"But the years that followed were different. For Lady Maya entered the tournament. Katherine fought valiantly, but she was stopped in the semi-finals by Noelle herself. And so, in the finals, Noelle faced Maya," Edward revealed, his tone sharpening.
The reaction was explosive. "What?! Lady Maya?!" the disciples cried in unison.
Noa's jaw fell open. She had lived under Maya's roof for years and yet never imagined her mentor had once stood face-to-face with Noelle.
Sabastian stepped closer, curiosity burning. "So… who won?"
Edward folded his arms, his tone solemn. "The one who deserved to. Lady Maya was a storm on the battlefield—unyielding, fierce, brilliant. But in the end, Noelle's skies eclipsed even her flame. Noelle claimed the title. Still, their duel is remembered as one of the greatest ever fought in this arena. Rivals in combat, yes—but off the field, their friendship remained unshaken. That is what made them both extraordinary."
A murmur passed among the disciples, some exchanging uneasy looks. The names Noelle, Maya, Katherine—each carried new weight. To the disciples, it became clear: their teachers were not merely instructors. They were living legends, scarred by battles that still echoed through the stones.
Shaun clenched his fists, lightning prickling faintly at his fingertips. One day, he swore, he too would carve his name into this arena's history.
Since the talk of Noelle, Katherine and Maya had the disciples buzzing, Edward lifted a hand, redirecting their attention toward the vast corners of the arena. "By the way," he said, his voice echoing slightly, "do you know whose statues stand guard in each corner of the edges of a boundary wall of the Coliseum ceiling?"
The disciples blinked and followed his gesture. Only then did they truly notice them—colossal figures looming in stone, half-shrouded in sunlight and shadow. Their sheer scale made even the arena feel small.
"Whoa… they're huge!" someone gasped. "Whose statues are these?"
Edward's lips curved faintly. "They are none other than the Eight Elemental Gods themselves. Raised by our ancestors in their honour. Every duel fought here takes place under their gaze. To battle on this ground is to feel as though they watch you, judge you, and—perhaps—bless you."
A hush fell as the disciples turned, staring at the divine effigies: the humble God of Forest, the blazing God of Fire, the serene God of Sky, the vast God of Ocean, the silent God of Snow, the unyielding God of Earth, the fierce God of Thunder, and the radiant God of Light. "These are the Eight Elemental Gods who defeated the Evil God Lucius," Edward said solemnly.
**********
As the others admired the statues, Shaun wandered a little further close to the eighth statue. His eyes caught on something strange—a broken figure, half-carved, half-hidden in shadow besides the eighth statue's base. Its form was incomplete, the details lost to time.
"Teacher Edward," Shaun called out, frowning, "there's… another one here. An unfinished wreckage. It almost looks like a ninth statue. Do you know who it was meant to be?"
His words drew every gaze. The disciples crowded closer, whispering as they peered at the fractured stone. Even Edward joined them, his expression clouded with thought. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly.
"…I don't know much," he admitted. "But I once heard from my teacher that this was a mistake. A sculptor's error. They claimed it was a duplicate of one of the gods, but abandoned it when they realized. Left it unfinished, forgotten."
Most of the disciples nodded, satisfied with the answer—except one. That brown bowl-cut haired Noble boy lingered by the wreckage, his glasses glinting as he studied the half-formed legs. His eyes narrowed, troubled, as though the stone whispered a secret meant for him alone.
The other disciples followed Edward toward the next building, their chatter fading into the corridors. But the brown bowl-cut haired Noble boy remained rooted before the wreckage, his gaze fixed on the unfinished statue. Shaun noticed and stopped, Natasha and Sabastian beside him.
"Hey, what are you still doing there? Everyone's leaving. We should catch up," Shaun called.
the brown bowl-cut haired Noble boy didn't move. His eyes gleamed behind his glasses as he leaned closer, tracing the fractured stone with his fingertips. Suddenly, he straightened, excitement flashing across his face. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke in a sharp tone.
"Something doesn't add up. This wasn't left unfinished. Look closely—the top of the feet isn't flat, it's jagged, torn. This statue was destroyed… after it was completed."
Shaun frowned, stepping closer. He studied the rough, zigzag breaks, and realization dawned. His voice lowered. "You're… right, my friend. Someone shattered it."
the brown bowl-cut haired Noble boy's lips curved faintly, though his tone was edged with arrogance. He pushed his glasses higher.
"You're quite slow, aren't you? By the way, my name is Nishio Firestone. And let's get this straight—I am not your friend, nor will I ever be. I have no reason to waste my time with the likes of you."
Without waiting for a response, he turned sharply and strode away, his footsteps echoing against the stone. Shaun, Natasha, and Sabastian exchanged bewildered glances.
"What's his problem?" Natasha muttered.
As they finally moved to follow the others, none of them noticed the shadow on the far balcony of the Royal Crown. A boy leaned lazily against the railing, half-hidden in darkness. His eyes, cold and calculating, tracked Shaun and his companions with silent intensity.
**********
The sun dipped low over Silver Heaven Academy as the disciples' tour finally came to an end. One by one, they departed the Silver Heaven Academy, their voices alive with excitement, already dreaming of the battles and lectures that awaited them tomorrow.
But elsewhere, in the quiet solitude of her private chamber in the academy, Lady Katherine Dragonblade sat in simmering rage. Her nails drummed against the armrest of her chair, each strike sharp as her thoughts replayed the day.
"Shaun Thunderhawk—you insolent peasant boy—daring to speak of dreams beyond his station and to challenge my teaching methods. And Maya—you ever-righteous Grandmaster—supporting him, even daring to defy me, Katherine, in front of others?"
Katherine's lips curled into a snarl. "If not for Master Kunochi's interference, I would have silenced them both where they stood and showed them their right place."
She rose, pacing across the lavish chamber, her silken gown trailing like the tongue of a serpent. But then she stopped, a cruel smile creeping across her face.
"Maya… you always get in my way, aren't you? Then enjoy your throne while you can. One day, I will strip you of your titles, your dignity—everything. You'll kneel before me, powerless, begging for mercy at my feet. The Dragonblade name still reigns, and my brother sits upon the Emperor's throne. You cannot hide behind your academy forever."
Her words lingered, heavy and venomous. Slowly, her thoughts shifted, her smile curving into something colder.
"And that little commoner boy…" she scoffed. "So arrogant. So foolish. He thinks he can find happiness here? I'll see to it his days in this academy become miserable. He will regret ever setting foot in Silver Heaven Academy. Like the others before him, he will break, and he will leave mid-term, crawling back to whatever mud village he came from."
A vicious laugh spilled from her lips, echoing off the chamber walls, dark and venomous.
"None defy the Dragonblade family and walk unscathed. None."
**********