Anger boiled in Neji's veins like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
He pulled the bowstring so hard that the muscles in his arms bulged like steel cables, and released two arrows at once.
The arrows shot forward, piercing the air with a sharp whistling sound, splitting the silence like a cry of death.
But Ares moved lightly, as if the wind itself carried his body. He tilted a step to the right, then twisted his sword through the air.
In an instant, the two arrows veered off course — as if shattered by an invisible wall of skill.
Neji did not stop.
Sweat streamed down his temples, his breath came in gasps, his fingers trembled with tension, and blood pumped violently in his ears.
He drew two more arrows at incredible speed and fired them with desperate resolve,
but Ares didn't even blink.
One strike from his gleaming sword —
its sound like thunder tearing the sky —
and the arrows were split in half, their fragments scattering like silver sparks before his face.
Ares said mockingly, his voice dripping with confidence and arrogance:
"Come on, you bastard! Shoot your arrows a bit faster… don't make me fall asleep from boredom!"
Sunlight reflected off the edge of his sword like a golden flash, while the dust swirling around him seemed to dance upon his breath.
Neji leapt high, the wind slapping his face, and released an arrow that shone like a bolt of lightning.
But Ares bent his body with the fluidity of a wave dodging the rocks.
Behind him, two more arrows shot forward like fiery beasts chasing their prey.
From afar, the scene looked like a storm of shadows and light —
the sound of arrows slicing through the air like shrieking steel, and dust wrapping the arena like the smoke of an ancient battlefield.
While Neji attacked in desperate frenzy,
Ares moved with the grace of a seasoned war dancer.
His feet touched the ground without a sound,
and his sword traced glowing lines in the air with each swing and spin.
Even the air itself seemed to bow before him.
Neji shouted through labored breaths, veins bulging:
"Don't you know how to do anything other than running around like a cowardly rat?!"
Ares didn't reply.
He vanished like a phantom swallowed by the storm and appeared behind him in an instant.
The air trembled —
a lightning-like kick slammed into Neji's back like a hammer against steel.
His body lifted for a heartbeat before crashing to the ground,
the impact echoing like a drum of doom at the heart of the arena, followed by a choking wave of dust.
Pebbles scattered, and sand rose, wrapping the scene in a thick fog.
From within the haze came Ares's cold voice, slithering into ears like a dagger:
"Oh, you bastard… why are you raising your ass toward me? Don't tell me you… enjoy that?"
The arena erupted in laughter.
Students laughed in shock and disbelief,
some girls covered their mouths in embarrassment as their cheeks flushed red.
Ares stood amid the swirling dust like a halo of dominance and mockery,
his hair flickering like flames, and his eyes glowing with a mysterious gleam — like embers in a dark night.
Neji rose slowly, his body trembling from pain,
his hands filthy with dirt,
a thin trickle of blood running from his mouth,
his eyes burning with indescribable rage.
He bit his lip until blood dripped down, shouting hoarsely:
"Damn you, foul-mouthed bastard!"
Ares approached him with slow, deliberate steps,
each footfall scraping the ground like the approaching knock of death.
He spoke with a coldness that sliced the air like a blade:
"So, you don't have that habit? Good… otherwise I'd have killed you. I don't like studying with perverts."
His voice dropped suddenly — cold, lifeless…
every tone carried a killing intent.
His gaze pierced Neji to the bone;
his eyes held no life — only a calm, chilling darkness.
Neji shivered involuntarily, feeling a frost crawl from his neck to his fingertips.
His throat went dry, and he swallowed hard.
He reached for his quiver in panic…
but his fingers found only emptiness.
He froze, heart pounding so hard it nearly broke his chest.
When he looked up, he saw Ares standing before him,
dust swirling around his feet like fog from hell,
and that cold smile on his face — the smile of a demon bored of the game.
Ares stepped closer until his voice was just a breath away:
"Out of arrows already… you fool?"
In a flash unseen by anyone, Ares vanished from sight.
Then came a heavy impact.
His hand clamped around Neji's face like a steel shackle,
lifting his body high into the air,
before smashing him down with enough force to crack stone.
The ground groaned, and dust engulfed the entire arena.
The air was filled with the scent of burnt earth, sweat, and blood.
When the dust finally cleared,
Neji lay motionless on the ground, his face buried in the dirt, his body still like a broken doll.
Silence fell.
Even breathing stopped.
Dread hung in the air like a curtain of ice.
Then came Professor Mei's voice — calm, yet sharp as a blade:
"This… is the result of losing control over one's emotions. And that's exactly what Ares exploited to win."
Edison spoke with irritation, frowning:
"He just used a dirty trick to win, nothing more!"
But Mei didn't answer immediately.
She looked at them all, her gaze holding a deep understanding of what they couldn't see.
Then she murmured, as if speaking to herself:
"To defeat your opponent mentally… that's the first step toward true victory.
But these ones… they still don't grasp the danger in Ares's methods."
Ares looked at everyone and smiled — a calm smile, yet one that carried a clear, unspoken meaning:
Who's next to step up and get beaten?
Silence reigned for a moment as nervous gazes met, and heavy breaths filled the air.
Even if they mocked his way of fighting, none wanted to step up, get beaten, and kiss the training ground.
Then suddenly, Kai leapt lightly into the arena, landing gracefully as dust spiraled around his feet.
His eyes gleamed with sharp light — a mix of excitement and burning desire to fight.
He spoke with lively energy:
"Leader, guide me in a duel!"
Ares raised his gaze to him, a faint smile curling his lips:
"Seems you've succeeded in forming your Aura Star."
Kai laughed proudly, puffing out his chest a little:
"Haha! Leader, nothing escapes your eyes!"
A strange flow of energy rippled through the air — a current of life-force flickering faintly around Kai's body, pulsing with warmth.
His breathing rhythm changed, and his pulse quickened — he had truly succeeded in forming the Aura Star.
Ares spoke in a low tone of admiration:
"Congratulations. I assume Kira has completed it as well?"
Kai nodded quickly, beads of sweat glimmering on his neck under the sunlight.
"Yes, last night we broke through together and formed the Aura Star."
He raised his sword, and faint vibrations of energy shimmered from its blade,
but the aura surrounding his body was unstable and flickering — like a small flame swaying in the wind.
It was clear he was still at the beginning.
Ares said calmly, his voice carrying hidden instruction:
"Kai, you're trying to imitate something you don't yet understand."
Kai frowned, trying to steady his breath:
"What do you mean?"
Ares answered, watching the disturbance in his aura with the eyes of a master:
"Aura isn't something you see — it's something you feel.
You can't control what you don't understand. Power comes from understanding… not blind effort."
Kai froze for a few seconds, as if those words had pierced deep into him. Then he nodded lightly, beginning to grasp what Ares meant.
He smiled with renewed determination and said:
"But I wanted to fight you with both sword and aura, Leader!"
Ares sighed softly, a faint smile of boredom and amusement on his face. Then he said:
"Fine. Show me your swordsmanship, then."
He drew his sword slowly, the sound of metal sliding from its sheath ringing gently through the arena.
He stood firmly, one hand behind his back — his stance elegant like a painting, calm as water before a storm.
Anyone watching him would feel they were looking at a true warrior, not just a student of the academy.
Professor Mei's voice echoed through the arena:
"The duel… begins now!"
The wind rose suddenly, whistling across the field, stirring the dust that sparkled in the sunlight like tiny stars.
At that instant, the two charged.
Their swords clashed with tremendous force, shaking the air around them.
Sparks of metal burst out, filling the space with the scent of hot steel, sweat, and effort.
Each strike rang like distant thunder echoing against the arena walls.
Kai moved with astonishing speed, his sword flashing like lightning, attacking with explosive emotion —
but his footwork was rough, and his body unbalanced.
Each swing made the ground groan beneath him, dust swirling wildly in chaotic circles.
Ares, on the other hand… was the exact opposite.
His movements were smooth as water, precise as a blade, silent as a shadow.
He wasn't just fighting — his body flowed with perfect harmony.
He was teaching Kai through combat, his sword correcting Kai's mistakes like a mirror of his movement.
He spoke calmly amidst the ringing of steel:
"Your footing is wrong — don't leave your left side exposed."
He parried another strike effortlessly, continuing his lesson without breaking rhythm:
"Your breathing, Kai… make it flow with the sword, not before or after it.
The sword is your breath — the aura is your heart."
Kai's arm trembled under the pressure, his grip shook, and sparks flew with every clash of steel.
The air grew hotter, and the spectators' hearts pounded faster with every move.
Kai gritted his teeth, letting out a strained cry as he attacked with everything he had.
But Ares didn't move from his spot.
He sidestepped swiftly — a breeze brushing the edge of his hair —
then lifted his sword in a light strike that stopped just before touching Kai's neck.
Silence.
Time itself seemed to halt.
Even the dust in the air froze for a heartbeat.
Then Ares lowered his sword slowly, his voice calm as a night breeze:
"You're improving, Kai… but don't forget — the sword isn't just strength; it's awareness and perception."
Kai bowed slightly, sweat dripping from his chin to the ground, his breaths heavy, but his eyes still burning with determination.
He smiled through his panting:
"I'll reach your level someday, Leader."
Ares chuckled softly and sheathed his sword.
Dust swirled around them like a light curtain, marking the end of the scene —
a scene that would never be forgotten, carved forever into the memory of all who witnessed it.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
"If you enjoyed the chapter and are ready for Ares's next move, please drop your Power Stones and leave a 5-star review! Your support is the fuel we need to climb the rankings!"