Chapter 4: Duel with the Prince!

A crowd of students flooded the Colosseum… every seat was filled with eager spectators craving entertainment.

Sieba approached Free. "Hey, cockroach!" he sneered loudly.

Free slowly turned his head.

(Cockroach? Me? Did he just call me a cockroach? This little brat's seriously pissing me off… just wait. I'll make you cough up blood.) Free thought with a scowl.

"What's wrong, mutt?" Free replied with a calm smile, his brow twitching.

Sieba grabbed Free by the collar.

"Mutt!? Who are you calling a mutt, huh!?" he snapped.

"Huh? Who are you calling cockroach!?" Free retorted at equal volume.

They locked eyes, the tension between them so thick it radiated like a burning aura.

Free's gaze sharpened.

"Let go, mutt! You're wrinkling my shirt, mutt!"

Sieba gritted his teeth, but reluctantly released his grip.

"I wanted to talk about the duel rules. Usually, a duel ends when one side loses or surrenders. That applies here too, once you lose or beg for mercy," Sieba mocked.

"Yeah, yeah. Dogs sure love barking. How about we fight without restrictions? I can only use curses and my physical strength anyway," Free suggested, offering terms fair to both.

Sieba, an expert in swordsmanship, magic, and martial arts, agreed without hesitation.

"Fine. I'll see you in the arena, cockroach. I'll end this duel in seconds."

He flashed a smug grin, full of confidence that he'd humiliate and break Free with ease.

But Free responded with a cold, condescending smile of his own. The pressure between them only grew as they walked toward the arena.

"FREE!!"

A voice shouted his name from the crowd. Free turned, searching for the source.

In the distance, his friends were waving from the stands.

Seria clasped her hands to her chest, eyes filled with hope.

"Be careful, and give it everything you've got. Come back victorious!"

"We believe in you, Free! You're the only one who can do this!" added Hedra.

Gil raised a clenched fist with enthusiasm.

"Go for it, buddy!! Win this match! We're rooting for you… so give it your all!!"

Free was taken aback. It was as if no one had ever cheered for him like this before. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly.

(These guys... they say whatever they want, huh. But still, there's no other option now… I will win. Because I believe I will!)

His eyes gleamed with determination.

"Ugh… this blind fool still doesn't understand the difference in power. Hedra… I'll have to punish him too. Are you done basking in your little goodbye? I'll give you a minute for your sweet group hug before I start torturing you," Sieba sneered.

Free entered the arena calmly, ignoring Sieba's words.

"Your bark is louder than your bite. Maybe I should teach you the value of shutting up."

"Shall we get started then?" Sieba grinned.

"I've been waiting," Free replied shortly.

The Astral Projection device activated, broadcasting their duel to the entire kingdom of Jurga.

Cheers erupted across the city, the Colosseum echoing with roaring voices.

The referee stepped between them.

"Before the duel begins, state your names."

"Sieba brì Jurga."

"Free…"

And with that—the duel began.

Sieba immediately unleashed a mid-level spell.

"Lightning Strike!!"

Bolts of lightning tore through the air toward Free, leaving no room to dodge.

But Free didn't panic. He calmly spoke:

"Lightning is the source of my strength."

The magic that should've injured him instead empowered him.

"W-What!?" Sieba was stunned.

Free smirked.

"Where's all that torture you promised? Don't tell me it was just talk."

"Is that… a curse? Whatever. You just got lucky blocking that one. Now I'll fight seriously!" Sieba snapped, eyes burning with hate.

He lunged forward, and Free met him in kind. Their battle intensified, magical clashes tearing the arena apart.

"Ice Quild! Fireball Streak! Wind Storm!"

Sieba's spells came fast and relentless.

"Curse Impact! Curse Impact! None of your spells land on me—Flip Banish!" Free countered every one.

Desperate, Sieba screamed,

"Flame Swirl!!!"

Only for Free to respond with

"Reverse Mirror!"

The spell rebounded and exploded on Sieba himself.

BOOM.

The crowd gasped.

Sieba was burned—wounded, but still able to heal himself using his remaining mana.

"This is ridiculous! Why can't any of my attacks land!?" Sieba groaned.

Free stepped forward.

Sieba rushed in with martial arts. Their fight became physical—blows echoed across the arena. Sieba landed a powerful kick, sending Free flying.

Sieba pounced, pummeling Free again and again.

Free could only block, trapped in a corner.

He could have used a curse to end it, but he deliberately held back to avoid humiliating Sieba—doing so might reflect badly on the royal family of Jurga.

But now, Free was struggling. Without chanting a proper curse, he couldn't boost his strength.

"What's wrong!? Feel the pain! Feel the humiliation for defying me!!" Sieba shouted as he continued his assault.

Free endured it all—he had to outlast Sieba until the prince wore himself out. If Free collapsed first, Sieba would win… but if Sieba broke down first, the victory would be Free's.

"You just gonna keep blocking!? Weakling! I'm already guaranteed to win!" Sieba shouted in triumph.

Then Free remembered his friends.

(Victory, huh? That's right… they're waiting for me. I can't lose. I won't lose!)

In his mind, he chanted—

Flip Banish…

Sieba was thrown back by the force of his own strike.

"W-What the hell!? I thought you couldn't use your powers anymore!?" Sieba shouted.

Free glared back, his presence overwhelming.

"Can't use them? Says who? Besides, my victory is already guaranteed."

"What are you saying!? You were almost down!"

Free chuckled.

"You're not wrong. I was close to losing… almost. I let you hit me, gave you some air to breathe. And you got so cocky. Pathetic. Naive. Hahahahaha!!"

"Done with your turn? Good. Now it's mine."

Sieba backed away in fear.

"Impossible! What are you going to do!?"

"What else? Return the favor, dumbass."

Free clenched his fists.

Sieba growled.

"I won't let you! I have to win—if I lose, my position is at risk!"

Free raised a brow.

"Hah…? Now you care? You were already losing the moment this duel began. I even told you to make peace with your brother, and you refused. Now what? Who's gonna save you, huh?"

"Shut up! I'm not reconciling with someone like him!"

Free smirked.

"You're such an idiot. Remember what I said before the duel started? That I'd win… because I believe I'll win. You remember that?"

"That was just empty talk!" Sieba screamed.

Free's voice grew louder.

"That wasn't talk. That was my power. My victory was decided the moment I believed it. Nothing can change that now."

Sieba stared in disbelief.

"N-No way. No curse can be that powerful!"

Free scratched his head.

"Maybe. I don't even know what this power is myself. I can't use magic, even though I have mana. But I can do this."

Sieba stood up, covered in dust and bruises.

"I don't believe it. Hell Fire!!"

He unleashed his strongest fire spell.

"Useless… Encounter."

The hellfire scattered into harmless particles.

The audience fell into stunned silence.

Then, a roar of excitement shook the city.

Sieba knelt, eyes hollow.

"Why? Why? Why? Why did I lose to him…?"

Free approached him slowly.

"Want to keep going?" Free asked, still looking down on the prince.

"…I—I surrender…" Sieba muttered.

The arena fell silent.

Then, a tidal wave of cheers exploded.

The referee stepped forward and raised Free's hand.

"The winner… Free!!"

The crowd erupted. Some cheered Free, others condemned him for harming a royal.

Sieba left the arena in silence.

Free returned to his waiting friends.

They looked at him without saying a word.

He gave a warm smile.

"I'm back…"

"Welcome back!!" they all shouted in unison.

Free tapped his chest, grinning.

"So? I pulled it off…"

Gil clapped his back.

"I knew from the start you'd win!"

Seria sighed.

"You really worried us… but thank goodness you're safe."

Hedra smiled.

"I agree. That was nerve-wracking. Congratulations again, Free."

Gil leaned toward Hedra, looking uneasy.

"But… with everyone watching, won't this get you in trouble, Hedra…?"

"It's fine. What matters is that this is over now," Hedra assured him.

Free scratched his chin with a smirk.

"Well! Since I won, how about you guys treat me to something?"

Seria crossed her arms and turned away.

"I'm not paying. It was your duel, not mine."

Gil and Hedra both fell silent, blankly staring at Seria.

(She was the most excited one cheering for him…) they whispered.

"WHAT did you just say!?" Seria snapped.

"Nothing," they both said at once.

"You totally said something!!"

"We said nothing!!" they denied, flustered.

"Heh, is that so…"

A dark voice echoed inside Free's mind.

"Free…?" Seria called gently.

Gil tapped his shoulder.

"You alright?"

Free shook his head and smiled.

"Ah, it's nothing. Let's go."

They left the Colosseum. The duel between Prince Sieba and Free ended in Free's victory.

On the way back to the academy, Gil couldn't stop replaying the battle out loud. Hedra followed along. Seria, meanwhile, looked annoyed.

Free trailed behind them, watching his friends warmly.

(I guess this is better…) he thought.

Suddenly, he sprinted ahead of them.

"C'MON!!"

"W—wait up!!" Seria shouted, reaching for him.

Gil laughed and ran after Free.

"Don't leave me behind…!"

Laughter echoed through the air. What had started in tension ended in peace and lightness.

That day, Free had finally earned recognition. Perhaps… he'd even started to make up for his inability to use magic.

Their days continued.

From the academy window, a mysterious figure smiled sinisterly, watching the jubilant city of Jurga…

To be Continued ....