The arena didn’t calm down.If anything, it shifted.The energy that had filled the air during the Class 2 matches didn’t disappear, it evolved. The excitement became sharper, more focused, as the weight of what came next settled over the crowd.Lucas leaned back slightly against the railing, arms resting loosely as he looked down at the arena floor.Five remained in Class 2.Two from Eldoria.Two from Aurelian.One from Frostveil.But nowThe spotlight moved on.The announcer’s voice rang out again.“With the conclusion of the Class 2 first round, we will now proceed to the upper classes. Class 3, prepare for your opening matches.”Rodrick exhaled.“Alright now we just watch people way stronger than us try to destroy each other.”Gerald adjusted his glasses.“Observe, not just watch.”Rodrick glanced at him.“You’re enjoying this too much.”“I am learning,” Gerald replied calmly.Lily smirked.“Same thing for you.”Below them, the arena shifted again.New participants stepped forward

Morning didn’t come quietly.It rarely did anymore.By the time Lucas stepped out of his room, the academy was already alive again. Not the chaotic rush from the previous day, but something sharper, more focused. Conversations were lower. Movements were more deliberate.Everyone knew what came next.The first round had stripped away the illusion.Now only the real contenders remained.Lucas rolled his shoulders as he walked down the corridor, his sword resting lightly against his back. His body felt different from yesterday. Not just tired, not just sore.Settled.Like something inside him had locked into place after the fight with Riven Tal.,"Still not enough," he muttered to himself.A voice behind him answered immediately."That’s a terrible way to start your morning."Lucas didn’t turn."Good morning, Rodrick."Rodrick jogged up beside him, looking far more awake than he had any right to be."I slept this time," Rodrick said proudly.Lucas raised an eyebrow."Impressive.""I know

The arena did not return to normal after Mira’s match.It couldn’t.Even as the officials moved to prepare the next fight, the weight of what had just happened lingered across every section of the stands. Conversations started, stopped, restarted again. Not loud, not chaotic, but focused.Measured.Because everyone had seen it.Not power.Not brute force.Control.Lucas leaned against the railing, arms folded, eyes still on the arena.,"Yeah, that changes things."Rodrick turned to him."That’s all you have to say."Lucas nodded once."Pretty much."Rodrick pointed toward the field."She just folded space magic like paper and you’re just saying ‘yeah’."Lily smirked."You expected him to panic.""I expected something."Gerald adjusted his glasses."You should be paying attention to the reactions."Rodrick frowned."I am reacting.""Not you," Gerald said. "Them"Across the arena, the shift was obvious now.Ironcrest Martial Collegium had gone quiet.For the first time since the Converg

The arena did not erupt.It tightened.The energy that had been building since the start of the match compressed into something sharper, something more focused, like every spectator instinctively understood that what they were watching had shifted from spectacle into something more dangerous.Lucas steadied his footing.Seraphine stood across from him, calm as ever, her hands relaxed at her sides.But the air around her was no longer quiet.It shimmered.Threads of light, almost invisible at first, stretched between her fingers, across the ground, through the air itself.Not wild.Not chaotic.Precise.Controlled.Lucas exhaled slowly."Alright," he muttered under his breath.Seraphine tilted her head slightly."You feel it now."Lucas didn’t answer.He didn’t need to.He stepped forward.Fast.Faster than before.The ground cracked lightly under his foot as Aether surged through his legs, pushing him into motion.He closed the distance in an instant, blade cutting forward in a clean

The arena held its breath.Not literally.But close enough that it felt real.The noise that had been building through the match settled into something tighter, something focused, like every person watching understood that the next few exchanges would decide everything.Lucas stood still.For the first time in several minutes.Not because he was tired.Not because he needed to recover.But because he was thinking.Seraphine stood across from him, hands slightly raised, her posture still composed despite the visible strain of the fight. The glyphs around her pulsed faintly, the field she had created still active, still shaping the space between them.She had regained her control.Not fully.But enough.Her breathing had stabilized again.Her eyes were clear.Focused.Calculating."You adapted quickly," she said.Lucas rolled his shoulders once."So did you."Seraphine tilted her head slightly."That’s the point."Lucas smiled faintly."Yeah. I’m starting to get that."The distance betw