As The Fool stood before them, his expression was unreadable. The weight of his words settled over Elijah, Seraphine, and Yuna as he explained their next step.
"For you three to even stand a chance against what's coming, you need real battle experience not just training under me," The Fool said. "Each of you will enroll in a different school, ones that specialize in your respective arcane disciplines. For the next two months, you'll be students, and I won't be able to help you. You're on your own."
The three exchanged glances, uncertain yet intrigued.
"Which schools?" Seraphine asked, folding her arms.
Hajime listed their options. "Hell sing in Light Veil shadow arcane, blood arcane, dark arcane. Shivoria in Valoria fire, magma, water, ice. Centensin in light veil earth, gravity, metal, crystal."
Each of them made their choice.
Elijah – Hell sing
When Elijah arrived at Hell Sing, the air around him was thick and heavy, as though it carried the weight of countless unspeakable deeds. The academy loomed before him like a fortress from nightmares, its blackened spires piercing a tumultuous sky streaked with crimson lightning. Shadows danced across the iron gates and jagged walls, whispering secrets only darkness knew.
Students in crimson and black robes moved about the grounds like phantoms, their expressions cold and calculating. The moment Elijah stepped past the gates, their attention locked onto him.
"A child?" one scoffed, his voice echoing with disdain.
"What a joke. Is he even old enough to use the arcane? I thought that was a development with puberty" another sneered, his laughter joined by several others.
Elijah kept his gaze forward, ignoring the mocking jeers. His small frame and youthful face often invited ridicule, but they had no idea what he was capable of. His power was a storm waiting to be unleashed, and when it was, none of them would dare laugh.
The grand chamber of the headmaster was a place where darkness felt alive. Heavy velvet drapes covered tall windows, and the flickering glow of black candles cast long shadows over the room. The headmaster himself sat behind a carved obsidian desk, an elderly man with golden eyes that gleamed like embers. His presence was suffocating, radiating authority and something far more ominous.
"Elijah Tao," the headmaster said, his voice deep and resonant. "The Shadow of All and, oddly, a supposed Reaper said by a man I honor and respect very much. "Huh? Why would anyone like that airhead?" Elijah asked, leaving the headmaster frowning and saying "how could anyone not like Hell's very first romantic The Saint Valentina" leaving Elijah more shocked and uneasy about Hajime. After the headmaster realized Hajime truly had not told a soul of his past he changed the topic "I've read the reports of a child with a dragon's soul and power beyond his years." He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Yet, to my eyes, you are but a fledgling, no different from the rest of these wayward souls."
He tapped his long fingers on the desk, each tap like a distant tolling bell. "You will receive no special treatment here just because you've had it with Hajime. Prove yourself, or be discarded like ash in the wind."
Elijah's lips curled into a smirk. "That's fine. Just point me to where I can start."
The first few days at Hell Sing were brutal. The professors dismissed him outright as insignificant, barely sparing him a glance during lessons. His classmates, however, were far less subtle.
They sabotaged his meals with hexes that turned food to ash, filled his room with cursed smoke that clung to his lungs, and ambushed him with shadow strikes when his back was turned. Elijah endured it all with a cold, unyielding resolve. Every attempt to break him only honed his instincts further.
During one particularly vicious ambush, four students cornered him in a dim corridor, their shadows flickering like vipers.
"Ready to crawl back home, little fledgling?" one of them taunted.
Elijah's eyes glinted with something far colder than fear. "You should've brought more people."
In a blur of pure shadows, he dismantled them with surgical precision. Shadows lashed out under his command, coiling around his attackers and slamming them into the walls. The fight was over in seconds, leaving them groaning on the floor.
The incident sparked whispers throughout the academy.
"Did you hear what he did to Kalen's crew?"
"He took them all down without breaking a sweat."
"Maybe there's more to him than we thought."
Despite the growing rumors, Elijah's true turning point came during a midnight sparring session with Professor Vael. She was a tall, ethereal woman with silver hair that shimmered under the moonlight and eyes as cold as the void. Her presence commanded both fear and respect.
"You rely on raw power," she said, her voice sharp as a blade. "But shadows thrive in deception, not brute force. Let's see how you handle a real opponent."
Before Elijah could respond, she attacked without warning. Her movements were swift and merciless, shadows slicing through the air like razors. Elijah was forced to tap into every ounce of his power to keep up. He countered with shadow constructs, but they shattered under her relentless assault.
"You're predictable," she sneered. "A blunt instrument trying to play with subtlety."
Frustration gnawed at him, but he refused to yield. As the duel raged on, something within him shifted. He stopped fighting the darkness and instead embraced it, letting it flow through him like a second skin.
The shadows became an extension of his will fluid, unpredictable, and deadly. He vanished into the gloom, his presence flickering like a phantom. When he reappeared behind Vael, her own shadow coiled around her, binding her in place.
There was a beat of silence before she let out a breathless laugh. "Perhaps I misjudged you," she admitted, a glint of approval in her eyes. "Let's refine that technique. You have potential but you need to become unpredictable."
From that night forward, Vael became his mentor. Her methods were brutal but effective. She forced him to think several steps ahead, to manipulate shadows as living entities rather than mere constructs.
"Shadows are living things," she told him during one grueling session. "They hunger, they deceive, and they wait for the right moment to strike. Learn to speak their language, and they will obey you."
Under her guidance, Elijah's power grew sharper, deadlier, and far more controlled. He learned to amplify his arcane by drawing strength from the ambient darkness, making his shadows even stronger under the cover of night.
By the end of two months, Elijah had transformed. The once-dismissive professors now watched him with wary respect. The students, who had mocked him, now feared him. His name echoed through the halls of Hell Sing as a force no one dared challenge. And yet, Elijah knew this was only the beginning. His storm had only just begun to rise.
Seraphine – Shivoria
Seraphine's arrival at Shivoria Academy was an entirely different experience from her companions' journeys. The moment she stepped onto the sprawling, ancient grounds, she was met with curious and excited gazes. Students murmured among themselves, eyes wide with fascination.
"Is it true she trained under The Saint?" "I heard she can control the temperature of her flames!" "She's probably here to burn the academy down."
Seraphine ignored the whispers, though a small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. Shivoria was a place that admired power, and when the students sensed the raging fire within her, they knew she was no ordinary newcomer.
The headmistress, Lady Aelith, met her at the entrance. Draped in robes that shimmered like embers, the formidable leader of Shivoria radiated authority.
"Seraphine Scorch," Lady Aelith greeted with a warm yet calculating smile. "We have high expectations for you. Your fire is raw, but here at Shivoria, we will forge it into a weapon that no one can withstand. Are you ready?"
Seraphine's grin widened. "Always."
Training at Shivoria was nothing short of brutal. Unlike Elijah, who faced skepticism, Seraphine was respected from the start but that respect came with immense pressure. Her teachers did not go easy on her.
Master Haldor, a grizzled veteran and magma arcane specialist, was her first challenge. On her third day, he led her to a cavern filled with glowing pools of molten lava.
"Endurance is key," Haldor barked. "If you can't survive the heat, you're useless to us."
Before she could respond, he shoved her into the lava pit.
Seraphine barely had time to scream before her instincts kicked in. Flames roared around her body, forming a protective barrier. The molten rock licked at her skin, but she held firm. Minutes felt like hours as she fought to maintain control.
When Haldor finally yanked her out with a flick of his hand, she collapsed onto the cavern floor, panting.
"Not bad," Haldor grunted. "But you need to do better. Again."
And so it went. Day after day, Haldor pushed her to her limits, forcing her to withstand unimaginable heat.
Professor Meya, a serene but ruthless water mage, was her next tormentor. Unlike Haldor, Meya's approach was subtle. She didn't hurl Seraphine into lava pits; she simply doused her flames.
"Control is meaningless if water can extinguish you," Meya said calmly. "Adapt or perish."
Their training sessions were grueling. Meya would summon waves and torrents, forcing Seraphine to reignite her flames over and over. At first, it was a losing battle. The water snuffed out her fire every time.
Frustration gnawed at her. "This is pointless," Seraphine muttered after yet another failure.
"Is it?" Meya's voice was cool. "Fire is not just destruction. It is life, energy, and creation. Find the spark within, even when everything else is against you."
Seraphine didn't fully understand Meya's words, but they lingered in her mind.
Lady Aelith herself took a personal interest in Seraphine's training. Unlike Haldor and Meya, Aelith was patient and methodical.
"Your flames are wild," Aelith observed during their first session. "They obey your emotions, not your will. That must change."
Aelith's lessons focused on precision. She made Seraphine practice igniting individual sparks, controlling the size and intensity of her flames with pinpoint accuracy.
"Fire is not just heat," Aelith explained. "It is energy in motion. Heat can be removed, redirected, or even frozen."
"Frozen?" Seraphine frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."
Aelith smiled. "It will, in time."
Two months passed, and Seraphine's progress was undeniable. Her flames were stronger, more controlled. She no longer relied solely on brute force but could adapt her fire to different situations.
It was during a particularly intense sparring session with Elira, an ice mage and one of her fiercest rivals, that everything clicked.
Elira's icy winds howled around them, freezing the ground beneath their feet. Seraphine's flames flickered under the onslaught.
"You can't beat me," Elira taunted. "Fire melts ice, but ice always returns."
Seraphine gritted her teeth. She couldn't overpower Elira with heat alone. The words of her teachers echoed in her mind.
Find the spark within. Fire is energy in motion. Heat can be removed...
A sudden idea struck her. Instead of fighting against the cold, she embraced it. She willed her flames to shift, not in temperature but in energy. The heat drained from them, and in its place, a chilling blue fire erupted.
Elira's eyes widened. "What the—"
Seraphine's new flames surged forward, freezing the ground as they moved. Elira's ice shattered under the unexpected assault. In a final burst of energy, Seraphine knocked her rival to the ground.
Silence followed.
Then, applause erupted from the onlookers.
Elira stared up at her, dazed but impressed. "Okay... I didn't see that coming."
Seraphine grinned, breathing heavily. "Neither did I."
Lady Aelith approached, her expression one of pride. "Well done, Seraphine. You've taken your first step toward true mastery."
Seraphine's heart swelled with satisfaction. For the first time, she truly understood the depth of her power. Fire was not just destruction—it was creation, transformation, and even ice.
By the end of her time at Shivoria, Seraphine had become a force to be reckoned with. Her flames no longer simply burned; they obeyed her every command, shifting between heat and cold with precision.
She stood with her new rivals, Ronan and Elira, on the academy's training grounds.
"Ready for one last spar?" Ronan challenged, his flames crackling around him.
Seraphine smirked. "Always."
Yuna – Centensin
Yuna's experience at Centensin was eerily similar to Elijah's. From the moment she arrived, the atmosphere was thick with doubt and derision. Students clustered in groups, whispering as she passed by.
"They sent a child? Are they serious?"
"This has to be some kind of joke."
Yuna kept her head high, refusing to let their scorn break her composure. But the tension was palpable. Unlike the others, who exuded confidence and arrogance, she was an unassuming presence in a place that thrived on power and bravado.
Her first encounter with Professor Gravik did little to ease her nerves. He was a towering figure, his muscular frame gleaming with metallic tattoos that pulsed faintly under his skin. His voice was deep and commanding.
"If you cannot withstand a hundred times your own weight, you will not survive in my class," he said bluntly.
Yuna barely had time to process his words before the air around her grew dense and oppressive. Her knees buckled as the gravitational field around her intensified tenfold. The ground pressed against her with crushing force.
"Was she really trained by the deity?," one student muttered.
"Weak," another scoffed.
Pain shot through her limbs, but Yuna clenched her fists, refusing to give in. Gritting her teeth, she focused on each breath, willing herself to move. Slowly, agonizingly, she began to rise. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she pushed through the agony, inch by inch.
The room fell silent as she finally stood upright, sweat dripping down her face.
Gravik's expression remained unreadable, but there was a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "Hmph. Not bad. Let's see if you can keep up."
Her training was nothing short of brutal. Every day, she was subjected to increased gravitational fields that tested the very limits of her body. Sparring sessions with metal-wielding warriors left her bruised and battered. Her instructors demanded perfection, forcing her to refine her arcane into precise, calculated strikes.
At first, progress was slow, and doubts crept into her mind. But Yuna's determination was unyielding. Through sheer willpower, she adapted. She learned to manipulate gravitational forces, using them not just as a burden but as a weapon.
An unlikely ally emerged in Daemon, a metal mage with a quiet but deadly presence. His mastery over metallic constructs was unmatched, and he saw potential in Yuna where others saw weakness.
"You're trying to fight force with force," he said during one training session. "Don't. Redirect it. Make it work for you."
Under his guidance, Yuna learned to manipulate her arcane like a blade sharp, efficient, and devastating. She discovered how to enhance her agility under heavy gravity, turning herself into a blur on the battlefield. Her precision became unmatched, her strikes faster and deadlier.
By the time two months had passed, Yuna had transformed. The students who once mocked her now watched with a mix of awe and caution. Even Gravik acknowledged her growth with a rare nod of approval.
"You've earned your place here," he admitted.
When the three were summoned for the tournament they declared as the tournament of salvation there was no trace of the girl who had been dismissed as weak. Yuna stood alongside Elijah and Seraphine, her eyes sharp and resolute.
Each of them had changed. No longer were they outcasts, underestimated and mocked. They had forged their own paths, earned respect, and sharpened their skills.
Now, it was time to prove themselves in battle once more.
Tournament: Free For All
The tournament was set in a vast and dense forest, where 10,500 students from four elite schools would battle until only one remained. It was a test of strength, strategy, and endurance, where the only ways out were surrender, knockout, or death. The battlefield stretched endlessly, with towering trees, flowing rivers, and rocky cliffs that provided both obstacles and advantages.
Before the carnage began, the Hell Sing headmaster bellowed from a mountaintop, using a horn as his makeshift speaker. "ALRIGHT, BASTARDS, HERE'S HOW WE PLAY!" His voice boomed. "THE THREE TARGETS, ELIJAH TAO, YUNA WATANABE, AND SERAPHINE SCORCH WORK ALONE. IF YOU TAKE ONE OF THEM OUT AND DELIVER THEIR BODY TO THE FOREST'S END, YOUR SCHOOL WINS INSTANTLY. OTHERWISE, SCORE POINTS BY BRINGING IN STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. A LIVING BODY'S WORTH 5 POINTS, A DEAD ONE 15. ONE OF THE THREE? 5000 POINTS. DON'T FEAR DEATH EITHER, WE HAVE SOMEONE ON STANDBY WITH A REVIVAL ARCANE CONNECTION, SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU IDIOTS?"
Elijah, Yuna, and Seraphine felt the heat of hundreds of eyes turning their way. Elijah, unfazed, chuckled to himself. Their combined auras barely stirred him, one-on-one, he'd crush them. But something was off. He sensed movement from his shadow. A blade whistled for his neck. Jerking back, he demanded, "THE GAME HASN'T STARTED! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
The assailant, a girl with cold eyes, replied icily, "No rule said when the game began. So, why not end you now?" Elijah's stomach sank, if she was right, they'd been set up. His glance toward Yuna and Seraphine found them already fighting off swarms of students. The girl struck again, each slash just barely grazing, but the blood told a different story. Realizing her attacks weren't random, Elijah's shadows moved to seal his wounds, yet it was an illusion. His body was drenched in blood.
But Elijah grinned. "You're worth testing my training on." ripping off his trench coat. He sank into his shadow, erupting from hers with a kick that shattered her sword and launched her into a tree. The girl tried to use her illusions on him but ultimately failed, staggered up, then froze after seeing the whole world turn to darkness and what stood behind Elijah, a colossal, shadowy dragon loomed. She dropped her blade. "A dragon… S-so that's why my illusions don't work … You really are a monster." After assessing the situation and seeing there's no way for her to win right now, she cloaked herself in illusion and fled. And Elijah let her go. He had bigger concerns.
Using a technique he called 'Shadow Step,' he fell through his shadow once more flickering through the forest tree's shadows. After arriving just in time to see Seraphine overwhelmed and Yuna, making her body lighter with her gravity, started darting through attacks like a phantom. His instincts warned him, an ambush. Eight Centensin students rushed from behind, blades ready. "Handle them, overgrown lizard," he told the dragon. Eight shadow tendrils impaled their hearts. "Next time you call me 'overgrown lizard,' I'll take your head," the beast growled. Elijah ignored it, approaching Seraphine's attackers.
"Run," he ordered, "or fall." A Shivorian student stepped forward, "I'll burn you ali-" A shadow spike silenced him mid-threat. "Y-you—" Another fell, heart pierced. Students dropped one after another, drowning the air with their final gasps. Elijah sighed. "Slower than that light-speed freak," he muttered, longing for a real challenge.
Snatching Seraphine by the waist, he extended the dragon's wings to scoop Yuna. A final ambusher emerged, too late. They bled out, a shadow tendril through their chest, as Elijah warped the trio to a distant mountaintop.
The first blood had been spilled. And it was only the beginning.
*On The Mountain*
Elijah threw both Seraphine and Yuna to the ground and looked at Seraphine, "SERAPHINE. WHY DIDN'T YOU GO ALL OUT" Elijah said angrily. "I didn't want to kill them… I wanted to hold back, they're my classmates" said Seraphine, looking down at the grass. Elijah lightened up knowing he couldn't say anything because he cared about her feelings. "I had that fight you know" Yuna exclaimed, sighing. "I know, I just needed a plan with you two." Elijah said, calming down. "A Plan? What were you thinking?" said Yuna, "I was going to ask you two to go all out, don't hold back. You know at the end it'll just be us three so don't even think about holding back against me. But until then I'm just gonna relax and play with these so-called 'warriors'." as they all talked, the battlefield raged on.
*Back Down*
The three headed down the mountain, jumping off it thinking the fall would be a thrill. they each diverted their jump, aiming for another spot. They split up knowing they weren't allowed to work together. After they all hit the ground, they created craters that would leave a mark in the forest. Elijah was just chilling by some trees in the north, while Seraphine was raging in the heat of battle in the East, and Yuna was doing the same in the West. As Elijah walked through the forest he encountered around 40 ish students running towards him. When Elijah noticed them, he slowly started grinning and ran towards his battle jump kicking one so fast his neck cracked right to the neck of his body. But Elijah wasn't finished. He noticed them about to pull a group pounce attack on him so he charged up his fists with shadows and hit them all with a gatling so fast he blew holes into their bodies that were coated with shadows. One who survived with a hole in his stomach, stared Elijah in the eyes and said "is this fun to you y- you animal!! I pray you encounter h-" just then Elijah punched a hole through his neck, as blood filled his mouth he tried to finish the name he was spouting "H- Hiori" then the student dropped to his death. "Huh Hiori right? I hope I find her since you guys aren't a threat to me. Elijah continued to walk in a straight line, hoping to encounter a worthy opponent to challenge him.
Seraphine, after she had landed, was thinking back to what Elijah said "stop Holding back" was running through her head. She stopped holding back from then on. Seraphine saw a swarm of students killing each other, she was traumatised by the scene but she had no choice. She joined the battle and let tears out being afraid of killing someone, she eventually started to burst her flames out and burned everyone around her into ashes. She was terrified with what she had done but she wouldn't mope until after the tournament.
Yuna had landed somewhere in the west. She saw an explosion there and thought of attacking them. It was hundreds of students raging in the battle. She looked at it with great confidence and marched into battle. Using her gravitational arcane, she created a crater around the students and went on an onslaught. She had knocked some students out. Each student looked terrified of her. All they wanted to do was run, but she hadn't finished with them yet. She knocked out all of them, gaining herself over 1 thousand points. But she remembered Elijah saying "don't exchange the bodies, I want this to last forever".
Yuna laid under a tree, her thoughts drifting to Elijah's shadowy expression. A shiver ran down her spine. "Did Hajime's training push him too far? Or was it that school?" she wondered, the memory of Elijah's newfound bloodlust lingering. "How did Elijah and Seraphine change so much in just a few months?" she muttered.
Her instincts flared, movement. Without hesitation, she used her gravitational force to yank a man with twin daggers from the shadows, slamming him into the ground. The earth shattered beneath his body as she crushed him with bone-snapping force. In mere seconds, the fight was over. She glanced down at her palm, surprised by her own brutality. "Huh… might be overdoing it," she muttered, her voice filled with unease. "Gotta ease up before I start crushing people without a second thought."
Shaking off the moment, she refocused, determination hardening her gaze. "No time to daydream," she said firmly. She raised a platform of rock beneath her feet, riding it through the battlefield with ease. "Guess this'll do until I can float with my gravity." She let out a long yawn, the tension briefly easing.
And then, with the chaos raging around her... she fell asleep, soft snores escaping as the rock glided across the forest.
Just then, a ring of metal formed around Yuna, trapping her and slamming her down to the ground. Without hesitation, she summoned earth pillars, tearing through the metal restraints as she broke free. Rising to her feet, she locked eyes with a boy standing before her. He wielded ten metal rings—five pointed at her, five aimed toward the sky in a sonar-like formation.
"Man, I hate fighting in the forest," he sighed, flashing a grin. "Not much metal around here. Had to resort to using pure iron to craft my weapons."
Yuna studied him carefully. She knew nothing about her opponent, only that he relied on metal manipulation. But if his abilities were restricted to metals, he was at a serious disadvantage in a forest. So how did he form that ring to trap me? she wondered. There's no way he's limited to alloys. That technique requires a constant supply of material... unless...
The boy interrupted her thoughts. "I don't think you know who I am. It's okay—most people don't. Even if I can crush them," he said, bowing mockingly with a twisted grin. "My name is Eita Tetsuya. My arcane connection is construction, manipulation, and alteration of all forms of alloy... even that in blood."
Yuna's expression darkened. So that's how he's been making weapons in a metal-deprived environment... he went on a murder spree. The realization sent a surge of anger through her. Clenching her fist, she intensified the gravity around him, forcing him to his knees. She strode forward, grabbed his hair, and yanked him up to face her.
"For every person you killed to make your weapons, I will make you suffer for every minute you breathe," she said coldly.
Eita chuckled, unbothered. "Oh? You think you can turn my weapons against me?" he smirked. Then, without warning, his metal rings shot toward Yuna—but they stopped dead in their tracks, slamming to the ground under the force of her gravity.
"Did you really think you were stronger than me?" Yuna's voice was ice. "My mastery over my arcane is far superior to yours, Eita."
Eita stared at the ground for a moment—then suddenly burst into laughter. "Finally! Someone who can actually contest me in power!" His face, now bloody from the gravitational pressure, twisted into exhilaration.
Before Yuna could react, a sharp pain shot through her leg, dispelling the gravitational circle. A piece of iron had pierced through her flesh. She staggered, her knees nearly giving out. "How... How did you bypass my gravitational field?" she demanded.
Eita grinned, his teeth stained red. "Your gravitational field has a circumference of about 30 meters," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "But did you forget? I had ten rings. You only trapped five."
Yuna's eyes widened.
"I'm a bodybuilder, y'know. I can lift about 350 kilograms. Your gravity pressure? Probably around 400 kilograms, considering both the horizontal and vertical pull. Yeah, it was tough—but not impossible." His grin widened. "All I needed to do was break down the other five rings and launch them at Mach 5."
Just then, Eita lunged forward while Yuna was still processing what he'd just said, his blood iron-forged rings slicing through the air. Yuna barely twisted in time, the metal scraping against her ribs as she countered with a gravity burst. The shockwave sent him skidding backward, but he dug his heels in, using his three rings to anchor himself.
"Your tricks won't work," he growled, launching another barrage of razor-sharp shards.
Yuna raised her hand, gravity warped, and they curved slightly off course giving Yuna time to dodge, the rings burying themselves in the ground. But Eita was already closing the distance, his fist coated in hardened metal as he swung.
"Too fast!" she thought
The punch slammed into her gut, sending her flying into a boulder. A gasp tore from her throat as pain shot through her body. Blood dripped down her lip, but she wiped it away, eyes burning with defiance.
Eita smirked. "You're slowing down."
Yuna's response was immediate. Gravity spiked, and the ground cratered beneath them. Eita's smirk faded as his knees buckled, veins straining against the unbearable pressure. His metal weapons trembled in midair before slamming into the dirt.
Then, Yuna vanished.
A split second later, she reappeared above him. "100% Gravity Zone: Absolute Descent."
The force was instant. Eita's body slammed into the ground like a meteor impact. The ground caved in, spiderweb cracks tearing through the battlefield. He barely had a second to react before Yuna dropped down, fist cocked back, gravity amplifying her entire body's weight.
But Eita wasn't done yet.
With sheer force of will, he twisted his fingers, the iron in his blood hardening, reinforcing his skeletal structure just before impact. Yuna's punch connected, a direct blow to his face, but instead of an instant knockout, his body absorbed a fraction of the force.
A metallic sheen coated his skin as he staggered back, coughing blood but still conscious. "You hit hard," he admitted, wiping his mouth, "but I can reinforce myself too."
Yuna narrowed her eyes. She had to end this now.
Lifting her hands, she clenched her fists, expanding her gravitational pull beyond its previous limit. The weight increased tenfold. Trees bent inward. Rocks cracked. The air itself seemed to warp.
Eita's entire body lurched downward, his reinforced bones groaning under the stress. He tried to manipulate his metal, but even the particles in his own blood refused to obey him. His limbs trembled. His vision blurred.
Yuna stepped forward. "You're finished."
Eita forced a smirk, even as his body crumbled under the pressure. "Heh... so this is real power, huh?" His legs finally gave out, his consciousness flickering.
Yuna exhaled, releasing her hold on reality as he collapsed, unconscious.
She had won.
The weaker students had either been knocked out, surrendered, or had died in battle. The forest, once dense and wild, as it was now scarred with craters, upturned trees, and the lingering embers of past battles. The numbers had dwindled significantly, but the true threats still remained.
Elijah stood atop a broken tree trunk, his arms crossed as he surveyed the remaining fighters. His shadow dragon had long since faded, and he hadn't needed to use his powers since the earlier fights. He stretched his arms lazily, cracking his neck. "Man, this is getting kind of boring... Where's the next big challenge?" he muttered to himself.
Then, he felt it, a presence moving differently from the others. Smooth, controlled, deliberate. It wasn't someone trying to overwhelm opponents with raw power, nor was it a coward lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. It was something else entirely.
His eyes locked onto a lone figure standing on a rock formation, watching the battlefield with calm, assessing eyes. She had long, silver hair that swayed in the breeze, her posture relaxed yet composed. She wore the emblem of Musashi-chi, but there was something distinct about her presence. Even as students from other schools fought tooth and nail, she stood still, biding her time.
Elijah squinted, curious. "Who's that?" he muttered. He didn't recognize her from the big names in the tournament, but the way she carried herself… She wasn't just another student.
As if responding to his gaze, the girl stepped forward, descending from her perch with effortless grace. She didn't walk, she glided, every step measured, her movement as fluid as a drifting star. Elijah could tell immediately: she wasn't an ordinary fighter.
A student nearby gasped. "That's Naya Orin…! She's Musashi-chi's strongest martial artist."
Elijah raised a brow. "Musashi-chi, huh? A martial artist?" A slow grin spread across his face. "That explains it. No wonder she's moving like that."
Naya's gaze met his, unblinking. "Elijah Tao. I've been waiting for this."
He hopped down from his perch, rolling his shoulders. "Oh yeah? And what exactly have you been waiting for?"
She lifted one leg slightly, balancing on the other effortlessly. "A real challenge."
Elijah's grin widened. "Heh. Well, I can't say I blame you." He slid into a stance, planting his feet firmly. "Tell you what, since you're not gonna use your arms, I won't either. Let's make this fun."
Naya didn't react to how he knew her fighting style already or the offer. She simply took a breath, then moved.
And suddenly, she was gone.
Elijah barely had time to process before a crushing force slammed into his side. A spinning kick aimed straight for his ribs. He twisted just in time to avoid taking it full force, but the impact still sent a shockwave through his body. She was fast. Ridiculously fast.
His feet skidded across the broken terrain, but he caught himself quickly, his heart pounding with excitement. "Oh, this just got interesting."
Naya didn't wait for him to recover. She was already airborne, twisting mid-air to deliver another kick, this time aimed for his temple. Elijah ducked, feeling the rush of wind as her heel barely missed his skull. He countered instantly, swinging a punch toward her gut.
But she was gone again. Mid-air, she adjusted, flipping backward and landing softly on a broken tree trunk. Her balance was perfect, as if she hadn't even exerted effort.
Elijah exhaled sharply, his grin never fading. "Alright, you're good. Real good. But you don't know the struggles of being tossed around by a light speed bastard so try taking my full speed."
He lunged forward, engaging her in a rapid exchange of blows, his fists against her legs. Every strike was met with a perfectly timed dodge or counter, her movements never wasting energy. It was like she was flowing around him, like water against stone. And yet, with every passing second, he could feel it: her strikes were getting sharper, her momentum building like an unstoppable tide.
And he knew.
This fight was going to be worth it.
The battle raged on, their movements blurring as the fight escalated. Naya's legs were a constant flurry, each kick transitioning seamlessly into the next. Elijah, for all his skill, was finding it difficult to land a decisive hit. She wasn't just fast, she was calculated, reading his movements and adjusting instantly.
But Elijah was adjusting too.
He weaved through her attacks, dodging by the slimmest margins, his footwork adapting to match her rhythm. Every time she went for a kick, he slipped past it, getting closer and closer. He could see the moment her breath hitched, the smallest hesitation in her movement.
"Gotcha."
He feinted a right hook, baiting her into a dodge. The instant she committed to the movement, he pivoted, sweeping her leg out from under her. For the first time, Naya lost balance. But even as she fell, she twisted mid-air, driving a powerful kick toward his chin.
Elijah barely managed to block it, sliding back from the impact. His arms tingled from the force. He clicked his tongue. "You don't go down easy, huh?"
Naya landed smoothly, her breath controlled but noticeably heavier than before. "Neither do you."
Elijah shook out his arms, exhaling. "Alright… this has been fun, but I think it's time I wrap this up. After all if i struggled here id never hear the end of it from my master"
A shift in the air. His aura darkened just slightly. He wasn't going full power, not even close. But he was done playing around.
Naya's eyes widened as he vanished.
She had barely begun to react before an overwhelming force crashed into her gut. Elijah's fist, taking 10% of his full power, connected cleanly. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and Naya's body crumpled. Her consciousness faded instantly.
Her body flew back, hitting the ground hard before rolling to a stop. Motionless.
Silence.
Elijah sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Man… you were really something."
He turned away, hands in his pockets and he started whistling, as the battlefield around him processed what had just happened.
Naya Orin. The strongest martial artist of Musashi-chi, had been knocked out in a single blow.
The battlefield had not yet calmed, but the atmosphere shifted once more as a new contender stepped forward. The chaos of the tournament continued to rage on, but amidst the debris, fire, and fallen students, a single figure emerged, moving with eerie confidence.
Seraphine stood quietly, her piercing eyes scanning the remaining fighters. Her presence was different, soft-spoken, yet unshakable. Though she was smaller than most of the competitors, there was something undeniably powerful about her. Those who had faced her had already learned a hard lesson: never underestimate her raw strength.
From across the ruined battlefield, a voice called out. "So, you're the one they call Seraphine."
She turned, her gaze meeting a lone warrior standing atop the fractured remains of a stone pillar. His long black hair drifted in the wind, and a smirk played on his lips. The blade at his side gleamed under the broken sunlight. His presence was composed, but his eyes held a dangerous glint.
"Vireo Kan," a nearby student whispered. "The Blade of the Mirage. He's undefeated in Musashi-chi."
Seraphine remained still, unfazed by the murmurs.
Vireo leapt down effortlessly, landing a few paces away. "I've been watching you. You're different from the others. No weapon, no formal stance. Just sheer power."
She didn't respond.
He chuckled. "But power alone won't be enough against me."
Without another word, he moved.
In an instant, Seraphine was surrounded. Blades, dozens of them, appeared out of nowhere, circling her in a seamless dance of steel. Vireo's illusionary blade technique had begun. Each sword flickered, appearing just as real as the others.
Seraphine's muscles tensed. Her senses screamed at her to react, but the problem was clear, she couldn't tell which blades were real.
Then, they struck.
She flipped, narrowly dodging the first swipe, only for another to slice toward her side. She raised an arm, deflecting it with raw strength, but a third blade found its mark, cutting across her shoulder. Blood trickled down, and for the first time, Seraphine staggered.
Vireo's smirk widened. "Not so easy, is it?"
Seraphine exhaled sharply, shaking off the pain. She had fought strong opponents before, but this was different. His magic wasn't just deception, it was seamless. If she didn't adapt, she'd be cut down.
The illusions swarmed again. Seraphine dodged, deflected, and countered, but each movement left her open to another strike. More shallow cuts formed along her arms and legs. Vireo never stayed in one place, always attacking from an unpredictable angle.
Then, in a blur of motion, he appeared right in front of her, his real blade poised for a decisive strike.
Seraphine reacted on instinct. She lashed out, her raw strength forcing him to disengage, but the moment he vanished, the illusions surged forward again.
Her frustration built. She could crush anything in her path, but she couldn't hit what she couldn't see.
Then, she took a deep breath.
She closed her eyes.
Vireo narrowed his eyes. "Giving up already?"
The moment he stepped forward, Seraphine moved.
Not by sight—but by feel.
Her body became a blur of motion, weaving through the illusions. She ignored the fake blades, focusing only on the sensation of movement in the air, the shift in energy, and the slight difference in weight between real steel and deception.
Then she found him.
Her fist lashed out like a cannon, shattering the air itself. Vireo barely managed to block, his sword trembling under the force. His smirk faltered. She had adapted.
Seraphine pressed forward, her attacks relentless. Vireo tried to regain control, summoning more illusions, but it was useless now. She had locked onto him completely.
"Not so easy, is it?" she echoed his own words.
He gritted his teeth. "Tch—"
Seraphine didn't let him finish. She planted her feet, drawing in a deep breath, and then—
She unleashed her full strength.
With a roar, she slammed her fists together, creating a shockwave that tore through the battlefield. The sheer force obliterated every illusion around her. The ground cracked beneath her feet, the very air trembling from the impact.
Vireo barely had time to react before Seraphine was already in front of him, her fist drawn back.
"Falling Star Impact."
Her punch struck his chest with a force that defied reason. The impact sent him flying, his body crashing through the remnants of the battlefield. Dust and debris exploded outward, and when it settled—
Vireo was unconscious.
Silence.
Seraphine exhaled, lowering her fist. The battlefield around her stood frozen in shock.
She had won.
But she had earned it.
At that moment the once-overcrowded arena had thinned out significantly, and now, all eyes were on one fight, Elijah Tao versus Hiori Kisaragi.
There were only 740 students remaining
Hiori stood with an unsettling calm, her crimson eyes glowing with eerie intensity. Blood magic pulsed through her veins, thick tendrils of liquid crimson snaking around her body like living whips. She smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Are you sure you want to do this? My blood can control you with just a touch."
Elijah cracked his knuckles, unfazed. "Cool. Let's see if you can even touch me."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Elijah moved. He blurred forward, closing the distance in an instant. Hiori's eyes widened slightly, her instincts kicking in as she lashed out with razor-sharp blood tendrils. The moment they slashed through where he should have been, he was already behind her.
A sharp, precise elbow struck her in the gut. The force sent her skidding backward, her feet barely touching the ground before she flipped and landed gracefully. She coughed, a drop of blood trickling from the corner of her lips. Her fingers twitched, and the spilled blood instantly turned into needles, launching toward Elijah at terrifying speed.
But he was faster.
He weaved through the barrage effortlessly, his footwork sharp, fluid. Each time a needle came close, a subtle shift in his stance sent it barely grazing past him. Hiori gritted her teeth, frustration flickering in her eyes. She needed to slow him down—
But she never got the chance.
Elijah closed the distance again, this time faster. His fist collided with her stomach in a clean, controlled strike. Hiori's body folded slightly before she was launched backward, her breath escaping in a choked gasp. She crashed against a shattered tree trunk, the impact shaking the battlefield.
Her vision blurred. She tried to stand, forcing her blood magic to regenerate her strength—but before she could react, Elijah was there, standing over her.
"That's it?" he asked, disappointed.
Hiori clenched her fists, but her body refused to move. Her vision darkened as consciousness slipped away. A clean knockout.
As Hiori fell limp, the battlefield erupted into murmurs. But before anyone could dwell on it, an announcement boomed across the forest.
"354 students eliminated by Yuna Watanabe."
"372 students eliminated by Seraphine Scorch."
And Elijah? He simply stretched, letting out a small yawn before turning toward his next challenge.
"Alright... who's next?"
Elijah headed towards the middle of the broken run down place once called a flourishing forest now to be a battlefield only for him, Yuna, and Seraphine who were awaiting his arrival.
Dust and debris floated through the air, the remnants of shattered terrain telling the tale of the war that had unfolded. All that remained were three.
Elijah Tao.
Seraphine Scorch.
Yuna Watanabe.
The two girls stood side by side, battle-worn but resolute. Their breathing was steady, but there was an underlying uncertainty. Elijah, on the other hand, stood alone—his posture relaxed, his eyes sharp. He had barely broken a sweat.
Yuna exhaled sharply, glancing at Seraphine. "We take turns. Hit him from different angles—don't let up."
Seraphine nodded. "We'll overwhelm him."
But Elijah smiled. "Let's see if you can."
They attacked in turns at first. Yuna dashed in with lightning-fast strikes, her movements fluid as she weaved in and out, throwing a flurry of precise kicks. Elijah dodged them all effortlessly, his head tilting just inches out of reach. He barely moved his feet.
Seraphine followed up, her raw power sending small shockwaves with each punch. Elijah blocked her strikes with ease, his arms barely shifting from the impact.
Faster. Stronger. Their movements began to synchronize. Yuna's speed and Seraphine's strength blended into a rhythm, attacking from opposite angles, trying to close him in.
Elijah let them.
And then, he got bored.
With a shift in his stance, Elijah went from 5% to 15%.
The next time Yuna lashed out, his palm caught her leg mid-kick.
She bar
ely had time to react before he twisted his grip and threw her like a ragdoll. She flipped midair, landing on her feet, but the moment she steadied herself, Elijah was already behind her.
A precise kick to her back sent her skidding across the battlefield.
Seraphine rushed in, aiming for his blind spot.
It didn't exist.
Elijah twisted smoothly, his foot colliding with her ribs and launching her sideways. The impact cracked the ground beneath her as she rolled to a stop.
The gap in power was immense.
Panting, Yuna wiped the blood from her lip. "We need to go all in."
Seraphine nodded. Their strongest attacks. Their last chance.
Power surged around them. The battlefield trembled.
Yuna charged first, unleashing Celestial Rift. Her kicks came faster than the eye could track, each one warping the air itself. Elijah dodged the first, the second—then, finally, let one land.
The force sent him skidding back, a crater forming beneath him.
Seraphine followed up. Star Impact.
She leapt high, her body radiating golden light before plummeting toward him like a meteor. The impact erupted the battlefield. A shockwave exploded outward. The ground shattered.
A smoke-filled silence followed.
Their bodies tensed. Their hearts pounded.
Had they—?
A shadow loomed from within the smoke.
Then, he walked out.
Elijah emerged, unscathed.
Not a single burn. Not a single bruise.
Except for a tiny scratch on his cheek.
He wiped at it, inspecting the blood on his fingers with mild amusement.
Then, he looked at them. "That was cute."
Their hope shattered.
Yuna reacted first, she couldn't let fear stop her. She charged, a desperate last stand.
Elijah was faster.
In a blink, he was in front of her. A devastating palm strike to the stomach, Abyssal Palm, sent her flying. She crashed to the ground, her consciousness gone.
Seraphine clenched her fists, standing alone.
Elijah stared at her. Paused.
For just a moment.
Then, without hesitation, he moved.
She barely saw it. His fist met her gut, "Void Fang" sending a deep shockwave through her body. Her breath caught in her throat. Her knees buckled.
She tried to stay standing.
She failed.
Seraphine collapsed.
The battlefield was silent.
The strongest students—gone.
Zhuyin, the dragon's glowing red eyes loomed behind Elijah as he stretched his neck, his shadow twisting unnaturally.
Then, with the same casual air he had started with, Elijah walked away, and he said
"You were never on my level."
As the Hell Sing Headmaster returns from a washroom break, he then announces saying "THE WINNER OF THIS FREE FOR ALL TOURNAMENT IS ELIJAH TAO, WITH OVER 1,500 KILLED AND OVER 3,000 KNOCKOUTS."
The revival team that was on standby made their way towards the battlefield. Slowly they revived all the students who had been killed or those who were unconscious and severely injured.
Hajime made his way to the elders and headmasters and said "I can't believe it took him less than a day to win, but then again. He is my star pupil" he said strutting with a sleazy grin
The elder who had watched over Elijah had then said to Hajime "How, how did you make it possible for him to control that monster?" Hajime responded saying "I have my ways" The elder said to him "You really are a fool. No one is able to control what Elijah has and yet. You somehow taught him."
The revival team had successfully revived all the dead students and healed all the wounded. When they all had awakened the students then wondered who had won. When all students had awakened, the headmaster of the Hell Sing school told them once more. "Elijah tao was declared the winner." they all looked confused on how the 12 year old boy had won. "There's no way he could have won against the strongest in the academies." Naya and Hiori turned to the students doubting Elijah and said "It wasn't even a challenge to him, we were outclassed from the jump." They all looked shocked with their jaws dropping. "How could he have beaten you two?!" one of the students from Musashi-chi said. "He was far superior in strength, tactics, and raw power. It was easy to know we never stood a chance the moment we started our battles with him." said Hiori. "I think we could easily take him if we went two against one of course," said Naya, turning to Hiori. "We wouldn't even stand a chance. He was able to stop the other 2 worth 5 thousand points, and it's said he was holding back most of his true abilities even then." Hiori had said to Naya. They all looked in awe and wondered who could stand against Elijah. Not even the 2 were enough to stop him let alone push him to an edge.
Elijah headed towards the students talking about them, he walked specifically towards Hiori and Naya and he said "You two are the only ones who pushed me to even the slightest amounts of my full power. No one has ever done that" they were shocked to hear that and Naya replied saying "wait, not even the other girls pushed you that far?!" as he walked away he turned his neck slightly towards them and said "don't get carried away now, they pushed me to nearly 50%. There was only one man to make me go 100%. That man is the Saint, or what they call him now, 'The Fool'. He's also the one who taught me." Naya and Hiori look at him, shocked as ever said "YOU WERE TRAINED BY THE FOOL!? And why was he called the saint?" "Yeah I was? So what? And go ask him yourself. If I wanted to learn about Hajime then I would have asked." Elijah replied. He then walked away with his hands in his pocket and went to go see how Seraphine and Yuna were. As Elijah was walking towards them he got interrupted by Hajime. "Elijah, you've grown quite strong." "Yeah but it's still nothing compared to you and your lightning (such a speed freak), anyways. Can we spar later, I wanted to test my full strength and I'll just be creating a mess if it's not against you" said Elijah replying to Hajime. "Sure but let me ask you something. Do you like Seraphine? I saw you hesitating to attack her but with Yuna you just went full on." said Hajime. "NO. I only hesitated to know if it was the right move! I had to stay ahead of her!" Elijah angrily replied. "Ok, just asking (he definitely likes her.) Hajime exclaimed. "Where do you want to spar?" asked Hajime. "I didn't mean right now, I'm going to go see if Seraph- nevermind, lets go spar on the battlefield." Elijah said feeling pissed. Hajime grinned and they both walked towards the battlefield. As they did, Eita, Vireo, Hiori, and Naya were all spying on Hajime "so that's The Fool." Vireo said calmly, looking at the rest of them. "I think so, also let's go follow them, they're heading towards the battlefield, maybe they'll duel!" said Naya. They all started to follow Elijah and Hajime.
The air was tense, crackling with electricity as Hajime stretched his arms, yawning. Across from him stood Elijah Tao, his body already cloaked in seething shadows. He knew Hajime was leagues beyond him, but that didn't matter. This battle was to see how strong Elijah had become.
Hidden a distance away, four students held their breath. Eita, Vireo, Hiori, and Naya crouched behind a large rock, their eyes locked on the impending battle. They weren't supposed to be here, but the opportunity to see Elijah go all out against The Fool was too tempting to pass up.
Hajime grinned lazily. "Alright, kid, show me what you got."
Elijah didn't hesitate. He vanished in an explosion of shadows, reappearing behind Hajime with a tendril of darkness aimed straight for his back. But before it could land, Hajime was gone, a flicker of light, and he was now perched casually on a nearby boulder, looking down with amusement.
"Too slow," he teased.
Elijah's eyes narrowed. He shot forward, a blur of dark energy. Hajime, still grinning, sidestepped effortlessly. Every attack, every movement Elijah made was countered with a flick of Hajime's wrist or a subtle shift in position.
Gritting his teeth, Elijah leaped back, summoning every ounce of his power. His shadows coalesced into massive, writhing tendrils, twisting into colossal blades. His hands moved in a blur, forming intricate signs before he launched a devastating flurry of finishers.
"Shadow Rend!" Elijah roared, his blades slicing through the air toward Hajime.
A direct hit, yet as the dust settled, Hajime stood there, unfazed, not even a scratch on him.
Elijah's heart pounded. "No way…"
Undeterred, he tried again. "Dark Devourer!" The ground beneath Hajime's feet cracked as shadows erupted, engulfing him in a sphere of darkness meant to crush and erase everything within it.
The sphere dissipated instantly.
Hajime stood there, arms still crossed, looking mildly entertained.
Elijah took a shaky breath. He pooled everything into one final strike, his ultimate attack. "Oblivion Break!" A spear of pure darkness formed in his hands, brimming with all his remaining strength. He hurled it with everything he had.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Smoke and energy burst outward.
As it cleared
Hajime was still standing. Unharmed. Not even his clothes were ruffled.
Elijah's hands trembled. "How… how is that even possible?"
Hajime finally moved, rolling his shoulders. "That's all you got?" he said with a smirk. "Alright then, my turn."
Lightning arced from Hajime's fingertips, forcing Elijah to dodge wildly. But he wasn't retreating, he was adapting. He launched forward again, but before he could react, Hajime vanished.
A fist connected with his stomach before his brain even registered Hajime's movement. The impact sent him flying, crashing through trees. He barely had time to recover before Hajime was in front of him again, a slow-motion blur of crackling electricity.
"You're keeping up better than I expected," Hajime mused. "But—"
A sudden burst of speed. Elijah tried to react, but Hajime was already behind him. A knee to the ribs. A lightning-coated palm to the back. And finally, a light tap to the forehead.
Elijah collapsed. Darkness consumed his vision.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, groaning, Elijah's eyes fluttered open. He lay flat on his back, the sky spinning above him. Hajime stood over him, hands on his hips, looking entirely unfazed.
"You lasted longer than I thought. Good effort."
From their hiding spot, the four spectators sat frozen. They had just watched Elijah Tao, someone stronger than all of them combined—get utterly dismantled.
Before they could process what happened, Hajime's eyes flicked toward them.
Then he was gone.
A gust of wind, a crackle of lightning—
And suddenly, Hajime was crouched right in front of them, his grin widening.
"Enjoy the show?"
Eita, Vireo, Hiori, and Naya all jumped back in terror.
"Busted," Hajime chuckled.
Elijah saw them from a distance once Hajime disappeared. He teleported from his shadow to the Boulders shadow. "So you were watching that. Now I have to kill you all" said Elijah, embarrassed by his defeat. "I don't think having spectators spectate the little play we put on is worth death now." Hajime said while looking at the kids. "Sir, can we train under you?" said Naya and Hiori. "NO! NOT AT ALL! Hahaha" Hajime said to them. "Please." said the 2 girls. "Alright I'm going to leave now, see ya later kids" said Hajime before running off somewhere. "Elijah, We'd like to duel with yo–" said Eita and Vireo before Elijah cut them off. "No." Elijah said before traveling shadow to shadow. He didn't stop traveling till he saw Seraphine and Yuna walking side by side. "Hey you two, How're your wounds?" Elijah said as he walked towards them from a tree's shadow. "They're healing, BUT THEY WOULDN'T NEED TO IF YOU HADN'T HIT US SO HARD." Yuna yelled at Elijah. "Well I wasn't going to make it easy for you two, afterall, we were trained to take whatever can be thrown at us." Elijah had said calmly. He looked at Seraphine and asked, "How are you feeling? I'm sorry I went hard on you." Seraphine looked at him and said "Don't sweat it, I was built to take this type of damage, though it was a lot more than usual." Seraphine said while smiling at Elijah. They both had a long and deep conversation about the battles they had on the battlefield.