The aftermath of the duel took some time to settle.
House elves and personnel staff moved quickly into the arena, repairing damaged stone, clearing rubble, and dispelling lingering magic. The protective wards were slowly lowered, their glowing runes fading one by one.
While everyone returned to the ballroom, Alexander and Kyle went to clean up.
Neither of them spoke, but the tension between them had changed.
Kyle was certain he would win the duel, and Alexander thought the duel was going to be boring. Now they both respected each other as strong Duelists.
Once Alexander cleaned up and made himself presentable again.
He headed back towards the Strongman mansion's grand ballroom.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively.
Adults stood in small circles, sipping drinks, snacking on desserts, and discussing the duel they had just witnessed.
The moment Alexander entered, conversations shifted.
Guests began approaching him one after another.
"That was a fantastic duel!"
"I haven't seen layered shield casting like that in years!"
"Congratulations on the win, young man."
Alexander could only smile politely and nod.
"Thank you."
Once Kyle arrived, they would turn to Kyle—
"And you! That Firestorm control was exceptional."
"Next time, you'll win for sure."
Kyle also smiled on the surface, accepting the praises.
But deep inside—
The loss burned.
He had trained for months.
Prepared specifically for this moment, and still lost.
His pride stung… but it also fueled his determination further.
As the night wound down and families began preparing to leave, Kyle approached Alexander near the entrance hall.
"Come back tomorrow," Kyle said.
His tone was casual, but serious underneath.
Alexander grinned.
"Sure and thanks."
The Chen family's car ride home was warm and relaxed.
Mr. Chen looked especially pleased.
"You did very well today," he said proudly. "Not many people can defeat a Strongman one-on-one. Their dueling lineage is no joke."
Mrs. Chen, however, looked slightly concerned.
"You should have surrendered near the end," she said gently. "That last spell of his was far too strong."
Alexander laughed lightly, waving it off.
"It's fine. I had fun."
As they were talking about the duel, He noticed Silver's eyes were sparkling.
"Silver, do you have something to say?" He asked.
"Young Master! Here are your photos and enchanted photos!" She calmly said, but everyone heard the excitement in her voice.
Silver and Copper proudly presented the stacks of photos they had taken.
Alexander leaned forward between his parents and began flipping through them.
There were many photos from multiple angles.
Alexander was casting Protego Maxima, the barrier expanding outward.
Kyle relentlessly spamming Bombarda, explosions frozen mid-blast.
The clash of their core battle.
Kyle was controlling the colossal Firestorm dragon overhead.
Alexander was airborne and summoning his raven swarm.
Then the collision—
Firestorm crashed into the reinforced barrier.
Flames and blue magic erupt together in a spectacular clash.
And finally—
The decisive moment.
Kyle froze and fell.
Alexander emerges from the Disillusionment Charm.
Victory secured.
The still photos were cool, but the enchanted photos were even better.
Spells flashing, ravens scattering, flames roaring to life.
The car was filled with laughter as they replayed certain moments more than once.
Alexander began making copies, organizing them neatly into labeled envelopes.
"One set for Kyle… one for Nick… one for Steve…"
Silver and Copper beamed with pride at their work.
By the time they arrived home, exhaustion finally caught up to him.
Alexander stored the photos safely, took a relaxing bath, and changed for bed.
As he lay down, the events of the duel replayed in his mind—
The shield layering.
The Firestorm dragon.
The final deception.
A slow grin spread across his face.
Dueling… was fun...
And he couldn't wait for the next one.
Sleep took him quickly, dreams filled with fire, thunder, and the roar of clashing magic.