Alexander moved calmly toward the very edge of the arena.
Broken marble crunched beneath his shoes.
Smoke still lingered faintly in the air from their previous clash.
He turned around slowly to face Kyle again, raising his wand.
"Are you ready, Kyle?"
Kyle, still catching his breath, smirked.
"Hurry up."
Alexander's lips curled upward.
Then his expression sharpened.
"Protego Maxima!"
A massive translucent blue barrier erupted outward from his wand, expanding like a dome of force. The wave of magic shoved dust, rubble, and debris violently aside as it formed.
But Alexander didn't stop.
"Fianto Duri!"
The shield hardened.
"Fianto Duri!"
The surface thickened further, glowing denser.
"Fianto Duri!"
A third reinforcement was layered over the barrier, turning the dome into something resembling a solid magical crystal.
It now covered over half the arena.
Silence.
Everyone stared in stunned disbelief.
Even Mr. Strongman was pushed backward by the expanding barrier, forced completely out of the dueling platform. Though his face remained stone-calm, the surprise in his eyes was unmistakable.
Advanced Protego…
Layered shield magic…
Stacked reinforcement charms…
It had taken multiple professors to break Alexander's barrier a year ago.
And he was far stronger now.
While the audience remained frozen in shock, Alexander casually walked along the inside of the barrier, inspecting it like a craftsman admiring his own work.
He tapped the surface lightly with his wand, watching the ripples of magic stabilize.
"Mm. Definitely stronger than last year."
He turned back to Kyle, who was stunned.
"Well? How is it?"
Alexander grinned.
"Pretty impressive, right?"
He started laughing.
Kyle shook off the shock, pride reigniting instantly.
"…Interesting, Alex."
He raised his wand.
"Let me break that spell of yours."
"Bombarda Maxima!"
The amplified blasting curse slammed into the barrier, sending violent shockwaves across its surface.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Seeing that it was not working, Kyle changed spells.
"Confringo Maxima!"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Kyle kept firing relentlessly, explosions stacking atop one another.
Cracks began to form along sections of the shield.
But every time they appeared.
Alexander repaired and reinforced the damage instantly.
Again.
And again.
Kyle kept attacking.
Alexander kept restoring.
It became a battle of siege vs fortress.
Eventually, Kyle stopped, breathing heavily.
He lowered his wand slightly, chest rising and falling.
"…It's tough."
Then he smirked.
"But I'm all set now."
Alexander was confused but still laughed.
"Bring it on Kyle!"
Kyle raised his wand high.
"Firestorm!"
All the flames produced from his earlier Confringo explosions suddenly surged together.
Fire spiraled upward—
Condensed—
Shaped itself.
A gigantic flaming Asian dragon roared into existence, its body coiling through the air with blazing intensity.
Gasps erupted from the audience.
Kyle spun his wand in a circle above his head, guiding the dragon's movement like a conductor.
The dragon followed every motion.
Then Kyle pointed forward violently.
"GO, FIRESTORM!"
"BREAK THAT BARRIER AND LET ME WIN!"
Alexander didn't defend immediately.
Instead—
"Ascendo."
He blasted upward into the sky above the arena.
Then he flicked his wand downward.
"Avifors!"
All the rubble on the platform transformed into a swarm of black ravens—hundreds of them—wings beating violently.
Alexander's voice rang out.
"Go my ravens! Attack!"
The flock surged forward like a living storm.
They collided with the fire dragon.
Flames vs transfiguration.
For a moment, the battlefield became chaos in the sky.
But Kyle's Firestorm was overwhelming.
One by one, the ravens burned away until the dragon burst through the flock and slammed directly into the barrier.
CRASH!
The reinforced dome trembled violently.
Cracks spread fast—
Then—
Shattered.
Smoke exploded outward, filling the arena.
Alexander, still airborne, added more.
"Fumos Duo."
Thick magical smoke layered atop the destruction, turning the entire battlefield into a blinding fog.
No one could see anything.
When the smoke finally began to clear…
A figure stood near the center.
Kyle.
Panting heavily.
But smiling triumphantly.
Across from him—
Alexander was on one knee, head lowered, seemingly exhausted.
Kyle burst into laughter.
"I win!"
"I finally won!"
The audience murmured loudly.
But Mr. Strongman did not announce the result.
His eyes were scanning the field carefully.
Then—
Kyle heard it.
From behind him.
"Petrificus Totalus."
His body locked instantly.
Before he could break out of it—
"Expelliarmus."
His wand flew from his hand.
Kyle toppled stiffly to the ground, eyes wide in shock.
He twisted his gaze toward where the spells came from.
After removing the Disillusionment Charm.
Alexander stood there with a bright smile on his face.
Kyle's eyes widened further.
His emotions caused his magic to surge and break out of the binding spell.
Then he sat up and looked toward the "Alexander" who had been kneeling moments ago.
That figure slowly crumpled.
Breaking apart into small stones.
A transfigured decoy.
Mr. Strongman stepped forward.
His voice rang clearly across the arena.
"Winner — Alexander Chen."
For a moment, the crowd remained stunned.
Then applause erupted.
Cheers.
Shouts.
"What a duel!"
"Incredible control!"
"Did you see that shield?!"
Alexander walked over and calmly handed Kyle's wand back.
Then he offered his hand, helping him stand.
Alexander brushed dirt from Kyle's outfit casually.
"Great duel."
He smiled.
"That was fun."
Kyle stared at him in disbelief for a moment—
Then started laughing, half exhausted, half amazed.
"…I still lost, huh?"
But there was no bitterness in his voice.
Only respect.