The entire Academy buzzed with excitement. After three long years, the great Festival of Magic and Glory would be held once again—a national-level event that attracted nobles, influential families, merchants, adventurers, and even emissaries from the Magic Congress.
For one full week, the Academy would transform into a living coliseum filled with solo duels, team battles, magic races, summoning competitions, and other challenges designed to test the power, strategy, and spirit of its students.
Ares, Liana, Agust, Dana, Tony, and Emma were gathered in one of the practice arenas. Each trained separately, but the tension between them grew with each passing day. The desire to stand out burned in their eyes.
Ares trained at the center of the field, shirtless, drenched in sweat, his arms wrapped in blue flames. Blue, hovering above him in a reduced form, barked orders with a stern, almost fatherly tone.
—Control your breathing! Blue fire isn't brute force, it's pure will! —the dragon roared.
Gritting his teeth, Ares threw a punch into the air, and a column of blue flames surged forth, expanding like a shockwave. The torches around the field flickered. His mastery over the blue fire wasn't perfect, but it was no longer unstable. His body had also changed—leaner, stronger, more resilient.
From a corner of the field, Dana watched in silence. Her golden hair glistened in the sunlight, and for the first time, her eyes weren't filled with pride… but with admiration.
—When did he become this strong? —she murmured, feeling her heart beat faster.
It wasn't just Ares's strength—it was his resolve. She had seen him save lives, endure defeat, and never give up. Now, with each punch and every drop of sweat, something inside her began to shift. He was no longer just a teammate. He was someone who stood out—even among the best.
Meanwhile, Agust and Tony trained together—reluctantly. Their rivalry still lingered, but they knew they had to synchronize for the upcoming team battles.
—Your defense is solid, but you're lacking aggression, —Agust commented, launching an ice spear that Tony blocked with a wall of stone.
—And you rely too much on offense. You'd get worn down in a long fight, —Tony replied with a smirk.
Liana, on the other hand, trained surrounded by a glowing green aura, her leaf-and-stone turtle by her side. Though she tried to stay focused, she couldn't help but glance toward Dana, who was watching Ares. A spark of unease lit up inside her. Why did it bother her so much?
Emma, ever silent, floated in meditation wrapped in a purple aura. She seemed disconnected from the world… yet missed no detail.
The Festival was approaching. The challenges would be brutal. The teams would fight in front of thousands of eyes. And for the first time, Ares had a real chance to shine.
The question was:
Was he ready to step into the spotlight he had always dreamed of?