The announcement spread through the academy by morning.
"The next round of matches will resume in one week."
One week.
Seven days.
Seven nights.
Seven chances to grow stronger.
---
Day One
The academy training grounds roared back to life.
Clang! Clang!
Steel collided against steel.
"Again!" Tomas shouted, slamming his reinforced gauntlets together. BOOM!
Shockwaves burst outward, scattering dust across the arena floor.
Kael stood alone in another field, spear spinning in controlled arcs.
Whoosh—whoosh—THUD!
Spatial distortions flickered around him as he compressed air into invisible barriers.
Riven disappeared in bursts of distortion.
Flicker—snap!
He reappeared behind a training dummy, blade slicing cleanly through its weak point.
Sylven trained until sweat drenched his clothes, reinforcing his muscles repeatedly.
"Stronger… I need to be stronger…"
Lyra stood silently at the edge of a cliff overlooking the academy grounds.
Her eyes shimmered faintly.
Three seconds ahead.
Mapping movements.
Calculating futures.
All sixteen remaining winners trained.
All of them.
But quietly.
No alliances.
No boasting.
Only preparation.
---
Day
Iren trained like the rest.
Under the sun.
Blade in hand.
Clang!
His sword cut through wooden targets in a single motion.
Again.
And again.
Sweat dripped down his jaw.
Then—
He switched weapons.
Twin daggers.
Shhk! Shhk!
Fluid.
Precise.
Controlled.
"Faster…" he whispered.
The Fire Ring glowed faintly on his finger.
But he did not activate it.
Not yet.
Not here.
---
Night
The academy fell silent.
Windows darkened one by one.
Click… click…
Doors locked.
Candles extinguished.
Students slept.
But one door opened quietly.
Creak…
Iren stepped into the corridor.
Moonlight stretched across the marble floors.
His footsteps were nearly soundless.
Tap… tap… tap…
He walked alone toward the main battle arena.
---
The Arena — Midnight
The massive gates stood silent.
The moon hung high above.
Iren stepped inside.
The vast circular battlefield was empty.
Cold.
Waiting.
He walked to the center.
Exhaled slowly.
"…Let's begin."
The Fire Ring flickered.
Fwoom…
A small flame ignited in his palm.
Unstable.
Wild.
The heat surged suddenly—
FWOOOSH!
The flame exploded outward, forcing him back a step.
"Ghk—!"
He clenched his teeth.
"Control it…"
Again.
He raised his hand.
The ring pulsed violently.
FWOOM—CRACKLE—
Flames spiraled upward, forming a column before collapsing.
Too much output.
Not enough precision.
Sweat rolled down his face.
"This isn't about power…"
His breathing steadied.
"…It's about control."
He closed his eyes.
Slowed his heartbeat.
Thump… thump… thump…
The ring responded.
This time—
A steady flame appeared.
Small.
Dense.
Focused.
It hovered above his palm without exploding.
"…Level One," he whispered.
The flame condensed further.
Sharper.
Hotter.
But contained.
For the first time—
It obeyed.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Night after night, he returned.
Burned.
Collapsed.
Stood again.
Fwoom!
Crackle!
Boom!
Failure.
Adjustment.
Control.
Slowly—
The flames began listening.
---
Day Seven
Morning arrived.
The week had ended.
The academy bells rang loudly across the sky.
GONG—! GONG—!
Students gathered.
The tension was different now.
Sharper.
Heavier.
No one smiled.
No one spoke loudly.
Sixteen remained.
Soon—
Only eight would stand.
Iren stood at the edge of the arena platform, eyes calm.
The Fire Ring rested silently on his finger.
But beneath its quiet surface—
A steady flame burned.
Controlled.
Patient.
Ready.
The wind brushed across the arena.
Whoooosh…
And the next phase of destiny began..
The quarter finals were about to begin