When they separated to return to their respective areas, Larissa felt significantly better than she had moments before. The defeat still hurt, especially the broken bond with the fairy that would take time to heal completely.

But Ren was right about the realities of the situation.

She had done the best she could with what she had, and she'd forced Ren to work harder than he'd had to with any other opponent except possibly Liu.

And when she finally mastered the ice element, when she had fusion as an additional option in her arsenal...

Then future battles would be considerably more interesting.

Larissa smiled to herself while walking.

The path toward improvement was long, but Larissa was committed to walking it completely.

One defeat at a time if necessary.

♢♢♢♢

THE SEMIFINAL TEAMS

With Larissa's defeat, the bracket on Ren's side became clearly defined.

His team would face the combined forces of Taro and Liora in what everyone recognized would be the most difficult battle of the exam so far for Ren.

On the other side of the bracket, the situation was far less dramatic. Min and Luna's team would face a team that had considerable luck just reaching the quarterfinals at all.

That squad didn't have much going for it in terms of exceptional individual power or particularly brilliant strategies. What they possessed was solid consistency… most of their members being high Silver rank with good training and decent positioning.

They'd won their previous battles more through collective effort and some mistakes from their opponents than through absolute domination. But being here, so close to the finals among the academy's best teams, was already an accomplishment, and a stroke of fortune, they could carry with pride…

The day of the semifinals arrived with palpable anticipation in the air.

The stands were completely filled from early morning, students and teachers alike wanting to secure good seats for what promised to be a memorable spectacle. The first battle of the day would be Luna and Min against the fortunate team, followed immediately by what everyone really wanted to witness.

Ren Patinder against Taro and Liora.

♢♢♢♢

SWIFT DESTRUCTION

The battle against Luna and Min's team was shorter than some had anticipated...

The fortunate squad fought valiantly, their members giving everything they had. But the power difference was too pronounced for effort alone to close the gap.

Min entered early with his amphibian, another massive creature that had gained a terrifying reputation during the year. Everyone could see how it "digested" its enemies through its practically transparent body… a horrifying visual that made several spectators uncomfortable.

Luna hadn't entered the field at all. It hadn't been necessary. She hadn't wasted movements or energy on unnecessary demonstrations, her new abilities remaining even more hidden than Ren's carefully guarded secrets thanks to Min being like Taro for their team.

The battle ended unsurprisingly with a decisive victory for Luna and Min's team.

They would win their bracket and advance to the finals where they'd wait for the winner from the other side.

Some spectators applauded the performance, others simply nodded with recognition of what was expected. It hadn't been particularly dramatic or full of surprising twists, just clear demonstration of why these two were considered among the best of their year.

But that battle was simply a prelude. Everyone knew it. The real attention, the concentrated energy of the audience, was reserved for what would come next.

♢♢♢♢

TRUE PRESSURE

Ren observed from his preparation area while Luna's team celebrated their victory with satisfaction. He could feel the gazes directed toward him, the weight of collective expectation from hundreds, no, thousands of people waiting to see if finally someone would push him beyond his visible limits.

Because this time, for the first time in the entire exam, Ren might genuinely be pressed hard enough to actually be defeated.

It wasn't simply a theoretical possibility but a genuinely plausible scenario that several observing teachers had discussed in low voices during the previous days.

Taro and Liora together were a formidable force that exceeded the sum of their individual beasts.

Both possessed two Gold-level beasts, both had perfected tactics considered rare and dangerous, and both knew Ren well enough to anticipate many of his characteristic strategies.

They weren't opponents he could take lightly under any circumstances.

And the way their team was arranged didn't help Ren at all…

Taro taking the initial position as he always did, establishing himself as that immovable mountain that had destroyed everyone who attempted passing him.

Sending Ren's team members before Ren himself was completely futile because none would pass Taro realistically. They were all strong for fifth-year students compared to any other year thanks to Ren's training, yes, but they weren't anywhere near the level necessary to overcome the golden beetle or any of the beasts Taro could decide to manifest first.

So regardless of the order, if Ren wanted to eventually face Liora, he would very likely have to pass through all ten members of the opposing team by himself. Each one of them. One after another. Accumulating fatigue, spending mana, perhaps revealing tactics against Taro that Liora would observe carefully to exploit when it was finally her turn to enter.

The biggest problem, the one that made this situation particularly dangerous for Ren's team, was Liora's Bashe.

The demonic serpent, now grown to giant size as well, moved with grace that belied its enormous mass, dodging attacks that should have connected and counter-attacking with power that eliminated opponents before they could establish their rhythm. Each beast that fell left its mana available to be absorbed, feeding the Bashe and making it stronger as the battle progressed.

If Ren was defeated at some point during this extended battle, if that beast of Liora's remained even barely alive after defeating Ren...

It was highly likely the Bashe would devour the mana of all the beasts from his team's remaining members.

Not just the beast that had fallen last but potentially including the ones Ren had used in battle.

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