Adelaide

As the battle officially began, the plain, lifeless arena beneath them started shifting.

The once barren ground rippled like water, and within moments, thick trees sprouted from the earth. Vines twisted up from the ground, bushes bloomed in clusters, and a cool breeze swept through the rapidly forming forest.

It was as if nature had always existed there.

Elijah frowned as he observed the transformation.

This wasn't a simple illusion—every single leaf, branch, and rock looked and felt real.

He narrowed his eyes.

That level of detail… This isn't just some visual trick.

"Woah," Kieran muttered, leaning forward in his seat. "What kind of gift is that?" His question was more rhetorical, spoken in sheer amazement, but Visconti answered anyway.

"It's a space or domain-related ability," Visconti explained, his voice calm but analytical. "People with this kind of ability can alter the environment, changing it into whatever they want as long as they understand its structure completely. This isn't just an illusion—it's real. The terrain, the trees, everything is physically there."

Elijah exhaled sharply, watching the forest settle into place. "That means the battlefield can be altered to the instructor's will. That's an insane level of control."

Kieran blinked in realization. "Wait, does that mean if they wanted to, they could just make the terrain impossible to navigate? Like, put up cliffs or block paths?"

"Not exactly," Visconti corrected. "There are limits. They can't make an environment that breaks the rules of physics too much—otherwise, it'd be unfair. But they can make it incredibly difficult to navigate if they're strategic about it."

Elijah crossed his arms. "That means we need to be prepared for anything. Our match could have a completely different terrain from what we expect."

"Exactly," Visconti agreed, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "This is why we watched the earlier matches. We're not just watching Adelaide's team fight—we're analyzing the battlefield itself."

Kieran whistled. "Man, this just made things ten times harder. I was already worried about our opponents, and now we have to fight the arena too?"

As the discussion died down, the match below truly began.

Adelaide's team wasted no time, immediately vanishing into the thick foliage, their movements precise and disciplined.

The opposing team hesitated for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the sudden terrain change.

Visconti smirked slightly. "Amateurs. They're too slow to adapt. This is Adelaide's battlefield now."

The massive holographic screen flickered to life above the battlefield, splitting into two sections.

On the right side, Adelaide and her team moved like shadows through the dense foliage, their movements smooth and calculated.

On the left, the opposing team was visible, glancing around warily, clearly still adjusting to the sudden terrain shift.

Kieran leaned forward, eyes flicking between the two screens. "Damn, who do you think will win?"

Enu crossed his arms, considering. "If this was an individual battle, then definitely Adelaide. But it's a group battle, so it depends."

"Depends on what?" Kieran asked, raising an eyebrow.

Enu nodded toward the screen. "On which team adapts to the environment first. The one who figures out how to use the terrain to their advantage will control the battlefield. Skill alone won't win this fight."

A voice boomed over the arena's speakers, and the instructor acting as the match's commentator began narrating.

"Adelaide's team has already disappeared into the forest—textbook maneuver. They're minimizing visibility, using the environment as a natural shield. Meanwhile, the opposing team is taking a more cautious approach, keeping formation as they advance. A smart move, but will it be enough?"

The camera angles shifted, giving an aerial view of the battlefield.

From above, the opposing team looked disjointed, still trying to get their bearings, while Adelaide's team moved like a well-oiled machine.

Elijah watched intently. "They're splitting up."

The screen zoomed in on Adelaide's team.

Sure enough, they had scattered, each member slipping into different positions around the battlefield. It wasn't random—it was a strategy.

Visconti smirked. "They're setting a trap."

Kieran sucked in a breath. "The other team doesn't even realize it yet."

The instructor's voice rang out again. "A bold move from Adelaide's team. They're spreading out, likely preparing for an ambush. Meanwhile, the opposing team is staying close together, unaware that they're being surrounded."

Elijah's fingers tapped against his knee. "They'll realize soon enough. The question is, will they react fast enough?"

On the holographic screen, the opposing team remained focused on gathering flags rather than engaging in combat. Their strategy was clear—they wanted to win through points rather than risk direct confrontation with Adelaide's team.

One of their cadets, a Scout, took a step back and took out something. A small, spherical gadget lifted into the air, hovering before zipping forward through the dense forest, scanning the terrain.

Kieran let out a low whistle. "Damn, having a Scout in a time like this is insanely useful."

Elijah nodded in agreement. "With that observer, they can find flags without blindly wandering. Smart move."

Enu smirked, arms crossed over his chest. "Ha! Right? And guess what? Our team has two Scouts." His grin widened as he looked at Kieran and Visconti, clearly proud.

Kieran blinked, then pointed at himself. "Wait, you do?"

Enu gave him a deadpan stare. "Are you serious? Me and Hanz, you idiot."

Kieran laughed awkwardly. "Oh, right. Yeah, totally knew that."