The sun hung high over the Overlords Academy, casting long, sharp shadows across the Grand Arena. Fifty thousand spectators held their breath. The air was thick enough to choke on, saturated with the mana of thousands of mages, warriors, and nobles waiting for the climax of the century.

This was it. The Finals.

On one side stood Valeria. She was no longer just the promising knight from the entrance exam. She was a golden statue of war. Her silver plate armor hummed with a resonance that vibrated in the teeth of those in the front row. Her claymore, [Justicar's Verdict], rested on her shoulder, looking as light as a feather.

On the other side stood Alvian. The Anomaly. The Godslayer. Clad in the [Vestments of the Void Monarch], he looked like a tear in the fabric of the world. Darkness and frost coiled around his limbs. He held the [Lance of the Void Winter] loosely, the tip hovering inches above the ground.

[System Announcement: The Grand Finals!]

[Alvian (Freshman) vs. Valeria (Vanguard Ace)!]

[Stakes: Access to the Genesis Forge & The Headmaster's Vault.]

The barrier rose. A translucent dome of shimmering energy encased the battlefield, reinforced by three layers of high-grade wards. The faculty knew what was about to happen. They knew the arena might not survive.

"Alvian," Valeria's voice carried across the silence. She didn't shout, but the sheer force of her presence projected her words. "I told you I wouldn't lose."

"You kept your word," Alvian replied, his voice cool and indifferent. "You defeated the Sentinel Head in five seconds. Impressive efficiency."

"Efficiency?" Valeria smiled, a fierce, wild expression. "No. That was brute force. Against you... I need everything."

She stomped her foot.

"BOOM!"

The arena floor cracked. Golden light erupted from her skin. Her eyes turned pure white.

[Passive Triggered: Titan's Bloodline (Awakened)]

[Physique +100%]

[Strength +100%]

[Status Immunity Active.]

"Titan Form," Seraphina whispered from the VIP box, clutching the railing. "She's doubling her base stats. She's physically stronger than Alvian now."

Alvian scanned her.

[Target: Valeria]

[Level: 39]

[Strength: 180 (Buffed)]

[Physique: 200 (Buffed)]

"Two hundred Physique," Alvian noted. "She's a Raid Boss."

He didn't activate [Frost Heart] yet. He wanted to test her.

"Come," Alvian said.

Valeria vanished.

She moved so fast the sound barrier shattered a second after she moved.

"BANG!"

She was in front of him. A downward slash. Simple. Unavoidable.

Alvian raised his lance to block.

"CLANG!"

The impact drove Alvian's feet into the stone floor, burying him up to his knees. A shockwave ripped outward, shattering the surface of the arena for fifty meters.

[-1,200 HP]

Damage through the block.

"Heavy," Alvian grunted.

He pushed back, but she was immovable. She grinned and headbutted him.

"THUD!"

Alvian reeled back, vision swimming.

"Is that all the Godslayer has?" Valeria roared. She spun, delivering a kick to his ribs.

Alvian activated [Runic Aegis +2].

"Block."

The runes intercepted the kick.

"BOOM!"

The runes shattered instantly. The reactive damage triggered—[-2,000!] to Valeria—but she didn't even flinch. She powered through the explosion and connected.

Alvian was sent flying. He crashed into the barrier wall, spiderwebbing the energy shield.

The crowd screamed. Alvian was losing!

Alvian slid down the wall, landing on his feet. He wiped blood from his lip.

"Pain," Alvian whispered. "I haven't felt physical pain since the Avatar."

He looked at Valeria, who was charging again, a golden comet of destruction.

"Inefficient," Alvian said. "Trying to out-muscle a Titan is illogical."

He straightened up. His eyes began to glow violet.

"Time to change the parameters."

He activated [Klaus's Upgrade].

[Ding! Blessing Active.]

"[Frost Descent +2]."

He slammed his hand against the barrier wall behind him.

The arena flash-froze. But this time, he concentrated the blizzard into a dense fog on the ground.

[Crippling Frost Applied.]

Valeria charged into the mist. Her golden aura flared, burning away the cold.

"Your ice can't stop me!" she shouted. "My blood boils too hot!"

"Heat rises," Alvian stated.

He used [Shadow Step]. He appeared in the air above her.

He pointed his lance down.

"System. Divert infinite mana flow to weapon. Overcharge."

[Warning! Weapon Durability Stress!]

The [Lance of the Void Winter] turned pitch black. It ceased to be a spear; it became a singularity.

"[Glacial Void Pierce]: Orbital Bombardment."

He thrust.

A beam of void energy the size of a pillar crashed down on Valeria.

"GRAAAH!"

Valeria crossed her sword and shield arm to block. The beam hit her.

"BOOM... CRACK... KABOOM!"

The arena floor disintegrated. A crater formed, deepening by the millisecond. Valeria was driven into the earth. Her golden aura fought against the violet void.

It was a clash of absolutes. Unstoppable Force vs. Immovable Object.

But Alvian had something she didn't.

Infinite Mana.

He kept the beam firing. Continuous. Relentless.

Valeria's knees buckled. Her armor began to frost over, the black ice creeping up her arms.

"I... WON'T... YIELD!" Valeria screamed.

She did the impossible. She jumped.

She jumped up the beam. Fighting the pressure of a mana cannon, she launched herself into the air toward Alvian.

Alvian's eyes widened. "Impossible."

She reached him. She swung her claymore.

"SMASH!"

Alvian blocked with the shaft of his lance, but the force knocked him out of the air. He crashed into the crater he had just created.

Valeria landed opposite him. She was panting. Her armor was cracked. Her left arm hung limp, frozen solid by the void beam. But she was standing.

Alvian stood up. His [Vestments] were torn. His HP was at 60%.

He looked at her. And then, he laughed.

It was a cold, sharp sound.

"Excellent," Alvian said. "Truly excellent, Valeria. You forced me to use 10% of my mana output."

Valeria's eye twitched. "Ten... percent?"

"You wanted a monster," Alvian said, stowing his lance into his inventory. He spread his arms.

The air temperature dropped to absolute zero. The sunlight faded.

"System. Activate [Frost Heart]."

[Avatar State: Engaged.]

Wings of frozen starlight erupted from Alvian's back. His skin turned pale blue. A crown of ice materialized on his head.

He floated up, looking down at her like a god.

"Now," Alvian's voice echoed, layered with the voice of the Frost Monarch. "Let's see if a Titan can survive the winter."

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