Mana gathered around Aspen's sword.
At first, it was little more than a thin blue shimmer clinging to Miden's blade. It flickered unsteadily, like a flame struggling to catch. Aspen inhaled slowly as he held miden with an upright stance and the glow deepened. The air around him began to vibrate, pressure building in subtle waves that rippled across the arena floor.
He stepped forward.
Miden was held upright, both hands firm on the hilt, the tip resting lightly against the stone. His stance was simple—no flourish, no wasted movement—but there was weight behind it. Mana continued to pour into the sword, responding as if it had been waiting for this moment.
Across the arena, Telford laughed.
The sound was sharp and mocking, echoing off the high stone walls.
"I'm going to put you down once and for all," he said, rolling his shoulders as crimson light bled through his scales.
His tail lashed violently, cracking the air. Draconic mana erupted from his body in heavy bursts, raw and unstable, forcing nearby spectators to shield their faces. The ground beneath him groaned as pressure mounted.
"Supreme Skill—Hyper Dragonic Burst!"
The declaration thundered across the arena.
Mana exploded outward from Telford, compressing into a violent crimson mass that spiraled around his body like a storm ready to tear itself apart. The heat alone warped the air. Cracks spidered across the arena floor as chunks of stone lifted, trembling under the force of his power.
Aspen did not move.
He stood firmly
Mana surged.
It flooded Miden all at once—too fast, too dense. The blue glow flared violently, then burst outward in a blinding flash. The sword screamed as power took shape, no longer content to remain contained.
Wings unfolded.
A massive phoenix of blue mana erupted from the blade, its form towering high above the arena. Ethereal feathers scattered like sparks as its wings stretched wide, spanning the battlefield. The presence alone crushed downward, forcing even high-ranking spectators to tense under its weight.
The sky darkened.
Not from clouds—but from pressure. Spirit waves rolled outward in heavy pulses, slamming into the arena walls and rattling the stands. Barriers flared instinctively as officials reinforced the field.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
His voice was steady.
"Miden Supreme Technique— Heavenly hellish Downfall."
The phoenix screamed.
It dove.
At the same moment, Telford released his attack.
The Dragonic Burst roared forward, a torrent of crimson energy meant to annihilate everything in its path. The collision shook the arena violently—blue and red crashing together in a deafening explosion of power.
For a heartbeat, the forces resisted one another.
Then the balance snapped.
Aspen's attack crushed through.
The phoenix tore into the Dragonic Burst, ripping it apart as if it were fragile glass. The remaining force slammed directly into Telford, engulfing him completely.
His roar was cut short.
The impact detonated across the arena, a shockwave ripping through stone and air alike. Telford's body was hurled backward, smashing into the far wall with catastrophic force.
Stone shattered.
A deep slash carved across his chest as blood sprayed against the wall behind him. His body slid down slowly, strength gone, eyes vacant.
Unconscious.
As the mana dissipated, Telford's form shifted, reverting to his normal dragonoid state. He hit the ground heavily and did not move.
Silence fell.
The phoenix dissolved into scattered light, the blue glow fading as the pressure lifted from the arena.
Aspen staggered.
The strength drained from his legs, his vision swimming as exhaustion slammed into him all at once. He planted Miden into the stone and leaned against it, using the sword as a crutch to remain standing.
His breathing was rough and uneven.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"The—the winner!" Hen shouted, springing to his feet, eyes wide with disbelief.
"The winner of the first duel is—Aspen!"
The arena exploded.
Cheers crashed together like a tidal wave. Demons roared their approval. Vampires applauded with sharp smiles. Dragonoids slammed fists against stone, tails lashing in excitement.
Tenmaru let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"That's my teacher," Rin screamed.
The Dragonoid Medic Squad rushed into the arena, moving quickly but carefully. They lifted Telford onto a stretcher first, then guided Aspen away as his knees finally threatened to give out.
As both fighters were carried off, the noise gradually settled.
Hen cleared his throat and reached into the box beside him, pulling out another card.
"The next match," he announced, "is between the Fourth Rank of the Draconics—Sefra, the Phantom Tricks."
A female dragonoid rose from her seat near Tenmaru's group.
She stretched lazily, rolling her shoulders as if she were merely standing up from a nap. Her expression was calm—borderline bored—as she stepped forward.
Whispers spread quickly.
"So you're a Draconic," Volic muttered.
Sefra ignored him and entered the arena, eyes half-lidded.
Hen raised his hand again.
"Versus—Blist!"
Blist walked forward, shadows already pooling beneath his feet.
"Begin!"
He moved instantly.
"Shadow Technique—Obscure Slashes!"
Blist vanished and reappeared directly in front of Sefra. Blades of condensed darkness tore toward her from multiple angles, each strike aimed to kill.
None of them landed.
A translucent barrier flared into existence around her, each slash rebounding harmlessly.
Sefra yawned.
"I'm guessing this is all you've got," she said. "I would've preferred fighting the commander instead."
Her hand lifted.
"Unique Skill—Spiral Torrent."
Wind howled.
A violent tornado formed around Blist, lifting him off the ground and spinning him violently through the air. Shadows scattered as his body was dragged along by the rotation.
"I've had enough of this," Blist snarled.
He vanished.
In the next instant, he emerged from Sefra's shadow, blade thrusting toward her thigh. She twisted away just in time—the strike grazing her instead of piercing cleanly.
Still, she coughed blood.
"Did you really think I'd fight fair?" Blist muttered.
"Mamagedon Cascade."
Dark poison surged through her veins, crawling beneath her skin.
Sefra blinked.
Then smiled.
"That's interesting."
Her outer skin peeled away violently, shedding like a broken shell. Beneath it, her body reformed in seconds—uninjured, the poison gone as if it had never existed.
Blist's eyes narrowed.
"Unique Skill—Shadow Doubles."
"Shadow Technique—Paradine."
Multiple copies of Blist emerged, surrounding her as shadow blades rained down from every direction.
"Spiral Technique—Tumble Twister."
The vortex tore through the battlefield, flinging every clone away like debris.
Blist appeared behind her—
"Phantom Tricks Seven—Body Warp."
"Phantom Tricks One—Gamble Knockout."
Their positions switched instantly.
Sefra slammed Blist into the ground with crushing force. The arena floor shattered beneath him as blood burst from his mouth.
"Supreme Skill—Lust."
"Lust Technique—Crass Fumes."
Smoke poured from his body, spreading rapidly.
"Are you trying to enchant me?" Sefra asked calmly.
"Hm, not really," Blist replied.
"Shadow Technique—Interdimensional Slashes."
He vanished and reappeared behind her, blade slicing cleanly through her arm.
"I was planning to cut your whole body," he said. "But you dodged."
"You have good eyes," Sefra replied. "But not good enough."
Blood poured from Blist's chest.
He froze—realizing she had cut him during his own strike.
"Lust Technique—Cris Crast Fluctuation."
"Shadow Technique—Obsidian Drift."
His speed surged. He dodged her counters, landed precise hits, forcing her back step by step.
Sefra steadied herself.
"Either way," she said quietly,
"I wasn't expecting you to push me this far."
She vanished.
"Phantom Tricks Eighteen—Savant."
She appeared directly before him.
Her hand pierced through his chest.
Blist coughed violently, blood flooding his mouth as he collapsed onto the stone.
"Lust Technique—stand down!" Misha shouted. "Remember what I told you!"
Blist went cold as he landed on the floor.
Hen raised his voice.
"The winner of Duel Two—without surprises—is Sefra!"
The arena roared once more.
And the tournament continued.