The training ground fell silent as Raven stepped forward.
He was tall, confident, his uniform marked with noble insignia. Mana flowed around him naturally, forming faint streams of wind and fire.
"You don't belong here," Raven said calmly, loud enough for everyone to hear. "The academy is not a place for people without magic."
Ethan tightened his grip.
"I'm not here to belong," he replied. "I'm here to learn."
Laughter spread across the field.
The instructor hesitated, then nodded. "A supervised duel. First to yield."
Raven smiled.
The signal was given.
Raven moved first—fast. A wave of compressed wind shot toward Ethan. Ethan dodged barely in time, the ground cracking where the attack landed.
Pain flashed through Ethan's chest. The Fate Mark reacted, heat spreading through his veins.
Focus, he told himself.
Raven attacked again, fire and wind combining into a deadly strike. Students watched in excitement. Some expected Ethan to fall instantly.
Instead, Ethan stepped forward.
He let go of fear.
The Fate Mark glowed.
Energy wrapped around Ethan's arm—not wild, not explosive, but sharp and controlled. He punched straight through the spell. The impact sent shockwaves across the field.
Raven stumbled back, shock filling his eyes.
Ethan didn't give him time to recover.
He closed the distance, moving with instinct and precision. One clean strike to Raven's chest sent him flying across the ground.
Silence.
Raven coughed, unable to stand.
"I… yield," he said through clenched teeth.
The field erupted in gasps.
"That wasn't magic…"
"He broke the spell!"
Ethan stood still, breathing heavily. His body screamed in pain, but his eyes were calm.
The instructor stepped forward, looking at Ethan with new respect.
"The duel is over. Winner—Ethan."
Lyria smiled quietly from the sidelines.
For the first time, the academy didn't see Ethan as a weak, mana-less boy.
They saw him as a threat.