Several more matches passed.
Sparks of magic, steel clashing, and screams of effort filled the training grounds. Blood was spilled, bruises blood, and the arena floor grew more scarred with each fight.
But none of it mattered.
Every student was waiting for one match.
Finally, Otto raised his hand. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but his faint smile made the students’ stomachs tighten.
"Next... Team Seven versus Team Six."
The air shifted imdiately.
Whispers broke out all across the stands.
"Wait, that’s Cassandra’s team!"
"No way... Gray’s group has to fight them already?"
"They’re screwed. Team Six hasn’t lost once."
Gray rose slowly, his rapier glinting faintly as he dragged it across the stone floor. His face was calm as always.
Raven, however, practically vibrated with excitent.
"Yes! Our rivals! The legendary Team Six! This is destiny, Captain! Finally, a match worthy of our legend!"
This ti, Gray didn’t even bother glancing at him, and neither did Lira.
She only adjusted her gloves, her red eyes fixed straight on Cassandra’s group already stepping into the arena.
On the opposite side, Team Six entered with calm, asured steps.
Cassandra spun her scythe in one hand, the long, curved blade humming through the air with frightening ease.
Maelis walked beside her, composed as ever, her very presence heavy, as if gravity itself bowed to her will.
Selene trailed at the rear, her dagger twirling between her fingers, her faint smirk and lidded cyan eyes already sending chills down a few students in the stands.
Otto’s voice echoed across the training ground, amplified by magic.
"This is the match everyone has been waiting for. The so-called strongest team... against the anomaly that tore down the fifth rank."
The students leaned forward, eyes wide.
Gray lifted his rapier lazily, his gaze falling on the three girls.
"Begin."
The world seed to be still for a second
And then...
Swing!
Cassandra’s scythe howled through the air.
Clang!
Gray’s threads hardened into a barrier as he braced with both arms, intercepting the strike head-on.
The impact rang like tal splitting stone, sending sparks and vibrations down to his bones. Cassandra didn’t even flinch, pivoting smoothly on her heel.
Gray, however, slid back two ters across the stone floor, boots scraping.
"That won’t be enough against , Gray!" she grinned excitedly.
Swish!
Her figure blurred, dashing forward, scythe spinning like a whirlpool of steel and darkness.
Gray’s eyes narrowed.
’Fast...’
But before Cassandra’s second strike landed.
FWIP!
Selene appeared from the left, daggers flashing with silver light, her movents almost like a dance.
Her eyes glead with unnatural charm, and her whisper ca soft, too close to his ear.
"Why don’t you stop resisting... and just give in to ?"
Gray’s vision flickered for a second, his heart skipping as if tugged by invisible hands.
But he bared his teeth and snapped his threads outward.
CRACK!
Dozens of strings lashed against the ground, wrapping around Selene’s ankles and wrists mid-spin.
Her seductive sway froze, her smile twitching as her body was yanked sideways.
"Cute trick," Gray muttered.
BOOM!
Selene was slamd against the stone floor, rolling, though she twisted at the last second to avoid being fully pinned.
But Gray had no ti to follow through.
The air suddenly warped.
CRUNCH!
Gravity slamd down like an invisible mountain.
His knees buckled instantly, the stone beneath his boots cracking as Maelis extended her hand.
Her green eyes glowed, long black hair floating around her like she was the center of her own world.
"Stay down, Brother."
Her voice was calm, yet it contained an enormous amount of killing intent; the pressure was so grand that it actually threatened to crush his ribs.
Gray’s body trembled against the weight, blood vessels straining in his neck.
’She’s focusing , huh? Probably trying to pin while Cassandra finishes it.’
And right on cue...
WHOOSH!
The scythe ca down like a guillotine, straight for his skull.
Gray’s lips curved in a small smile.
"[✧Swap✧]"
BLIP!
The mont the blade descended, Raven’s form flickered into Gray’s place, eyes wide as the scythe nearly split him in half.
"WHAT THE HELL, GRAY?!" he scread in surprise, diving backward, the edge missing him by a hair’s breadth.
Gray reappeared three ters away, crouched low, strings flowing from his fingertips.
"Don’t waste your breath. Distract her."
Raven snarled, but Cassandra was already charging after him, scythe carving half-moons in the ground.
Gray moved in silence.
Threads glistened faintly in the air, dozens of nearly invisible lines weaving around Cassandra’s scythe without her noticing.
With every swing she made, they coiled tighter, like a spider web waiting to snap shut.
Maelis noticed first and instantly called out:
"Cassandra!"
Too late.
SNAP!
Gray yanked his hand, and Cassandra’s scythe jerked mid-swing, throwing her balance off. For the first ti, her feet stumbled.
"Damn you—!" she cursed, trying to pull it free.
Selene reappeared in that instant, daggers aiming for Gray’s ribs while her body shimred faintly with charm energy.
But Lira intercepted, stepping in front of Gray with her spear spinning.
’Oh? I didn’t notice that she had a spear...’ Gray exclaid inwardly.
CLASH!
CLASH! CLANG!
Their blades rang against each other in a furious rhythm.
Sparks danced between Selene’s twin daggers and Lira’s long spear.
"You think you can keep away?" Selene’s smile widened slighly.
"I don’t think," Lira hissed, her eyes locked, sweat dripping.
"I know."
Selene lunged closer, lips almost brushing Lira’s ear.
"Then try not to fall in love when I cut you open~."
"Shut it," Lira retorted calmly, thrusting her spear to push her back.
anwhile....
Gray surged forward, body low, dragging his strings like razor-thin wires across the floor. Cassandra had nearly broken free from the thread trap, but Gray’s hand snapped upward.
SHHHHHK!
The strings shot like snakes, wrapping around her wrist and pulling her arm aside.
Cassandra’s scythe slamd into the ground, sparks exploding.
In that brief mont of opening, Gray was already there, taking the opportunity.
CRACK!
His fist smashed into Cassandra’s gut, forcing the air from her lungs.
Her eyes widened, teeth clenched, but instead of doubling over, she grinned through the pain and swung her knee toward his chin.
"[✧Swap✧]"
BLIP!
Raven’s scream echoed as he was yanked into the blow instead.
"GRAY, I’LL KILL YOU!" he shrieked, blood spurting from his nose as Cassandra’s knee connected.
Gray appeared just behind Maelis this ti, threads already wrapping toward her neck.
"Sorry, sis."
Maelis’s green eyes snapped wide.
BOOM!
A gravity pulse exploded from her body, flinging Gray back before the strings could tighten. His back slamd against the barrier wall with a loud crack.
He coughed, blood trickling from his lip, but his grin only widened.
"Huff..."
Cassandra wiped her mouth, her scythe finally freed, Selene twirled her daggers with playful hunger, and Maelis raised her hand, the air warping again.
Gray rose slowly, threads vibrating like a swarm of blades around him.
"Finally..."
His lips curled up slighly.
And almost imdiately...
Swing!
Cassandra’s scythe scread through the air, sliding towards him.
To anyone else, it was unstoppable.
To Gray, it was already drawn before she even swung. He slid aside, boots grinding against stone, and set a thread trap in her path.
"Got you!" Selene flickered in next, her daggers flashing toward his throat.
Gray didn’t even look at her.
"[✧Swap✧]"
Raven appeared in his place, his eyes going wide once again.
"WHAAA—?! YOU BASTARD, NOT AGAIN—!!"
CLANG!
The daggers slamd into his sword just barely in ti. Sparks sprayed, Raven stumbling back, face red with panic.
"GRAY!! STOP USING AS YOUR—AAARGHHH!!"
Selene slashed again, and Gray calmly tugged a string, yanking Raven right back into his line.
"COVER THAT ANGLE," Gray ordered Lira, ignoring Raven’s howls.
Stab!
Without hesitation, Lira’s spear swept sideways, tearing across Selene’s arm.
"Dammit," Selene hissed and retreated, clutching her wound.
anwhile, Raven was yapping at the top of his lungs.
"DO I LOOK LIKE A SHIELD TO YOU?! I’M A PERSON, YOU EMOTIONLESS FREAK! PUT DOWN!!"
Gray ignored him completely.
His threads lashed, cutting off Cassandra’s step, while his body blurred in and out of swaps.
Every axe-like swing of the scythe, every dagger thrust, every wave of Maelis’s gravity, Gray dodged before they even reached him.
And Raven... poor Raven was dragged along with every swap, screaming, cursing, deflecting blows he had no business facing.
"IF I SURVIVE THIS, I’M GOING TO KILL YOU MYSELF!!" he bellowed, blocking Cassandra’s scythe with both arms, shaking.
Maelis dropped a gravity wave on top of him.
BOOM!
Raven was crushed to one knee, coughing blood. Gray swapped him instantly, leaving him wheezing, face down in the dirt.
"OH MY GODS, I HATE YOU—" Raven croaked.
Gray never even spared him a glance. His eyes were focused, threads snapping into Selene’s wrist to drag her off-line just as Lira lunged again.
STAB!
Selene twisted away, but not without blood spilling down her side.
Slowly, it was Gray’s team who had the advantage, and that was mainly because Gray was making sure that Cassandra didn’t unleash a single bit of her true power.
But then...
Clang, clash!
THRRRUUUUUM!
"What was that?!" Raven exclaid.
A faint, bloody aura leaked out of Cassandra, surrounding her body like mist. The stone beneath her feet cracked, her scythe humming with a violent pulse.
Her eyes glowed red, a grin spreading across her face.
The arena went still.
[Divika’s Blessing...]
Jasmine muttered in surprise, even if they had heard from the other Gray that they shouldn’t ss with Cassandra...
This was a little too much for them!
[Now, you’re definitely losing.]
"...Fucking hell, no wonder he warned ..."
Gray smiled bitterly.
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