*Chapter 45: The Gauntlet's Reckoning*
The academy grounds trembled with anticipation as all of Jade Spirit gathered for the Midnight Gauntlet. Headmistress Tian announced the rules—then, the ancient magic of the Gauntlet seized control, twisting the challenge:
*"Prove your worth in a fight to the death. Only Li Wei may enter. The fate of Nightwatch—and the school—rests on his survival."*
** Entering the Arena**
Li Wei faced the arena alone. Barriers of shimmering force kept Nightwatch and every spectator out. Xiulan's voice broke with panic. Jin Ming slammed the shield, Mei Fen cried in frustration, Yan and Bao Yu stood frozen. Li Wei caught Xiulan's eyes, offering a brave, small nod.
** The Silver Serpents' Onslaught**
First, Iron Fang charged. His fists, clad in enchanted gauntlets, battered Li Wei with brutal force. Li Wei parried, countered with earth and wind, but every hit reopened wounds from the last battle. He finally downed Iron Fang with a desperate wind strike—bloodied, barely standing.
No rest—two more rivals pounced: Elemental fire and ice clashed with Li Wei's half-drained powers. He drew on every lesson, recalling how Mei Fen dodged, how Jin Ming shielded blows, how Yan's calm outweighed panic. Blades burned his arms and legs; he fought through pain, defeating both with a swirl of water and iron-hard will.
* The Illusionist Duel**
Then Lin Yu. His spells twisted the battlefield—phantom blades and illusions tormented Li Wei's senses. "You're nothing alone," Lin Yu sneered. Heartsick and exhausted, Li Wei focused on Xiulan's voice. With a sudden flash of light, he shattered the illusion and knocked Lin Yu down, but not before a dagger found his side. He staggered, blood pouring.
**The Final Monster**
The Gauntlet conjured a shadowbeast from forgotten legend. Its claws raked the earth, crushing Li Wei. He collapsed, strength gone, vision flickering. Outside, Xiulan's cry turned from fury to utter agony. Nightwatch's shouts dimmed to hopeless silence.
** The Brink of Death**
The crowd held its breath. Li Wei's world darkened—a distant echo of Xiulan's plea, the desperate sobs of his friends, the students' mounting grief. It felt like the end. But as hope seemed lost, a shimmering line of elders' light circled him. The latent power of the earth, wind, fire, and water awakened, answering the cries of Nightwatch, the headmistress's blessing, and all who believed.
**The Awakening**
Li Wei's body blazed with the power of every element. The wounds knit, his breath returned. He rose, eyes burning with living flame, air swirling, stone rumbling, water flowing at his heels. The arena gasped as he faced the monster, unleashed elemental fury—fire and roots binding it, water dousing its hatred, wind tearing away its shadow. The beast disintegrated into sparks.
Hero's Return**
The barrier dropped, and Nightwatch rushed in. Xiulan threw her arms around Li Wei. Mei Fen, Jin Ming, Yan, and Bao Yu lifted him onto their shoulders. The whole academy, once skeptical, now cheered their true hero—bloodied but triumphant, chosen by fate and by friendship.
Nightwatch was no longer just a secret team. Their legend was now the school's hope—Li Wei their leader in light and darkness.