After hearing the heartbreaking story of Magna's father, Imperial felt something stir deep inside his heart — a sharp, heavy feeling he couldn't quite explain.
It was familiar, almost like a hidden scar being pressed again, but before he could dwell on it, Imperial pushed the feeling aside.
Now wasn't the time.
He had to focus.
Taking a deep breath, Imperial made his way toward the main arena, where Kai was already waiting.
As they met, Kai immediately pulled Imperial into a tight hug, lifting him slightly off the ground.
It was a rare sight — the proud and cool-headed Kai embracing his little brother with such warmth.
"It's like we haven't seen each other for decades," Kai chuckled, ruffling Imperial's hair.
"Yeah… you're right," Imperial said, a small laugh escaping him. "I missed you too, big bro."
Kai smiled, looking at him fondly. "I watched your matches, you know. You've become much stronger, Imperial. Really... you've grown."
Imperial grinned. "And I can't wait to battle you, brother. I'll show you just how much I've grown."
"Hah! I'm looking forward to it. But remember — if we fight, I won't be holding back," Kai said, smirking.
"Same here, big brother," Imperial replied, bumping his fist against Kai's.
They shared a brief moment, the bond between them shining strongly, before heading to their seats.
The commentator's voice echoed across the massive arena:
"Ladies and gentlemen, now... the moment you've been waiting for! The first battle of our Top 8!"
The crowd roared in excitement, drums beating in the background.
"Contestants... ready yourselves!"
A magical countdown appeared above the battlefield:
3...
2...
1...
Begin!!
The arena went dead silent for a second, everyone holding their breath.
Both Nox and Zeran stood completely still, studying each other like two veteran warriors.
Neither moved first.
Seconds dragged on. The tension built up like a stormcloud about to explode.
Then — impatient as ever — Zeran roared and charged forward, his fist engulfed in furious flame.
The air around him shimmered with heatwaves.
Nox remained calm.
He knelt and slammed his palms on the ground — and instantly, ice crystals exploded outward, crawling rapidly across the battlefield like living snakes.
The path Zeran charged on turned into a mirror-smooth sheet of ice.
From the stands, gasps of amazement rose.
"WOAHHH! Look at that ice magic!"
"So fast! So clean!"
Even Imperial leaned forward, eyes wide.
"That's incredible control..."
Kai nodded, arms crossed.
"Watch carefully. The way the ice spreads so fast, and yet it doesn't crack — it shows how precise Nox's magic control is."
Imperial murmured, "This is the first time I've seen ice magic used like that… it's not brute force, it's elegance."
Meanwhile, Nox smirked, expecting Zeran to lose balance and slip —
—but then—
"WHAT?!" the crowd gasped in shock.
Zeran didn't fall.
Instead, his feet lit ablaze, fiery boots forming around his legs, melting the ice just enough for him to grip it with each step!
He was running on ice like a burning comet.
"He's... he's using fire on his own feet to counter the ice!" someone shouted from the crowd.
"Amazing!"
"How is he not slipping?!"
In a flash, Zeran closed the distance.
With a mighty roar, he threw a flaming fist toward Nox.
Nox barely managed to block it by raising a shield of thick ice.
The first punch cracked the shield but didn't shatter it—
But before Nox could recover, Zeran pivoted on his heel and delivered a second, even fiercer punch with his other hand.
CRACK—!!
The impact shattered the ice shield and sent Nox flying across the arena, slamming hard into the magical barrier surrounding the stage.
A loud boom echoed, and the ground trembled slightly.
The crowd went wild, half of them jumping to their feet.
"Zeran! Zeran!" the commoners cheered, waving flags.
Nox stood up slowly, coughing.
He wiped blood from his mouth and smiled grimly.
"Heh... that's the least I should expect from one of the top royals..."
"But..." he said, his voice darkening, "can you handle this?"
Nox spread his arms wide.
From the ground, two perfect, glimmering swords of pure ice rose, forming in his hands.
They looked almost like they were crafted by a master blacksmith, but colder... sharper.
Kai leaned over to Imperial and said excitedly,
"Look at those swords! Perfectly symmetrical, flawless shaping... that's magic control at a master level!"
Imperial nodded, eyes shining with respect.
"Amazing... he shaped that much detail almost instantly. Controlling elements to that degree... it's not normal."
Back in the arena, Nox wasn't done.
He conjured a thin sheet of ice under his own feet and started skating across the frozen ground at blinding speed, using momentum to slash at Zeran from impossible angles.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Zeran, caught off-guard, stumbled backward.
Three, four direct hits landed across his arms and shoulders.
The icy blades left white scars that steamed as they met his fiery aura.
The crowd gasped again at the speed Nox displayed.
"WHOA!!"
"This is insane!!"
Zeran gritted his teeth.
Then, with just a pinch of his fingers, he raised his arm high —
—and the entire battlefield erupted into flames.
A massive wave of fire washed over the arena, melting all the ice instantly and filling the entire space with suffocating heat.
Nox skidded to a halt, losing his advantage.
"What is he doing...?" Imperial muttered.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"Watch. He's setting up something big."
Zeran closed his fist, then opened it wide.
With a deep voice, he invoked:
"Fire Magic: FLAME STORM!!"
All the flames gathered at one point in midair, swirling into a massive, rotating storm of fire, crackling and roaring like a living beast.
Nox, struggling to summon more ice, tried to defend himself —
—but the flaming vortex slammed into him like a meteor.
There was a bright flash, and Nox was thrown backward, completely unconscious before he even hit the ground.
The referee rushed forward, raising his hand.
"The match is over!" he announced.
"Victory goes to ZERAN DRAKE!"
The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
Zeran slowly walked back toward the seats, his steps confident but a little heavy from the toll of his magic.
With a casual snap of his fingers, all the remaining flames vanished, leaving the arena scorched but cleared.
Imperial watched him carefully.
(He didn't use that Flame Storm in last year's tournament... That means... the missions they've been given — the training — it's something beyond anything normal...)
A serious look crossed Imperial's face.
(If Zeran became this strong… then how much stronger has Kai become?)
When Zeran reached the seats, he grinned at Imperial.
"Hey, little brother," he said warmly, clapping Imperial on the back.
Imperial chuckled. "You've gotten really strong, Zeran. I saw your moves. That Flame Storm was insane."
Zeran smirked. "Tch. Don't flatter me too much. You're getting stronger too, kid. I saw your matches too. You've got real talent."
They exchanged a genuine fist-bump before sitting down side by side.
The commentator's voice rang out again:
"Next up — prepare yourselves!
KAI ALDEN versus RAYNE VORTANNIS!!"
Both Kai and Rayne rose from their seats.
Imperial and Zeran both said at the same time, "Good luck, Kai!"
Kai gave them a wink and a thumbs-up.
"Watch closely, you two. I'm about to put on a show."
He walked towards the center of the arena, the sunlight gleaming off his armor, his presence radiating overwhelming confidence.
The referee raised his hand.
"Participants, are you ready?"
Kai – "Yes."
Rayne – "Yes."