Calculated Victory

Being the final round of the day, Gabriel didn't have the benefit of seeing the previous sketchy match. But that didn't stop his instincts from telling him something was off.

Instead of launching an early offensive, he played it safe. Passive. Calculated.

He walked the arena in measured strides, dodging and blocking spells with practiced ease. His opponent's lack of control made it almost effortless.

And when the man got too caught up in his own power, too busy grinning at the echoes of his magic, Gabriel struck.

Quick. Clean. First point secured.

But that single moment shifted everything.

The man had walked into the arena with the expectation of an easy win, drunk on his new power. And now? He was losing.

Fury replaced his smugness. He began hurling spells with reckless abandon, raw energy flying in every direction. The pressure on Gabriel increased. But his experience showed.

He kept moving. Dodging. Blocking. Sliding through the chaos like it was choreographed.

His instincts, his years of dueling, and his magic, everything was working overtime.

He just needed to wait.

Dodge. Block. Move.

Wait for the opening.

One moment. That's all it would take.

Back in the stands, Jace leaned into his chair with a faint sigh. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

More than twice the mana. More powerful spells.

And this was the best he could manage?

He had been expecting more.

Then again, maybe this was a good thing.

Just because you were given power… didn't mean you knew how to use it.

Gabriel ducked as a torrent of flame passed overhead, the heat barely licking his shoulder as he rolled into cover, just before a jagged stone spike slammed into the barrier behind him.

His opponent was losing control, and Gabriel knew it.

From behind cover, he took a deep breath. His heart was racing, but his mind remained razor sharp.

Sure, the sheer power he was facing was dangerous, but only in the hands of someone who actually knew how to use it. The man's magic was potent, but unrefined. Loud. Clumsy beyond belief.

Gabriel didn't need to overpower him, only outmaneuver him.

He rose smoothly, parrying a flying Wind Blade. The pale green arc shattered cleanly against his golden Light Shield, dispersing harmlessly.

As long as he didn't try to match brute force with brute force, as long as he focused on fighting the man instead of the power, Gabriel knew he had a chance.

Up in the stands, Jace narrowed his eyes as he watched Gabriel work.

"He's staying calm," he muttered. "Reading every move, dodging like it's nothing. That control is impressive."

"He's not just waiting," Aurora said behind him. "He's waiting for the perfect angle. I've seen that look before, he's not fighting defensively. He's hunting."

Harper nodded grimly. "His opponent doesn't even realize he's already lost. That's the worst kind of duel."

Both teams were locked onto the screen now, watching Gabriel drift through the chaos like a spirit, never rushing, never overextending. He wasn't trying to match the wild attacks head on. He was letting the other man burn himself out, slowly. Calculated.

"I don't get it," Selena said softly. "All that extra mana… and this is it? This is all he can do with it?"

"When you get down to it, mana's just fuel," Jace replied, voice flat. "If you can't drive the vehicle, all the fuel in the world won't get you anywhere."

"I guess that's fair," Selene acknowledged with a nod.

Back in the arena, Gabriel saw his chance. His opponent's frustration was boiling over, making him even more reckless.

With the man focused entirely on launching spell after spell, Gabriel used the arena's brightness to his advantage, disguising a subtle Light Snake that slithered nearly invisible, across the floor toward his opponent.

The man was clearly unraveling. He could feel more power than he'd ever held in his life…

And yet… he was still failing to land a single hit.

Everyone watching saw the look of shock and horror on his face the moment Gabriel's snake struck, catching him cleanly and giving Gabriel a 2–0 lead.

With a roar of rage, the man unleashed a torrent of spells, throwing everything he had. Any illusion of control had completely vanished.

Gabriel's eyes widened slightly. This time, the amount of incoming spells actually looked dangerous.

But he had the lead. And with that lead, he could afford a calculated risk.

Instead of defending, he concentrated his magic into a focused Light Beam and fired it directly at his opponent. Neither of them made any effort to shield themselves.

The spells collided, striking both duelists at nearly the same moment.

The arena flared, and the points were tallied.

Final score: 3–1, Gabriel.