Closing of the Quarter Finals
The arena was silent.
Cracked stone. Burn marks. Fragments of shattered armor. Dried streaks of blood.
The battlefield no longer looked like a tournament stage.
It looked like war had passed through it.
High above—
On the grand platform—
The Headmaster slowly rose from his seat.
His long coat fluttered as the evening wind passed.
The murmuring crowd gradually quieted.
Even the injured fighters stopped moving.
His gaze swept across the ruined arena…
Then toward the four remaining warriors standing separately—
Iren. Kael. Riven. Sylven.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
---
"After witnessing such extraordinary battles…"
His voice echoed clearly across the stadium.
"…even I find myself eager to watch what comes next."
A light ripple of excitement passed through the audience.
He continued:
"However…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Our remaining contestants are wounded."
The camera crystals zoomed in—
Sylven's bloodied shoulder. Riven's exhausted breathing. Kael's bruised arms. Even Iren's partially torn uniform from his clash with Lyra.
"And as you can see…"
He gestured toward the arena.
Massive cracks ran across the entire battlefield.
Parts of the stone floor had collapsed. The walls were fractured. Magic residue still flickered in the air.
"This arena can no longer endure another battle in its current state."
A pause.
Then he raised his hand.
---
"Therefore…"
"I officially declare that the Semi Finals shall commence after five days."
The crowd gasped.
"Five days will be granted for recovery."
"For treatment."
"For preparation."
"And for this arena… to be rebuilt."
His voice grew heavier.
"Because what comes next…"
"…will not simply be matches."
His gaze fixed on the four remaining students.
"It will be battles worthy of the Academy's history."
---
Silence.
Then—
ROOOOOOOAR!!!
The stadium exploded with cheers.
---
Below—
Kael glanced sideways toward Iren.
"…Five days."
Riven wiped blood from his chin and smirked faintly.
"More time to sharpen blades."
Sylven quietly closed his eyes.
Five days… to reinforce further.
And Iren—
He looked at the cracked arena floor.
His eyes burned faintly.
Five days… to go deeper into the fire.
---
The sun dipped below the horizon.
Shadows stretched across the destroyed battlefield.
The Quarter Finals had ended.
Four remained.
And in five days—
The Academy would witness something far greater than competition.
It would witness evolution.
---
Day 1
The arena was sealed.
Massive repair mages surrounded it.
Grrrrrr—
Stone lifted. Cracks fused. Burn marks vanished.
But far from the arena—
The four semi-finalists had already begun.
---
Iren
Night.
The battlefield stood empty.
Wind howled softly.
Iren stood alone in the center.
His sword separated—
Two daggers in his hands.
Flames flickered faintly around his fingers.
Not wild.
Not explosive.
Controlled.
"Level One…"
He whispered.
The Fire Ring pulsed.
Vmmmmm—
A small flare burst out violently—
BOOM!
The ground blackened instantly.
Iren clenched his jaw.
"…Too unstable."
Sweat ran down his forehead.
He extinguished the flame.
Then reignited it.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Until the fire no longer roared—
But obeyed.
From the shadows—
Kael watched silently.
His expression unreadable.
He's pushing deeper…
For the first time—
Kael felt something shift inside him.
Not rivalry.
Not annoyance.
But—
If I fall behind… I'll never stand beside him.
His grip on his spear tightened.
---
Kael
Next morning.
Training field.
Kael stood surrounded by floating stone pillars.
He planted his spear.
"Spatial Compression."
VMMMM!
Space distorted.
The pillars bent inward.
Cracked.
But one shattered violently—
The recoil sent Kael skidding backward.
Too unstable at max density…
He wiped blood from his lip.
Again.
He tried again.
And again.
Not increasing power—
Increasing control.
His barrier shimmered.
Thinner.
Denser.
Sharper.
If I meet Iren in the finals…
His eyes hardened.
My space must not break.
---
Riven
Deep within the forest training grounds.
Riven moved.
FWISH!
Burst speed.
He vanished from one tree—
Appeared behind another.
Again.
Again.
But his breathing grew heavier.
He stopped.
Closed his eyes.
The air around him darkened slightly.
No one was watching.
No crowd.
No rival.
Just him.
"Shadow… respond."
The ground beneath him shifted.
Dark tendrils rose slowly.
Not wild.
Controlled.
He phased—
And merged briefly with the shadow itself.
His body flickered.
Then reappeared ten meters away.
He smirked faintly.
"So this is the real extension…"
This wasn't just speed anymore.
This was presence manipulation.
But he frowned.
"…Too draining."
If used recklessly—
It would cost him everything.
He would need perfect timing.
---
Sylven
Mountain edge.
Waves crashing below.
Sylven stood barefoot on the cliff.
Wind pushing against him violently.
He didn't move.
"Body Reinforcement."
VMMMMM—
His muscles hardened.
But instead of moving—
He endured.
Wind pressure increased.
He increased reinforcement.
Wind cut against his skin.
Blood formed on his arm.
He didn't cancel it.
He maintained it.
Minutes passed.
Then hours.
His breathing slowed.
Steady.
Controlled.
Reinforcement isn't just power.
It's duration.
If he could maintain peak reinforcement longer than anyone—
He could outlast anyone.
Even Iren.
Even Kael.
---
Day 3 – Crossing Paths
By the third night—
All four crossed paths at the academy corridor.
No words.
Just eye contact.
Riven's sharp gaze.
Kael's steady stare.
Sylven's calm focus.
Iren's quiet intensity.
The air felt heavier than any battle.
---
Kael finally spoke.
"…Five days isn't much."
Riven smirked.
"It's enough."
Sylven simply said:
"Make it count."
Iren looked at all three.
"…I will."
Flames flickered faintly in his eyes—
But this time—
They didn't explode.
They obeyed.
---
Day 5 – The Night Before
The arena stood restored.
Bigger.
Stronger.
Reinforced with layered magic barriers.
Moonlight reflected off the polished stone.
Four figures stood separately on different rooftops across the academy.
Each looking toward the arena.
Each thinking the same thing—
Tomorrow.
The Semi Finals awaited.
And none of them were the same as they were five days ago.
-