The shrill whistle signaling the start of the battle echoed through the arena. Sara, moving with precise and composed motions, summoned a line of stone golems that rose from the ground, forming a solid defensive barrier. On the opposite side, the rival mage retaliated by launching brilliant fireballs that exploded violently against the stone figures, yet barely managed to erode their surface. While her opponent wasted energy on those ineffective attacks, Sara remained calm, already focusing her mana and whispering the words for her next spell, determined to end the fight swiftly.
"Oy, James, Sara is a brilliant strategist," Azrael commented as he watched closely."Yes, that is true. How curious," James replied. "It looks like this battle will not last very long."
Having completed her incantation, Sara made a firm gesture with her hands. Instantly, several robust, earthen arms erupted from the arena floor, catching the opposing mage by surprise and beginning to tighten with relentless force. With a clear and severe voice, Sara warned her that if she did not surrender, those arms would crush her without mercy. Faced with the suffocating pressure and the obvious danger, the mage had no choice but to accept defeat.
"What a surprise! What exactly was that?" Azrael asked, his face reflecting deep bewilderment."I have no idea," James admitted, "but that attack looked incredible.""Come on, Azrael, we should congratulate Sara on her victory," James suggested.
Sara exited the stadium, feeling the fatigue caused by her intense concentration. Halfway down the path, her steps became unstable, and she began to sway from side to side, as if the world were spinning around her. At that very moment, Azrael and James reached her, spotting her just as her legs gave out. Quickly, they grabbed her by the arms and guided her to a nearby open area where fresh air could circulate freely.
"Hey, Sara, you were amazing," James said, wearing a wide and genuinely excited smile.Azrael added, his tone filled with respectful admiration, "You really are incredible, Sara."
She felt warmth from James's praise and slight surprise at Azrael's recognition, as he was usually much more reserved. Despite her exhaustion, a sense of accomplishment washed over her, along with the certainty that she had just gained two true friends.
The three of them then headed to watch the next battle, a duel between two swordsmen. As the fighters prepared themselves, something caught their attention: one of them wore an intricate necklace, an unmistakable symbol of a family with great influence and power within the kingdom.
"That is Jack, the so-called unparalleled talent," James mentioned, a noticeable hint of fear in his eyes."Uh… but he does not look very strong; he is quite skinny, James. Maybe you are mistaken," Azrael suggested uneasily, trying to downplay it."Yes, James, I do not think that could be that Jack," Sara agreed, a chill running down her spine.
The battle began with the familiar whistle. What they witnessed next left them breathless. The slender young man, who appeared extremely fragile, suddenly moved with supernatural speed, as if vanishing and reappearing in an instant. In the blink of an eye, before his opponent could even raise his sword to guard, the rival's arms had already been severed with surgical precision. Almost at the same moment, the skinny boy was back in his original position, only to turn around and calmly walk toward the stadium exit, as if nothing had happened.
"Hahahaha," laughed the academy director, rubbing his hands together in delight. "It seems that this year, the academy will receive a great number of exceptional talents," he commented, a smile lighting up his entire face.
"W-what… what was that? Did you manage to see anything?" Azrael asked, his voice filled with astonishment, his skin visibly covered in goosebumps."N-no… I did not see anything," James and Sara murmured in unison, unable to control the tremor running through their bodies.
At that very moment, an announcement summoned Azrael for his own match, pitting him against a rising talent from the south. Still shaken by what he had witnessed but determined not to fail, Azrael headed toward the arena, steeling himself fiercely to win the battle, no matter the cost.