Selection Exam 4

"Now that the two have rested, we should proceed with the next contestants. Frel and Sieg! Come inside the barrier and grab your wooden swords. We will start shortly!" The referee called out.

Frel was a Chaos Knight awakener, and Sieg was a Swordsman awakener. Both belonged to the Warrior clan.

The two immediately entered the barrier, greeted by cheers and good luck wishes from their friends. Their friends were very supportive to them and their cheers rang through out the arena.

"Hey, Frel! Give him a good fight!" Snap shouted from the well.

"Sieg! Beat him up, okay?" Fang added with a grin.

"Hey! That's going to be a tough fight!" Sieg laughed in response.

Both chuckled at the exchange as they stretched and swung their swords to loosen up their stiff muscles. It had been a long time since they last fought seriously. Their blood warmed as they prepared for the duel.

The referee entered the barrier and addressed them.

"Okay, you both know the rules. Fight with camaraderie and sportsmanship. No crippling blows. Understood? Now, fight well!"

"I know, I know. We're testing each other's strength after rebirth, right? Let's get started!" Sieg replied, excited.

"Alright!" Frel answered firmly.

"Get ready.....and fight!" The referee signaled.

The moment the words left his mouth, both fighters dashed at each other.

Frel slashed diagonally, and Sieg parried smoothly. Another strike—another parry. Sieg countered with a quick hilt strike to Frel's waist, knocking the air from his lungs.

Frel staggered back slightly, holding his abdomen. He gritted his teeth and gripped his sword with both hands, readying himself again.

Sieg motioned for him to come, smirking. Frel chuckled and charged. He raised his sword high and brought it down in a vertical smash with full force.

Tak!

The sword slammed down, but Sieg deflected it to the side. The raw strength behind it made a full block impossible. Sieg retaliated with a flurry of aggressive slashes, diagonal, vertical, horizontal. Frel managed to parry them, but Sieg's speed was increasing rapidly.

Blow after blow rained down. Frel stepped back, grunting as several attacks landed.

Knowing he was being pressured, Frel activated [Chaos Aura].

[Chaos Aura] – Shrouds the user in chaotic miasma, a hot black smoke with embers that burns nearby enemies.

The air shimmered with heat. Sieg instinctively backed away, feeling the skin on his arms sting.

Not planning to be roasted alive, Sieg cast [Conjure Armor].

[Conjure Armor] – Creates a mana armor, resembling that of a Ronin. It drains mana constantly to maintain.

The armor materialized around him in an elegant, samurai-like form. He dashed in, enduring the heat, and activated [Draw Slash].

[Draw Slash] – A high-speed sword technique where the blade is drawn and sheathed in one motion. Deals bleeding damage with sharp weapons.

Though the wooden sword nullified the bleeding effect, the force behind the slash was real. Frel was struck and thrown into the barrier wall. He coughed heavily, but the miasma still poured from his body.

Sieg approached, ready to press the advantage...but Frel responded with [Chaos Breath].

[Chaos Breath] – Inhales chaotic miasma and exhales it in a burning wave.

Sieg dashed in too quickly and couldn't stop in time. He attempted to evade, but his momentum betrayed him—he was a second too late. The burning wave hit, damaging his armor. The ground scorched beneath them.

Sieg forced more mana into his armor, repairing it. Frel saw this and charged forward, activating [Berserk].

[Berserk] – Temporarily doubles all stats and grants high regeneration. Sacrifices defensive control for aggression.

Frel roared and launched into a furious assault. Each blow shook Sieg's arms, sending painful reverberations through his bones. The pressure was relentless.

Feeling cornered, Sieg activated [Accelerate].

[Accelerate] – Increases movement and attack speed. The more the user moves or attacks, the faster they become.

Their exchange became a blur...two figures clashing at impossible speeds. Spectators could barely follow their movements.

Frel leapt, aiming to bring his blade down, but Sieg swatted him mid-air, sending him crashing into the top of the barrier.

Sieg darted after him. Frel rebounded off the wall, and they began to chase each other across the arena like streaks of light, bouncing from wall to wall.

Sieg used [Multi Slash] just as Frel activated [Revenge].

[Multi Slash] – Delivers seven strikes to the seven angles of an enemy in rapid succession.

[Revenge] – Boosts all stats with every hit the user takes.

Each slash hit Frel cleanly, battering him with powerful force. Despite the pain, he remained standing...eyes burning with willpower.

He charged again, now even stronger.

They continued trading strikes, two battle maniacs feeding off the thrill. The onlookers, watching from the sidelines, trembled at the sheer intensity. Sweat dripped down his spine as he witnessed the ferocity of the duel.

Eventually, both fighters began to slow. Their buffs were fading. Sieg's armor vanished, and Frel's miasma dispersed into the air.

Breathing heavily, Frel raised a hand.

"I wasn't expecting that much from an Earth-Stage mana... That was a good fight, Sieg. I surrender."

"Winner...

Sieg!" the Referee announced.

Frel extended a hand. Sieg grasped it, and the two helped each other to their feet. Healers came over to restore their injuries while they drank from offered water bottles.

"Both are selected!" The Principal announced.

Yey!

The two went to greet each other and then made a fist bump. With that, they made another friend. Someone to respect and salute at.

"Congrats!" Said Frel...

"Yeah thanks," Sieg responded.

They went back to their seats and then

The crowed cheered for them and they all looked at the two with glee. Their possibility to get selected was now answered.

Renji was watching and felt like they were worthy to be selected. No doubts were being thought at the moment.

With that, another batch of selected students were heared.

The referee cleared his throat and raised his voice again.

"Alright! Now that we're settled, the next pair will spar shortly!" he said, reading from the next list of names.