The atmosphere in the arena shifted from intense to suffocating. Harlon, realizing his daggers were insufficient, reached for the hilt at his back.

With a metallic ring that echoed through the stands, he drew a long, obsidian-bladed sword.

A terrifyingly dense, pitch-black aura erupted from him, swirling around the blade like a localized storm.

Grey didn't back down. Instead, a savage smirk played on his lips. "If you're bringing out the big guns, I guess I should too."

Grey planted his feet, and his red aura flared with a rhythmic thumping sound, like a giant heart beating.

Suddenly, his arms began to swell. Muscles expanded, and thick, corded vessels popped out along his forearms as they grew to twice their original size. This was his Partial Gigantification skill.

The stands erupted in murmurs of disbelief. Hamdal leaned forward, his eyes narrowed; even Legolas and the Sword Saint Armin looked stunned.

None of them had expected a first-year to possess such a volatile and physically demanding skill.

"GAAHH!"

Both warriors vanished simultaneously. They met in the center of the cratered grounds.

Grey's humongous, aura-encased arms acted like shields, clashing against Harlon's sword slashes. Each strike produced a shockwave that cracked the stone beneath them.

They exchanged dozens of strikes in a blur of black steel and red force before a massive collision sent them both sliding back.

Before Harlon could even reset his stance, Grey disappeared again. He reappeared instantly in the air, directly above the Shadow Guard, his giant fists poised.

"Gatling Destruction," Grey whispered.

A barrage of nearly ten punches descended almost instantly. Each giant fist was trailed by a streak of red aura.

Harlon roared, swinging his sword in a desperate defensive dance, cutting through the aura-punches, but the sheer physical force was staggering.

The vibrations traveled up his blade, making his palms bleed and his muscles scream under the pressure.

"SHADOW SLASH!" Harlon screamed, putting every ounce of his remaining aura into a horizontal, black arched wave of energy that tore through the air toward Grey.

"One Punch Kill!" Grey countered, his right fist driving forward with the weight of a falling star.

The two attacks collided in a blinding flash of red and black. For a second, the world went silent before a thunderous explosion negated both skills, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Through the haze, Harlon looked around frantically, his sword trembling. His best skill had been neutralized. Before he could process the shock, Grey was gone.

In the next heartbeat, a humongous, vein-popped fist loomed over Harlon's head, casting a literal shadow over him. It was a killing blow, and there was no time left to dodge.

Harlon closed his eyes and smirked, a strange sense of peace washing over him as he accepted his defeat.

But the impact never came. He opened his eyes to see the massive fist stopped just inches from his forehead, the wind from the stop ruffling his hair.

"I win," Grey said, his voice calm despite his heavy breathing, his red aura slowly receding as his arms returned to their normal size.

Harlon let out a long, shaky breath and lowered his sword. "You sure did."

The silence in the arena was absolute. Legolas stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the young man who had just bested one of the Elven Empire's finest.

Hamdal, meanwhile, looked like he was ready to offer Grey a seat on the High Council then and there.

The dust in the arena began to settle, revealing the heavy breathing of two exhausted warriors.

The sheer silence of the spectators was finally broken by Hamdal's voice, echoing from the VIP stands.

"Are you satisfied now, Prime Minister?" Hamdal asked, a sharp, triumphant smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at the Elven delegate.

Legolas looked as though he had swallowed something incredibly bitter. His expression was a volatile mix of defeat and annoyance.

He looked at Grey, then at his own disgraced Shadow Guard, and finally back at Hamdal.

Without a single word of rebuttal, he simply clicked his tongue in frustration and turned on his heel, his remaining Shadow Guard trailing silently behind him as they exited the grounds.

"He's convinced. Don't worry," Armin said with a boisterous laugh, leaning back and watching Legolas's retreating back. "Elves are stubborn, but they know a monster when they see one. That kid is definitely a monster."

"A monster huh?....guess he has even gotten your approval through this duel." Hamdal said with a smirk.

Armin didn't say anything, he just smiled, his expression approving Hamdal's claim.

Hamdal's expression turned serious as he looked toward the field. "Thorgar!" he barked.

"Yes, Headmaster!" Thorgar shouted, standing at attention.

"Ask Grey and the others to prepare immediately. I am officially approving their leave of absence for the journey to Grimhold," Hamdal commanded, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

"And tell Grey... I want to see him in my office once he's seen the healers. Immediately."

"Yes, Headmaster!" Thorgar replied. He offered a deep bow, but as he straightened, he couldn't hold back the massive, ear-to-ear grin stretching across his face.

The "failing" student he had taken under his wing had just humiliated a Royal Shadow. His pride was practically glowing.

*******

Grey entered the Headmaster's office with his arm heavily bandaged. The adrenaline from the duel had faded, replaced by a stinging ache and a deep, intuitive sense that the "training trip" he had requested was about to become something much darker.

Hamdal sat behind his desk, but for the first time, the boisterous, laughing giant was gone. His face was etched with a grim gravity that made the room feel cold.

"Sit, Grey," Hamdal said, his voice a low rumble. "What I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Not to your friends, and especially not to Elena—not yet."

Hamdal leaned forward, his hands interlaced. "You aren't just going to Grimhold for training purpose anymore. You are an escort. You are the shield for the most important person on this planet right now."

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