The academy's atmosphere had completely shifted.
The four royal heirs were no longer just the mysterious "college kids." They were the crowned stars, and their presence brought not just admiration... but pressure.
Training Grounds, Next Day
The royal class had been summoned.
Weapons gleamed under sunlight. Elite students whispered nervously. At the center stood Shane, Luna, Rio, Xin, and the four nobles.
The Academy Master announced, "A friendly match between the stars of both realms. You'll battle not with power—but with heart, skill, and strategy."
The crowd leaned forward.
Match 1: Shane vs Selen
Selen walked with grace, her blade light and sharp as ice.
Shane cracked her knuckles. "Let's dance, Ice Queen."
The fight began with elegance and speed.
Selen used illusion mirage spells, but Shane countered with raw instinct. A spinning kick cracked the illusion, and her blade kissed Selen's shoulder—not wounding, but declaring victory.
Selen smirked. "I let my guard down."
Shane winked. "Or maybe I'm just too good."
Match 2: Luna vs Yen Yu
The arena turned calm.
Moonlight magic formed in Yen Yu's palm—soft and silver. Luna held out her brush, which shimmered with light-infused ink.
"Art vs Moon?" he whispered.
Their battle wasn't loud—it was breathtaking. Each of Luna's brushstrokes created glowing sigils, and Yen Yu responded with waves of moonlight that danced around them.
In the final moment, Luna hesitated—Yen Yu stood still. He let her ink touch his wrist.
She gasped.
"You didn't block…"
He smiled gently. "Some things… are worth feeling."
Match 3: Rio vs Sheha
Rio pulled out a staff covered in healing charms. Sheha drew twin blades.
"I don't hit girls," Rio said politely.
"Too bad," Sheha answered. "I do hit boys."
She charged.
Their battle was intense. Sheha used speed, Rio used shields, potions, and tactical maneuvers. He never attacked harshly—just defended and disarmed. Finally, he caught her blade between his fingers, tapped her forehead with his staff.
"You lose."
Sheha blinked. "Charming and annoying."
Match 4: Xin vs Weihansol
They didn't speak.
Their auras clashed like ice and fire.
Sword to sword, silence to silence. Their battle was like watching two minds play chess through blades. Neither gained the upper hand for long. Until—
CLANG. Weihansol's blade cracked slightly.
Xin sheathed his sword without a word and turned away.
Weihansol smiled. "Humble… interesting."
After the matches…
The four royals sat together in the garden, their uniforms now marked with their kingdom's sigils.
Luna looked up at the sky. "Feels like everything's changed."
Rio chuckled. "And yet, we're still us."
Shane leaned back. "We're shining now, huh?"
Xin looked at them. "We were always shining. Just… hidden."
Not far away, the nobles watched them quietly.
Weihansol whispered, "They're stronger than I thought."
Yen Yu nodded. "They're not just royals. They're stars."
Elsewhere... in the dark forest...
A shadow moved across the cursed land.
A voice growled, "The heirs have returned... and the seals are breaking."
To be continued...