Medics rushed into the arena, lifting Elira onto a stretcher. Blood still dripped from her side. Hana followed, pale and trembling.
"I… I didn't mean to go that far," she said softly. "I couldn't control it. I just… lost myself."
The medics nodded, already focused on stabilizing Elira. Hana walked beside them in silence as they disappeared toward the infirmary.
Kobe clapped once. "Alright. We move on."
He shuffled the names again. Matches four, five, six—time blurred as students rose and fell. Some fights were fast, others dragged on. An hour passed.
Finally, Kobe's voice rang out again. "Twelfth match: Rin Takahashi versus Lucien Virelace."
Taro glanced up. "That's you."
Rin stood, stretching. "Alright, my turn."
"Good luck, man. Make sure you lose."
"Yeah, yeah," Rin smirked.
He walked into the arena—and the murmurs began.
"Who's that guy?"
"His clothes... did he even register properly?"
"He looks half-dead."
Taro's fists clenched, but he said nothing.
Across the field, Lucien stepped into the light. His presence was overwhelming—he moved like someone who'd survived hell. His dark eyes glinted, and with a casual motion, he summoned a wicked scythe. Metal gleamed, formed from nothing—his elemental trait. Earth and metal creation.
Rin didn't flinch. He dropped into a loose stance—unrefined, almost like a thug.
"Is he serious?"
"What kind of stance is that? A thief?"
"They'll let anyone in these days..."
Rin ignored them all. His eyes locked on Lucien.
Kobe raised a hand. "Three… two… one… Begin!"
Lucien attacked instantly, swinging his scythe with brutal speed. Rin barely dodged, the blade slicing the air inches from his throat. Lucien pressed forward, relentless, each swing heavier than the last.
Flames burst from Rin's fists. He blocked a downward strike with his arm—blood splattered—and punched Lucien square in the face.
Lucien staggered, then smiled. His eyes dropped to the blood on the blade like a man seeing water for the first time.
Rin's gut clenched. Blood Control. He'd heard of it… but never seen it.
He stepped in for another attack—
And froze.
Not from fear. From something deeper. Something wrong.
His blood wouldn't move.
It was like it had been frozen inside him.
Gasps echoed from the crowd.
Lucien licked the edge of his scythe. "I'm not allowed to kill you. But I can make sure you never walk again. Let's see how many bones I can break."
Taro stood up. "You bastard!"
He took a step forward.
"Take one more step, and Rin is disqualified," Kobe warned, voice sharp.
Taro froze, teeth gritted. "Tch…"
Lucien marched toward Rin, his arm hardening into metal. Rin's limbs wouldn't move. He couldn't win. Not like this.
But then—
He smiled.
Lucien thrust the metal hand toward Rin's chest.
It pierced through.
"Caught you, asshole," Rin hissed.
Electricity exploded from his body.
A blinding surge—ten bolts of lightning concentrated in a single point. Thunder cracked like a cannon. Smoke engulfed the field.
Silence.
The smoke cleared slowly.
Both boys were down—Lucien barely conscious, body scorched. Rin too, shaking, bloodied, twitching from the backlash of his own attack.
Doctors sprinted in from the sidelines.
No one spoke.
Even Kobe's expression was unreadable.
Then he muttered, just loud enough for those nearby:
"Damn fools."