Richard's PovThe arena buzzed with anticipation, a circular coliseum of sleek obsidian and glowing runes that pulsed with the energy of the Miracle Academy. Hundreds of cadets filled the stands, their voices a chaotic hum, while holographic screens projected the combatants’ names in blazing gold: Richard Kane vs. Kael Vortex, Rank 50. The monthly ranking battles were always a spectacle, a brutal dance of power and cunning where reputations were forged or shattered. Richard stood at the center of the arena, his dark hair plastered with sweat, his sharp and unyielding. Across from him, Kael Vortex grinned, his lean frame crackling with quantum energy, his silver cloak billowing as if caught in an unseen wind.“Ready to lose, newbie?” Kael’s voice was smooth, taunting, his eyes glinting with confidence. “I’ll have you blinking out of existence before you can draw that fancy sword.”Richard’s grip tightened on the hilt of his blade. He had picked this weapon since he was tired of using h

Richard's Pov The mess hall roared with noise—cadets laughing, arguing over trays of synth-protein and law-infused fruit. I sat at Squad Seven’s table, picking at my food, my mind still stuck back at the pit. Lena slid into the seat beside me, her silver eyes scanning my face. "You look like you just fought a demon," she said, nudging my arm. "What’s up?" I forced a smirk. "Just Caleb being Caleb. Tried to bait me into a duel." Her expression darkened. "That asshole. What’d you do?" "Told him no," I said, stabbing at a piece of synth-fruit. "Council’s got me on a leash. Didn’t want to give them an excuse to lock me up." "Smart," she said, though there was an edge to her voice. "He’s not gonna stop, you know. Caleb’s got a hard-on for proving he’s better than you." "Yeah, I noticed," I muttered, glancing across the hall. Caleb sat with his usual clique—sharp smiles, loud laughs—but his eyes flicked toward me, cold and calculating. Ara appeared out of nowhere, like she always d