(Battle of Heaven and Frost)
The island trembled. The sky itself was silent — as if the heavens were holding their breath.
Standing amidst the broken forest, Liyana Lufinze, now radiating a faint celestial glow, faced the legendary prodigy of the Varellis royal family — Sylus Varellis, the Ice Princess who had mastered every known martial art by the age of sixteen.
The atmosphere between them was unreal — one's aura was a gentle divinity that rippled like starlight waves, and the other's was a ruthless frost, sharp enough to cut through steel.
---
Spectator Zone — Royal Academy
Students crowded before the massive mana screen.
"Wait, that's the Ice Princess—she's finally going all out!"
"And that silver-haired girl… she's glowing! What kind of magic is that!?"
Asfi giggled softly, leaning toward Chroma.
"Darling, they're adorable, don't you think? But that girl's mana… it's unlike anything human."
Chroma's eyes were serious.
"That's because it isn't."
Even Principal Alice Valefor crossed her arms, her bright eyes narrowing.
"A Celestial pulse… in a sixteen-year-old girl? Oh, how delightful~"
---
Back to the battlefield
Sylus took a deep breath, her expression cold and sharp.
"Your mana is… unnatural," she said, sliding into a stance — one hand near her blade, the other steady before her chest.
"But let's see if you can match me up close."
The ground beneath her shattered.
In a blink, Sylus vanished.
"Fast—!" Liyana gasped, barely crossing her arms in time as a knee slammed into her ribs. The impact sent her crashing backward through a frozen boulder.
Sylus's figure appeared from the steam — she twisted midair and kicked, sending a crescent of condensed ice toward Liyana.
Liyana raised her hand — Barrier of Stars!
The crescent collided and shattered, spraying frost in all directions.
Sylus landed gracefully, cracking her neck.
"Your barrier broke a little too easily. Don't tell me that's your best?"
Liyana dusted herself off, smirking faintly.
"You're strong, I'll give you that… but I was just getting started."
Her eyes glowed again — this time brighter.
---
[Celestial Authority: Manifestation of the 10th Light]
Small motes of golden light began circling her, humming in resonance. Each spark of light held power capable of bending gravity and mana itself. The air distorted.
Sylus frowned. "Then I'll stop holding back too."
She stomped the ground, causing a burst of frost to explode beneath her.
"[Martial Art Technique: Frost Dragon Steps!]"
The air itself cracked under the force. Her body blurred, moving so fast that even the spectators could barely track her — only the shockwaves of ice and shattered earth followed her every move.
She appeared behind Liyana — her palm infused with freezing ki —
"Frost Fang Strike!"
BOOM!
The explosion sent waves of cold wind bursting across the island.
But then —
From the smoke, a silhouette glowed through.
Liyana stood, untouched, one hand extended, holding back the strike with nothing but raw mana.
Her lips curved upward. "Cute trick."
She snapped her fingers.
A surge of mana erupted, blasting Sylus backward through several trees.
Sylus landed, coughing once, her breath misting. "Unbelievable… you're not even serious, are you?"
Liyana tilted her head, her tone teasing. "Maybe just 0.010% serious."
Sylus's eyes widened slightly. "Tch. Then I'll show you what a martial artist is capable of."
---
The Ice Princess burst forward again — this time, the ground beneath her turned into pure ice, creating a frictionless surface that let her slide and dash with impossible fluidity.
Every movement she made was perfect — fists, knees, elbows, and kicks flowing like water, reinforced by chilling magic.
Liyana countered — every strike she blocked sent ripples through the air, sparks of mana bursting around them like miniature supernovas.
The clash was breathtaking.
The screen showed flashes of blue and gold colliding in the sky, trees bending and splitting apart from the shockwaves.
---
Spectator Zone
One student shouted, "They're like monsters!"
Another whispered, "No… they're gods."
Asfi smiled. "My, my… I think the Ice Princess just met her match."
Chroma exhaled, arms crossed. "No. The Ice Princess just met her limit."
---
Back to the battlefield
Sylus's uniform was torn slightly, her breath visible in the cold air. Her ice sword melted and refroze every few seconds under Liyana's overwhelming pressure.
Still, Sylus smirked.
"You're strong, I'll admit that. But I'm not done yet."
Her eyes flashed icy blue.
"[Royal Art: Frozen God's Domain!]"
Instantly, the forest froze over completely — trees, rivers, even the sky's hue dimmed into a pale blue. The world became her domain.
"Within this field," Sylus said proudly, "I am invincible."
Liyana simply smiled.
"Then let me show you what true divinity feels like."
She raised her hand.
Her mana burst outward — light consuming the frozen world in an instant.
"[Celestial Domain: Sanctuary of the Starborn!]"
The frozen field shattered like glass, replaced by a sky full of floating constellations and ribbons of aurora light.
Sylus's jaw dropped — her entire domain was erased.
"Impossible…"
Liyana's feet lifted slightly off the ground, starlight encircling her like petals.
"I told you, Princess Sylus," she said gently, her voice both terrifying and beautiful,
"you can't fight the stars."
Sylus clenched her fists, anger and admiration blending in her heart.
"Don't think I'll lose that easily!"
She dashed forward once more — and the sky exploded.
---
The Dragon Within
Liyana inhaled deeply — her throat glowing with divine light. The faint sound of a dragon's roar echoed through the air.
Sylus froze. "What—what is that sound?"
Then Liyana exhaled.
"[Dragon Breath Burst!]"
A radiant torrent of golden flame erupted from her mouth, spiraling with pure celestial energy. The entire battlefield was engulfed in a blinding inferno that melted through Sylus's ice like paper.
Sylus barely raised her arms, ice armor forming at the last second.
The blast sent her skidding hundreds of meters, carving a molten trail across the frozen earth.
Steam and frost exploded together, creating a storm of light and snow.
And before Sylus could recover—Liyana appeared right in front of her, exhaling once more.
"[Dragon Breath Blast!]"
The concentrated beam struck Sylus's barrier dead-on, the impact roaring like thunder.
Half the island turned to steam. The ocean itself rippled outward from the explosion, waves rising into towering walls.
---
When the light faded, Sylus was kneeling, her frost armor shattered.
Liyana stood in front of her, golden embers still flickering around her lips.
Sylus chuckled weakly. "You… breathe fire too? You really are a monster."
Liyana smiled softly. "Only when I need to protect something."
---
Spectator Zone
Principal Alice clapped her hands once, amused.
"How fascinating… a Celestial with draconic traits. Truly, that girl is rewriting history."
Asfi grinned. "Poor Sylus. She's going to need therapy after this."
Chroma exhaled deeply. "Or a vacation."
---
As the dust settled, Liyana floated gently down, extending her hand toward the kneeling princess.
"You fought beautifully, Princess."
Sylus looked up — then smiled faintly despite her exhaustion.
"You too… monster."
Liyana laughed softly. "Maybe."
---
But before she could help her up—
The ground rumbled.
From deep within the forest, an ominous aura began to rise — darker, colder, heavier than anything before.
Even Liyana's eyes narrowed.
"What… is that?"
The sky dimmed. The mana in the air trembled.
And as the distant roar echoed through the island — every spectator watching felt their blood turn cold.
To Be Continued…