The duels continued.

I watched a spearman dismantle a dual-wielder using reach advantage. I watched a gravity mage crush a swordsman into the floor tiles. I watched Mariella struggle against a rogue-type student, barely winning by blinding him with a [Flash] spell and whacking him with her staff in a panic.

It was a display of raw talent. These were the elites of the Empire, the future heroes and generals.

Ariana watched with wide eyes, clutching my sleeve every time someone got hit.

"That looks painful," she whispered as a student took a mace to the ribs.

"It's combat," I whispered back. "Pain is the tuition fee."

Finally, the ring was cleared of the last pair.

Instructor Samantha stepped back into the center. She looked at her clipboard, then looked up. A rare, anticipatory glint appeared in her eyes.

The crowd quieted down. They knew the big names were left.

Samantha cleared her throat.

"Next match."

"Cadet Lucien Ashborne."

I stood up, buttoning my blazer.

"Vs…"

Samantha turned her gaze to the other side of the room.

"Cadet Celestia von Asteria."

The arena erupted into whispers. The disgraced noble versus the Empire's beloved Princess. The Villain versus the Prodigy.

I walked into the ring, my footsteps echoing on the mana-reinforced stone. Opposite me, Celestia stepped forward, her expression unreadable. She held a pristine white staff topped with a sapphire crystal. The air around her temperature dropped instantly, frost creeping across the floor tiles.

"Ready?" Samantha raised her hand, her eyes darting between us.

I unbuttoned my blazer, letting it hang loose. I reached into the empty air.

[Inventory Open]

I didn't pull out a sword. I didn't pull out a staff.

I pulled out the Benelli M4.

The matte black metal gleamed under the arena lights.

A ripple of confusion went through the crowd.

"What is that?"

"A metal stick?"

"Is he going to club her with a pipe? Hahaha!"

Laughter bubbled up from the stands. Even Celestia frowned, tilting her head.

"A strange artifact, Lucien," she said, her voice amplified by the arena acoustics. "But do you think a club will reach me?"

I didn't answer. I just racked the bolt.

CLACK-CLACK.

That mechanical sound—sharp, cold, and utterly foreign to this world—cut through the laughter.

Samantha narrowed her eyes. She felt the danger.

"Begin!"

WHOOSH.

Celestia moved instantly. She didn't underestimate me; she wanted to end this quickly.

"[Glacial Spear]."

Three massive lances of ice formed in the air above her and fired at me with the speed of arrows.

I didn't dodge.

I raised the shotgun.

BOOM!

The sound was thunderous. It wasn't the fwoosh of a fireball or the zing of an arrow. It was an explosion.

The students in the front row flinched, covering their ears.

The buckshot slammed into the lead ice spear, shattering it into a million sparkling diamonds mid-air.

BOOM! BOOM!

I fired two more shots in rapid succession. The remaining spears disintegrated before they could come within five meters of me.

The laughter in the stands died instantly.

Celestia's eyes widened. She had felt the impact reverberate through her mana connection.

"Kinetic force… without mana?" she whispered.

I didn't give her time to analyze.

[Haste].

My legs glowed with a faint green light. I kicked off the ground, blurring forward.

"He's fast!" Bordon shouted from the stands.

I closed the distance. Twenty meters. Fifteen.

Celestia slammed her staff down.

"[Ice Wall]!"

A thick barrier of translucent blue ice erupted from the ground, blocking my path.

I didn't stop. I slid on my knees, switching grip on the shotgun.

BOOM!

I fired a solid slug point-blank into the base of the wall. The ice shattered, creating a man-sized hole.

I vaulted through the debris, leveling the gun at her.

Celestia grit her teeth. She was forced to move. Mages hated moving.

She spun, her dress flaring as she cast a defensive spell.

[Frozen Earth]!

The ground beneath my feet turned into a sheet of frictionless ice.

I lost my footing. I stumbled.

'Got you,' her eyes seemed to say.

[Icicle Rain]!

Dozens of sharp shards rained down on me.

I rolled, abandoning the shotgun for a split second to pull two daggers from my belt.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

I deflected the shards near my vitals, but a few grazed my cheek and shoulder. The sting was sharp, but I ignored it.

I grabbed the shotgun again, rolled to my feet, and fired.

BOOM!

Celestia raised a [Mana Shield], but the impact of the slug knocked her backward two steps. Her casting rhythm was broken.

I was in range.

I dropped the gun. It vanished into my inventory.

I lunged CQC style, a dagger in a reverse grip.

"You…!" Celestia gasped.

She tried to swing her staff, but I caught the wood with my left hand, yanking her forward. With my right, I swept the dagger toward her neck.

It was a checkmate move.

But she was a Level 8 mage for a reason.

[Burst.]

A shockwave of pure cold mana exploded from her body.

It wasn't a spell; it was raw power.

WHAM.

I was thrown backward as if hit by a truck. I skidded across the ice, gasping for air, frost forming on my eyelashes.

"Impressive, Lucien," Celestia said, her voice trembling slightly. She was breathing hard, her perfect composure ruined. "You forced me to use 40% of my mana reserve in thirty seconds."

She raised her staff high. The air in the arena began to hum. The temperature plummeted until breath turned to snow.

"But this ends now."

A massive magic circle appeared above the arena.

[Grand Magic: Blizzard Domain]

"She's using a Tier 4 spell in a duel?!" Elisha screamed from the stands. "Is she crazy?"

I tried to stand up, but my limbs felt heavy. The cold was seeping into my muscles, slowing the [Haste] spell.

'Damn. She's strong.'

I reached into my inventory. I had one trick left. A Flashbang.

I pulled the pin and threw it.

BANG!

A blinding white light engulfed the arena.

"Ack!" Celestia shielded her eyes, her concentration wavering.

I sprinted. Blindly. Trusting my [Detection] skill.

I broke through the snowstorm. I was right in front of her.

I raised my fist—enhanced with everything I had left.

She opened her teary eyes, seeing me loom over her. Panic flashed on her face.

She instinctively unleashed everything she was holding.

[Absolute Zero Pillar]

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.