The two students finally entered the arena from their respective sides.
Atro was clad in a helmet, chestplate, various plates on his limbs, and a quiver strapped to his hip. In contrast, Ximuss stepped into the arena wearing lighter gear.
He wore no helmet, proudly displaying his blue mohawk to the entire school. His outfit consisted of simple, thick leather clothing, and his quiver was slung across his back.
"Finally, I can prove myself in a duel!" Ximuss exclaimed as he opened up his arms. He had been denied a duel against Alen in the past, and he wouldn't let this golden opportunity to get the place he thinks he rightfully deserves on the best class of them all.
Compared to Atro's bow, Ximuss' was heavier and capable of shooting stronger arrows—thanks to his superior bulk.
"The duel between the top-ranked student in Class A, Ximuss Yolte, and the twentieth-ranked student in Class S, Atro Siuco, shall begin!" the teacher announced, raising his arm. "Both students have fifteen seconds at the start to cast a spell of their choosing!"
I've got to remember the chain I came up with, Atro thought, his mind racing in anticipation. Alen's many helpful tips looped through his mind.
Keep the chain to three spells at most… Be patient and wait for the right moment to strike… Look for the line that leads to a positive outcome… There's no better way for an S-Class student to prove he belongs than by winning…
The world seemed to slow down for Atro. His eyes flicked between the teacher's raised hand and his opponent's blue mohawk.
"The duel starts... now!" the teacher—acting as the duel's referee—snapped his hand down, signaling the start.
And so, the fifteen seconds of uninterrupted casting began ticking down.
Should I start with a spell chain now? Or just a basic strengthening spell to gain the upper hand? Atro hesitated, every passing second feeling like wasted time.
"Bolts from the clouds above, charge my steps with the spark of beasts who ran faster than thunder itself. A spark that will grant me an edge over my enemies."
"Ximuss is casting a Tier 2 spell."
"And the S-Class student is completely frozen."
"Looks like another loss for Class S."
"C'mon, Atro. Don't freeze on your first move. Just do something, anything," Alen muttered, covering his mouth with his hand, sweat forming on his brow.
Atro glanced at his opponent, who had just finished his chant, while he himself still hadn't begun.
"Light of first dawn, that burned when the stars still whispered to the earth. Flow into my weapon with the fire of your memory and purpose."
"[Sparky Steps]"
With his spell cast, Ximuss' boots began emitting tiny sparks, which quickly turned into blue electric streaks racing down to the ground.
"[Light Infusion]"
Atro's spell reacted with the arrows in his quiver. Now, the tip of any arrow he drew would glow brightly and carry added effects, granted by the light infusion.
Atro immediately took cover behind a tree, careful not to lose sight of his opponent. Given Ximuss' striking hairstyle and bright color, spotting him amidst the green arena was easy.
But Ximuss was already on the move. Thanks to his speed-boosting spell, even someone with his build appeared fast enough to leave behind afterimages.
An added perk of Sparky Steps was that the electrically charged soles let him grip even vertical surfaces.
Ximuss pressed his foot against a tree trunk and felt it cling to the bark. Taking a second step, he ran up the trunk and reached a branch overhead.
There are still ways spells can react outside of the game's turn-based combat... Alen thought as he reprimanded himself for not taking spells to the limits he wished he could achieve.
Now with a height advantage—and with no fear of slipping—Ximuss readied his bow and aimed down at Atro.
"I'll earn my rightful place in Class S," he whispered, drawing the string and adjusting his aim.
Atro, who had kept up with Ximuss' movements, needed to react fast.
He couldn't run; Ximuss already had him in his sights. Attacking first wasn't an option either—he was too late.
"Erupt from the ground and protect me!"
Ximuss released the string. The arrow launched through the air at blistering speed.
"[Geyser Wall]"
The ground cracked open, and a powerful stream of water burst upward. The geyser intercepted the arrow, sending it spiraling into the air along with the surge of water.
Atro had successfully defended against the first strike.
Clicking his tongue, Ximuss began to reposition. He leapt effortlessly from branch to branch, moving so fast Atro barely had time to relocate to a safer place.
"Bending water that can take on any form, water that adapts to any environment, present yourself in this battle as bubbles throughout the battlefield."
Atro decided to initiate a spell chain while his opponent was repositioning.
"[Water Bubbles]"
From the geyser he had just conjured, dozens of bubbles of varying sizes began to emerge, drifting across the arena.
It worked. His first spell chain was a success.
Even something as simple as using the geyser as a spawn point—rather than conjuring the bubbles from his palm—was a victory in his eyes.
He had come up with this idea thanks to Alen. The first time they discussed spell chains, Alen had mentioned using Scorching Path to leave a fire trail and then casting fire spells along it.
Now Atro understood why Alen got so passionate when experimenting with spell synergy.
Finding that perfect set of spells that clicked—it was deeply satisfying. Even this modest chain, using Geyser Wall as a foundation, brought that joy.
This must be how you feel, Alen. I may not love magic the way you do, but I understand the satisfaction. Atro thought as he readied himself to answer whatever Ximuss' next move was.
Some of the bubbles floated up to the tree canopy, others hovered two meters above the ground, and a few drifted just inches from the floor.
Through all of this, Atro never lost track of Ximuss. His eyes locked on his opponent, watching every move.
Ximuss was already drawing another arrow.
But this time, Atro drew one too.
They both aimed at each other. Bowstrings taut. Breath held. Tension crackling in the air.
Both froze in place—completely still—each waiting for the other to move.
The first to shoot could land the hit and reposition.
The second could dodge and counterattack.
Either way, one would take the lead.
Then—
A blinding flash came from Ximuss' left. The light hit his eyes directly, forcing him to squint and shut them tight.
Then—
Pop!
A bubble burst with a sharp crack, jolting Ximuss and causing him to release the arrow prematurely.
This wasn't chance.
Atro had used his light-infused arrows to reflect beams through the bubbles, bouncing them around until one struck Ximuss directly in the face.
And he had intentionally stepped on a nearby bubble, bursting it just as Ximuss' eyes shut.
Atro released his arrow as well, stepping to the side to dodge Ximuss' shot.
Both arrows cut through the air.
Despite Ximuss' heavier and stronger arrow, the two projectiles collided mid-flight—and his arrow was deflected aside by the clash.
Thanks to the light infusion that provided the smallest added strength, Atro's arrow continued flying toward its objective.
Atro was calm, he knew that, in this specific scenario, his arrow would hit his opponent without a single doubt, and that could mean that the entire fight could snowball in his favor.
One of the added effects of light infusion in arrows in particular, aside from the usual buffs it granted to any other weapon type, is that light infused arrows targeting buff after the first hit.
Once the first light infused arrow hits, the one hit is marked. Each arrow fired afterwards will change course slightly to search the marked person and hit him.
With that infusion, archers have to worry less about lining up the perfect shot, as the arrow itself seeks the marked objective.
"C'mon, hit." Atro whispered as the adrenaline he felt made the simple act of watching the arrow approach Ximuss last what he felt like an eternity.
Ximuss wasn't dumb, he knew he was currently in a vulnerable state, a state that's easily taken advantage off.
Still slightly blinded, the student with the mohawk gambled on deliberately falling down to avoid any arrows from hitting him.
He couldn't dodge to the sides thanks to the branch he was standing on being longer rather than wider. He could only go forward or backward, and both meant that he'd end up taking the arrow.
His only bet was, then, to fall down to the floor.
And so, he did.
Ximuss swung his entire body sideways and threw himself off the tree branch.
However. He made that move just a second to late, as the light infused arrow scraped his shoulder.
It was a shallow cut, but a cut regardless.
"Yes!" Atro claimed as he watched how, in his own vision, Ximuss became outlined with a thick white glow that denoted the mark of the light infused arrows.