Clang!
The impact echoed across the arena.
Rylan Voss’s sword pressed against Arven’s blade.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Rylan’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re stronger than you look.” Arven didn’t answer.
He shifted his grip.
Then— Rylan suddenly twisted his wrist.
The pressure on Arven’s sword disappeared.
A sharp kick struck Arven in the chest.
Bang!
Arven was pushed several meters across the arena.
He regained his balance before falling.
The audience became restless.
Rylan raised his hand.
A faint silver glow gathered around his fingers.
Arven’s gaze sharpened.
“So you use magic and swordsmanship together.” Rylan smiled.
“Isn’t that what an entrance examination is for?” The magical energy around his hand intensified.
Several thin blades of light formed in the air.
Arven’s expression became serious.
Rylan waved his hand.
The blades shot forward.
Arven moved.
One passed beside his face.
Another grazed his shoulder.
The third— Boom!
Arven raised his sword and deflected it.
The force pushed him backward.
Rylan immediately followed.
His sword descended.
Arven blocked.
Clang!
Another strike.
Clang!
Another.
Clang!
The rhythm became faster.
Rylan attacked from different angles, combining swordsmanship with magic.
Arven continued defending.
But he wasn’t merely blocking.
He was observing.
The movement of Rylan’s shoulders.
The position of his feet.
The timing between his magical attacks.
Every detail.
Every weakness.
Arven’s eyes became colder.
His left side opens slightly whenever he uses that technique.
Rylan attacked again.
Arven stepped to the side.
The blade passed within a few centimeters of his body.
Arven counterattacked.
His sword stopped just before Rylan’s chest.
Rylan quickly moved backward.
“You’re analyzing me.” Arven smiled faintly.
“You’re making it easy.” Rylan’s expression darkened.
He raised both hands.
The magical energy surrounding him suddenly increased.
The arena trembled.
Several candidates watching from the stands became silent.
Even Elyan stopped smiling.
“That’s a lot of power…” Above the arena, Kael leaned forward slightly.
“He’s increasing his output.” The Director watched without speaking.
Rylan’s aura continued to rise.
Then he disappeared.
Arven’s pupils contracted.
Fast.
Rylan appeared at his side.
Slash!
Arven raised his sword.
Too late.
The blade cut across his side.
Blood stained his clothes.
Arven staggered backward.
The crowd gasped.
Elyan’s expression changed.
“Arven!” Rylan landed several meters away.
He looked at his opponent.
“It’s over.” Arven placed a hand over the wound.
Warm blood ran between his fingers.
For a moment, he remained silent.
Then something strange happened.
The wound began to fade.
The torn fabric remained damaged, but the injury beneath it disappeared.
The blood vanished.
The pain faded with it.
Arven stared at his hand.
“…What?” Rylan’s face changed.
“That’s impossible.” The spectators began whispering.
“Did he heal himself?” “No…” “That wasn’t healing.” On the platform, Kael went still.
He could feel something unusual.
The wound had not regenerated.
It had simply…
ceased to exist.
Kael murmured.
“He rejected the phenomenon.” Selene looked at him.
“Rejected?” Kael didn’t answer.
His gaze remained fixed on Arven.
Rylan tightened his grip on his sword.
“I don’t know what you just did.” His aura surged again.
“But I won’t lose.” Arven slowly raised his sword.
“I wasn’t planning on losing either.” Rylan charged.
Their blades collided once more.
Clang!
The fight resumed.
But this time, Arven moved differently.
He had already understood Rylan’s rhythm.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Rylan’s attacks became increasingly desperate.
Arven continued avoiding them.
Then Rylan gathered all his magical energy into one attack.
The air around him distorted.
“This ends here!” A massive wave of magic erupted from his sword.
The spectators cried out.
Arven stood directly in its path.
He didn’t move.
The attack approached.
Ten meters.
Five.
Two.
Rylan smiled.
Then Arven spoke quietly.
“Stop.” Silence Everything stopped.
The magical wave froze in the air.
Rylan froze.
The spectators froze.
The banners hanging above the arena froze.
Even a small piece of dust remained suspended beside Arven.
There was no wind.
No sound.
No movement.
Nothing.
Arven slowly looked around.
His expression changed.
“…Again.” The world had stopped.
Time itself had become silent.
Arven stepped forward.
His footsteps made no sound.
He walked toward Rylan.
His opponent stood frozen, sword raised.
Arven moved around him.
He looked at the magical attack suspended in front of him.
“So this is what it means…” He raised his hand.
The frozen magical energy remained motionless.
Arven looked toward the audience.
Hundreds of people stood like statues.
Nobody could see him.
Nobody could hear him.
For the first time, Arven understood something terrifying.
He wasn’t faster than time.
He could control it.
He returned to his original position.
Then he whispered.
“Continue.” The world moved again.
The magical attack resumed.
But Arven was gone.
Rylan’s eyes widened.
“What?!” Arven appeared behind him.
His sword was already resting against Rylan’s neck.
The massive attack continued forward— but Rylan was no longer there.
The examiner stared at the two fighters.
For a moment, he couldn’t understand what had happened.
Then he raised his hand.
“Stop!” The magical barrier absorbed the remaining energy.
Silence filled the arena.
The examiner looked toward Rylan.
Then toward Arven.
“Winner…” He paused.
“Arven Valerius!” The arena erupted.
Some candidates shouted.
Others stared at Arven in disbelief.
Rylan slowly lowered his sword.
He looked at Arven.
“How did you…” Arven didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know how to explain it.
He didn’t completely understand his own power either.
Elyan approached him as Arven left the battlefield.
“You’re hiding something.” Arven looked at him.
“So are you.” Elyan smiled.
“Fair enough.” He glanced toward the arena.
“That wasn’t speed.” Arven remained silent.
The smile faded from Elyan’s face.
“For a moment…” He hesitated.
“I felt like everything disappeared.” Arven looked toward his own hand.
“Me too.” Neither of them spoke again.
Above them, Kael remained motionless.
His eyes followed Arven.
Five years ago, the academy had watched another young genius leave its walls.
Raizen.
Now, another extraordinary power had appeared.
Kael slowly closed his eyes.
Is this merely coincidence…?
He didn’t know.
But deep within his instincts, something felt wrong.
Not dangerous.
Not yet.
Just…
familiar.
The magical display above the arena suddenly changed.
A new match appeared.
The tournament was not over.
Arven looked up.
His name was still there.
He had won his first battle.
But one final battle remained.
And somewhere beyond the academy’s walls, forces unknown to him were already moving.
His story had only just begun.
To Be Continued…