The arena was called Eta.
Rush had passed its entrance a hundred times since arriving at the Academy without ever stepping inside. It looked the same from inside as from outside — large, beautifully crafted, and absolutely remarkable.
It was an entirely different world from the other arena in the Academy.
Stone seating rose in broad tiers on all four sides, the steps worn smooth by generations of students. Every row was occupied. First-years from other courses. Second- and third-years who had found excuses to skip their own routines. Professors free from officiating duties.
A steady murmur filled the arena. Hundreds of conversations blended into a restless hum that never quite faded.
Rush stood at the competitors' entrance beside Ethan and Amber, quietly taking everything in.
The arena floor stretched wide before them.
Unlike the darker stone surrounding it, the arena was built from pale mana-infused rock designed to absorb and disperse magical energy. The boundary of the arena was clearly marked with the runes that shone brighter, not a design though. It was to block the higher grade spells that could be fatal.
Above the center of the arena floated an enormous mana projection — brilliant runes shimmering across its surface. It displayed the tournament format alongside the names of all twelve competing squads.
Rush found his name.
His squad.
His opponents.
Then the arena shifted.
Its center separated with mechanical precision. A circular platform rose smoothly from beneath the stone floor until it stood above the arena.
Professor Spellworth stood upon it.
The conversations gradually died away.
Within moments, the arena fell into silence.
"Welcome."
Spellworth's voice carried effortlessly throughout Eta. Runes woven into the arena walls amplified every word, allowing even the spectators in the highest rows to hear him clearly.
"Welcome to the Inter-Squad Trials."
His gaze swept across the competitors.
Thirty-six first-year students stood waiting.
Some looked excited.
Some nervous.
Some completely expressionless.
Every one of them had spent weeks preparing for this day.
"The format is simple — twelve squads, and three stages."
The mana screen changed. The list of squads dissolved into the tournament's tree of trials.
Professor Spellworth continued.
"First stage will have four groups of three squads. Each squad will fight two matches within its group. The squad with the highest number of victories advances."
He gaze swept over the competitors.
"For second stage, the four qualifying squads will compete in two eliminator matches. The winners advance to the final stage."
Spellworth's gaze flowed through the spectators.
"The final stage will decide a champion squad."
Spellworth allowed the silence to settle before continuing.
"The champion squad earns instant qualification for the Hexan Crucible."
Amber and Ethan were already looking at Rush. Rush's eyes stayed on the professor.
"The remaining participants will be selected by the faculty based on their overall performance throughout today's trials."
His eyes hardened slightly.
"Every match matters. Every decision matters."
His gaze settled on the competitors.
The rules were simple. Each participant wore a mana marker attached to their collar or uniform.
"If your marker is removed, you are eliminated from the current match. You may no longer participate until the next round. If your squad wins, your elimination is reset."
Spellworth continued.
"A squad is defeated only after all three members lose their markers."
He paused a moment longer.
"One final element. The terrain will change before every match. It will be selected randomly through the arena's enchantments."
A quiet wave of murmurs spread through the arena.
Rush noticed the competitors exchanging quick glances.
Weeks of planning had just become far less reliable.
Spellworth remained unmoved.
"Adapt."
The single word echoed through the arena.
"First stage groups are now displayed. Squads will remain in their designated waiting areas until called," he said. "Group A trials will begin shortly."
Without another word, the platform descended beneath the arena floor.
The mana screen shifted once more.
The tree of trials disappeared, replaced by the group assignments.
Rush scanned the list.
[ Group C :
Squad Three — Rush Ryanheart, Ethan Takahashi, Amber Valerius.
Squad Ten — Christian Haeily, Robert Barlov, Hartly Henceder.
Squad Seven — William Rocksell, Rosy Timlord, Mechata Worldspere. ]
His eyes moved to the remaining groups. Over the squads that could actually cause trouble for him. In Group A, Jennifer's squad. Group B held Richard's squad — the Dragonean heir and the Aetos twins, who had never lost a combat when they fought together.
And in Group D, squad six — Kimberly Housart, a dark elf with grey eyes, Roxanne Ahskov— a beastkin, and Timothy Leoneard.
Rush memorized the bracket in a single glance.
They're the ones that matter, he thought.
Then, without another word, he followed Ethan and Amber toward the waiting area.
The waiting area was a long corridor beneath Eta's western stands. Stone benches lined the walls. The roar of the crowd reached them only as a distant murmur, softened by layers of stone.
Every squad occupied its own corner. Rush sat between Ethan and Amber.
"Our approach stays simple," he said. "Each of us takes one opponent. Stay on your target. Don't split your attention."
Amber nodded.
"What if the terrain works against us?"
"There's nothing we can do about it until we see it. So we adapt."
Ethan said just one word.
"Right."
For a while, none of them spoke.
Above them, the crowd suddenly erupted. Reason — the princess.
Group A had been called.
***
Rush broke the silence first.
"The Valerius Tribe."
Amber looked toward him.
"The Southern Desert," Rush continued. "I read about them. Your mother leads the tribe."
"Arlexa Valerius," Amber replied. Her voice was calm, almost matter-of-fact. "She's been our chief since before I was born."
"Your tribe guards the desert. Mostly against demons."
Amber leaned back against the wall.
"There are more women than men in our tribe."
She smiled faintly.
"People always find that surprising."
"They shouldn't."
Amber looked at Rush for a second before nodding.
Rush turned toward Ethan.
"The Petrova Duchy borders Aorek County."
"It does."
"So that's how you and Slavic know each other."
"We've known each other since childhood."
Ethan's expression softened slightly.
"His father governs the duchy. Mine governs Aorek County. Our territories have worked together for generations."
"Aorek," Rush repeated.
Ethan looked at him with mild surprise.
"You researched us."
"Before the squads were announced."
Rush shrugged.
"Afterward, I didn't need to."
Amber studied him for a moment.
"A Ryanheart through and through."
Rush rested his back against the wall.
Above them, another wave of cheers rolled through the arena.
Group A had begun.
The competitors watched through the wide stone arch leading toward the arena floor.
Jennifer fought exactly the way Rush expected.
Precise. Efficient. Every movement had purpose.
The Arena had transformed into broken terrain scattered with jagged stone and uneven elevations. Jennifer adapted immediately.
Sheets of ice spread across the battlefield, reshaping the terrain to her advantage. High ground became hers. Narrow passages became traps. Every spell forced her opponents to move where she wanted them.
Slavic complemented her perfectly.
His explosive affinity had grown noticeably stronger during the past five weeks. Instead of fighting independently, he timed every attack around Jennifer's battlefield control, turning her openings into devastating combinations.
Then there was Nia.
Rush watched her more carefully than anyone else.
She fought at exactly the level of an ordinary first-stage Verdant mage.
No more. No less.
Every strike. Every spell. Every movement. Perfectly measured.
Everyone in the waiting area was watching Jennifer. Hardly anyone noticed Nia. Exactly as planned.
Before entering Eta, Rush had given her only one instruction.
"Don't hold back from helping your team. Win. How much you reveal is your decision."
She had answered with a single nod.
Now she executed it flawlessly.
Strong enough to contribute. Careful enough to reveal nothing.
Impressive... Rush thought.
Jennifer's squad won their first match without losing a single mana marker.
The applause that followed was confident rather than surprised. No one had expected the princess to lose.
The second match ended much the same.
Another decisive victory. Not a single marker lost.Their place in the second stage was secured.
This time, the applause echoed throughout the entire arena.
"They'll be difficult to beat," Amber said quietly.
"Yes."
"If we reach the final."
Rush looked at her.
"We will."
Amber held his gaze for a brief moment before looking away.
***
As Richard's squad stepped onto the arena, the atmosphere inside Eta shifted. The spectators leaned forward. Many had clearly been waiting for this match. For the Dragonean prodigy.
The arena transformed once again.
Flat stone.
No obstacles.
No elevation.
Nothing to hide behind.
A battlefield built for direct combat.
Richard's squad dominated it. They made it look effortless. Squad Five survived three minutes and forty seconds.
Rush watched Richard carefully.
His fire affinity burned far brighter than it ever had during training. Weeks of preparation finally showed themselves. Every attack carried greater power and sharper control.
Patricia moved in her own wavelength.
Kurt was like a second instinct to her. He completed the trio. Rush recognized the same adaptability he had experienced during their sparring sessions. Kurt constantly adjusted his position, reading the terrain almost as quickly as it changed.
Three individuals. One squad. The audience recognized it immediately.
Squad Twelve lasted only two minutes and fifty-one seconds.
They won effortlessly. Not a single defeat.
As Richard left the arena, he glanced toward the competitors' entrance.
His eyes met Rush's across the arena.
Neither of them spoke.
After a brief moment, Richard turned away.
Let's do this, Rush thought.
He looked at the arena floor.
Group C squads were called.
The terrain for Rush's first match shifted.
A thin layer of water spread across the arena, barely two inches deep. The pale stone beneath remained visible while the arena lights shimmered across the rippling surface.
Rush immediately sensed the cold.
Interesting, Beelzebub said.
Rush simply noted it.
Across the water stood Squad Ten. Christian. Robert. Hartly.
Rush studied Christian for only a moment.
Mana reinforcement, Rush noticed.
His posture gave it away. So did the dense flow of mana surrounding his body. He carried himself like someone who trusted his own physical strength above everything else.
The signal sounded.
Rush vanished.
Flash Step carried him across the water, white sprays bursting beneath his feet as he closed the distance in an instant.
Christian barely had time to react.
Rush removed his marker.
At the same moment Ethan and Amber reached their own opponents.
Robert's marker came off after twelve seconds.
Hartly's after fifteen.
Twenty-seven seconds.
The entire match was over.
A wave of surprise rolled through Eta.
Rush ignored the spectators and returned quietly to his side of the arena.
***
The second match proved more interesting.
William possessed a different innate affinity. Barrier affinity. Not barriers created consciously. His affinity generated them instinctively whenever danger approached.
Rush had never fought against an ability like that before.
He spent the opening moments simply watching.
Every movement.
Every reaction.
Every weakness.
"The barrier affinity reacts to intent," Beelzebub said. "Mana attacks, mana reinforcement. Anything it perceives as an attack. Approach without either."
Rush understood.
A fatal flaw. The worst opponent he could have — is me.
He moved.
Flash Step didn't require mana.
No mana enhancement. Not that he wanted to use any.
Only his body.
Rush relied on his training alone.
William's barrier never appeared.
Confusion flashed across William's face.
"Too late."
A kick connected with his shoulder, sending him back several feet. Rush walked toward him. And removed the marker from his collar.
Across the arena Ethan's katana that never left the sheath defeated Rosy while Amber eliminated Mechata.
That took them three minutes and eight seconds.
Group C advanced to the second stage.
As Rush left the arena, he noticed the crowd had changed.
Not in number. Not in position.
In attention.
Their eyes followed him now.
"You really like showing off sometimes, child," Beelzebub said. "The kick was unnecessary."
I know. I was just testing his affinity.
"But now you have everyone's attention."
Rush didn't reply. But it was true and he knew it.
***
Group D's result was exactly the way Amber had predicted.
Kimberly's squad fought with quiet precision.
Rush had noticed her before.
She rarely spoke during lectures and never tried to stand out during training. Until now, she had blended into the background.
Now she didn't.
Being an elf came with its own rarities.
Her dual affinity combined wind and water with remarkable control.
Wind disrupted formations. Water punished every mistake. The two affinities flowed together naturally, each strengthening the other.
Squad Eleven fell after four minutes and twenty seconds.
Squad Nine lasted three minutes and fifty-five seconds.
Another clean victory.
Rush watched every movement.
Every spell.
Every decision.
Then stored it away.
****
Half an hour passed.
The crowd buzzed with excited conversation while the mana screen updated above the arena.
Second stage was about to start.
Rush stood beside Ethan and Amber, silently watching the names appear.
[ MATCH ONE : Squad One VS Squad Six ]
[ MATCH TWO : Squad Three VS Squad Two ]
Rush read the bracket.
Then looked away.
Jennifer found him before the first semifinal was called.
She glanced at the mana screen, then back at him.
"Kimberly's good," she said. "Dual affinity. Wind and water."
"I noticed."
"Her wind breaks formations."
She paused for a moment.
"Her water pushes through blind spots."
Rush nodded.
"Roxanne and Timothy are equally troublesome. Tell Slavic to keep distance from Roxanne."
"And Nia?" Jennifer asked.
Rush looked at her.
"You already know, right?"
The corner of her mouth moved.
"We'll manage."
She studied him for a moment.
"You're up after us."
"Yes."
"Against Richard."
"Maybe he will get what he wanted."
Jennifer held his gaze.
She always seemed to notice things other people missed.
"Win."
Rush looked back at her.
"I'm planning to."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Then she turned and rejoined Slavic and Nia.
Rush watched them walk toward the arena.
Only then did he look at Ethan and Amber.
"When they finish," he said quietly, "it's our turn."
***
The arena shifted.
Stone dissolved into a ruined forest.
Broken trees rose from the ground. Cracked pillars scattered across the field. Fallen walls divided the arena into narrow paths, forcing every squad to choose between mobility and cover.
Jennifer adapted first.
She froze the uneven ground around her position, creating stable footing for Slavic while limiting Kimberly's movement.
Kimberly answered immediately.
Wind scattered shards of ice before they could build into walls.
Then fresh ice spread through the openings her wind created.
Rush watched without blinking.
"Water converted to ice, an advanced application of water affinity."
Jennifer had been right.
The two affinities complemented each other perfectly. Two minutes into the match, Slavic did exactly what he wasn't supposed to do. And his marker disappeared.
A gust of wind forced him off balance just long enough for Roxanne to reach his collar.
Slavic stepped back from the arena, eliminated.
Jennifer and Nia fought on without hesitation.
The battle stretched far longer than any match before it. Neither squad could overwhelm the other.
Jennifer controlled space.
Kimberly reshaped it.
Every advance met resistance.
Every opening disappeared moments later.
"Jennifer is about to lose," Ethan said, looking at Rush. "She is at disadvantage with three against two."
"No. She will not lose," Rush said, without hesitation.
"She has Nia. How will she defeat Kimberly?"
Amber spoke before Rush could reply.
"Exactly. She has Nia. And that's one of the reasons she will win."
Ethan was completely unable to understand, why? And How?
"Watch Jennifer's left hand carefully. And watch Nia's position."
Ethan squinted his eyes.
"She's been making ice constructs at different locations simultaneously since the match began. Creating blind spots for Kimberly."
Ethan nodded.
"She can produce ice constructs at any desired place in the arena. That's her range."
"Did you analyse all that in two minutes, Rush?"
"No. In two months of training."
Amber looked at him, surprised.
Finally—
Kimberly's marker came free. Nia reached her without being sensed.
A few seconds later Roxanne followed.
Timothy was the last to fall.
Jennifer's squad became the first to advance to the final stage.
The arena erupted. Applause spread.
Rush watched Jennifer leave the arena battlefield.
Her uniform carried the marks of a real fight.
Slavic was already talking.
Nia as calm as ever.
Jennifer caught Rush's eye across the waiting area.
She gave a single nod.
Rush returned it.
The battlefield reset.
The ruined forest dissolved beneath waves of mana until only smooth stone remained.
Rush rested a hand on one of his daggers.
Across the arena, another entrance opened.
Richard would be standing there.
Rush didn't need to see him to know it.
He looked at Ethan.
Then Amber.
"Let's go."