End of first stage

Jack barely managed to raise a shield in time, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling backwards. He used a large portion of his mana trying to defend that blow, so his mana reserves were quite low now.

"Nice try, but it'll take more than that," Jack lied through his teeth, his ice barrier dissipating as he prepared to strike again.

The battle raged on until a sudden announcement interrupted their heated exchange.

The forest seemed to pause as a voice echoed through the air, announcing, "The tournament has ended. Two hundred participants remain. Congratulations on advancing to the next stage."

The tension broke like a snapped string, and the twins stepped back, their expressions a mix of frustration and relief.

The battle-hardened stances relaxed as they absorbed the announcement, knowing the fight would have to wait for another time.

Jack let out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Looks like the fight's over for now."