Academy Tournament – Quarter Final
Iren vs Lyra Valen
The arena trembled.
"Iren… versus… Lyra Valen!"
Cheers erupted across the colosseum.
Rain clouds gathered faintly above, but the battle had not yet begun.
Lyra stepped forward calmly, twin daggers resting lightly in her hands.
Iren stood opposite her, sword lowered but steady.
Their eyes met.
Lyra spoke first.
> "Iren… don't rely on that fire."
Iren gave a faint smirk.
> "Then don't rely on seeing the future."
A brief silence.
Then—
"Begin!"
---
⚔ Opening Clash
Lyra moved first.
SHHHK!
Both daggers slashed forward at once.
CLANG!!
Iren blocked with his sword.
The impact forced both of them to slide back several steps.
Stone scraped beneath their boots.
Without hesitation—
They rushed again.
CLASH! TING! SHING! CLANG!
Sword and daggers collided again and again.
Neither stopped attacking.
Neither hesitated.
Lyra's movements grew faster.
Sharper.
Her lighter weapons gave her advantage.
Gradually—
She began to dominate.
SHNK!
A clean cut opened on Iren's arm.
Blood scattered.
Lyra spoke calmly between strikes:
> "You're too rigid."
Another clash.
> "Your swings are predictable."
Iren stepped back slightly.
Using a sword against her daggers is riskier…
Without wasting a second—
His blade shifted.
The long sword separated—
Now twin daggers rested in his hands.
The crowd stirred loudly.
Lyra's lips curved faintly.
> "Good choice."
> "Now we're equal."
---
⚡ Equal Speed
They dashed again.
TING! CLASH! SHING! TING!
Daggers met daggers at blinding speed.
Now both moved equally fast.
Iren spotted a small gap—
And thrust forward.
But Lyra's eyes glowed faintly.
She had already seen it.
She leapt into the air—
Rotated backward—
Landed several steps away smoothly.
The audience burst into cheers.
Lyra's voice remained steady.
> "Three seconds ahead."
> "You can't surprise me."
Iren smirked despite the blood on his arm.
> "Then I'll create a future you can't read."
He rushed again.
Attacked again.
Relentless.
But Lyra dodged effortlessly.
Then she counterattacked.
SHNK!
A slash across his shoulder.
SHRRAK!
A cut along his back.
Blood spread across his uniform.
Lyra continued calmly:
> "You're strong, Iren."
> "But strength alone doesn't win."
---
🔥 Ignition
Iren's breathing grew heavier.
At this rate… I'll lose.
He clenched his jaw.
The ring pulsed.
> "Then I'll raise the stakes."
"Level One… Ignition."
FWOOOOSH!!
Flames erupted around him.
His speed surged.
His strength intensified.
He dashed forward like a comet—
Leaving fire marks across the arena floor.
Lyra barely dodged using her foresight—
But—
SHNK!
A small cut formed on the left side of her face.
Blood traced down gently.
The crowd exploded.
Lyra touched the cut.
Looked at the blood.
Then at him.
> "So this is your power…"
Their daggers clashed again—
But now Iren dominated.
She struggled to land even a single strike.
She created distance.
Her gaze sharpened.
> "I didn't want to use this yet…"
---
⏳ Secret Magic — Time Manipulation
Before Iren could move—
Reality flickered.
One second vanished.
Suddenly—
THUD!!
A brutal punch struck his gut.
His eyes widened.
> "What just—?!"
Before he could recover—
Another second skipped.
BAM!!
A kick sent him flying close to the ring's edge.
The audience gasped loudly.
Confusion spread.
Lyra stood composed.
> "You ignite your body."
> "I manipulate time."
She stepped closer.
> "Against me… you're always one second too late."
Time skipped again.
And again.
And again.
Each time—
A strike landed.
Daggers targeted his arms deliberately.
His hands.
His shoulders.
Blood dripped heavily.
He barely stood upright.
Rain suddenly began pouring from the sky.
Heavy.
Cold.
The audience remained protected beneath the roof.
But inside the arena—
Rain crashed down.
TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP.
Water mixed with blood and flowed along the stone.
Iren stood still.
Head lowered.
Not moving.
---
Lyra approached slowly.
Her voice softened slightly.
> "Iren… surrender."
Rain slid down her face.
> "How will you win against me when you can't even lift your weapon properly?"
Silence.
She continued:
> "Give up. Otherwise… I'll have to end this."
A faint smile appeared on Iren's face.
He spoke quietly:
> "Everyone I fought… said the same thing."
Rain dripped from his chin.
> "To give up."
He slowly raised his head.
Flames reflected in his eyes.
> "But despite all of that… I never gave up."
His voice grew louder.
> "And I'm standing here because of that."
Lyra's brows tightened.
> "This isn't pride. It's reality."
> "In this situation… how will you win?"
She raised her dagger.
> "If you don't surrender… I'll end this now."
Iren looked upward.
Controlled anger burning in his eyes.
> "No matter what…"
Steam began rising around him.
> "I never learned to give up!"
His voice thundered:
> "AND I WON'T GIVE UP!"
---
🔥 Mastery
Water around him began to evaporate.
SSSSSHHHHH—
Steam rose intensely.
Lyra hesitated for a split second.
But she rushed forward anyway.
Her dagger descended—
CLANG!!
Blocked.
Her eyes widened.
> "How—?! Your arms—"
Iren looked at her steadily.
> "I told you… I won't give up."
A powerful force burst outward.
BOOOOOM!!!
Lyra was thrown backward violently.
Inside the ring—
The flames compressed.
Balanced.
Stabilized.
Level One—
Mastered.
Iren slowly straightened.
Fire burned brighter.
Denser.
More controlled.
Lyra attacked again with time skip—
CLANG!
Blocked.
Again—
Blocked.
Again—
Blocked.
She gritted her teeth.
> "Why can't I read you anymore?!"
Iren answered calmly:
> "Because I'm not forcing the future anymore."
His daggers blazed intensely.
Condensed flames wrapped tightly around them.
He launched forward—
Faster than before.
Lyra used time skip—
But the attack carried overwhelming force.
CRRRRAAASH!!!
Her daggers fell from her hands and a burst of light emerged from the impact.
The sound echoed—
Then vanished.
Silence.
No cheers.
No voices.
Just the rain… hissing against the scorched arena.
Lyra's pupils trembled.
Her hands—empty
Her breath—uneven.
Slowly…
She looked up.
Iren stood before her.
Unmoving.
Unshaken.
His dagger—Still burning.
Still steady—Resting just inches from her throat.
Steam coiled between them like a living thing.
His eyes…
No rage.
No hesitation.
Only absolute control.
Only certainty.
For the first time—
Lyra's future…Was blank.
A drop of water slid down her cheek.
Or perhaps—It wasn't rain.
Her voice came out faint.
"...I couldn't see this."
Iren said nothing.
The flames around his blade flickered once—Then stabilized again.
As if answering her.
---
"Match over!"
The referee's voice echoed.
For one second—
Silence.
Then—
The arena erupted.
Deafening cheers.
Teachers whispered in shock.
> "He mastered it mid-batch…"
> "That first-year is something else…"
The remaining competitors stared in disbelief.
Only the headmaster smiled faintly.
The boy who defeated Ignivar—
Would not fall here.
---
🌧 After the Victory
Iren slowly withdrew his dagger from Lyra's neck.
The rain began to soften.
From heavy downpour…
To gentle drizzle.
Lyra's strength gave out.
She dropped to her knees on the wet stone.
Breathing heavily.
Iren extinguished the flames.
The blazing daggers dimmed—
Then merged back into a single sword in his hand.
He stepped closer.
And extended his hand downward toward her.
For a moment—
She stared at it.
Then she accepted.
He pulled her gently to her feet.
---
They stood face to face.
Rain falling softly around them.
Lyra gave a faint smile.
> "You really don't know how to lose, do you?"
Iren smiled slightly.
> "You almost had me."
She shook her head lightly.
> "No… you surpassed me."
She looked at his ring.
> "Your fire stopped raging."
> "It started listening to you."
Iren replied quietly:
> "Your time skip… was terrifying."
> "If I hesitated even once more… I would've fallen."
Lyra's expression softened.
> "Good luck in your next matches."
> "If you lose after beating me… I won't forgive you."
Iren chuckled lightly.
> "I won't."
They released each other's hands.
And walked back toward their respective sides of the arena.
The crowd continued cheering.
But the rain had completely stopped.
Only steam remained rising from the arena floor.
---
Quarter Finals continued