The Tournament Begins

Lian and Elios stood at the center of the training arena, where Lena awaited them with her usual stance: arms crossed, enigmatic smile, and a gaze that seemed to see right through them.

"Before you head to your matches, let me make one thing very clear," Lena began, her voice firm but carrying a slightly concerned tone. "You both have exceptional talents, and for that reason, you need to be even more careful. Control is far more important than brute strength."

Lian and Elios exchanged confused glances, but Lena continued before they could respond.

"Your powers have the potential to go far beyond what you understand now. But that kind of strength, without control, can destroy everything around you, including yourselves." Her eyes lingered briefly on Lian, then Elios, as if she knew something they didn't.

"Master, are you saying... that our powers are dangerous?" Elios asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

"More than you imagine." Lena paused, letting her words sink in. "So remember: use your abilities wisely." She then dropped the serious tone and smiled. "And make sure you reach the finals. I won't accept anything less from my students." She chuckled, her confidence in them evident.

"You can count on us!" Elios said enthusiastically, while Lian nodded in agreement.

After that, Lian and Elios headed to their designated match areas. The tournament was well-organized, with each class competing in separate arenas across the academy. Crowds were scattered, but the palpable excitement filled the atmosphere.

While waiting for his match, Lian decided to watch the battles of other competitors. He found a good vantage point with a clear view of the arenas and soon spotted Adrian Von Grath entering his arena with the same arrogance he exuded the day before.

Adrian faced a strong opponent from Class A, yet he appeared entirely unfazed. He wielded his rapier with an elegance that seemed almost theatrical. The blade gleamed, coated in a layer of frost that pulsed with icy energy.

Adrian's opponent struck first, delivering fast and powerful blows with his flaming sword, but Adrian dodged effortlessly. His speed was impressive, and his precision was even more intimidating.

"You're predictable," Adrian said with an arrogant smile, freezing his opponent's sword with a swift motion of his rapier. He spun gracefully, slashing through the air with his frost-coated blade and striking his opponent directly in the chest. The impact sent the opponent sprawling as ice spread across his armor.

The match ended in seconds. Adrian raised his rapier as the frost dissipated slowly. Before leaving the arena, he turned his gaze directly at Lian, his blue eyes silently delivering a threat.

"So, you're trying to intimidate me..." Lian thought, giving a small smile and staring back. "But that won't work on me, Adrian Von Grath."

Lian chose to ignore Adrian for now and focus on his friends' matches. He made his way to the arena hosting the Class B battles and found a good spot to watch Saya's fight.

Saya faced an opponent from Class B, someone larger and seemingly stronger. But she remained calm, her magical bow ready.

Her opponent charged forward, attempting to close the distance with a longsword, but Saya was too quick. Her magical arrows cut through the air, forcing her opponent to retreat repeatedly.

With incredible speed and grace, she moved through the arena, firing arrows with precision. Her long dark hair flowed as she danced around her opponent, giving him no chance to breathe during the fight.

With a precise movement, she fired an arrow that split in mid-air, striking the ground around her opponent and creating explosions that threw him off balance. Taking advantage of the opening, Saya launched a final arrow that bound her opponent to the ground with chains of energy. Victory was hers.

Lian smiled. "She's improved her combat movement. She's good."

Toran was the complete opposite of Saya. He didn't bother with refined strategies; his approach was all brute force. His opponent tried to use agility to counteract the overwhelming power, but Toran was relentless.

Wielding his massive sword, he blocked and countered with devastating blows. In a critical moment, he channeled energy into his blade, unleashing a shockwave that sent his opponent flying effortlessly.

"That idiot has strength to spare, but he needs to learn to think before acting," Lian muttered to himself, shaking his head with a small smile.

Dane, on the other hand, showcased the perfect balance of strategy and strength. His opponent wielded a spear, just like him, but Dane's technique stood out. He maintained perfect distance, attacking and retreating at just the right moments.

At the climax of his fight, Dane unleashed a special ability with his spear, creating a cutting wind that pushed his opponent out of the arena. His victory was clean and calculated.

"Dane always has flawless strategies. He'll probably win the Class B bracket," Lian thought.

When all the matches ended, Ark Zenith appeared again, this time in a large hologram visible across all arenas.

"Congratulations to all the winners of the first round," he began. "But this is just the beginning. Those who reach the semifinals will earn the privilege of advancing to a higher class. For those who achieve this, don't worry, here at the academy, you'll always have opportunities to demonstrate your strength."

A murmur spread through the arenas. The chance to move up a class was a rare and valuable opportunity, heightening the pressure on the remaining competitors. At the academy, being in a higher class was akin to being at the top of society.

Back at the center of the arena, Lian looked at the names of the upcoming matches displayed on the hologram. He noticed that if he won all his matches, he would face Adrian in the semifinals.

"Adrian Von Grath..." Lian muttered to himself, clenching his fists. He knew that confrontation was inevitable, and a spark of determination ignited within him.

Elios approached, patting Lian on the shoulder. "Looks like we've got a long road to the finals, huh? Better not get nervous."

Lian replied with a faint smile. "I could say the same to you. Just don't lose before we meet in the finals."

Elios grinned. "You know it's impossible for me to lose. Now come on, our matches are about to start, the first phase was easy, but if we're late, we'll forfeit by default." He laughed lightly as he glanced at the brackets.

Both of them laughed, but deep down, they were both anxious to face each other.