The grand arena of the University of Higher Magic was alive with energy. Thousands of spectators filled the colossal coliseum, their voices blending into a deafening roar. The Yearly Tournament of Power was the ultimate proving ground—where only the strongest advanced, and the weak were crushed beneath the weight of reality.
Aiden sat among the competitors, still processing his own narrow victory in the opening round. He could feel the stares from the academy's top students—the ones who had mocked him for years. But their focus had shifted now.
Two names had stolen the spotlight.
Leon Aaldric. The lightning-fast royal who moved like a storm. A noble who despised weak commeners.
Xaleth Vireos. The silent, brooding noble with spatial magic that bent reality itself. An introvert, an enigma, a walking nightmare.
The crowd quieted as the next match was announced.
"Leon Aaldric versus Cedric Ardent!"
Aiden stiffened. Cedric was the top-ranked student from their academy—a master of flame magic, a prodigy trained since birth. If anyone could put up a fight against a royal, it was him.
Cedric smirked as he stepped into the ring, his crimson cloak billowing behind him. "So, the great Leon Aaldric graces us with his presence? I hope you're not expecting a free win."
Leon, standing across from him, didn't even look interested. He casually dusted off his pristine noble attire, eyes half-lidded. "I'll finish this before my tea gets cold."
"Did the top student just greet him as 'great' Leon? Who is he "Aiden thought to himself.
The Fight Begins
The moment the signal was given, Cedric launched forward, flames roaring to life. His body became a blur, heat distorting the air around him. A wall of fire erupted toward Leon, sealing off every escape route.
The crowd leaned forward. Surely, Leon wouldn't escape that.
Then, in the blink of an eye—
BOOM.
Cedric was sent flying backward, crashing into the arena wall with an explosion of stone and dust. The flames were still raging—but Leon wasn't there anymore.
He stood behind Cedric, dusting off his gloves.
"...Too slow."
The entire arena fell silent.
Cedric gasped for air, struggling to comprehend what had happened. His eyes darted around, searching for Leon's movement, but he had never even seen him move.
Leon cracked his knuckles and took a single step forward.
That step alone caused a burst of wind so strong it sent dust flying across the battlefield.
"Let me make this quick," Leon sighed.
Before Cedric could react, Leon disappeared again.
CRACK. A knee slammed into Cedric's stomach, folding him in half.
BOOM. A punch struck his jaw, sending him spinning mid-air.
CRACKLE. A streak of straight punches into his abdomen surged, and in less than three seconds—Cedric was unconscious.
The referee hurried forward, checking Cedric's condition before raising his hand.
"Winner—Leon Aaldric!"
The crowd was dead silent.
Then, the cheers erupted.
"HE DIDN'T EVEN TRY!"
"CEDRIC DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE!"
"LEON IS A MONSTER!"
Aiden clenched his fists. That level of speed—it was inhuman.
But the match wasn't over.
"Next match—Xaleth Vireos versus Sylvia Ardent!"
Sylvia, Cedric's younger sister, stepped into the ring. A master of ice magic, she had always been the pride of the academy, known for her precision and composure.
Across from her, Xaleth stood in silence.
His expression was blank, his silver hair covering part of his face. Unlike Leon, he didn't exude arrogance. Instead, he felt like a void—cold, unreadable, and distant.
Sylvia glared at him. "You won't embarrass me like Leon did to my brother."
Xaleth tilted his head slightly. "...Hmph."
The Fight Begins
Sylvia wasted no time. Spikes of ice erupted from the ground, launching toward Xaleth at lethal speed. The air froze around them, the entire arena coated in frost.
But before the shards could reach him—
They vanished.
Sylvia's eyes widened. "W-What?!"
Xaleth slowly raised his hand, and space itself distorted around him.
The ice reappeared—above Sylvia.
CRASH! The spikes slammed down, barely missing her as she dodged at the last second.
The crowd gasped.
Xaleth had warped her own attack.
Sylvia gritted her teeth and unleashed a storm of ice in every direction, creating a blizzard that would have frozen any normal opponent solid.
Xaleth didn't move.
He blinked once.
The blizzard stopped mid-air. The snow and ice, caught in his power, began to collapse inward, twisting and folding into itself like a shattered mirror.
"How…?" Sylvia stepped back, fear creeping into her voice.
Xaleth finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Too predictable."
BOOM.
A single invisible force struck Sylvia in the chest. She flew backward, her body twisting through the air before slamming into the ground, unconscious.
The match was over before it had even begun.
Xaleth sighed, adjusting his gloves as if nothing had happened. Without another word, he walked off the stage.
The referee, stunned, raised his hand.
"...Winner—Xaleth Vireos!"
The crowd was paralyzed.
Aiden stared, heart pounding.
This was the level of power the University had.
And he had just barely won his match.
He was nowhere near their level.
But something told him—this wasn't their full power.
As Xaleth walked past him, he stopped for a brief moment, his cold gaze meeting Aiden's.
"...Interesting," he murmured, before continuing forward.
Leon, standing nearby, smirked. "Try not to embarrass yourself when we fight, commoner."
Aiden clenched his fists.
He wasn't going to back down. Not now. Not ever.
The true battles were just beginning