Rianne bit her lip so hard that a faint metallic taste spread across her tongue, her nails digging into her palm as she stared down at the arena with burning fury.
Across the battlefield, Rax slowly forced himself back onto his feet.
The sight alone caused a ripple of shocked murmurs to spread through the crowd, because after the brutal strike Zevi had landed earlier, most people had expected him to collapse completely.
His body trembled violently as he stood, every movement clearly sending waves of agony through him, yet the fire burning in his eyes refused to fade.
Pain didn't matter anymore.
Right now, there was only one thought consuming his mind.
Cripple the man who humiliated him.
Zevi watched him carefully while narrowing his eyes, the rope loosely coiled around his arm while his other hand settled comfortably near his weapon.
"You are unbelievable," Zevi said slowly, sounding genuinely impressed as he studied the battered fighter in front of him.
"To think you can actually stand after taking that hit… what a man."
For a brief moment Rax remained silent, his body shaking with rage as mana churned violently within him. Then his head snapped upward.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, ZEVIIIIII!!!"
The roar exploded across the arena like thunder, echoing through the stadium and making several students flinch in surprise.
Steam began rising from Rax's body as his fury ignited his mana. Sweat dripped down his face, his hair clinging messily to his forehead while his bloodshot eyes glared at Zevi with unrestrained hatred.
Zevi stared at him for a second before his lips slowly curled into a manic grin.
"Oh… oh?" he muttered, his shoulders shaking slightly with amusement.
"You still have the courage to scream like that after what just happened? I respect that. Truly."
Rax's grip on his blade tightened as mana surged violently through his body, erupting around his weapon and coating the blade in a blazing red aura that crackled with heat.
Zevi's grin faded slightly.
The playful madness in his expression sharpened into something colder.
Something far more dangerous.
"Alright then, Rax," he said quietly while adjusting his stance and tightening his grip on the rope wrapped around his arm.
"Let's fight… for real."
The moment those words left his mouth, Rax vanished.
[Phantom Footwork]
His body slipped across the arena floor in a zig-zag blur so fast that several spectators could barely follow the motion. His feet barely touched the sand as he glided forward like a phantom, leaving faint afterimages trailing behind him.
A collective gasp rippled through the stands.
"He's fast…"
"Was he always that fast?"
Before the whispers could settle, Rax attacked.
[Blade Dance]
His sword erupted into motion, unleashing a whirlwind of blindingly fast slashes that surrounded Zevi from every direction as the air screamed under the assault.
Zevi instantly activated Phase Step, his body flickering out of existence before reappearing several meters away.
But Rax was already there.
The blade came crashing down like thunder.
SLASH!
Zevi raised his rope-wrapped arm just in time, the weapon colliding with a metallic crack that rattled through his bones.
The second slash came even faster.
SLASH!
He barely managed to block it again.
The third strike slipped past his guard entirely.
A thin red line appeared across Zevi's cheek as the blade grazed him, drawing a trail of blood.
Rax's lips twisted into a savage grin.
"That's for the humiliation you gave me!"
He spun violently while channeling mana into his weapon.
[Flame Slash]
A burning arc of fire tore through the air toward Zevi like a blazing crescent.
Zevi used Phase Step again, vanishing from the spot just before the attack reached him.
But this time, the distance wasn't enough.
The explosion caught him mid-air.
BOOOOOOM!!
A violent shockwave rolled across the arena floor, blasting sand outward in every direction as sparks and embers scattered through the air.
Students gasped in shock.
Elara covered her mouth with both hands.
Nevil leaned forward with clenched fists.
Ashan's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the battlefield with calm intensity.
Zevi crashed onto the ground several meters away, sliding across the sand before slowly pushing himself upright while wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
Then he smirked.
"You know…" he muttered casually, rolling his shoulder as if testing it. "I kinda deserved that one."
Rax didn't respond.
He had already begun moving again.
Like a burning comet fueled entirely by rage, he dashed forward while flames erupted around his body.
Zevi spun his rope, pouring mana into it.
[Binding Serpent]
The rope twisted violently as the mana hardened it, transforming the flexible cord into something resembling a living serpent as it hissed through the air.
Rax raised his blade and brought it down.
Zevi flicked his wrist.
The rope shot forward.
SHHHP!!
It wrapped tightly around Rax's left arm.
Rax snarled furiously.
"You think THIS can stop.."
Zevi yanked the rope hard.
Rax's arm was violently dragged backward, twisting his entire body off balance.
Before he could recover, Zevi appeared directly behind him.
WHAM!!
A brutal knee smashed into Rax's spine with enough force to echo across the arena.
Rax coughed violently as blood sprayed from his mouth, yet somehow he still managed to twist around through sheer willpower.
His mind raced.
'This is insane…'
'How did he gain this much physical power?'
He swung his blade backward in retaliation.
Zevi caught the strike on his forearm.
[Battle Instinct]
His skin hardened instantly under a surge of mana, reducing what should have been a deep cut into a shallow wound, though blood still trickled down his arm.
Rax grinned.
"Let's see your instincts stop THIS."
Mana surged violently into his weapon as he raised it overhead.
[Deathline Strike]
The blade descended like execution itself.
Zevi's rope snapped upward, wrapping around the blade for a brief moment.
But the technique was too powerful.
The attack sliced straight through the rope's mana and carved into Zevi's shoulder.
Blood sprayed into the air.
Zevi staggered backward, grabbing the wound while forcing mana into it to slow the bleeding.
From the audience, Ashan spoke quietly.
"They're reaching the end."
Nevil tightened his grip on Elara's hand.
"He's pushing Zevi to his limit."
Narasha watched silently before speaking in a soft voice.
"He's attacking with the intent to kill."
Rax charged again.
Flames erupted around him as his killing intent thickened the air.
He slashed horizontally.
Zevi ducked.
Rax slashed vertically.
Zevi rolled aside.
Rax thrust forward.
Zevi used Phase Step again.
But Rax predicted it.
Spinning mid-air, he drove his knee directly into Zevi's face.
CRACK!
Zevi's head snapped backward as he was launched several meters away before crashing violently onto the ground.
Rax approached slowly with his blade aimed at Zevi's chest.
"You're finished, Starwell," he growled. "I'll take revenge for everything you did to me. Because of you… my father even looked down on me."
Zevi wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Oh?"
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"You're still thinking about that time I twisted your arm, huh? I remember that… I was pretty satisfied hearing you moan like a bitch."
His grin widened.
"And your balls now… are they still alive?"
Rax's face twisted in pure rage as he lunged forward with a furious strike.
Zevi raised his arm to block.
The blade struck.
But something strange happened.
[Manaflow Counter]
Rax felt it immediately.
Instead of exploding outward, the fire mana packed into his attack was being absorbed directly into Zevi's arm.
"What the…?!"
Zevi grinned.
"How about I return this?"
BOOM!!
A concentrated blast of Rax's own mana erupted from Zevi's palm and slammed into Rax's chest, sending him flying backward like a kicked boulder.
He bounced violently across the arena floor before finally skidding to a halt.
Students erupted in shocked shouts.
"Did he redirect the attack?!"
"That's insane!"
Rax stabbed his blade into the ground to stop himself before slowly rising again, his body shaking with fury.
"You… YOU SON OF A..!"
"I WILL TEAR YOU APART!"
Zevi tightened the rope around his fist as his aura surged like a storm.
Then both fighters charged simultaneously.
BOOM!!
Their clash shattered the sand beneath them as they collided.
Zevi punched.
Rax blocked.
Rax slashed.
Zevi ducked and countered with a rope-enhanced uppercut.
Rax spun into a whirlwind of blades.
Zevi appeared behind him.
But Rax predicted it again.
CLANG!!
Their weapons collided violently as sparks exploded around them.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The deafening sound of steel striking steel echoed across the arena as the two fighters clashed like raging beasts.
Finally they separated, both breathing heavily.
Rax roared.
"THIS IS THE END!!"
Flames burst behind him as he launched his final attack.
[Deathline Strike]
The lethal thrust shot toward Zevi's throat.
Zevi whispered softly.
"Gotcha."
He used Phase Step.
But instead of retreating…
He moved forward.
Rax's eyes widened in horror.
Zevi's rope wrapped around his wrist and twisted violently.
His stance opened.
Exactly like Tyron's earlier mistake.
Mana surged around Zevi's leg.
Air crackled.
Rax realized too late.
"No… NO NO NO…!!"
Zevi laughed.
"IT'S PAYBACK TIME, BITCH!!!"
WHOOOOOOOM…!!!
The kick connected.
P A A A K !!!
A sound that echoed across the entire academy.
Rax flew through the air before crashing onto the ground and curling into a ball of agony.
The arena fell silent.
Zevi raised his finger to the sky.
"I scored six points… no."
His grin widened.
"Twelve points."
The stadium erupted into chaos.
Rowan laughed uncontrollably.
Maren slapped her forehead.
Aren wanted to disappear.
And Rax lay on the ground… twitching… seeing stars.