The final five minutes of the Royal Academy's grand battle royal had begun.
Fifty golden sticks scattered across the colossal enchanted forest — and the once-tranquil landscape had become a field of chaos. Explosions shook the ground, shockwaves split the trees, and the sky burned with mana light.
Every remaining team fought desperately. Dust, smoke, and mana crackled through the air. The crowd watching through the academy's projection orbs screamed with excitement as magic and sword light collided in bursts of color.
Sho Ardenthal stood beside Liyana, both panting lightly, dirt and ash clinging to their uniforms. They had fought through twenty-nine teams to reach this point. Their team held nine golden sticks — one short of the passing score.
Across the ravaged clearing, Princess Arisa Varellis and Saint Alisa Yurica stood with their teams, their radiance cutting through the haze. Arisa's golden aura flared, her blade gleaming like a miniature sun; Alisa's divine mana shimmered in a white-blue glow.
> Liyana: "They're serious now."
Sho (grinning): "Then let's give them a reason to be."
At his words, Liyana smiled faintly — the kind of smile that meant trouble.
The ground cracked beneath her feet as her magic pulsed outward — a surge of power so sharp it made the leaves quiver. Dozens of students froze, instincts screaming run.
Arisa's eyes widened. "That power—! It's not normal!"
Alisa quickly raised a radiant barrier. "Her mana... it's like standing before a storm!"
Sho barely blinked before Liyana disappeared from sight — her speed beyond human perception. Arisa's radiant blade met her burning sword mid-air, the impact sending out a golden-red shockwave that split the earth.
Everywhere, teams clashed in chaos — explosions, elemental magic, blades clanging.
Sho blinked behind two enemy knights, disarming them in seconds, while Liyana deflected Alisa's holy lances with ease, her crimson eyes glowing faintly with restrained power.
> Sho (thinking): Even with all this... she's holding back.
He parried another strike, sweat tracing his cheek.
Nearby, Arisa's sword flared — Radiant Sword: Dawn Sever!
A wave of pure light shot forward. Sho gritted his teeth, bracing himself — and in an instant, used his Blink skill to slip past the radiant burst, closing the gap with her.
Their swords clashed in a brilliant arc of sparks.
For a brief moment, it was just them — light and darkness colliding.
The arena spectators gasped, seeing Sho and Arisa evenly matched — their blades locked, both refusing to give way.
Then—
0:00
The system clock struck zero.
The entire forest — froze.
Wind, leaves, sparks of mana — all halted midair.
---
A deep, calm voice sliced through the silence.
> "Enough."
The air trembled.
Between Sho and Arisa, a man appeared — no sound, no ripple, just appeared.
He stood tall in a black coat trimmed with silver. His dark hair held faint streaks of silver, and his violet eyes glowed faintly like an abyss of wisdom and power.
With one hand, he stopped both Sho's and Arisa's swords between two fingers.
The air itself bent around him — oppressive yet controlled.
> Professor Chroma Valen: "You'll destroy the academy's barrier at this rate, and turn this battle royal into a real war."
Sho's eyes widened, his sword still trembling in Chroma's grasp.
Princess Arisa lowered her blade, her expression frozen between awe and disbelief.
Silence. Then murmurs spread through the students.
> "I-is that really him…?"
"He stopped both their attacks… with his fingers!"
"Impossible...!"
Chroma looked around, his calm gaze sweeping over the battlefield — the unconscious students, the shattered trees, and the trembling survivors.
Then he smiled faintly and turned toward the spectators and staff.
> Chroma Valen, Head Professor of Combat Arts at the Royal Academy of Varellis.
"You all fought well. But this test... ends now."
His voice wasn't loud, but every corner of the forest — and every student's heart — heard it clearly.
Arisa exhaled slowly, lowering her weapon. Her lips trembled as she whispered under her breath:
> "Chroma Valen... One of the Ten Strongest Humans ever to live."
Her words echoed across the silent forest. A ripple of awe swept through everyone present.
Even Sho could feel it — the heavy, immeasurable presence of a man whose power transcended logic.
So this... is what true strength feels like.
---
Meanwhile…
High above, in the spire of the academy, a woman watched through a massive crystal projection.
Her silver hair glowed faintly under the moonlight, her teal eyes filled with quiet amusement. She looked no older than twenty-five — yet her aura was ancient, infinite, and controlled.
> Principal Alice Valefor, the Eternal Magus, and Third Strongest Human Alive.
The woman who created the Ageless Veil, the magic that halted her own aging, preserving her at her prime forever.
She smiled softly at the sight of the exhausted yet victorious students.
> "Still as dramatic as ever, Chroma…"
"But… well done, all of you. You've exceeded my expectations."
Her eyes lingered briefly on Sho — the boy standing firm, breathing heavily, yet refusing to kneel.
And then to Liyana — whose eyes glowed faintly crimson as she smiled at him.
A faint spark of curiosity glimmered in the Eternal Magus's eyes.
> "Those two… how interesting."
---