The academy's arena loomed ahead, smaller than the grand coliseum of last term's showcase but no less imposing. Darius led Kai and Aiden through its arched entrance, their boots echoing on the worn stone floor. The air hummed with mana, a low thrum that set his nerves alight. Stone tiers rose around them, their surfaces etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly, casting jagged shadows. No roaring crowd filled the seats today, only a handful of teachers and faculty perched like silent judges, their eyes sharp. Lyra stood among them, her silver-trimmed gown catching the light, her gaze unreadable. The arena's center was a wide circle of packed earth, scuffed from past battles, its edges marked by rune-etched pillars that flickered with energy.

"Smaller than last time," Kai muttered, his earth-motif robes dusty from morning drills. "Feels heavier, though."

"Less noise, more stakes," Aiden said, his light-motif robes shimmering faintly, his grin betraying his excitement.

Darius nodded, his blue wind-motif robes swaying as a stray breeze curled through the arena. The weight of the tournament pressed on him, the God Wand's promise a fire in his chest. His focus sharpened, the system's faint pulse urging him forward. Students gathered in loose clusters, their murmurs nervous, the class's bond evident in stolen glances—Kael's cocky smirk, Lira's fidgeting hands, Lucien's silent intensity. The air was tense, the runes' glow amplifying the moment, every whisper and shuffle charged with anticipation.

"Think we're ready?" Kai asked, tossing a stone between his hands.

"Born ready," Aiden shot back, his eyes scanning the arena.

Darius didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the center, where the trials would unfold. He felt the stakes, not just for the wand, but for his vow, the shadow of "that" event looming in his mind. The arena's mana hummed louder, a call to action.

A sudden roar of flame split the air, and the headmaster appeared, descending on a blazing platform of fire that scorched the arena's edge. His robes, crimson with molten gold trim, flared as sparks danced around him, his fire affinity a blazing spectacle. The students froze, the faculty leaning forward, the runes flaring brighter. He landed with a flourish, flames snuffing out, his grin wide and commanding.

"Welcome, young mages!" His voice boomed, echoing off the stone tiers. "Today, you face the Trial of the God Wand, a test of your growth, your adaptability, your will!"

He raised a hand, and a shimmering case materialized, its surface pulsing with ancient energy. Inside lay the God Wand, its form shifting—now a sleek rod, now a curved staff, its adaptive nature alive with possibility. Gasps rippled through the students, Darius's breath catching. He'd written this wand, meant for Lucien, its power a cheat in his story's world. To see it here, gifted to the academy, was a jolt, its reality undeniable.

"This relic," the headmaster continued, his eyes glinting, "adapts to its wielder's affinity, a gift from a benefactor to test our finest. One-on-one matches, skill against skill, until one claims its power."

Darius's heart raced, recognizing the wand's story significance, its ability to amplify any mage to Visionary levels. The system pulsed faintly, sharpening his resolve. Lucien's gaze burned from across the arena, a silent challenge, but Darius stood firm, his Reflection Wand at his side, his genetic alchemy training a steady foundation.

"Who will step forward first?" the headmaster called, his voice a spark in the tense air.

The students hesitated, murmurs rising, Kael's laugh breaking the silence. "Not me yet, let's see someone else crash first."

Lyra's gaze flickered, her cryptic smile unreadable, the arena's runes humming with anticipation.

The arena's stone tiers seemed to hold their breath, the faint glow of runes pulsing along the pillars. Darius stood with Kai and Aiden, his blue wind-motif robes catching the dim light, his pulse quickening. The air thrummed with mana, the absence of a crowd making every sound—shuffling feet, nervous whispers—sharper, heavier. Teachers and faculty watched from the upper tiers, their silhouettes stern, Lyra's silver-trimmed gown a quiet beacon among them. The God Wand's case glimmered in the arena's center, its adaptive form shifting subtly, a promise of power that tightened Darius's chest. His vow burned, the shadow of "that" event pushing him to claim it, to rewrite his story's course.

A student stepped forward, a fire mage named Torren, his red robes flickering like embers, his confidence bold but brittle. "I'll go," he said, voice steady, though his hands twitched.

Another followed, a water mage called Veyra, her blue robes rippling, her eyes wide with nervous energy. "Me too," she murmured, gripping her sleeve.

The headmaster nodded, flames sparking briefly at his fingertips. "Torren versus Veyra. Begin when ready."

The arena's runes flared, their glow intensifying, casting sharp shadows across the packed earth. Torren and Veyra stepped into the circle, their mana crackling—Torren's a fiery pulse, Veyra's a fluid shimmer. The air charged, the hum growing louder, students leaning forward, Kael nudging Aiden with a grin.

"Here we go," Kai whispered, his earth-motif robes dusty, his stone twirling in his hand.

Aiden's light runes glowed faintly, his excitement barely contained. "Think they'll last a minute?"

Darius didn't answer, his gaze locked on the arena. Lyra's eyes tracked every move, her cryptic smile gone, her focus sharp. The faculty murmured, their notes scratching, the weight of their scrutiny palpable. Torren raised his hands, flames coiling, while Veyra's fingers traced liquid patterns, her mana swirling like a tide. The runes pulsed brighter, the air electric, anticipation building as the first match loomed.

Torren squared his shoulders, his flames flaring higher. "Ready?"

Veyra nodded, her water rippling around her, voice soft but firm. "Let's do this."

They squared up, stances tense, mana flaring in bursts—Torren's fire roaring, Veyra's water surging. The runes glowed brighter, their light bathing the arena in a stark glow, the hum a low roar. Darius watched, his resolve to win the God Wand unwavering, his Reflection Wand a steady weight at his side. The arena's energy amplified the suspense, every student on edge, the match's outcome a spark for what lay ahead. His focus locked on the tournament, his vow burning, ready to face Lucien, Kael, anyone.

The air crackled, the runes flared, anticipation high, Darius's ambition a blade honed for the trials to come.

The academy arena stood silent but alive, its stone tiers rising like ancient guardians, the packed earth center marked with faint scorch lines from past battles. The headmaster's flames still lingered in the air, a faint warmth that mixed with the cool breeze sweeping through the open sky above. Torren and Veyra faced each other across the circle, their mana auras clashing already—Torren's a roaring inferno, Veyra's a rippling tide. Torren, his red robes flickering like living fire, stood tall, his eyes burning with confidence, flames coiling around his fists. Veyra, her blue robes undulating like waves, held a poised stance, water droplets hovering around her, glinting in the sunlight.

The headmaster raised his hand, his voice booming. "Begin!"

Torren moved first, his attack a masterpiece of fiery precision. He stomped the ground, flames erupting from his soles, propelling him forward in a blazing dash. His hands thrust out, unleashing Inferno Lash—whips of superheated fire that cracked like thunder, each lash extending with explosive force, the air sizzling as they sliced toward Veyra. The whips weren't just raw flame; they drew in ambient heat, pulling moisture from the air to fuel bursts of steam that obscured their paths, a clever twist that made them unpredictable. The ground scorched beneath him, the arena filling with the scent of burned earth.

Veyra didn't flinch. She swept her arms in a fluid arc, summoning Tidal Veil—a cascading wall of water that rose from thin air, drawing moisture from the atmosphere to form a shimmering barrier. The water wasn't static; it rippled with internal currents, adapting to the whips' heat, vaporizing on contact to create explosive steam clouds that deflected the lashes. The clash was spectacular, fire meeting water in a hiss of vapor, the arena steaming like a forge, the ground wet and scorched in patches. Veyra countered, her veil collapsing into Aqua Spears—sharp, pressurized water lances that shot forward, each spear twisting with vortex currents to pierce through heat waves. The spears weren't mere projectiles; they absorbed ambient moisture mid-flight, growing denser, their tips glinting like diamonds.

Torren twisted, his body igniting in Blaze Mantle—a cloak of flames that evaporated the spears before impact, steam exploding outward in a blinding fog. He pressed the advantage, channeling the steam into Vapor Ignite—igniting the mist into a flash fire that engulfed Veyra's position, the air roaring with heat. Veyra spun, her robes swirling, summoning Mist Armor—a layer of condensed vapor that absorbed the fire, turning it into harmless steam, her form vanishing briefly in the fog. She emerged, launching Hydro Vortex—a spinning water funnel that pulled in Torren's flames, extinguishing them in a whirl of bubbles and hiss.

The duel intensified, Torren unleashing Flame Nova—a radiating burst of fire that expanded like a supernova, drawing heat from the ground to create molten spots. Veyra countered with Aqua Dome—a spherical water shield that boiled on contact, creating a steam barrier that reflected the heat back. The arena filled with vapor, visibility dropping, the air hot and humid. Torren adapted, using the steam to hide Ember Clones—fiery decoys that mimicked his form, their heat signatures confusing Veyra's senses. Veyra responded with Ripple Sense—sending water pulses through the steam to detect movement, her lances piercing the clones in bursts of steam and sparks.

Darius watched, his heart pounding, the match's ferocity a stark reminder of the academy's talent. Torren and Veyra weren't regular mages; they were powerhouses, their attacks innovative, Torren's fire drawing in moisture for explosive steam, Veyra's water absorbing heat to create reflective barriers. The arena steamed, the ground pocked with molten spots and puddles, the air thick with mana and mist.

Torren pressed with Scorching Gale, a heated wind that evaporated Veyra's dome, forcing her back. Veyra retaliated with Tidal Crush, a compressed water wave that extinguished his gale in a sizzle of steam. Their clash was a symphony of fire and water, steam explosions lighting the arena, the ground shaking with each impact.

As the match raged, Darius's mind raced. Maybe it won't be so easy, he thought, his ambition tempered by the display. The tournament was no simple spar; it was a battle of ingenuity and power. With the God Wand at stake, every fighter would bring their best, and he'd have to outshine them all.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.