet in a standing ovation. The shout of "Lian" echoed throughout the arena, louder than ever before.
Underneath all the cheers, Xia, Chen, and the rest of Class 1-C cried out the loudest, their throats sore but with pride.
Their stoic classmate, the one who always kept his head down, had just beaten Rui—the strongest of them all.
And he had done so in front of the whole academy.