The platform lights shifted again, washing the arena in a pale glow.
"Next match."
"Wei Jin — Starfall Tenth Academy." "Lu Kai — Starfall First Academy."
The reaction was immediate.
Starfall First again.
And this time, it was Wei Jin himself stepping onto the stage.
The display unfolded above the platform.
Student Profile Display
Wei Jin
Academy: Starfall Tenth Academy
Primary Monster Gene: — Undisclosed
Elemental Affinity: Lightning, Water
Rank: Three-Star Warrior [ High ] estimated?
Lu Kai
Academy: Starfall First Academy
Primary Monster Gene: Ashclaw Dire Ape
Elemental Affinity: Fire — High
Rank: Three-Star Warrior [ High ]
Internal Ranking: Third rank
A low wave of chatter rolled through the stands.
"Third rank from First Academy?"
"They're serious now."
"Wait… he's fighting Jin already?"
Lu Kai stepped onto the platform first, broad-shouldered, arms loose at his sides. He didn't carry a weapon—his gene didn't need one. Faint heat rippled around his skin as he cracked his neck and glanced toward Jin with open curiosity.
"So you're Wei Jin," he said with a grin. "I was wondering when I'd get you."
Jin walked onto the opposite side calmly, spear resting against his shoulder. He stopped at his mark and looked at Lu Kai.
Lu Kai laughed lightly. "Relax. I'm not like Guo Heng. I won't underestimate you." He tilted his head. "But let's be honest—you've already gone far enough."
Jin said nothing.
Lu Kai took his silence as agreement. "Tenth Academy showing up like this is impressive. Really." His smile widened. "But this is where it ends. I'm not losing here."
The barrier sealed.
The signal sounded.
Lu Kai moved first, heat flaring as his body surged forward. His muscles expanded visibly as [ Ashclaw Manifestation ] activated, fire wrapping around his forearms like burning gauntlets. He closed the distance in an instant and swung, the air cracking under the force of the blow.
Jin stepped back half a pace, spear rotating as he deflected the strike, lightning flickering briefly along the shaft. The impact slid past him, scorching the platform instead of his body.
Lu Kai raised an eyebrow. "Fast."
He pressed in harder.
[ Blazing Pummel ]
A flurry of heavy, fire-laced strikes rained down, each one meant to crush rather than cut. Jin retreated smoothly, footwork tight and controlled, never letting his back touch the barrier. Sparks jumped where spear met fist, lightning and fire colliding in sharp flashes.
"He's keeping up."
"No—he's reading me."
Lu Kai felt it. His grin thinned.
He stomped forward and slammed his fist into the ground.
[ Cinder Shock ]
A wave of heat exploded outward, rolling across the platform. Jin vaulted over it, water affinity flaring briefly beneath his feet to soften the landing as he came down behind Lu Kai.
Lu Kai turned fast—but not fast enough.
Jin's spear struck.
Not deep.Precise.
Lightning condensed instead of bursting, driving through muscle and disrupting balance rather than burning flesh. Lu Kai stumbled forward, surprise flashing across his face for the first time.
Jin didn't chase recklessly. He moved in controlled steps, spear tip always aligned, forcing Lu Kai to turn, to adjust, to react.
"Tch." Lu Kai clicked his tongue and roared as fire surged violently around him. "Enough."
[ Dire Ape Overdrive ]
Flames wrapped his entire frame as he charged again, abandoning defense completely. The platform cracked under his steps as he swung with everything he had, power meant to overwhelm through sheer force.
Jin didn't retreat this time.
He stepped in.
Water gathered around his feet, lightning threading through it—not spreading, not flaring, but tightening, focusing. His spear moved in a single, clean line.
[ Tidebreaker Thrust ]
The strike landed squarely in Lu Kai's chest.
The compressed force punched through his guard and sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the barrier hard enough to make it flicker. The flames around him sputtered out as he collapsed to the floor, breath torn from his lungs.
Silence fell.
Lu Kai tried to rise once—then failed.
The medic signal flared immediately.
[ Match Ended ]
Winner: Wei Jin — Starfall Tenth Academy
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then the arena erupted.
"He beat First Academy's third rank!"
"And that wasn't even messy!"
"He controlled the entire fight!"
Jin lowered his spear and exhaled slowly, expression unchanged. He gave Lu Kai one last glance—then turned and walked off the platform.
In the Starfall First section, faces were tight now. This wasn't a fluke.
Wei Jin had just proven something far more dangerous.
On the other side of the arena, the reaction was completely different.
The Starfall Tenth section erupted.
Students jumped to their feet, voices overlapping, Jin's name shouted again and again without coordination or restraint. Someone nearly knocked over a bench. Another laughed out loud, half-disbelieving, half-exhilarated.
"We did it!"
"He beat their third rank!"
"That's Wei Jin!"
Zhao Chen was already there when Jin returned, grabbing his shoulder hard enough to sting. "You really don't know how to hold back, do you?"
Jin smiled, small but genuine. "You weren't exactly gentle either."
Around them, the rest of the team gathered, excitement buzzing through the air. Even Liang Xu, usually quiet, was grinning openly. Qiao Ning covered her mouth with both hands, eyes bright.
On the teachers' platform, Han Qiu finally relaxed his posture
The tension he'd been carrying since the brackets were released eased just enough for him to breathe out.
Top sixteen.
Starfall Tenth Academy—top sixteen.
He glanced at the other instructors nearby. Some looked surprised. Others thoughtful. A few avoided his gaze entirely.
"They're performing better than I expected," someone muttered.
Han Qiu didn't respond. He was watching his students instead, pride clear in his eyes. Not just Jin. All of them. They hadn't crumbled under pressure. They hadn't folded when pushed into unfair paths.
They'd fought through it.
The arena lights dimmed again.
The noise gradually settled.
The central screen refreshed, numbers shifting, names reorganizing as
the system recalculated.
Then—
[ PHASE THREE — TOP 16 MATCHUPS ]
The board expanded, filling the air above the arena.
The first pairing appeared.