The atmosphere in the arena shifted from silence to chaos in an instant. A storm of excitement and disbelief rippled through the crowd.
"No way! Lawrence lost just like that? I didn't even catch how Luciel made that move!"
"It was too fast—nothing like what I imagined."
"How can court swordsmanship be that powerful? He disarmed Lawrence with a single strike! The court swordsmanship I've been practicing must be fake!"
"As expected of a recognized swordsmanship prodigy..."
"Luciel... he's just too strong!"
Among the voices, disbelief mingled with awe. No one had anticipated such a decisive and elegant victory.
On the stage, Lawrence stared at his hands in shock, then looked over at the broadsword that had clattered to the ground.
If Luciel had defeated him after a prolonged battle—after exchanging dozens or hundreds of blows—Lawrence could have accepted it, albeit reluctantly. But to lose in a single move, so swiftly and without warning... That was something else entirely.
"I don't believe it... I don't believe it!" he muttered, pale-faced, fists clenched.
But a loss was a loss. There was nothing more to say.
Taking a deep breath, Lawrence called out, his voice steady despite the tremor beneath it:
"Luciel!"
Their eyes met, and Lawrence continued loudly, "This battle may be over, but our rivalry isn't. After I pass the promotion exam, I'll be waiting for you in the fourth grade!"
Luciel raised his eyebrows, then let out a quiet laugh. There was a glint of amusement in his eyes, as if Lawrence's declaration both surprised and entertained him.
Lawrence turned and left the arena, his figure marked with frustration—but not defeatism. His back, straight and determined, carried the weight of a broken legend and the promise of a new pursuit.
In that moment, the audience felt it: the end of an era, and the beginning of something greater.
The undefeated myth of Lawrence, the third-grade champion, had fallen.
And in its place stood a new legend.
Luciel. Lanster.
The new chief student of the third grade.
---
Later that day, Julian summoned Luciel to his office to discuss the next steps.
"The skipping assessment should be straightforward for you," Julian explained. "All you have to do is clear the fourth floor of the Knight Tower. That will officially promote you to the fourth grade."
"Knight Tower?" Luciel asked, intrigued.
Julian nodded. "Yes. It's a magical construct developed by both deans. The Mage Academy has its own equivalent—the Wizard Tower. The Knight Tower is used to test students' combat abilities and gauge their strength. It's also where final examinations are held for fifth-grade students."
He continued, "Third- and fourth-grade students aren't usually granted access to the Knight Tower. It's only open to those taking major assessments—such as the graduation exam or, in rare cases, a skip-level evaluation."
Luciel listened intently.
"Given how rare it is to have students like you and Lawrence requesting to skip grades, the assessment will coincide with the fifth-grade end-of-term exams. It takes a lot of magic crystals to activate the tower, so the academy won't open it just for two students."
Luciel nodded in understanding.
---
Three days passed quickly.
On the day of the assessment, Luciel arrived at the designated location to meet Julian. The instructor gave him a slight nod before leading him deeper into the academy.
They entered the section reserved for fifth- and sixth-grade students—a place Luciel had never been before. It was quiet, well-kept, and gave off an atmosphere of maturity and discipline. Few people were around.
Noticing Luciel's curiosity, Julian explained, "Today is also the day of the fifth-grade Knight Tower exams. Most students are either in the tower or waiting for results outside."
Soon, the Knight Tower itself came into view.
It was a tall, gray structure, shaped like a spire, with no visible windows and sealed layers rising into the sky. Mysterious and imposing.
Luciel followed Julian to the base of the tower, where an entrance had been opened. Several students were exiting in small groups.
"Ugh, just a little more and I could've broken the record for this stage…"
"Same here. But I did better on the sixth floor this time—small progress."
"They're still inside?! Some of them made it to the seventh floor already. That's insane!"
The students coming out looked older and more experienced than Luciel. Fifth graders, clearly. They gathered near a large magical light screen, discussing their results.
Luciel turned his gaze toward the light screen.
It displayed names and corresponding results—how far each student had progressed inside the tower.
He quickly recognized a few:
"Ferranstu – Floor 7"
"Bourne – Floor 7"
"Fuddy – Floor 7"
He remembered hearing these names before. Fuddy, in particular, was the president of the Sword Flower Association.
The rankings were based on the highest floor reached, and in case of a tie, on how quickly each student entered that floor.
Luciel's eyes lingered on the top name.
Ferranstu.
A name to remember.
Just then, a familiar voice called out.
"Luciel, you really came!"
Luciel turned and saw Lawrence standing beneath the tower with his own mentor. Lawrence met Luciel's eyes with an intense gaze.
"I thought I'd have to wait until you reached the fourth grade," he said. "But this is better. The shame of our last duel—I will repay it."
Luciel blinked and looked away, unbothered. He still didn't consider Lawrence much of a threat.
Soon after, both Luciel and Lawrence registered for the assessment. Their names appeared on the light screen, drawing the attention of nearby students.
"Hey, those are the two junior prodigies taking the skip-level assessment."
"That's Lawrence, right? The third-grade chief student? He's pretty strong."
"The other one... that's Luciel Lanster. The swordsmanship genius. He's said to have mastered third-stage swordsmanship and even defeated Flower from the Sword Flower Association!"
"That's him!"
Many fifth graders turned to look at Luciel, their expressions full of curiosity—and some with caution.
Among the crowd, one young man stood still, his expression dark and bitter.
It was Flower—the very one Luciel had defeated.
The rivalry, it seemed, was far from over.