Dicio Amicus & Celia Hui vs. Varek Solin & Keiran Trizk

The training grounds of Silver School buzzed with anticipation as the next team match was announced. Students gathered around the elevated arena, eager to witness a clash between some of the most promising fighters in the academy.

On one side stood Dicio Amicus and Celia Hui, an unlikely yet formidable duo.

Dicio, as always, exuded confidence, his silver hair reflecting the sunlight as he adjusted his gloves. He looked entirely unbothered, as if this match was nothing more than a formality. Celia, in contrast, stood with quiet focus—sharp-eyed and calculating. Where Dicio controlled situations with effortless arrogance, Celia preferred precision and discipline.

Across from them were Varek Solin and Keiran Trizk—both powerful in their own right. Varek, a warrior forged by the past, stood tall with a piercing gaze, his presence carrying an air of quiet strength. Beside him, Keiran, the unpredictable wild card, grinned in anticipation, eager for the fight to begin.

Dicio glanced at Celia. "Try to keep up," he said with a smirk.

Celia sighed but didn't respond—she had long since learned that Dicio's arrogance wasn't personal, just an extension of his unwavering self-assurance.

Varek cracked his knuckles, his eyes fixed on Dicio. "Let's see if you're as good as they say."

Dicio met his gaze with amusement. "Oh, I'm better."

The instructor raised a hand. "Begin!"

Mana surged. The battle was on.

The moment the instructor's hand dropped, the battlefield exploded with movement.

Varek Solin surged forward, his movements sharp and deliberate. His stance showed years of discipline—no wasted steps, no hesitation. Beside him, Keiran Trizk moved like a storm, reckless and eager, electricity crackling at his fingertips.

Across from them, Dicio Amicus stood still, hands in his pockets, his face a picture of amusement. He barely acknowledged the fight, as if the outcome had already been decided. Beside him, Celia Hui took a deep breath, her mana flowing through the ground beneath her feet.

Control.

Dicio raised his hand slightly, and in an instant, Keiran's sprint slowed. His feet dragged against the ground, his limbs resisting his commands as if an invisible force wrapped around them.

"Tch." Keiran gritted his teeth, sparks flickering wildly around him as he struggled.

Dicio smirked. "You're making this too easy."

But Varek had already anticipated it. Without a second of hesitation, he pivoted, sidestepping Keiran and closing in on Dicio's blind spot, his fist clenched and ready to strike.

Vines shot up from the ground, twisting around Varek's arm.

Celia had moved, her fingers grazing the earth as her Nature mana erupted. Thick roots tore through the stone arena, wrapping around Varek's legs, threatening to hold him in place.

But he didn't stop.

With sheer strength, Varek yanked his arm free, shattering the vines as he twisted his body mid-motion. Instead of retreating, he pushed forward, using the momentum to strike.

Dicio barely leaned back in time, Varek's fist grazing past his cheek. His smirk faltered, replaced by slight surprise.

Celia didn't give Varek a chance to continue—she pressed a hand to the ground, flowers bloomed instantly, releasing golden pollen into the air.

Paralysis spores.

Varek immediately held his breath and leaped back. Keiran, still partially restrained, coughed as the pollen brushed past him.

Keiran groaned. "Ugh, that's dirty."

Celia didn't respond—she was already preparing her next move. The ground beneath her shifted, grass and vines weaving together, creating a barrier of thorned branches between them and their opponents.

Dicio exhaled, shaking his head. "Tch. Could've warned me first, Hui."

Celia shot him a quick glance. "You'll live."

Across the battlefield, Varek steadied his breathing, shaking off the effects of the spores. He glanced at Keiran. "We can't drag this out."

Keiran cracked his neck. "Yeah, yeah. Time to get serious."

The air in the arena grew thick with mana as the combatants realized that holding back was no longer an option.

Keiran was the first to act. Mana surged through his body, golden light erupting around him like a radiant storm. His entire form glowed, veins of pure energy pulsing beneath his skin. The sluggishness from Dicio's control shattered in an instant as he clenched his fists, lightning crackling between his fingertips.

He grinned wildly. "Now this is more like it!"

Dicio narrowed his eyes, his smirk fading just slightly. He rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck before exhaling. "Alright, then. Let's play fair."

Then, Dicio activated his Mana Surge.

A silver aura wrapped around him, but unlike Keiran's raw explosive power, Dicio's surge was controlled, refined, precise. His body blurred as if reality itself struggled to keep up with him. His speed wasn't just enhanced—it was under his complete command.

And more than that, his weight—his very presence—shifted. One moment, his footsteps were too light to hear, the next, the ground cracked beneath him.

He vanished.

Before Keiran could react, Dicio reappeared behind him in an instant, standing casually with his hands still in his pockets.

"You're still slow," he said.

Keiran's instincts screamed at him, and he spun, lashing out with a lightning-coated punch. But Dicio had already adjusted—his body became light again, his speed accelerating just enough to evade.

Meanwhile, Celia Hui had entered the surge as well. Her arms pulsed with emerald green mana, and from her very skin, vines and roots grew, wrapping around her arms like armor. Her connection to nature deepened, and the battlefield responded to her. The ground trembled beneath her as roots spread like veins, waiting for her command.

She glanced at Dicio. "Keep them busy."

Dicio scoffed. "Like I wasn't already doing that?"

And then, finally—

Varek activated his Mana Surge.

Bronze mana erupted from his body, flowing through his limbs like molten energy. His aura wasn't flashy like Keiran's or refined like Dicio's—it was raw, overwhelming power. His muscles tightened, his stance became heavier, and each breath he took carried the weight of his sheer presence.

He didn't hesitate.

Varek charged forward, the ground shattering beneath his step as he closed the distance between him and Dicio in a blink. Unlike before, there was no hesitation, no restraint. This time, his strike landed.

Dicio barely had time to adjust his weight before Varek's fist collided with his side, sending him flying across the arena.

The battlefield shook with every exchange. Dust and mana swirled in the air as the combatants pushed themselves to the limit.

– Speed vs. Resilience

Dicio vanished and reappeared, his speed bending reality itself. Keiran swung his lightning-infused fists, but each strike hit nothing but air.

He's too fast!

Dicio smirked as he landed another blow—a precise kick to Keiran's ribs. The impact sent Keiran skidding backward, lightning crackling around his body in defiance.

"You should just stay down," Dicio taunted, casually adjusting his stance.

But Keiran wiped the blood from his lip and grinned. "Nah… I like a challenge."

He slammed his foot into the ground—golden energy surged through his body, amplifying his strength. The light surrounding him grew blinding, and his body became tougher, more durable.

Dicio lunged again, his speed pushing beyond human limits. He struck Keiran's shoulder—only this time, Keiran didn't move.

Instead, Keiran smirked. "Gotcha."

A surge of golden lightning exploded from his body, point-blank.

Dicio barely managed to redirect his weight, but the blast sent him tumbling backward.

Keiran laughed. "You might be fast, but I'm not easy to put down!"

Dicio rolled his shoulders, smirking again. "Good. I was starting to get bored."

Varek vs. Celia – Unstoppable Force vs. Nature's Will

Celia weaved vines and roots through the battlefield, trying to trap Varek in place. Every time he advanced, she summoned walls of thorns, wooden spears, and crushing roots.

But it wasn't enough.

Varek plowed through everything.

His fists shattered the vines. His mana burned through the roots. Every time Celia tried to create distance, he closed it in an instant.

A thick tree trunk erupted from the ground, attempting to block him—but Varek tore straight through it, grabbing Celia's arm before she could escape.

Her eyes widened.

He threw her across the arena.

She barely managed to twist mid-air, vines catching her fall before she hit the ground. She groaned, gripping her arm as she stood.

Varek didn't taunt, didn't hesitate. He simply took his stance again. "You need to do better than that."

Celia exhaled sharply. "Then I will."

She pressed her palms to the ground. Nature roared to life.

Keiran gritted his teeth, mana flaring wildly around him. He knew he only had one chance. Golden light surged from his body, condensing into a blinding force around his fist. The arena trembled under the sheer pressure of his mana.

Dicio narrowed his eyes. He could see the attack coming, but—

Keiran was already in front of him.

Fast.

With a roar, Keiran unleashed his strongest attack—a devastating punch coated in pure light mana.

BOOM!

The force sent Dicio skidding backward, dust and debris exploding into the air.

Keiran panted, a satisfied smirk creeping onto his face. "Gotcha."

But then—

Dicio's voice cut through the chaos.

"Control Point."

A subtle pulse rippled through the battlefield.

Keiran's smirk disappeared as his body froze mid-step, his arms suddenly heavier, his own mana refusing to obey him.

"What the—?" Keiran's eyes widened.

Dicio slowly straightened his posture, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the hit. His silver aura pulsed faintly, his expression cool and unreadable.

"You really thought I wasn't preparing something?" His smirk returned, this time sharper. "I was just waiting for the perfect moment."

Keiran struggled, trying to move—but his limbs barely responded.

Dicio had marked him mid-battle. Every strike, every dodge—it was all leading to this moment. The instant Keiran attacked at full power, he unknowingly stepped into Dicio's Control Point.

"I control speed, weight…" Dicio exhaled. "And now, I control you."

Before Keiran could react—

Dicio struck.

A single, calculated palm strike to the chest. The force was so perfectly distributed that Keiran's mana collapsed around him. His vision blurred as he crashed into the ground, unable to get up.

The match was over for him.

Dicio exhaled, shaking his head. "Nice try."

Unyielding Strength vs. Desperate Adaptation

On the other side of the battlefield, Celia Hui was reaching her limit.

Varek wasn't giving her any time to breathe. Every time she tried to create distance, he was already there. Every time she reinforced her defenses, he tore through them with brute force.

Her vines cracked under his blows, her roots barely holding him back.

I can't win like this…

She gritted her teeth, pouring every last bit of her mana into the battlefield. The entire ground trembled, blooming into a forest of thorns, branches, and walls of wood.

A natural fortress.

But Varek didn't stop.

His bronze mana surged, and with one step—

He shattered everything.

Celia barely had time to react before a fist slammed into her gut.

Her vision blurred. The last thing she saw was Varek standing over her, completely unfazed.

Then, everything faded.

Celia Hui was out.

The battlefield was silent.

The only two left standing were Dicio Amicus and Varek Solin.

Dicio let out a slow breath, his silver aura pulsing around him. "Hah… looks like it's just us now."

Varek rolled his shoulders, his bronze mana still burning fiercely. He said nothing—he didn't need to.