Friday Morning - 6:00 AM
Kaelen woke before dawn, as it had become routine. But today felt different. Heavier.
The duel with Matthias was in ten hours.
He completed his daily quest quickly—fifty push-ups, fifty pull-ups, five-mile run, the movements were automatic now, his body adjusted to the constant demand.
[Daily Quest Complete: Physical Conditioning]
Rewards: +30 XP | +1 Stat Point
[54 Stat Points Available]
Fifty-four unallocated points.
Kaelen returned to his dorm, showered, and sat on his bed. He pulled up his status screen and stared at the number.
He'd been holding these points for weeks, telling himself he was being strategic. But honestly? He'd just been indecisive.
Not anymore.
Matthias Pyrell was an AA-rank Mage with fire manipulation, family resources, and combat experience. This wasn't a fight Kaelen could afford to enter at half-strength.
He opened the stat allocation interface.
[Stats]
[Strength:45]
[Stamina:40]
[Perception:35]
[Defense:41]
[Agility:38]
[Vitality:51]
[Intelligence:55]
Kaelen considered his options. Matthias would hit hard with explosive fire attacks. Kaelen needed survivability, evasion, and enough aether reserves to use his full kit.
He allocated fifteen points to [Intelligence]
[Intelligence: 55 –>70]
[A.E.: 350 –>425]
Seventy-five additional aether energy. That was two extra Spatial Lances, or sustained use of Temporal Drag for five more seconds, or multiple shield constructs. Significant.
Next, fifteen points to [Vitality]
[Vitality: 51 –>66]
[HP: 300 –> 375]
Seventy-five additional hit points. Enough to survive one or two more direct hits from Matthias's fire.
Ten points to [Defense].
[Defense: 41 –> 51]
Better damage mitigation. Combined with Aether Harden's passive, he'd be more resistant to the explosive impacts and heat.
Finally, ten points to [Agility]
[Agility: 38 –> 48]
Faster movement, quicker reactions. Essential for dodging attacks and repositioning with Flash Step.
Kaelen confirmed the allocations.
[50 Stat Points Allocated]
[3 Stat Points Remaining]
[Updated Stats]
[Strength:45]
[Stamina:40]
[Perception:35]
[Defense:51]
[Agility:48]
[Vitality:66]
[Intelligence:70]
[HP:375/375]
[A.E:425/425]
The change was immediate. Kaelen felt it—not a surge of power, but a subtle shift in how his body responded. Lighter. Sturdier. More... capable.
A notification appeared.
[Weekly Quest: NoviceTrials]
[Requirements: 1/4 Fulfilled]
- Complete 7 Daily Quests consecutively (5/7)
- Attend all scheduled classes (4/5 days)
- Win 1 sanctioned sparring match
- Allocate at least 5 Stat points (complete)
Kaelen dismissed it and pulled the Aether Chain from his wrist, holding it up to examine. He'd tested it before, used it during the Jax fight, but he'd never fully analyzed it.
He activated [Analytical Scan Lv. 2].
[Aether Chain - Rank E]
[Function: Aether Energy Storage Device]
[Capacity: 100 A.E]
[Current Charge: 100/100 A.E]
[Recharge Rate: 5 A.E. per hour (ambient absorption) OR manual refill via user's aether]
[Draw Speed: Instant]
[Durability: Moderate (E-rank construction, can withstand standard combat stress)]
Five aether per hour from ambient absorption. That meant a full recharge from empty would take twenty hours naturally. But he could manually refill it in minutes if needed.
Useful information.
Kaelen fastened the chain back around his wrist and checked the time. 7:15 AM.
Classes started in an hour. The duel was at 4:00 PM.
He had time to prepare mentally, review his techniques, and make sure he understood Matthias's likely approach.
Fire manipulation. Hot, explosive, hard to extinguish, shapeable, precision control.
Kaelen's advantages: mobility, tactical flexibility, time and space manipulation.
He could do this.
...
The morning passed slowly. Kaelen attended his lectures on autopilot, his mind elsewhere. Professor Nyra's class covered advanced circulation theory. Combat Fundamentals drilled defensive pivots. Measurements analyzed aether density fluctuations.
All useful. None of it held his attention.
By lunch, the entire academy knew about the duel. Whispers followed him through the corridors. Students pointed, speculated, placed bets.
Kaelen ignored them and ate alone in a quiet corner of the cafeteria. Sera found him halfway through his meal.
"Nervous?" she asked, sitting across from him.
"Focused," Kaelen replied.
"Good." She studied him for a moment. "Matthias isn't like Jax. Jax relied on raw power and Domain manifestation. Matthias is a Mage. He'll use technique, range, and environmental control. Fire doesn't just burn—it consumes oxygen, creates smoke, distorts vision with heat shimmer."
"I know."
"Do you?" Sera's crystalline gray eyes were sharp. "Jax fought you head-on because that's what Enhancers do. Matthias will turn the arena into a furnace and attack from every angle. You'll be fighting the environment as much as him."
Kaelen nodded slowly. "I've thought about that."
"And?"
"I'll adapt."
Sera's expression softened fractionally.
She stood. "Don't underestimate him just because he's AA-rank. Fire manipulation at his level is complex. He's been training with his ability for years."
"So have I," Kaelen said quietly. "Four months might not sound like much, but I've fought more in that time than most first-years fight in a year."
Sera's lips twitched into something that might have been annoyance. "One fight and a technical win, doesn't make you better. Good luck, Burn."
She left, and Kaelen finished his meal in silence.
...
3:30 PM - Preparation Chamber
Combat Dome 5 was smaller than Dome 7, where he'd fought Jax, but still massive. Kaelen stood in the preparation chamber, running through mental drills.
His wristband chimed.
[OFFICIAL ACADEMY NOTIFICATION]
[Duel Start: 4:00 PM]
[Combatants report to staging in 15 minutes]
Kaelen checked his equipment. Uniform intact. Aether Chain charged. No weapons—this was pure ability combat.
He pulled up his skill list one more time, reviewing.
[Active Skills]
Flash Step Lv. 1 (20 A.E., 3m range) | Spatial Lock Lv. 1 (20 A.E./sec, 6m range, 3m sphere) | Spatial Warp Lv. 1 (25 A.E., 5m range) | Temporal Drag Lv. 1 (15 A.E./sec, 8m range, slow time by 25% ) | Temporal Lock Lv. 1 (35 A.E, 5m range, 3sec freeze) | Aether Manipulation Lv. 4 (1 A.E./sec base) | Spatial Lance Lv. 1 (40 A.E, 12m range) | Aether Burst Lv. 1 (30 A.E, 2m range)
[Passive Skills]
Chrono-Perception Lv. 1 | Spatial Awareness Lv. 1 | Analytical Scan Lv. 2 (5 A.E, 8m range) | Energy Resonance Lv. 1 (5% cost reduction) | Aether Regeneration Lv. 1 | Health Regeneration Lv. 1 (passive healing) | Aether Harden Lv. 1 (Passive: +10% physical resistance | Active: +50% physical resistance for 5 seconds at 25 A.E. cost | Cooldown: 30 seconds>]
Kaelen closed the interface and took a slow breath.
He was ready.
...
Combat Dome 5 - 3:55 PM
The arena floor was smaller than Dome 7's, but the design was similar—reinforced crystal surface, tiered seating rising into shadow, aether-suppression fields humming along the perimeter.
The crowd was massive.
Kaelen stepped onto the arena floor and felt thousands of eyes lock onto him. The noise was deafening—cheers, jeers, speculation. Bronze badge glinting on his chest, he walked to the center.
Across from him, Matthias Pyrell emerged from the opposite entrance.
The Pyrell heir looked confident. His crimson hair caught the arena lights, almost seeming to glow. His amber eyes were sharp, focused. And on his right wrist, Kaelen noticed a bronze bracelet etched with flowing patterns that pulsed faintly with orange light.
An artifact. E-rank, likely.
Matthias stopped ten meters away, his gaze cold and dismissive.
Between them, an academy official stepped forward—a tall man with graying hair and the insignia of a senior combat instructor. Not Serene this time.
"I am Instructor Jay," the official said, his voice amplified across the dome. "I will officiate this sanctioned duel between Matthias Pyrell, Novice rank, and Kaelen Burn, Novice rank."
He looked at both of them. "Standard combat rules apply. Lethal force is prohibited. Victory by knockout, yield, or my judgment. Aether-suppression fields are active on the perimeter. E-rank artifacts are permitted."
Matthias smiled faintly, flexing his right hand. The bracelet pulsed.
"Combatants ready?" Varen asked.
"Ready," Matthias said immediately.
"Ready," Kaelen confirmed.
Varen stepped back to the edge. "Begin."
...
Matthias moved first.
He raised both hands, and fire erupted.
Not a single flame—dozens. They spiraled outward from his palms, splitting into smaller projectiles that hung in the air like burning stars. Each one pulsed with orange-red heat, distorting the air around them.
"Let's see if you're as good as they say, Burn," Matthias said coldly.
He thrust his hands forward.
The fire projectiles launched.
Kaelen activated [Chrono-Perception] immediately. The world fractured into slow motion. He saw each projectile's trajectory, calculated their spread pattern.
Too many to dodge completely.
He activated [Flash Step]
[–19 A.E]
Immediately blurring sideways. Three projectiles passed through the space he'd occupied a heartbeat before.
But Matthias had anticipated it.
The remaining projectiles curved mid-flight, tracking Kaelen's new position.
Guided attacks.
Kaelen raised his hand and formed an aether shield with [Aether Manipulation]
[–3 A.E/sec]
The construct materialized instantly, a dense barrier of compressed energy.
The fire projectiles slammed into it.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
The shield held, but barely. The impacts sent heat radiating through the construct, and Kaelen felt the strain.
Matthias didn't stop. He swept his arm in a wide arc, and a wall of flame erupted from the ground, racing toward Kaelen in a burning wave.
Kaelen activated [Spatial Warp]
[–24 A.E]
—distorting the space between them. The flame wall passed through empty air, hitting nothing.
But the heat remained. The entire arena floor was heating up, the temperature rising with every second.
He's turning this into a furnace. Just like Sera said.
Kaelen used [Flash Step] agian
[–19 A.E]
—repositioning to create distance. His aether reserves were dropping steadily, but manageable.
[A.E.: 360/425]
Matthias turned, tracking him with eerie precision. "Running already? I expected more from the boy who beat Jax."
"I'm not running," Kaelen replied. "Damn this guy."
He raised his hand and released [Aether Burst]
[–29 A.E]
—at low output, directing it toward the ground at Matthias's feet.
BOOM
The explosion kicked up dust and debris, obscuring vision.
Kaelen activated [Spatial Awareness] passively, tracking Matthias's position through the cloud. He gathered aether, compressing it into his palm.
[Spatial Lance Lv. 1]
[–38 A.E]
The distortion formed, space itself bending into a razor-thin projectile.
Kaelen released it.
SHRIEK
The Spatial Lance tore through the dust cloud, aimed directly at Matthias's center mass.
But Matthias saw it coming.
He raised his bracelet-adorned hand, and fire erupted in a spiraling barrier—not a simple wall, but a rotating shield of compressed flames that glowed white-hot at the core.
The Spatial Lance hit the fire barrier.
And dispersed.
Not completely—the spatial distortion tore through the outer layers of flame—but the core held, and the lance dissipated before reaching Matthias.
The dust cleared.
Matthias stood unharmed, his fire barrier still rotating around him. He smiled coldly.
"Impressive attack. But you're fighting a Pyrell." He tapped the bracelet on his wrist. "This is Ember's Bond. E-rank artifact. Enhances my fire's temperature and density by thirty percent." His smile widened. "Your spatial tricks won't cut through my flames easily."
Kaelen's jaw tightened. The bracelet was a problem. It meant Matthias's fire was operating above standard AA-rank output.
Matthias thrust both hands forward, and the fire barrier exploded outward.
[Crimson Nova]
A massive sphere of flame expanded in all directions, consuming oxygen, radiating unbearable heat. The arena floor cracked from the temperature alone.
Kaelen had no time to dodge.
He activated [Aether Harden]
[–25 A.E]
The active defensive boost reinforcing his body. Then he formed a double-layered shield with [aether Manipulation], pouring aether into maximum density.
[–10 A.E]
The fire wave hit.
WHOOOM
Heat. Blinding, suffocating heat. Kaelen felt his shield crack under the pressure, felt the temperature sear even through the aether reinforcement.
[–45 HP]
[HP: 330/375]
The flames receded, and Kaelen staggered, his shield dissipating. Sweat dripped down his face, his uniform singed at the edges.
[A.E.: 258/425]
Matthias stood across from him, breathing slightly heavier but grinning. "You survived. Good. I'd hate for this to end too quickly."
Kaelen straightened, forcing his breathing to steady. His passive [Health Regeneration] kicked in, slowly closing the minor burns.
The crowd was roaring.
In the stands, Daniel looked pale. Lira's hands were clenched. Torven watched with intense focus. Sera remained expressionless, but her eyes tracked every movement.
Kaelen activated [Analytical Scan] on Matthias.
[Matthias Pyrell]
[Race: Human]
[Classification: Mage]
[Ability: ????]
[Cultivation: Adept intermediate Control]
[Artifact: Ember's Bond (E-rank) - +30% fire temperature/density]
He was a cultivation tier higher than Kaelen.
Matthias raised his hands again. "Let's see how you handle this."
Fire gathered, not in projectiles this time, but in shapes. Complex, deliberate forms. A massive serpent of flame materialized, coiling through the air, its eyes glowing white-hot.
[Inferno Serpent]
The serpent lunged.
Kaelen activated [Temporal Drag]
[–15 A.E./sec]
Targeting the serpent.
The flames slowed, their movement sluggish, stretched through time like molasses. But they didn't stop.
Matthias's control was too strong. The serpent pushed through the temporal effect, its advance merely delayed.
Kaelen switched tactics. He used [Flash Step]
[–19 A.E.]
—dodging left, then activated [Spatial Lock]
[–19 A.E./sec]
—creating a frozen sphere of space directly in the serpent's path.
The serpent hit the locked space and stopped, unable to pass through the frozen spatial boundary.
For two seconds.
Then Matthias poured more aether into it, and the serpent exploded, shattering the Spatial Lock from sheer force.
BOOM
Flames scattered across the arena.
Kaelen was already moving, using [Spatial Warp] to reposition behind Matthias. He formed a concentrated aether blade with [Aether Manipulation] and slashed toward Matthias's back.
Matthias spun, fire erupting from his entire body in a defensive burst.
[Flame Shroud]
The fire coating repelled Kaelen's blade, forcing him to retreat or be burned.
They separated, both breathing harder now.
[A.E.: 179/425]
[HP: 335/375]
His regeneration was ticking in slowly.
Matthias's expression had shifted from confident to focused. "You're better than I expected. But this is where it ends."
He clasped his hands together, and fire gathered between them—dense, compressed, unstable. The bracelet on his wrist glowed brighter, feeding more power into the technique.
No one needed to inform Kaelen, he was aware the moment it manifested— It was a signature move.
[Tyrant's Judgment]
A massive pillar of fire erupted from Matthias's hands, twisting into a concentrated beam aimed directly at Kaelen.
No dodging this. The beam was too wide, too fast.
Kaelen made a decision.
He activated [Temporal Lock]
[–35 A.E]
— and targeted Matthias directly.
For three seconds, Matthias froze.
The fire beam stopped mid-formation, suspended in time.
Kaelen used [Flash Step]
[–19 A.E]
He closed the distance instantly. He gathered aether into both hands, forming a dual construct: [Spatial Lance] in his left, [Aether Burst] in his right.
[–38 A.E] for the Lance.
[–29 A.E] for the Burst.
Temporal Lock expired.
Matthias unfroze.
Kaelen was already there, point-blank range.
He released both simultaneously.
HAAAAAAAA
The Spatial Lance shot forward, aimed at Matthias's legs. The Aether Burst detonated as propulsion, launching Kaelen backward while the lance struck.
SHRIEK
BOOOM
The combined attack hit.
Matthias's fire shroud absorbed most of it, but the spatial distortion tore through, clipping his left thigh. He gasped, stumbling.
[Skill Synergy: Spatial Breach]
But Matthias didn't fall.
He gritted his teeth, aether flaring violently. His bracelet pulsed, feeding more energy into his flames.
"Not... enough!" he snarled.
Fire exploded outward in all directions.
[Inferno Dominion]
The entire arena floor became a sea of flames. Walls of fire erupted, cutting off escape routes. The temperature spiked to unbearable levels.
Kaelen activated [Aether Harden] again
[–25 A.E]
—and formed maximum-density shields with everything he had left.
[A.E.: 33/425]
The flames closed in.
The crowd was on its feet, screaming.
And the fight was far from over.