The children couldn't take their eyes off Yuen. Amid their astonished gazes, it was clear that Alvionna's plans had long needed to change. But by now, it was too late. For Yuen had already donned his armor, lance in hand, charging on horseback straight toward Bastor.
Bastor was struggling. Its body was on the verge of shattering, ready to collapse at any moment. Alvionna realized this and withdrew the rune stone from Bastor's core. Deprived of its barrier magic, the massive mechanical body soon fell apart into pieces.
Yuen's friends thought the match was now in his favor. But Alvionna stepped forward, her voice calm and sharp:
— Defeating my tank doesn't mean you've defeated me. I trust you understand.
Her words sharpened Yuen's gaze once more. Alvionna raised her hands toward Bastor's remains. The fragments trembled, lifting into the air as the audience watched with bated breath. At last, they assembled into a chain weapon—a Kusarigama (originating from 14th–17th century Japan; Kusari = chain, Kama = sickle).
Yuen spurred his horse forward again. This time, however, he was met by the wizard automaton's fireballs and the ear-splitting roar of the dinosaur. With the strength of his armor, he deflected them both. Alvionna's plan had failed. Frowning, she called the dinosaur to her side and whispered something into its ear.
Moments later, the sky thundered with beating wings. The dinosaur soared upward. Yuen quickly unleashed "Water Bullet" to strike it down, but the beast deflected the attack and dropped an object from above.
— A smoke bomb…
Dense fog enveloped Yuen in seconds. The wizard wasted no time, casting fire magic. The mist ignited, erupting into a massive explosion that shook the arena.
Yuen had taken heavy damage. He fell to his knees, his mana draining rapidly, his vision dimming. His armor splintered, his horse fading into nothingness.
Then a voice rang out:
— Get up, YUEN!!
It was Selion. Yuen's eyes shot open. Gathering every last drop of strength, he poured his entire mana into forming a colossal Water Bullet.
Alvionna, equally resolute, raised her hand. All her remaining robots disassembled. She pulled the rune stone from the wizard's staff, the fragments swirling and fusing together until they became a terrifying weapon: a fusion blaster.
Everything would be decided by this final clash. Yuen's Water Bullet grew immense, while Alvionna's weapon blazed with power. The spectators held their breath. Even Headmaster Gareth stood frozen, waiting.
And then—the spells were unleashed.
The heavens split, the arena drowned in a blinding light. For a brief moment, rain poured from the sky.
Silence.
Everyone wondered who had won. When the smoke cleared, Yuen lay unconscious on the ground. Alvionna knelt on one knee, gasping for breath.
Headmaster Gareth announced, his voice trembling:
— T-The winner… from Class 1/B… ALVIONNA!
The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices shaking the very air. Alvionna drew a deep breath and whispered to herself:
— A far tougher opponent than I expected…
And in the end, only the scent of rain lingered on the battlefield.