Looks like everyone is really going at it...
Riley leaned back slightly as he scanned across the countless holographic screens hovering before him, each one showing a different sector of the colosseum.
I guess most of them got influenced by the academy’s offer.
From the outer rings to the central stages, dozens of battles were unfolding at once — a chaotic storm of mana bursts, elental clashes, and students desperately proving themselves.
Although the clash between Flam and Stacia dominated the main screen and had essentially been declared the opening fight of the festival, Riley could see fights happening left and right all across the arena complex.
Smaller skirmishes flickered in the corners of the projection: first-years attempting to impress scouts, third-years clashing to maintain their rankings, and even the support-type students struggling to hold their ground.
It made sense why Stacia and Flam’s duel was so heavily showcased though; both were the undisputed top contenders of their respective years.
A battle of that magnitude essentially overshadowed everything else.
"Riley..."
"Yes?" he answered without shifting his gaze.
"That flaming junior... isn’t she the one you trained a few months ago?"
Riley nodded at Seo’s quiet question.
Seo let out a soft, thoughtful hum — a sound almost too subtle to be heard — her eyes narrowing faintly as though analyzing every detail on the screen.
Despite the lack of visible emotion as usual, Riley could tell she was genuinely interested.
Right now, Seo sat beside him, their hands clasped tightly together.
Their fingers were interlocked so naturally it seed as if neither planned to let go any ti soon.
Students sitting around them weren’t exactly discreet about their reactions.
Many subtly winced, others glanced away with forced indifference, and a few sighed in envy or annoyance.
But none of them dared speak out loud — after all, who would complain within arm’s reach of Seo and Riley?
Seo continued watching the battle with unnerving intensity, her emotionless expression unchanged despite the red-hot flas and violent winds exploding across the central arena.
Her gaze followed every blurred movent, every clash of mana — precise and calculating, like a predator analyzing potential prey or a craftsman admiring a piece of high-level technique.
"She’s gotten a lot stronger since then..."
"Yeah... she did."
Seo narrowed her eyes at the replay on the screen. "Did you teach her?"
"No. Not at all," Riley answered.
The footage from Sector A continued playing—highlights of Stacia’s fight with Flam looping in slow motion.
Riley and Seo both leaned in a little when Stacia made that sharp twisting step, her blade dragging a thin arc of mana through the air.
"...That," Seo muttered.
Riley nodded. "I saw it too."
[The Hidden Blade Technique.]
A style that belonged only to the Gyeoul clan—Seo’s clan. Passed down in secret, only to direct family mbers or to soone the clan specifically approved.
Outsiders weren’t supposed to even know it’s fundantals, much less use it.
Stacia’s version was rough—missing pieces, slightly off balance, clearly adjusted to work with her flaming mana.
t looked more like an improvised third-form instead of the real thing.
But it was undeniably the technique. The pattern of movent was too exact to be coincidence.
Riley wondered how she managed to pull it off.
Sure, she had watched him train back when he was still her ntor, but learning the Hidden Blade just by observing the motions was practically impossible.
Even he struggled with it when Seo first taught him the basics.
"She’s interesting..." Seo mumbled, her voice low.
Riley studied her expression. Seo wasn’t angry—not even bothered, actually. If anything, she looked... intrigued. Maybe even a little impressed.
Whatever she felt about Stacia using a clan-only technique, it definitely wasn’t sothing negative.
Though Riley wondered how the other mbers of Seo’s family would react.
Although he doesn’t know how Aera, Hajey nor Bom will react.
Master will probably only find it interesting....
Riley could already picture it—his master, Beon, Seo’s grandfather, setting up so "coincidental" eting with Stacia, or maybe even showing up in disguise just to test her.
The old man hated being bored, and soone like Stacia—soone who managed to imitate a Gyeoul sword form on instinct—would absolutely catch his eye.
Since the old man was confird to be hanging around the academy during this whole event, there was no way he didn’t see the fight between Stacia and Flam.
A battle like that... Beon wouldn’t miss it for the world.
...But then why didn’t he try to et ?
Riley sighed in his head. Knowing Beon’s personality, it was weird.
But at the sa ti, Riley was grateful the old man didn’t show up out of nowhere.
After all, Beon was basically the walking definition of "overprotective."
If he knew how close Riley and Seo had gotten—let alone the fact Seo was officially one of Riley’s fiancées now—Riley doubted the old guy would just let him live in peace.
Then suddenly, Seo’s grip tightened around Riley’s hand.
Riley glanced at her and smiled slightly. Even if she wasn’t the type to openly show emotions, he could feel how excited she was.
Since both he and Seo were competitors in sector B, all they needed to do was win their individual matches.
Then they’d get the chance to face the winners from sector A.
And while the chances of Seo fighting Stacia directly weren’t that high—there were a ton of contestants this year—Seo only needed to file a direct duel request.
If she wanted that fight badly enough, all she had to do was put in the paper and the match would be arranged.
"The third match for Sector B is about to begin! Ladies and gentlen, please welco the academy’s most popular figure!" the announcer shouted, and the entire stadium reacted at once.
"A man surrounded by scandals and controversies! A guy with more nicknas than friends! Soone the whole academy labels as foul and dangerous! They say one look from him can steal your girl—so all of you out there, hold your lovers tight! Let us welco... Riley Heeelllll!!"
At that over-the-top introduction, Riley slowly raised a brow.
He understood the announcers were supposed to hype the crowd with ridiculous exaggerations—but this was on a whole other level.
And the worst part? Most of it wasn’t even fully wrong. Still... wasn’t it a bit too much?
"I guess it’s your turn now, Riley..." Seo said beside him.
"Yeah."
Riley stood up and gently released her hand.
"I’ll be back in a mont."
"Okay... take care."
With a small nod, Riley stepped onto the stage.
His steps were light, calm, almost lazy—completely unfazed by the roaring crowd calling his na, booing, cheering, or whispering gossip.
Kagami got the fastest record finish today, huh...
A faint, hidden smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He didn’t plan on beating her ti, but the idea wasn’t unpleasant.
He shifted his gaze forward.
His opponent stood at the center—so top-ranked student from a foreign academy.
The guy had a spear raised defensively, his grip tight, his stance trembling just slightly.
His eyes flickered between fear and determination as he stared at Riley, almost unable to decide if he should attack or run.
The tension in the air rose instantly.
Riley didn’t even release any aura, yet the boy already looked like he was fighting his survival instincts.
Riley could tell the guy was strong... under normal circumstances, he was probably soone who could’ve made it far in the tournant.
His stance wasn’t sloppy, his mana was steady, and summoning Valeria right at the start ant he wasn’t underestimating Riley at all.
It’s a sha, Riley thought.
But I need you to be the one who sets my standard for now, random guy...
Across from him, the foreign student swallowed hard, gripping his spear as Valeria’s spirit shimred behind him. Even from a distance Riley could see the nervous twitch in the guy’s fingers.
"Are both contestants ready!?"
The announcer’s voice echoed through the arena, trying to hype the crowd that was already buzzing with anticipation.
"Let the battle begin!"
The mont the signal dropped—
—a blue flash burst across the stage.
It was so fast most people didn’t even process that Riley had moved.
When the blinding light faded, the arena fell dead silent.
Riley’s opponent... was already cut apart in several clean, smooth pieces, his form dissolving into faint golden particles as the ergency bracelet activated and teleported him out of the field.
It didn’t even take a full second.
The crowd just stared, jaws slack, everyone trying to understand what happened. So people hadn’t even seen Riley draw his weapon.
The announcer froze for a solid heartbeat before snapping out of it.
"W-Winner—R-Riley Hell!!!!"
Even that sounded confused.
Riley simply exhaled, sheathing his blade as he walked off the stage.
On the holographic screen beside the exit, his new record ti flashed brightly.
The fastest battle ending in the competition’s entire history.
Just like that.
A small, satisfied smile tugged at his lips as he stepped backstage.
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