A few minutes later, Fenix left the waiting area, glancing back at Aura longingly as he entered the arena.
"Now welcome Fenix—an S-rank student! This battle is going to be a treat!" The announcer shouted.
The arena erupted into girlish screams as Fenix stepped onto the field, revealing his face on the Jumbotron.
"And his opponent—Fleet from the A-ranked division!"
The crowd cheered again as Fleet entered.
"Hah! Remember me?" Fleet asked, smirking.
Fenix tilted his head."Should I?" he replied politely.
"I'm the guy you attacked!" Fleet snapped.
Fenix paused, tapped his chin and furrowed his brow, thinking: (That could be anyone…)
"When I was in front of Aura's room!"
That's when recognition clicked.
"Ah… so you're that asshole—the one who doesn't know how to clean up his own messes," Fenix said with a smile.
Fleet glared.
"Battle start!" the announcer yelled.
Fleet moved first.
"Now I can finally pay you back! There's no way I'm losing!" he shouted, swinging a punch at Fenix's face.
Before it connected—Fenix vanished.
Fleet barely had time to react before a kick slammed into his back, knocking the air from his lungs. Another strike hit his side a second later, sending him skidding toward the edge of the ring—nearly a ring-out.
"You're pretty fast… Speed must be your power, hmm?" Fenix said, squatting beside him with a smile.
Fleet pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Good. You can still stand," Fenix continued softly. "That means… I don't have to hold back."
Both of Fenix's eyes began glowing orange. His hair lifted, moving like living flame.
Fleet clapped his hands together, muttering under his breath. His feet began to glow as he dropped into a stance.
"Don't think I'm scared of you just because your power looks flashy. I can beat anyone when I get serious," Fleet declared confidently.
Fenix laughed.
With each chuckle, flames burst from beneath the concrete. The arena cracked—lava seeping through the fissures.
Fleet hesitated—but didn't retreat. Instead, he doubled down and shouted,
"All I have to do is knock you out!"
He charged forward at blinding speed—too fast for the audience to follow.
A barrage of strikes followed.
Every single one missed.
Fenix bent, twisted, and slipped through them effortlessly—his movements fluid, unnatural, almost inhuman.
Thirty seconds passed.
Exhaustion set in, and Fleet slowed—but he forced himself to strike again, throwing a desperate kick toward Fenix.
As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, Fenix caught the leg with his right hand—
—and drove his left elbow down into Fleet's knee.
A sickening crack echoed.
Fleet's scream tore through the arena, sending chills through the audience.
"The victor is Fenix!" the announcer declared.
The referee and paramedics tried to rush in, but the fire was too intense for anyone to get close.
The crowd was quiet for several seconds but then it exploded into cheers.
"That was no fun at all… too easy…" Fenix muttered. "I didn't even get to remove my seal."
The flames sank back into the ground. The lava cooled, sealing the cracks.
"You're a disappointment," he said coldly, looking down at Fleet, who was still writhing in pain.
With that, Fenix turned and walked away.
He returned to the waiting room, and only then did the healers rush onto the field to retrieve Fleet—now that it was finally safe.
"How did I do, Aura?" He asked, his eyes bright, hungry for praise, as he moved to her side.
She smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. "You were awesome."
Fenix smiled back. "Really?"
"Yeah. Super awesome." She raised both thumbs this time.
He kissed her quickly, sighed in satisfaction, then dropped onto the bench.
"Don't get too excited… Your match is next. If you lose, I automatically win our bet," he said with a cocky smirk.
"…It's just the first round. There's no way I'd lose, stupid!" Aura shot back, sticking out her tongue.
Fenix laughed. The atmosphere felt light but there was a hint of worry on Fenix's face,
"After your match, let's go somewhere…" He murmured, already lying back and closing his eyes.
"Sure. It's only elimination matches today anyway."
When he didn't respond, Aura glanced over—
He was already asleep.
She stared at him for a few seconds, then reached out and gently brushed his hair away from his cheek.
Soon, it was her turn.
Aura threw a random shoe she saw in the under the bench, at him.
Fenix jolted upright, irritation flashing across his face—until he saw her smiling.
"Watch me!" she called.
His expression softened instantly.
"Okay I will," he replied quietly.
Aura ran onto the field.
"A crowd favorite—and last year's champion—Aura!" the announcer shouted.
The arena erupted.
"Her opponent—a fellow S-rank student—Shade!"
A boy dressed entirely in black stepped forward. The cheers for him were noticeably quieter.
"Who will win?! Will Aura keep her title?! Let's find out!"
"Battle start!"
Neither of them moved.
They simply watched each other.
Then—
Aura, growing impatient, decided to attack first but then realized she couldn't move.
Her body was locked in place.
A blink later she sensed danger and she forced herself free just in time to dodge Shade, who had already closed the distance, his hand just barely missing her.
"What did you do?" Aura asked, glaring.
"I'll tell you if you win," Shade replied smugly.
Aura wrinkled her nose—then, instinctively, her eyes flicked toward Fenix.
In that moment of distraction, Shade lunged.
Again Aura dodged cleanly. She created a gap between them then said,
"You remind me of him…"
"Of who?" Shade asked, circling her.
She smiled.
"The person I love."
As the words hit, Shade flushed—
—and in that instant, vines erupted from the ground, wrapping him in a dense cocoon.
Six foot long thorns drove inward.
Aura watched calmly—
until blood began to seep through the cracks in the vines.
But then.... her eyes widened, as she watched a shadow slipped free.
It stretched and reformed into Shade, clutching his injured arm. A deep cut ran across his cheek, legs, and torso.
"You escaped. Good job," Aura said, smiling.
Shade's glare sharpened.
"Don't patronize me."
He lowered his voice, muttering,
"Darkness beneath the light… creep forth and obey my will."
The arena plunged into black.
Total darkness.
Aura's vision struggled, her eyes straining to find light anywhere.
Ten seconds passed, that's when
Shade struck.
Once—twice—three times.
Taking out both of her knees.
Then her hitting stomach.
Aura dropped, coughing, clutching her abdomen, still blind.
"You thought you could beat me," Shade said, stepping closer once again. "This time you were completely outmatched. Sucks, I expected more from the champion."
She couldn't see him—
—but she could hear him. And once he was within range,
Aura moved.
She surged upward and her fist cracked against his jaw.
His head snapped back.
Not missing a beat she spun and landed a roundhouse into his side.
As he staggered, she dove forward, tackling him onto the arena floor—her shoulder slamming into his gut. As soon as his back hit the concrete light flooded the arena.
The crowd gasped—
then exploded into cheers upon seeing Aura with
Shade pinned beneath her.
Before he could react, vines shot from the ground, binding his wrists and ankles to the arena floor.
He struggled.
It didn't matter.
"What kind of fucking plants are these?" He demanded.
"They're part of me," Aura explained calmly.
She sat on his stomach, leaning in close. Shade tensed, mesmerized by her lovely features, her Fuscia hair shined, illuminated by the sun at her back and as her plump pink lips inched closer to his face,
The crowd went wild.
Then—
she exhaled a soft green mist.
Instantly, his body went slack and
His eyes closed. There was count to ten, and since he stayed pinned and motionless the announcer declared,
"The winner is Aura!"
The audience roared.
After her victory, Aura lifted her hand. A reddish liquid formed in the air, then dripped onto Shade's face.
He jolted awake.
"What—?" He coughed, wiping at his face. "What happened?"
Aura smiled.
"While you were taking a nap… I beat you." She said, in a playful voice.
Her vines released him, then she stood and offered him her hand, saying,
"You fought well."
He hesitated for only a moment
then he took it.
"I thought I incapacitated you," he commented as he rose.
Aura giggled.
"It takes more than two broken kneecaps to incapacitate me. I'll explain later, since I won." Her words mimicked his from the beginning of their match.
Shade smirked amused, and captivated by her.
"I like you. You're interesting."
After speaking he lingered a moment longer than necessary. He wanted her to reply to him and acknowledge what he'd said but Aura said nothing.
"Both battlers, please exit the arena," the referee called.
They both laughed lightly.
"I wish we had classes together," Shade muttered as he walked off.
Aura followed behind him, she barely registered his comment.
Her focus was already elsewhere.
Back on returning to Fenix and on who she would fight next.
Aura and Fenix left before the preliminary rounds were finished. Fenix led her through a stretch of trees just beyond the school grounds.
"Where are we going?" she asked after a while, noticing they hadn't stopped.
"Each time you ask a question, you'll receive a punishment… that's one," he replied, glancing back at her with a brief smile.
"That's not fair! That should've been a freebie! You didn't even warn me first!" she protested.
Fenix squeezed her hand gently.
"When I said it was a surprise before we left, that was your warning not to ask questions," he said.
Aura laughed. "Okay, sorry!"
Almost immediately after, Fenix stopped.
Aura looked up—
They stood at the edge of a wide, open valley, surrounded by forest.
"Aura… can you fly?" Fenix asked, releasing her hand and turning toward her.
"No."
"What?! You can't? That's weird." He asked dramatically acting surprised.
"You're weird!" Aura shot back.
Fenix chuckled.
Then—
Red, feathery wings unfurled from his back.
"I guess I'll carry you then… since you're a flightless little thing," he said, reaching for her.
"Most people can't fly!" Aura protested as she was speaking, he had already scooped her up.
She instinctively clung to him as he lifted off the ground, rising higher and higher into the air.
"Eeh—?! Put me down!" she yelped, tightening her grip, her fear of heights sinking in.
"Aura…" Fenix said softly, his voice calmer now, almost coaxing. "Care to play a game with me?"
She looked up at him. For some reason, meeting his eyes steadied her, easing her fear.
"…Sure," she said quietly. "Let's play."
Fenix's smile curved—slow, mischievous… and just a little dangerous.
They spent the rest of the evening together, and neither returned to their rooms.
No one saw Aura again until the next morning, when she entered the combatant area wearing a leotard that completely covered her arms, legs, stomach, and back—unlike the one she had worn the day before. This one even had a skirt.
Mirror was surprised by the change in style. She wanted to comment on the outfit, but something else caught her attention first.
"Is that a hickey on your neck?" she asked, stepping into the room with a bottle of water.
"N-no!" Aura shouted defensively, quickly trying to hide the mark.
Mirror smirked.
"So your relationship has already reached that level… Be careful, or he might deflower you." She wiggled her fingers teasingly.
"I wish he would—he won't even… t-try to make love to me," Aura admitted with a heavy sigh.
"I was kidding… Haven't you only been dating, like, two weeks? Calm your tits," Mirror said dryly.
Aura glared at her.
Even if it hadn't been long, Aura wanted to be closer to him—and it irritated her that Mirror mocked those feelings.
Aura fidgeted with the sleeves of her outfit. It was comfortable—and Fenix had given it to her the day before, after she lost his game.
"Your penalty is that you have to wear this for the remainder of the competition."
She had never thought her exposed skin could make him so uncomfortable, but when he added,
"It'll help me resist you in public,"
she understood.
…And briefly considered dressing more provocatively in private. As Aura was thinking of yesterday,
Mirror opened her mouth to ask about the new clothes but the conversation was cut short as the announcer's voice boomed:
"Hello everyone, and welcome to Round Two of the Spring Festival Fighters' Tournament!"
The audience cheered.
"Yesterday, half the entries were eliminated. That means only ten fighters remain! I bet you're all excited for today's matches! First up—Fenix versus Vision!"
"Awesome!" Fenix said, grinning. "I've been hoping we'd get to fight."
His smile sharpened. He entered the arena, with Vision across from him and his first words were,
"Level one… release," said quietly, under his breath. The air around Fenix hot and dry,
"Don't get cocky," Vision stated, not noticing the subtle change just yet, "Just because you won your first match doesn't mean anything. Only losers get eliminated in the prelims. I'm not like them."
"You shouldn't get cocky either," Fenix murmured, smiling and combing his hair back with his fingers—both eyes now visible, shimmering unnaturally.
"Alright, fighters ready?" the referee called, glancing between them. They both nodded "Begin!"
Vision multiplied instantly—
twenty copies.
Each one smiled at Fenix.
"Pick the wrong one and you're dead," they said in unison.
"Amazing! Twenty solid clones created by Vision! That's even more than last time!" the announcer shouted.
Fenix scoffed.
He stomped his foot.
The arena floor cracked—chunks of earth surged upward—
With a flick of his fingers—
They ignited.
Flaming fragments shot across the battlefield like meteors.
Clones exploded on impact.
Dust swallowed the arena.
"It's getting hard to see, but Fenix just unleashed something like a meteor shower! I've never seen anything like it!" the announcer yelled. "Wait—the dust is clearing—only one Vision remains! He destroyed them all!"
Before the announcer could finish—
Vision was already moving.
He spun, launching a kick toward Fenix's jaw—
Fenix dodged at the last second, turning with the motion.
"I get the feeling you want to seriously injure me," Fenix said lightly.
"That's right," Vision replied, glaring. "I never liked you. That dark presence around you is disgusting… I don't know how Aura tolerates it."
The ground rumbled.
Cracks split the arena—
lava surged upward.
"That was the old me," Fenix said quietly. "Before Aura."
The fissures widened.
More lava poured through.
"I'm only going to do good things now… so she'll stay with me."
Vision leapt, searching for safe ground... but it was already too late. Lava surrounded him.
He pressed his hands together.
A glowing symbol formed beneath his feet.
"Defense field—spread."
He panted, sweat pouring down his face.
Fenix tilted his head slightly.
"Here's your proof that I'm good now… you're still alive."
The lava surged with Vision barely holding it at bay, having to take several steps backwards to not get overwhelmed by its pressure.
Then the lava hardened instantly, changing into into jagged sharp pointed black stone—
They shot forward, still steaming as they pierced straight through Vision's barrier.
And into his shoulder.
He screamed.
"Give up now," Fenix said calmly. "I win."
Vision coughed, blood spilling from his lips.
"I told you… not to get cocky."
His eyes flared white—
The stone spears exploded.
When the smoke cleared—
He was standing.
Uninjured.
Fenix frowned.
Vision split again—five bodies this time—
and each one dove underground.
"How boring…" Fenix muttered.
Then he smiled.
"…No. Maybe this is even more fun."
His hair flared, burning like a living inferno.
"It looks like Vision has gone underground! Who knows where he'll strike from next? What will Fenix do?!" the announcer shouted.
The audience buzzed in anticipation.
Fenix didn't move.
He sat down.
Cross-legged.
Eyes closed.
His hair continued to blaze violently.
One minute passed.
Then five.
Then ten.
The crowd began to grow restless.