Zeneth Colliseum

Liza: That damn Xerces, he knew exactly that a situation like this would happen. I don't know how he pulled it off, but now he's going too far. He's a knight-mage class, how could the academy let this slip through?

The academic courses at the magical academy are divided into four main classes:

Magic Knighthood Sorcery Alchemy

and a few specializations.

Liza: If something happens to her in the end, I'll break Xerces' legs! She was passively angry, her frustration palpable.

Rina: I won't marry a man against my will. I will prove my skills and complete my preparatory cycle.

The two faced each other in the coliseum arena.

Let the duel begin

The duelists maintained a certain distance, necessary for a proper magic duel.

Rina was thinking. The goal here wasn't to win, but to prove her skills in order to complete her preparatory cycle. She would need to use everything she had learned without holding back, even if it meant losing miserably.

Xerces: In that case, you will suffer. I will break you, make you crippled for life, unable to live without me!

He held out his palm and yelled:

Magic is the source of phenomena, I shape my environment to my will. Answer my call, element of this world, take the form I desire and pierce my opponent!

Water Jet.

A barrage of water jets, sharp and fast like spears, shot toward Rina, forcing her to move from her original position. She, not being particularly athletic, quickly reacted and began her incantation.

Magic is the source of phenomena, I shape my environment to my will. Answer my call, element of this world, take the form I desire and pierce my opponent.

Take the form I desire and become my shield.

Earth Wall.

She used earth magic to create barriers to block the water jets, moving constantly. But the barriers were too weak and fell apart with every impact of the jets.

Xerces: Is this all you can do? What a failure. I gave you the chance to prove you're not just an assistant. I really wonder how you managed to get into this place!

The water jets intensified. Xerces tracked Rina's movements, directing his magic with a simple wave of his hand. But Rina didn't react. She just kept dodging. She knew that any mistake would be fatal. She had already consumed half of her magic just to protect herself from the water jets.

I'll shake her up a bit, Xerces thought. His anger made him reckless, and he launched another attack.

He held his hand out and cast:

Magic is the source of phenomena, I shape my environment to my will. Answer my call, element of this world, take the form I desire and crush my opponent.

Wind Projection.

The attack wasn't strong enough to kill Rina, but it was powerful enough to throw her against the walls of the arena, causing her to spit blood.

Liza, watching from the sidelines, couldn't hold back her anger. She bit her tongue to keep from shouting, but her murderous intent was so strong that others instinctively backed away from her.

Rina slowly rose to her feet, determined not to give up an inch. She knew that if she gave up now, she would regret it forever. She had never dared to ask anything from her father, and she had always been quiet and calm. But when she asked him for permission to study here, she realized she couldn't turn back now, no matter what. Despite her nature, despite her mediocrity, she thought of her father. She couldn't give up.

Xerces: All I can say is that you're persistent… for a peasant who is only here because of her father's prestige.

Rina: I wonder what Sir Jerfrost sees in this peasant, to want her so obsessively.

The remark cut deep into Xerces' pride, and in a blind rage, he charged at Rina, shouting that he would break her. But that was exactly what Rina wanted.

Xerces had completely underestimated her. His angry, impulsive action had left him wide open.

Rina: Thank you for underestimating me. I'm going to show you the result of all my hard work.

She concentrated and began her incantation:

The point, then the line, the circle, the sphere, the orb, the universe starting from the point. No phenomenon without a counterpart, no effect without a cause. Magic is the source of phenomena, I shape my environment to my will. Answer my call, elements constituting this world, take the form I desire, crystallize my desire.

She extended her palm forward, and several magical orbs of different colors appeared: one white, two blue, and one earth-colored.

Magic Orbs.

Xerces: Magical cores?!

Rina: Indeed!

But these weren't just ordinary magical cores. They were designed to contain elemental spells.

The orbs floated around Rina, and she assumed the stance of a lancer.

Magic Orb: Lightning.

The blue orb stopped behind her back. A lightning staff formed, the orb transforming into a bolt of lightning. Xerces, caught by surprise, couldn't stop his charge in time. Rina launched the lightning staff with precision. Sparks flew everywhere, and Xerces took the full force of the lightning blast.

Everyone in the arena was shocked. The students in the stands, as well as the professors, watched in stunned silence.

Liza grabbed a student next to her, shaking him like a ragdoll, proudly boasting about Rina's victory, so much so that the poor student was on the verge of losing consciousness.

However, what sparked controversy among the professors was the fact that Rina had used an external artifact. She should have been disqualified. But Stormeddeger intervened:

Stormeddeger: I haven't noticed any significant change in her magical reserves, and this magical core bears her signature. This artifact is a part of her. She hasn't broken any rules.