The Sealed blade

Aqua stood firm, the broken shards of his second-grade sword scattered at his feet. Without hesitation, he reached into his coat, which was seamlessly integrated with his subspace artifact, and summoned forth his fifth-grade sword—Darkness. The weapon, forged by Ray Rein, gleamed ominously. Its power was sealed at a fifth-grade level, though its upper limit remained an enigma.

Casial's voice broke through the murmurs of the crowd, his tone tinged with excitement. "He brought out Darkness! It looks like Aqua's taking this seriously."

Venustusia glanced curiously at Casial, her brow slightly furrowed. "What's Darkness?" she asked.

"It's the sword Aqua's holding. He said it's dangerous to use for practice, which is why I know he is serious now," Casial explained.

Regis stared at the weapon in awe, its pitch-black blade exuding a palpable sense of danger. "So, you had a fifth-grade sword all along," Regis muttered, his voice carrying both surprise and a touch of admiration.

Aqua stood at the far end of the arena, injecting his mana into Darkness. The blade responded instantly, emanating an oppressive aura that blanketed the hall. The gathered students felt the weight of its presence, a sense of foreboding settling over them. Whispers rippled through the crowd as anticipation soared—this was going to be the real match.

Regis adjusted his grip on his own fifth-grade sword, feeling the oppressive energy from Darkness. He narrowed his eyes at Aqua and said, "Let's not hold back."

Aqua met his gaze with unwavering calm and nodded. "Yes, let's do that."

The clash began explosively. Aqua charged forward, Darkness cutting through the air in a streak of black light. Regis met the strike head-on, his sword enveloped in brilliant blue mana. Sparks flew in all directions, lighting up the arena with bursts of energy as their swords collided. The sheer force of their strikes caused the ground beneath them to tremble.

The two warriors pushed their limits, their speed increasing with every movement. Jumping and clashing mid-air, they landed on opposite sides of the arena with enough force to crack the marble floor. Without pause, they rushed toward one another again, the ground splintering beneath their feet with every step.

To the audience, their movements blurred into flashes of black and blue light, trails of mana slicing through the air like shooting stars. The rhythm of their clash was relentless, echoing across the hall as their strikes sent shockwaves outward. The spectators could only watch in stunned silence, their breaths caught as they tried to process the sheer power of the duel.

Casial, Claire, Adam, and Emilia stood frozen in disbelief, their eyes locked on Aqua. Even Casial, who had witnessed Aqua's abilities earlier, couldn't hide his surprise at the intensity of his performance.

Aqua, smiling faintly, seemed invigorated by the duel. His excitement was evident, though it only served to frustrate Regis further. Gritting his teeth, Regis poured more mana into his sword, its glow intensifying to a brilliant hue. Aqua responded in kind, Darkness radiating an ominous, unrelenting energy.

The hall grew heavier with the clash of their wills, as both fighters refused to back down. Aqua's calm confidence contrasted sharply with Regis's growing frustration, the dynamic fueling the escalating battle.

Suddenly, a sharp crack split the air. Aqua's sword cut through Regis's attack with a flash of black light, forcing the older student to retreat a few paces. The crowd gasped, the sheer magnitude of the clash leaving them spellbound.