A few minutes later, Fenix left the waiting area, glancing back at Aura longingly as he entered the arena.
"Now welcome Fenix—an S-rank student! This battle is going to be a treat!" the announcer shouted.
The arena erupted into girlish screams as Fenix stepped onto the field, revealing his face.
"And his opponent—Fleet from the A-ranked division!"
The crowd cheered again as Fleet entered.
"Hah! Remember me?" Fleet asked, smirking.
Fenix tilted his head."Should I?" he replied politely.
"I'm the guy you attacked!" Fleet snapped.
Fenix paused, thinking. (That could be anyone…)
"When I was in front of Aura's room!"
Recognition clicked.
"Ah… so you're that asshole—the one who doesn't know how to clean up his own messes," Fenix said with a smile.
Fleet glared.
"Battle start!" the announcer yelled.
Fleet moved first.
"Now I can finally pay you back! There's no way I'm losing!" he shouted, swinging a punch at Fenix's face.
Before it connected—Fenix vanished.
Fleet barely had time to react before a kick slammed into his back, knocking the air from his lungs. Another strike hit his side a second later, sending him skidding toward the edge of the ring—nearly a ring-out.
"You're pretty fast… Speed must be your power, hmm?" Fenix said, squatting beside him with a smile.
Fleet pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Good. You can still stand," Fenix continued softly. "That means… I don't have to hold back."
Both of Fenix's eyes began glowing orange. His hair lifted, moving like living flame.
Fleet clapped his hands together, muttering under his breath. His feet began to glow as he dropped into a stance.
"Don't think I'm scared of you just because your power looks flashy. I can beat anyone when I get serious," Fleet declared confidently.
Fenix laughed.
With each chuckle, flames burst from beneath the concrete. The arena cracked—lava seeping through the fissures.
Fleet hesitated—but didn't retreat. Instead, he doubled down and shouted,
"All I have to do is knock you out!"
He charged forward at blinding speed—too fast for the audience to follow.
A barrage of strikes followed.
Every single one missed.
Fenix bent, twisted, and slipped through them effortlessly—his movements fluid, unnatural, almost inhuman.
Thirty seconds passed.
Exhaustion set in, and Fleet slowed—but he forced himself to strike again, throwing a desperate kick toward Fenix.
As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, Fenix caught the leg with his right hand—
—and drove his left elbow down into Fleet's knee.
A sickening crack echoed.
Fleet's scream tore through the arena, sending chills through the audience.
"The victor is Fenix!" the announcer declared.
The referee and paramedics tried to rush in, but the fire was too intense for anyone to get close.
The crowd exploded into cheers.
"That was no fun at all… too easy…" Fenix muttered. "I didn't even get to remove my seal."
The flames sank back into the ground. The lava cooled, sealing the cracks.
"You're a disappointment," he said coldly, looking down at Fleet, who was still writhing in pain.
With that, Fenix turned and walked away.
He returned to the waiting room, and only then did the healers rush onto the field to retrieve Fleet—now that it was finally safe.
"How did I do, Aura?" he asked, his eyes bright—almost hungry for praise—as he moved to her side.
She smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. "You were awesome."
Fenix smiled back. "Really?"
"Yeah. Super awesome." She raised both thumbs this time.
He kissed her quickly, sighed in satisfaction, then dropped onto the bench.
"Don't get too excited… Your match is next. If you lose, I automatically win our bet," he said with a cocky smirk.
"…It's just the first round. There's no way I'd lose, stupid!" Aura shot back, sticking out her tongue.
Fenix laughed.
"After your match, let's go somewhere…" he murmured, already lying back and closing his eyes.
"Sure. It's only elimination matches today anyway."
When he didn't respond, Aura glanced over—
He was already asleep.
She stared at him for a few seconds, then reached out and gently brushed his hair away from his cheek.
Soon, it was her turn.
Aura threw a shoe at him.
Fenix jolted upright, irritation flashing across his face—until he saw her smiling.
"Watch me!" she called.
His expression softened instantly.
"Okay," he replied quietly.
Aura ran onto the field.
"A crowd favorite—and last year's champion—Aura!" the announcer shouted.
The arena erupted.
"Her opponent—a fellow S-rank student—Shade!"
A boy dressed entirely in black stepped forward. The cheers for him were noticeably quieter.
"Who will win?! Will Aura keep her title?! Let's find out!"
"Battle start!"
Neither of them moved.
They simply watched each other.
Then—
Aura realized she couldn't move.
Her body locked in place.
A blink—
—and she forced herself free just in time to dodge Shade, who had already closed the distance.
"What did you do?" Aura asked, glaring.
"I'll tell you if you win," Shade replied smugly.
Aura wrinkled her nose—then, instinctively, her eyes flicked toward Fenix.
That moment of distraction—
Shade lunged.
Aura dodged cleanly.
"You remind me of him…" she said.
"Of who?" Shade asked, circling her.
She smiled.
"The person I love."
The words hit.
Shade flushed—
—and in that instant, vines erupted from the ground, wrapping him in a dense cocoon.
Thorns drove inward.
Aura watched calmly—
until blood began to seep through the cracks.
Then—
her eyes widened.
A shadow slipped free.
It stretched—
—and reformed into Shade, clutching his injured arm. A deep cut ran across his cheek.
"You escaped. Good job," Aura said, smiling.
Shade's glare sharpened.
"Don't patronize me."
He lowered his voice, muttering,
"Darkness beneath the light… creep forth and obey my will."
The arena plunged into black.
Total darkness.
Aura's vision struggled to adjust—
Ten seconds.
That was all it took.
Shade struck.
Once—twice—three times.
Both knees.
Then her stomach.
Aura dropped, coughing, clutching her abdomen—blind.
"You thought you could beat me," Shade said, stepping closer. "You were completely outmatched. I expected more from the champion."
Closer.
Too close.
She couldn't see him—
—but she could hear him.
Aura moved.
She surged upward—
Her fist cracked against his jaw.
His head snapped back.
She spun—
A roundhouse slammed into his side.
As he staggered, she drove forward, tackling him—her shoulder slamming into his gut.
Light flooded the arena.
The crowd gasped—
then exploded into cheers.
Shade lay pinned beneath her.
Before he could react, vines shot from the ground, binding his wrists and ankles to the arena floor.
He struggled.
It didn't matter.
"What kind of fucking plants are these?" he demanded.
"They're part of me," Aura replied calmly.
She sat on his stomach, leaning in close.
The crowd went wild.
Then—
she exhaled a soft green mist into his face.
Instantly, his body went slack.
His eyes closed.
"The winner is Aura!" the announcer declared.
The audience roared.
Aura lifted her hand. A reddish liquid formed in the air, then dripped onto Shade's face.
He jolted awake.
"What—?" He coughed, wiping at his face. "What happened?"
Aura smiled.
"While you were taking a nap… I beat you."
Her vines released him. She stood and offered her hand.
"You fought well."
He hesitated—
then took it.
"I thought I incapacitated you," he said as he rose.
Aura giggled.
"It takes more than two broken kneecaps to incapacitate me."
Shade smirked.
"I like you. You're interesting."
He lingered a moment longer than necessary.
"Both battlers, please exit the arena," the referee called.
They both laughed lightly.
"I wish we had classes together," Shade muttered as he walked off.
Aura followed behind him—barely registering the comment.
Her focus was already elsewhere.
Back on Fenix.
And who she would crush next.
Aura and Fenix left before the preliminary rounds were finished. Fenix led her through a stretch of trees just beyond the school grounds.
"Where are we going?" she asked after a while, noticing they hadn't stopped.
"Each time you ask a question, you'll receive a punishment… that's one," he replied, glancing back at her with a brief smile.
"That's not fair! That should've been a freebie! You didn't even warn me first!" she protested.
Fenix squeezed her hand gently.
"When I said it was a surprise before we left, that was your warning not to ask questions," he said.
Aura laughed. "Okay, sorry!"
Almost immediately after, Fenix stopped.
Aura looked up—
They stood at the edge of a wide, open valley, surrounded by forest.
"Aura… can you fly?" Fenix asked, releasing her hand and turning toward her.
"No."
"You can't? That's weird."
"You're weird!" Aura shot back.
Fenix chuckled.
Then—
Red, feathery wings unfurled from his back.
"I guess I'll carry you then… since you're a flightless little thing," he said, reaching for her.
"Most people can't fly!" Aura protested—
—but he had already scooped her up.
She instinctively clung to him as he lifted off the ground, rising higher and higher into the air.
"Eeh—?! Put me down!" she yelped, tightening her grip.
"Aura…" Fenix said softly, his voice calmer now, almost coaxing. "Care to play a game with me?"
She looked up at him.
For some reason, meeting his eyes steadied her, easing her fear.
"…Sure," she said quietly. "Let's play."
Fenix's smile curved—slow, mischievous… and just a little dangerous.