Clang! Their blades met.
She parried just in time, but her left arm trembled under the force. Ash's eyes narrowed. He caught it — the faint wince, the small twitch in her shoulder. That wasn't from him. That was Ray's doing. Her arm was half-numb from blocking his earlier strike.
"Got you," he murmured.
He feinted left — shff! — and slashed right, his sword grazing her side. She barely blocked again, gritting her teeth in pain.
Then the tank was back, stepping forward like a walking fortress. His sword swung down with terrifying weight — BOOM! — and Ash barely rolled aside, the impact shaking the entire platform.
"Retreat!" Ray barked.
Ash and Maya moved simultaneously, both dashing back as the trio regrouped. The opposing team did the same, leaping backward with fluid coordination.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
The crowd — silent.
Every spectator, every proctor, every student in the stands — all frozen in that breathless moment.
Then—
"WOAHHH!"
The arena erupted. Cheers, gasps, shouts — it was chaos.
"That speed!"
"Did you see that dodge!?"
"The coordination— gods above, that's insane!"
The uproar shook the stadium. Even some of the other fights slowed, eyes turning to the platform where six figures stood locked in a battle of reflexes and willpower.
Up on the observation stand, Count Hall leaned forward in his seat. His expression remained calm, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes now — the look of a man seeing something truly worth watching.
He stroked his beard absently. "Hmm… interesting."
Below, the fighters weren't celebrating.
All six wore the same expression — focused, frowning, fully aware of the challenge ahead.
This is going to be a tough battle.
The thought passed through all of their minds at once.
Then the silence shattered.
The tank moved first this time, pushing forward like a battering ram. His boots thundered against the ground, his shield angled high.
Ray met him head-on — BANG! — their blades collided with a sound like crashing metal gates.
The tank grunted, swinging his shield to bash. Ray ducked, countering with a low sweep that clipped the man's shin — clang! — but the tank didn't budge.
"Move!" Maya shouted.
A fireball the size of a melon shot between them — FWOOM! — forcing both men to jump back. It exploded midair, sending heat waves rippling across the field.
Ash used the opening, dashing forward with Flash Step. His figure blurred — whoosh! — appearing behind the tank in a blink.
His sword came down — shing!
But the tank twisted his shield just in time — CLANG! — sparks flew as Ash's strike glanced off harmlessly.
The man turned with frightening speed, swinging his sword in a wide arc.
Ash barely blocked, the impact rattling his arms. "He's fast—!"
Before he could retreat, the spear girl appeared again, thrusting forward. Shfff! Her spear tip whistled through the air, narrowly missing his ribs.
Ash sidestepped, slashing back — clang! — the clash ringing through the arena.
Behind them, arrows whistled — fwip! fwip! — aimed at Maya.
"Maya! Watch out!" Ash shouted.
She spun, her hand glowing blue as she conjured a stone wall — thud! The arrows embedded harmlessly, vibrating in the conjured rock.
"Thanks for the warning!" she shouted.
"Didn't think I needed to!" Ash yelled back, ducking under another swing.
Ray was trading blows with the tank now, both men locked in raw, brutal exchanges. Each strike from the tank was like thunder, and Ray matched him blow for blow.
Clang!Clang!BOOM!
"Ray!" Ash called, dashing in to assist.
Together, they pressed the attack. Ray swung high — whoosh! — forcing the tank to raise his shield. Ash darted low, aiming for the legs — shing!
The man caught both strikes perfectly, his shield shifting with expert precision.
"Damn it, he's good," Ray grunted.
"Understatement of the year," Ash muttered.
Maya, meanwhile, chanted under her breath. Her voice rose above the noise — ancient syllables swirling around her as wind and water gathered in her palms.
"Now!" she shouted.
A torrent of cutting wind and swirling water surged forward — whoooosh! — a spiralling storm that roared toward their opponents.
The tank braced behind his shield again, but the force pushed him back several feet this time. The spear girl was caught in the outer edge, tumbling sideways.
The crowd gasped.
"She hit them!"
"No way that tank blocked all of that—!"
Ash seized the moment, charging forward again. He swung with all his strength — clang! — the tank blocked, but the impact left a crack on his shield.
Ray came in from the other side — BAM! — his sword slammed against the same spot, deepening the fracture.
The tank roared, a burst of mana exploding around him, shoving both of them back.
"Persistent little gnats!" he barked.
Ash stumbled, catching his balance, panting lightly. He glanced at Ray — a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Did you see that crack?"
Ray smirked. "Yeah. I say we make it bigger."
Ash's sword glimmered faintly with mana as he tightened his grip. "Then let's break his wall."
The next exchange was a blur.
Ash dashed right, Ray left — shing! shing! — both attacking in perfect sync. The tank parried one, blocked the other, his movements clean, efficient. But the damage to his shield was spreading.
Maya fired another spell — whoosh! — a bolt of condensed air slamming into the tank's shoulder. He grunted, his footing slipping.
"Now!" Ash shouted.
Ray lunged, both hands gripping his sword — BOOM! The blow landed square on the cracked shield.
It shattered.
The tank staggered backward, pieces of his shield scattering across the stone. His teammates shouted, the archer nocking an arrow so fast it blurred — fwip!
Ash spun, slicing the projectile midair — clang! — sparks flaring.
Maya followed up immediately, sending a volley of water lances at the archer. Swoosh! Swoosh!
The girl with the spear intercepted, spinning her weapon and deflecting two, but the third grazed her thigh. She hissed in pain.
The crowd roared again.
"This is insane!"
"They broke his shield!"
"Who are these kids!?"
Even Count Hall was leaning forward now, eyes fixed on Ash's team. His calm mask cracked into something resembling excitement.
"Excellent teamwork…" he murmured.
Back on the stage, both sides were showing fatigue. Sweat dripped, breaths grew heavy, but neither team showed signs of stopping.
The tank tossed his broken shield aside, gripping his sword with both hands now. His muscles flexed, mana flaring around him like a fiery aura.
Ash's senses screamed. "He's buffing himself!"
Ray raised his blade defensively. "Then we hit him before he's done!"
They charged together — BOOM! — their footsteps pounding like drums.
The tank swung his blade in a horizontal arc, forcing them apart — CRASH! Stone shattered, dust flying everywhere.
Ash coughed, squinting through the haze. The sound of metal clashing came from his left — clang, clang! — Ray and the tank trading rapid blows.
Maya's voice rang out from behind him, "Ash! Move left!"
He didn't hesitate. He sidestepped just in time to see a glowing arrow whistle past — shfff! — missing his ear by inches.
"Thanks!" he called.
"Don't mention it!" she shouted back, already preparing another spell.