Chapter 20: The Dojo competition (5)
The grounds of the dojo trembled with noise as the competition drew closer to its end.
Some students stood tall, bruised yet victorious. Others lay sprawled on the stone floor, staring up at the sky in quiet defeat. Matches ended one after another, and with every loss, the air grew heavier—not with despair, but with anticipation.
Even those who had fallen did not leave.
They sat among the crowd, disappointment still clinging to their shoulders, eyes fixed on the battlefield as fiercer clashes unfolded before them.
"Tch… damn it."
A boy slammed his fist into the ground, knuckles scraping stone. His match was over—ended decisively. As he trudged toward the resting area, his back was bent, steps dragging. Someone reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Hey. You did well."
"Shut up," he muttered, not even looking up.
Yet moments later, even he turned back toward the barrier, eyes shining as another explosion echoed through the arena.
The finals were close now.
Whispers spread through the students—names being weighed, predictions forming. Who would make it? Who would stand at the very end?
Inside the barrier, Rowan moved.
His axe carved through the air, crescent arcs of water flashing outward with every swing. Each strike was sharp, controlled—yet relentless.
His opponent barely managed to keep up.
The boy dodged again and again, breath ragged, feet slipping on the dampened stone. Sweat poured down his face as another water chop skimmed past his shoulder, slicing cleanly through the air where his head had been a heartbeat ago.
Too fast.
Too heavy.
After one last desperate dodge, his timing failed him.
The crescent arc struck squarely.
"Ah—fuck!"
The impact hurled him out of the barrier, his body skidding across the ground before coming to a halt. He slammed his fist into the dirt, roaring in frustration before pushing himself up.
Rowan lowered his axe, chest rising and falling.
They met at the edge of the barrier and clasped hands—firm, brief.
The other boy said nothing. He simply turned and walked away.
Rowan wiped the sweat from his temple, breathing hard.
That was… tougher than the last one.
Before he could settle his thoughts, a thunderous explosion echoed from the adjacent barrier.
Rowan turned.
Riven Valemont stood calmly within the shimmering boundary, untouched. His opponent lay outside it—defeated so completely it bordered on humiliation.
No scorch marks on Riven's robes. No ragged breathing. Not even a change in expression.
Rowan narrowed his eyes.
'I've seen him fight… but no one has managed to land a hit. Not even once.'
The dojo master's voice cut through the murmurs.
"That's enough. All remaining participants—rest until the next match."
Riven stepped out of the barrier and moved toward the crowd, disappearing among the students who immediately surrounded him.
Rowan was still standing when—
"Hey, dolt."
He turned.
Eldric stood behind him, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
---
Time passed quickly after that.
Soon, Master Garrick stepped forward once more, his presence silencing the entire arena.
"Now," he said, voice steady, "we approach the final battle of this year's competition. The winner will receive a recommendation letter."
A ripple ran through the students.
"But before that," the master continued, "those who lost—do not be discouraged. What you gained here matters more than victory. Use it. Sharpen yourselves. Return stronger next year. Understood?"
"Yes, Master!" the students answered in unison.
The master nodded once.
"Good. Now—step forward."
The barrier flared to life.
"Rowan versus Riven Valemont."
Cheers erupted immediately—most of them calling Riven's name.
Riven entered the barrier first, standing calmly at its center, wand resting loosely at his side.
Rowan followed, gripping his axe.
He stood still, shoulders relaxed, blade ready.
As the noise faded, a memory surfaced.
---
"I didn't expect you to make it this far."
Eldric's voice had carried mild surprise.
"But… congratulations."
Rowan had smiled. "Thanks. For teaching me."
Eldric coughed. "You paid me in drinks. Don't make it sound noble."
Then his gaze dropped—to the axe.
He reached out, brushing his fingers along its edge. "This thing… is that magic coming from the axe?"
Rowan pulled it back instinctively. "Well… I kind of learned it accidentally."
"Accidentally?" Eldric raised a brow. "What does that mean? You tripped into a hidden dungeon and found some legendary weapon?"
"What? No," Rowan laughed. "It's just a normal axe. I used it to cut wood."
"…You learned that spell by cutting wood?"
"Well," Rowan hesitated, "something like that."
Eldric sighed deeply. "Sometimes I truly don't understand you."
Then his expression changed.
Rowan followed his gaze.
Riven sat among the students, surrounded by quiet excitement.
"Hey, dolt."
Rowan turned towards Eldric.
"yout next match is against him."
Rowan nodded. "Oh,"
Then Suddenly somthing clicked in his mind.
"Wait So… are you going to give me some advice for the next match?"
Eldric scoffed. "What...?Advice."
Eldric looked at Rowan's sparking eyes.
He rubbed his chin. "Fine. Don't get nervous. Give it your all."
Rowan stared at him with a blank face.
"…That's it?"
"What were you expecting?"
"I thought it was gonna be some advice about magic."
"How am I supposed to give advice on magic," Eldric snapped, "when you don't even use the spells I taught you?"
Then his eyes returned to Riven.
"If you've watched his matches," he said quietly, "you already know how good he is."
Rowan recalled the battles of Riven he had seen then muttered."heh... and here I thought you were gonna give me some good advice.
Eldric looked at Rowan's disappointed face and rubbed his temple. "ughh..." suddenly something clicked in his mind, he recalled an advice that Master Garrick had give him a long time ago.
Hrmm... Hrrmm...
Eldric cleared his throat,"Ok dolt so here is an important advice for you."
Rowan looked up at Eldric the Sparks returning to his eyes again.
Eldric looked at those sparkling eyes he straighten his back and stood like someone about give to a lifetime of wisdom.
"In a battle, strategy is as important as any spell or magic."
"Huh..." the spark of Rowan's eyes faded immediately as he stood there confused.
"I'm don't know anything about strategy."
"Then learn from your opponent."
Rowan didn't replied and stood still staring at Eldric's straight face .
---
Back in the present, Rowan exhaled slowly.
Across from him, Riven stood unmoving.
The dojo master raised his hand.
"Battle—begin."
Rowan moved first.
"Fire Chop."
A crescent arc of flame surged from his axe, roaring forward.
Riven lifted his wand.
"Fire ball."
A fireball formed and launched forward—clean and controlled.
The two spells collided.
Boom.
The explosion forced Rowan to flinch, heat washing over him.
His eyes widened.
'What…?'
In every previous match, his fire chop had either torn through opposing spells or forced opponents to evade.
This time—it vanished.
Extinguished in thin air.
"He's different," Rowan muttered.
Riven stood calm.
Like an ocean—deep, unreadable.
"Alright," Rowan said under his breath. "Not fire, then."
"Water Chop."
The arc surged forward—but Riven answered instantly.
"Water cannon."
A torrent of water burst from his wand, a compressed cannon that swallowed the crescent whole. For a brief moment, Rowan's spell cut through it—
Then it was overwhelmed.
The water slammed into Rowan's chest.
"Gah—!"
He stumbled back, boots scraping soil, clothes soaked through. Pain bloomed across his body—heavy, crushing.
Rowan groaned.
"I didn't know… water could hurt like this."
He straightened slowly, eyes locking onto Riven.
Unharmed.
Unshaken.
Still calm.
Rowan tightened his grip on the axe.
'This guy…'
'He's somthing else.'
And the battle had only just begun.
---
Chapter ends