The next day, Silvercross Academy was anything but calm.
Word of Kael's Guild evaluation had spread faster than wildfire. By morning, every hallway echoed with the same rumors:
> "He cleared a whole forest of monsters by himself!"
"I heard his Phoenix burned a D-Rank boss in one attack!"
"No way! He bribed the Guild evaluators!"
Kael ignored all of it. He sat under the academy's central mana tree, eyes closed, sunlight filtering through golden leaves. Ember rested on his shoulder, preening her wings lazily.
> "You'd think saving a few people would buy peace," Kael murmured.
Ember gave a quiet chirp.
> "Exactly. They can keep the fame; I'll take naps."
Unfortunately, fate—or the academy's rumor mill—had other plans.
A shadow fell over him. Kael opened one eye to see Leon Vareen, the academy's top combat student, standing there with his usual frown. His sword hung at his hip, polished to mirror shine.
> "Draven," Leon said coldly. "You humiliated me yesterday."
Kael yawned. "Oh, right. That forest thing. Don't worry, I humiliate a lot of people accidentally."
> "You stole my command mid-battle!"
> "You mean when you froze and my bird handled the problem? Yeah, tragic."
Leon's jaw tightened. "I challenge you to an official duel. Tomorrow. Arena Two."
Kael blinked. "Why not just buy me lunch instead? Much safer."
> "Stop mocking me. I'll prove to everyone that a Summoner can't outfight a Knight."
Ember flared her wings, heat rippling through the courtyard. Kael sighed.
> "Great. She's on fire again. You know what that means? I'm in."
---
The Challenge
By midday, the academy posted the duel notice.
Official Match: Leon Vareen (A-Rank Knight Apprentice) vs. Kael Draven (SSS-Rank Summoner, C-Rank Adventurer).
Time: next day, noon.
Location: Combat Arena Two.
Crowds gathered even before the match began. Professors made bets. Students drew doodles of flaming birds on the chalk walls.
Ryn found Kael at the training grounds that evening.
> "You sure about this? Leon's got crazy mana control. He's been ranked top combatant for two years."
Kael leaned against a tree, tossing a small mana crystal between his hands.
> "He'll be fine. Probably."
> "I meant you'll be fine."
> "Same answer."
Ember hovered nearby, feathers glowing faintly in the dusk. Her presence had grown stronger after the last mission—Kael could feel her power humming in his veins like a second heartbeat.
Ryn sighed. "You're impossible."
> "I'm optimistic. There's a difference."
---
Training at Dusk
Kael finally stepped onto the practice field as the sun dipped low.
The area shimmered with residual mana from hundreds of previous duels. Ember perched on a nearby post, tilting her head curiously.
> "We should probably look like we're training," Kael said.
He raised a hand, forming a simple sigil.
A faint barrier flickered into existence, wobbled, and collapsed.
> "Perfect," he said. "Now it looks like effort."
Ember gave a long, unimpressed trill.
> "Fine, fine. Real practice then."
He extended his mana link. Golden light spiraled from his chest into Ember's wings. The air vibrated with energy as the Phoenix flared to full size, eyes glowing like twin suns.
Kael drew in a steady breath. The bond expanded—sharper, cleaner, more balanced than before. For a moment, their thoughts almost overlapped.
> "Flame Arc," he whispered.
Ember obeyed instantly. Fire swept across the training ground, carving molten lines in the dirt. The heat shimmered through Kael's veins but didn't burn. Instead, it felt alive—controlled.
> "Nice," he murmured. "We're getting smoother at this."
> Chirp.
> "You think I should let him strike first tomorrow?"
> Chirp!
> "Yeah, me too. More dramatic."
---
The Morning of the Duel
By the next morning, Silvercross Academy looked like it was hosting a festival.
Students filled the stands; food vendors even appeared near the arena gates, selling mana pastries and flame-fruit juice.
Kael stretched his arms, utterly calm. Ember sat beside him, smaller now but pulsing with quiet excitement.
Ryn hurried over, carrying a small Guild-issued communicator crystal.
> "Guild Branch is watching the match live! The Guildmaster approved remote observation."
> "So now I'm live entertainment?"
> "Pretty much."
Kael sighed. "Guess I'll at least make it entertaining."
The arena's signal bell rang. Both duelists stepped onto the field.
Leon drew his sword, its blade wreathed in silver light.
Kael just stood there, hands in pockets.
> "Are you not summoning?" Leon asked.
> "I like to give my opponents a false sense of hope first."
The referee raised a flag.
> "Match begins!"
---
Opening Clash
Leon moved first—fast, like lightning. His mana condensed around his feet, propelling him forward.
> "Mana Step — Quad Burst!"
He closed the distance instantly, blade slashing in four rapid arcs. Each strike carried a wave of compressed wind.
Kael slid back, barely dodging the first three before crossing his arms.
> "Ember."
A ring of fire burst around him. The fourth strike collided with the flames and dispersed into sparks.
The crowd gasped.
Leon snarled. "Hide behind your summon all you like—it won't save you!"
> "Funny," Kael said, "she said the same about you."
Ember soared upward, her golden glow flaring brighter than ever.
> "Flame Reversal!" Kael commanded.
Leon swung again, unleashing a blade of pure wind. Ember caught it mid-flight and twisted; the gust turned crimson, reversing direction.
The attack slammed back into Leon, blasting him across the arena. He crashed to one knee, armor cracked and smoking.
> "Impossible…!"
Kael's eyes glowed faintly gold as his link with Ember pulsed.
> "You rely on strength. I rely on partnership."
Leon roared and charged again, aura blazing white—but this time, Kael didn't move.
> "Flame Bind."
Golden chains burst from the ground, wrapping around Leon mid-stride. Ember dove, her wings folding tight, and landed behind Kael in a swirl of heat.
When the smoke cleared, Leon stood frozen in place, his sword buried in molten stone inches from Kael's feet.
> "Good fight," Kael said softly.
The referee raised a trembling flag.
> "Winner — Kael Draven!"
The crowd erupted.
---
Aftermath
Kael helped Leon to his feet.
> "You'll get me next time," he said easily.
Leon grimaced. "You're infuriating."
> "That's the secret to my charm."
From the observation balcony, Instructor Mira smiled faintly. "That boy… he's rewriting how Summoners are viewed."
High above, Guildmaster Varin watched the feed through a mana crystal, expression unreadable.
> "The legend awakens again," he murmured. "And this time, it's unpredictable."
---