A couple of hours after Su Yang had punched his name onto the Circuits Team roster, it was finally Leo's turn to step into the spotlight.
Other than him, two others had challenged Vice-Captain Khyaal for his coveted spot. Yet, thanks to a stroke of luck, Leo had bypassed the first bout, allowing the two seniors to eliminate each other first.
Now, only one stood in his way—the winner of the earlier clash—before he could face Khyaal himself.
*CHEERS*
Deafening cheers could be heard from the crowd as Leo walked into the arena, as the spectators and the VIP's got excited for Rodova's second hidden talent.
"There he is! Leo Skyshard in the flesh!"
"So that's the rumored speed specialist…"
"Is he really that good? I mean, Su Yang's strength makes sense when you look at his body, but Skyshard looks lanky and frail."
"Don't be stupid. Rumor says he left a nasty dagger slash against the chin of previous year team Captain during one of his training spars….. and he wasn't even a Grandmaster at that point."
The crowd chattered, as after Su Yang's dominant performance, expectations regarding Leo's fight also seemed to be high.
'Remember to not reveal too much. The less the better—' Leo reminded himself as he stepped onto the arena, as his gray eyes, glowing faintly, scanned the opponent standing across from him.
His opponent, a second-year named Viran, looked tense as he readied his longsword, he visibly gulped when Leo made eye contact with him, as he seemed to be aware of Leo's ruthless reputation, but still seemed to be hoping to pull off an upset.
"All the best…. You'll need the luck–" Leo said coldly before the fight began, as he loosely pulled out two daggers from his utility belt and assumed his usual fighting stance.
*DING—*
The match officially began.
Yet Leo did not rush forward.
He knew he had the upper hand here, and that the opponent would try to charge first to not let him gain rhythm, which was why he patiently waited for Viran to come at him.
"HAAA!!!"
Viran screamed while rushing, as he activated the skill [Piercing Fang]— which was a straight-line thrust skill meant to capitalize on reach.
But Leo's eyes didn't even flinch as he sidestepped at the last second, slipping past the strike's edge with surgical precision as he allowed the attack to barely graze his uniform.
"Fast!" someone in the crowd gasped.
"Wait, am I tripping or did I see afterimages of his movement for a second?" Another added, as with a short pivot, Leo's right dagger slashed upward, deflecting Viran's blade mid-air before his left dagger found its way cleanly into Viran's shoulder guard—not deep enough to cripple, but more than enough to send him staggering backward.
"KYAAA—"
The man screamed from pain, as he slashed wildly to push Leo back.
However, Leo's footwork, guided by [Absolute Vision], kept him always a hair's breadth away from danger, while the calm brought to his psyche by [Monarch's Indifference] helped him dissect every subtle movement of his opponent's sword and body.
*Huff–*
*Huff–*
Viran, now pale, activated [Steel Barrage], a flurry of slashes designed to overwhelm. Yet Leo, calm as still water, weaved between every strike, leaving afterimages as he moved.
And then, with one clean diagonal cross-cut from both daggers, Leo disarmed him entirely—sending Viran's sword clattering to the ground, as he followed it up with a second dagger pointed to his neck.
"W-Winner, Leo Skyshard advances!" The referee declared in a rush, as he pushed Leo away from his opponent.
*CHEERS*
The audience broke into a mixture of gasps and applause, as most held their foreheads in disbelief with how fast and clean Leo's fighting style looked.
"He didn't even activate an offensive technique."
"That was all footwork and reading—no actual skills except for reaction buffs."
"He's terrifying…"
The audience reacted, as Leo quietly returned to his corner, preparing for the next challenge, which was his revenge bout against Khyaal.
—---------
Leo was called back onto the main stage not even five minutes after his previous bout had ended, as Khyaal stood already waiting for him at the center of the arena, his massive greatsword slung casually over his shoulders.
The difference in their presence was palpable.
Khyaal, though visibly calm, carried the demeanor of a man who had accepted the reality of the difficult duel before it even began, while Leo eyed him like a predator looking for revenge.
There was no animosity between the two.
No personal hatred.
However, the circumstances surrounding their bout, made it so that both felt their energy levels raised higher than usual.
Leo seeked redemption.
While Khyaal wanted to hold onto his circuit's spot.
And hence neither was willing to back down from the initial gaze-off.
"You know…" Khyaal started, his voice carrying smoothly through the arena, "I had a feeling we'd meet again ever since our first bout ended."
The audience quieted as his words echoed.
"And I knew… I knew that, because of your talent, you would surpass me by the time that day came." He let out a self-deprecating chuckle as he lowered his sword to his side. "Some nights, that thought stole my sleep. Other nights, it pushed me to work harder."
Khyaal's grip tightened slightly.
"This past year… it was probably the fear of fighting you again that drove me to the very brink of becoming a Grandmaster. I tried everything—but it wasn't enough."
He took a deep breath and, without any trace of bitterness, smiled.
"That being said, you did your best when we first fought and took my arm off. So I intend to do the same today."
He pointed his blade directly at Leo.
"This time, I'll return the favor."
Leo, seeing no hesitation or fear in Khyaal's eyes, couldn't help but crack a small grin.
"Do your best," Leo said softly as
*DING—*
The match began.
For a few tense seconds, neither moved, as the entire crowd leaned forward in anticipation.
Khyaal activated [Iron Rampart], a defensive stance skill that bolstered his guard, as mana surged around his body, visibly reinforcing his greatsword.
But Leo did not hesitate.
In a single motion, his footwork blurred, closing the distance with ruthless precision as he activated [Parallel Processing] and became a streak of speed and movement unlike anything Khyaal could have ever expected.
*SHHK—*
Before Khyaal could even react, Leo's dagger slipped cleanly past the raised guard, piercing through a gap in the armor—its tip pressed firmly against the cloth over Khyaal's heart, as from start to finish, Khyaal never even saw him moving.
Khyaal's eyes widened—not from pain—but from disbelief.
He never even got the chance to swing.
Never even got to carry out the elaborate plan he had made to fight against Leo, as in the end, the difference between them was as wide as night and day.
"Huh?"
For a second, the referee hesitated, stunned by the speed himself, before suddenly snapping to his senses as he called the winner of the match.
"Winner—Leo Skyshard!"
*ROOOOAAAAAR—-*
The arena erupted.
As Khyaal blinked, then… chuckled bitterly.
"Well… I thought I was ready for you, but I guess I was just being a delusional fool," he muttered as he stepped back and dropped to one knee, surrendering the spot.
As Leo raised his fist in the air, in a triumphant display of his supremacy.