The arena was already shaking from the crowd.
Noah stood on one side of the circular battlefield.
Jordan Nethem stood opposite him.
Between them was nothing but stone.
No teammates.
No obstacles.
No excuses.
The Hildgard representative raised her hand.
"Individual Combat."
"The winner advances."
"The loser is eliminated from this event."
Jordan smiled.
"Try not to embarrass yourself, Blackwood."
Noah looked at him.
"You talk a lot."
The crowd laughed.
Jordan’s smile twitched.
Then the bell rang.
BOOM!
Lightning exploded around Jordan.
He vanished.
Noah barely raised his arm.
CRACK!
Jordan’s fist struck his guard and sent him sliding backward.
The crowd erupted.
Jordan laughed.
"Too slow!"
Another bolt appeared behind him.
Then another.
The lightning didn’t disappear.
It remained suspended in the air like living serpents.
Noah’s eyes narrowed.
"So that’s your ability."
Jordan spread his arms.
"Nethem Lightning."
The bolts moved independently.
One shot toward Noah.
Then another.
Then five.
Noah jumped.
BOOM!
Lightning tore through the battlefield.
He landed and immediately ignited his feet.
Jordan appeared in front of him.
Noah punched.
Jordan blocked.
Lightning surged between them.
CRACK!
Both were thrown apart.
Jordan landed gracefully.
Noah rolled once before standing.
Jordan smiled.
"Not bad."
Noah wiped a small line of blood from his cheek.
"You’re stronger than you look."
Jordan’s expression darkened.
"You really don’t know who you’re talking to."
Lightning gathered around his body.
The floating bolts suddenly changed direction.
They surrounded Noah.
Jordan raised one hand.
"Let’s end this."
The lightning descended.
Noah’s flames erupted.
BOOOOM!
Fire and lightning collided.
Smoke swallowed the battlefield.
The crowd fell silent.
Then...
A figure emerged from the smoke.
Noah.
His uniform was torn.
His breathing was heavier.
But he was standing.
Jordan stared.
Noah looked at him.
"Your lightning hurts."
Jordan grinned.
"Good."
He raised his hand again.
"But I haven’t shown you everything."
Noah’s fingers ignited.
Orange fire flickered around them.
For the briefest moment...
A faint maroon tint appeared.
Laura’s eyes widened from the spectator section.
She knew that color.
"Noah..."
Jordan didn’t notice.
He charged.
Noah charged too.
The two collided in the center.
BOOM!
The arena shook.
And this time...
Neither gave an inch.
BOOM!
Noah and Jordan separated.
The arena floor beneath them was cracked.
Jordan wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
For the first time...
He wasn’t smiling.
Noah noticed.
"You’re serious now."
Jordan’s eyes sharpened.
"You wanted to see what I could do."
Lightning crawled across his arms.
"Then watch."
The air around Jordan changed.
Several lightning spheres appeared behind him.
They moved independently, circling him like silent predators.
The crowd erupted.
Even the other academies were watching carefully now.
Jordan raised his hand.
The lightning spheres fired.
Noah moved.
One.
Two.
Three.
He dodged them, but the fourth struck his shoulder.
CRACK!
Pain shot through his body.
He staggered.
Jordan appeared directly in front of him.
"Got you."
His fist came down.
Noah blocked.
The impact pushed him to one knee.
Jordan smiled.
"Stay down."
Noah looked up.
"Not happening."
Fire exploded from his body.
Jordan was thrown backward.
Noah stood.
His flames burned brighter than before.
Orange.
Then...
A faint maroon shimmer.
Laura stood from her seat.
"That’s it..."
She clenched her hands.
"Don’t lose control."
Jordan rushed forward again.
Noah met him.
Fire collided with lightning.
BOOM!
Again.
BOOM!
Again.
The two exchanged blows across the battlefield.
Neither would retreat.
Jordan’s lightning tore through Noah’s flames.
Noah’s fire burned through Jordan’s defenses.
Finally...
They struck each other simultaneously.
CRACK!
Both flew backward.
Jordan landed on one knee.
Noah crashed against the arena wall.
Silence.
Then Noah slowly stood.
Jordan stared.
"...You’re annoying."
Noah smiled.
"You’re not exactly pleasant either."
The crowd laughed.
Jordan’s expression hardened.
He raised both hands.
Every remaining lightning construct gathered above him.
The sky darkened.
A massive bolt began forming.
Even the spectators felt the pressure.
Adrian stood.
"Jordan."
Christina’s eyes narrowed.
"He’s going too far."
Jordan ignored them.
"This is the Nethem family’s lightning."
The bolt descended.
Noah looked upward.
His heartbeat accelerated.
Something inside him stirred.
A voice whispered.
"Let me out."
Noah’s eyes widened.
"No."
The maroon glow appeared.
Then disappeared.
Noah clenched his teeth.
He raised his hand.
Ragnarok erupted.
BOOOOOOM!
Fire met lightning.
The arena disappeared beneath smoke and light.
For several seconds...
Nothing could be seen.
Then the smoke cleared.
Jordan was lying on the ground.
Noah was standing.
Barely.
The referee raised her hand.
"Winner..."
She paused.
"Noah Blackwood of Valhalla Academy!"
The arena exploded.
Eric jumped from his seat.
"YES!"
Laura exhaled in relief.
Damien stared at Noah.
"That was closer than it looked."
Luna quietly nodded.
Across the arena...
Jordan remained on the ground.
His fists tightened.
He had lost.
But instead of humiliation...
A strange smile appeared.
"Interesting..."
He looked toward Noah.
"Very interesting."
And for the first time...
Jordan wasn’t looking at Noah like an academy misfit.
He was looking at him like a rival.
The arena was still roaring.
Noah stood in the center of the battlefield, breathing heavily.
His flames had disappeared.
But his body hadn’t recovered.
His arms trembled.
His muscles burned.
And beneath his nose...
A thin line of blood appeared.
Laura noticed immediately.
"Noah."
He wiped it away.
"I’m fine."
She frowned.
"Don’t start."
Noah gave her a tired smile.
"I’m really fine."
Laura walked closer.
"You pushed Ragnarok again."
Noah’s smile disappeared.
He lowered his voice.
"I didn’t mean to."
"I know."
She looked into his eyes.
"For a moment, your eyes changed."
Noah looked away.
"I felt it."
Laura’s expression softened.
"Then don’t chase that power yet."
Noah nodded.
"Yeah."
Across the arena, Jordan was being treated by an Asgard medic.
His injuries weren’t severe, but his pride had taken considerably more damage.
Christina stood nearby.
"You lost."
Jordan looked at her.
"I noticed."
She shrugged.
"Good."
Jordan glared.
Adrian approached.
"You underestimated him."
Jordan remained silent.
Then he smiled.
"Yeah."
He looked toward Noah.
"I did."
Hastral, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke.
"He’s stronger than he looks."
Everyone looked at him.
Hastral continued:
"Much stronger."
Jordan’s expression became serious.
"Then I’ll beat him next time."
The next matches continued.
Different academies took the battlefield.
Some fights lasted seconds.
Others became brutal exchanges.
A student from Skadi defeated a Kingsguard representative using ice manipulation.
A Jazdris contestant summoned a massive beast.
Milgard’s Kael Mordren crushed his opponent with his spear.
Then...
The announcer called:
"Reinham Edga of Elementro Academy!"
The crowd exploded.
Reinham walked onto the battlefield.
His opponent was from Delenhart Academy.
A tall fighter carrying two curved blades.
The referee gave the signal.
The fight began.
Reinham didn’t move.
His opponent charged.
At the last second...
Reinham stepped forward.
BOOM!
One strike.
The Delenhart contestant was sent across the arena.
He crashed into the barrier.
The crowd went silent.
Reinham looked toward the Elementro stands.
He raised his fist.
"ELEMENTRO WILL WIN!"
The crowd erupted.
Noah watched from the Valhalla section.
Eric whistled.
"That guy is serious."
Damien nodded.
"Very."
Noah smiled.
"I want to fight him."
Laura glanced at him.
"Of course you do."
Daniela watched Reinham return.
She smiled.
"He’s getting fired up."
Flora nodded.
"That’s Reinham."
John laughed.
"He’d probably challenge the arena itself if it looked at him wrong."
Daniela didn’t answer.
Her eyes had shifted toward Noah.
Again.
She was watching his injured hand.
The faint blood.
The residual energy.
Something wasn’t right.
Later...
Noah walked through the corridor beneath the arena.
He wanted some quiet.
The tournament noise faded behind him.
Then he heard footsteps.
He turned.
Daniela stood at the other end of the corridor.
For a moment...
Neither spoke.
Daniela smiled.
"You fought well."
"Thanks."
She looked at his hand.
"You were injured."
"Nothing serious."
"I know."
She paused.
"But your power changed."
Noah’s expression became cautious.
"You noticed?"
Daniela nodded.
"For a moment."
Noah stared at her.
"What did you see?"
Daniela smiled.
"That’s what I’m trying to figure out."
She walked past him.
Then stopped.
"Your power isn’t ordinary fire."
Noah turned.
Daniela looked over her shoulder.
"I don’t know what it is."
She smiled faintly.
"But I’ll find out."
Then she walked away.
Noah remained in the corridor.
For the first time...
He wondered how many people were beginning to notice.
Not Ragnarok.
Not yet.
Just the cracks in the disguise.
And somewhere above them...
The three moons slowly began appearing in the afternoon sky.