The Arena, which had been somewhat noisy, fell silent in an instant.
Every eye turned toward the contestants' waiting area.
There, two girls stood up almost simultaneously.
One had gray hair and gray eyes, her posture straight and her gaze as sharp as a blade.
The other had hair as red as fire and a face of stunning beauty, a confident and dazzling smile like the midday sun gracing her features.
Victoria Cecil.
Lilith Kahn.
From the first day they stepped through the gates of Glory Cael Magic Academy, these two names had become the most popular and controversial topics among the freshmen.
As the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Kahn, Lilith Kahn's talent was already known throughout the land.
At just ten years old, she had touched the threshold of Flame Burst—the highest tier of fire magic—and mastered its prototype, shocking the entire Royal Magic Advisory Council.
In the years since, she had advanced rapidly in the path of fire magic. She had not only mastered most low-tier fire spells but had even learned a significant portion of mid-tier fire-shaping magic.
Without a doubt, she was the darling of the flames, a walking firestorm, and a top-tier genius standing at the pinnacle of her peers.
Victoria Cecil, on the other hand, was her polar opposite.
Born a commoner on the border, she had no prestigious family background or abundance of resources. Yet, through her own efforts and startling talent, she had made a stunning debut during the entrance exams.
Her most impressive trait was her incredibly balanced and powerful affinity for the four basic elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. She could perceive and utilize them all!
This meant she was virtually unrestricted by elemental counters, possessing a wide range of tactical options and extreme adaptability.
What some upperclassmen enjoyed discussing even more was the conflict she had with Greg Sass, then the son of a duke, at the beginning of the term.
It was said that during the magic conduit testing phase, she had used her crushing precision and mana output to make Greg, who had tampered with the equipment, look like a fool in public, causing him to lose all face.
While this story hadn't spread widely among the freshmen, it had cast a mysterious "don't mess with her" aura around her among the upperclassmen and well-informed instructors.
The commoner genius rising against the odds versus the royal fire princess.
Their styles were vastly different, yet both commanded equal attention.
Now, these two figures who had stirred up trouble since their arrival were about to engage in an all-out head-to-head duel on the Arena stage!
Anticipation, excitement, curiosity, and scrutiny... various emotions flowed silently through the quiet Arena, nearly thickening into something tangible.
The two girls stepped onto the platform.
Victoria's gray eyes watched Lilith calmly as she spoke first. "I don't know why you spoke up for me before, but I won't hold back because of it."
Her tone was direct, without pleasantries, and showed no sign of constraint or humility despite the other's status as a princess.
To her, the person standing on this stage was simply an opponent, nothing more.
Hearing this, Lilith's ruby-like eyes narrowed slightly, and she tilted her chin up, her pride on full display.
"Hmph, who said I was speaking up for you? I was just saying what I felt, and I don't need you to hold back anyway!"
Their words clashed, neither yielding an inch. From the moment their gazes met, invisible sparks seemed to fly in the air.
It wasn't simple hostility, but rather the intense desire of two well-matched rivals wanting to completely suppress the other and prove themselves.
They seemed like natural enemies, destined to strike the most brilliant sparks in their collision.
Standing at the edge of the stage, Professor Grace Quinn pushed up her rimless glasses, her light brown eyes slowly scanning the two girls.
As a steadfast believer in "strength above all," her focus was always on magical mastery, combat intelligence, and strength of will.
This duel was undoubtedly the match she looked forward to most in this exam.
The commoner-born genius versus the royal-born genius—which one was truly stronger?
Would balanced, comprehensive adaptability prove superior, or would extreme, specialized destructive power take the upper hand?
With a look of slight anticipation, she announced the start.
Once the battle began, Victoria moved first.
Knowing her opponent was extremely skilled in fire magic, she naturally wouldn't choose to go head-to-head with the same element. Instead, she chose a water-attribute spell to launch a probing attack.
"Water Arrow Volley!"
Victoria gave a sharp cry as her mana surged.
Moisture in the air rapidly gathered, condensing into five deep blue, transparent water arrows arranged in a fan shape. With a series of sharp whistles, they shot toward Lilith with incredible speed!
Facing the incoming blue arrows, Lilith showed no panic; instead, her smile widened.
"Child's play!"
She gave a light snort, and the small flame dancing on her fingertip suddenly transformed, turning into a crimson chain made of pure fire!
With a flick of her wrist, the flame chain lashed out, whistling through the air as if it were alive!
She didn't try to strike each water arrow precisely. Instead, she swept it through the air in a searing arc!
Sizzle!
The flame chain collided violently with the group of water arrows!
The high heat clashed fiercely with the cold water element, erupting into a large cloud of scalding white steam with a piercing sound.
All five water arrows were struck by the flame chain almost simultaneously. Their heads vaporized instantly, and their bodies shattered, turning into harmless mist.
In the brief moment the mist obscured her vision, Victoria relied on her excellent combat instincts and footwork to move several steps to the side, narrowly avoiding the lingering sweep of the flame chain.
The end of the chain brushed past the edge of her clothes, bringing a wave of scorching heat.
"Nice reaction," Lilith praised.
Just as Victoria thought Lilith's round of attacks was over and prepared to shift her weight for a counterattack—
Lilith's empty left hand had been raised at some point, her fingers spread and aimed directly at Victoria, who hadn't yet fully regained her footing!
"Flame Arrow Shower!"
Crimson mana light bloomed in her palm!
In an instant, over twenty crimson arrows made entirely of compressed fire materialized out of thin air, their tips all locked onto Victoria!
No chanting, no long preparation, and not even the help of a magic conduit!
A moment later, the twenty-odd fire arrows shot out like a disturbed swarm of bees, covering Victoria in a blanket of scorching air and piercing shrieks!
The attack range was massive, almost sealing off all her room to dodge!
Faced with this strike, a flash of genuine surprise crossed Victoria's gray eyes.
She had thought these young lords and ladies in the capital only knew how to throw magic around haphazardly, but now she was certain this princess was much more troublesome than she had anticipated.
Facing the unavoidable rain of fire, Victoria instantly made a decision.
Her feet planted firmly on the ground, she stopped retreating and slammed both hands onto the floor!
"Earth Wall!"
Boom!
The solid floor of the Arena let out a dull thud. A grayish-brown wall of earth, as tall as Victoria and wide enough to shield her completely, rose from the ground like a shield extended by the earth itself!
The dense rain of fire arrows slammed violently into the earth wall!
Explosions rang out one after another as crimson flames mixed with flying debris. The scorching heat wave spread outward, making the spectators near the stage feel as if their faces were burning.
A few seconds later, the rain of arrows ceased.
The earth wall was battered, covered in scorch marks and pits, but it still stood.
Victoria stepped out from behind the wall, some dust clinging to her gray hair. Her breathing was slightly labored, but her gaze remained calm and sharp.
She waved her hand to withdraw her mana, and the battered earth wall dissolved into pure earth elements, returning to the ground.
On the other side of the stage, Lilith also lowered her palm. Her ruby eyes stared intently at Victoria, her smile still bright, but a trace of unprecedented seriousness and gravity lingered in the depths of her gaze.
She was beginning to believe what Greg had said. If she was too careless, she might actually lose to this person.
So, she decided to be cautious this time.
Not just because of her desire for victory, but also because she didn't want to be mocked by that annoying guy in the dungeon!
Rate on N.U.
