Chapter — When Steel Challenges the Sun
The arena did not breathe.
It held its breath.
Stone dust still hung in the air from Prince Darwin Steelbrand's impact, drifting like ash after a battlefield fire. The crater at the center of the coliseum smoked faintly, cracks spiderwebbing outward from where he stood.
Darwin straightened slowly, rolling his neck once, then twice.
Crack. Crack.
His broad shoulders flexed beneath his combat coat, the faint metallic seams along his arms glinting under the mage-lights. Runes embedded into his skin pulsed a dull crimson, synchronized with his heartbeat.
"Hahaha—!" he laughed again, loud, feral, thrilled. "That was beautiful, Valorian."
His eyes locked onto Daniel like a predator that had finally spotted worthy prey.
"Fight me. Right now."
A shockwave of murmurs rippled through the coliseum.
"He just jumped in—!" "This isn't scheduled—!" "That's the Steelbrand heir—!"
High above, Emperor Harkon did not move to stop him. Instead, his lips curved upward in unmistakable pride.
Queen Lysandra narrowed her eyes.
"This is reckless."
King Oren rose slowly from his throne.
"Darwin Steelbrand," he said, voice carrying effortlessly across the arena. "This is not your match."
Darwin didn't look back.
"With respect, King Evercrest," he replied, still staring at Daniel, "your son just put on the best fight I've seen in years."
He clenched his fist.
"I refuse to leave without testing him."
The ground beneath his boots groaned.
Daniel stood still.
His breathing was steady, but Sensei's voice echoed sharply in his mind.
"Danger level: Extreme. Darwin Steelbrand is not comparable to Cedric or Elara."
Daniel exhaled slowly.
"I know."
Across the arena, Aurelia had risen to her feet, hands clasped tightly over her mouth.
"Daniel…" she whispered.
Leslie stood frozen, terror and pride warring inside her chest.
Darwin tilted his head slightly.
"You look calm," he said. "Good. I hate it when opponents start trembling before the fun begins."
Daniel met his gaze.
"You jumped into an active arena without permission," Daniel said evenly. "That alone is grounds for disqualification."
Darwin grinned wider.
"Hah! Say it again without sounding like a court clerk."
The crowd chuckled nervously.
Daniel sighed.
"If I fight you," he continued, "will you leave peacefully after?"
Darwin's grin sharpened.
"If you make me."
A heavy silence fell.
Then—
King Oren lifted a hand.
"Enough."
All eyes turned to him.
"This will not be an official match," the king declared. "No title, no advancement. A single exchange."
Harkon laughed.
"A single exchange?" He leaned back. "Let the boys stretch their legs, Orean."
Oren's eyes hardened.
"One exchange," he repeated. "Or the tournament is suspended."
Darwin clicked his tongue.
"…Fine."
He rolled his shoulders again and spread his arms.
"One move each, Light Prince."
Daniel nodded once.
"Agreed."
The moment they faced each other, the arena changed.
The air thickened—not with mana, but intent.
Darwin shifted his stance.
Metal slid beneath his skin.
CHNK—CHNK—!
Plates unfolded along his forearms, locking into place like forged gauntlets. Steam hissed from vents near his shoulders.
"Steelbody Enhancement," someone whispered in awe.
Darwin bent his knees.
"Try not to die," he said cheerfully.
Sensei's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Daniel. This is not a test of strength. It is a test of timing."
Daniel raised his hand.
Light gathered—not explosively, but precisely.
A thin halo traced his fingers.
The horn did not sound.
They moved anyway.
BOOOOOOOM—!
Darwin vanished in a thunderous burst, propelling himself forward with raw mechanical force. The ground shattered beneath his first step.
He was fast.
Faster than Elara.
Faster than Cedric.
Faster than most mages could even perceive.
Darwin's fist came down like a falling star.
"STEELBRAND—DRIVE!"
The punch tore the air apart.
Daniel twisted.
Not dodging backward.
Sideways.
The fist grazed past his cheek—
KRRRSSSHHH—!
—and obliterated the stone behind him, carving a trench ten meters long.
The crowd screamed.
Daniel's feet slid across fractured stone as he pivoted, light flaring under his soles.
Darwin laughed mid-motion.
"GOOD!"
He spun, backhand swinging—
Daniel ducked.
The wind pressure alone slammed into his back like a hammer.
CRACK—!
Daniel staggered forward, boots digging into stone.
Pain flared along his spine.
But he did not fall.
Sensei spoke instantly.
"Counter. Now."
Daniel turned.
Light surged.
"LUX—EDGE."
A blade of condensed brilliance extended from his forearm—thin, sharp, vibrating with lethal precision.
He slashed upward.
FWSSHHHH—!
The blade struck Darwin's gauntlet.
Sparks exploded.
Darwin skidded back half a step.
Half.
The crowd lost its mind.
"He cut through Steelbrand armor—!" "With LIGHT—?!"
Darwin stared at the glowing cut line on his gauntlet, then burst into roaring laughter.
"Hahahahaha—!"
He looked up, eyes burning.
"That's it!"
He stomped forward again.
But before he could strike—
King Oren's voice thundered.
"Enough!"
The arena froze.
Darwin halted mid-step, muscles still coiled.
Oren descended from the throne, his presence alone pressing down on the space between them.
"That was your exchange," the king said coldly. "And you got it."
Darwin exhaled sharply, then straightened.
"…Tch."
He looked at Daniel again—this time with something different in his eyes.
Respect.
"You're real," he said simply. "I'll see you in the finals."
Then he turned, leaping back toward the royal platform in a single bound.
BOOOOM—!
Silence followed.
Then—
The arena erupted.
Daniel stood where he was, chest rising and falling.
Sensei spoke softly.
"You did well. You survived."
Daniel lowered his glowing arm.
"…Barely."
High above, Emperor Harkon laughed deeply.
"Now that," he said, "is a tournament worth attending."
Queen Lysandra's gaze never left Daniel.
"A boy who bends light into a blade…" she murmured. "The oracle was right."
Leslie rushed forward the moment the barrier dropped, pulling Daniel into her arms.
"You scared me half to death!" she cried.
Daniel smiled faintly.
"I'm okay, Mom."
Aurelia reached him next, eyes shining, fists clenched as if resisting the urge to hug him too.
"That was reckless," she said.
Daniel leaned closer, voice low.
"So was falling in love with me."
She froze. Aurelia's was speechless
(He ...he knew )
Then punched his shoulder lightly, blushing furiously.
"Idiot."
As the coliseum began to settle, shadows shifted high above the stands.
Unseen.
Unnoticed.
A hooded figure watched Daniel carefully, eyes glowing faintly beneath the cowl.
"…So it's true," the figure whispered. "Light… but not only light."
Mana just spiked up crazy like it's just not one element but all