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The Silver Moon Fox was fast. Stupidly, absurdly fast, with agility that put every previous opponent to shame. But there was one thing it couldn't do.
Fly.
And Mana could.
That was why Harlow, Townsend, and Brandt hadn't batted an eye. They'd seen Mana take to the air during the exam. They knew the moment any ground-based card tried to close the distance, the fight was already over.
Without moonlight, the Silver Moon Fox couldn't walk on air. It was locked to the ground. Which meant Mana could float above it all day, raining down attacks from a position it could never reach.
The fox was about to become a living target.
I can't wait to see their faces, Harlow thought, and couldn't quite suppress a grin.
"That fox is fast, but they don't know about the flying, do they?"
"Nope. They saw the homing spells, the Silence Seal, the melee, the wide-area blast. They think they've got the full picture. They have no idea."
"So they figure close range is the answer because they think they've seen everything she can do. Poor bastards."
"You know Luke planned it this way, right? He's been holding back the flight card this whole time."
"That's not 'holding back.' That's tactics. Know the difference."
Marcus and the others weren't bothering to keep their voices down. The conversation drifted clearly across the arena, and both Lily and the Moonvale students caught every word.
"What are they on about? Trying to psych us out?" Levi scowled. Being swept by Luke had left him in no mood for cryptic trash talk.
In the arena, Lily's gaze locked onto Luke. He was standing there with his hands in his pockets, watching the Silver Moon Fox's Godspeed rush bear down on his Spellcaster without the slightest trace of concern.
What are you hiding?
"Be careful," Lily murmured to the fox. She didn't know what trick Luke had tucked away, but she wasn't going to let a moment's carelessness decide this fight.
The Silver Moon Fox lunged, claws extended, closing the final distance in a silver blur.
"Mana!" At Luke's command, the Spellcaster's feet left the ground.
Mana kicked off and shot skyward, clearing the attack by inches. She hung there, fifteen feet above the arena floor, staff balanced across her shoulders, looking down at the Silver Moon Fox like a cat watching a dog who'd just realized it couldn't climb trees.
"Hehe. Nice try, foxy~"
Lily's lips parted into a small O. She finally understood why Luke had been so calm.
You have GOT to be kidding me.
"SHE CAN FLY?!"
"Are you serious right now?! Attack power like THAT, and she can fly too?!"
Zane made a strangled noise. Levi's jaw dropped so far it nearly hit his chest. Warren, who'd been quietly nursing his wounded pride, took a physical step backward.
"THERE it is! That's the stuff!"
"I've been waiting for this! She flies, baby! SHE FLIES!"
"Your fox can run all it wants. Can't catch what's in the sky!"
The Ashenvale students who'd watched the exam livestream had been sitting on this secret for days, and the payoff exceeded every expectation. Marcus was laughing so hard he was doubled over, and even Hailey was biting her lip to keep a straight face.
"So this is what you meant by 'keep watching'?" Edwin's knuckles were white around the armrests. "You people really do love hiding your cards."
"Takes one to know one." Harlow didn't bother concealing the satisfaction.
Victor turned to Helena with the closest thing to a shit-eating grin a City Lord could reasonably wear. "The Moon Spirit Ring was the agreed-upon stake, Helena. I'll go ahead and accept it on Luke's behalf."
The ring had no effect on Sovereign Realm Card Masters. It wasn't something Victor or the principals would keep. It belonged to Luke, and Luke alone.
Helena Frost hadn't cracked. Not when Mana flew. Not when the crowd erupted. Not even when Victor reached for the prize.
"Don't celebrate too early, Victor." Her voice was silk over steel. She turned to Edwin. "Pace. Do you really have so little faith in Lily?"
The question snapped Edwin out of his spiral. Helena didn't bluff. If she was still calm, there was a reason.
"Whatever happens," Helena continued, "Lily will not lose this fight."
Victor's grin faded. That absolute certainty. Helena knew something, and she'd been sitting on it this entire time.
What the hell is that woman hiding?
In the arena, the Silver Moon Fox streaked across the ground, dodging bolts of dark magic raining from above. Godspeed carried it through the barrage in a storm of silver afterimages, but none of its speed could change the fundamental problem: it couldn't reach Mana. Every time it leaped, gravity pulled it back. Every attempt to close the vertical gap failed.
Mana floated above it, firing spell after spell, perfectly relaxed. The fox was fast enough to dodge, but it was only a matter of time before one connected.
"I didn't plan to use this in a friendly exchange match." Lily's voice was quiet, and a second card appeared between her fingers. Something between frustration and reluctant admiration flickered across her face. "But you've left me no choice."
She summoned.
A beautiful figure materialized at Lily's shoulder, radiating an aura that fell just short of the Silver Moon Fox and Mana. Wings spread wide, shimmering with patterns that looked like tiny galaxies frozen in glass.
On the VIP platform, Victor's eyes narrowed. Beside him, Harlow and the other principals tensed.
So that was Helena's insurance.