The world snapped back with a screech of metal, the wolf’s body hitting the ground sending a tremor through my arms and into my jaw. I clung, white-knuckled, to the hilt of my sword, chest heaving, muscles burning from the effort. For a moment, only my ragged breathing and the hammer of my pulse filled my ears. The entire arena—tens of thousands of people—all completely silent.

  Victoria’s eyes went wide—my powerful cleave had clearly caught her off guard. Her stoic mask snapped back into pce, but not before she gave a small approving nod. Kier, meanwhile, was doubled over, ughter taking over.

  Then—the first shout. Another followed. And another.

  The silence shattered under the sudden flood of sound, the crowd erupting in thunderous cheers. Louder. Wilder. A chaotic howl greater than anything that had come before.

  The announcer’s voice bsted over the noise, cracking with excitement. “Unbelievable! An incredible dispy of speed and power from the second-year Luna! With an official time of... forty-nine seconds! Aegis Academy takes first pce!”

  First pce? First... Beat him. We actually beat him.

  I wobbled to my feet, doing my best not to make Victoria’s earlier jinx come to fruition. Still trembling from the adrenaline, I yanked at my sword, partially stuck in the frozen ground.

  “Well,” Kier’s voice was ced with that infuriating mockery, “I did ask you to hit the monster, but you tried to bring the whole pce down. I gotta say, though... you do make a good human arrow.”

  I gave him a toothy, sarcastic smile. But before I could think of a cheeky counter, another pair of boots stopped in front of me.

  “I agree, let’s keep this strategy in our books. Maybe we can make use of it ter.” Victoria joined in on the teasing.

  The mood was light until her eyes caught the deep trench my sword had carved into the arena floor. The humor faded as she walked its length toward me.

  Oh, I know that look, she’s gonna try to make this a lecture.

  She was silent. I braced, waiting for it. But she just continued staring at the gouge. Her grey eyes finally met mine, soft. Her posture rexed, chest slightly heaving, the strictly professional mask gone. There was no critique this time, no analysis.

  “... Good job, Luna. Are you alright?” she asked, her voice mushier than I’d ever heard.

  Caught off guard, I just stared at her, head tilted like a confused puppy.

  She looked from me to the magical scoreboard where our names now sat at the top, proof of our first-pce performance. A slow smile spread across her face. It wasn’t the smirk I knew—something alien, something... real.

  “First pce,” she breathed, a half ugh, half awe. “You actually did it.” She reached her hand out to me, and said in fond murmur. “Reckless pn for a reckless idiot.”

  Victoria’s hand eventually fell away as my body calmed and I found my bance, the warmth lingering for a moment. The excitement of the crowd was a muffled beast behind us as we turned and headed back toward the exit tunnel, leaving the chaos behind. Kier fell into step beside me, still chuckling to himself.

  For once, I didn’t feel like snapping at him. My mind was still stuck on repying Victoria’s words, her smile. Reckless pn for a reckless idiot. Coming from a stickler like her, it was like the highest praise I’d ever received.

  We’d just stepped inside the chilly stone of the main corridor when a group blocked our path, and my good mood instantly evaporated. One of my least favorite people, Cedric, stood there. His arms were crossed, and his face like granite. A few other instructors and some seniors I’d never met fnked him.

  Great. My shoulders tensed. The victory tour sted thirty seconds—now it was definitely lecture time.

  But, just like before, the lecture never came. One of the instructors, a man whom I’d maybe met but didn’t remember, stepped forward, beaming. “An incredible show! We knew there was no way our Aegis could lose to Astaria.”

  Another instructor nodded at Victoria and Kier. “Coordination was fwless—a textbook distraction and ingenious combination. Well done.”

  The praise was just noise, I was still focused on my scowling match with Cedric. It had been nearly half a year since I’d st had to deal with him. He stopped right in front of me, his stature still shadowing me despite my height. His gaze was intense, measuring my worth as a weapon rather than a student.

  “Cadet Luna,” he began. “Never in my years have I seen such an undisciplined, strategically unsound maneuver performed in this arena.”

  He paused, still looking down at me. I decided to try a new approach this time. I dropped my gaze, shoulders slumped, and pointed to the companion at my side. No way he doesn’t fall for this.

  “She made me do it!” I blurted out, words spewing out in an indignant whine.

  Victoria’s head whipped to me, her eyes wide with pure shock and scrutiny. Another new face I’d never seen her make. If looks could kill. Beside her, Kier choked on a ugh, quickly trying to py it off like a cough.

  Cedric’s stone-faced expression didn’t falter one bit; apparently immune to my act.

  “It was also the most effective,” he continued, still stern. “Do not mistake a successful gamble for proper technique... but a victory is a victory. Well done.

  He gave us a small nod. “Don’t let this go to your heads. Round two will be a true test of teamwork and strategy. Take a break. Prepare.” He just turned and walked away after that. The other instructors and cadets did the same after a few more words.

  My mind was spinning. Um, what the fuck? Did Cedric just praise me? And he only lectured for a few seconds? I must have actually smmed into that wall and passed out. This is a dream.

  As soon as they were all gone, Kier finally succumbed to his ughter. “He’s not wrong, you know. Undisciplined is one word I’d describe it as.”

  Victoria was trying to kill me with her eyes, clearly not pleased with my little performance. She leaned in and bumped our shoulders. “Luna... don’t do that again.”

  I opened my mouth, ready to try the cuteness act on my new target, Victoria. Hey, it almost worked on Cedric, right?—But my scheme was cut short as another group rounded the corner ahead. This group walked with a pompous confidence that made the mood sour.

  Asher Deylin led his team, with a self-assured strut. The heir of House Deylin and leader of the team from Astaria Royal Academy. The apple of Victoria’s eye... maybe. I’m not sure about that st part, but I don’t like the way he looks.

  “Velstrad,” he said, in an overly formal tone. “That was a captivating victory. I must confess, I was surprised by your performance. However, I never imagined a Velstrad would resort to such an... unrefined strategy. It is one thing to wield a perfect bde, and quite another to simply unleash a savage weapon, hoping it points in the right direction.”

  Okay, he’s definitely insulting us, right? Should I say something?

  I peeked over to Victoria, expecting her to cut him down with those icy words she was famous for. This was her thing; she’d done it to me, after all. She’d never lose at trading veiled insults.

  But she didn’t. Victoria just stood there. Her jaw was clenched and her knuckles tight. She opened her mouth, but only a slight peep came out. The words caught in her throat. She looked... lost. Flustered. The normally professional and calcuting Victoria was reduced to a meek little kitten.

  This was the third new face I’d seen from Victoria today. Genuine smile, shock, and now this... vulnerability.

  And this face made my blood boil.

  Anger surged through me. I moved, sliding in front of her, my body a shield against Asher’s condescending gaze.

  “It’s only a gamble to someone who cks confidence in their team’s strength. Victoria’s strategy wasn’t a gamble; it was trust—something a team that just follows a script wouldn’t understand. But I suppose you know all about that; busy as you are looking up at first pce on the scoreboard.”

  In the corner of my eye, I saw that surprised face of Victoria’s again, and, of course, Kier snickering while nodding along.

  Asher’s false smile didn’t waver, but his eyes were finally on me, judging. He looked me over once, a dismissive scan, before turning his attention back to Victoria as if I were nothing more than a statue.

  “Your weapon has a sharp tongue, Velstrad,” he said, his voice losing none of its smooth composure. “See that you keep it on a leash.”

  He strode away with a flick of his cloak. His trailing teammates just followed after him. Not a single word from them. So creepy. Like a pair of golems.

  Kier let out a low whistle. “Whew. He’s a real charmer.” His mischievous face slipped, repced with a hint of concern as he turned to Victoria. “You good? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Victoria didn’t answer. She just kept staring down the corridor where Asher had disappeared, her expression tight—anger etched deep, but something else beneath it. Hurt.

  Hurt? Really? From him? She’s shrugged off every jab I’ve ever thrown, spat them right back twice as nasty. And yet one line from him and she just... shuts down? No. That wasn’t just an insult. There’s more here. And I’m gonna have to figure it out.

  “Vicky, what’s the matter?” I teased, bumping our shoulders. “No way... Don’t tell me, was he really your knight in shining armor?”

  “Luna. Stop. This isn’t the time.”

  “Oh, it’s absolutely the time,” I pressed, refusing to let go. “You look like he just told you Magic isn’t real. Spill it. What’s the deal?”

  “Because I looked up to him, alright?!” She blurted the words out before she could stop herself. Her breath caught, and she turned away, cheeks flushing with something between fury and shame.

  “Everyone—my family included—always told me to be more like him. I believed it. I believed in him.” Her lips pressed tight, trembling. “And now he’s nothing but venom.”

  My teasing turned to a frown. Oh. So that was it. This wasn’t just an insult from a rival. This was a hero falling off his pedestal.

  “Oh... Well,” I murmured. “He’s a real asshole.”

  Victoria looked at me, her anger vanishing in a single puff of air, half ugh, half sob.

  “Yes, I think you’re right,” she agreed, her shoulders finally rexing. She gave a small smile. “Thank you, Luna.”

  I just nodded, no idea what else I was supposed to say. We stood there for a moment in the chilly corridor, no longer just a leader, a mage, and a wildcard. We were a team. And I just got a shiny new target.

  * * *

  In the magically shielded luxury of the VIP viewing box, the drone of the crowd was a muffled hum. Elira stood unnaturally stiff, hands csping a gss of wine, the drink unable to calm the tension in her gut. Beside her, Commandant Gideon analyzed the field. But it wasn’t Gideon who made her skin prickle. It was the gathering of men seated nearby.

  High General Darius Deylin, imposing, watched the proceedings with the critiquing eye of a frontline commander. Next to him, Duke Lucian, the strongest man on the continent, sat beside him in silence. A massive man, with a frightening presence, he was well over a hundred years old. However, he looked no further than middle-aged; his immense Nexus stage Core a crushing weight in the room.

  The announcement echoed through the arena, calling for Astaria Royal Academy. A wave of murmuring approval swept through the room.

  “That’s the High General’s boy,” someone whispered to another. “They say he’s the most promising talent in a generation.”

  Elira saw High General Darius straighten slightly, the faintest hint of a fatherly smile touched the corner of his lips. On the field, Asher’s team had impeccable execution. Fshing of blows, perfectly timed trap spells, a final, decisive strike from Asher himself. An exempry performance. Over in less than a minute.

  Polite appuse ran through the room. Powerful people from all around offered congratutory comments and nods to Darius, who accepted them all with the confidence of a man whose expectations were fwlessly met.

  Elira’s heart ached. The bar hadn’t just been set; It had been pced atop a mountain.

  The next few teams were a blur of inadequacy and failures. A squad from the northern highnds, all brute strength and no cohesion, was wiped out in minutes. A team of tower mages, too cautious, nearly ran out of time before they barely managed a sloppy subjugation.

  Elira watched all of them, her trained eyes caught every mistake, every moment of hesitation. None of them came close to the bar Astaria had set. None of them had a chance.

  The polite appuse shrank as each team came and went. The politics resumed in quiet murmurs, attentions drifting. The high point of the day, it seemed, had already passed. With each performance, the worry in Elira’s heart grew, her stomach tightened. It was almost Luna’s turn, and now the benchmark was perfection; anything less was public humiliation.

  Then, the announcer’s voice echoed again, pulling her from her worrisome thoughts. “And now, the eleventh challengers of the day—representing our very own Aegis Academy!”

  Elira stiffened at the words. She felt Gideon shift beside her, giving a silent acknowledgment.

  “Led by Victoria Velstrad!”

  A ripple of renewed interest swept through the room. The Velstrad name carried immense weight. Elira saw a few nods. Even High General Darius seemed to perk up at the mention, focus shifting back to the field.

  “And with her—the storm mage Kier Ardent!”

  This name registered little reaction. A powerful mage, but from an unremarkable house. He was another piece on the board, nothing more.

  “And st... Luna of Aegis Academy. A second-year, just sixteen years old. A bde yet to taste battle. Will she break beneath the weight of expectation—or rise to carve her pce in history?”

  A stunned silence captured the room, followed by a flurry of disbelieving whispers. Heads turned, not to the field, but to Commandant Gideon. The politicking completely vanished, repced by open skepticism.

  An older man, portly, in the front row turned in his seat to face the Commandant. “Sixteen, Gideon?” He asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.

  Another official, a woman with angur features, added. “She’s but a child! The summit is for graduating seniors, not children five years their junior. Is this some sort of stunt?”

  A third man, someone Elira recognized from her resistance days, turned his gaze to her. “Major, is that not your child? The girl you found?” His tone was patronizing. “A commendable story of charity, certainly, but this is hardly the pce for her.”

  Elira simply gave a simple confirmation, her eyes fixed on the arena floor where Luna was taking her stance. Her pulse quickened. Just stick to the pn, Luna, she thought, her prayer desperate. Don’t do anything reckless.

  Gideon, however, met their skepticism with conviction, his hands csped. “Talent, dies and gentlemen,” he said firmly, “does not follow a schedule. The girl has earned her pce.”

  On the field, the fight was a blur of strikes. Elira watched, her heart hammering, as Victoria took on the monster solo, her bde fshing in silver arcs. Kier’s wind Magic coiled behind Luna, a shimmering vortex of power. Then Victoria leaped back, and Luna suddenly shot toward the monster.

  She was like a soaring white-haired bolt. She contorted her body, spinning as she brought her sword down. The strike wasn’t clean; it was an explosion. A piercing CRACK shook the very foundations of the viewing box, the cleaved beast exploding in a shower of light.

  The scoreboard fshed the result—forty-nine seconds. First pce.

  The room went dead silent, everyone staring, mouths agape. Their earlier skepticism vaporized into pure shock. Elira saw Darius’s jaw tighten, a slight twitch in his cheek.

  A fierce possessive pride surged through Elira, drowning out her earlier worries. They took first pce. My Luna. But the pride was instantly chased away by a wave of dread. That strike... the sheer output of mana... it was far beyond what a stage four should be capable of. It was more power than Elira had ever witnessed from her, even in their most intense, private training sessions. This was new. This was... her fears.

  A single, booming sound shattered the silence—ughter.

  Laughter.

  A deep, boisterous, delighted ughter. Duke Lucian leaned back in his chair, his massive frame shaking as he ughed. A normal sound made terrifying. The other officials looked at him, startled and confused, as the strongest man on the continent ughed at the dispy of a mere child.

  The ughter subsided, but Duke Lucian’s eted face remained. He leaned forward, the simple movement drawing all eyes. He ignored the fuming High General Deylin and other stunned officials; his eyes nded directly on Commandant Gideon.

  “Well now,” he rumbled, his voice full of genuine amusement. “Where were you hiding this one, Gideon?”

  Elira’s blood ran cold. With one casual question, Duke Lucian, a Nexus stage powerhouse who leads expeditions into the Corrupted Lands, had just painted a target on Luna’s back brighter than any star in the sky.