The ten-minute break passed far faster than it felt.
The tension lingering in Nova's room slowly dissolved as the commotion from Asta faded down the hallway. Celise remained near him, close enough that her presence felt grounding rather than distracting. The warmth in her cheeks had settled, her breathing even again, but a faint softness still lingered in her eyes whenever she looked at him.
Nova adjusted the collar of his clothes, feeling the lingering echo of battle still thrumming faintly beneath his skin.
Nova took a deep breath, He exhaled slowly. One should never rely too much on their knowledge of the plot. Who would have thought that the Clover Kingdom hid people with strength almost equal to Magic Knight Captains?
It didn't matter.
No matter how powerful the heirs were, he would defeat them. After all, victory would elevate the House of Ashbourne to royalty.
A knock echoed at the door, pulling Nova out of his thoughts. A staff member from the palace waited outside, bowing his head respectfully.
"Lord Nova," the man said, "the second duel is about to begin."
Nova nodded and motioned for the staff member to leave. Then he turned toward Celise who suddenly stepped forward, who surprised him when she rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his in a swift, impulsive kiss.
When she pulled back, her face was close enough that he could feel her breath against his lips.
"I am forever yours," she whispered, voice steady despite the flush warming her cheeks. "So win all these matches… and make the princess yours too."
Nova looked at her for a long, still moment.
Then he lifted his hand and gently swept a strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing her cheek with a subtle tenderness only she ever saw from him.
"I will," he said quietly.
And with that promise hanging between them, Nova turned toward the arena gates—ready for the next battle.
----
Nova walked through the corridor that led to the coliseum gates. The sound of the audience grew louder with every step, building into a heavy, pulsing wave of anticipation. The torches along the walls flickered, casting moving shadows across Nova's figure as he approached the entrance.
The gatekeeper saw him coming and pressed a hand onto a rune-etched panel. The massive iron doors groaned open, letting through an explosion of sound and sunlight.
The moment Nova stepped out onto the battlefield, the arena roared.
On the opposite side, another gate opened with perfect timing.
Luthor Alderay emerged.
He walked with calm, measured steps—hands relaxed at his sides, cloak gliding smoothly behind him. There was no arrogance in his expression, but no warmth either. His presence alone carried the air-pressure of controlled mana, the faint distortion around his figure hinting subtly at the gravity that responded to him.
The announcer floated above them on a small wind platform, clearing his throat as the arena fell into eager silence.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice amplified through magic, "welcome to the Second Duel of the Royal Selection Trials!"
A new wave of cheers thundered upward.
"In this match, we witness a clash between two prodigies—both heirs to legacies, both bearing magic feared and respected across the kingdom!"
He gestured toward the right side of the arena.
"Representing House Alderay, wielders of gravity and the ancient Gravity Magic—
LUTHOR ALDERAY!"
The crowd reacted with a mix of awe and tension. Gravity magic users were rare, and the Alderays were known for overwhelming control rather than raw destruction.
Luthor bowed his head once, polite and almost dismissive.
Then the announcer turned toward Nova, and the arena's energy shifted instantly.
"And opposing him— Winner of the first duel, bearer of the Four-Leaf Clover Grimoire—
NOVA ASHBOURNE!"
The roars shook the arena. Even nobles leaned forward with interest, still buzzed from Nova's earlier display.
The announcer's voice carried strongly over the noise.
"Two different paths. Two overwhelming forces. Let the duel— BEGIN!".
The announcer's final word cracked through the air like a spell, and the arena erupted into cheers so powerful they vibrated through the stone beneath Nova's feet. Mana rippled across the stands as spectators leaned forward in anticipation. The atmosphere tightened instantly, as if the entire coliseum was holding its breath for the first move.
Nova didn't hesitate. The moment the echo of "BEGIN!" faded, his grimoire snapped open with a sharp flutter of pages, and the Ven-Drive shot out in its compact form. The artifact shifted instantly, unfolding into its ranged configuration with smooth, mechanical precision. A sleek, mana-forged firearm formed in his hand, glowing runes pulsing faintly along the barrel as condensed energy gathered at the muzzle.
He raised the gun without a word and fired a rapid volley. Mana shots burst forward in tight, controlled succession—each one sharp enough to pierce enchanted steel.
Across the field, Luthor Alderay did not so much as blink. He lifted one hand with quiet confidence. His mana pulsed once, steady and dense.
"Gravity Magic: Gravity Field."
The air around Nova shimmered strangely, and then—everything froze. The mana bullets halted midair, suspended in place as if caught in invisible amber. They didn't slow or redirect; they simply stopped existing as projectiles.
The crowd gasped in unison. A moment later, the suspended energy flickered and dissolved into harmless motes of light, scattering like dying fireflies.
Nova narrowed his eyes, assessing.
Luthor slowly lowered his hand. His posture never shifted, his expression never cracked. "Gravity Field," he repeated calmly, "Energy or matter… both buckle under pressure."
He snapped his fingers lightly, and the space around Nova distorted. Loose stones on the arena floor vibrated, lifting into the air one by one as if gravity itself had reversed. Within seconds, dozens of sharp, jagged rocks hovered in formation in front of Luthor, glowing faintly under the weight of compressed mana.
Then Luthor extended his hand toward Nova, voice steady.
"Gravity Magic: Kinetic Pulse Barrage."
The floating stones fired like a barrage of cannon shells. Each projectile was accelerated by amplified gravitational force, strong enough to punch through fortress walls.
Nova responded in a single controlled breath. His hand swept upward.
"Reality Script: Earth Magic—Earth Barrier."
The ground rumbled. A massive slab of reinforced stone surged upward, forming a heavy shield between him and the oncoming attack. The first rock struck with a deafening boom that sent dust flying in every direction. More impacts followed immediately, each one hammering into the barrier with violent, bone-shaking force. Cracks spread like a web across its surface under the relentless pressure.
The final projectile hit, and the barrier shattered into countless fragments. Stone burst outward in every direction, dust exploding across the arena in a thick cloud.
When the haze finally thinned, Nova stood where he had been before—unharmed, unmoving, and perfectly steady.
Across the field, Luthor's expression shifted just barely. It wasn't frustration, nor surprise—simply a quiet recognition that Nova had met the first exchange cleanly. The opening blows had been testing strikes, nothing more. Neither of them had revealed their true strength yet.
Murmurs spread through the audience, rising and falling like the start of a storm. Some leaned over the railing in shock, others whispered excitedly to their neighbors.
"He blocked all of that… without moving?"
"That was gravity magic—he shouldn't have been able to react that fast…"
"Neither of them are fighting seriously yet."
The captains' balcony was equally focused. Fuegoeleon's eyes were sharp with interest, Nozel leaned forward slightly, and Yami's grin widened with amusement. Even Princess Sarphina, composed as ever, watched with a subtle shift in her posture—her attention fully locked on the field.
Up on the wind platform, the announcer lifted both arms dramatically, voice ringing across the coliseum. "A spectacular opening exchange! Gravity against Reality Magic—Luthor Alderay versus Nova Ashbourne! And this is only the beginning!"
Nova straightened, dust settling around his boots as he met Luthor's stare with matching calm. Luthor inhaled once—slow, measured, precise.
Then both fighters moved at the same time.
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CHAPTER:- [143 - EXPLANATION] IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON