Currently, with four matches concluded, Dawnspire Academy had been pushed into a corner.
Only two members remained on their side, while Star Shine Academy still had four.
The difference in momentum was impossible to ignore.
At this point, the outcome had become painfully clear to most spectators. Unless something completely unforeseen occurred, Dawnspire no longer had a realistic path to victory. Their opening had been strong—strong enough that many initially believed they held the advantage—but everything had shifted the moment Alex stepped onto the field.
The balance of the match had flipped entirely.
What was supposed to be a close battle had shifted heavily in Star Shine Academy's favor within the span of two fights.
The atmosphere inside the stadium remained heated long after the match ended. Yet despite that, another wave of anticipation slowly began reclaiming the crowd's attention.
The final match scheduled for the day.
Crimson Bastion Academy vs Blitz War Institute.
Unlike Star Shine Academy and Dawnspire Academy—whose battle had initially attracted only moderate interest before unexpectedly exploding in popularity—this upcoming clash had been highly anticipated from the very beginning. Both academies carried enormous reputations, and their rivalry alone was enough to ignite excitement throughout the arena.
In fact, more than half the audience present today had originally come specifically to watch that match.
Ironically, it was Star Shine Academy that ended up shaking the tournament first.
Back within Star Shine's waiting area, however, the atmosphere contrasted sharply with the excitement filling the stadium.
Cassian's expression was dark.
His face remained stiff, his jaw tight enough to look painful, as though he had swallowed something bitter. The frustration he had been suppressing since Alex stepped onto the stage had only worsened after the fight with Myrra.
Because no matter how many times he replayed it in his mind—
The result still didn't make sense to him.
Not only had Alex won, he had done so overwhelmingly.
Vivianne stood nearby in silence.
Unlike Cassian's obvious frustration, her emotions were far less straightforward. Bitterness lingered in her expression, but so did irritation, confusion, reluctant acknowledgment, and something dangerously close to curiosity.
Again and again, her thoughts drifted back toward Elena.
Yet every answer she reached only made the situation feel more unreasonable.
Meanwhile, Elena herself appeared entirely unaffected by the reactions around her. She simply watched the stage quietly, calm as ever, showing no surprise at the outcome Alex had produced.
As though she had expected it from the beginning.
Not far away, Arista let out a soft breath, her gentle gaze following Alex briefly before returning to the arena.
Draim, on the other hand, wore a faint grin. Unlike his usual relaxed amusement, however, this one carried genuine interest.
"This tournament just got a lot more interesting." he muttered quietly.
Back on the stage, the officials finished restoring the damaged sections of the arena.
Then, without further delay, the next round of matches began.
The rivalry between Crimson Bastion Academy and Blitz War Institute stretched back years. Whenever tournaments came around, the two were consistently among the fiercest competitors, and more often than not, they only encountered each other in the finals.
That history alone ensured neither side would yield easily.
From the very first match, the battle turned fierce.
Both sides fought with overwhelming competitiveness, refusing to concede even the slightest advantage. Unlike many earlier matches that became one-sided once momentum shifted, these battles remained brutal from beginning to end.
The participants from both academies pushed relentlessly, fighting as though defeat itself was unacceptable.
The crowd responded accordingly.
Cheers erupted repeatedly as spells collided head-on, barriers shattered, and contestants forced themselves forward despite mounting injuries and exhaustion.
Neither side wanted to lose.
In the end, the first match narrowly went to Blitz War Institute.
The victory was slim enough that the audience remained divided even after the referee's announcement, arguments immediately breaking out over whether the outcome could have gone either way.
The second match proved no less fierce.
If anything, it was even harsher.
Both combatants drove each other to complete exhaustion, and by the end, both contestants collapsed almost simultaneously, resulting in a draw.
Even that result only fueled the excitement further.
Then, Crimson Bastion Academy's third representative stepped onto the stage.
The reaction throughout the stadium changed instantly.
A wave of noise spread across the audience—not explosive like before, but charged with an entirely different kind of excitement.
Because many recognized her immediately.
A petite girl walked calmly toward the center of the arena, her crystalline white hair gleaming beneath the stadium lights. Light amethyst eyes reflected the surrounding glow faintly, emotionless yet strangely captivating.
Her beauty felt almost unreal.
Like a carefully crafted doll brought to life.
Even her expression barely changed as she took her place, her presence so quiet that it somehow drew even more attention rather than less.
On Blitz War Institute's side, their next participant stepped forward soon after. He stopped several meters away before giving a polite bow, an awkward smile lingering on his face despite the tension in the air.
"Andy Tyor," he introduced himself respectfully. "I hope Lady Evelyne goes easy on poor me."
A few laughs rose from the audience at his attempt to lighten the mood.
Evelyne, however, showed no visible reaction.
Her gaze remained calm and distant as she answered in a quiet, emotionless voice.
"Evelyne Crystelle."
The signal was given and the match began.
Andy immediately moved to cast—
But before his spell could even fully form, transparent crystalline walls erupted around him instantly, like a prison forged from glass.
The structure formed with terrifying speed, sealing him inside before he could properly react. Its smooth crystalline surface gleamed faintly as layers of mana reinforced it from within, leaving no visible weakness to exploit.
"Wha—?!"
Andy slammed his unfinished spell against the walls, but the impact barely left a mark before the damage repaired itself almost immediately.
Then the prison began to shrink.
The crystalline walls compressed inward from every direction, forcing the trapped boy into an increasingly cramped space as panic spread across his face.
He attacked again.
And again.
Nothing worked.
The audience watched in stunned silence as the glass prison continued tightening around him with merciless precision, while Evelyne herself remained completely motionless throughout the entire process.
Before long, Andy finally broke.
"I surrender! I surrender!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the prison stopped before shattering harmlessly into glittering fragments of light.
The referee glanced between the two before quickly raising a hand.
"Winner—Crimson Bastion Academy!"
Only then did Evelyne turn and quietly walk back toward her side of the arena, her expression unchanged from beginning to end.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
Back at Star Shine Academy's side, the atmosphere was noticeably quieter compared to the roaring excitement filling the stadium.
Most of the audience remained focused entirely on the stage, their attention still lingering on the overwhelming display they had just witnessed. Even now, several members of Blitz War Institute looked visibly uneasy after watching one of their representatives lose before he could even properly cast a spell.
Alex sat beside Elena, his gaze fixed on the stage below.
The crystalline prison from earlier had already dissolved, yet the image remained vivid in his mind. The entire exchange had ended so quickly that it barely felt like a real fight.
After a brief silence, Elena finally spoke.
"She's as ruthless as ever."
Her tone remained calm, though a faint trace of familiarity lingered beneath it, as though what they had just witnessed was nothing unusual to her.
Alex glanced toward her briefly before returning his attention to the arena.
"That casting speed was absurd."
It wasn't merely fast.
The moment the match began, Evelyne had already completed her spell before her opponent could properly react.
More than that—
Her expression hadn't changed even once throughout the entire exchange—cold, detached, emotionless to the point of seeming almost mechanical.
Alex frowned slightly.
"So I'll have to fight her?"
Elena gave a small nod. "Yes."
A short pause followed before she added,
"And you'll have to win." This time, however, there was noticeably less certainty in her voice.
Alex caught it immediately.
Normally, Elena spoke with unwavering conviction whenever the subject involved him. Yet now, her tone carried a subtle restraint she hadn't shown before.
As though even she acknowledged Evelyne as someone genuinely dangerous.
Alex's gaze shifted back toward the petite girl still standing on the opposite side of the arena.
"She's that strong?"
"She is." Elena answered without hesitation.
"But not simply because of her crystal attribute."
Alex remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
"Most members of the Crystelle family possess affinity for crystal attribute. It's rare, but not unique within their bloodline." Elena explained calmly. "What makes Evelyne special is something else entirely."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Her Glazed Crystal Heart."
Alex's expression sharpened with interest as he listened.
"Ah… so that's why," Aurora suddenly murmured from beside him, her usually playful tone fading into rare seriousness as she stared toward the arena. "No wonder that girl feels different from the others."