-Kwang!
A brilliant burst of golden light filled the room inside Killian Hall, one of the academy's most prestigious dormitories for top students.
What had monts ago been a quiet, tranquil space now humd with the aftereffects of potent mana.
Seated in the center, a female student slowly opened her eyes, the soft glow of her golden mana fading as she erged from her ditative trance.
Rose Brilliance, the golden child, radiated an air of composure.
'My mana is now similar in quality to the power I wielded in that world....'
She mused recalling the strength and power she had wielded in Cheshire's domain.
Her delicate fingers traced the fabric of her dress as she instinctively adjusted the flow of mana within her, sensing the stabilization of her mana circles.
With each gentle inhale and exhale, she could feel its power settling, harmonizing with the other circles that defined her formidable magical prowess.
Even for Rose, one of the academy's most gifted students, each new circle was a significant achievent, but today her thoughts drifted away from her usual focus on growth and discipline.
"Should I just forfeit...?"
Rose mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, though laced with a weight that belied the simplicity of the question.
She furrowed her brows, contemplating the best course of action for the upcoming battle.
She could feel the distant vibrations of excitent from the colosseum outside, even though it was far away.
Her mana sense picked up on the shouts and cheers that echoed through the academy grounds, and she knew without a doubt that her match was looming ever closer.
And the thought of it unsettled her.
Rose didn't like it.
She didn't like it one bit.
She didn't like the idea of standing across from Riley.
'I don't want to hurt him....'
Her feelings for him had grow significant over the past sesters to the point that the thought of hurting him pains her in ways she hadn't known before.
She had realized this fact all the way back to the ti Dorothy sohow kidnapped him. Rose stood in front of the mirror, her reflection showing a girl deep in thought.
The white dress she'd been wearing monts ago now lay folded neatly on her bed, replaced by a simple white shirt, her academy blazer, and a dark grey scarf that added a touch of elegance to her otherwise plain outfit.
A white jacket draped over her shoulders, giving her a sense of warmth, but no amount of layering could protect her from the inner turmoil swirling inside.
She didn't want to hurt Riley.
That much was clear.
Despite her usual confidence and composed deanor, the idea of actually clashing with him in today's duel unsettled her.
It wasn't that she doubted her own strength-far from it.
She knew she was strong, and Riley, too, had proven his strength ti and again.
But the thought of pushing him too far, of causing him harm, made her hesitate in a way she never had with any other opponent.
But then again, wasn't it equally disrespectful to hold back?
She had already promised to fight him today.
Accepting the duel had been a decision she made in the heat of the mont, perhaps out of pride, perhaps out of curiosity.
Whatever the reason, backing out now would be dishonorable.
Yet, the safest option would still be to walk away.
But...
"He'll probably hate ," Rose muttered to herself, her voice tinged with frustration.
She shook her head, banishing the thought as soon as it crossed her mind.
Sigh...
Rose let out a long breath, her thoughts running in circles.
....
"Riley Hell, Rose Brilliance-please co on stage!!"
The arena exploded in cheers, a roar of excitent filling the space. Above us, holographic screens lit up, displaying our nas and ranks for everyone to see.
[Riley Hell - Knight Departnt Rank 2] VS [Rose Brilliance - Magic Departnt Rank 2]
Is she alright?
Walking up to the stage, I couldn't help but glance at Rose. It was ti for our match, but sothing felt... off.
Aside from the usual nod of greeting she gave , she seed distant, her usual confidence replaced with sothing more reserved. Did sothing happen?
The crowd's energy was electric, the atmosphere charged with anticipation as the announcer's voice bood across the coliseum.
This was it-our duel.
Rose and I separated, taking our respective positions on opposite ends of the stage. I stood on the right, my heart steadying as I faced her across the field.
Rose, on the left, seed composed as ever, but there was a flicker of sothing in her eyes that hadn't been there before.
Given that this was a rare knight-versus-mage duel, certain rules had to be adjusted to make
the battle fair.
Normally, opponents were separated by five to ten ters at the start, but in this case, Rose, being a mage, needed at least twenty ters of distance to properly prepare her spells.
It was within the standard qualifications for such a match, but honestly, I doubted it would have mattered.
Rose could cast spells without even a chant-distance wasn't really a problem for soone of
her caliber.
I took a deep breath, readying myself, my eyes never leaving her figure.
She looked calm, focused, but sothing still didn't sit right. I wondered, just for a mont,
if she really wanted to be here.
And then, out of the blue, her voice cut through the tension.
"Riley... I won't hold back, okay?"
The way she said it-soft but determined-caught off guard.
I looked at her, trying to read her expression, but all I could see was resolve.
Whatever doubts I had lted away. This was Rose, after all. She wouldn't have co this far
if she wasn't prepared to give it her all.
A small smile crept onto my face, and I nodded, giving her the reassurance she needed.
"Please do,"
Because I won't hold back either.
"Begin!"
The announcer's call echoed through the arena, and before the word had fully registered, my body was already moving, every skill in my arsenal activated and firing on all cylinders. This was it-the mont I had trained for. There was no need to hold back now.
Skills activated in a chain reaction:
[Piercing Strike!] [Proficiency (97%)] → [Activated.]
[Mana Amplification] [Proficiency (97%)] → [Activated.]
[Ti Dilation] [Proficiency (99%)] → [Activated.]
[Dash] [Proficiency (85%)] → [Activated.]
[Heavy Strike] [Proficiency (85%)] → [Activated.]
[Thought Acceleration] [Proficiency (40%)] → [Activated.]
[Flash Step] [Proficiency (55%)] → [Activated.]
[Blood Rampage (Rare)] [Proficiency (18%)] → [Activated.]
[Golden Lightning] [Proficiency (15%)] → [Activated.] Every part of surged with energy.
Bluish mana coated my body, shimring against the golden lightning that danced around
, crackling with raw power.
My senses sharpened, ti seemingly slowed to a crawl as my perception expanded.
In this heightened state, I could see every detail, every subtle movent Rose made.
And then, there she was-calm, collected, with her wand already raised toward . Her mana surged, pouring into the tip of her wand like a flowing river.
I could feel the weight of her power manifesting, not just from the wand, but from the multiple sources of mana gathering around her, swirling into existence.
She wasn't just casting a spell-she was commanding the battlefield.
No incantations.
No weaving of signs.
No drawn runes.
Just pure, instinctive magic.
It was as if the mana obeyed her without question, bending to her will effortlessly.
This was the kind of mage Rose was soone who didn't just control magic, but beca it.
I could tell from the mana buildup what spell was forming-her signature move, the mid- grade light magic: [Luminous Spear].
Multiple spears of pure light magic would materialize in an instant, each one capable of piercing through barriers and armor alike.
A spell that had taken down countless opponents she had faced before.
But I had no ti to admire her skill.
In this battle, every fraction of a second counted.
Fighting Rose was like fighting a mage version of Seo-ti was always of the essence.
If I hesitated for even a mont, it would be over.
I know I can't let her finish her spell.
My mind raced as I launched forward, my body moving like an arrow shot from a bow.
Every muscle in my fra was working in perfect harmony, the distance between us closing in
a matter of monts.
My blade, glowing with the power of [Piercing Strike], flew toward her wand, aiming to sever
her connection to the spell before it could be unleashed.
Swoosh-!!!
Rose's eyes widened, just for a fraction of a second, as she realized how quickly I'd closed the
gap between us. But to my surprise, she didn't flinch.
The spells she had been weaving didn't falter, and neither did the calm, resolute expression
on her face.
I was only inches away from her now, my sword practically grazing her wand when it
happened.
Suddenly, my body froze.
"Wha-?"
A series of red magic circles flared to life around , glowing with a translucent, almost eerie,
red energy.
It enveloped in an instant, forming a barrier-a magical orb-trapping inside.
My limbs wouldn't move.
The mana that had been flowing so freely through felt stifled, blocked by the strange
power surrounding .
What the hell?!
Is this celestial magic?
Rose's soft voice cut through the chaos. "Gotcha..."
"Huh?" I barely had ti to process her words, my mind still scrambling to figure out what
had happened.
She had set a trap, one I hadn't even sensed in my heightened state.
And before I could even think to react-
KWOOOSHHH!!!
A burst of energy erupted from the red magic circles, the barrier around pulsing as it
detonated with incredible force.
I was thrown backward, the explosive power knocking the air from my lungs and sending
hurtling across the stage.
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