The Vengeful Extra's Ascension-Chapter 35: The Duels ( 3 )

Not only the students were shocked, up in the high balconies reserved for the faculty, even the Professors, many of whom had lived through cruel battles and hunted monsters, had been leaning forward in their seats.

And now? They sat, all murmuring about what happened.

"Miranda’s use of space is incredible," One of the professors says.

"Yeah, she was knitting the battlefield, using spatial redirection perfectly while under pressure from someone at a higher rank. That kind of composure for someone so young is impressive,"

The Professors nodded in agreement, and another one of them spoke out, "Don’t forget about Lucian, his form was flawless," said Professor Halden Vire, the Academy’s Sword Arts Master, a grizzled old veteran who rarely spoke unless insulted.

"No wasted movement. He adapted mid-clash, learned every pattern, and used the terrain. Classic reactive duelist instinct."

"Exactly," another professor said, "His growth during the battle was almost frightening."

The discussion continued, most of the Professors were extremely impressed, but one of them was smirking happily.

Professor Kayle sat straighter in her seat, her golden eyes glinting with happiness as she turned to face the one person whose reaction she was actually a bit excited about seing.

Professor Skye.

The noble supremacist combat instructor had a frozen look of disbelief on her face, her jaw clenched with annoyance and her fists clenched. Her perfectly styled hair trembled just slightly from the tension rolling off her.

Kayle let the silence linger before she finally spoke, her voice filled with faux sympathy and light mockery.

"Well, well. That didn’t quite go how you expected, did it?"

Skye didn’t answer.

Kayle chuckled under her breath, brushing a strand of white-gold hair behind her ear. "I have to admit, I almost believed your little lecture about bloodlines and superiority for a second. But then, oh dear, a commoner-born First Year just flattened your carefully selected Gold-ranked favorites in front of half the Empire’s future elite."

"Miranda is hardly a commoner, and she was the one who actually carried the fight," Skye snapped, recovering her poise quickly, her voice smooth and icy as she quickly rationalized why they lost.

"As for Lucian, he had a fluke fight barely holding off Darius who was sick, a fully healthy Darius obviously would’ve destroyed him. That commoner rat will quickly return to his natural level."

Kayle raised a brow, "Fluke? Funny. It looked like pure skill to me. Or is it only ’noble talent’ when your side wins?"

Skye stood, smoothing out invisible creases from her longcoat as she turned toward Kayle with a polite, poisonous smile, "Don’t be so eager to celebrate. That was only the first bout. There’s still another pair of your favorites left to fall. Let’s see if you’re still smiling after your little pet project, Albedo Neverwinter, and that peasant girl he clings to get crushed."

Kayle tilted her head slightly. "I don’t smile. I shine."

"And I don’t waste time on arrogance," Skye replied coldly, "Those two will fall. Just like everyone else who forgets their place in the hierarchy."

Her heels clicked as she walked to the far end of the balcony, muttering something to another noble professor in passing.

Kayle’s golden eyes lingered on her, then flicked back to the arena below. She didn’t respond with another quip. Not this time.

Instead, her gaze narrowed.

Because she knew exactly who was about to step out next.

And unlike Skye... she wasn’t underestimating them.

While she was worried about Elara, the fact Albedo chose her as his first choice for a partner alleviated her worries, because above everything, she trusted Albedo, having seen his skill in battle first hand over the past few weeks of Combat Class

***

Down below, in the arena, the crowd was still catching its breath. Students were filtering about, buying snacks and drinks from the various vendors located around the arena.

Everyone was still chatting eagerly about what happened, discussing just how much Lucian and Miranda impressed them, especially Miranda, as the Princess, she had a-lot of fanboys & fangirls.

However, the break didn’t last long, students quickly filled their seats as the next battle was about to begin. The magically-amplified voice of the announcer rang out once more, drenched with adrenaline and excitement.

"WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT WAS A BATTLE FOR THE AGES! BUT GUESS WHAT, WE’RE NOT DONE YET!"

The audience roared in response, a thunderous wave of cheers and stomping feet vibrating through the stands.

"COMING UP NEXT - THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE DAY! ANOTHER MATCH BETWEEN FIRST-YEAR REPRESENTATIVES AND LOW-GOLD-RANK SECOND-YEARS!"

The screens above the arena flashed to two figures now standing at the far end of the waiting tunnel.

One was a girl with wild blue hair tied into a thick braid, her combat robes fluttering with arcane sigils that glowed with wind and ice mana. She wielded a Mana Bow, and wore a smug expression.

The other was a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a heavy tower shield strapped to his arm, glowing silver armor etched with sun motifs. His aura was Low-Gold Rank, thick and pressurized like a mountain of molten stone.

"INTRODUCING: THE ’ICE STRIKER’ - VELA STORMVALE! And beside her, the Iron Wall of the Second-Years - GARRICK SUNSHADE!"

The crowd responded with roars and whistles. Their names were known, Second-Year Nobles Both Gold Rank. Both considered promising future knights or expedition captains.

"And now... their opponents."

A flicker of silence rolled through the arena.

The screens shifted. Two figures were walking through the opposite tunnel now, the gates slowly sliding open.

Albedo and Elara walked out, their eyes steeled with determination.

"ENTERING THE FIELD: MYTH CLASS #1 ALBEDO NEVERWINTER AND HIS TEAMMATE - ELARA VANCE!"

The crowd exploded.

Everyone had seen the first battle, but many had come just to witness this one. The mysterious, dangerous Albedo who had somehow climbed to #1 in the Myth Class Rankings, and the unknown commoner girl he had chosen as his teammate.

"There’s a lot of heat riding on this match, folks!" the caster continued. "Can lightning strike twice?! Can these First-Years possibly match the insane performance of Arclight and Starwind?! Or are they just... the next sacrifice?"

Albedo and Elara kept walking toward the center of the arena. The runes on the ground were glowing again as the arena was prepared.

~WHOOSH~

A low hum swept across the stadium floor as the announcer’s voice faded into rising tension.

~VRMMMMMMMMMM!~

Then, the arena itself began to shift. The glowing runes etched into the stone ignited, bursting with cascading colors, deep emerald, glowing azure, and a whisper of silver.

Energy surged like lightning through the lines in the ground, branching outward like veins beneath the arena’s skin.

Then came the transformation.

With a pulse of ancient magic, the polished stone tiles of the dueling ground split apart, sinking in jagged patterns.

Earth magic roared beneath the surface. Huge slabs of terrain rose up and twisted. The smooth floor buckled and heaved until a verdant, tangled forest sprawled across the battlefield.

Trees burst upward from the ground, vines coiled around their trunks like serpents. A fog-laced swamp manifested near the southern edge, thick pools of water glimmering with distorted reflections.

The air grew damp, thick with humidity and the scent of moss and decay. Buzzing mana-insects shimmered above the murky water, and twisted roots curled just beneath the surface like lurking serpents.

"AND THE TERRAIN IS IN!" the announcer bellowed, excitement peaking. "TODAY’S STAGE - THE WILDERVALE! This environment favors movement, concealment, and tactical positioning. Visibility will be a factor! Footing will be treacherous!"

"Expect ambushes, expect ranged assaults, and if you fall into that swamp... good luck getting out without help!"

A storm of student voices filled the air again, cheers, gasps, and rapid-fire theories flying across the stands.

Albedo slowly scanned the battlefield, his gaze gliding over the vines, the elevation, the fog-veiled patches of water.

He muttered under his breath, voice calm and unreadable as his eyes scanned the battlefield. Unlike the previous battle which was in the standard arena, this was an arena that favored different skills.

"Dense terrain, uneven elevation, obstructed line of sight. Swamp limits movement. Advantage shifts to ranged combatants, unless..."

He glanced toward Elara, who was already analyzing the battlefield using her Gift, her forest green eyes continuously looking around.

"Don’t worry, I’ve got a nice understanding of the arena’s layout," Elara said confidently.

"Good, and leave the fighting to me." Albedo said, a swirl of violet and black appearing in his arms as he summoned Havoc and Ruin.

Across from them, Vela Stormvale licked her lips, drawing back her mana bowstring. Wind gathered at her shoulders, forming little wisps of coiling air.

"I hope you like playing hide and seek," she taunted, an arrow forming, icy, jagged, and humming with pressure.

Up in the air, the floating crystal screens flickered, locking into positions and angles for an optimal view.

The magic referee’s voice boomed overhead once more, heavy with finality.

"Combatants ready."

The mana in the arena pulsed like a heartbeat. All other sound seemed to die. Even the wind stilled.

Albedo lowered his stance. Elara shifted into a crouch, one hand brushing the hilt of her dagger, the other pressed to the ground.

Garrick planted his shield and Vela’s arrow began to glow.

The referee’s voice dropped,

"BEGIN!"