The crowd stood steady, eyes fixed on the projection crystal as the final battle unfolded—Liena versus Noah.
The two figures blurred across the screen, swords clashing in rapid strikes, each impact echoing through the mountain terrain they fought on.
Howling winds twisted between the cliffs, stirred by the sheer force of their blows.
Liena kept pace, her eyes locked on Noah, tracking his every move.
Noah smirked mid-swing.
"You're strong—stronger than I expected at least.," he said. "This battle's turning out to be a lot more fun than I imagined."
He sidestepped and twirled his blade, eyes narrowing.
"And those mystical eyes of yours… They're more than just a party trick, aren't they?"
Liena didn't respond, but her focus remained sharp—studying, analyzing, reading his mana.
"I had a feeling," Noah continued. "I've been baiting you, testing your reflexes… Looks like I was right. You can see my attacks, can't you?"
He stopped, planting his sword into the ground for a breath.
"But this won't do…"
Noah's tone shifted—calm, yet intense.
"Strong alone isn't enough. I need to see if you're truly ready to become a Royal Guard."
With a flash, Noah's mana surged—vibrant and unrestrained. Colors danced wildly around him, illuminating the battlefield and bleeding into the projection crystal for the entire stadium to witness.
Back at the mountain, the pressure rolled in like a wave. Liena gritted her teeth, bracing herself.
"What… is this?" she muttered. "It's pressing down on me. The pressure is unbelievable?"
Noah charged forward, sword poised for a crushing strike. When it connected with Liena's blade, a pulse of energy burst outward, sending her skidding backwardacross the jagged terrain.
Before she could find her footing—
Noah raised his sword and shouted:
"Spirit skill: Rainbow Aura!"
Colors surged above him—blue, red, and green swirling like a storm of raw spirit energy.
The green hue pulsed brighter, as he grabbed it.
He extended his arm, fingers curling back like he was pulling an invisible bowstring.
Wind gathered with violent precision.
Then—he let go.
A howling arrow of compressed air tore through the battlefield, striking Liena just as her back collided with the mountainside.
A sudden vortex of wind erupted—shattering stones and scattering debris across the mountain. The blast carved through the cliffs, clearing the battlefield.
At the center of it all, Liena hovered—arms outstretched, hair whipping wildly, her breathing labored.
Her eyes glowed a fierce, unwavering green.
She locked her gaze on Noah's left side.
There it is, she thought. His mana core.
"One attack…" she whispered. "I have to end this in one strike to beat him."
She closed her eyes, steadying her breath.
Silence.
Then—she opened them.
In that instant, her mana surged.
The chaotic winds around her began to twist inward—no longer wild, but focused, drawn into a tight spiral that danced around her body like a controlled storm.
Noah's expression shifted slightly, watching from across the battlefield.
"Oh?" he said with a smirk. "Is she getting serious now?"
Liena raised her hand and curled it into a cupped formation, as if holding a delicate flame.
Within her palm, a glowing green orb began to form—winds coiling around it, compressed and sharpened into a sphere of raw pressure and concentrated force.
The mana trembled.
The winds howled tighter.
She compressed it further—smaller, denser, more lethal.
Noah's grin widened.
"Well now…" he murmured. "This looks interesting."
He stepped forward, sword at the ready.
"Let's see what you've got, Liena."
"Just know," Noah said with a steady breath, "I'm going to respond accordingly."
A surge of multicolored mana erupted around him, flaring in radiant streaks of red, green, and blue. He raised his sword, and the colors wrapped around it—twisting and fusing as they charged with raw energy, pulsing brighter by the second.
"First Form: Sacred Aurora Beam!" he shouted.
A brilliant stream of energy exploded from the blade—rushing straight toward Liena like a radiant storm.
Liena's eyes widened at the sheer force bearing down on her.
"…Now," she whispered.
With a sharp flick of her wrist, she hurled the condensed green orb straight into the oncoming beam.
The two powers collided in midair.
A deafening roar cracked across the sky as the orb expanded—growing tenfold in size until it became a massive sphere of swirling wind. The attack spiraled violently, pressing back against Noah's beam in a chaotic struggle for dominance.
Back in the stadium, the crowd erupted.
Cheers rang out, people standing from their seats in awe.
"They're giving it everything they've got!"
Yuri, Zezzy, and Helion stared up at the crystal projection, eyes wide.
Yuri blinked in amazement. "She's… incredible."
Zezzy smiled proudly. "That's Liena for you. A true Virell."
Helion glanced at Zezzy. "What is she using now? That wind…"
Zezzy studied the projection carefully. "If I had to guess… it's a combination. Her First Form: Temporal Wind, mixed with her Mystical Eyes. She's drawing mana straight from the atmosphere."
Helion and Yuri looked at each other, then shouted in unison, "That's so cool!"
Zezzy laughed and pointed back to the screen.
Back on the mountain cliff, the clash continued—Noah gritting his teeth as he pushed his beam forward, Liena commanding the growing sphere of wind with focused intensity.
Suddenly, her figure vanished.
Noah's eyes darted across the battlefield, still holding the beam steady. He couldn't lose concentration—not with that wind threatening to break through.
Then—bam.
Liena appeared on his left flank, silent as a breeze.
Noah's eyes widened—then flickered with the hint of a smirk.
Liena's palm struck his chest—precise and clean—and with her other hand, two fingers went straight for his chest where his mana core was.
Noah caught lienas hand mid strike.
In the same motion, she kicked his sword away.
Before Noah could react, the massive wind sphere surged forward, engulfing him completely. Liena's wind pulled her back as the sphere consumed the landscape, digging into the mountain with deafening force.
The explosion of wind and light swallowed Noah whole.
Liena landed on her feet—but immediately stumbled to one knee, her breath shallow and ragged.
She clutched her side, gasping for air.
"Damn it… my mana reserve is almost drained…"
She tried to steady herself, eyes locked on where Noah had been.
"If I could've landed that strike cleanly on his mana core… I might've closed his gate. He wouldn't have been able to use magic for at least a few minutes."
She looked up again, forcing herself to stay focused.
"But that last attack—there's no way anyone could've—"
Her thoughts froze.
Liena's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of the swirling wind sphere being pushed back.
Then—boom.
A radiant blast of colors erupted from within it, bursting through her attack like a supernova. The wind sphere dissolved in a flash of light, breaking into nothing.
From the rubble, Noah emerged—his silhouette framed in the glowing aftermath. He gave a light clap, his smile calm but firm.
"I'll hand it to you… that hit packed a punch," he admitted, brushing dust off his shoulder. "But unfortunately, it wasn't enough."
His voice held no arrogance. Just truth.
"You're talented, Liena. Incredibly skilled. And honestly… a little terrifying."
He paused, eyes locking with hers.
"But this is where your path ends."
Noah pointed his sword forward again. His mana erupted—more brilliant than before—swirling ribbons of colors coiling around the blade like divine light.
Liena gritted her teeth and tried to stand. Her legs shook. Her mystical eyes had vanished. Her breathing was shallow. Still, she raised her sword in trembling hands, ready to face the next strike.
Noah noticed.
"No wind, no Temporal Air, no Mystical Eyes… and you're still standing?"
Liena shouted through grit teeth.
"I won't give up! I will join the Royal Guard… no matter what!"
She forced her body to stay upright, even as her vision blurred.
"I'm a Virell," she cried. "Our family swore an oath to protect the throne—and if I have to lay down my life to prove it, so be it!"
Her voice cracked with passion.
"This is my purpose!"
But deep within, her thoughts turned softer—more personal.
Helion…
She saw him in her mind—his soft blue eyes, that quiet strength, the way his white hair flowed in the breeze.
I want to fight beside him… to stand where he stands.
That's why… I have to endure.
She narrowed her eyes and raised her blade higher, anchoring herself in pure will.
"So bring it, Noah," she whispered. "I'll take everything you've got."
Noah exhaled and nodded.
"Have it your way."
His sword lit up with a surge of pure aura.
"First Form: Sacred Aurora Beam!"
The sky seemed to bend as the beam erupted from his sword—massive, radiant, and deafening. It shattered the air around it, roaring toward Liena with unstoppable force.
Liena didn't move. Her legs trembled under the pressure. Her arms shook as she held her sword high. She had no mana left—nothing to protect her but resolve.
She thought to herself.
"My body can't take this… but I won't kneel. I won't give in…"
She gritted her teeth, staring into the face of the storm.
Just as the beam closed in—Noah's eyes narrowed then smiled.
And then… he shifted his blade.
At the last second, he angled it slightly off-course.
The Sacred Aurora Beam missed Liena by mere inches—ripping past her, slamming into the mountain behind her, and carving straight through it.
The explosion was colossal—rocks shattered, winds tore through the terrain, and a blinding wave of energy split the ridge in half.
Liena's hair whipped in the force. Her body remained still—but her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching her sword to remain upright.
A single tear rolled down Liena's cheek.
She struggled to rise, her arms trembling as she tried to push herself off the ground.
"Why did you stop…?" she gasped. "You think I'm going to submit?"
Her voice cracked with desperation, but it still carried defiance.
"You don't have to hold back. I'm strong. I can take it!"
But her legs gave out again. She dropped to one knee, her sword barely keeping her upright.
Noah said nothing.
Instead, he slowly sheathed his sword, the metal sliding into its scabbard with a quiet finality.
Liena's eyes widened.
"Don't turn your back on me!" she screamed, tears now streaming down her face.
"I'm not done! Don't you dare walk away!"
But Noah did walk—toward her.
She couldn't move. Couldn't defend herself. Her mana was gone. Her spirit was frayed at the edges. And still, she tried to rise.
But her body refused.
Her vision blurred as the truth settled in.
"I have nothing left…"
She clenched her jaw to keep herself from sobbing, but the tears kept falling—hot, bitter, relentless.
Noah stopped just a few feet in front of her.
His gaze was calm.
Then, he raised one hand—and spoke loud enough for the projection crystal to catch his words.
"I withdraw."
Silence.
The entire arena froze.
The crowd didn't gasp. They didn't cheer.
They simply stopped.
The captains in the stands exchanged stunned glances. Even the projection booth fell quiet.
In the seating rows above, Zezzy's mouth fell slightly open. Yuri leaned forward, eyes wide. Helion stood completely still—expression unreadable.
Nobody spoke.
Noah remained still as the golden Hyper Beam began to descend, its light catching the dust and silence.
He looked down at Liena—broken, breathless, weeping—and gave a soft smile.
"You don't have to prove anything, Liena," he said quietly.
"You already did."
The golden Hyper Beams descended with shimmering light, enveloping both Noah and Liena.
In a flash, the two materialized back onto the stadium platform—surrounded not by roaring cheers, but silence.
A stunned awe fell over the entire arena.
No one knew how to react.
Then, the commentator's voice echoed uncertainly across the field, crackling through the projection crystal:
"Uhh… w-well, it appears that… Noah Million has officially surrendered the battle…"
A long pause.
"…which means—Liena Virell is the winner!"
The crowd remained still for a beat, then slowly, applause began to spread. Soft clapping at first… then louder, growing into cheers. A wave of admiration followed, but the atmosphere remained tinged with disbelief.
Liena stood frozen, tears still streaming, her sword limp in her grip. She turned toward Noah, confusion all over her face.
Across the stadium, Helion, Zezzy, and Yuri bolted down to the center stage. They rushed to Liena's side, surrounding her with relief and excitement.
Helion locked eyes with Noah—his expression unreadable but tense.
Liena turned to him, her voice shaky. "Noah… why? Why would you give up?"
Zezzy stepped forward, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "You had her… surely you had a reason. Why come this far only to throw it away?"
Yuri scowled, fists clenched. "Yeah! What's your game, pal?"
Noah remained calm, his expression steady.
"She proved herself," he said plainly. "She's worthy of the title of Royal Guard."
Helion flared. "And who the hell are you to decide that?" he snapped.
He took a step closer. "Don't you dare downplay her fight. Liena gave everything she had out there!"
Before tension could rise further, a familiar voice called out.
"Now, now… let's bring it down a notch."
Syrus stepped onto the stage, flanked by Arion, Arinelle, and Axel.
The four captains approached with purpose.
Helion turned sharply toward Syrus, who now stood center stage before the crystal projection. His voice boomed across the arena, amplified with clarity.
"Noah Million has decided to forfeit the match," Syrus began. "But… the truth is—he never needed to compete at all."
The crowd fell completely silent.
Eyes widened. Confused murmurs rippled through the stands.
Even Draven, Renza, Clipso, Cynthia, and the rest of the remaining contenders looked stunned.
Syrus continued.
"Noah Million was already a Royal Guard Knight. He was scouted and accepted into the order just before this tournament even began."
The announcement hit like a bolt of lightning.
Zezzy's jaw dropped. Yuri blinked. Helion's brows furrowed in disbelief.
Syrus raised his hand to clarify.
"Noah chose to compete anyway. Not out of pride, or ambition—but because he wanted to stand beside the very people who earned their place. He would only accept our offer… if we allowed him to go through the draft, like the rest of you."
Noah smiled quietly at the group—at Yuri, at Zezzy, at Helion… and especially at Liena.
Syrus nodded.
"So, in the end, Noah had two paths—both leading to a seat in the Royal Guard. But only one of you had everything to prove."
Noah stepped forward.
His voice was gentle.
"I wanted to test you, Liena. I needed to see how far you'd go for this title."
He met her eyes.
"And you've gone further than I ever expected."
"I've never seen anyone fight with such heart, such conviction…"
"I couldn't stand in the way of that."
He smiled, soft and warm.
"Congratulations, Liena you earned this title more than I have."
Liena blinked. Her face flushed red.
She tried to speak but no words came—only tears, wide eyes, and a stunned smile.
The crowd erupted into a thunderous ovation.
They cheered not only for her victory—but for the heart, the honor, and the final clash that marked the end of the round.
Liena Virell…
Was the final winner.