Tempest vs Radiant

Hugo stepped back into the waiting area, casually rolling his shoulders as if the fight against Kain had been nothing more than a light warm-up. The chatter of the other competitors filled the air, but the moment he walked in, all eyes seemed to land on him. Some whispered in awe, others in frustration. After all, he had just effortlessly dodged Kain's attacks and barely broken a sweat.

The first voice to break through the murmurs was Stella's.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head with an amused smirk. "You just had to make it look easy, didn't you?"

Lena crossed her arms, leaning against the wall beside her. "Yeah, way to be subtle, Hero of the Eclipse. Real low-key." She shot him a teasing grin. "You sure you didn't want to throw in some unnecessary flips while you were at it?"

Hugo smirked, dropping onto one of the benches. "What can I say? I aim to please."

Cosmos chuckled from his back. "Oh, don't act humble now. You love making an entrance."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're an ancient, all-powerful warrior. But don't get too comfortable—I'm up next."

As if on cue, the tournament's massive screen flickered to life above them, displaying the next matchup.

"Up next: STELLA vs. MIRA THE TEMPEST BLADE!"

A hush fell over the waiting area for a moment before a wave of anticipation spread through the fighters.

Stella let out a slow breath, gripping the hilt of her Arc-Blade. "Well, guess it's showtime."

Lena nudged her playfully. "Think you can put on as good a show as Mister Untouchable over here?"

Stella scoffed. "I'm not trying to put on a show—I'm trying to win."

Across the room, a figure stood up, catching their attention. Mira the Tempest Blade.

Mira was tall, with sharp, calculating eyes and a confident smirk. She wore a lightweight combat suit lined with Arc-Weaving channels, enhancing her agility. Two curved Arc-Blades rested on her back, pulsing faintly with energy.

She glanced at Stella and smirked. "Try to keep up, rookie."

Stella met her gaze with determination. "Oh, I plan to."

A tournament official stepped into the waiting area. "Stella, Mira—your match begins in five minutes. Head to the arena."

Hugo leaned back, watching Stella as she stood up and cracked her knuckles. "Alright, let's see if all that training actually paid off."

Stella shot him a glare. "Watch and learn, showoff."

With that, she and Mira exited the waiting area, the tension between them sparking like clashing Arcana fields. The battle was about to begin.

Mira pushed off the ground, flipping backward as her twin Arc-Blades crackled with energy. The air around her shimmered, and Stella noticed something strange—small currents of wind began swirling around Mira's weapons.

"Alright, let's see how well you really adapt!" Mira called out.

She crossed her blades in front of her chest, Arcana surging around her body. The air pressure dropped, and then—

"Gale Bloom!"

Mira vanished again, but this time, it wasn't just speed. She became a storm.

Blades of wind erupted from every direction as Mira's movements blurred, striking faster than before. The swirling gusts shredded the ground, leaving deep scars in the arena floor.

SLASH! A sharp cut formed on Stella's shoulder. SLASH! Another nicked her thigh.

Stella barely managed to block the third, but Mira had already repositioned, appearing behind her once again.

"You're fast," Stella admitted, panting slightly. Her arc-blade glowed faintly, its unstable energy reacting to her rising adrenaline. "But I've figured you out."

Mira smirked. "Oh? Then prove it."

She lunged forward again—but this time, Stella was ready.

She gripped her arc-blade with both hands, shifting her stance. Her body instinctively channeled Arcana into her weapon, and a faint golden glow began forming around the blade's edge.

The moment Mira struck—

"Radiant Edge!"

Stella twisted her body mid-parry, guiding Mira's attack along the glowing edge of her blade. Instead of just blocking, the energy-coated arc-blade redirected Mira's momentum, turning her own speed against her.

Mira's eyes widened as she was flung sideways, crashing into the ground and rolling before flipping back onto her feet.

The crowd gasped.

From the waiting area, Hugo smirked.

Lena blinked. "Wait… what did she just do?"

Hugo exhaled through his nose. "She figured out how to use her Arcana instinctively."

Lena frowned. "You sound like you expected this."

Hugo glanced at Stella, who was standing tall, her arc-blade still glowing with the remnants of Radiant Edge.

"She's only scratching the surface," Hugo murmured. "Give her time, and she won't just match strong opponents—she'll surpass them."

Back in the arena, Mira wiped a trickle of sweat from her forehead.

Then, to Stella's surprise, she laughed.

"Oh, this just got way more fun."

Stella grinned, tightening her grip. "Glad you're enjoying yourself."

Both fighters readied their stances.

Mira smirked, rolling her shoulders. "Not bad. Guess I can't hold back anymore."

Stella twirled her arc-blade, the golden glow of Radiant Edge still faintly crackling along its surface. "Good. I was getting bored."

The air crackled with tension.

Then—they moved at the same time.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Their blades clashed in rapid succession, a whirlwind of steel and energy. Mira's twin Arc-Blades struck like a storm, each blow flowing seamlessly into the next. But Stella adapted, her reactions sharper, her movements more controlled. She wasn't just blocking—she was redirecting, countering, and matching Mira blow for blow.

Mira vanished in a blur, appearing at Stella's side with a downward slash—but Stella was already spinning, twisting her arc-blade into a rising counter.

Sparks flew.

The crowd roared as the two warriors battled at breakneck speed, neither gaining the upper hand for long.

In the waiting area, Lena leaned forward, gripping the railing. "They're dead even."

Hugo, however, had stopped watching.

Instead, he pulled something from his coat—a small, worn harmonica. Without a word, he raised it to his lips and began playing.

The same haunting melody.

Lena turned her head. "You're not watching?"

Hugo's fingers moved over the harmonica effortlessly, the melody flowing through the waiting area like a whisper of the past.

"She's already won," he murmured between notes.

Lena blinked. "How do you know?"

Hugo didn't answer. He just kept playing.

Back in the arena—

Mira lunged forward for one final strike, but Stella was faster.

She twisted her body, her arc-blade glowing brilliantly with Radiant Edge, and with one precise counter, she knocked Mira's weapons aside and landed a clean strike across her chestplate.

Mira staggered back—then let out a small chuckle.

"Damn," she muttered. "You got me."

The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.

"STELLA WINS!"

The crowd exploded into cheers.

Stella exhaled, lowering her blade. Then, she turned toward the waiting area—only to see Hugo, standing in the distance, playing that same tune on his harmonica.

Her grip tightened.

He knew she was going to win before she even did.