The arena was smoke and silence.
Dust settled slowly over the fractured stone as the crowd leaned forward, breath held in unison.
Zane struggled to his feet, his body shaking. The Eclipse Armor flickered, then cracked apart and dissolved into shadow. Blood trickled from a cut above his brow, and his breaths came shallow and uneven—but he stood.
Across from him, Xander lay motionless in his crater. His blade had splintered, and the radiant glow that once wrapped his body was gone. In the end, even the light had dimmed.
Then came the announcement:
> "Victor: Zane of Obsidian Crest Academy!"
Some screamed in awe. Others sat in stunned silence. A few of the professors exchanged tense glances—this battle had shattered expectations. Not just for skill, but for power... for potential. The kind that rewrites history.
Zane stumbled forward until he collapsed to one knee.
"Sera..." he whispered.
Moments later, she burst through the barrier, uncaring of protocol. She rushed to his side and wrapped him in a fierce hug, tears in her eyes.
"You idiot," she said, voice cracking. "You could've died."
Zane smirked weakly. "Yeah... but at least I looked cool doing it."
The crowd laughed—relieved, proud, amazed.
Even Xander, now conscious, chuckled from where he lay. "Next time... I'm not holding back."
Zane looked over and nodded. "Next time... neither will I."
A large crystal screen appeared above the arena, displaying final results:
> 1st Place: Lumina Academy
2nd Place: Obsidian Crest Academy
3rd Place: Tempest Vale Academy
Zane's academy had leapt two places. The crowd of students from Obsidian Crest cheered madly. They didn't win—but they had made history. And their name would now be known across all nations.
As the lights dimmed and the sun began to set, Zane looked up at the sky.
This is just the beginning.