The next morning.

My team and I arrived early. I was really in a brooding mood in the morning. Kaeel had suddenly withdrawal from our team in the middle of the night after a day worth of training!

The news was like cold water on my head, that spread shock throughout my body. At first I thought it was a joke but then I realized she was fighting for her team again.

Why the hell did she volunteer in the first place? Was it all just an elaborate joke? Or just to learn our techniques? Either way, we need to compromise. Could she be manipulated so that we'll go for the next fight uncompleted?

Fortunately, we could supplement with Professor Helena. She had to wear shackles of mana suppression that brought her to our teir and rank. But that wasn't so bad.

The arena was packed as usual, even more so because word had spread about last night's terrorist attack, it was also more obvious with the security that was tripled.

The announcer looked at everyone with gleaming eyes. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! The semifinals! First match! Ravana ACADEMY versus STORMWATCH ACADEMY! The winners face ASTRAL HAVEN in tomorrow's finals!"

The crowds roared.

I noticed several things at once as I tune out the cheers. Baron Celestius in VIP box, glaring at Adrian, the tournament security eyeing everyone suspiciously as if they expected people to suddenly start fighting or a sneak attack to occur.

And in Ironheart's team box....they have a new captain already it seems. Victoria's replacement? They were wearing Ironheart colors with their face hidden by helmet.

But the stance and that aura, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes. Why does it look so familiar?

The figure turned, looked directly at me from across the arena, and then raised one hand in a subtle gesture.

What does that mean?

I shook my head and looked away since I couldn't figure it out and Instead looked back at the arena and our fight.

I raised my hands and shadow gathered.

The arena floor dissolved into absolute darkness.

Not the natural darkness of night, but it was something deeper, thicker, almost tangible as shadow magic concentrated so heavily it became physical, swallowing light itself.

I raised my brows. Interesting.

The crowd gasped. Half the spectators couldn't see anything. The enchanted viewing crystals struggled, flickering between darkness and static.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice echoed uncertainly, "we have...unprecedented conditions. Both teams have deployed shadow concealment simultaneously. Our viewing enchantments are—hold on—"

I stood in the darkness, every sense heightened. Somewhere in this black void were five enemies. All shadow specialists. All trained to kill in darkness.

This was their element as much as mine.

"Spread formation," I called to my team. "Helena, center. Everyone else, mark quadrants."

"Can't see shit," Helena's voice came from my left. "How am I supposed to fight what I can't see?"

"You don't need to see. Just destroy everything that moves."

"Now that I can do."

The darkness rippled, as novement began to spread from multiple sources.

[ANALYTICAL EYE: SCANNING...]

[SHADOW INTERFERENCE: SEVERE]

[DETECTION REDUCED BY 70%]

[RECOMMENDATION: RELY ON INSTINCT]

Somewhere ahead, Kael's voice carried through the void. "Impressive shadow work, Hadeon Ravana. You've learned well."

I gritted my teeth. "Had good teachers."

"But can you teach while fighting?"

The attack came from three directions simultaneously.

I threw myself sideways as a shadow blade cut through the space I'd occupied and I felt the displaced air on my neck. Too close, that was too close!

I rolled and came up in a crouch, then I Shadow Step in short range to teleport through the darkness and reappeared twenty meters left.

Another blade came and this one grazed my shoulder, slicing through my clothes to drew blood. My eyes narrowed. They were tracking me somehow, that's the only explanation! Through the darkness or through my own shadows?

Of course. Shadow specialists could sense shadow manipulation and my movement must have gave me away.

"Lucille," I called. "Ash is yours, he's in northeast quadrant."

"Already on him."

Before long I heard the sound of blades clashing fast, so fast for normal eyes to follow even in daylight. In this darkness, it was just a rhythm of steel on steel.

"Marcus, status?"

"I'm fighting illusions. Or maybe real enemies, it's hard to tell." A pause, and then there was a sudden explosion of light as he used his disruption crystal. "There, got one!"

"Mira Darkleaf down," the referee's voice announced. "First elimination of Shadowgrove!"

Good. The illusionist was out, that would simplified things.

"Ravenna, can you dispel this darkness?"

"I'm already trying to work things out. Their shadow mage is reinforcing it constantly though. It's like trying to empty an ocean with a bucket."

"Then don't empty it, just make a hole and let it drain."

"Oh. That's actually clever."

Violet light exploded in a sphere around Ravenna and Void magic began eating away at the shadows.

I could see Luna Moonveil, Shadowgrove's support mage, weaving shadows to maintain the darkness field.

And Helena, grinning like a demon, charging straight at her.

"Finally," Helena roared. "Something I can hit."

Luna's eyes widened, she dove sideways, shadows wrapping around her for protection. Helena's war hammer came down where Luna had been. The impact cracked the arena floor, stone shattered as dust and shadow mixed together.

"You can't run in here forever," Helena called cheerfully. "I'll just break everything until I find you."

She meant it too. Another swing, and this one wasn't aimed at Luna specifically, just at everything in a ten-meter radius to cause a shockwave of pure force, the shadow barrier buckled under pure kinetic force.

"Raven," Luna called desperately. "I need...."

Raven Blackmist appeared from the darkness. Taller than the others. Shadows clung to him like a second skin, but wrong somehow, something darker.

He moved to intercept Helena.

A silly mistake on his part. Helena's hammer met his shadow-blade. The impact rang like a bell. Shadows scattered from the force.

Raven staggered back, surprise clear on his face.

"You're strong," Helena acknowledged. "For your rank at least. Good."

She attacked again. This time not testing to see, she used the full power available to her.

Raven blocked, but only berely. The force drove him back three meters. His shadow blade cracked.

"You're stronger," he admitted. "But strength isn't everything in shadow combat, you know!"

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.