The Coliseum hadn’t quieted since morning.Three matches in, three crowd-pleasers.Minjae’s defeat had turned into comedy. Rina’s lightning duel nearly blew the speakers. Hyunwoo’s fire display still had the audience sweating.Then the announcer’s voice cut through the noise.“Next match — Han Jiwoo versus Kwon Daesung!”The buzz spiked. The E-rank again—against a ranked mage.Everyone leaned forward.Rina nudged him. “You ready?”Jiwoo nodded once. “Yeah.”Minjae raised a fist. “Win this so I can brag I trained with you once.”“You watched me train,” Jiwoo said.“Still counts.”He stepped into the arena.Across from him, Daesung exhaled, cold mist curling from his breath as ice spread under his feet. “Sorry in advance,” he said. “This won’t take long.”Jiwoo lowered his sword. “You’re right. It won’t.”The referee raised his hand. “Begin!”A wave of cold swept across the field.Frost climbed the ground, freezing it solid. Daesung’s fingers traced a circle—dozens of shards formed in t

The morning sun burned through the thin clouds above Eclipse Academy.The coliseum was alive before the first bell—students rushing to the stands, instructors adjusting wards, and mana screens humming across the field.This was it. The semifinals. The final six.Jiwoo sat quietly with Minjae in the waiting area.Rina stretched near the railing, sparks dancing across her fingertips.Across the room, Kang Jisoo leaned back on a bench, eyes half-closed, saving his strength.The noise from the crowd shook the ground. Even the instructors looked tense.Then Headmaster Elias Kain stepped onto the main stage, and silence rippled through the coliseum."Students of Eclipse," Kain began, his voice carrying easily. "From fifty competitors, only six remain."He glanced at the paper in his hand. "Han Jiwoo. Kang Hyunwoo. Park Doyun. Han Jiwon. Kang Rina. Kang Jisoo.""The six of you will represent Eclipse Academy in the National Tournament," he continued."But this round decides who stands as the

Morning light spilled across the coliseum, warm and golden. The crowd was louder than ever—banners waving, students shouting, everyone asking the same thing."Who’s making it to the final four?"Jiwoo stood in the waiting area, sword resting at his side. His gaze followed the sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling. Calm. Focused.Beside him, Minjae leaned against the wall, chewing an energy bar like he was prepping for war.“Still can’t believe we’ve got class after this,” Minjae groaned.Jiwoo smirked. “Then tell Instructor Baek you’re dropping out. I’m sure he’ll send you off with flowers.”“Hilarious.” Minjae rolled his eyes. “If you lose today, I’m blaming that comment.”Rina sat on a nearby bench, legs crossed, expression serious. “Park Doyun isn’t just a tank. His mana armor’s dense—strong enough to block mid-tier spells. Aim for weak spots.”“Noted,” Jiwoo replied.“‘Noted,’ he says,” Minjae muttered. “If it were me, I’d be drafting my will.”The loudspeaker crackled to li

The arena lights dimmed one by one as the day came to an end. The echoes of battle still lingered faintly in the air, like the energy itself didn’t want to leave.Most students headed back to their dorms or the cafeteria. Jiwoo stayed behind a little longer, sitting at the edge of the stands, staring at the empty stage where his sister had just fought.Minjae stretched with a yawn. “Man… that match almost gave me a heart attack. Who even moves that fast with a sword?”“Someone who trains too much,” Jiwoo said.Rina rolled her shoulders. “Pretty sure the Han siblings are allergic to rest.”Jiwoo laughed quietly. “Maybe.”They talked for a few more minutes before walking out together. Halfway down the path, Jiwoo slowed his steps, looking up at the academy towers. Lights flickered from the windows, and faint voices carried across the courtyard.He exhaled softly, then continued toward the dorms.***In the faculty wing, most rooms were dark. Only one office window remained lit — Headmast

Their blades of flame and steel met mid-field— and the world went white.A blast of air swept across the arena, shaking the stands. The crowd screamed, hands flying to their faces as the shockwave hit them a beat late.Hyunwoo slid back across the tiles, fire crackling around his legs. Jiwoo was pushed even farther, boots digging trenches until he regained balance.Both stared at each other.Hyunwoo wiped a smear of blood from his lip. “Not bad. You actually made me bleed.”Jiwoo pointed his sword forward. “I’m not done.”Hyunwoo grinned. “Good—because I’m getting bored again.”Fire erupted around him. Five sigils lit up at once, spinning fast. Heat blasted outward, so intense the barriers around the arena flickered.Jiwoo rushed in.Hyunwoo snapped his fingers. “Scatter.”The sigils fired all at once—fireballs exploding from every angle. Jiwoo cut through the first, dodged the second, rolled under the third. The fourth grazed his shoulder, burning through fabric.The fifth hit the gr