"Now, that's not something you see every day!" Damien remarked, sipping from his little flask gin as he observed two mages from their reserved team rushing to the stage to retrieve Connor's body.
They aimed to transport him quickly to the healers, who would treat any injuries before they worsened or developed into hidden ones that could impact his foundations and cultivation speed.
"So, have you decided who will be fighting next?" Carmilla Sorin asked Dragov directly, attempting to peek over her brother's shoulder to catch a glimpse of their captain's face.
However, Damien became irritated and used his hand to push her face away.
"I don't care who fights next, as long as it's not you," Damien replied, continuing to push her back.
"Ah! That's not fair, I haven't had the chance to grace the stage and display my abilities, even that grumpy Connor got a chance," Carmilla pleaded to her brother, hoping he would allow her to fight.
As she had noticed that their captain, Dragov seemed indifferent to their actions, but Damien, who appeared overly protective of his little sister, refused to entertain the idea.
"Oh, so you plan to embarrass the clan, just like Connor was defeated?" Damien questioned, trying to be as dramatic as ever.
Carmilla retorted, realizing her plea had fallen on deaf ears, and she swished her mouth shut, Damien then turned to face Dragov, who sat few chairs away from him.
"Will you step down and allow a team member to fight the next battle, or will you continue the second round?" the voice of the red-haired referee resonated through the stadium once again, loud and clear.
Everyone present felt as though the words were directed at them, however, it wasn't the voice that captivated their attention at that moment but the sight of a pale-looking Michael, who leaned on his broadsword for support.
Despite being exhausted and worn out, he refused to step down and relinquish his position to a teammate in better condition.
Instead, he chose to continue fighting.
His decision surprised many, but it didn't dampen the cheers of the Holy Grail fans and those who held animosity towards the Bloodline Academy, as they saw Michael's actions as incredibly noble and brave.
"(snickered) He's just courting death, fighting two top fighters in a row, who does he think he is? Whoever we send out next will easily defeat him," an enraged student from the Bloodline Academy, who came to support his academy, couldn't help but voice his anger after witnessing the cheers for Michael.
Despite Michael's attempt to boost morale, he was seen as making a foolish move that could result in getting beaten up or critically injured by the Bloodline Academy fans.
"Hey buddy, why don't we make a private wager? I bet you that this Michael boy won't be able to replicate that glowing display he just did again, if I win, you have to give me at least three drops of your blood," Damien said to Dragov, extending three outstretched fingers with a harmless smile on his face that suggested a hidden trap.
"Fuck off, you lecher," Dragov's deep voice was heard as the rest of the team members chuckled, it seemed as though they had anticipated that response from him all along.
Damien's face contorted with a sense of injustice as he complained,
"What about just one drop? It's an unfair wager for me now, all I'm asking for is a taste of your blood. Don't tell me you lack the courage to let me have it."
As usual, his plea was met with the same brusque command to get lost.
Dragov, proclaimed by the Dragonmir clan as the leader of their new generation, exuded an aura that kept others at bay, and his long white hair that is always covering his face, did little to aid his social endeavours.
Despite his introverted demeanour, Pale and Carmilla had been relentless in their pursuit of him ever since they met, always hounding him for his blood, using that as a pretense to get closer to him.
This peculiar dynamic had forged an odd friendship among the three, yet it was widely acknowledged that Dragov was the most formidable mage in the latest cohort of Bloodline Academy.
The Royal Mage Academy had exerted considerable effort to coax the Dragonmir clan into sending him their way, but Dragov had always been the master of his own fate, choosing Bloodline Academy where he believed he would encounter more kindred spirits, other bloodline monsters like himself.
However, only a few of Bloodline path mages in his generation had managed to live up to his standards, the rest were of the Bloodline Academy past generation.
"Bloodline Academy, you need to pick a new fighter now, unless you wish to forfeit your second round and have a team member take a strike for it," the referee's voice echoed with warning, reminding the distracted academy that it was time to send another contender to the stage.
"Yay! Let me at that light boy, I promise to even the score," Carmilla exclaimed, rising to her feet and moving forward.
"Sit down, Carmilla, it's not yet time to reveal our trump cards, Don't you realize you're our ace in the hole? This round will be handled by Kira," Damien commanded, halting her advance.
Carmilla reluctantly took her seat again, pouting and ignoring her brother, while Kira, who is wearing a ninja-like mask that covered her nose, stood up and started walking forward.
"Nightfang, be careful!" Dragov, with his hands crossed and his head facing down, said, causing Kira to flinch.
It was the first statement he had directed towards her that day, taking his words seriously, she nodded towards him, before making her way towards the center of the battle ring.
"It seems the Bloodline Academy has finally made their choice, Kira Nightfang has been sent forward to fight in the second round, while Michael continues to hold the fort for the Holy Grail Academy," the referee commented,
As fans of the Bloodline Academy started chanting,
"Kill him!!!", they anticipated a quick end to the fight, given Michael's weakened state.